On September 4, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Sierra Leone held a film screening to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Ambassador Wang Qing attended the event and delivered a speech. The film The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru was screened, and approximately 50 representatives from various friendly sectors of Sierra Leone and the Chinese community residing in Sierra Leone attended the event.

Ambassador Wang stated that the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression made an indelible historical contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as to human peace and development. History shows us that peace and justice will inevitably triumph over aggression and evil. We must promote a correct view of WWII history, defend the outcomes of the victory in WWII, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, jointly address global challenges, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

The audience were deeply moved by the film. They expressed that only by remembering the lessons of war can we create a future of peace and prevent such tragedies from happening again.




As fears swirl that American manufacturing workers and skilled laborers may soon be replaced by artificial intelligence and robots, Alex Karp, CEO of the AI and data analytics software company Palantir Technologies, hopes to change the narrative.

Its not true, and in fact, its kind of the opposite, Karp said in an interview with Fortune Thursday at the companys commercial customer conference, AIPCon, where Palantir customers showcased how they were using the companys software platform and generative AI within their own businesses.

The primary danger of AI in this country, says Karp, is that workers dont understand that AI will actually help them in their rolesand it will hardly replace them. Silicon Valleys done an immensely crappy job of explaining that, he said. If youre in manufacturing, in any capacity: Youre on the assembly line, you maintain a complicated machineyou have any kind of skilled labor jobthe way we do AI will actually make your job more valuable and make you more valuable. But currently you would thinkjust roaming around the country, and if you listen to the AI narratives coming out of Silicon Valleythat all these people are going to lose their jobs tomorrow.

Karp made these comments the day before the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its August jobs report, which showcased a climbing unemployment rate and stagnating hiring figures, reigniting fears of whether AI is at all responsible for the broader slowdown. There has been limited data thus far suggesting that generative AI is to blame for the slowing jobs marketor even job cuts for that matterthough a recent ADP hiring report offered a rare suggestion that AI may be one of several factors influencing hiring sentiment. Some executives, including Salesforces Marc Benioff, have cited the efficiency gains of AI for layoffs at their companies, and others, like Ford CEO Jim Farley and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, have made lofty predictions about how AI is on track to replace jobs in the future. Most of these projections have been centered around white collar roles, in particular, versus manufacturing or skilled labor positions.

Karp, who has a PhD in neoclassical social theory and a reputation for being outspoken and contrarian on many issues, argues that fears of AI eliminating skilled labor jobs are unfoundedand hes committed to correcting the public perception.

Earlier this week, Palantir launched Working Intelligence: The AI Optimism Project, a quasi-public information and marketing campaign centered around artificial intelligence in the workplace. The project has begun with a series of short blog posts featuring Palantirs customers and their opinions on AI, as well as a manifesto that takes aim at both the doomers and pacifiers of AI. Doomers fear, and pacifiers welcome, a future of conformity: a world in which AI flattens human difference. Silicon Valley is already selling such bland, dumbed-down slop, the manifesto declares, arguing that the true power of AI is not to standardize but to supercharge workers.
Merit Recognized  Seema, Mainpuri

Supporting Daughters Dreams  Alpana Srivastava, Lucknow

First Government Job for a Farmers Family  Shyamu Vishwakarma, Gorakhpur

Employment Boosts Confidence  Pawan Kumar, Pilibhit

Government Commitment to Youth Employment

Uttar Pradesh is now witnessing a new era of employment where opportunities are awarded based on merit and hard work. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, transparent and fair recruitment processes have transformed the lives of thousands of youth. Newly selected instructors who received their appointment letters at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium expressed heartfelt gratitude to the CM, acknowledging that their success reflects not just personal effort but also the governments commitment to fairness.CM Yogi has emphasized that only deserving and hardworking candidates will receive job opportunities in the state, eliminating the influence of recommendations. His team is actively implementing this vision on the ground, providing young professionals a platform to achieve their aspirations and contribute to Uttar Pradeshs growth as a skilled and capable workforce.
( Image credit : Donald Trump has gone six days without major public appearances and 16 days without leaving Washington, D.C. | Credit: X )

Donald Trumps cognitive test: What does it really measure?

Donald Trump's IQ, if it has been tested, has never been publicly reported. Trump, 78 falls in an age group where the mean WAIS-IV IQ before age norming is 79. 79 is borderline intellectual functioning.

Trump says he "took a cognitive test. I dont know what to tell you https://t.co/FAljVzYGBn  Laurence (Larry) Boorstein (@LarryBoorstein) September 7, 2025

( Image credit : Trump roasts Microsofts CEO Satya Nadella at White House dinner | Credit: X )

Mild cognitive impairment and Donald Trumps cognitive health

Mayo Clinic

Separating fact from fiction: Trumps cognitive health and MCI

( Image credit : New viral photo of Donald Trump goes viral; check here | Credit: X | @cwebbonline )

Donald Trumps IQ has never been officially disclosed or confirmed through any standardised intelligence test, sparking widespread debate online following a recent X (formerly called Twitter) post. At 79 years old, Trump falls within an age group where cognitive assessments often gain more attention, especially as he recently hosted a star-studded meeting of tech giants at the White House. Praising the likes of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Googles Sundar Pichai, and Metas Mark Zuckerberg as a high-IQ group leading a business revolution, Trump lauded their intellect; yet his own IQ remains unverified, raising questions about his cognitive health and mental sharpness in senior leadership.Although he claims to have got every answer right on a cognitive test, experts note that the MoCA he referenced is used to detect signs of Alzheimers and Parkinsons, not to measure intelligence. Interestingly, in Trumps age group, the average WAIS-IV score before norming is 79, which falls in the borderline intellectual functioning category, further fuelling public debate about his mental acuity.According to an X post, at 78, Donald Trump falls within an age group where the average WAIS-IV IQ score before age norming is 79, a level classified as borderline intellectual functioning. The post read, 'Donald Trump's IQ, if it has been tested, has never been publicly reported.' Trump, 78, falls in an age group where the mean WAIS-IV IQ before age norming is 79. 79 is borderline intellectual functioning."Trump says he 'took a cognitive test. I dont know what to tell you other than I got every answer right.The MoCA test is used to identify cognitive problems like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, but it is not a test of general intelligence."Trump publicly stated that he had at the cognitive test and got every answer right. However, the test he likely referred to, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), is designed to detect cognitive impairments such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease, not to measure general intelligence.This distinction was highlighted in a recent post on X, fuelling discussions about the interpretation of Trumps cognitive health versus his IQ.According to the, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional phase between normal cognitive ageing and dementia. It involves memory loss, difficulties with language, and impaired judgement, but these symptoms do not interfere significantly with daily functioning.Individuals with MCI often recognise changes in their mental abilities, and these differences may also be noticeable to family and close friends. However, these impairments are not severe enough to disrupt routine activities.MCI increases the likelihood of progressing to dementia, including Alzheimers disease, but in some cases, symptoms may remain stable or even improve over time. This context is important when discussing public speculation about Donald Trumps cognitive health, especially considering his age and recent cognitive assessments like the MoCA test.While some have raised concerns about potential early signs of cognitive decline, it is essential to note that an MCI diagnosis, or a confirmed connection to conditions like Alzheimers, has not been publicly established in Trumps case.
Bigg Boss 19

( Image credit : Salman Khan on BB 19 | Credit: X )

What did Salman Khan say about Donald Trump on Bigg Boss 19?

Heres what Salman Khan told Farhana Bhatt during Weekend Ka Vaar

Bigg Boss 19

( Image credit : Farhana Bhatt poses for a shoot | Credit: IG )

( Image credit : Salman Khan on Bigg Boss 19 stage | Credit: JioHotstar )

When and where to watch Bigg Boss 19?

Bigg Boss 19

A recent clip fromhas set social media abuzz as Salman Khan seemingly took an indirect dig at President Donald Trump. The moment quickly went viral, with fans dubbing it an international panga and joking that Bhais films could now face tariffs abroad. The playful exchange has sparked laughter and discussions online, keeping the spotlight firmly on Salman and the reality show.While schooling Farhana Bhatt, who calls herself a peace activist, for her behavior, Salman was heard saying, Ye ho kya raha hai puri duniya me ki jo sabse zyada trouble faila rahe hain, unko hi peace prize chahiye?The clip was shared on Reddit and people started talking about how they are sure that he took a dig at Donald Trump.Taking to the comments section, one called it, International panga. Another added, This is some impeccable work from Bhai.A third went on to add, Ab Bhoi ke films ki tareef nahi, sirf Tariffs lagegi.Kashmiri actress and peace activist Farhana Bhatt sparked multiple conflicts in thehouse after returning from the secret room. She clashed with Kunickaa Sadanand, Neelam Giri, Baseer Ali, and several others. During the Weekend Ka Vaar, Salman Khan reprimanded her for her behavior, calling out her actions in front of the housemates.He said her ego was too big and asked if she even knew what she thought she was. He also criticized her for speaking harshly about Neelam, pointing out that it was unfair for a woman to say such things about another woman. Farhana responded that she had been extremely angry.Salman then warned her that she didnt understand how wrong her actions were and said it would be unfair for her to remain in the house after making such statements.Experience all the drama, twists, and excitement ofon the 24-hour live channel, where viewers can watch the action unfold in real time. New episodes stream daily at 9:00 PM on JioHotstar, while the televised broadcast airs at 10:30 PM on COLORS.
( Image credit : Blood Moon | Credit: Canva Stock Images )

( Image credit : This creates the 'blood moon' effect. | Credit: X/ @vishalojha05 )

Indian timings of the eclipse

Social media reactions on Blood Moon

My first lunar eclipse since 2017, and that one was just partial. Damn, 8 years! It looks so gorgeous tonight. Hate my camera tho, and hate myself more for having a telescope but zero patience to drag it to the terrace at midnight and capture the Moon. #LunarEclipsepic.twitter.com/6gg8elcwAj  The ChagalaToka (@Pratyush0511) September 7, 2025

"When the sun of love rises, the light of the moon fades."



Look up in the sky Its a full moon today! 



Tonight the moon will turn a deep red during a total lunar eclipse. "Red Moon" Blood Moon" #redmoon | #LunarEclipsepic.twitter.com/6YR2RAN5Xw  Sumit (@SumitHansd) September 7, 2025

A total eclipse of the Moon has begun. This is called a 'Blood Moon' because the full moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow, appearing reddish due to sunlight refracted by Earth's atmosphere.



This is the longest total lunar eclipse since 2022, with the total phase lasting pic.twitter.com/d91oT1DUFX  GrrrGraphics-Ben Garrison  Cartoons  (@GrrrGraphics) September 7, 2025

Tonights lunar eclipse feels like a dream painted in the sky. The moon glowing in its rare beauty fills my heart with awe and joy.  Moments like these remind me how small we are, yet how deeply connected we feel under the same universe. #LunarEclipse#redmoon  Gulshan Ganvir (@GulshanGanvir3) September 7, 2025

Nature dropping a better show than Netflix tonight. #redmoon  Chandra Shekhar Gaikwad (@Scroll2aiskill) September 7, 2025

I swear, everywhere I look people are talking about the moon, blood moon, lunar this, lunar that. Like hello?? Weve got a whole planet full of problems down here and yall are out there chasing the moon like its gonna pay

Leave the moon alone #LunarEclipse2025  freshta jadran (@ASaeedaly) September 7, 2025

Always enthusiastic about astronomy. Watched countless documentaries on cosmos, planets, galaxies, comets etc

Never thought about going to witness this in front of my eyes.

1st pic - 10:57 pm

2nd pic - 12:35 am#redmoonpic.twitter.com/l1P2lJJaSr  SanatanThreads (@devjyotii) September 7, 2025

Watching The Moon from rooftop tonight but instead of clicking pics, Im taking in the Moment. #BloodMoon#ChandraGrahan2025  Maharathi (@TheLeviathan619) September 7, 2025

When the mind grows still, the whole universe reflects within you like the moon upon a calm lake.#LunarEclipse#redmoon#LunarEclipse2025pic.twitter.com/KWwNDJhvFj  Shalu Kanwar (@KanwarShalu07) September 7, 2025

Why the moon turns red

( Image credit : A lunar eclipse happens when Earth comes directly between the sun and the moon. | Credit: X/ @earthcurated )

Next lunar eclipse

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.

People across India looked up to witness a rare and magical sight on the night of September 7 . The moon slowly disappeared into Earths shadow, creating a spectacular total lunar eclipse, popularly called a 'blood moon.'It was a moment when the sky caught everyones attention, and people could just stop, look, and enjoy. No special glasses or filters were needed; all it took was finding the moon and watching. For those who couldnt go outside, free livestreams and live updates made sure nobody missed any part of the event. Social media was full of excitement as people shared their pictures and reactions, making the eclipse a trending topic on platforms like X.In India, the lunar eclipse began at 8:58 p.m. IST on September 7 and lasted until 1:25 a.m. IST on September 8 . The Earths shadow started slowly covering the moon at 9:57 p.m., and by 11:01 p.m., the moon was fully cloaked, turning a striking copper-red, the iconic 'blood moon.'The totality, the phase when the moon is completely inside Earths shadow, lasted an unusually long 82 minutes, from 10:00 p.m. to 11:22 p.m. IST. The peak of the eclipse came around 11:48 p.m., with the event concluding around 12:22 a.m.The night saw social media buzzing with reactions from people who watched the eclipse. One user shared, My first lunar eclipse since 2017, and that one was just partial. Damn, 8 years! It looks so gorgeous tonight. Hate my camera though, and hate myself more for having a telescope but zero patience to drag it to the terrace at midnight and capture the moon. #LunarEclipseAnother observer said, When the sun of love rises, the light of the moon fades." Look up in the sky Its a full moon today!One user explained the science behind it: A total eclipse of the Moon has begun. This is called a 'Blood Moon' because the full moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow, appearing reddish due to sunlight refracted by Earth's atmosphere. The total phase lasted 1 hour and 22 minutes and was visible in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. About 85% of the worlds population could see it.Some reactions brought out the poetic side of viewers. Tonights lunar eclipse feels like a dream painted in the sky. The moon glowing in its rare beauty fills my heart with awe and joy. Moments like these remind me how small we are, yet how deeply connected we feel under the same universe.Others were more playful, with one commenting, Nature is dropping a better show than Netflix tonight, while another wrote, I swear, everywhere I look people are talking about the moon, blood moon, lunar this, lunar that. Like, hello?? Weve got a whole planet full of problems down here, and yall are out there chasing the moon like its gonna pay. Leave the moon alone. #LunarEclipse2025Check out more images.A lunar eclipse happens when Earth comes directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow across the lunar surface. When the moon moves into the deeper part of this shadow, called the umbra, sunlight passing through Earths atmosphere bends and filters out the blue light, leaving a reddish or coppery hue.This creates the 'blood moon' effect. This eclipse showed a bright orange-red color because Earths atmosphere was relatively clear of volcanic debris or heavy dust.For those who missed this spectacular event, the next lunar eclipse will occur on March 23, 2026. Until then, people can enjoy the images and memories of the September 2025 blood moon.
( Image credit : Carlo Acutis | Credit: @alinezaun/ X )

Carlo Acutiss illness and death

( Image credit : Carlo Acutis | Credit: X/@Catolicismooo )

The miracles related to him

( Image credit : Pope Francis | Credit: Instagram/franciscus )



Pope Francis pushed forward his sainthood

In 2020, he was beatified, the first step toward sainthood. Carlos story has been embraced worldwide, especially by young Catholics. His mother describes him as someone who saw that each person is unique and unrepeatable, original and not a photocopy.





Pope Francis pushed forward his sainthood, saying the church needed a figure like him to inspire the youth in a digital age. Pope Leo XIV has also highlighted the challenges of technology, including artificial intelligence, but says Carlos example shows how it can be used for good.



Where to watch the Canonization ceremony

The canonization of Carlo Acutis, along with Pier Giorgio Frassati, will air live on EWTN at 3 a.m. ET on Sunday, September 7, with an encore presentation at 6 p.m. ET the same day.



To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.



Carlo Acutis, a British-born Italian teenager, was declared the first Catholic saint of the millennial generation on Sunday, September 7, at St. Peters Square in Rome. The canonization ceremony, postponed earlier this year following the death of Pope Francis in April, was led by Pope Leo XIV.This was Pope Leos first canonization since being elected in May. Tens of thousands of people gathered for the event, which also saw the canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Italian man who died of polio in the 1920s and was remembered for his service to the poor.All about Carlo AcutisCarlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London to Italian parents, Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano. The family soon moved back to Milan, Italy, where Carlo grew up.From a young age, he showed an unusual devotion to faith, attending Mass daily. At the same time, he lived like any teenager of the 2000s, playing with computers, coding, and wearing jeans and sneakers. His mother said earlier this year that his appeal to young Catholics was simple: He lived the same life as others who were teenagers in the 2000s.A tech-savvy teen of faithCarlo was fascinated with computers and taught himself basic coding. Using these skills, he created a website documenting Eucharistic miracles around the world. The site, now translated into nearly 20 languages, describes 196 miracles connected to the Eucharist. Pope Francis once wrote that Carlo knew how to use the new communications technology to transmit the Gospel, to communicate values and beauty.As a teenager, Carlo was diagnosed with leukemia. Despite his suffering, he chose to dedicate his pain to a greater cause. Before his death, he said, I offer all of my suffering to the Lord for the pope and for the Church in order not to go to purgatory but to go straight to heaven.He died on October 12, 2006, at the age of 15, and was buried in Assisi, Italy. His body rests in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore at the Sanctuary of Spogliazione in Assisi, a city closely tied to St. Francis. His tomb, where he is seen dressed in jeans and Nike sneakers, attracts thousands of visitors every year.Two miracles were officially recognized by the Vatican and cleared the way for Carlos sainthood. The first involved the healing of a three-year-old Brazilian boy in 2013 who had a serious pancreatic condition.He was declared "venerable" in 2018 after the Church recognized the holiness of his life. His body was moved to the Santuario della Spogliazione in Assisi, a shrine closely connected to St. Francis.The second was the recovery of 21-year-old Costa Rican student Valeria Valverde, who suffered a near-fatal head injury in a bicycle accident in 2022. In both cases, family members prayed for Carlos intercession.On May 23, 2024, Pope Francis recognized the second miracle, completing the requirements for sainthood.
Appointment of 1,510 Vocational Education Instructors

ITIs and Training Capacity in Uttar Pradesh

Skill Training Across 82 Trades

Outsourcing and Upgradation of Training Programs

Introduction of New Trades and Short-Term Courses

Skill Development Mission and Youth Employment

Global Employment and Entrepreneurship Initiatives

Project Praveen and Rural Skill Training

Job Fairs and Employment Opportunities

The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC), Lucknow, recently announced the appointment of 1,510 vocational education instructors for various trades in 2025. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the distribution of appointment letters at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium, while similar events took place across all districts. The initiative aims to provide youth with employment and self-employment opportunities, reflecting the governments commitment to Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.Out of 1,851 total selected instructors, 1,510 have already received their letters, with the remaining 341 expected soon. With 286 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) offering training in 92 trades and over 1.84 lakh seats, these appointments ensure high-quality skill development. This large-scale initiative strengthens vocational training infrastructure, empowers youth, and prepares them for modern industry demands.
( Image credit : Mia O'Brien, a 23-year-old British law student, was sentenced to 25 years in a Dubai | Credit: X | @AstuteGaba )

Mia O'Brien's mother calls it a 'very stupid mistake'

GoFundMe page.

( Image credit : Mia O'Brien's mother calls it a 'very stupid mistake' | Credit: X | @AstuteGaba )

DUBAI



CAGED IN DUBAI Brit woman, 23, jailed for LIFE in Dubai for making very stupid mistake as devastated mum makes plea for help



Sep 5, 2025

Mia O'Brien, 23, from #Huyton, Liverpool, is being held in the city's central prison as her "devastated" mum pleads for help pic.twitter.com/G13k3smVjC  Abhay (@AstuteGaba) September 5, 2025

What did Mia O'Brien do?

The Mirror

( Image credit : Mia's family initially kept the details of her case private for a long time | Credit: X | @AstuteGaba )

Mias university troubles and legal battle

In a bizarre incident, Mia O'Brien, a 23-year-old British law student, was sentenced to 25 years in a Dubai prison after authorities discovered illegal substances in her apartment. Her mother, Danielle McKenna, described it as a 'stupid mistake' and revealed details that the family had kept private until now. The arrest took place last October, and the harsh punishment has left her loved ones struggling to come to terms with the consequences of that single, life-altering error. But what exactly did Mia do? Let's know more.The 23-year-old British student was handed a life sentence and is currently being held in the city's central prison. Her devastated mother, Danielle McKenna, 46, says that she hasn't seen her daughter since last October.The law student from Liverpool has been described as a young woman who, unfortunately, fell in with the wrong crowd. "Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai, and she is now in central prison," wrote her heartbroken mother in a now-deletedShe went on to claim, "Mia is only 23 years old and has never done a bad thing in her life.""This is a young girl who went to university to do law and unfortunately got mixed up with the wrong so-called friends and made a very stupid mistake and is now paying the price," added McKenna.A spokesperson for GoFundMe told The Sun that the campaign was removed because it violated their Terms of Service, specifically Term 9, which prohibits raising funds for legal matters related to certain alleged crimes.The statements reveal that Mia's family initially kept the details of her case private for a long time, referring to the situation only as a 'very stupid mistake'. However, according to a report by, the 23-year-old university student was found in possession of 50 grams of a Class A drug in October.The drug was reportedly valued at nearly 2,500 (around Rs 3 lakh), shedding light on the serious nature of the charges that led to her sentence.Danielle revealed that Mia, who studied at Liverpool University, became involved with the wrong crowd during her time there. Alongside Mia, two others who were present in the apartment, a friend and her boyfriend, were also arrested and charged with drug dealing.
( Image credit : Surveillance video reveals the horrific attack | Credit: X | @bennyjohnson )

Surveillance video reveals the horrific attack

She ran from war in Ukraine. She came here for safety.



And America FAILED her.



23-year-old Iryna Zarutska was butchered on a Charlotte light rail, her throat cut open by a violent repeat offender who had been arrested 14 times and was STILL free.



This wasnt random. This was pic.twitter.com/woRCbMyioq  Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 6, 2025

Know who Decarlos Brown Jr.

HT

( Image credit : Decarlos Brown Jr. | Credit: X | @bennyjohnson )

Man-made delusions and a troubling criminal past

Despite a violent history, Decarlos Brown was repeatedly released

New York Post

Judge Teresa Stokes let career criminal DeCarlos Brown Jr out of jail on a written promise he would appear in court



DeCarlos then murdered Iryna Zarutska.



No words. pic.twitter.com/n6nFmGVbZa  C3 (@C_3C_3) September 6, 2025

Why was Decarlos Brown Jr. released after being arrested for multiple murders?

Daily Mail,

The brutal killing of Iryna Zarutska has sent shockwaves through the Charlotte community and beyond, raising urgent questions about public safety and the protection of vulnerable individuals seeking refuge. Just 23 years old, Zarutska had escaped the horrors of war in Ukraine in search of peace and security in the United States. Instead, her life was tragically cut short in a horrifying act of violence aboard a Charlotte light rail train, where she was fatally stabbed in August. Following this, shocking new video footage has surfaced on the internet, revealing the terrifying moments before and after the attack. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have arrested Decarlos Brown Jr, a known career criminal, in connection with the murder, but who is he, and why was he released after being in jail 14 times? Let's find out.After the incident went viral, multiple posts surfaced on the internet, among which is newly released surveillance footage of the fatal incident that has emerged and was shared by CBS-affiliated WBTV, shedding light on the horrifying moments leading up to and following the attack.The viral video shows Iryna Zarutska being randomly stabbed multiple times all of a sudden, with authorities confirming she was struck at least once in the throat. Due to the extremely graphic nature of the footage, India Times chooses not to share the video publicly.According to the surveillance footage, after Zarutska clutched her throat and collapsed into her seat, Decarlos Brown Jr. calmly walked through the train car, removed his sweatshirt, and stood near the doors. Other passengers began to take notice as blood was seen dripping from him, slowly realising the severity of what had just occurred.According to officials, Brown exited at the next stop, where a knife was later recovered. However, the disturbing visuals have sparked public outrage and renewed calls for stronger safety measures on public transportation systems.According to, Decarlos Brown Jr., is currently a homeless man who was arrested for the brutal killing of Zarutska in August. Brown has a criminal history dating back to 2011, when he was charged with first-degree murder.Decarlos Brown Jr. has a lengthy criminal history that includes charges such as larceny, armed robbery, and making threats, as per WSOC-TV. He previously served a five-year prison sentence for armed robbery. Earlier this year, in January, Brown was arrested again after allegedly misusing the 911 emergency system during a welfare check.In a bizarre claim detailed in an affidavit cited by the Charlotte Observer, Decarlos Brown Jr. allegedly told authorities that a 'man-made substance implanted in his body was controlling his movements.This strange incident occurred during a welfare check in January, when Brown was arrested for allegedly misusing the 911 emergency system.Despite a long and violent criminal record, 34-year-old Decarlos Brown Jr. was repeatedly released back into the community. As reported by the, Brown assaulted his own sister just months after being released from prison.Court records reveal a disturbing pattern, showing that Brown has spent much of his adult life in and out of jail since 2011. His extensive rap sheet includes serious charges such as felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and making criminal threats, raising serious concerns about how someone with such a history remained free despite the escalating severity of his offences.According to theBrown served five years behind bars for armed robbery and was arrested for assaulting his sister. As per the Axios report, Decarlos Brown Jr., has a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a history of violent crimes.In January, Brown was released from jail without bond after being arrested for misusing the 911 system. At the time, he made bizarre claims that "man-made" material had been implanted in his body, controlling his basic functions like eating, walking, and speaking.Then, in July, concerns were raised about his mental state when his public defender questioned whether he was mentally fit to stand trial. Although a judge ordered a forensic evaluation, it was never carried out, and Brown remained free, according to Queen City News.
Affordable fares and rural reach

Digital convenience through CSCs

Safety and driver fitness measures

Modern infrastructure and eco-friendly buses

Boost to rural economy and public trust

The Yogi government has taken a big step to improve rural mobility in Uttar Pradesh by launching the Mukhyamantri Gramin Janta Seva. Under this scheme, 250 buses will run from every depot, covering villages within a 7580 km radius, with fares fixed at 20 % less than regular services. While current UP Roadways charges are Rs 1.30 per kilometre, these buses will operate at Rs 1.04 per kilometre, offering cheaper travel for rural households, traders, and daily commuters.Alongside, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also announced that 1.5 lakh Common Service Centres will now accept applications for 48 RTO-related works. The initiative combines affordability, better access, safety measures, eco-friendly vehicles, and modern infrastructure, making it a landmark effort to strengthen rural transport and position the transport department as a driver of a developed India vision.dedicated to villages, covering 7580 km routes.than regular buses (Rs 1.04/km vs Rs 1.30/km).Each depot will allocatefor rural services.enabled to process 48 RTO services.Villagers get easy access to licensing, permits, and registrations.Push towardsRegularMandatoryto avoid accidents due to vision issues.Stricter enforcement againstplanned to ensure safety and cleanliness.Expansion ofOld vehicleto cut pollution and accident risks.Private sector invited to set upRural commuters, farmers, and traders benefit fromEmployment opportunities inStronger role for UPs transport department inlike the Prayagraj Kumbh.Clear roadmap withfor growth.
Around half a million writers will be eligible for a payday of at least $3,000, thanks to a historic $1.5 billion settlement in a class action lawsuit that a group of authors brought against Anthropic.

This landmark settlement marks the largest payout in the history of U.S. copyright law, but this isnt a victory for authors  its yet another win for tech companies.

Tech giants are racing to amass as much written material as possible to train their LLMs, which power groundbreaking AI chat products like ChatGPT and Claude  the same products that are endangering the creative industries, even if their outputs are milquetoast. These AIs can become more sophisticated when they ingest more data, but after scraping basically the entire internet, these companies are literally running out of new information.

Thats why Anthropic, the company behind Claude, pirated millions of books from shadow libraries and fed them into its AI. This particular lawsuit, Bartz v. Anthropic, is one of dozens filed against companies like Meta, Google, OpenAI, and Midjourney over the legality of training AI on copyrighted works.

But writers arent getting this settlement because their work was fed to an AI  this is just a costly slap on the wrist for Anthropic, a company that just raised another $13 billion, because it illegally downloaded books instead of buying them.

In June, federal judge William Alsup sided with Anthropic and ruled that it is, indeed, legal to train AI on copyrighted material. The judge argues that this use case is transformative enough to be protected by the fair use doctrine, a carve-out of copyright law that hasnt been updated since 1976.

Like any reader aspiring to be a writer, Anthropics LLMs trained upon works not to race ahead and replicate or supplant them  but to turn a hard corner and create something different, the judge said.

It was the piracy  not the AI training  that moved Judge Alsup to bring the case to trial, but with Anthropics settlement, a trial is no longer necessary.

Todays settlement, if approved, will resolve the plaintiffs remaining legacy claims, said Aparna Sridhar, deputy general counsel at Anthropic, in a statement. We remain committed to developing safe AI systems that help people and organizations extend their capabilities, advance scientific discovery, and solve complex problems.

As dozens more cases over the relationship between AI and copyrighted works go to court, judges now have Bartz v. Anthropic to reference as a precedent. But given the ramifications of these decisions, maybe another judge will arrive at a different conclusion.
Bezalel Smotrich attends a press conference at the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem, August 6, 2025 (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

During the visit, the delegation is expected to advance a series of economic cooperation agreements between Israel and India, paving the way to deepen bilateral ties and expand mutual investments.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and senior Finance Ministry officials departed on Sunday for an economic-diplomatic delegation to India.

During the visit, the delegation is expected to advance a series of economic cooperation agreements between Israel and India, paving the way to deepen bilateral ties and expand mutual investments.

Senior Finance Ministry officials participating in the delegation include Director-General Ilan Rom, Chief Economist Shmuel Abramzon, Accountant-General Yahli Rotenberg, and Israel Securities Authority chairman Sefi Zinger.

Smotrich is scheduled to meet with Indian ministers and senior government officials, as well as representatives of industry and the Indian business community. He will also hold a special meeting with members of the countrys Jewish community.

This is a developing story.
Sora Ventures, a venture firm based in Taiwan, has just announced a billion-dollar Bitcoin treasury fund. Its being described as the first of its kind in Asia and marks a new chapter for Bitcoin adoption across the region. Until now, most of the major Bitcoin treasury moves have come from the US or Europe. This fund changes that dynamic and gives Asia its own strong entry into the mix.

Initial Backing and Ambitious Outlook

The fund is already off to a solid start. Sora Ventures has raised $200 million from investors across the region and plans to bring in the remaining $800 million over the next six months. The goal is to use that capital to help companies across Asia build and hold Bitcoin reserves. For many firms, this could be the first real opportunity to treat Bitcoin as a core financial asset rather than just something speculative.

A Centralized Pool for Regional Treasury Builders

One of the key features of the fund is its shared structure. Instead of each company figuring out how to build a Bitcoin treasury on its own, Sora Ventures is creating a central pool that offers capital, support, and structure. The fund helps with things like tax planning, treasury design, and regulatory strategy, all tailored to the specific needs of each market. That setup should lower the barrier to entry and make it easier for more firms to take part.

DISCOVER: Best New Cryptocurrencies to Invest in

Building on Past Momentum in Asia

This isnt a random first move. Sora Ventures has already been involved in several Bitcoin treasury plays around the region. In 2024, they backed Metaplanet in Japan, helping it become the first firm in the country to hold Bitcoin on its books. Since then, theyve supported similar moves in Hong Kong, South Korea, and Thailand. Each of those efforts laid the groundwork for this larger, more coordinated fund.

Addressing a Fragmented Landscape

One of the biggest problems in Asia has been that treasury adoption felt isolated. Each country had its own pace, its own challenges, and companies were acting alone. This fund aims to fix that by bringing capital and experience into one structure that crosses borders. Instead of a bunch of disconnected efforts, this could create a much more unified strategy across the region.

DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in

A Bold Move Toward Institutional Crypto

A billion dollars is a big statement. It shows that Bitcoin is no longer just for tech startups or trading platforms. Its being taken seriously by institutional players who want it on their balance sheets and see it as a store of value. This fund could help move Bitcoin from the edge of corporate finance to something much more mainstream in Asia.
4th grade students of Erdenheim Elementary in Springfield discus the artworks on display of George Biddle, during a field trip to the Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia, on December 16, 2022. BASTIAAN SLABBERS / For the Inquirer Read more

A little more than a week after filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his administration over a revoked grant, the Woodmere Art Museum has received word from the federal government that it is getting its money.

Woodmere filed the suit Aug. 26 after a $750,000 grant that was promised, but not fully paid, from the Institute of Museum and Library Services was canceled by Trump officials. The Chestnut Hill museum, which focuses on Philadelphia artists, had previously appealed the April cancellation and even enlisted the intervention of elected officials  but after months, had received no response from IMLS, the lawsuit stated.

Advertisement

The federal government appeared ready to face Woodmere at a Sept. 12 hearing slated at the federal courthouse at Sixth and Market Streets. But the museum says it received notice Thursday that the appeal for its IMLS grant had been completed, and the grant was being reinstated.

Woodmere director and CEO William R. Valerio said Friday that he was over the moon thrilled that the museum would be getting its money after all, and that he had no theories about the reasons or impetus for the reinstatement.

The reinstatement came nearly four months after Woodmere had requested the appeal. IMLS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The museum has now filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Woodmere has already been paid about $195,000 of the grant money, and the lawsuit sought the balance plus additional expenses. The grant, given through IMLS Save Americas Treasures program, was awarded to pay for conservation of important works, expand storage and update cataloging, and to digitize works from the collection. The improvements to the museums collections are to benefit both Woodmeres current building and Maguire Hall, an addition set to open Nov. 1 and 2.

The terms of the grant required that Woodmere raise matching funds, a requirement the museum completed.

IMLS was established by Congress in 1996 and was among a number of agencies defunded by Trump early in his second term. Several Philadelphia groups had their grants canceled, but two  Historic Germantown and the Atwater Kent Collection at Drexel University  later received notification that their grants were being restored.

It is unclear what criteria the federal government used in making its determinations for cancellations and reversals of cancellations, creating an atmosphere that more than one Philadelphia nonprofit leader has described as Kafkaesque.
The experience of carrying and delivering a child for Black women in America was never just about joy and anticipation; it is survival wrapped in celebration.

Kobe Abney and Samuelle A. S. Delcy, two doctoral candidates at the University of Pennsylvania  one studying Black maternal health, the other working to bridge science and policy  recently sat down to talk about how the experience of pregnancy in America reflects a broken system.

Advertisement

Delcy: I am a 25-year-old woman, so naturally, the burning question from my Caribbean family is, When will you start having children?

For context, I was raised in Haiti, surrounded by a community that supported mothers holistically. With that upbringing, I was certain I wanted children. Pregnancy, to me, meant standing on the shoulders of a supportive village and experiencing the joy of creating life.

But then I moved to the United States, and I began to learn what it means to be a pregnant Black woman in this country. So, to answer my familys question: I am afraid of what pregnancy could mean for me in America.

I am afraid of what pregnancy could mean for me in America. Samuelle A. S. Delcy

Now, let me be clear: Womanhood and motherhood are not synonymous, and do not need to coexist, so my answer could have simply been, I dont want children. But as I grow in my role as a scientist and public health advocate, I realize the fear I feel isnt just personal; its informed, and the numbers confirm that Im not alone.

They tell us pregnancy is a natural, beautiful part of life  but for Black women, it can feel like a promised risk. In the U.S., we are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications compared with white women. This disparity is exacerbated in Philadelphia, where Black women make up just 43% of births, yet account for 73% of pregnancy-related deaths.

These arent just numbers; theyre real people, daughters, sisters, mothers, unfinished stories that did not have to be cut short, lives that could have been saved.

Abney: Youre so resilient  but I wish I didnt have to be.

Youre always so well put together  that, or be considered unprofessional.

I wish I could be as strong and independent as you. But Id rather be in my soft-girl era.

This is what it means to be a Black woman in America: an experience overburdened with meeting societal expectations of unyielding strength and hyper-independence, all while remaining pleasing to the eye.

Well, the truth is Im tired.

Im tired of little Black girls growing up watching the women around them endure pain in solitude, work twice as hard to get half as far, and make ends meet with no means to get there.

I, too, am horrified  a feeling that no amount of preparation or education can erase. Kobe Abney

That strength is not a badge of honor  its a survival mechanism, passed down intergenerationally from women who navigated a system that never saw us as full human beings. Only as a means for reproductive and domestic labor, for what our bodies could provide.

I carry that legacy not only in my body, but in my work as a womens health scientist trained to interrogate the very disparities my foremothers endured in silence.

I, too, am horrified  a feeling that no amount of preparation or education can erase. This fear was never just Sammies. It was never just mine. Its the echo of a broken system we are forced to endure.

Delcy: Sometimes I wonder if success or money could shield us. Maybe if I climb far enough, Ill be protected.

Abney: Even our excellence fails to protect us. Look at Serena Williams, one of the most decorated athletes in the world. She had to fight to be heard as she experienced life-threatening postpartum complications.

Delcy: Exactly! She had to insist that her doctors take her concerns seriously and provide the care that should have been guaranteed. What terrifies me is that so many Black women are not aware that they can advocate for themselves, or if we try, our knowledge of our own bodies is questioned, and our concerns are dismissed as exaggeration or drug-seeking. Our ability to advocate for our health should not have to be undermined by biases that challenge our credibility.

 READ MORE: Collective action is needed to transform the painful legacies of Black maternal health | Opinion

Abney: Yes, implicit bias is so real and extremely dangerous. Stories like Serena Williams, Torie Bowies, Porsha Ngumezis, Sha-asia Washingtons, and so many others remind me that even as I continue to immerse myself in the science of maternal and reproductive health, my credentials will not protect me from biases, nor shield me from dismissal.

In a delivery room, Im still four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications, 1.4 times more likely to deliver preterm, and six times more likely to have a hypertensive disorder.

To understand this crisis, we should consider the social ecological model: Health is shaped at multiple levels  individual, interpersonal, community, institutional, and policy. Each of these layers is burdened by racism.

At the individual and interpersonal levels, bias and dismissal during clinical encounters leave Black womens concerns ignored, undermining trust and care.

At the community level, years of intentional disinvestment create maternal care deserts, where hospitals close and prenatal services are taken away. At the institutional level, policies and practices within healthcare systems often prioritize profit over equitable care, leading to increased rates of high-risk procedures such as C-sections among minority individuals.

And at the policy level, decisions ranging from the dismantling of Roe v. Wade to chronic underfunding of public health infrastructures compound these disparities, leaving Black women at greater risk before, during, and after pregnancy. Each layer interacts with the others, creating a network of barriers that cannot be addressed by individual effort alone.

This broken system is reflected in public health researcher Arline Geronimus concept of weathering, which is the cumulative effect of systemic oppression on the human body. Over time, social stressors accelerate biological aging and increase susceptibility to illness, including complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

Delcy: For Black women, racism is not a single event; it is a daily stressor, showing up in everything  from being ignored by a doctor, to experiencing higher rates of job insecurity that make taking time off during pregnancy nearly impossible.

Diagnoses such as early-onset diabetes, hypertension, or high-risk pregnancy are not simply due to bad genetics or poor choices; they are the cumulative cost of living in a society that chips away at our health every single day. Our bodies are not failing; they are responding to an environment that never allowed them to rest.

Abney: So, where do we go from here?

First, we invest in Black-led care models  doula networks integrated into hospital systems, birth collectives, and community health workers.

Second, we train providers to unlearn bias through action, not blame. Community competency is key.

Third, we advocate for policies such as the Momnibus Act that protect reproductive rights and expand access to competent, uninterrupted care.

 READ MORE: Americas maternal care system dehumanized me. I became a doula to change it. | Opinion

But our call cannot end with programs and policies alone.

We must also affirm that Black women deserve tenderness and care, rather than the coping mechanisms we are often forced to acquire.

This means supporting maternal health research led by people of color who are living in the reality of what it is to be a minority and pregnant in America. It means building accountability systems so hospitals report and act on racial disparities in real time. It means reimagining workplaces so pregnancy does not cost women their careers or health insurance.

And it means expanding reproductive justice beyond survival, toward a vision where Black women have equitable opportunities to thrive during pregnancy.

Pregnancy for Black women is not just a medical issue  it is political, social, and about justice. We deserve more than survival. We deserve softness, safety, and sovereignty over our bodies.

Delcy: Until then, the question isnt when well have children, its why would we when America continues to fail us?

Samuelle A. S. Delcy is a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania working to bridge science and policy to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities. Kobe Abney is a doctoral candidate at Penn studying Black maternal health with a focus on advancing health equity.
Donald Trump is starting to remind me of Madonna as her triumphant 1980s morphed into the 1990s, and she had to get crazier and crazier to still get peoples attention  finally releasing a pornographic coffee table (heh) book called simply, Sex.

The presidents version of Sex came Saturday in the form of a Truth Social post in which he theatrically promised to launch a fiery war against Americas third-largest city  2.721 million U.S. citizens hed sworn on a Bible to defend, not attack.

Advertisement

Trumps Chipocalypse Now meme might sound like the newest Ben and Jerrys flavor, but actually invoked the dark 1979 Vietnam War drama Apocalypse Now, with an image of POTUS 47 in a 1969-era U.S. Cavalry hat mimicking the Army colonel played by Robert Duvall in the classic film.

I love the smell of deportation in the morning, Trump posted, echoing Duvalls famous line, I love the smell of napalm in the morning. The post, styled in movie poster imagery, shows a fleet of military helicopters backdropped by the Chicago skyline, with ominous flames behind the faux-officer Trump. Then, a reference to Trumps attempted name change at the Pentagon: Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR, punctuated by three helicopter icons.

Its way too easy to point out the ironies here  that in the actual late 1960s, a cowardly Trump was claiming bone spurs on his feet as an excuse not to fight in Vietnam, or that Apocalypse Now was a deep dive into the utter insanity of war, not a celebration of military might. But the president of the United States making a martial threat against a large city led by the opposition political party must be taken both literally and seriously.

Stepped-up federal immigration raids and arrests are clearly imminent in the Windy City, as the Trump regime has dispatched some 300 additional agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to a secure staging area at the Naval Station Great Lakes, a military base on the outskirts of the city. There have been constant threats to support this operation with federalized National Guard troops or even active-duty soldiers, in an echo of recent operations in Los Angeles and Washington.

The implications of Trumps Saturday morning threat against Chicago are almost beyond belief: That a city that was once the epitome of American economic hustle and might at the peak of the Industrial Revolution is now considered hostile territory by the U.S. government, dehumanizing its citizens as the enemy.

I couldnt help but think back to 2001, when an ultraconservative Republican president from Texas  George W. Bush  was in the White House. Bush had received barely 18% of the 2000 presidential vote in liberal-leaning New York, but that didnt stop him from racing to Lower Manhattan with a bullhorn after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, vowing to rebuild the city. Just a generation later, todays GOP president is threatening a fiery inferno against a city that voted against him. This is how far, and how fast, America has fallen.

Its important to see the Chipocalypse Now meme as part of a much bigger picture. In the reality-based world, Trump is struggling. His poll numbers are way down, scores of judges  including GOP appointees  are striking down his policy initiatives, a resurfaced Jeffrey Epstein scandal is nipping at his heels, and there are serious questions about his health and his vigor to do the job.

Trumps reaction has been to double down on strongman posturing  some of it sheer bluster, some of it with deadly, or potentially deadly, real-world consequences. In the latter category sits Trumps order for U.S. troops to blow up a boat in the Caribbean and kill all 11 onboard civilians  on unsubstantiated allegations of drug trafficking  amid signs the regime is eager to foment a war with Venezuela. In the bluster department comes the presidents wasteful and ahistorical scheme to rename the U.S. Department of Defense as the Department of War  and instantly then threaten to deploy against U.S. citizens.

The White Houses Chicago maneuvers are right on the fulcrum between hype and reality, and what plays out in the flat, sprawling metropolis over the coming days and weeks is likely to determine just how far Trump can take his experiment in American dictatorship.

 READ MORE: Trump wont get to heaven if he keeps murdering people on boats | Will Bunch

Weve seen our biggest institutions  Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, university presidents, white-shoe law firms, and Big Media  cower and kowtow to a man who would be king, but Illinois top Democrats have so far given a master class in what high-level resistance is supposed to look like.

Thats especially true of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has not only denounced the Trump regimes plans for Chicago in the strongest possible terms  Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator, he posted Saturday in a response to the Chipocalypse Now meme  but also borrowed a tactic Joe Biden deployed ahead of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Pritzker revealed his advance intelligence on the governments plans  possible ICE raids at Mexican Independence Day parades, or deploying troops from the Texas National Guard  in the hope that negative publicity would prevent those things from happening.

Pritzkers boldness has been reinforced by Chicagos progressive mayor, Brandon Johnson  who issued an executive order that federal agents within the city must wear badges but not masks, and deploy body cameras, while largely barring his own cops from cooperating with ICE  and Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who raised a clenched fist at a Chicago protest against the ICE presence.

But some of this is clearly symbolic. Chicago cops dont really have the legal authority to stop and arrest ICEs masked goon squads. While its fascinating to imagine the prospect of Pritzker dispatching an endless convoy of Illinois state troopers  ripped from the climax of The Blues Brothers  to Cairo, Ill., to blockade the Texas National Guard, its unlikely well see the first battle of Civil War II. At least not yet.

Even Pritzker has acknowledged that the best hope of thwarting Trumps Chicago schemes wont come from urban warfare, but from the federal courts. There, its not hard to imagine that even a Republican-appointed judge might strike down either the federalizing of troops without any emergency  with crime, the supposed pretext, falling dramatically in Chicago  or the wildly unconstitutional notion of guard members invading from another state such as Texas. Yet, the regime has also shown an ability to delay or even defy court orders in its first eight months, making it unclear if the judiciary can truly save Chicago.

But what Pritzker and his allies have actually accomplished is something arguably more powerful. They have sent the message to everyday Chicago residents that acquiescence to authoritarianism is not an option, and that someone will have their back if and when they resist.

Just hours after Trumps warlike threat, incredible scenes took place across Chicago. Thousands of Latinos and their allies turned out for Mexican Independence Day parades, and ICE  thanks, perhaps, to Pritzkers advance warning  did not show up to disrupt the day. With the September sun setting behind the citys towering skyscrapers, thousands more came downtown for a massive protest march against ICEs presence.

Walking in the storied footsteps of 19th-century labor radicals, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s civil rights crusade, and 1968s anti-war protesters, thousands of marchers overflowed the citys Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue, carrying signs like, ICE Out of Chicago, and chanting, We aint free till we all free. And they were not alone. Hours earlier, a similarly large and boisterous march approached the White House, protesting the troop presence in D.C.

Can nonviolent popular resistance against Trump really work? Arguably, it already has.

In Los Angeles, National Guard troops and Marines called out this spring have gone home, and a period of stepped-up ICE raids appears to be largely over, with some of the excess federal agents there apparently moved to Chicago. What happened in Southern California  opposition from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and others, which led to court orders that sharply curtailed federal operations, as well as citizen protests  should be a template for Chicago to resist.

Indeed, earlier last week, in the wake of Pritzkers initial strong statement of noncompliance, Trump did something he rarely ever does. He seemed to back down slightly, suggesting he might instead send troops to New Orleans, in a state with a solidly MAGA Republican governor. The moment was a reminder that dictatorship is not destiny.

In seeking to cement his American autocracy, Trump has strived to emulate both the worst dictators of the 20th century as well as their modern variants, like Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban, and echoed their success in crushing once-proud institutions. Where Trumps U.S. project falters is in the strong will of the people.

Despite our well-documented flaws, a passion for democracy still burns brightly for millions of Americans that cant easily be extinguished. Nowhere is that more true than in a city of light called Chicago. If Trumps Department of War is serious about staging its first battle on the shores of Lake Michigan, it picked the wrong fight.

 READ MORE: SIGN UP: The Will Bunch Newsletter
HAZLETON, Pa.  Nicolas Diaz looked out at the empty sidewalks along Wyoming Street, one of this former coal regions main commercial corridors, and took it as proof that the president he supported is delivering on promises to keep his city safe.

Diaz, a 78-year-old retiree originally from the Dominican Republic, voted for President Donald Trump last year. He blamed Democrats for open borders that he thinks led to crime, including in the city he has called home for a decade, where he said an influx of undocumented people took jobs that should have gone to local residents and U.S. citizens.

Theyre not coming anymore, Diaz said from beneath the cover of a storefront awning on a recent drizzly afternoon. The ones that are here are in hiding.

As Diaz defended Trumps policies as making his community safer, his friend Robin Rubin interjected. Right now, there are parents who are afraid to go drop off their kids at school, Rubin, 77, challenged him. No matter what other people say, thats not good.

Hazleton is the only one of Pennsylvanias three largest majority-Latino cities to vote for Trump. The others, Reading and Allentown, supported him with about 35% of the vote.

Seven months into Trumps administration, residents in Hazleton are grappling with their decision. In interviews with a dozen people here in English and Spanish, residents overwhelmingly said they object to the deportation or arrests of hardworking, noncriminal, undocumented immigrants, though they have yet to see much aggressive enforcement in their hometown.

But many Latino Trump supporters in the Luzerne County community said despite their misgivings about immigration policy, they still largely stand by the president.

National polling shows Latinos, who supported Republicans at record levels in the 2024 presidential election, have started drifting away from Trump and the Republican Party. But in Hazleton, a city with a history of anti-immigration policies and 30 years of local Republican leadership, its not evident that the political winds are changing. And despite the critical midterm elections next year, neither party has much of a presence in the citys neighborhoods.

Guillermo Lara, a Democrat who lived in Hazleton for 20 years and now sits on the Governors Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs, said frustration with Trumps immigration policies has been building but people are wary of speaking against the party in power  and many have yet to be affected directly.

A lot of people, theyre quiet. Some of them tell me they made a mistake. They are not really happy about immigration. But a lot of people, they say, Its gonna get better, because they know they made a mistake and theres nothing they can do now.

Lara thinks both parties are failing to engage with Latinos, a key constituency.

Republicans are winning but theyre not winning  look at Donald Trump, hes not doing anything good with immigration. And Democrats, to me, its just the same, theyre not doing anything different, he said.

Hazletons anti-immigrant past

Hazleton, a city of nearly 30,000 situated about 28 miles outside Wilkes-Barre, has not experienced the headline-grabbing ICE enforcement tactics raising fear in other cities. That has tempered the frustration of some residents who disagree with Trumps policies overall.

Here, its not too much, said Angie Chapman, a longtime Trump supporter in Hazleton. Theres not a lot of bad people here. Some people seem nervous, but I tell them dont be nervous because its not like social media says.

Chapman, a local tax preparer who works with immigrants, has been a Republican and a Trump supporter since 2016. Her sons work for Republican lawmakers in the city. She doesnt see an erosion of support here for Trump, who she said connected in recent elections particularly with Dominican Americans as he emphasized patriotism, increased border security, and family values.

Trump won every ward last year in Hazleton, a city that is 63% Hispanic, according to the most recent census data, and where about 37% of residents are foreign-born. He won 61% of the vote in the city  a seven-percentage-point gain from his win there in 2020 and an even larger margin than in Luzerne County as a whole, where Trump won last year with 59% of the vote.

Hazleton, formerly part of Northeast Pennsylvanias historic coal-producing region, was already more conservative than some Latino enclaves in the Lehigh Valley or Philadelphia. Its where former Mayor Lou Barletta, following an influx of Latino immigrants in the early 2000s, tried to pass harsh anti-immigration ordinances that aimed to fine landlords who rented to undocumented immigrants and to require employers to verify a workers legal status before hiring.

While a court overturned the local law in 2007, Barlettas efforts made national news and laid the groundwork for Trump to campaign in the city on border security and fairer immigration practices.

Chapman thinks Trumps immigration enforcement policies have made some processes, like helping her clients work through citizenship, move quicker. She dismisses reports of indiscriminate ICE action as overblown by the media.

Elsewhere, advocates and attorneys report immigration court cases are backed up, and fears are heightened even as people move through the process legally with routine matters.

Everybody understands that it is a threat to all of us, said Omar De La Cruz, an organizer based in Hazleton with the immigrant advocacy group Make the Road PA. Even people that believe  maybe they wouldnt be affected, they are realizing that is not really the case.

De La Cruz described several incidents in Hazleton in which he said undocumented people were arrested by ICE on site before or after appearing in court.

I do think that the minds will change, and they are changing.  They thought they had protection and are realizing that is not the case.

Theyre being sent back  with nothing

The bright honeycomb-patterned ceiling lights were on in Cristian Guillen de Jesus barbershop late last month, but not a single customer was inside.

Guillen de Jesus, 43, attributed the empty chairs in the once-bustling shop to Trumps immigration policies. He has noticed fewer people around town and suspected many of the undocumented immigrants in Hazleton have gone into hiding or left.

At the same time, Guillen de Jesus, a legal resident who as a non-U.S. citizen cannot vote, said he agrees with changes Trump has made to the economy and the immigration system.

I was one of the people who wanted Trump back, he said. Like other people in Hazleton, he described frustration in navigating a potential pathway to citizenship the right way, while so many people crossed the border illegally and received immediate government support. His wife brought him to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 2014 and he waited approximately three years to get his residency sorted out. He is considering applying for citizenship this year, confident the system will work out in his favor.

I think that no matter how harsh immigration law is in this country, the government will take into account and consider any immigrant that comes to this country, comes to work, comes to do the right thing, and subjects themselves to the laws of this country, he said.

And he hopes to see more economic payoff from Trumps election in the coming year.

We hope that everything goes back to normal so the people can move forward, he said.

Even fervent supporters of Trump admit they are wrestling with headlines about ICE deporting noncriminals.

Alexandra Mendez, a 48-year-old single mom who owns a small business selling household decor, thinks news of raids and deportations have stunted the economy somewhat in Hazleton, which had been reenergized by Latino businesses in recent years.

When this all began, the streets looked empty, she said. It looked the way it did during COVID.

Mendez, who came to the U.S. in 2006 from the Dominican Republic and became a citizen in 2015, said she has aligned with Trump since he first entered politics. She appreciated his promises to deport undocumented people who were committing crimes and making neighborhoods unsafe.

Still, as she dropped her youngest off at college recently, it drove home her belief that the United States should be a place where all people can make something of themselves. She struggles to reconcile that with hardworking immigrants being swept up in raids.

Some people are being punished without deserving it and being separated from their families, she said. Theyre being sent back to their country with nothing.

She doesnt blame Trump. Rather, Mendez thinks overzealous people in his administration and in immigration enforcement are leading the charge. She said she still believes Trump wants to target only criminals, despite his administrations broad enforcement.

As and Bs for Trump

As he knocks on doors in his campaign for Hazleton City Council, Democrat David Dominguez often asks voters what letter grade they would give Trump. Dominguez, who teaches English as a second language, hears a lot of As and Bs in response. Even voters who said they didnt vote for Trump rarely grade him lower than a C, he said.

Dominguez attributes some of that to fear about speaking out that could be masking real anger with Trump and the Republican Party. He said he is hopeful the midterms will be a referendum on Trumps administration.

But he thinks its also the failure of his own party at the state and national levels to capitalize on the moment and engage with the Latino voters they have lost. Dominguez, who is also chair of the citys Democratic Party, is deeply frustrated with his own partys absence in Hazleton.

Optimism is good, but theres got to be action, he said. Theres got to be civic engagement. Theres got to be follow-up. I cant be the only one doing everything.

Republicans are not exactly blanketing Hazleton to reach voters, either, which some GOP strategists have warned could become a problem if the party wants to hold on to gains it made with Trump at the top of the ballot last year.

You cant take the risk of someone taking a vote and then its radio silence, said Albert Eisenberg, a Republican GOP strategist who started PA Republicanos, a PAC dedicated to Latino outreach. The PAC is holding voter registration drives in Hazleton and Northeast Philadelphia this month.

The real risk for Republicans is we havent shown what promises made, promises kept means in words that resonate, he said.

Eisenberg called Trumps slumping approval rating an alarm bell for his party ahead of the 2026 midterms, when Democrats are targeting four Republican seats in Pennsylvania, including U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan of Luzerne County, a freshman who narrowly won the district that includes Hazleton.

As Dominguez, the city council candidate, went door to door, he didnt mention hes a Democrat. Instead, he talked with neighbors about local issues  road repairs, getting more parks for kids and more grant money for the citys businesses.

About half an hour into Dominguezs canvass on a rainy day last month, Virgilio Tavarez, a 57-year-old construction worker, invited him inside to chat. Tavarez, who moved to Hazleton from New York City five years ago, had a perspective that sounded familiar.

Tavarez largely supports Trumps immigration policies, which he thinks help deter criminals and people looking for handouts. He feels bad about families being separated as a result of raids and deportations, but is ultimately swayed by what he thinks is a legitimate need for law and order.

Tavarez went through the legal channels to get here from the Dominican Republic and he thinks other people should, too, he told Dominguez.

Everyone should have their papers, he said.

Dominguez thanked him for his time and moved onto the next house.

Theres Dominicans and Hispanics who regret voting for Trump, Dominguez said. But the other half say, hey, look at Hazleton. We dont have ICE raids, its business as usual, and thats what they use to justify saying, Its not that bad.
An Irish mother fighting to have her sons returned to her from Cairo where they were abducted by their father said she remains in the dark about their location, welfare, and education.

Mandy Kelly from Co Louth has not seen her two sons since March 2022 after her estranged husband locked her in an apartment during a visit to see his mother and removed the boys from her care.

Courts in Ireland and Egypt

Since then, Ms Kelly has launched a High Court case here and in the Egyptian courts  both ruled that the children should be returned to her care. However, authorities in Cairo have told her that the children and their father cannot be located.

Now, in a letter to Ms Kelly, justice minister Jim OCallaghan said his department is engaging with the Department of Foreign Affairs on the issue of a bilateral agreement on child abduction between Egypt and Ireland.

Mandy Kelly's husband, Ramy Gamal Maamoun Mohamed, abducted their children Zayn and Kareem in 2022 during a family holiday in Egypt, days after this photo was taken. Picture: Ciara Wilkinson

"As that engagement is ongoing, it is not possible to advise of an outcome at this point," he stated.

He also said the Taoiseach and Tanaiste have regularly raised Ms Kellys case in meetings with their counterparts in Egypt, most recently in a bilateral meeting between the Tanaiste and Egyptian foreign minister at the annual Munich security conference. Mr O'Callaghan said:

The Tanaiste also wrote to his Egyptian counterpart in April 2025. Your case was also raised during the visit of President [Abdel Fattah] El-Sisi to Ireland in December 2024.

Mr OCallaghan said he has no power over Interpol notices and European arrest warrants, which are matters for the gardai.

Ms Kelly said she is very grateful for the support of the Irish government but to date she has received no verified details regarding her childrens location, welfare, education, or health.

Her children, Zayn aged 7 and Kareem aged 4 who were born here, were taken by their Egyptian father Ramy Gamal Maamoun Mohamed during a family holiday in March 2022 in Cairo.

He had it all planned, and I had no idea he was going to do this, said Ms Kelly.

He locked me into an apartment, and the kids were taken away. I havent seen them since.

Authorities in Egypt have claimed her estranged husband remains unlocatable according to Ms Kelly, while her mother-in-law has appealed the decision of the family court in Cairo.

I know nothing about my children, I dont know if they are in school, if they are well, I dont know anything she said. Kareem is due to start school now.

Ms Kelly met with Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy on August 6 to discuss her case. At that meeting, which was also attended by the consular director, she asked the Government to:

Publicly name Zayn and Kareem as Irish citizens unlawfully detained;

Demand full enforcement of the 2022 Irish and 2024 Egyptian custody rulings;

Secure guaranteed consular access and fortnightly welfare updates;

Support the dismissal of the grandmothers discriminatory and medically unsubstantiated custody petition;

Explore legal and diplomatic escalation via EU and other international mechanisms if Egypt continues to defy rulings.

She said: While I have pursued every available legal remedy, I have also made genuine efforts to resolve this crisis through non-legal meansincluding mediation requests with Reunite, diplomatic engagement through the Department of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Irish embassy in Cairo and the Egyptian Good Intentions Committee, but still, my children remain beyond reach.

Mandy Kelly: 'I know nothing about my children, I dont know if they are in school, if they are well, I dont know anything.' File picture: Gareth Chaney

A personal commitment from the Egyptian president was also given to the Tanaiste Simon Harris on December 11, 2024, but Ms Kelly said that promise remains unfulfilled.

This is a human rights issue. Two Irish children remain unlawfully detained abroad despite final custody orders from both Irish and Egyptian courts, she said.

There has also been a complete information blackout, I have received no verified details regarding my childrens location, welfare, education, or health.

I have exhausted all channels. Legal proceedings, diplomatic appeals, community mediation, and faith-based outreach have all been pursued in good faith, she said.
Irelands recent transport initiatives such as reduced public transport fares and increased rural links have been praised by UK parliamentarians, who say such measures should be rolled out in England.

A report published by the Commons transport committee  the equivalent of an Oireachtas committee in Ireland  singled out Ireland for praise in its approach to public transport as it seeks to reform its own bus services.

Ireland has introduced a national fares strategy focused on consistency, equity, and simplicity, the report stated. England could benefit from a similarly structured approach.

As part of cost-of-living packages and budgetary measures, new initiatives rolled out across public transport in Ireland in recent years have included the 90-minute fare in Dublin and dozens of new local link routes across Ireland.

The 90-minute fare sees commuters able to switch across bus, Luas, and Dart services across an hour-and-a-half window at a flat rate of 2.

Meanwhile, one of the latest local link routes to be rolled out is the new 255 service between Charles Fort and the west of Cork City late last month.

UK MPs in Ireland on fact-finding mission

As part of its work, MPs on the UKs transport committee travelled to Ireland for a fact-finding mission which its report described as invaluable to its inquiry, which comes against the backdrop of a deregulated sector and diminishing services across England.

Without them, residents on low incomes, older and younger people, face social exclusion or being cut off from employment and services like hospitals or education, committee chair Ruth Cadbury MP said.

In many areas that is tragically already the case.

In Ireland, its report said that rural transport services have experienced significant challenges similar to England from limited availability and declining usage. However, since 2019 usage of such services grew 110%.

Better value national fares strategy

It also pointed to the national fares strategy aimed at offering better value in January 2023.

The strategy was intended to resolve long-standing issues around inconsistency, complexity, and perceived unfairness, the report said.

Officials told us that while affordability was not the only driver of modal shift, the decision to invest heavily in fare reduction was grounded in goals around social inclusion, access to education and services, and wider environmental benefits.

As part of its recommendations, the transport committee said that English bus fares should emulate Irish ones in this regard, while grant funding should also be weighted towards rural areas.

Then-minister for transport Eamon Ryan, who was minister when much of the changes were introduced, previously said that getting people out of their cars and onto public transport was another step in creating more liveable and easily accessible environments.
A Cork woman who breached her bail conditions and committed further offences has been sent to prison.

Eve Guerin, aged 20, with an address at Kinlay House, Shandon Street, Cork, appeared before Judge Joanne Carroll at Bandon District Court.

Guerin had previously appeared before Judge Carroll at Clonakilty District Court where she pleaded guilty to four counts of theft committed at four different retailers in Dunmanway on June 9, 2025.

The items were stolen from Deals 4 U, Buckleys Hardware, Costcutter, and SuperValu. The total value of the goods which were all returned in saleable condition was 83.69. Guerin said that the stolen items were intended to be placed on her recently deceased fathers grave.

On that occasion, Judge Carroll granted Guerin bail and also gave her permission to go on holiday to Benidorm. She was required to stay out of trouble, observe a curfew, and sign on at the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork pending the completion of a probation report.

The court was told that since the Clonakilty hearing Guerin had broken her curfew on five occasions, had not signed on since July 18, and was arrested for theft and assault on September 3.

The court heard that she was arrested for stealing from Lifestyle Sports at Mahon Point Shopping Centre and assaulting security staff by throwing a stolen item at them and pleaded guilty to both charges on the same day.

Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said that Guerin had gone to the UK where her brother was in a serious accident and was in ICU and this was the reason she had not signed on or been at her address during curfew hours.

Judge Carroll said that whether that was the case or not, she had committed a theft and an assault while on bail.

The judge said the court had tried to be as lenient as possible but Guerin was deluded if she thought she was going to get bail again. Guerin was sentenced to three months in prison on each of the four counts of theft.
In the end, there was no TV interview. There was no two-page spread in a Sunday newspaper, no head-to-head with David McCullough or Claire Byrne or Pat Kenny. There was no press conference.

In the end, there was just Bertie Ahern holding court for 35 minutes as he railed against Fianna Fails leadership, his exclusion from its consideration for the presidency and, in large part, his sense that his reputation and legacy had been unfairly maligned by the findings of the Mahon Tribunal.

In the end, it was probably as Bertie as it could get.

When Mr Ahern was spotted at a Fianna Fail event a little over a week ago, it was amid fervour around two prospective nominees for the partys choice for the presidency  MEP Billy Kelleher and former Dublin Gaelic football manager Jim Gavin. But Mr Aherns name has been linked to the role for so long that it made no sense to the gathered media not to ask the question.

Speaking in Glasnevin, the former taoiseach said he had asked party higher-ups last December if he would have Mr Martins support for a run but only received an answer in a newspaper report, which he said had disappointed him.

I havent ruled myself out, Mr Ahern said.

I never ruled myself out. So that means if you dont rule yourself out, youre in.

Pointless to continue without party support

But Mr Aherns return to the conversation about Michael D Higgins successor would last less than a week as waves of Fianna Fail TDs and senators pledged their support to Jim Gavin or Billy Kelleher and, without the blessing of party leadership, Mr Ahern felt it was pointless to continue.

While he laid out why he believed that he would be a good president, Mr Ahern was unequivocal that the imprimatur of the leadership was a necessary ingredient for any run.

Im proud of the fact that I played a role in helping to secure peace on the island, following on from Albert Reynolds work to ensure that every community was represented and that the promise of a shared and stable future could be realised, and representing Ireland on the world stage during those historic moments has been one of the greatest responsibilities of my career, said Mr Ahern.

On that basis, Im confident my experience and service would have qualified for the role of president.

In truth, its because I respect the Fianna Fail party, its membership, and its elected and unelected people that I feel I could have been a good president for the people and feel that Ive given the time to do so I could have run a campaign to seek their support.

But I think, without the support of the leadership of your party, in all my time in Fianna Fail Ive never seen a period where the leadership really lose out in these things.

Thats the way its been in my time and other times as well.

And particularly when the leadership indicates so strongly and personally gets involved for a candidate, its unlikely that the leader loses out on these things.

One could not, based on those comments, accuse Mr Aherns political radar of malfunctioning.

With over 30 members of the parliamentary party backing Mr Gavin and around 10 or more in Mr Kellehers corner, Mr Ahern would have to change minds in short order to stand any chance and, with Micheal Martin backing Mr Gavin, that is likely a task that even a man who won three general elections as party leader might struggle with.

Still relitigating the Mahon Tribunal I suppose he saw, in his view, that there was a candidate 20 years younger, and somebody kind of from outside the party, Mr Ahern said of the man who now holds his own job, while suggesting that Mr Martin had indicated in the past why he was anti-me was to do with the Mahon Tribunal and the economy. Then taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Bertie Ahern leaving a sitting of the Mahon/Flood Tribunal at Dublin Castle in April 2004. Picture: RollingNews.ie While Mr Ahern was in the mood to talk about the Mahon Tribunal, he was more in the mood to relitigate it and dispute its findings as he has always done. I gave the tribunal truthful evidence and reject completely any suggestion that I did otherwise, he said. He later added: Friends of mine gave money, not any robbers or crooks or gangsters. Friends of mine all went to the tribunal, gave evidence that they did, all explained the money. To reiterate what Ive said a million times, I answered all the questions put to me to the best of my ability. Im satisfied with the account I gave it. Those words were in contrast to the findings of the tribunal, which accepted Mr Aherns claim that he did not have a bank account for years between 1987 and 1993, and that he usually cashed any wage or expenses cheques given to him in that time, but rejected his evidence that he had built up around 54,000 in savings during that time. The tribunal went on to say that it could not account for the source of eight various lodgements, including a lodgement worth 24,838.49 in October 1994, made following a dinner in Manchester. Mr Ahern contended that over two-thirds of this was made in a lodgement of Irish punts, but the tribunal said it was solely in sterling, a rejection of his story that the sterling money was a dig out from some friends. There were also questions around a lodgement worth 28,772.90 in December 1994, and two lodgements made to accounts controlled by Aherns then partner, Celia Larkin and sterling lodgements to the accounts of Mr Ahern and his daughters, which Mr Ahern said had comprised of sterling built up in the UK by occasional exchanges of his Irish wages. The tribunal was also satisfied that an account set up for the upkeep of the former taoiseachs St Lukes constituency office was used for purposes other than that.

Bertie's greatest hits

In total, the 35 minute meeting with supporters, recorded and uploaded to YouTube, was something of an odd greatest hits for a man whose reputation remains complex.

On one hand, to many, he is the character laid out in the Mahon Tribunal and the architect of the financial crash.

On the other, some view him as a key negotiator of peace in Ireland, a man who represented Ireland with ease among world leaders, and whose government oversaw a period of untold prosperity.

Not a viable candidate

In recent years, Mr Ahern had seemed to lean into the latter reputation, particularly around his achievements in helping to steer the Good Friday Agreement, but that has not been enough for Fianna Fail leadership to see him as a viable candidate, leading to a subdued ending to his lone remaining political aspiration.

I do not know exactly how long one has to wait to be forgiven, or whether my sins were greater or less than anyone else, but theres no way to know, he said.

In any event, I would have happily given my account in an election campaign, if I was asked to do so, as Ive done to you here tonight, and done many times before.

In the end, Mr Ahern may have wanted to account for his record, but the end of his presidential campaign came on a group call on a Thursday night.
Soybean futures posted weakness on Friday, pushing lower into the close, as contracts were down 5 to 6 cents at the final bell. November fell 27  cents this week. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was down 6 cents at $9.49 1/2. Soymeal futures were 40 cents $1.10 higher on the day, as October was down $2.90 this week. Soy Oil futures 67 to 70 points lower on Friday, with October slipping 89 points since last Friday.

USDA reported private export sales of 123,000 MT of soybeans to unknown destinations, with 204,650 MT during the reported period to unknown this morning all for 2025/26

More News from Barchart

Export Sales data showed net reductions of 23,775 MT in the week of 8/28, an improvement from the 189,184 MT in net reductions last week. New crop sales were 818,474 MT, which was a 4-week low, as China has yet to purchase a single bean. The largest buyer of 2025/26 soybeans in that week was unknown destinations, at 269,000 MT, with 116,100 MT sold to Mexico, and Japan purchasing 71,100 MT.

Soybean meal sales were tallied at 4,317 MT in 2024/25 net reductions, with sales of 145,700 MT for 2025/26, on the low side of the expected 100,000 MT and 450,000 MT. Bean oil sales were pegged at 144 MT in net reductions for the current MY and sales of 1,821 MT for 2025/26, which was on the near the low end of 0 to 22,000 MT estimates.

Weekly CFTC data indicated managed money trimming back 8,854 contracts from their net long position in soybean futures and options to 11,964 contracts as of 9/2.

Sep 25 Soybeans closed at $10.06 1/2, down 5 1/2 cents,

Nearby Cash was $9.49 1/2, down 6 cents,

Nov 25 Soybeans closed at $10.27, down 6 cents,

Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.45 1/2, down 6 cents,

New Crop Cash was $9.49 1/2, down 6 cents,

On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder 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
Boko Haram militants killed dozens of people in a night-time assault on a village in north-eastern Nigeria that is home to residents who had recently returned from a camp for internally displaced persons, authorities said.

At least 60 people were killed in the attack on Darul Jamal in the Bama local government area late on Friday, a resident of the village, Mohammed Babagana, told The Associated Press (AP).

Borno state governor Babagana Zulum, who visited the community late on Saturday evening, confirmed to reporters that more than 60 had died in the attack.

People affected by the Boko Haram attack in Darul Jamal wait for Borno state governor Babagana Zulum to arrive (AP)

We sympathise with the people and have pleaded with them not to abandon their homes as we have made arrangements to improve the security and provide food and other lifesaving items that they have lost, Mr Zulum said.

The chairman of Bamas local government, Modu Gujja, said more than a dozen houses were burnt and more than 100 people were forced to flee.

Taiwo Adebayo, a researcher specialising in Boko Haram at the Institute for Security Studies, spoke to residents of Darual Jamal and said the killings on Friday night were carried out by a faction of Boko Haram known as Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati wal-Jihad.

Boko Haram, Nigerias homegrown jihadis, took up arms in 2009 to fight western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law.

When (Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad) attacks and kills a lot of people like they did last night in Bama, it's usually that they suspect the victims of spying for the rival (Islamic State West Africa Province) or the military

The conflict has spilled into Nigerias northern neighbours, including Niger, and resulted in the death of around 35,000 civilians and the displacement of more than two million others, according to the United Nations.

Boko Haram split into two factions after the death of the groups long-time leader, Abubakar Shekau, in 2021.

One faction is backed by the so-called Islamic State group and is known as the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP. It has become notorious for targeting military positions.

The other faction, Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati wal-Jihad, or JAS, has increasingly resorted to attacking civilians and perceived collaborators and thrives on robberies and abductions for ransom.

People walk past torched houses following the Boko Haram attack in Darul Jamal (AP)

When JAS attacks and kills a lot of people like they did last night in Bama, its usually that they suspect the victims of spying for the rival ISWAP or the military, Mr Adebayo told the AP.

The Bama local government area was the target of several Boko Haram attacks a decade ago, forcing many residents to flee.

Following military operations in the area in recent years, authorities had resettled displaced people in several communities, most recently the village of Darul Jamal in July.

Kaana Ali, a Darul Jamal resident, said he had decided to leave the community for good after he confirmed the deaths of close family friends in the attack on Friday.

But the governor is still begging us to stay back as more protection would be provided to secure our community, he said.
More than 300 South Korean workers detained following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia will be released and brought home, the South Korean government has announced.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said that South Korea and the US had finalised negotiations on the workers release.

He said South Korea plans to send a charter plane to bring the workers home as soon as remaining administrative steps are completed.

Some detainees were shackled around their hands, ankles and waist (Corey Bullard/US Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP)

Foreign minister Cho Hyun is to leave for the US on Monday for talks related to the workers releases, South Korean media reported.

US immigration authorities said on Friday that they had detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals, when hundreds of federal agents raided Hyundais sprawling manufacturing site in Georgia where the Korean automaker makes electric vehicles.

South Koreas foreign minister Cho Hyun later said that more than 300 South Koreans were among the people detained.

The operation was the latest in a long line of workplace raids conducted as part of the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda. But the one on Thursday was especially distinct because of its large size and the fact that it targeted a manufacturing site state officials have long called Georgias largest economic development project.

Video released by US immigration and customs enforcement on Saturday showed a caravan of vehicles driving up to the site and then federal agents directing workers to line up outside.

Some detainees were ordered to put their hands up against a bus as they were frisked and then shackled around their hands, ankles and waist.

The operation was the latest in a long line of workplace raids conducted as part of the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda (Corey Bullard/US Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP)

Agents focused their operation on a plant that is still under construction at which Hyundai has partnered with LG Energy Solution to produce batteries that power EVs.

Most of the people detained were taken to an immigration detention centre in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida state line.

No-one has been charged with any crimes yet, Steven Schrank, the lead Georgia agent of homeland security investigations, said during a news conference on Friday, adding that the investigation was ongoing.

The South Korean government, a close US ally, expressed concern and regret over the raid targeting its citizens and sent diplomats to the site.
Russia hit Ukraines capital with drones and missiles in the largest aerial attack since the war began, killing four people across the country and damaging a key government building.

Russia attacked with 810 drones and decoys, Ukraines air force said, adding it had shot down 747 drones and four missiles.

Associated Press (AP) reporters saw a plume of smoke rising from the roof of Kyivs government headquarters.

It was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit or debris, which would mark an escalation in Russias air campaign, which has so far spared government buildings in the city centre.

The building is the home of Ukraines cabinet and its ministers.

Police blocked access to the building as fire engines and ambulances arrived.

Yuriy Ihnat, an air force spokesperson, confirmed to AP that Sundays attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace. Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty

Russia also launched 13 missiles.

Hits from nine missiles and 54 drones were recorded at 33 locations across Ukraine.

Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that four people were killed and 44 wounded.

He said he had spoken on the phone with French president Emmanuel Macron about the attack.

Together with France, we are preparing new measures to strengthen our defence, Mr Zelenskyy said.

A damaged multistorey residential building in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Marcon accused Russia of striking indiscriminately and said Moscow is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the attack, saying: These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace.

Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty.

In the Ukrainian capital, the attack killed two people and wounded 20 others, according to city officials.

Those killed were a mother and her three-month-old child, whose bodies were dug out of the rubble, Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyivs city administration, said.

For the first time since the start of full-scale invasion, Russians struck our government headquarters in the centre of Kyiv. It looks like Russia is not seeking peace and is not ready for negotiations

At least 10 locations in Kyiv were damaged, he added.

Direct drone hits struck a nine-storey residential building in Kyivs Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-storey residential building in Darnytskyi district.

I just have no more words left to express what I feel towards Russia, said Olha, a 77-year-old Kyiv resident whose apartment was damaged. She did not give her last name.

Although Im an ethnic Russian myself, from outside Moscow. And Ive never thought my people would be capable of this.

Mr Zelenskyy called for sanctions on Russia and for strengthening Ukraines air defences.

Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky, left, said he had spoken on the phone with French president Emmanuel Macron about the attack (Ludovic Marin, Pool Photo via AP)

Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war, he said.

The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed.

Ukraines prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted a video of herself inside the damaged government building, where she said a fire covering 800 square metres was put out.

For the first time since the start of full-scale invasion, Russians struck our government headquarters in the centre of Kyiv, she said.

It looks like Russia is not seeking peace and is not ready for negotiations. We call our partners to help close our sky. Lets strengthen sanctions against Russia. Lets create the security guarantees system that will help stop the enemy, she said.

A woman reacts in front of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian strike in Kyiv (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)

The Russian defence ministry said on Sunday that it used high-precision weapons and drones to strike drone assembly and storage sites, military air bases in central, southern and eastern Ukraine, an industrial facility and a logistics facility on the outskirts of Kyiv.

The ministry said that all designated objects were hit and said that no strikes were carried out on other objects within the borders of Kyiv, in what could be a reference to the damaged government building.

Sundays attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv within two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane.

It comes after European leaders pressed Mr Putin to work to end the war after 26 of Ukraines allies pledged to deploy troops as a reassurance force for the war-torn country once the fighting ends.

Mr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to meet Mr Putin to negotiate a peace agreement, and has urged US president Donald Trump to put punishing sanctions on Russia to push it to end the war.

Moscow has repeatedly objected to any western troop deployments to Ukraine and pushed back against a Putin-Zelenskyy summit, saying lower-level talks must take place first.

Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire after a Russian attack in the Ukrainian capital (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Russias defence ministry said its air defences intercepted a total of 100 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Azov Sea between 8pm on Saturday and 6.30am on Sunday.

Most were downed over the Belgorod, Voronezh and Krasnodar regions near the border with Ukraine, according to the statement.

In the Krasnodar region, falling drone debris sparked a brief fire at an oil refinery, local authorities said.

In the Belgorod and the Voronezh regions, two people were injured, officials said.

The Russian defence ministry also said on Sunday that its troops had seized the village of Khoroshe in the Dnipropetrovsk region. There was no immediate confirmation from Ukraine.
by Martha Pskowski, Inside Climate News, and Mark Olalde, ProPublica

Co-published with Inside Climate News and The Texas Tribune

( ProPublica )  Hakim Dermish moved to the small South Texas town of Catarina in 2002 in search of a rural lifestyle on a budget. The property where he lived with his wife didnt have electricity or sewer lines at first, but that didnt bother him.

Even if we lived in a cardboard box, no one could kick us out, Dermish said.

Back then, Catarina was a sleepy place. A decade later, oil and gas drilling picked up, and he welcomed the financial opportunities it brought. Dermish launched businesses to support the industry, offering everything from guards for drill sites to housing for oil field workers.

The growth also brought flares  flames burning off excess natural gas  that blazed day and night at wells in the surrounding countryside. Initially enamored of the industrys potential, Dermish now worried that its pollution endangered the health of the towns 75 residents. He began lodging complaints with the state in 2023, asking it to push companies to control emissions.

Inspectors with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality investigated, finding only a handful of violations, some of which the companies addressed. But that did little to allay the concerns of Dermish and his neighbors, who continued to see flares light up the sky and to smell gas wafting over the community.

Starting first thing in the morning, talk about the stench. Then you call the state and nothing happens, Dermish said. They do absolutely nothing.

His neighbor Lupe Campos, who worked in the oil fields for more than three decades, lives three blocks from a flare. Toxic hydrogen sulfide escapes from nearby wells, giving the air the smell of burnt rotten eggs, Campos said. Its hard to bear.

While working to expand the nations oil and gas production, President Donald Trumps administration has maintained that drilling in the U.S. is cleaner than in other countries due to tighter environmental oversight. To mark Earth Day, for example, the White House boasted in a statement that increased natural gas exports meant the U.S. would be sharing cleaner energy with allies and reducing global emissions.

But Texas, the heart of Americas oil and gas industry, tells a different story.

Texas regulators tout their efforts to curtail oil field emissions by requiring drillers to obtain permits to release or burn gas from their wells.

Yet a first-of-its-kind analysis of permit applications to the Railroad Commission of Texas, the states main oil and gas regulator, reveals a rubber-stamp system that allows drillers to emit vast amounts of natural gas into the atmosphere. Over 40 months  from May 2021 to September 2024  oil companies applied for more than 12,000 flaring and venting permits, while the Railroad Commission rejected just 53 of them, a 99.6% approval rate, according to the data.

Natural gas is composed mostly of climate-warming methane but also contains other gases such as hydrogen sulfide, which is deadly at high concentrations. Gas escapes as wells are drilled and before infrastructure is in place to capture it. It also can be intentionally released if pressure in the system poses a safety risk or if capturing and transporting it to be sold is not profitable. Typically, drillers burn the gas they dont capture, converting the methane to carbon dioxide, a less potent greenhouse gas, in a process called flaring. Sometimes, they release the gas without burning it, in a process called venting.

The permit applications showed oil companies requested to flare or vent more than 195 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year, enough to power more than 3 million homes and generate millions of dollars of tax revenue had the gas been captured. Those emissions would have a climate-warming impact roughly equivalent to 27 gas-fired power plants operating year-round, even if the flares burned every molecule of methane released from the wells.

Its a gargantuan amount of emissions, said Jack McDonald, senior analyst of energy policy and science for the environmental group Oilfield Witness. Because so much of this gas is methane and so much of it is either incompletely combusted or not combusted at all through the venting process, we see a huge climate impact.

Oilfield Witness gathered and studied the Railroad Commission data on exemptions to the states flaring rules and shared it with ProPublica and Inside Climate News. The news organizations verified the data, including by soliciting input from professors at universities in Texas.

Railroad Commission spokesperson R.J. DeSilva said in a statement that Texas has made significant progress in addressing methane emissions. Companies must provide evidence that flaring is necessary, and, when approving permits, the agency follows all applicable rules, he said. If an application lacks sufficient justification, it is returned with comments for clarification.

I am proud of the progress that has been made to reduce the waste of our natural resources, Jim Wright, chair of the Railroad Commission, said in a statement, adding that there is always room for further improvement.

The analysis likely overstates emissions, since the near-guarantee that regulators will approve a permit gives companies an incentive to request authorization for amounts larger than they intend to emit to ensure theyre in compliance. For example, operators in four Texas counties flared about 70% of the volume of gas that their permits allowed, according to a recent effort to compare the states flaring data to information collected via satellite. And the Railroad Commission sometimes approves flaring smaller volumes than requested, which is not captured in the data.

The Texas oil and natural gas industry is committed to ongoing progress in reducing flaring and methane emissions while continuing to meet the ever-growing demand for reliable oil and natural gas across the globe, Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, a trade group, told ProPublica and Inside Climate News in a statement.

Residents of communities surrounded by flares and leaking wells, like Catarina, want the state and the industry to do more to control oil field emissions. The Railroad Commission approved eight flares within 5 miles of the town during the study period and 280 across surrounding Dimmit County, according to agency data.

The danger posed by the gas became impossible to ignore on March 27, as a 30-inch steel pipeline a half-mile from Catarina failed. The rupture blasted more than 23 million cubic feet of gas into the air, as much as is used in 365 homes in a year, according to data the company that owns the pipeline, Energy Transfer, reported to the Railroad Commission.

Dermish recorded the chaos with his cellphone. The house is shaking, he says in the video as the escaping gas roars, its concussions jostling the camera.

Fearing for their safety, he and his wife evacuated, heading to a neighboring town for the day. After they returned home that evening, he called the sheriff to ask what had happened. During the conversation, Dermish could feel the gas causing him to slur his words. The next morning, Dermish noticed new gas flares, presumably lit to release pressure in the pipeline network by burning excess gas. A cellphone video he recorded shows a towering column of flame, taller than a nearby telephone pole, billowing and rippling.

Have you ever seen Lord of the Rings? Do you remember the Fire of Mordor? Dermish said in an interview. Thats what we have here.

An incident report submitted to the state by Energy Transfer attributed the pipeline failure to a technicians errors. Without objection from the Railroad Commission, the pipeline was repaired and back in service three days later. The agency did not assess Energy Transfer with a violation or a fine.

Energy Transfer did not respond to a request for comment.

After more than two decades in Catarina, Dermish and his wife are planning to move away. Its just too dangerous, he said.

Is American Oil and Gas Cleaner?

While the Trump administration characterizes American oil and gas as cleaner than fossil fuels from other countries, it has rolled back rules regulating methane.

The Environmental Protection Agency has, under Trump, delayed implementing previously finalized rules that wouldve mandated that the industry monitor for methane leaks and address them. He and Republicans in Congress also repealed the countrys first-ever tax on methane. And in June, Trump revoked a Biden administration guidance document laying out how companies should comply with a law aimed at reducing methane leaks from pipelines.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

As the nations highest-producing oil and gas state, Texas is a key barometer of the U.S. regulatory environment and whether it has created a cleaner fossil fuel industry.

The Permian Basin  the countrys largest oil field, which straddles the Texas-New Mexico border  was estimated by a 2024 study to emit the second-most methane of any oil field in the world.

The industry disputes that finding, pointing to a June report from S&P Global Commodity Insights that found that the rate of methane emissions in the Permian Basin dropped 29% between 2023 and 2024. Methane emissions management is increasingly a part of the industrys operations, Raoul LeBlanc, a vice president at S&P, said in a statement announcing the findings. However, S&Ps report acknowledged that satellite data showed a much more modest reduction of 4%, contradicting the companys own data, which was collected by airplane.

We can say confidently that there is no evidence that methane emissions from the Permian Basin are low, said Steven Hamburg, who studies methane as the Environmental Defense Funds chief scientist.

Texas Attempt to Rein In Flaring

In Texas, State Rule 32 prohibits flaring and venting gas at wells, except under a few specific conditions: while the well is being drilled, during the first 10 days after the well is completed and when necessary to ensure safety. Otherwise, drillers must seek an exception.

The Railroad Commission changed the application process for these exemptions in 2020 and issued new guidance in 2021. Operators would have to explain why they could not suspend drilling to avoid flaring and indicate that they had investigated all options for using the gas before flaring.

Oilfield Witness gathered all exemption requests since 2021, which showed the agency repeatedly approving permits that failed to comply with its guidelines. In many cases, oil companies asked to flare indefinitely or didnt justify why they needed to flare, leaving blank the section of the application asking why the exemption was needed.

Capturing the gas requires an expensive system of pipelines, compressors and other infrastructure that can cost more than the gas is worth. In their permit applications, companies cite this reality, often listing financial considerations as the reason for seeking exemptions, Oilfield Witness found. These were nearly always approved, even though the agency wrote that finances were an insufficient explanation in a presentation on the permitting process.

The Railroad Commission seems very interested in devolving decision-making processes to the companies themselves, McDonald said.

The data also showed that nearly 90% of the approved permit applications were backdated, retroactively giving permission for flares that were already burning. Oil companies typically asked the Railroad Commission for permission to flare 10 days after they had already burned the gas.

A spokesperson said that when the commission revamped its guidelines in 2020, it allowed a longer period in which companies could file for a permit after theyd already started to flare. Even so, nearly 900 of the permits were applied for after the updated filing window and still accepted by the agency.

The Railroad Commission also approved more than 7,000 flares within areas where the gas reservoir being drilled was known to be high in hydrogen sulfide, increasing the likelihood that the toxic gas could escape into the air. Of those flares, 600 were within a mile of a residence, the agencys data showed.

Minimizing flaring permits is not a priority in any sense for the Railroad Commission, said Gunnar Schade, an associate professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University. The priority is oil produced, and that means revenue for the state. Oil and gas is a priority, so who cares about the flaring?

Overstating the Progress

The Railroad Commission and the states oil industry trumpet their work to reduce flaring. The agency points to state data showing flaring rates dropping dramatically, specifically since 2019. And the Texas Oil and Gas Association announced in early August that drillers in the Permian Basin slashed methane emission intensity by more than half in just two years.

But such claims are misleading, according to experts such as David DiCarlo, an associate professor in the University of Texas at Austins petroleum engineering school. Using 2019 as a starting point leaves a false impression that theres been a sharp decline, he said, as methane emissions that year were staggeringly high due to booming production and inadequate pipeline capacity to gather the gas.

DeSilva, the Railroad Commissions spokesperson, defended using 2019 as the baseline because about five years ago we began taking proactive steps to reduce flaring in Texas.

Taking a longer view shows that a median of 2.2% of gas at Texas oil wells was flared or vented over the past decade, according to a ProPublica and Inside Climate News review of state data. (Flaring at gas wells is rare because those sites have the necessary pipeline infrastructure in place to collect the gas.) That figure hovered just north of 2% in the most recently available data, representing a much smaller drop than the state and industry claim. The industry still hasnt built sufficient pipeline networks to capture gas at oil wells, so, as production rises, so does flaring and venting.

They cant get it below 2% because they keep drilling, DiCarlo said. Since emissions are highest when a well is being drilled, overall emissions will remain high as long as the industry is drilling new wells. Thats just the nature of the beast.

Among the largest beneficiaries of the states lax permitting system was an oil company called Endeavor Energy Resources. More than half the approved permanent flaring exemptions went to Endeavor, which merged with the $40 billion Diamondback Energy in September 2024. Endeavor also applied for the longest flaring permit  6,300 days, or more than 17 years. The Railroad Commission approved the permit without shortening its duration.



Digital, ChatGPT, based on photo by Jacob Padilla on Unsplash

Diamondback Energy did not respond to a request for comment.

The industry has simultaneously claimed that it is addressing methane while bristling at oversight.

Steven Pruett is the president and CEO of Elevation Resources, a Permian Basin oil company, and the immediate past chair of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, one of the industrys main trade groups. His company saw a 2,408% increase in flaring immediately following new wells being drilled and a 692% increase in flaring overall in 2023, according to emails unearthed by environmental watchdog organization Fieldnotes and shared with ProPublica and Inside Climate News. In the email exchange with University of Texas faculty who were preparing a grant application for a federal methane-reduction program, Pruett blamed the increases on inadequate infrastructure to capture the gas.

Just weeks later, Pruett participated in a tour of the oil field alongside EPA staff, where he echoed the claim that the American oil and gas industry is cleaner than others and that drilling companies were complying with efforts to reduce emissions.

During his term at the helm of the national trade group, it spearheaded multiple lawsuits against the EPA over the governments methane rules.

Pruett did not respond to a request for comment.

A Constant Roar

Those opposed to flaring face long odds in halting the practice, even in rare instances when the Railroad Commission hears objections.

Consider the experience of Tom Pohlman, then sheriff of Fisher County, who had a flare burning next to his home in the Texas Panhandle starting in October 2023. The driller responsible for it, Patton Exploration, solicited companies to extend a pipeline to the oil well to capture the gas and evaluated whether the gas could be used to mine bitcoin. But by July 2024, it still had no deal, so the company sought another permit to continue flaring up to 1 million cubic feet of gas per day for 18 months. Patton is diligently pursuing every avenue possible to find a solution, but still needs more time, the company wrote in its application.

When Pohlman learned that Patton Exploration had applied for a new permit, he and his neighbors urged the Railroad Commission to deny it.

The sound that comes from the flame is a constant roar that we can hear throughout our property both day and night, the neighbors wrote in their objection. There is no peace and quiet since the day of its ignition.

In September 2024, Pohlman became one of the few people to officially challenge a flaring permit in Texas, as he and Patton Exploration representatives went head-to-head in a hearing before a Railroad Commission administrative law judge.

For approximately 20 of my residents in this area, it completely lights up their yard and everything else, Pohlman said, telling the judge that the flare was 45 feet high. I just need liveability for this neighborhood. Weve had nothing but issues here.

Patton Explorations lawyer, David Gross, acknowledged the neighbors frustrations but emphasized the importance of keeping the well pumping.

You cant produce the oil without producing the gas, he told the judge. Its the public policy of Texas that the recoverable oil and gas in the states reservoirs be recovered because it is in the public interest.

In January, the three elected members of the Railroad Commission voted unanimously to approve the permit and allow flaring for another 12 months.

Via ProPublica
By Tim Lenton, University of Exeter

(The Conversation)  The collapse of a major system of ocean currents, the meltdown of major ice sheets or the dieback of the Amazon rainforest are all examples of negative climate tipping points. These are the big risks associated with a changing climate, where harmful change becomes self-propelling. Each could cause environmental disasters affecting hundreds of millions of people.

The prospect of such irreversible and massively damaging outcomes is looming ever closer, as we are set to exceed 1.5C global warming. Every year and every 0.1C above this threshold increases the risk of crossing negative climate tipping points. To avert them, climate action must accelerate spectacularly. We need to decarbonise the global economy five times faster than the current rate to have reasonable odds of limiting warming well below 2C.

This sounds both frightening and daunting. We are facing existential risks and to avoid them requires extraordinary rates and scales of social and technological change. It is understandable to feel climate despair or doomism  particularly with the current spate of backsliding on climate commitments.

But there are credible grounds for conditional optimism. They lie in the evidence of positive tipping points  where changes to zero-emission behaviour and technologies become self-propelling. This is now the only plausible way we can accelerate out of trouble, because we have left it way too late for incremental change to rescue us.

Tipping points happen when amplifying feedback within a system gets strong enough to support self-propelling change. Like putting the proverbial microphone too close to the speaker. They can happen in a range of systems, and history shows us they have happened repeatedly in social systems. Think of political revolutions, abrupt shifts in social norms  like the abandonment of smoking in public, or the rapid transition from horse-drawn carriages to cars.

Happily, almost everything that contributes to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions could be positively tipped towards zero emissions. It can take a lot of work to bring a system to a tipping point, but some key sectors have already positively tipped, at least in some countries.

Norway has tipped from buying petrol and diesel cars to EVs in the space of a decade. The UK abruptly shut down coal burning. While gas temporarily replaced some of coals role in electricity generation, rapidly growing renewable power has now replaced coal burning and is starting to displace gas. Neither transition happened by chance. Tipping our societies to zero emissions requires deliberate, intentional action from us all.

In Norway, change was started by social activists in the late 1980s, including members of the pop band A-ha, pushing the government to adopt a package of policies to incentivise EVs. In the UK, tipping was triggered by a rising floor price on carbon in the power sector, a policy that can be traced to the Climate Change Act, which started life as a private members bill, in turn born out of decades of environmental activism.

The beauty of tipping points

In my new book,

Positive tipping points: How to fix the climate crisis, I highlight how just a small change can make a big difference. A minority can ultimately tip the majority. That minority activates amplifying feedback loops that get stronger with the more people who join in the change. This means we can all play a part in triggering positive tipping points.

We all make decisions about what we consume. Just by adopting a lower emission technology or behaviour (like eating less meat) we encourage others to join us. This is because people imitate one another, and the more people who adopt something the more people they can influence to adopt it too  a phenomenon known as social contagion.

With technologies, there are extra amplifiers of increasing returns: the more of us who adopt a new technology, the better it will get (through learning by doing), the cheaper it will get (due to economies of scale), and the more other technologies will emerge that make it more useful. This is how solar PV panels, wind turbines and batteries that power EVs have got ever cheaper, better and more accessible.

Policy usually also plays a crucial role in stimulating positive tipping points. Mandates to phase in clean technologies and phase out fossil fuelled ones are particularly effective. But despite polling evidence that roughly 80% of people worldwide support more decisive action on the climate crisis, governments can dither or be captured by vested interests. Sometimes they need to see what we support.

This may inspire us to get involved with social activism, which has its own tipping points. Each person joining a protest movement makes it incrementally easier for the next person to join. This can reach a critical mass  as it did for Fridays for Future and Extinction Rebellion in 2019. Or if, like me, you are not so comfortable on the march, there are other forms of social activism, like divesting from fossil fuels, or bringing civil cases against companies causing the climate crisis and governments failing to adequately respond to it.

Together a fraction of us can trigger positive tipping points to avoid otherwise devastating negative climate tipping points.

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

Tim Lenton, Director, Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Key Points

Sweetgreen's recent quarter showed negative same-store sales and weaker margins, resetting expectations.

The company is betting big on automation with its Infinite Kitchen rollout.

Some investors may be wondering if the stock could catapult higher, back to its all-time high of $53.

10 stocks we like better than Sweetgreen 

Sweetgreen's (NYSE: SG) stock has been through the wringer in 2025. After a hot start last year, the fast-casual salad chain's shares have tumbled as growth cooled and profitability slipped back into the red. With shares trading at only a fraction of their all-time high of $53, some overly optimistic investors may hope the stock can quickly rebound to these levels in the near future, leading to Nvidia-like returns. Unfortunately, there's almost no chance that this will happen.

Restaurants scale differently than chips and software. They're capital-intensive. Expansion is site by site, and unit economics ebb and flow with traffic, pricing, and labor. Sweetgreen may yet be a great long-term brand, but expecting an Nvidia-level run misunderstands how restaurant models compound. Even more, such a positive outlook downplays the severity of Sweetgreen's recent slump in key business metrics.

There's a reason the stock has been hammered, and a big recovery anytime soon is unlikely.

Image source: Getty Images.

What has investors concerned

Sweetgreen's second quarter showed why the stock reset. Revenue increased just 0.5% year over year to $185.6 million, as a 7.6% same-store sales decline (driven by a 10.1% drop in traffic and mix, partially offset by 2.5% menu pricing) offset contributions from new restaurant openings. Average unit volume (AUV), or the average trailing revenue for the last four fiscal quarters for all restaurants that have operated for at least 12 full months, slipped to $2.8 million from $2.9 million.

Restaurant-level profit margin fell to 18.9% from 22.5% in the year-ago period, and the company reported a net loss of $23.2 million, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $6.4 million -- about half of what it was in the year-ago period. The chain did add nine net new restaurants in the period, but the overall picture was a big step back from 2024's momentum.

Guidance reinforces the disappointing narrative. Management now expects fiscal 2025 revenue of $700 million to $715 million, up from about $677 million in the year-ago quarter. That's growth, but it's measured -- hardly the kind of operating acceleration that fuels a stock super-cycle. Furthermore, when it comes to profitability, the trend is actually downward. Management is guiding for full-year adjusted EBITDA to be between $10 million and $15 million, down from $18.7 million in 2024.






Saturday, September 6, 2025 - A team of law enforcement officers led by detectives from Embakasi Sub-County has arrested a man in Nairobis Utawala area and recovered a firearm concealed in a refrigerator.

The suspect, identified as Brown Carlos Butrose Kombo, was apprehended following an intelligence-led operation at a residence in Kelvin Heights, Utawala.

During the raid, officers recovered a Glock pistol loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition.

The firearm had been carefully hidden inside the household refrigerator.

The scene was processed, the weapon secured as evidence, and the suspect taken into custody.

Authorities confirmed he is being held pending arraignment.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, September 6, 2025 - Kenyan filmmaker Philip Karanja, aka Director Phil, has sparked a buzz on social media after he quietly introduced a new chapter in his love life.

This is after the CEO of Phil-It Productions recently shared a cozy Instagram story featuring Mukami Maina, a name thats already familiar to fans of his ex-wife, actress Catherine Kamau alias Kate Actress.

Mukami, once Kates Personal Assistant, is now the woman at the center of this unfolding romance.

The soft launch of their relationship, marked by a warm photo and celebratory toast, has ignited a flurry of reactions online.

Kate Actress has reacted gracefully to the development after posting a video clip with Mukami with the caption; To happiness Baby girl Mukami Maina, suggesting a gracious nod to the new couple and their shared history.

Director Phil and Kate Actress were married for six years before announcing their separation in September 2023.

Kate Actress, meanwhile, has also turned the page in her personal life and found love again.

She is currently in a relationship with Michael Mwangi, an entrepreneur who has become a regular feature on her social media.

The couple went public with their romance a few months after her separation from Director Phil, and have since been sharing glimpses of their affectionate bond - from baecations in Bangkok to birthday celebrations in Zanzibar.

Despite facing occasional scrutiny and rumors, Kate has remained unapologetically open about her new chapter, even cheekily referring to Michael as her beard man and affirming that she feels loved and well kept

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, September 6, 2025 - Former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has cautioned the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) against sidelining young voters as Kenya gears up for the 2027 General Elections.

In a statement posted on his X account, Kibwana emphasized that denying Gen Z the opportunity to participate in shaping the countrys leadership would be a grave mistake.

He urged the Registrar of Persons to expedite the issuance of national identification cards, calling it the first major hurdle preventing millions of youths from registering as voters.

It will be a socio-political crime for any eligible Gen Z not to register and vote in 2027, Kibwana stated.

The Articles 1 and 37 mother of all protests should be at the 55,393 or so polling stations.

Reflecting on the 2022 elections, Kibwana noted that between three and four million youth above 18 were unable to vote due to lack of IDs or voter registration.

He projected that by 2027, an additional four million Gen Z voters will become eligible, significantly increasing demand for registration services.

Kibwana criticized IEBCs current projection of 5.7 million new voters, arguing that the figure falls short.

He urged the commission to prepare for between seven and eight million new registrations to avoid suppressing the youth vote.

He described Gen Z as a transformative force in Kenyas political future and called for inclusive electoral planning to ensure their voices are heard.





The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, September 6, 2025 - Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested the prime suspect in the murder of Faith Kemunto, a young lady who was set to join Machakos University before her disappearance and tragic death in July 2025.

According to investigators, Faith had travelled home from Nairobi on July 27th, 2025, in preparation for her university admission.

On the fateful day, she left home to meet her boyfriend, Gidion Angisa - but she was never seen alive again.

Her disappearance prompted her family to report the matter at Nyamuri Police Station.

Despite initial efforts, the search for Faith and Gidion yielded no positive results.

Subsequent investigations revealed that Gidion had fled to Huruma Estate in Nairobi, where he had been holed up before being smoked out by the detectives.

Upon his arrest, he was found in possession of Faiths mobile phone.

He was escorted to Nyamira and is currently being held at Ekerenyo Police Station.

A body believed to be that of Faith Kemunto was later recovered burried in a shallow grave by the roadside and was exhumed after an exhumation order was issued by the Nyamira Law Courts.

Detectives have since been granted a 21-day custodial order as investigations continue.

The case is being handled by homicide detectives, forensic experts from the DCI National Forensic Laboratory, and officers based in Nyamira.





The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, September 6, 2025 - Nairobi parents have been urged to stay alert following disturbing reports of teenagers abusing a restricted prescription drug known on the streets as whites or blues.

The drug, allegedly sold illegally at certain pharmacies, is said to cause severe hallucinations and zombie-like behavior among young users.

Geoffrey Mosiria, Nairobi City Countys Environment Chief Officer, issued the warning on Saturday, describing the drug as highly addictive and dangerous.

Once consumed, it can cause disorientation, hallucinations, and in some cases, leave young people in a zombie-like state, he said.

Mosiria revealed that he has personally witnessed teens on the streets visibly affected by the drug.

He emphasized that the substance is meant strictly for use under medical supervision in mental health facilities and poses grave risks when misused.

The County Government is now working with NACADA and other agencies to curb the drugs spread.

Mosiria also called on the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) to inspect pharmacies suspected of selling the drug without prescriptions and to tighten regulations around its access.

He urged parents and guardians to monitor their children closely, watch for sudden behavioral changes, and seek medical help if symptoms such as hallucinations or abnormal conduct appear.

Let us remain vigilant and work together to protect our children and safeguard the future of our generation, Mosiria appealed.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, September 6, 2025 - Celebrated filmmaker Philip Karanja, popularly known as Phil, has set social media abuzz after unveiling his new girlfriend, barely two years after parting ways with renowned actress, Catherine Kamau alias Kate Actress.

Fresh details have now emerged that the lady warming his heart, Mukami Maina, once worked as Kate Actress Personal Assistant, a revelation that has sparked heated debate online.

Netizens unearthed an old social media post where Kate heaped praises on Mukami for being a dedicated and reliable team player.

In another post, Kate shared a cheerful photo enjoying good moments alongside Mukami, underscoring their once-close bond.

The disclosure has stirred mixed reactions across social media.

While some Kenyans congratulated Phil and Mukami on their blossoming romance, others expressed discomfort, questioning the dynamics of the relationship given Mukamis past professional connection to Phils ex-wife.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, September 6, 2025 - A young Kenyan lady has set social media on fire after sharing jaw-dropping photos of her transformation, boldly declaring that you are not ugly, you are just broke.

In the viral post, the lady showcased her before and after journey, attributing her newfound glow-up to financial stability and the ability to afford self-care, fashion, and lifestyle upgrades.

The photos have left netizens talking, with many praising her confidence and beauty, while others admitted that indeed, money changes everything.

Check this out.





The Kenyan DAILY POST
CAVA Group Inc. (NYSE:CAVA) is one of the best high-beta stocks to buy now. On September 3, TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles maintained a Buy rating on the stock with an unchanged price target of $90.

CAVA Group Inc.s (NYSE:CAVA) share price has been under pressure since the start of February. Its stock tanked by nearly 17% on August 13 after announcing its Q2 2025 results, and as a result, the stock is down 42% year-to-date.

TD Cowen Maintains Buy on CAVA (CAVA) Despite Near-Term Growth Pressure

Despite the fall, Charles maintains a positive view on CAVA Group Inc. (NYSE:CAVA). He noted that expectations for same-store sales growth in 2025 and 2026 are running slightly below consensus. However, the alignment of 2026 adjusted EBITDA with consensus estimates reinforces the conviction in the companys ability to sustain profitability. This balance between moderated sales expectations and a solid margin outlook underpins the analysts optimistic view.

Investor sentiment also plays a role in the positive stance. A recent poll conducted during TD Cowens bull/bear webinar indicated optimism among investors toward CAVA Group Inc.s (NYSE:CAVA) performance outlook.

With these factors, the analysis suggests that while near-term sales growth expectations may be more tempered, the visibility of profitability and supportive investor sentiment provide a favorable backdrop for the stock.

CAVA Group Inc. (NYSE:CAVA) operates a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain across the United States. As of July 13, 2025, the company operated 398 restaurants in 27 states and Washington, D.C.

While we acknowledge the potential of CAVA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre 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: 12 Overlooked Large-Cap Stocks with Low Multiples and 10 Best Stocks for a 20 Year Long-Term Stock Portfolio.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
A parcel of land near Straffan, Co Kildare offers a unique opportunity for farmers and equestiran enthusiasts according to the auctioneer.

The attractive parcel of land, which has a guide price of 510,000, extends to approximately 13.76 hectares (34 acres) amd is to go under the hammer by public auction on Friday, 26 September at 3pm in Lawlors of Naas Naas. Located in the townland of Turnings, just 3.5 kilometres from Straffan in County Kildare, the property benefits from a strategic position within easy reach of regional centres including Clane and Kill, as well as swift access to Dublin via the nearby N7 dual carriageway. The land lies in close proximity to several of Irelands premier racecourses, equestrian centres, and veterinary practices and makes it potenially ideal for both established farmers looking to expand their holdings and equine enthusiasts.

Predominantly laid out in permanent pasture, the land is contained in a single block and includes approximately 3 acres of mature, non-commercial forestry. Frontage onto a local road ensures convenient access, and while the land is currently agricultural, its location and layout offer the possibility for future development, subject to planning permissions.

The boundaries are well-defined by mature hedgerows and traditional post-and-wire fencing, creating secure and manageable field divisions.

Prospective buyers are advised that the successful purchaser at auction will be required to sign contracts on the day and pay a 10% non-refundable deposit, reflecting the competitive nature of this sale. Interested parties can arrange inspections at any reasonable time ahead of the auction by contacting Clive Kavanagh of the selling agents on 045-433550.
MARKETS are part of the DNA of Irish towns. Athys Market, with rights stretching back over 500 years, is one of the oldest. It is not just a place where goods are exchanged, but part of our shared story: a symbol of Athy as a meeting place, a trading town, and a community built on openness and exchange.

That is why the current debate on the Draft Casual Trading Bye-Laws 2025 is so important. These rules will shape not only how the market operates, but whether it thrives or stagnates. And if we are honest, Athys market has been allowed to stagnate before.

The truth is that the market has been neglected for decades. It has struggled to keep pace with modern expectations, slipping too often into a humdrum offering of banality and poor fare. Without vision and oversight, that neglect will continue, no matter what the bye-laws say.

We must be clear: protecting Athys historic rights to a market is not enough. Rights without proper administration, investment, and imagination will only lead us back to the tired version of the market we have already seen.

In past coverage, the Tuesday Market has been described as being in its former glory. For many of us, that image brings a reminder of how much potential remains untapped. The challenge now is not to look back wistfully, but to reimagine the market as something vibrant, diverse, and central to the life of Athy once again.

So what should that future look like? I believe there are three key steps.

1. Emily Square as a welcoming focal point

The Square is Athys heart and should remain central to the experience of the market. But instead of being filled with stalls, it should be designed as a place where people gather after visiting the market: to sit, eat, and connect. Permanent covered seating and a visually clean layout would make it an inviting public space all week long, not just on Tuesdays or weekends.

Emily Square could also become a stage for activity, from music and street performers to small shows and community events that will create an atmosphere of vibrancy and celebration. By keeping it open, welcoming, and alive with cultural energy, the Square can be both a focal point for the market and a space the town enjoys every day.

2. Expansion into Abbeylands and the Food Hub

The Square alone cannot carry the weight of a modern market. That is why the council should invest in Abbeylands, extending the market district from the back square around the historic Courthouse and into new public space. The Athy Food Hub, now coming online, is the perfect partner in this vision.

By connecting the market to local food producers, we could showcase Athy as a hub of innovation and home-grown quality. That is how markets elsewhere in Kildare and across Ireland have revived themselves: by linking heritage to modern enterprise.

3. Diversifying and structuring the market offer

Markets thrive on variety. Right now Athy risks being too narrow and uninspiring. By structuring weekends into themed markets  craft and makers on Saturdays, food and producers on Sundays  Athy could attract wider audiences and create a fresh rhythm of activity in the town centre. St Albans in London does this successfully, with one day focused on food and another on craft. We can adapt the model to suit Athy.

Alongside these steps, we should also think about Athys evening economy. Other counties have piloted Cafe Late schemes and small grants for night-time events, encouraging cafes and food businesses to stay open later with cultural programming. With Emily Square and Abbeylands lit and serviced for evening use, Athy could host monthly night markets, music, and food events. This would extend footfall beyond the working day, support local businesses, and make Athy a destination again.

Critics of the bye-laws, like former councillor Thomas Redmond, have rightly highlighted issues such as vague criteria, restrictive hours, and excessive insurance demands that could deter small traders.

These concerns must be addressed, and it is up to the council  with the support of its councillors  to make the effort to put workable solutions in place. Traders should, of course, bear the weight of their own costs and responsibilities, but the framework must be fair, transparent, and proportionate.

Clear trading hours need to be outlined so that the market can operate with certainty and consistency. It is also important to recognise that the submission being made by the council is not about removing Athys market, but about regulating it in order to make it manageable and sustainable into the future.

If implemented well, the rewards will be clear and measurable: increased footfall in the town centre, a wider mix of traders and stalls, stronger links between local producers and customers, and new jobs created in Athy. These are the outcomes we should be aiming for.

Farmers markets across Ireland show what is possible. When properly managed, they have brought towns back to life, given small businesses a platform, and created jobs. Athy deserves the same.

Let us have our market. Let us keep our heritage. But let us not settle for a market that limps along, barely alive.

With proper oversight, investment, and imagination, Athys market can once again be the vibrant centre of community life. Without it, we risk losing not just a market, but a piece of who we are.
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.
Chip stocks have been getting all the love on Wall Street over the recent years, thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) becoming the center of attention in the investment world. While we have all heard plenty about chip giants such as Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) riding the AI wave, its easy to miss some of the newer players making big strides. One such name is Astera Labs (ALAB).

Astera, which designs and manufactures semiconductor-based connectivity solutions for cloud and AI infrastructure, is still a relative newcomer on Wall Street, having made its public debut just last year, in March. Yet in that short span, ALAB stock has surged triple digits over the past year, fueled by strong fundamentals and a growing base of partnerships. Investors arent the only ones noticing. Wall Street analysts are also paying closer attention.

More News from Barchart

On Aug. 29, leading investment bank Morgan Stanley took a more bullish view on Astera, boosting its price target from $155 to $200 and reiterating an Overweight rating. Analyst Joseph Moore highlighted that the rise of rack-scale AI business has created a massive $17 billion greenfield opportunity virtually overnight, opening the door for multiple chipmakers, including Astera Labs. So, with that vote of confidence in mind, heres a closer look at ALAB stock.

About ALAB Stock

California-based Astera Labs is a fast-growing semiconductor company focused on addressing the data, memory, and networking bottlenecks that arise when building AI and cloud infrastructure. Its platform combines hardware and software solutions, integrating technologies such as CXL, Ethernet, PCIe, and UALink with its COSMOS software to connect various parts of a data center into a single, scalable system.

By teaming up with major hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, the company is carving out a central role in powering the next wave of AI-driven data centers. With a market capitalization hovering around $29 billion, this newcomer chip stock has quickly become a favorite among investors since its public debut last year, and its price performance speaks volumes.

Over the past year, ALAB stock has skyrocketed a stunning 357%, dwarfing the broader S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) modest 18% return during the same stretch. The momentum hasnt slowed either. The stock has surged another 110% in just the last three months, underscoring the markets growing confidence in its growth story.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is one of the Most Undervalued S&P 500 Stocks to Buy Right Now. On August 25, Wells Fargo & Companys (NYSE:WFC) Wealth & Investment Management division announced partnering with InvestCloud to offer alternative investments within its Personalized Unified Managed Account program.

Management noted that alternative investment goes beyond stocks, bonds, and cash. It includes hedge funds, private equity, real estate, and other specialized assets. Management highlighted that adding these options will help clients diversify their portfolios more effectively.

The new offering lets advisors and clients hold both traditional and alternative investments in one account. Thereby, simplifies managing portfolios and enhances customization based on individual goals. Moreover, InvestCloud noted that this partnership brings innovative tools that strengthen client-advisor relationships.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) is a financial services firm that offers banking, investment, mortgage, and lending products.

While we acknowledge the potential of WFC as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre 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: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the Most Undervalued S&P 500 Stocks to Buy Right Now. Wall Street is bullish on the communication sector, anticipating 2026 to be a pivotal year for it. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) remains under the spotlight with its par-expectation results in Q2 2025.

The company topped Wall Street estimates for both EPS and revenue, with the EPS of $1.22 coming in ahead of the consensus by $0.03 and the revenue beating expectation by a margin of $793.45 million.

Following the update, several analysts have expressed their bullish sentiment towards the stock. Earlier, on August 11, Gregory Williams of TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating on Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) with a price target of $56. The analyst expressed his confidence in the companys ability to meet its updated EBITDA growth targets of 2.5% to 3.5%. Williams noted that this growth would be supported by the companys solid service revenue and its cost-saving efforts.

More recently, on September 2, Goldman Sachs assumed coverage of the stock with a price target of $49. The firm noted 2026 to be a pivotal year for the communication services sector, which has been faced with high competition for connectivity customers. The firm believes investments in network modernization, spectrum, and brand would be the key differentiating factors for companies that realize the most attractive financial gains.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) provides communication and technology services. It offers wireless and wireline services, including 5G and 4G broadband.

While we acknowledge the potential of VZ as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre 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: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Darragh Mc Donagh

A priest has called for the introduction of discriminatory immigration policies in Ireland, claiming that the country is crammed and non-Christian migrants should not be allowed to move here.

Fr Brendan Kilcoyne, who is a parish priest in Balla, Co Mayo, said immigration was being badly managed and the country was being crammed with people who had no sympathy for Irish culture.

He complained that migrants who turn up in Ireland were being looked after instead of being promptly sent back where [they] came from and told to apply by a legal method to come into the country.

I am in favour of what I would openly call discriminatory immigration, and I mean discrimination in a positive, constructive sense, said Fr Kilcoyne.

If it were up to me, I would only permit Christian immigration into Europe I would only permit Christian immigration into Ireland. I think you can justify that on any number of grounds.

He said the far right in Ireland was minimal but there were a lot of people who seem to feel enormously threatened by immigration.

Many of these are working class and most seem to be perfectly decent people, he added.

Fr Kilcoyne said the consequences of non-Christian immigration were not an issue in Ireland yet but claimed that whole sections of British cities had become no-go areas for the civil authorities.

This claim is widely regarded as a far-right myth, and featured in the manifesto of neo-Nazi terrorist and mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik. A British MP, Paul Scully, was criticised and forced to apologise for referring to such no-go zones last year.

Fr Kilcoyne, speaking on an episode of his podcast The Brendan Option titled Immigration or Invasion, said people should be worried about the situation. He said they were not being stirred by the far right, but rather could see demonstrable evidence of a problem.

He said all that was missing was a charismatic leader to ignite the tinder box of immigration.

If that happens, I would strongly advise the mainstream political parties to grip both sides of the armchair and pour themselves a stiff whiskey, he added. Lets grasp the nettle and deal with the situation and manage it before it gets completely out of control.

In a recent episode of his podcast, Fr Kilcoyne asked followers to pray for the organisers of the controversial Mise Eire festival after more than 2,000 people signed a petition calling for it to be cancelled. He said he was praying that it goes ahead.
A MAN who was due at Portlaoise District Court on motoring offences sent his solicitor a selfie from his hospital bed to explain his absence from court.

Giga Chachia (39) from Riverside, Shannon Street, Borrisokane, Tipperary had been due to appear on summonses of driving without insurance and a driving licence and having no car tax on 2 July 2024 at Straboe, Laois.

Outlining the alleged facts, Garda Ross Foy said that while on mobile patrol at 6.35pm that evening, he stopped a BMW car and found the driver had no insurance displayed. He said the tax on the car was out since 2023, the NCT had expired in 2021 and the car was seized.

Gda Foy said the defendant had four previous road traffic convictions.

It was at this stage that Mr Chachias solicitor, Philip Meagher, stood and produced his mobile phone, showing it to Judge Andrew Cody.

Mr Meagher said that his client had taken a selfie photograph of himself from his hospital bed, as proof that he was unable to attend court for his hearing.

That could have been taken from anywhere, said Judge Cody. He could have jumped into a bed and taken the selfie. All thats missing from the selfie is a get-well card and a few balloons.

Adjourning the case to 25 September, Judge Cody said: Well give him some Lucozade when he turns up.
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
There were several food, product and car recalls for the week of Sept. 1-7 that you might have missed, including recalls for frozen vegetables and brown eggs. Canva

You might want to check your fridge, garage and home this week.

The reason you should do this is because of recalls issued across the U.S., affecting everything from food staples to vehicles and household consumer products.

These recalls, triggered by health risks to safety hazards, could impact millions of consumers just like you.

Heres what you need to know about four recalls on food, products and vehicles that could affect you.

4 food and product recalls between Sept. 1 and Sept. 7

Item Detail Start Date Week of Sept. 1-7 Whos affected? People who bought brown eggs, frozen vegetables and baby loungers as well as people who own certain Ford and Lincoln models. Whats changing? See each specific food, car or product recall for more information. What will happen? People will have to stop consuming or using the products, return them to their place of purchase, and/or throw the products out.

Frozen vegetables sold nationwide recalled: return to place of purchase ASAP

New York-based Endico Potatoes is recalling frozen vegetables sold in several states due to listeria contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The recall was initiated after testing at a site in Pennsylvania found listeria contamination.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Endico and the FDA are investigating the cause of the contamination and distribution has been halted.

The following products are subject to recall:

Peas and carrots

Lot number- 110625

Production date- June 11, 2025

Sell by date- June 10, 2027

Mixed vegetables

Lot number- 170625

Production date- June 17, 2025

Sell by date- June 16, 2027

The products were sold at certain retailers including H Mart between July 18-Aug. 4, 2025, in these seven states and territories:

Connecticut

Florida

New York

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Maryland

Washington, D.C.

Those with the frozen vegetables in their freezers should return them to their place of purchase.

Ford recalls 213K vehicles due to faulty trailer lights

Ford is recalling more than 213,000 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Navigator models due to a defect in these vehicles trailer lights, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The malfunctioning trailer lights are caused by the vehicles defective Body Control Module (BCM) caused by bad soldering on the Body Control Module circuit boards.

This could also cause problems with the power windows, mirrors, HVAC system or even the USB charging ports.

SUVs driven more than 6,000 miles may not be affected.

However, Ford is urging owners to get their vehicles inspected and if necessary, get their Body Control Module replaced at no cost.

Owners will be notified about the recall by Oct. 13, 2025, and replacement of the defective part will be available between March 31 and April 3, 2026.

23K URMYWO baby loungers recalled due to suffocation, fall hazard risk

Pomona is recalling 23,000 URMYWO baby loungers due to a suffocation and fall hazard that can cause serious injuries or death to babies who use them, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The affected baby loungers are in the grey feather style and Model No: UMCZC01AE printed on labels attached to the sides of the loungers.

No injuries have been reported to date.

The loungers were sold on Amazon between January 2024 and April 2025 for about $30-$50.

Consumers should stop using the loungers immediately and contact Pomona for a full refund. To get the refund, consumers should remove the sleeping pad, cut the sides of the baby loungers and the sleeping pad and email a photo of the destroyed lounger to urmyworecall@outlook.com.

Brown eggs recalled after 95 sickened across 14 states

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA issued a warning after California-based Country Eggs, LLC, recalled its Large Brown Cage Free Sunshine Yolk eggs due to potential salmonella contamination.

The recalled eggs were distributed to grocery stores in California and Nevada, packaged in individual cartons with the following brand names and sell-by dates:

Nagatoshi Produce, Sell by dates: July 1, 2025, through Sept. 18, 2025

Misuho, Sell by dates: July 1, 2025, through Sept. 18, 2025

Nijiya Markets, Sell by dates: July 1, 2025, through Sept. 18, 2025

Country Eggs Large Brown Sunshine Yolks, Sell by dates: July 1, 2025, through Sept. 18, 2025

To date, 95 people have reported illnesses in connection with the recall in 14 different states. Of those 95 people, 18 have been hospitalized.

If you have these eggs in your fridge, the CDC is urging you to throw them away or return them to their place of purchase.

It is also recommended that you sanitize the surfaces the contaminated eggs have touched.

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.
Lebanon Township Police Chief Jason Cronce was hailed for helping the woman in August. Canva Illustration for NJ.com

Lebanon Township Police Department Chief Jason Cronce is being hailed for his heroic actions after saving a woman from drowning in the Delaware River during an off-duty incident on Aug. 17.

The rescue occurred when Cronce noticed a woman in distress while she was tubing on the river.

The woman had encountered rapids and collided with an overhanging tree, which caused her to flip into the water. The strong current trapped her underwater beneath the tree.

Cronce immediately sprang into action, entering the water and successfully pulling the woman to safety, officials said.

This was an extraordinary act of courage, said Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renee M. Robeson. Chief Cronces selflessness and swift response reflect the very best of public service and a deep commitment to protecting the lives of others.

The woman, whose identity is being withheld, is recovering following the incident, according to the Hunterdon County Prosecutors Office.

The office recognized Cronces quick thinking and bravery as exemplifying law enforcements dedication to public safety, whether on or off duty.

Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.
Gardai objected to a gun licence application for a man who was convicted of illegally bringing a firearm part into Ireland from the USA.

Damien Graham of Ballinagall, Ballickmoyler, Co Carlow, was given a six month suspended sentence after he was caught illegally importing a bolt from a Sterling gun in Terminal 2 of Dublin Airport having arrived from a gun conference in America in November 2021.

A solicitor for the accused brought an application before Portlaoise District Court in relation to a firearms licence. He was refused a certificate by the gardai on the basis of the conviction, the solicitor explained.

He had been attending a firearms convention in America and he brought home a mechanism, he explained. He said the case was sent forward to the circuit court on a signed plea.

Garda Inspector Joe Culliton said he dealt with the licence matter in his capacity as acting Superintendent in June of 2024. He said a licence for a shotgun was discontinued due to the conviction.

Judge Andrew Cody said it was his understanding that anyone who was convicted of a firearms offence, a terrorist offence or an offence against the State couldnt hold a firearms licence.

The applicant's solicitor said the background to the case was complicated. He said the man was given a six month suspended sentence in relation to the matter. He said while there was a conviction, his client hadnt spent any time in prison and he believed there was a distinction between a conviction and a conviction with a custodial sentence and the court might have discretion in relation to the licence. He described his client as a gun sport enthusiast.

Judge Cody asked the solicitor to make a written submission in relation to the matter. He wanted to see the original conviction in relation to the case. He adjourned the matter back to Portlaoise District Court on October 16.
As part of the launch of My Legacy Month 2025, people throughout County Kildare have been asked to consider including a gift in their Will.

This year the month-long campaign focuses on the security that legacy giving offers to charities, as traditional income sources become less sustainable.

My Legacy represents over 90 Irish charities from a wide variety of causes, including health, homelessness, LGBTQ+, International Aid, animal welfare, heritage and environmental issues. This includes Barretstown, Trocaire and Jack & Jill Foundation which support communities in Kildare.

Speaking at the launch, Niall O'Sullivan, chairperson of My Legacy, claimed that a recent survey of My Legacy members demonstrates that, for some members, gifts in Wills make up between 25 and 50 percent of their annual income.

He elaborated: "For around half of our members, income from gifts in Wills, is less than 10 percent; and for others at the beginning of their legacy journey, it isnt something theyre quantifying yet but they can see the growing interest from the public and need to foster this stream of very personal support.

"Traditional sources of income are under pressure, with 60 per cent of members who responded stating theyd recorded reduced volume or amounts raised through individual giving, while 40 per cent indicated increased competition for funding from trusts and foundations across the same period."

READ NEXT: Road closure to be implemented near this Kildare golf club

Mr O'Sullivan continued: "The good news, however, is that there is huge potential for legacy giving to support the increasing demands on charity services in Kildare and across Ireland.

"This is due to increasing private wealth and an ageing population."

He concluded: "No matter how small or large a gift you include in your Will, which is tax-free to the charity beneficiary, it can have an enormous impact on the good work that charities do.

In addition, Mr O'Sullivan said that, compared to some other countries, awareness of the power of legacy gifts through wills "had been comparatively low in Ireland".

However, Mr O'Sullivan remains hopeful  "It's clear this is changing, with more interest from the public in making their mark on their communities and favourite causes in this special way," he said.

Anyone seeking further information about My Legacy and / or My Legacy Month 2025 can visit www.mylegacy.ie.

READ NEXT: Kildare photographer shows off her stunning award-winning capture
Cllr Darragh Moriarty was recently speaking on The Hard Shoulder about the hateful intent behind displaying Irish flags.

In recent months, particularly over the summer period, there has been a proliferation of the tricolour across some of our communities in Dublin, he told The Hard Shoulder.

I think whats notable about the flags is not the fact that people are putting up tricolours, theyre not looking, in my view, to celebrate our country and theyre very much looking to put up these flags to mark territory, in my view, he said.

He told The Hard Shoulder that he believes these flags are being put up to intimidate and harass people who arent Irish but who do live in this country.

He said that if this is the case, action must be taken to prevent the Irish flag being used as a part of an anti-immigrant campaign.

This is not a straightforward issue by any stretch, Cllr Moriarty said. Im not pretending that it is; its complex and it needs....to be dealt with very very sensitively.

READ NEXT: Search continues for boy missing from Dublin feared dead

How do you police intent? How do you police motivation? I think youd start by watching the videos of the people putting them up and listening to what theyre saying.

Theyre talking about reclaiming Ireland, theyre talking about stopping the invasion; these are the messages that theyre sending when they are taking videos of these flags [being put] up.
'There is so much going on with the Irish language and so many different initiatives always going on with Conradh na Gaeilge,' Orla Nic Con na Buille (McNabola) told the Leitrim Observer this week, speaking passionately about her role as a Comhordaitheoir Dara Leibheal (Second Level Coordinator) with the organisation, which involves travelling the country promoting Gaeilge and careers/opportunities with Gaeilge to teenagers.

Orla currentley lives in Carrick on Shannon with my parents Micheal and Antonia and my three brothers Enda, Conn and Rory and covers eleven different counties.

After completing her arts degree in Gaeilge and Media Studies (DCU), she then qualified as a secondary school teacher with Maynooth University and went on teach Irish in four different secondary schools.

READ MORE: Free gigs, film, art, storytelling and late-night parties at Leitrim Culture Night

Her decision to move home was a financial one initially as paying high rents in Dublin meant that saving money was not an option.

She said: "Really it was the cost of living in Dublin that made me move back home to Carrick. The rent was not as bad as some of my other friends were paying. We were probably paying around 1000, bills included, for one room. I want to save but I just couldn't manage it. I could get by but by the end of the month, I was starting again. It was a shame because the school I was in in Firhouse Educate Together Secondary School in Dublin- I just loved that school so much. The year before that, I was in Drumshanbo Vocational School and I loved it; it was just one of the best schools ever to teach in. I was thinking of trying to get work there again when I came back home but then the opportunity to work Conradh na Gaeilge came up."

Conradh na Gaeilge is the main organisation for the promotion and protection of the Irish language and has 200 branches and hundreds of members worldwide.

The organisation runs language courses, advocates for Irish-language rights, and raises awareness about the language - all from our offices in Gaillimh, Conamara, Beal Feirste and Baile Atha Cliath.

Orla is one of three Second Level Coordinators who travel the country and deliver the 'Seo Bothair' to senior-cycle students in their secondary schools.

The organisation also helps in the organising of Gaeilge24 (an annual challenge to speak only Irish for the day with 30,000 taking part last year), Ard-Fheis na nOg (a three-day event for Gaeltacht secondary schools and Gaelcholaisti), #Dushlan (a competition where students complete 30 challenges in 50 hours), also training days for students to become an Oifigeach Gaeilge (Irish officer) for their school. They also attend conventions like Higher Options, Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition and School Summit as well as events like Ard-Fheis Chonradh na Gaeilge, Oireachtas na Samhna and the Gaeltacht campsite at Electric Picnic.

The Seo Bothair is an interactive workshop that encourages students to use critical thinking to examine their opinions about the Irish language which begins with a walking debate to gather their pre-existing opinions about the language. For example, most students from the south dont realise that its their right to speak Gaeilge to the Gardai or in their local leabharlann or in court, to name but a few.

READ MORE: PICTURES: Former Leitrim barracks repurposed as a valuable community facility

She said that many students think that the only career that learning Irish leads to is teaching but she makes sure to tackle this perception. "They don't realise that there is so much coming down the line. 20 per cent of those hired in the public sector, by the 2030, will have to be competent in Irish - be they teachers, people working in the council, the fire brigade. That rule is also coming in in media; by the year 2030, one fifth of advertisement on public service media, will have to be done in Irish. We are just trying to alert students to the fact that there are so many jobs that require the language and even more coming down the line.

She told us: "We inform them about other language rights that they have (or dont have, depending on where on the island they live). We alert them to the fact that by the end of 2030, at least 20% of new recruits to public bodies are to be competent in Irish, and also that 20% of advertising by public bodies is to be done i nGaeilge. We share examples of people across many industries who work with the language in their daily lives - from education to media to translations and politics. Sharing this with students helps them realise that there are a lot more career opportunities with the language than teaching alone. We wrap up about 80 minutes later with a lively Irish-music-based game at the end and give out plenty of prizes along the way too!"

When the school year ends, the organsiation is kept busy with the Seo Samhraidh - delivering a variation of the same presentation to students in various Gaeltacht summer courses.

So where did Orla own gra come from for the Irish language?

She replied: "Scoil Mhuire in Carrick; I had really good teachers the whole way up and then I was sent to the Gaeltacht as a teenager as well and that really drove me on."

Orla said that through her role, she has seen that there is "huge interest in the Irish language in both students and adults; I have met so many adults this year who've asked me how they can return to Gaeilge which is fantastic to see."

She said the believes the Irish secondary school Irish course needs reform and that students are keen to learn the language.

"The message I am getting from students in school is that they really want to be able so speak Irish. The way the curriculum is laid out in school at the moment, it's not fit for purpose, it's not inclusive, there is way too much emphasis on poetry and prose and literature."

She added that on Saturday 20 September, Conradh na Gaeilge will hold a national protest at Parnell Square, Baile Atha Cliath at 13:30pm for Irish language rights and the future of Gaeltacht communities.

She explained: "The protest is about four main points and one of those points is the education system and how Irish is taught in schools. From the students I speak to in school, many of them love Irish and speak it but the ones that don't still have that interest and would love to be able to."

Want other ways to engage with the language?

Conradh na Gaeilge, Gaelchultur and Gael Linn offer language classes both in person in Dublin and online around the world. Flick on TG4 or Cula4 on the telley. Follow some social media creators that use Gaeilge - a few Instagram examples are @maire_nichurraoin, @irishwithmollie, @ealuaran, @scaoil.amach.an.pocaide, @kerry.cowboy, @gaeilgelejane, @gaeilge_bheo, @foghlaimtg4, @gaelainnlesean, @james_donegal_irish. Tune into Raidio Ri-Ra (rrr.ie) or Raidio na Gaeltachta / Raidio Failte / Raidio na Life. Listen to podcasts like How to Gael, Seansalaithe, Beo ar Eigean. Watch some short films like Cailini Granna, Filleann an Feall, Yu Ming is Ainm Dom, Gno an Ri. Or some full-length films like An Cailin Ciuin, Roise & Frank or Kneecap! Listen to music with Irish language lyrics. Chat to a friend to practice your speaking skills. Find your nearest Pop Up Gaeltacht event or join a social club like Piosa Me. Download apps like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone. There are a myriad of ways to get you started - but most importantly, na habair e - dean e!

Local Irish language events

- Ciorcal cainte - the second and fourth Thursday of every month at 8pm in The Leitrim Inn, Leitrim Village.

- Ciorcal Comhra Dromahair, Club House/Riverbank (F91 WPC9) every Saturday from 11am - 12pm.

- Irish classes for people new to Ireland - Ballinamore Library, starting 09 September, 5-7pm.

- Cumann na bhFiann youth clubs in Ballinamore and Drumshanbo - eolas@cnb.ie or +353 1 8259342.

- Parent/guardian and baby group - Tae agus Play - every month in Gaelscoil Chluainin, Manorhamilton - gaeilgeigcluainin@gmail.com.

- Free Irish classes for beginners and near beginners will be starting in Ballinamore Library on Tuesday 07 October at 8pm.

- WhatsApp group Liatroim le Gaeilge where we discuss Gaeilge-related matters in the county. Email Orla if you would like to join: o.niccnb@gmail.com.
With a nationwide housing crisis being the most pressing issue of our time, and with the crisis strongly felt here in Leitrim, anyone can see that simply not enough homes are being built.

It will likely take decades to recover before housing supply improves, construction and rental costs fall, and other barriers such as high water connection charges are fully addressed.

Failed promises by successive governments are at the forefront of peoples minds, particularly young people in Ireland who fear they will never be able to buy or build a home in their own country.

In Leitrim, this has knock-on effects in towns and villages as more people leave for other parts of the country or abroad. As populations decline, local facilities, particularly schools, suffer, with ageing populations unable to sustain enrolment.

This challenge of rural schools closing, and the looming threat of further closures in Leitrim, led Cllr Justin Warnock to propose a controversial motion at the September meeting of Leitrim County Council.

READ NEXT: Leitrim women's breast screening referrals refused by Dublin hospitals, meeting hears

He sought support to call on Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, to introduce legislation imposing a 1,000 annual tax on holiday homes, with revenues retained by local authorities to fund programmes aimed at repopulation in Leitrim.

While considered understandable, the proposal was seen by some as harsh and unlikely to achieve its intended outcomes. Im not talking about holiday homes that are being rented out. Im talking about holiday homes that are trophy homes. These are people with wealth, said Cllr Warnock.

Schools were his primary motivation for putting forward the motion. He highlighted that 16 primary schools in Leitrim have enrolments of fewer than 40 pupils. People buying holiday homes have usually made their money, and theyre buying houses. We should be promoting to get our young people back, because the old people arent going to fill the schools, he said.

We need to have these schools stay open and the only way we can do that is having young families move back in.

He described how wealthy buyers purchasing trophy homes in rural Leitrim displace local families. 84 percent of people in Leitrim live in rural areas. These 16 schools are in rural areas and if we dont do something theyll end up like Creevelea and all these other schools that are closed. We cannot sit on our hands and do nothing, this is an opportunity to do something, he urged.

Cllr Eddie Mitchell seconded the motion, stating, While we want to support tourism, we have to make sure that as houses come up for sale, theyre not being bought to be left sitting there.

READ NEXT: Anger over Bus Eireann decision to drop two Leitrim stops Dublin route

However, the motion sparked concern and division among members who argued it would unfairly penalise people with family or personal ties to Leitrim who contribute to the local economy.

Cllr Mary Bohan cited an example of a family with a second home in North Leitrim who worked hard all their lives to afford it. They come several times a year along with extended family and friends. They shop locally, they come out to restaurants and socialise and pay their property tax, she said.

She further pointed out the lack of hotels and limited B&B accommodation in North Leitrim. The people that I know have a holiday home, and they use it. Theyre not responsible for the housing crisis, she added.

Cllr Cormac Flynn supported the motion, though reluctantly. Referring to Cllr Bohans statement, he countered, I know people who have been working hard and cant afford a home or rent. Hopefully if the motion is successful, the homes that are lying idle might make people think whats the point and rent it to someone who can make a benefit out of it.

Cllr Prior raised concerns about the possible impact on local tourism, citing the Ballinamore Family Festival, where the local population triples annually. If were seen to support this motion, are these people going to take one less holiday in our location? he asked.

READ NEXT: Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly to visit Leitrim

Although Cllr Warnock ultimately withdrew the motion, he stood by his central argument. If someone doesnt do something, those 16 schools will close in the next ten years. Theres loads of holiday homes in Kiltyclogher, yet that school is about to close. No one wants to upset anyone but no matter when you try to move forward, youre always going to upset people.

For many, the frustration remains that while some can afford second or even third homes, countless others are struggling daily to pay rent, let alone save for a mortgage due to sky-high costs.

The responsibility for solving the housing crisis ultimately lies with the Government to build, supply, zone, and fund housing, and for local authorities to deliver homes.

The solution, many argue, is clear and is not being delivered, and rural counties like Leitrim are left facing the harshest consequences.

READ NEXT: Wastewater capacity issues continue to stall housing developments in Leitrim Village
The search of open ground for a boy missing from north Dublin and feared dead has entered its sixth day.

Irish police are investigating the disappearance and whereabouts of the child, who would be seven-years-old if still alive.

He is thought to have last lived in The Gallery Apartments in Donabate, Dublin.

Gardai began a search of open ground in Donabate on Tuesday which has continued over the weekend.

The area of interest being searched is an overgrown field off the Portrane Road, which features a small wooded area.

The child and family agency Tusla raised concerns about the boys welfare with gardai on August 29.

The agency had previously engaged with the missing childs family five years ago.

Tusla became involved when the boys parents felt they would not be able to look after him, Minister for Children Norma Foley said.

Tuslas chief executive Kate Duggan said there were no child protection concerns during interactions with the boys family prior to the case being closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The matter has been referred to the independent National Review Panel (NRP) for investigation.

Tusla is also carrying out well-being checks on up to 38,000 cases that were closed during the pandemic following concerns raised by Ms Foley.

This is the second case of a child living in Ireland who was missing for years before the case came to the attention of authorities.

Kyran Durnin, who would be nine this year if still alive, was reported missing in August last year and a murder investigation was launched in October.

Dr Helen Buckley, chairwoman of the National Review Panel (NRP), said the report into Kyrans case was in the final stages of completion and would be with the minister within five to six weeks.

In the case of the boy missing from north Dublin, she said it was likely they would compile a case chronology and identify people to interview, including Tusla staff, HSE staff and anyone else who provided a service for the child.

When we are satisfied that we have sufficient information, we start to draft an analysis and conclusions for the report, she said.

The report would then go to Minister Foley, who would decide whether it was published.

She said such reports did not usually cut across parallel Garda investigations.

Responding to criticism of the NRP from the Childrens Ombudsman Niall Muldoon, she said he had misrepresented their work.

Im happy to set the record straight on what the ombudsman said. He, in fact, I think, misrepresented our work by saying we had only 19 reports published when in fact, if you look at our website, you see there are 90 reports published, most of which are systemic in nature, where it is necessary to be, she said.

Our focus is generally, mainly on Tusla, but where other organisations, such as schools, such as HSE, services such as CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), public health nursing, are involved, we will seek to meet with those as well.

She said she agreed with the ombudsmans argument that the NRP did not have statutory footing and said their process would benefit from this.

She said there had been very few cases where the panel had been refused records that it requested.

We have three issues, Ive raised these every year in the annual report, and these would be governance, inter-agency working and independence, she said.

Now we do work very independently, some of our panel members are from outside the jurisdiction, but I think the public perception of our independence isnt always as clear as it should be, and it would certainly help that.

It would mean that we had probably faster access to records from other organisations, and wed also have a more robust system.
Michelle ONeill has urged the UK Government to use the 30th anniversary of Northern Irelands historic Good Friday peace deal to announce a date for a referendum on Irish unification.

The Sinn Fein vice president, who is the first nationalist to hold the position of First Minister at Stormont, said the date in April 2028 would represent an excellent time to confirm a future poll.

In an interview with the PA news agency, Ms ONeill said the calling of a referendum would mark the fulfilment of the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday accord that largely ended the regions 30-year conflict.

The Mid Ulster MLA said Sir Keir Starmers Government needed to live up to the commitment that was set out in the Good Friday Agreement.

It was good enough for me to vote for a democratic pathway to unity through a border poll in 1998 (in the referendum to approve the agreement), well then when we celebrate 30 years of the Good Friday Agreement isnt that an excellent time for the British Government to actually step up and clarify when the border poll will be called, what the parameters are, and actually allow people then to focus their minds around making a decision when they actually get the chance to vote in the referendum, she said.

While Sinn Fein has repeatedly called for a border poll by the end of the current decade, only the UK Government has the power to decide when, or if, a referendum is held.

Under the terms of the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, the incumbent Northern Ireland Secretary should trigger a poll when there is evidence of a shift in public opinion in favour of changing Northern Irelands constitutional status. If a vote was called, a simultaneous poll would be initiated south of the border by the Irish Government.

However, successive UK governments have declined to provide details around what criteria is used to measure changing public sentiment in Northern Ireland and Prime Minister Sir Keir has insisted a referendum is not on the horizon.

While Sinn Fein points to electoral changes that have seen the end of a long-established unionist majority at Stormont as evidence of a shift in public opinion, unionist politicians stress there has been no corresponding surge in the nationalist vote in Northern Ireland  with the realignment instead down to the growth of the non-aligned centrist bloc within the devolved assembly.

Speaking to PA ahead of the return of the Stormont Assembly on Monday after the summer recess, Ms ONeill expressed a belief that results of a series of elections across the next four years  assembly and local government elections in Northern Ireland, and UK and Irish general elections  would send a clear message to the UK Government that a border poll was required.

I think theres a cycle of elections in the middle of there (next five years) that actually can allow us to make the case even further to the British Government that they now need to live up to the commitment that was set out in the Good Friday Agreement, she said.

Asked if the 2028 anniversary should be the marker for announcing a date, Ms ONeill added: Why not? Because, I mean, thats the fulfilment of the Good Friday Agreement. The British Government doesnt get to pick and choose. Them and the Irish Government are co-guarantors of that agreement. I want that agreement fulfilled in its totality, that includes putting that question to the people. Why not 2028, because thats our 30th anniversary.

Ms ONeill said there was an incredible conversation taking place across the island of Ireland about unification. She said that included many members of the unionist community.

Which I so much welcome because we need everybody, including those with a British identity, to be part of the conversation, the First Minister added.

Lets reach for something better, because whether it be a Tory or a Labour government or, God forbid, a (Nigel) Farage-led government, Westminster does not look after our interests.

In London, its about English interests. We should take control of our own destiny together. Lets do this together. Lets make something better together  British, Irish and other people that made this place their home, we all have a stake in this. Theres an ability here to shape a better future, and it has to be something better. Thats what I want. And I want others to join in that conversation.

I very much welcome every single voice  people who had their voice heard before and people who just want to now get engaged with all your viewpoints. Lets put it on the table and lets plan it.

The republican leader also reiterated her criticism of the Irish Government for sticking their head in the sand and not proactively planning for constitutional change.

They have a constitutional imperative to plan for unity, she said.

They need to create the space in which we can have the conversations around planning for a new future, a better future, where every single citizen who lives here, whether you have an Irish identity or British identity, and those people that have made here their home, how can we envisage a better future for all of us living side by side with equal respect, parity of esteem.

Thats what the Irish Government should be focused on. They need to catch up with where the people are.

Irish premier Micheal Martin and deputy premier Simon Harris have both made clear that a border poll is not currently a priority for their Government.
The understanding of palliative care in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is ahead of other countries, according to a new study.

But the knowledge about end-of-life care was better south of the border compared to the north, the survey indicated.

A study carried out by Queens University Belfast on behalf of the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) aimed to measure death literacy across the island of Ireland.

Death literacy is defined as the knowledge and skills that people need to make it possible to gain access to, understand, and make informed choices about end-of-life and death care options.

Between November 2024 and March 2025, over 400 people across the island took part in an online survey on services and supports for death, dying, and bereavement.

The results of the survey indicate that the island of Ireland surpasses other countries in its knowledge about end-of-life care options, but that gaps remain in local communities about the services available.

The survey gave a score of 68.1% to those on the island of Ireland, which compares to 47.6% in the UK, 51.5% in Belgium, 57.2% in the Netherlands, and 61.2% in Australia.

The study also indicated that knowledge in the Republic of Ireland (75.8%) is ahead of Northern Ireland (67.5%).

The area of support in my community received the lowest score of 60.4%, with people lacking in knowledge about the services and supports for individuals with serious progressive illnesses, those nearing the end of their lives, people caring for a dying person, and those grieving.

The survey also found that nearly one in three people (27.7%) overestimated their knowledge, and also that the vast majority of people (83.7%) expressed a desire to improve their knowledge.

Chief executive of AIIHPC Karen Charnley said: The research clearly shows that not everyone is aware of the benefits of accessing palliative care services and supports in their communities or making decisions about their own future care and that of those close to them.

This is why our awareness campaign is so important each year.

Its also why we highlight the lived experience and personal stories of those who have accessed palliative care and the variety of events taking place throughout the island during the week  a marked increase on previous years, with over 100 events planned.

But really the first step is one we can all take  simply speaking to our GPs and other health care providers to help us become better informed and close the knowledge gap, particularly around what services and supports are available in our local areas now and for our future needs.

Stephanie Crawford, researcher at Queens University Belfast, said the study offers crucial insights into death literacy across the island of Ireland.

By identifying specific knowledge gaps, particularly around community support, we hope this research will enable a more precise and effective targeting of palliative care services, ultimately benefiting more individuals and families.

Irish premier Micheal Martin said that access to vital services at critical times is a fundamental right.

We must bridge the knowledge gap, ensuring every individual is aware of and can readily access the support and care they need, when they need it most, the Taoiseach said.

This is about empowering our communities and ensuring no one is left behind.

The Northern Ireland Executives Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: By raising awareness about palliative care and empowering individuals to make informed choices, we can ensure more people can access the vital support they need in their communities.

Dr Feargal Twomey, a palliative medicine consultant and National Clinical Lead for Palliative Care, encouraged all citizens and healthcare workers to speak about death and dying.

Though this study reports high levels of death literacy in Ireland, there is no guarantee that this necessarily translates to each person with a serious illness receiving the palliative care that they need.

For many of the public and the staff working in our healthcare services, the term palliative care is often only associated with death and dying, and not also with enabling people to live as well as they can for as long as possible.

I encourage the public and all healthcare professionals to ask, talk and speak up about palliative care so that our patients and their families can receive the right palliative care, in the right place, and at the right time, as soon as they need it.

The publication of the research coincides with Palliative Care Week 2025, which runs from September 7-13.

This years campaign, Living for Today, Planning for Tomorrow, highlights how palliative care helps people with life-limiting illnesses to live to the best of their abilities.
Concerns have been raised about the nutritional value of the food being provided to children through the School Meals Programme.

From this year, all primary schools, both DEIS and non-DEIS, are eligible for hot school meals. Cllr James Gilmartin described the initiative as a very welcome programme, but noted that concerns are growing around the nutritional guidelines and the quality of the food children are receiving.

He called on Leitrim County Council to write to the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Health calling for a comprehensive reform of school meal standards.

This should include national nutrition guidelines based on international best practice, phasing out ultra-processed foods, and replacing them with fresh, nutrient-dense, locally sourced meals, his motion stated.

This is an investment in our future, because you are what you eat effectively. Its a great scheme but it needs monitoring, said Cllr Gilmartin.

READ NEXT: Anger over Bus Eireann decision to drop two Leitrim stops on Dublin route

There are guidelines there at the moment that, if followed correctly, you would hope would lead to healthy and nutritious food. A lot of these companies are pumping out large amounts of food and its about making money at the end of the day, he added.

Cllr Gilmartins motion was unanimously supported by elected members of Leitrim County Council. He, along with other councillors, suggested that using locally sourced food producers would be ideal and help to address concerns.

Its a very good scheme but if theyre not getting good quality food then its an absolute waste of time, commented Cllr Bohan.

Cllr Roisin Kenny shared a similar view, saying, Theres no point in taking the cheapest food if its junk youre going to be giving kids, it means so much for their brain development to be getting proper food and proper nutrition.

Cllr Cormac Flynn pointed out the difficulty of sourcing food from local producers under current funding.

READ NEXT: Leitrim County Council backs striking school staff in fight for equal entitlements

He explained that the Government is providing 75 cent per breakfast, 1.70 per lunch, and 2.50 per dinner to suppliers. The rates for the suppliers need to be hugely upped, he said. Trying to have a profit margin for that is next to impossible and thats why theyre getting what theyre getting.

Cllr Enda McGloin acknowledged the importance of Cllr Gilmartins motion, but argued that the immediate priority should be improving school transport for children, an issue that has also caused significant stress for parents.

Id prefer to get that right and get those kids to school and then look at what can be done in terms of school meals, he remarked.
THE Shannon Airport Group are pleased to announce that leading technology firm Mbryonics has leased block R in their Business Park, an award-winning, 40,000 square foot R&D facility, designed for advanced manufacturing.

Mbryonics is a Galway-based leader in photonic satellite optical communication networks. They have recently opened a new Photon-1 volume manufacturing facility in Dangan and announced the creation of 125 new jobs over the next two years in Galway.

A spokesperson for The Shannon Airport Group said this news "is a testament to Mbryonics ambition and commitment to driving innovation and economic growth across the West of Ireland."

Mbryonics currently has a headcount of 100 employees and these new roles will be in the areas of production, engineering, sales and marketing support. This represents a major step forward in its mission to deliver the 'internet in space' and strengthen Irelands role in the global space economy.

READ MORE: Limerick taxi driver forced to do drug runs says 'few garda will stop taxis'

Founded in 2014, it has built a reputation for pushing the boundaries of satellite optical and photonic transport systems, working with clients in the public and private sectors.

The Photon-1 launch builds on more than a decade of collaboration between Mbryonics, the European Space Agency (ESA), and Irelands ESA Delegation.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, said: Mbryonics Photon-1 facility is a landmark for Irelands space sector and a direct outcome of more than a decade of close collaboration between the company, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Irelands ESA Delegation. This is another great example of how partnering with ESA has enabled the development of world-leading technology here in Ireland that is now ready for large-scale production and global deployment. It demonstrates how Irelands membership of ESA not only drives innovation but also creates high-value jobs, boosts exports and positions our country at the forefront of the fast-growing global space economy. We look forward to continuing these important partnerships between industry in Ireland and ESA.

John Mackey, CEO Mbryonics, said We are proud to open Photon-1, the first of our volume production facilities, right here on the Wild Atlantic Space Coast in Galway. As a Galwegian, it is especially meaningful to see our home city become a hub for cutting edge space technology. We are deeply grateful to Minister Burke, Enterprise Ireland, and the Irish Delegation to ESA for joining us on this landmark day, and to our dedicated team, investors and customers whose commitment made this possible. Photon-1 is not just a commercial milestone for Mbryonics  it is a symbol of Irelands 50-year journey with ESA and our nations growing role in the trillion-Euro global space economy. Mbryonics is strategically positioned to supply the technologies, infrastructure, operations, and talent that will power this new space era. For us, Photon-1 is just the beginning  the launch pad for what comes next as we look forward to continuing to grow and scale, with our photon-2 site already secured in Shannon for high volume manufacturing with a capacity for production of more than 5,000 units a year.

"We extend our warm congratulations to the Mbryonics team today and look forward to welcoming them into our community of pioneering companies in the Shannon Airport Business Park in the coming years," a spokesperson for The Shannon Airport Group concluded.
A MOTHER-OF-SEVEN who 'dragged' a garda along the road while trying to drive away from a checkpoint has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment and banned from driving for ten years.

Victoria Harty, also known as Victoria Ryan, was before Limerick District Court to face charges arising from an incident which happened outside Askeaton last year.

Outlining the facts of the case, Sergeant Sean Murray said the dangerous driving offence happened at Creeves Cross, Askeaton on June 18, 2024.

He told Judge Patricia Harney the defendant, who was driving a Toyota Avensis, was stopped at a checkpoint and that while being spoken to by Garda Errol Flynn, she accelerated and drove away, dragging Garda Flynn along the road for a short distance.

"She was told to stop, she failed to do so," he said, adding that the 35-year-old was stopped and apprehended by another garda unit a short time later. There was no evidence of Garda Flynn sustaining any injuries.

The defendant, who has 62 previous convictions, was also before the court for a large number of unrelated offences including driving without insurance or a licence, shoplifting and failing to appear in court on four separate occasions.

Sgt Murray said she stole a variety of goods, valued at 1,222, from stores in Limerick city, Askeaton and Newcastle West and that most of the property was not recovered.

Seeking leniency from the court, solicitor John Herbert said his client had been homeless until recently but that she now lives with her partner and children in a caravan "on a site in Askeaton" and that her children are now attending school in the local community.

Imposing sentence, Judge Harney said she was unhappy that Ms Harty had "essentially avoided coming to court for a number of years" and she described the charges before her as substantial.

She likened the plea for leniency to someone who murdered their parents asking for sympathy "because they are an orphan".

The judge said the dangerous driving offence was "disgraceful" and she commented that some of the theft offences were "just brazen".

Consecutive prison sentences totalling more than seven months were imposed, including a three month sentence for the dangerous driving offence.

Ms Harty was disqualified from driving for ten years and fines totalling 1,950 were imposed for a variety of road traffic offences including driving without insurance, driving without a licence and not wearing a seatbelt.

Leave to appeal the severity of the sentences was granted but Ms Harty was ordered not to drive pending the outcome of any appeal.
A MAN accused of the murder of a Limerick pensioner has been refused bail in the High Court, Limerick District Court heard.

Philip Ambrose, aged 43, of no fixed abode was charged with the murder of Michael Hayes, aged 71, contrary to Common Law at St Michaels Court, Watergate, Limerick city on July 10.

READ NEXT: Limerick man faces 29 charges over thefts from cars in city suburbs

He was brought before a special late-night court sitting on July 12 where Garda Aoife Quinn gave evidence of arresting, charging and cautioning the defendant before Judge Alex Gabbett.

Mr Ambrose was remanded in custody on that date as applications for bail on murder charges can only be made in the High Court.

The accused man appeared before Judge Fiona Brennan via video-link at a vacation sitting of Limerick District Court on August 27.

Solicitor John Herbert, who represented Mr Ambrose, informed the judge that his client had been refused bail in the High Court.

Sergeant Aisling ONeill, prosecuting, said formal Director of Public Prosecutions directions are still outstanding and applied for a further remand in custody.

Judge Brennan said: I dont see why we are still awaiting DPPs directions. The judge asked Mr Herbert his view on matters.

Extraordinarily strange, said Mr Herbert. The matter was left stand. When it was called later in the court sitting, Sgt ONeill said verbal consent was given by the DPP to charge Mr Ambrose in July.

The prosecuting sergeant said documentation in relation to the investigation has been sent to the DPPs office.

The charge is what is referred to as a holding charge, which was verbally sanctioned, said Sgt ONeill.

Judge Brennan remanded Mr Ambrose in continuing custody to September 9 for service of the book of evidence.
LIMERICK is playing a leading role in the expansion of The Hares Corner, a unique biodiversity initiative.

The project is currently celebrating its fifth anniversary by supporting the creation of a projected 1,600 habitats across six counties in 2025.

Several landowners across Limerick have signed up this year to establish wildlife ponds, mini-woodlands, hedgerows, orchards, and plans-for-nature, all designed to encourage biodiversity and climate resilience on their land.

READ MORE: Shannon Airport Group's eco initiative makes final cut

The project is being coordinated by national non-profit Burrenbeo Trust and has grown significantly since its 2021 launch in Clare, where it began by supporting the creation of 100 habitats.

Named after the old farming expression for the awkward corner of a field left wild and uncultivated, The Hares Corner empowers landowners with practical, cost-effective tools to bring nature back to marginal or underutilised spaces.

This includes micro-funding, access to native trees and heritage apple varieties, and guidance from ecologists or hydrologists.

From its early days in Clare, the initiative has expanded to 900 habitats in four counties last year.

This year, its working with biodiversity officers in Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Meath, Offaly, Carlow and Galway City, with costs now reduced from an average of 500 per habitat in 2021 to around 250 today.

A new website has also been launched to celebrate the anniversary, packed with videos and how-to guides on topics like creating wildlife ponds, planting native trees, or establishing wildflower meadows.

The project is supported by a mix of public and private funding, including the National Parks and Wildlife Services Local Biodiversity Action Fund and sponsors such as Lifes2Good Foundation, Aldi, and ESB.

With growing interest and a strong public response, Burrenbeo Trust aims to bring The Hares Corner to more counties in the coming years and welcomes new funders and biodiversity professionals to help make that happen.
A MAN has been rescued from the Shannon Estuary after falling overboard on the Tarbert to Killimer ferry this Sunday morning.

He has been airlifted to University Hospital Limerick for treatment for "serious injuries".

READ NEXT: BREAKING: Major emergency response in the Shannon Estuary

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport confirmed to Limerick Live that Coast Guard helicopter R117 has located and recovered a person.

"Shortly after 9.20am, MRSC Valentia received a report that a person had fallen overboard from the ferry.

"An extensive search and rescue mission was initiated immediately, involving a fleet of local vessels, Ballybunion and Kilkee Coast Guard units and Kilrush and Fenit RNLI," said the spokesperson.

They added: "The casualty was located and recovered by the Coast Guard helicopter and has been transferred into the care of the HSE at Limerick University Hospital."

It is understood he was in the estuary for over an hour and a half.

A garda spokesperson said: "Gardai assisted emergency services in a multi-agency search and rescue operation following reports of a male having entered the water near Tarbert, County Kerry this Sunday morning, September 7.

"The man was recovered from the water by the Irish Coast Guard and has been airlifted to University Hospital Limerick for treatment of serious injuries."
DUCHAS Na Sionna CLG has been granted permission by Clare County Council to restore the iconic near-200 year-old Hastings Farmhouse building in Shannon.

The voluntary group will also build a services facility using traditional packed clay walls as in the riverside farmhouse. The farmhouse which was the family home of the Hastings family, is situated between the crematorium and Illaunamanagh Graveyard, and was first mentioned in the Ordinance Survey of 1840.

The house was at the centre of a busy 27-acre farm for many generations until John Hastings death in 1968. The farmhouse, a beautiful lime-washed building, with its mud-packed walls built directly from the surrounding clay soil, suffered badly from vandalism in the 1970s, and after the thatch roof was burned, vines and vegetation took hold and the rain and wind devastated the walls over the following four decades.

However, in 2012, locals rediscovered the remains of the farmhouse and a group of volunteers battled the briars, cleared the site and began their conservation work.

READ MORE: Developer seeks permission for backpackers' hostel in Limerick

Now, 13 years later, following technical studies and feasibility reports, remedial work and community workshops, and Heritage Council-funded courses in craft building methods, the fortunes of the Hastings Farmhouse are on the rise again with the volunteer group waiting in the wings for the final go-ahead from Clare County Council.

Were delighted to receive the news that Clare County Council has granted Duchas na Sionna planning permission to restore the farmhouse and to build a new services facility, said the voluntary groups chairman, John OBrien.

Were not quite there yet in the planning process and we will also have a lot more work to do before the rebuilding starts early next year, but it seems to me that 13 years after we started on this project its a very lucky day for the farmhouse and for Shannon.

The building served the Hastings family very well for more than a century and deserves to be restored. The community in Shannon is lucky as well that the farmhouse was discovered in the nick of time, before it was lost forever, the chairman added.

We are so pleased with the planning decision, added Olive Carey, the secretary of Duchas na Sionna. Were really looking forward to restoring Hastings Farmhouse and opening the exhibition gallery space, the meeting venue for the community and the training facility for local companies and organisations.
(Bloomberg) -- The Canadian government is appealing a ruling that it owes the original investors in cellphone startup Mobilicity hundreds of millions of dollars in damages after reversing a key policy in the wireless sector.

Lawyers for the Attorney General of Canada filed a notice of appeal with Ontarios top court on Friday, arguing the trial judge erred in assessing the law and facts in the decade-long court battle.

In a decision last month, Justice Peter Osborne of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice found the federal government was negligent in the way it treated the initial backers of Mobilicity and awarded damages that the plaintiffs estimate total C$555 million ($401 million) plus pre-judgment interest.

Osborne found the government breached the plaintiffs rights by changing the terms of mobile spectrum licenses the investors bought to launch their company. The ruling also concludes the government interfered in the regulatory process to frustrate a sale of Mobilicity to Telus Corp.

In its notice of appeal, the government said the judge was wrong to conclude that a public authority owed the Mobilicity investors a duty of care, a central requirement for establishing negligence. The government lawyers said the judge was also wrong in not finding that public policy considerations would negate any duty of care.

The notice also said Osborne made mistakes in evaluating certain evidence and didnt properly calculate the damages.

A spokesperson for the department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, which manages telecom policy, was unable to immediately comment on Friday afternoon.

Unfortunate Message

By appealing, the government is sending an unfortunate message to domestic and foreign investors by suggesting it has the right to ask people to invest in Canada and then unilaterally change the rules governing their investment at any time and for any reason, according to Michael Huber, managing principal of Quadrangle Group LLC, a New York private equity firm and one of the plaintiffs.

At a time when Canada needs foreign investment and wants to counter the erratic and bullying behavior of the US, this is a highly counterproductive message to send to the business community, Huber said by email. He said the plaintiffs will cross appeal, arguing that the damages awarded should have been more than C$200 million higher.

Quadrangle, along with the other plaintiff, Toronto businessman John Bitoves investment company Obelysk Media Inc., argued the government initially encouraged them to buy the spectrum  the airwaves used to carry wireless signals  as it sought to make the sector more competitive in the early 2000s.

If their business failed, the government said they would be able to sell the licenses to one of the countrys Big Three telecom operators  Telus, BCE Inc. or Rogers Communications Inc.  after five years.

But by 2013, the government reversed that policy and said instead it wouldnt allow spectrum transfers that reduced wireless competition. After that, political staffers frustrated Mobilicitys efforts to sell itself through the insolvency process, the judge ruled.

The company eventually sold to Rogers when the government made an exception based on it handing certain spectrum licenses over to another small player, Wind Mobile. The government said in its notice of appeal that circumstances had changed by then  more spectrum had become available, alleviating some concerns about competition.

Stewart Lyons, former president of Mobilicity, said the government made ample proceeds when it first sold the spectrum licenses almost 20 years ago, and it should return some of those funds rather than appealing.

Instead of doubling down on this misconduct, Im sure Canadians would prefer the government send the right message to foreign and domestic investors by righting a wrong, Lyons said.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
A federal raid at a massive battery plant under construction just outside Savannah, Ga., on Thursday underscores the challenges the Trump administration faces in promoting U.S. manufacturing while cracking down on undocumented workers.

Those two priorities came to a head this week when federal officials said they had arrested 475 illegal workers" in what they called the largest, single-site Homeland Security enforcement operation ever.

The arrests took place at a $4.3 billion joint venture between South Korean firms Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. The plant was set to open next year and supply up to 300,000 lithium ion batteries a year, including some for the adjacent Hyundai plant that makes the Ioniq 5 crossover and three-row Ioniq 9 electric vehicle.

Promoting domestic manufacturing to decrease the nations reliance on other countries is a cornerstone of President Donald Trumps economic agenda. He claims to have secured commitments of nearly $9 trillion in from various companies and countries, including $450 billion from South Korea. He even hosted South Koreas president Lee Jae-myung at the White House last week, where they discussed the two nations partnership.

But building is labor intensive, and many construction workers are immigrants. Of the estimated 11 million people working in the industry, around a quarter were born outside of the U.S., and many are undocumented.

The majority of those arrested at the site in Ellabell, Ga., were South Korean nationals, special agent Steven Schrank told reporters at a news conference Friday. South Korea is working to get its citizens released, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing an official from there.

Many of the people arrested worked for subcontractors, Schrank said. Hyundai said none of the workers were directly employed by them. LG said it would fully cooperate" with authorities.

No criminal charges have been announced, and the detainees are being held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Folkston, Ga.

This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding our economy, and protecting workers from exploitation," Schrank said.

The raid, dubbed Operation Low Voltage, was part of a wider initiative called Operation Take Back America, which launched on Trumps inauguration day in January and marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration," according to a press release.

Immigration advocates called it misguided. This historic raid may make dramatic headlines, but it does nothing to fix the problems in our broken immigration system: a lack of legal pathways and a misguided focus on punishing workers and families who pose no threat to our communities," said Michelle Lapointe, legal director at the American Immigration Council in a statement.

President Trump also weighed in on the raid Friday from the Oval Office, saying, they were illegal aliens," adding, ICE was doing its job."

Write to Anita Hamilton at anita.hamilton@barrons.com
New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) Mining conglomerate Vedanta Ltd in its winning bid for debt-laden Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAIL) has offered 4,000 crore payment post approval by NCLT and the balance amount over the next 5-6 years, sources said.

Also Read | Vedanta Group wins bid for Jaiprakash Associates with 17,000 crore offer

Vedanta beat Adani Group with a bid whose net present value comes to 12,505 crore in an auction carried out by lenders to find suitors for JAL, whose interests span real estate, cement, power, hotels and roads.

JAL is undergoing CIRP under the IBC process and the Resolution Professional invited Resolution Plans on June 24. As a part of the same process, a challenge process was conducted among the five bidders (Vedanta, Adani, Dalmia, Jindal Power and PNC Infratech), wherein Vedanta emerged as the H1 bidder at the NPV value of 12,505 crore.

Sources said Vedanta was identified as the H1 bidder for Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL) by the NARCIL-led Committee of Creditors (CoC).

The entire pay-out is expected to be made in a staggered manner, wherein the first part of the payment is expected to be around 4,000 crore, which will be post NCLT approval. This could easily take anywhere around a year, and the timeframe for the remaining payment would be approximately 5-6 years, said a person familiar with the bid terms.

Sources said given that the entire pay-out is staggered over 5-6 years, it will be funded by Vedanta's balance sheet, and supported by corporate debtor's (JAL) internal accruals, without any overdependence on Vedanta's balance sheet alone, which generates free cash flows.

Though Vedanta has been identified as H1, the CoC is yet to conclude the process and vote on the successful resolution plan, which is estimated to take another four to eight weeks. Post this, implementation of the plan will take another three to four months.

JAL has an unpaid outstanding of 55,371.21 crore as on August 15, according to a stock exchange filing of the company.

Also Read | Vedanta announces second interim dividend of 16. Check details

Vedanta emerged as the H1 bidder by offering a payment of 12,505 crore based on a Net Present Value (NPV) basis. In auction processes like this, where the payment terms are staggered over the next few years, the offered amount is measured on NPV method, as that is capital budgeting technique that evaluates the profitability of a project or investment by comparing the present value of future cash inflows to the current cost of the investment, also known as 'time value of money' in accounting terms.

JAL, which has five key verticals (power, real estate, cement, hotels and EPC), complements Vedanta's businesses such as power (already present and has a sizable portfolio including Talwandi Sabo and Meenakshi Energy).
Seoul [South Korea], September 7 (ANI): Korean business leaders have called for regulatory reforms to boost the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), as per a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business Newspaper Korea.

The urge from the leaders came as it was found that only four out of every 10,000 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea advance to mid-market status.

At the launch of the Corporate Growth Forum held in Seoul on Thursday, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won highlighted the need to overhaul regulatory structures that, he said, are stifling business momentum at every stage of expansion.

"As long as these size-based rules remain, some firms choose to stay small or even split operations to avoid moving up and facing more restrictions," Chey said, according to the Pulse.

KCCI data showed large companies posted average annual sales growth of 10.5 per cent between 1994 and 2004 and 10 per cent between 2004 and 2014. The rate, however, plunged to 2.6 per cent from 2014 to 2023.

SME growth also slowed, dropping from 8.7 and 9.3 per cent in earlier decades to 5.4 per cent more recently. Between 2020 and 2023, just 0.04 per cent of SMEs grew into mid-market firms, while only 1.4 per cent of mid-sized companies became large caps.

Research by KCCI and Professor Kim Young-ju of Pusan National University identified 343 differential regulations across 12 economic laws and 6,000 punitive economic provisions.

Chey urged a shift away from policies that protect companies solely for being small, toward incentives that reward those pursuing growth.

Song Seung-heon, managing partner of McKinsey Korea, agreed, noting government aid alone has limits. Song highlighted the need for market-based safeguards and rewards that help firms build sustainable growth plans.

About 30 officials and business leaders attended, including Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, Federation of Korean Industries Vice Chairman Kim Chang-beom, Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea Executive Vice Chairman Lee Ho-joon, Employment and Labour Minister Kim Young-hoon, First Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Shin-hak, Democratic Party Representative Choi Ki-sang, and People Power Party Representative Kim Eun-hye.
Amid incidents involving some of the company's aircraft in recent months, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has said that the incidence rate is entirely normal considering the size and scale of the Tata Group-owned carrier.

In a message to its staff on September 5, the Air India CEO said that noted that airlines routinely face a mix of controllable and uncontrollable operational scenarios. However, he emphasised the need for transparency, saying that Air India has increased efforts to remain transparent to its customers.

In the short term, though, it naturally results in an uptick of news coverage, and with more than 1,200 departures every single day - nearly one every minute - across the Air India Group, it can seem like a lot. In the context of our scale and size, however, the incidence rate is entirely normal, Wilson said in his message to employees.

The Air India CEO said that his company has been more transparent than usual in the recent days.

When the spotlight is on us, it's crucial to offer timely, clear and accurate information and the right context. So, over recent weeks, we have been even more transparent than usual in reporting incidents and events, however small, he said.

Also Read | Air India CEO promised full restoration from Oct 1. That is nowhere in sight

Air India's e-voucher plan Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson further in his message to employees on September 5 said that the company has already empowered its frontline staff to issue e-vouchers to customers in case a service disruption has occurred, for example mishandling of luggage.

The airline is planning to extend this power to cabin crew.

"(We) are also working to extend this capability to our cabin crew, enabling them to provide on-the-spot resolution to customers during their journey," he said.

"These measures, along with the improved metrics, reflect the organizational culture we are building and the brand values that matter most: staying grounded, staying focused, and acting with authenticity and integrity, whether or not someone is watching", Wilson added.

Air India Group, comprising Air India and Air India Express, together operate over 1,200 flights daily.

Also Read | Air India flight with Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi onboard diverted to Kolkata
In a decisive judgment, the Supreme Court reinstated Shailaja Krishna as the majority shareholder and executive director of Satori Global Ltd (formerly Sargam Exim Pvt. Ltd), which is engaged in paper trading, overturning her removal orchestrated through invalid board meetings and a questionable transfer of nearly her entire shareholding to her mother-in-law.

In a judgment delivered on 2 September, the court set aside the 2023 order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) and restored the ruling of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The apex court held that the 2010 board meetings, which helped to remove Krishna, lacked proper notice, quorum, and compliance with the Companies Act, while the share transfer itself violated the companys Articles of Association (AoA).

Also Read | GST cuts may block capital for small businesses

The dispute dates to 2010 when Krishna claimed she was coerced into signing blank forms amid marital discord with her husband, Ved Krishna. These documents were later used to orchestrate her resignation and transfer 39,500 equity shares, amounting to over 98% of the company, to her mother-in-law, Manjula Jhunjhunwala, through a gift deed.

Ved Krishna played a central role in facilitating the transfer by obtaining her signatures on blank documents during their marital discord, which were later used to engineer her resignation and transfer her majority shareholding to his mother, Manjula Jhunjhunwala, through a gift deed.

Pointing to overwriting, date mismatches, and irregular extensions of expired transfer forms, the court concluded the documentation was riddled with serious inconsistencies and illegalities." It further noted the glaring contradiction between the deeds claim of love and affection" and a police complaint lodged by the mother-in-law against Krishna on the same day.

Satori Global was managed by a board comprising directors inducted after Shailaja Krishnas ouster, including her mother-in-law and other respondents, who controlled the company during the litigation until her reinstatement was ordered.

The message from the bench also touches on the role of directors. When illegalities in meetings and transfers are brushed aside, courts may now not hesitate to view such inattention as complicity. Companies cannot be treated as glorified proprietorships," said Sharad Abhyankar, partner at Khaitan & Co.

Jurisdiction battle

The apex court also struck down the validity of the board meetings of 15 and 17 December 2010. The absence of mandatory notice to Krishna, then a director, combined with the lack of quorum, rendered the meetings nullities. Subsequent attempts to induct a director to cure the quorum defect were deemed legally unsustainable.

This ruling reiterates that the NCLT has jurisdiction to determine the validity of gift deeds concerning shares," said company secretary Gaurav Pingle. That point had been contentious, and the Supreme Court has now laid it to rest."

The NCLT's jurisdiction was at the heart of the long-running dispute. While the tribunal in 2018 had restored Krishnas shareholding and directorship, the NCLAT in 2023 reversed that finding, reasoning that allegations of coercion and fraud in transfers were issues fit for a civil court. The Supreme Court firmly disagreed, holding that the company law tribunal has both the responsibility and authority to adjudicate such questions.

Experts say this clarification will prevent promoters from using jurisdictional objections to stall or derail shareholder petitions. It also reinforces tribunals as the first line of recourse for minority and majority shareholders subject to corporate oppression.

The judgment, lawyers note, sends a message to Indian businesses, particularly closely-held companies, about the importance of procedural discipline. It affirms that steadfast adherence to procedural safeguards, including quorum, notice, and documentation, is essential, even in closely held or family-run companies," said Ketan Mukhija, senior partner at Burgeon Law.

According to him, the ruling is a watershed moment" because it establishes adherence to statutory procedures. The decision also highlights the urgent need for clearer regulatory frameworks and stronger enforcement mechanisms," Mukhija added.

Governance lessons

For Nilesh Tribhuvann, managing partner at White & Brief - Advocates & Solicitors, the takeaways are particularly stark for directors and promoters. Procedural irregularities and doctored paperwork can unravel entire corporate actions," he said, emphasizing how this puts pressure on the directors and promoters to ensure strict compliance.

This ruling creates a 'presumption of scrutiny' by signalling that fabricated records, backdated transfers, and quorum manipulations will not withstand judicial scrutiny," he said, adding the court's willingness to look behind documents valid on a superficial level and examine the 'circumstances surrounding' transactions will provide some comfort to investors and promoters.

Tribhuvann added that the corporate affairs ministry may now feel compelled to tighten procedures for document authentication, given the courts criticism of lapses in processing statutory forms like Form 7C. To be clear, Form 7C is an application under the Companies Act to the Registrar of Companies for extending the validity of a share transfer deed that has expired before it was lodged with the company.

The judgment reaffirms that the procedural requirements prescribed under the Companies Act regarding the conduct of meetings or the transfer of shares are not empty formalities," Khaitan & Cos Abhyankar said.

While Abhyankar does not see the ruling prompting amendments to company law, he said it reconfirms existing governance principles.
Swiss watchmakers at their annual back-to-school gathering in Geneva were putting a brave face on President Donald Trumps tariffs threatening their businesses. That may change if their US stockpiles run out.

A surge in exports in July should spare watchmakers  at least in the short-term  from bearing the brunt of the 39% levy imposed by the US last month on products from Switzerland, and exhibitors were generally upbeat about Swiss officials chances of getting a better deal before their wiggle room runs out.

This should be solved, or partially solved in the following weeks or months. So lets keep being positive, Breitling AGs Chief Executive Officer Georges Kern said at the opening of the Geneva Watch Days meeting on Wednesday. Everybody has backup plans and some months of inventory just in case.

The scale of Trumps tariff on Switzerland, part of his strategy to revitalize US manufacturing, shocked the government in Bern which had expected a levy similar to the 15% negotiated by the European Union. Instead, exporters like Swatch Group AG and Cartier-owner Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA suddenly faced the highest rate imposed by the US on any developed economy.

It comes at a difficult time for luxury watchmakers as geopolitical tensions and record gold prices weigh on demand. The US is the biggest or second-biggest market for most Swiss brands, accounting for about 20% of watch exports worth 2.6 billion Swiss francs in the first half of 2025, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.

The response from watchmakers was varied. Grenchen-based Favre Leuba, one of the oldest brands established in 1737, paused plans to enter the US market  part of a strategy to widen its customer base beyond its stronghold in India  as soon as the tariff rate was announced, said Chairman Patrik Paul Hoffmann.

If the tariffs will stay in place longer than just three to four months, the impact will be rather substantial for the Swiss watch industry, he said.

Others are pushing ahead. ZRC 1904, known for making the first diving watch with a patented crown protection system that creates a watertight seal and prevents accidental flooding, is continuing with a plan to add retailers which started a few months ago despite the tariffs.

Export Boost

Companies rushing to get stock into the US ahead of the tariffs delivered a shot-in-the-arm to Julys export numbers, which were up 6.9% from a year earlier. Excluding the US, though, exports would have dropped 0.9% as shipments to markets like Japan and China underscored the industrys struggles.

Bloomberg Intelligence expects the downward export trend to resume after the US stockpiling in July and early August.

Still, executives in Geneva, where 66 brands had set up shop in hotel rooms, booths and exhibition spaces to display their products, said much depends on what happens with the tariffs.

Swiss trade negotiators are still working on bringing down the levy. We are hoping to find a better deal. The difference with Europe is quite shocking, said Delphine Bachmann, Genevas state councilor in charge of the cantons department of economy and labor.

The Swiss delegation met US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday for more trade talks.

Meanwhile Watches of Switzerland Group Plc, the top seller of Rolex watches in the UK, also gave the industry cause for optimism in spite of the trade friction. Trading had been consistently strong particularly in the US, it said Wednesday in a financial update that triggered a spike in its shares.

The general mood in Switzerland is that the situation will improve from what it is today, Chief Executive Officer Brian Duffy said in a Bloomberg TV interview.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
The immigration raid on a Georgia EV battery plant run by two South Korean firms has rattled Seoul, coming less than two weeks after President Lee Jae Myungs White House meeting with Donald Trump where Korean companies pledged to invest hundreds of billions in the US.

Korean officials worked over the weekend to secure the release of 300 of its citizens detained at a construction site for a Hyundai Motor Co.-LG Energy Solution Ltd. joint venture. It remains unclear what visas the workers held, or whether those allowed them to be on the site. Korea said it will send a chartered plane to get them home once administrative procedures are completed.

The crackdown comes at a fraught moment, shortly after Lee and Trump held a summit to showcase their alliance and solidify a new trade pact. The deal included a $350 billion fund to support South Korean firms expanding in the US, with $150 billion earmarked for shipbuilding. Private companies pledged an additional $150 billion in direct US investment.

The raid has put Lees government under pressure at home and threatens to become a major diplomatic flashpoint with one of Washingtons closest allies. It was front-page news for most of South Koreas daily newspapers on Saturday, with footage of workers shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles and marched onto buses causing rage.

Chosun Ilbo, the nations most circulated newspaper, carried a photo on Saturday of detainees putting their hands up against a bus, and published images from what it said were the detention facilities in Georgia, asserting they were infamously covered in mold, worse than prisons.

It feels like a stab in the back, Kim Tae-Hyung, a professor and chair of the political science department at Soongsil University in Seoul, said of the raid. Most Koreans cant help but feel infuriated and Korean companies will inevitably be discouraged from proceeding with investment plans in the US, Kim said.

The raid now casts a shadow over South Koreas multibillion-dollar US investment drive. The detention of workers tied to a flagship Korean investment could be seen by companies as an indication that the political and compliance risks of building in the US are greater than expected.

The Maeil Business Newspaper ran a cartoon showing Trump wielding a club, while a figure delivers a box of money to fund US factories  only to be bewildered as dozens of Korean employees on US business trips are detained.

The Georgia plant was a tangible symbol of Seouls commitment to boosting US manufacturing. Korean businesses will face more challenges in constructing new plants or operating in the US if American authorities continue to enforce stringent immigration laws without fixing persistent visa problems, said Chang Sang-sik, head of the Korea International Trade Associations International Trade and Commerce Research Center.

Local media reports said many Korean companies have resorted to the visa waiver program known as ESTA, intended for short-term business trips up to 90 days, when they have to dispatch employees immediately.

The US is demanding investments from South Korea but is asking us to use Americans only to construct factories there. In reality, that is just impossible, Chang said. They need local technicians during the construction period.

US officials described it as the Homeland Security Departments largest single-site enforcement action, detaining 475 workers in total.

While they maintained the raid was the result of a months-long investigation into illegal hiring and was not politically motivated, the optics are undeniable. The incident pits a core tenet of the Trump administrations policy of aggressive immigration enforcement against its other major priority of attracting foreign investment and manufacturing back to American shores.

South Korea is the USs sixth-largest trading partner and its companies are integral players in the global EV battery supply chain. Their investments in US factories were explicitly encouraged by Washington to reduce dependence on China. A crackdown that sweeps up such projects risks potentially complicating trading relations.

The raid has already sparked immediate reactions. The construction on the Georgia plant has been temporarily paused, a halt that could have ripple effects on the timeline for Hyundais broader EV production plans in the US. The Georgia industrial site is designed to produce as many as 500,000 hybrid and electric vehicles a year and employ up to 12,500 workers by early next decade.

Its not the first time Hyundai  which has become one of the most prominent foreign investors in US manufacturing  has been entangled in US legal problems related to employment issues. In 2022, the US Labor Department found child labor violations at companies supplying the Korean automaker in Alabama.

Hyundai has said that its closely monitoring the situation in Georgia and working to understand the specific circumstances, and none of its employees were among the detained.

LG Energy said it was suspending business travel for employees to the US and advised its staff already there to return home. LG said 47 of its employees were among those held  46 from South Korea and one Indonesian. Other South Koreans detained were subcontractors, reports say.

With assistance from Shinhye Kang.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
German automaking giant Volkswagen's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Oliver Blume, said that the European firm is looking at India as a potential market for its affordable small electric car segment and is currently in works with partners on how to introduce them in the nation, reported the news agency PTI on Sunday, 7 September 2025.

The company unveiled an all-electric small car family for the first time at the IAA Mobility event in Munich on Sunday. The Volkswagen executive also told the news agency that with the current GST cuts in the nation, the Indian market looks more attractive to the company.

According to the agency report, the Volkswagen (VW) Group showcased cars like the Volkswagen ID. CROSS Concept, the Epiq SUV from the company's Skoda brand, and other sister models like the Volkswagen ID. Polo and CUPRA Raval.

Volkswagen is facing tough competition from Chinese automakers and weak demand in the European market. Trade tensions related to the Trump tariffs have also been hard on the company's Audi and Porsche brands.

Also Read | Volkswagen dealers offer benefits of up to 2.10 Lakh for Ganesh Chaturthi

What did VW's CEO say? Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said the company is working to create an entry-level electric vehicle lineup across its brands to offer affordable vehicle options to its customers.

Commenting on the Indian market, the CEO highlighted that the company is sorting out bringing its small car offerings to India.

India is a fantastic market, now the third biggest in the world. We see potential in India. We are sorting out what we can do with partners and also bringing a small car to India, he said, reported the news agency.

Apart from focusing on the small car segment, the CEO also said that they are looking at prospects for the company's premium and luxury brands in the Indian market, according to the agency report.

The Volkswagen Group owns brands like Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini.

Volkswagen on GST cuts On the recent goods and services (GST) cuts in the Indian economy, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said that the lower taxes would benefit both companies and people.

This helps a lot when you have lower taxes. We are a company that stands for free and fair world trade, said Blume, according to the agency report. When you have an attractive tax policy for the automakers, that's attractive and that's also attractive for the country and for the people, he said.
PhysicsWallah Ltd, one of Indias largest edtech platforms, has filed an updated draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for an initial public offering (IPO) of 3,820 crore.

The offering will comprise a fresh issue of 3,100 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 720 crore by its promoters. The OFS will see founders Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari (mentioned as Prateek Boob in official filings) sell up to 360 crore worth of shares each.

With the fresh capital raise, Physics Wallah plans to use IPO proceeds to open new offline centres ( 460 crore), cover lease costs ( 548 crore), invest in subsidiaries such as Xylem and Utkarsh ( 470 crore), build cloud and server infra ( 200 crore), and spend 710 crore on marketing, according to the updated filings.

However, it flagged risks such as high student concentration in test-prep categories, regulatory scrutiny in edtech, and intense competition in the segment.

PhysicsWallah had earlier filed its draft IPO papers with the capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) through a confidential pre-filing route in March 2025. "The regulator had asked for certain changes post which the company was asked to post the updated DRHP publicly. The listing is still at least a couple months away," said a source in the direct knowledge.

Also Read | PhysicsWallah hires former Blinkit CFO Amit Sachdeva as it readies for 2025 IPO

Founded in 2016 as a YouTube channel, PhysicsWallah has grown into a full-stack education company offering online and offline courses across K-12, NEET, JEE, UPSC, and state-level competitive exams, apart from a presence in other segments like study abroad, degree programmes, and upskilling courses.

It operates a mix of online courses, hybrid centres, and test-prep institutes under brands including Knowledge Planet, Xylem Learning and Utkarsh Classes, targeting over 2 million students annually across Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

The company has raised $312 million funding since its inception. In 2022, PhysicsWallah had raised $100 million from WestBridge and GSV Ventures, marking its entry into the unicorn club.

It last raised $210 million in series B funding from Hornbill Capital and existing investors in September last year.

The IPO comes as edtech firms turn to the public markets amid slower private funding flows. If successful, PhysicsWallah would be the first new-age edtech company to list. Mint had earlier in February reported edtech firms Classplus, Jaro Education, Lead, and Eruditus are in various stages of preparation to list on the bourses.

The company has hired Kotak, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Axis Capital as book-running lead managers.

In FY25, the company reported a total income of 2,886 crore, up from 1,940 crore in FY24 and 744 crore in FY23. Net loss reduced to 240 crore in FY25, compared to 1127 crore in FY24 and 85 crore in FY23, the UDRHP showed.

PhysicsWallah is largely owned by its two cofounders, Pandey and Maheshwari, who hold about 40.35% each in the company, accounting for over a billion shares apiece.
When President Trump unveiled his trade deal with the European Union in July, businesses across the bloc thought it would end months of uncertainty for one of the worlds most lucrative trade relationships.

Less than two months on, frustration with the deal is growing in Europe. Businesses are halting exports to the U.S., complaining about new bureaucratic hurdles and warning about a new era of unpredictability.

The reason: the Trump administrations decision to expand its 50% metals tariffs to cover hundreds of additional products that contain steel and aluminum, slapping a large number of European manufacturers with tariffs higher than the 15% Trump and the EU agreed on for most products.

While the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs initially targeted only the metals themselves and mostly metal parts, such as screws, they now apply to such objects as motors, pumps, machine tools and construction equipment.

About 30% of U.S. machinery imports from the EU are now subject to 50% tariffs on the metal content of the product," Bertram Kawlath, president of the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association, or VDMA, wrote in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the end of August. The sector, he added, is facing an existential crisis."

The White House and the Department of Commerce didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

The grudging acceptance that greeted the July deal is now threatening to unravel. Discontent is spreading not just among politicians within EU member states but also to the European Parliament, whose approval is required for key parts of the deal to take effect.

There is no security and predictability" in the U.S.-EU deal, said Bernd Lange, a German politician who leads the parliaments trade committee. Lange said he now expects lawmakers to demand changes to draft legislation that would eliminate or reduce tariffs for a range of U.S. imports under the July agreement.

Why should the EU give zero tariffs for U.S. motorbikes, knowing that now European producers have to pay not only 15% but also the steel and aluminum tariffs?" Lange said.

After the Department of Commerce expanded the metals tariffs to hundreds of derivative products starting last month, the company stopped exports to the U.S., halted production destined for the market and sent 100 workers home. Krone is looking into diverting shipments already under way to Mexico and Canada.

We dont know if our customers are ready to pay 15% or 50% more for a machine or its spare parts," said Krone, adding that the disruption would affect the companys U.S. sales for a long time.

Bernd Lange, a German politician, says there is no security and predictability in the U.S.-EU deal.

U.S. companies are affected, too. John Deere, one of Krones largest competitors, has plants in Mannheim and Zweibrucken in Germany. About 20% of its German production is exported to the U.S., according to a company spokeswoman.

We are relying on structural cost discipline and close cooperation with our distribution partners to cushion the impact" of the steel tariffs, the spokeswoman said. We arent planning to relocate our production from Germany to the U.S."

The effective tariff facing exporters now varies depending on a products metal content. For a machine worth $1 million with a 20% steel content, the rate would be 50% of $200,000 and 15% of the rest, resulting in a $220,000 levy per machineor a 22% tariff. The U.S. has said it would review the metals tariff list every four months, adding to the uncertainty.

The VDMA is now demanding that the European Commission, which negotiated the deal on behalf of EU members, secure a 15% tariff cap on machinery, as it did for autos, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and lumber.

EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said Wednesday that the EU doesnt pose a threat to American steel producers, and both economies are dealing with cheap imports from other countries.

I know that they understand the issue, they know about our positions, but when we will be able to resolve it I wouldnt dare to say," Sefcovic said.

European officials said after the trade deal was announced that the two sides would work on a quota system that could allow a certain volume of EU steel and aluminum into the U.S. at a lower tariff rate. But they havent disclosed any progress on those talks.

The VDMA says such quotas wouldnt address the main complaint about the expanded steel tariffs: the bureaucratic burden they impose on manufacturers. If their products are on the steel tariff list, they need to research their metal content or risk penalties.

Krone says it must now document the steel and aluminum content of the 15,000 parts that make up its Big X forage harvester, for instance. Between 10% and 15% of the companys farming-equipment sales go to North America.

Even companies whose products arent subject to the steel tariffs can get ensnared.

Take valves, a commodity device to regulate the flow of liquid in a machine. Valves arent on the expanded steel tariff list but are used in injection molding machines. Since these machines are on the list, their manufacturers must now obtain from their suppliers information about the steel content of their valveswhere it was bought, at what price, and where the metal was melted and poured.

Unlike carmakers, machine makers are often small and midsize companies that dont have much manufacturing capacity in the U.S.

Krone is planning to build its first assembly line near its U.S. headquarters in Olive Branch, Miss., but only for small machines. A dearth of skilled labor and high production costs make it harder to manufacture bigger, more complex equipment there, according to the company.

Andrew Adair, trade adviser for America at the VDMA, said American manufacturers in the U.S. could be among the first to suffer because they rely on imported machines that will now be more expensive, if they are available at all.

Vice President JD Vance held a speech at a plastics factory in Michigan in March, saying the Trump administration would make it easier and more affordable to make things again in the United States."

Then they walked the factory floor," said Adair. And we had our experts look at the equipment: Virtually none of it was American-made. Most of it was imported."

Write to Bertrand Benoit at bertrand.benoit@wsj.com and Kim Mackrael at kim.mackrael@wsj.com
The wait is finally over as Bigg Boss Telugu is back with a new season! Bigg Boss Telugu Season 9 kick-started on Sunday night with a grand launch. Superstar Nagarjuna returned once again as the host.

Where to watch Bigg Boss Telugu 9 The reality show is airing on Star Maa and streaming on JioHotstar.

This season, the makers have raised the stakes with a fresh dual-house format.

Another major highlight of Bigg Boss Telugu Season 9 is the addition of commoners alongside celebrities, making the competition for the prestigious trophy even more intense.

Bigg Boss Telugu 9 grand premiere The grand premiere opened with Nagarjunas high-energy performance to Soniyo Soniyo, setting the stage on fire. He then introduced the lavish Bigg Boss house to the audience and went on to welcome the contestants.

Bigg Boss Telugu 9 confirmed participants So far, eleven contestants have officially been announced as participants of this year.

The confirmed names of participants for Bigg Boss Telugu Season 9 are Sanjjanaa Galrani, Demon Pawan, Thanuja Puttaswamy, Flora Saini, Jabardasth Emmanuel, Kalyan Padala, Rithu Chowdary, Bharani Shankar, Shrasti Verma, Ramu Rathod, Haritha Harish and Srija Dammu.

Suman Shetty, Priya Shetty and Manish Maryada also entered the house.

The first contestant to make her entry into the Bigg Boss house was Kannada actress Thanuja Puttaswamy.

She was soon followed by South Indian actress Flora Saini, who previously taked about her past struggles with domestic violence. Kalyan Padala also secured his spot as one of the earliest entrants after proving his worth in the Bigg Boss Agnipariksha pre-show.

The fourth contestant to walk in was the popular comedian, Jabardasth Emmanuel.

Joining him as the fifth contestant was choreographer Shrasti Verma, who is best known for films like Pushpa 2, Jailer, Vikrant Rona, Game Changer, and Rangasthalam.

The sixth entrant was Haritha Harish, the second commoner of the season.

Social media influencer Rithu Chowdary joined the show as the seventh participant, followed by actor Bharani Shankar, the eighth contestant.

Demon Pawan joined as the third commoner after being voted by fans. He is the ninth contestant to step into the house.

Actor Sanjjanaa Galrani, known for her films Dandupalya 2, Bujjigadu, and Ganda Hendathi, became the tenth participant of the season.

Singer Ramu Rathod, who delivered hit the track Ranu Bombayi Ki Ranu, is the eleventh contestant to join the Bigg Boss Telugu Season 9.

Srija Dammu became the next participant to be confirmed for the show.

Suman Shetty, Priya Shetty and Manish Maryada were the next names confirmed for this season.
Hyderabad, Sep 7 (PTI) Taking up prevention of suicides as his mission, a Kargil War veteran has made a film to spread awareness on the theme which would be screened here on September 10 on the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day.

Group Captain G J Rao, who retired from the Indian Air Force, said on Sunday that the film is not a commercial venture but only aimed at saving the lives of people.

'September 10', named after the World Suicide Prevention Day, is based on ideas contained in his book 'Sustainable Suicide Prevention Model', he told PTI.

The film is about two hours long and it will be screened here on September 10 by 'Roshni', a city-based voluntary organisation working on the prevention of suicides and issues of mental health since 1997.

"I hope to reduce suicides through the medium of cinema/OTT, which is the most mass appealing medium in the world," G J Rao said.

The film, directed by Kannada and Telugu director Om Sai Prakash, had won three awards at a film festival organised here in July, he said.

The film, probably the first of its kind, deals with all major types of suicides -- including farmers in distress, lovers, students, businessmen who made losses and those related to dowry, he said.

"The strongest message of the film is that suicide is not the solution for any of our problems. All the suicides can be prevented. All that we need to do is to show a little bit of caring, sharing, empathy, and understand the feelings of those who are in distress," he said.
Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson came together this week for their daughter True. On Friday, the reality TV star posted a carousel on Instagram celebrating her little girls first day of second grade. The setup featured balloons in soft pastel colors and a giant pink book propped up as the centerpiece.

Khloe praised her daughter, adding that she is so proud of the respectful, sweet, loving, smart, beautiful girl she is [sic].

She wrapped the post with a tribute to both her kids. My two angels make me melt! Their smiles and bond are everything to me! [sic]" she wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.

Khloe Kardashians message to her daughter On her Instagram Stories, Kardashian shared side-by-side photos comparing Trues first day of first and second grade. Just like that, my baby is off to 2nd grade. Time is flying faster than I ever imagined - it feels like I blinked and my baby grew up," she wrote.

Fans flooded her comments with support. One wrote, I love how you make moments so special! You are building such core memories for your children. Another added, A True mother, a True blessing! Love you Koko queen!

Also Read | Kim Kardashian brings along son Saint West on Kai Cenat's stream

Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompsons relationship Khloe and Tristans relationship has been in the public eye for years. According to Page Six, they welcomed True in 2018, the same year Thompson was accused of cheating. The pair split, reconciled, and split again before the athlete confirmed in early 2022 that he fathered a child with personal trainer Maralee Nichols.

Despite their complicated history, the two expanded their family again. In July 2022, Kardashian confirmed through her representative that she and Thompson were expecting a son via surrogacy. Tatum was born in August of the same year. Thompson is also father to Prince Oliver, 8, from a previous relationship with Jordan Craig, as informed by Page Six.

FAQs What grade is True Thompson starting this year? She just began second grade.

Did Khloe Kardashian post about Trues milestone? Yes, she shared a carousel on Instagram and Stories with photos and messages.

How many children do Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson share? They share two children: True, 7, and Tatum, 3.

What did Tristan Thompson apologize for in 2022? He admitted to fathering a child with Maralee Nichols while still dating Khloe.
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 7 (ANI): A Lunar Eclipse is set to take place in India today. The priests performed the Ganga Aarti in Varanasi ahead of the celestial event on Sunday.

A lunar eclipse occurs only during the full moon phase, when the Earth comes directly between the Sun and the Moon.

During this alignment, Earth's shadow falls on the lunar surface, which results in reducing its brightness and often giving it a reddish tint, popularly referred to as the 'Blood Moon'.

On the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, the priests offered prayers to God to reduce the ill effects of the Lunar Eclipse on the people's health and well-being.

As for the occurrence of a Lunar Eclipse, this celestial event is set to take place from 9:57 pm to 1:26 am today, according to Priest Mahendra Nath.

"There will be a lunar eclipse from 9:57 pm to 1:26 am today. The lunar eclipse will touch down from 9:57 pm. Its liberation will be at 1:26 am. The Sutak of the lunar eclipse will begin at 12:57 pm," said Priest Mahendra Nath.

While cautioning the people about the Lunar Eclipse, the Priest said that no one should consume food except the "elderly", "sick" and "pregnant women."

As for the Lunar Eclipse effect on the horoscope, Priest Mahendra Nath says that the Lunar Eclipse will be falling on the Aquarius. Hence, he advises the Aquarius zodiac sign people to practice caution and chant the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra to reduce its effect on their health.

"At the time of the lunar eclipse, no one should eat food except the elderly, the sick and pregnant women. This eclipse is falling on the Aquarius zodiac sign. Its effect will be especially on the Aquarius sign. Those born in Aquarius should be cautious and chant the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra as much as possible so that its effect on their health will not be adverse," said Priest Mahendra Nath.

However, Mahendra Nath calls the upcoming Lunar Eclipse advantageous for the individuals with the zodiac signs of Aries, Scorpio and Sagittarius.

"The auspicious results of this eclipse are auspicious for Aries, Scorpio and Sagittarius, but it will have adverse effects on the remaining zodiac signs," said Mahendra Nath.

According to the Senior Planetarium Engineer at Nehru Planetarium, OP Gupta, the Lunar Eclipse will last for 48 minutes.

While talking to ANI, he said, "In Delhi, the penumbral phase (initial phase) will start at 8.58 pm...The partial eclipse will begin at around 9.57 pm. It will peak at around 11.48 pm. Its duration will be a little more than 48 minutes."
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt opened up about his jail time recently on television. He appeared on Kapil Sharma's show The Great Indian Kapil Show. In the show, Dutt shared how he spent his days by organising a theatre group, running radio shows and making furniture in jail.

Sanjay Dutt on his only regret in life Talking about his life, Sanjay Dutt said, I dont regret anything that happened in my life. The only thing that I regret is that my parents left me too soon. I miss them a lot.

To this, Archana Puran Singh asked Dutt what he did with the furniture that he made in prison. Replying to her, the Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. actor said, I earned wages there. Whether I made chairs or paper bags, I got paid. Then I even started a radio station, called Radio YCP. It used to be play only inside the jail. I got paid for that as well. I did the radio program. We had topics to talk about, and we also did some comedy. Three or four other prisoners would write the script for the program.

Sharing his contributions in jail, Dutt went on to share that he directed plays with convicts.

I even started a theatre group, and I was the director and murder convicts were my actors, he said.

Sanjay Dutt on double murder convict in jail Dutt also remembered the time when a double murder convict shaved his beard.

He shared, I remember I had a full beard and the superintendent told me to get a shave. He sent a guy. His name was Mishra ji. As he pulled out his razor, I asked him how long has he been in the jail. He told me he was in the jail for 15 years.

By this time, his razor had reached my neck. I asked him for what crime is he inside the jail, and he answered double murder. I immediately held his hand and stopped him. So, a double murder convict had a razor in his hand, thats just an ordinary day in jail.

Sanjay Dutt's arrest In 2007, a TADA Court sentenced Sanjay Dutt to prison for illegally possessing weapons linked to the 1993 case. The Supreme Court later upheld the verdict in 2013, following which the actor surrendered.

He was sent to Punes Yerwada Central Jail from 2013-16.

Sanjay Dutt's recent release to hit theatres is Tiger Shroff's Baaghi 4.
Air India, which has cut many of its flights following the deadly crash at Ahmedabad in June, is unlikely to get to its full schedule starting this winter. This comes within weeks of Campbell Wilson, its CEO, talking about full restoration of its international schedule from October 01, 2025 while sending out an email to its frequent flier program members. Data shared by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, exclusively for this article shows that the airline is making further changes to its schedule which sees cancellations and frequency reductions across its core widebody international network.

While some routes have been transferred to Air India Express, the group is completely vacating routes like Pune - Singapore, Delhi - Nairobi, Goa (Mopa) - London Gatwick and Delhi - Washington. Air India had increased frequencies across various routes in the Summer schedule, only to scale back the operations post AI171 crash on June 12, at Ahmedabad immediately after take-off for London Gatwick.

The airline had strengthened its international network starting March end with increased frequencies to Birmingham, London, Zurich, Vienna and Nairobi. However, the airspace closure over Pakistan meant it had to reroute its flights with some having to take a technical stop. A short conflict in the Middle East further complicated the situation and the crash and subsequent checks meant additional ground time requirements for the airline. The airline is making further changes to its network in winter which indicates that it is not restoring its flights as hoped for by the CEO.

Europe Air India is withdrawing a frequency each (Numbers in brackets denote weekly frequency in winter) to Milan (six weekly), Zurich (four weekly) and Copenhagen (four weekly) from Delhi. While last time around the airline pulled out of Kochi - London Gatwick route, this season shift the airline is pulling the plug on Goa Mopa - London Gatwick route which is currently suspended as part of its schedule cuts. To London Gatwick, the airline will operate only from Ahmedabad and Amritsar with thrice a week flights, shrinking its earlier presence. Air India will also reduce frequency to Birmingham from Amritsar from four to three flights a week.

North America Air India has already pulled out of Delhi - Washington and will see Delhi - Chicago trimmed to four times a week from Daily flights which it operated in May as well as last Winter. The airline is also cutting one frequency each on Delhi - Newark (from five weekly to four weekly), Delhi - New York (From daily to six weekly) and Mumbai - New York (from Daily to six weekly).

China, refurbishment and more The airline has seen its much delayed refit program take shape with one dreamliner aircraft in the United States and another to follow soon. The airspace restrictions over Pakistan continue as they are with no end in sight. With all indications of Chinese routes opening up, the airline would have budgeted aircraft for routes to China, the intermediate refurbishment program for the 777s and additional block times for existing flights to cater to airspace restrictions.

However, this may not be the only reason. The impact of the crash over its international market is not yet known publicly. If it has consistently seen a drop in passengers or has a need to drop fares to attract passengers, it makes better sense to adjust frequency to market demand. This essentially helps regroup before expanding again.

Also Read | IndiGo to join list of Indian carriers flying to London Heathrow

Jolt to VIA campaign Towards the end of February, Air India made changes to its then merged network making two banks of flights to Frankfurt and Paris and changing timings of flights to Australia to cater to connecting traffic with focus on VIA, with focus on international to international transfer passengers at Delhi.
The Maharashtra government announced on Thursday that it has shifted the public holiday on account of Eid-e-Milad in Mumbai city and suburban districts to September 8. The holiday, which was originally declared for Friday, September 5, 2025, will now be observed on Monday, September 8, 2025.

Shortly after this announcement, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also shifted the bank holiday. This means that all public and private banks across Mumbai and its suburbs will be closed on Monday, according to a notification by the central bank of India.

Why did govt move the holiday? Maharashtra government moved the holiday in Mumbai and its suburbs after the Muslim community decided to hold the Eid-e-Milad procession on September 8.

The decision was taken to avoid overlapping and maintain harmony on Anant Chaturdashi, which fell on Saturday, September 6 this year. Anant Chaturdashi marks the end of the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, when immersion of Ganpati idols takes place following public processions.

While the Eid-e-Milad holiday on September 5 remained unchanged for other districts in Maharashtra, it was shifted to September 8 in Mumbai city and suburbs.

What transactions can you do when banks are closed? A person can continue to use online or mobile banking services even during national holidays  unless notified to users for technical or other reasons. For cash emergencies, ATMs are open for withdrawals as usual. People can also use their respective banks app and UPI to facilitate payments.

All of the bank's annual holiday calendar is declared by the RBI under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which deals with the issuance of cheques and promissory notes. Transactions involving these instruments are thus not available during these listed holidays.

While bank holidays can temporarily affect operations of bank branches, digital banking ensures your transactions remain smooth.

Eid-e-Milad 2025 According to list of gazzeted holidays, Eid-e-Milad was observed on September 5 this year in several regions of India. Hence, Friday, September 5 will be a holiday for educational institutions and offices across the country, except for Mumbai city and its suburbs.

Eid-e-Milad is used interchangeably with Eid Milad-un-Nabi, which commemorates the birth of Prophet Muhammad, the revered founder of Islam and is celebrated by Muslims across the world.
Bank holidays this week, September 8-14, 2025: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI ) has declared several holidays in the month of September 2025. Banks across a few Indian cities will remain shut in the upcoming week due to festivals and observances.

People who are planning any important activities related to banking transactions or other such services must refer to the list of bank holidays this week so that you can plan accordingly and avoid any last-minute inconvenience.

You should note that holidays may differ in various states due to regional and local observances. It is thus advised to check with your local bank branch for their holiday schedule or list ahead of time to be properly informed and make preparations in case of emergencies.

Bank Holiday Schedule for September 8-14 September 8 (Monday) All private and public banks will be closed in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra to celebrate of Eid-e-Milad which was shifted from September 5 to September 8 by the state government.

All private and public banks will be closed in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra to celebrate of Eid-e-Milad which was shifted from September 5 to September 8 by the state government. September 12 (Friday)  All banks in Jammu and Srinagar will be closed on Friday, September 12 in observance of Friday following Eid-i-Milad-ul-Nabi.

 All banks in Jammu and Srinagar will be closed on Friday, September 12 in observance of Friday following Eid-i-Milad-ul-Nabi. September 13 (Saturday)  All public and private banks across India will remain shut as it is the second Saturday of the month of September. RBI mandates that every second and fourth Saturdays shall be holidays for bank, whereas the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each month are working days.

 All public and private banks across India will remain shut as it is the second Saturday of the month of September. RBI mandates that every second and fourth Saturdays shall be holidays for bank, whereas the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each month are working days. September 14 (Sunday)  It is a pan-India bank holiday as banks are mandated to remain closed on every Sunday by the RBI. Why was Eid-e-Milad holiday in Mumbai moved? The Maharashtra government announced on September 3 that the public holiday for Eid-e-Milad on September 5 has been rescheduled. Originally declared for Friday, September 5 in Mumbai city and the suburban districts, the holiday will now be observed on Monday, September 8, 2025.

This decision was taken after the Muslim community in Mumbai decided to hold the Milad-un-Nabi procession on September 8 to maintain harmony on Anant Chaturdashi, which fell on September 6, Saturday, this year.

Anant Chaturdashi marks the end of the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. On this day, Lord Ganesha idols are immersed in water following public processions.

What transactions can you do when banks are closed? A person can continue to use online or mobile banking services even during national holidays  unless notified to users for technical or other reasons. For cash emergencies, ATMs are open for withdrawals as usual. People can also use their respective banks app and UPI to facilitate payments.

Also Read | Is Indian stock market open or closed on Monday?

All of the bank's annual holiday calendar is declared by the RBI under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which deals with the issuance of cheques and promissory notes. Transactions involving these instruments are thus not available during these listed holidays.
Foreign Portfolio investors (FPI) continued to withdraw funds from the Indian equity market in the first week of September 2025, with a net outflow of 12,257 crore (USD 1.4 billion).

This came following a significant withdrawal in the preceding months, with FPIs pulling out 34,990 crore in August and 17,700 crore in July, PTI reported.

The recent sell-off has pushed the total FPI outflow from the Indian equities to 1.43 lakh crore for the year so far, as data with the depositories showed.

Key drivers of the sell-off According to the Associate Director & Manager Research of Morningstar Investment, Himanshu Srivastava, quoted by PTI, a combination of global and domestic factors contributed to the FPI outflows:

Global factors: Stronger US dollar  A strengthening dollar against rupee often prompts investors to move away from the Indian market.

US tariff concerns  Renewed threats of US tariffs have increased global uncertainty.

Persistent geopolitical tensions  Ongoing geopolitical conflicts have fueled a risk-off sentiment among investors. Domestic factors: High valuations  Indian equities are trading at a premium compared to other emerging markets, leading FPIs to book profits and reduce exposure to the Indian market.

Slowing corporate earnings: Concerns over a slowdown in corporate earnings momentum have also contributed to the negative sentiment. US tariff tensions, a weak rupee, and a broader global risk-off sentiment triggered the FPI selloff. However, the impact was cushioned by the governments GST rate rationalisation and a robust first-quarter GDP growth of 7.8%, noted Vaqarjaved Khan, Senior Fundamental Analyst at Angel One, echoing similar views expressed by Srivastava.

VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, added that sustained heavy Domestic Institutional Investors (DII) buying has allowed FPIs to book profits at high valuations and redeploy capital into cheaper markets such as China, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

Outlook for the coming week In the coming week, FPI flows are expected to be driven by US Fed commentary, US labour market data, RBI rate cut expectations and its stance on rupee stability, Khan added.

"While near-term volatility may persist, India's structural growth story, policy reforms, such as GST rationalisation, and expectations of an earnings revival could bring FPIs back once global uncertainties ease," Srivastava noted, speaking of the outlook.

Also Read | Will the Indian stock market see increased FPI outflows after higher tariffs?

While FPIs were not net sellers in equities, their activity in the debt market was mixed during the same period. They invested 1,978 crore in the debt general limit but withdrew 993 crore from the debt voluntary retention route during the period under review, the news agency PTI reported.
Buy or sell: The Indian equity markets witnessed a largely sideways movement during the week, establishing a range between the 24,30025,000 zone. The Nifty 50 ended the week at 24,741, registering a gain of 1.14%. Across the broader indices, large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap stocks rose between 12 percent. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued their selling streak for the 10th consecutive week, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) absorbed the pressure with equity purchases worth nearly 13,000 crores. Among sectoral performers, the Metal index led the rally with gains of around 7%, while automobile, telecom, financials, capital goods, and infrastructure advanced nearly 3% each. On the downside, technology and chemicals slipped marginally, losing about 0.5% each.

Weekly market outlook Nifty 50 From a technical perspective, Niftys near-term trend hinges on the 24,80025,000 zone, which has emerged as a critical resistance area backed by heavy Call Open Interest (OI). A sustained close above this range could trigger bullish momentum, potentially paving the way for an upward move toward the 25,30025,600 levels. Conversely, a breach below 24,300 may signal a short-term pause or minor correction, with 24,200 and 24,000 serving as key support levels supported by significant Put OI. The broader trend, however, remains sideways until the index decisively clears the 25,00025,200 hurdle, with a move above 25,200 required to confirm a continuation of bullish momentum.

Bank Nifty The Bank Nifty closed weaker at 54,114, reflecting ongoing underperformance. The index faces immediate resistance in the 55,00055,500 zone, and only a decisive breakout above this band could trigger a fresh uptrend. On the downside, the 53,000 level is expected to act as strong support and attract buying interest. On a broader timeframe, both the Nifty and Bank Nifty ended below their respective monthly support levels of 25,000 and 56,000, indicating persistence of short-term bearish undertones.

Conclusion For the week ahead, traders should closely watch key levels24,20024,300 as support and 25,200 as resistance on the Nifty, while Bank Nifty is likely to see support in the 52,50053,000 zone and resistance near 56,000. Caution is advised, with global cues and geopolitical developments likely to play a critical role in short-term market direction. While the broader outlook remains cautiously optimistic, a breakout above the identified resistance levels will be essential to confirm the resumption of upward momentum.

Weekly stocks to buy or sell 1. National Aluminium Co (NATIONALUM): Buy at 207-212; Stop Loss at 198; Target Price of 225.

2. Interglobe Aviation (INDIGO): Buy at 5660-5680; Stop Loss at 5580; Target Price of 5850.

3. Zensar Technologies (ZENSARTECH): Buy at 770-780; Stop Loss at 755; Target Price of 825.
(Bloomberg) -- Colombian bonds rallied after a group of some of the worlds largest banks bought outstanding notes with a face value of $5.4 billion, closing a tender offer that is likely part of a sweeping debt management operation by the South American nation.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, Banco Santander, BNP Paribas, Citigroup Global Markets, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. bought notes across Colombias US dollar-denominated curve maturing from 2027 to 2061, according to a statement by their depositary agent.

Government bonds jumped on Friday, with notes maturing in 2053 rising almost two and half cents to trade at around 109 cents, the highest level in almost a year, according to indicative pricing data compiled by Bloomberg. The notes were the top performers in emerging markets.

The purchase is intended to hedge potential total return swap transactions between the banks and Colombia, allowing the country to save coupon payments while paying interest to the banks that bought its debt. Although the precise terms of the swaps are unclear, they may give Colombia more flexibility by allowing it to make interest payments in non-dollar currencies.

Overall, I think the operation has been successful, said William Snead, a strategist at Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria. Moreover, some of the proceeds from the tender are likely to be re-invested along the Colombian curve creating some demand as the notes remain cheap compared with similarly rated debt.

The aggregate purchase price for the bonds was around $4.6 billion, not including accrued and unpaid interest, the banks said, showing they paid a discount to face value. The agreement binds the banks and Colombia to one or more total return swap transactions, they added.

The move is part of a larger financing plan by the Colombian government as it attempts to ease its debt burden. The tender offer was announced only weeks after Public Credit Director Javier Cuellar said the government is seeking to borrow as much as $10 billion in Swiss francs to repurchase more expensive liabilities in a bid to rein in its debt costs.

So far, they have won as they have squeezed the market, said Soeren Moerch, a portfolio manager at Danske Bank AS in Copenhagen who holds Colombian debt. The government is getting what they aimed for  lower yields and lower spreads.

The deal comes as Colombia faces growing fiscal strain, fueled by moves by President Gustavo Petro to increase spending as he enters his final year in office. The budget deficit is expected to reach 7.1% of gross domestic product in 2025, the widest gap since the pandemic.

However, the short-term technicals favor the bonds, Snead said. They have also indicated that they expect to issue EUR bonds, which is another positive for the Colombian USD curve.

(Updates bond move starting in the first paragraph, adds analyst comments starting in the fifth.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
With his debut feature In Search of the Sky, Gwalior-born Jitank Singh Gurjar makes it clear that hes not a filmmaker concerned with neat narratives and tidy endings. Hed rather tell a slice-of-life story that explores emotional contradictions and leaves viewers to their own interpretations.

Set in rural Madhya Pradesh, the filmwhich had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival this weekendfollows an aging couple struggling to care for their developmentally disabled adult son, Naran. A lifetime of daily hard labour (not to mention constant mockery from the villagers) has begun to take its toll on the father, causing him to question how much longer he can continue to fulfill his parental obligations. Meanwhile, Narans mother, his true caretaker in every sense of the word, is starting to worry about what kind of future lies in store for their only child once theyre gone.

When a relative suggests a visit to the auspicious Maha Kumbh Mela, the parents decide to take one last leap of faith, in the desperate hopes that this holy pilgrimage may free Naran of what ails him. As the story unfolds, the parents conflicting desires and differing notions of freedomfor Naran, from Naranbegin to take shape.

The film offers a realistic view of the experience of raising a differently abled child in rural India, a challenge compounded by abject poverty, ignorance and a lack of resources. Gurjar has personal ties to the subject matter, having observed the challenges (both personal and societal) faced by a distant uncle with development disabilities. But the germ of the story, he explains, came from producer Pooja Vishal Sharma. On visits to ashrams and NGOs for mentally challenged children, she often heard stories of children abandoned by families who could no longer afford to take care of them. Gurjar and Sharma became intrigued by the idea of what could push a family to take such a drastic step.

There is no antagonist in this film," says Gurjar in a phone interview ahead of the films premiere at TIFF. Because everybody is helpless Everybody has their own struggles."

The tussle between love and survival, hope and despair, faith and acceptance, forms the emotional core of the film. Drawn to stories rooted in the rural heartland of India, Gurjar chose to set the film in the part of the country he knows best, casting theatre actors Nikhil Yadav, Meghna Agarwal and Raghvendra Bhadoriya in the lead roles. Yadav is given a monumental task in playing the largely non-verbal Naran, and he manages to walk a fine balance that conveys the child-like spirit of the character without tipping over into caricature.

I believe what Martin Scorsese has said about the most personal being the most creative," Gurjar says. If I won't tell this story, then who will? Who will come to my village and listen to the story and make a film about it?"

Shot in the small villages of Barai and Patwa in Madhya Pradesh, the first half of the film is quiet and intimate, the pastoral peacefulness of the region captured beautifully by cinematographer Shelly Sharma in tight, artfully framed shots. (The intrusive score, however, has a tendency to jolt viewers out of the moment rather than immersing them in it.) Later, as the family heads to the Kumbh Mela, the aspect ratio switches from 4:3 to 16:9, signifying an expansion of Narans worldview as he leaves his village for the first time. Its a smart choice, allowing the commotion of the Kumbh to fill the frame around Naran and his family.

Despite the sheer scale of the event, the camera never loses track of the actors, who were instructed to wander around the festival in character, allowing for wide shots that keep the narrative momentum of the final act going. Theres also a shift, in this second half, from a realistic style of storytelling to a more surrealist one, reflecting not just the spiritual fervour of the Kumbh but also Narans eye-opening introduction to a new world.

The local title of the film is Vimukt, which translates to liberated." And ultimately thats the big idea the film is wrestling with. What does liberation mean to different people? For one, it could mean freedom from judgment, for another freedom from obligation. Can ones liberation be celebrated if it comes at the cost of anothers peace? These are the questions the film leaves you with in its final, ambiguous moments.

Pahull Bains is a freelance film critic and culture writer based in Toronto.
For almost six years, driving down Bengalurus Sankey Road elicited a smile. Rising dramatically from the ground, a gigantic pointed stone standing behind iron gates opposite the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium inevitably brought to mind the menhirs of Obelix from the Belgian comic series Asterix . At the end of July, on Kargil Vijay Diwas, it was officially inaugurated as a tribute to fallen martyrssix years after it was installed and 16 years after the project began, even as the other component of the memorial remains in limbo.

Called veeragallu (Kannada for hero stone), the obelisk draws from a Kannadiga tradition that goes back to the fifth century of erecting a carved memorial to commemorate the heroic death of a warrior in battle. This one is set in a corner of the Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka (National Military Memorial), a 6.5-acre park that is wild in parts and manicured in others, and speckled generously with old trees. In keeping with its title, the 78ft, 440-ton granite monolith is a gigantic homage to the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy personnel who have died in the line of duty since 1947. Adjacent to it is a set of 10 accordion-style stone plaques etched with the names of nearly 22,000 martyrs. Labels such as Indo-Pak War 1971" and Kargil War 1999" are sombre reminders of loss and sacrifice.

The obelisk as well as the whole memorial are designed by Bengaluru architects Nisha Mathew Ghosh and Soumitro Ghosh. The memorial is conceived as a place of quiet remembrance and homage. This is a primordial landscape gesture to create a ritual path within the forest," the architects say.

Excavating the 440-ton stone, and transporting it was in itself an engineering and logistical marvel. Quarried from Koira village, about 50km north of Bengaluru, it took a month of planning and another month to make its journey, via a 240-wheel truck. Once there, it was hoisted with special jacks, moving just six inches at a time, over three days, Ghosh says. From up close, the obelisk is raw and stark.

Also Read | Exploring Antwerp, a city immersed in the legacy of Rubens

As eye-catching and staggering as it is, whats beneath the megalith is more spectacular. Designed around the 324 ancient trees of the park (only four eucalyptus trees were removed for the whole project) and navigating around their expansive roots, the Memorial Hall is a sprawling underground space spread over 13,000ft housing memorabilia given by the various branches of the Armed Forces as well as donations from military families. It includes ceremonial flags, insignias, shields, replicas of boats, ships, aircraft, tanks, weapons and hundreds of other related items. Built about 20ft below ground, it is designed to disappear into the ground like a bunker" and is embedded in the earth to create an underground museumdisplay of histories and memorabilia of the lost lives," according to the architects.

View Full Image Stone plaques at the memorial with names of martyrs. (Anita Rao Kashi)

It is all concrete and raw in materiality, a clear allusion to the nature of a bunker. It also tangentially references the fact that old British maps indicate the presence of two barracks within the premises though no remains have been found. Despite being underground, the hall is bright, lit by a series of triangular skylights, and is cool and airy courtesy of five courtyards that ventilate it. The halls entrance is fronted by a set of wide and shallow steps that can double as an intimate amphitheatre, protected by the overhang of several trees. I have had talks and discussions with my students here," Ghosh says.

On the other side of the obelisk from the plaques is the band stand. Unlike the usual circular ones, it is rectangular and is designed like a sunken bath or orchestra pit. We didnt want anything to be above ground other than the monolith," says Ghosh, dwarfed by the giant stone pillar.

Also Read | From Botswana to New Zealand, travel to the southern hemisphere this summer

Left unsaid is the fact that it took this long. The project became mired in a legal and administrative quagmire. Begun in February 2009, it was meant to be the countrys foremost memorial to martyrs (it was upstaged by Delhis National War Memorial inaugurated in 2019) but it ran into problems almost immediately. Wary of losing their lung space and anticipating an eyesore, several hundred residents who use the park for their daily walk, went to court to stop the project. The case wound its way through the legal system and reached the Supreme Court before being greenlit in August 2010.

After it was cleared, it took a little more than three years for the memorial hall to be finished. Meanwhile, the other highlight of the memorialthe monolithsuffered its own set of unexplained delays before being finally installed in 2019. In fact, the whole memorial was set to be inaugurated a couple of times in the past, but mysteriously dropped. Even though the inauguration of the obelisk was only a matter of formality, it was done only at the end of July. The memorial hall, however, remains inaccessible to the public. But the obelisks launch gives hope.

Anita Rao Kashi is an independent journalist based in Bengaluru.
Mumbai and Bengaluru: Three years after its debut, Akasa Air soared past SpiceJet to become the country's third-largest air carrier by revenue following a sharp 24% sequential decline in the latter's revenue in the April-June period.

SNV Aviation Private Limited, which launched its first commercial flight in August 2022 under Akasa Air, in a disclosure dated 14 July made to the ministry of corporate affairs, said its provisional revenue from operations totalled 1,399.6 crore during the April-June period. This was a 22.2% rise from the 1,145.4 crore in the April-June period of last year.

On Friday, New Delhi-based SpiceJet reported that its revenue from operations fell 24% sequentially and 35.6% from the year-ago period to 1,059.8 crore in the April-June quarter.

Mumbai-based Akasa Air has consistently had a higher market share than SpiceJet since May last year: Akasa's 5.5% share in July was more than double that of 2% of SpiceJet, according to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

However, this is the first time that Akasa's revenue has surpassed that of SpiceJet's in a quarter. Akasa ended FY25 with 4,582.72 crore in revenue and 1,983.4 crore in loss, compared to 5,073.7 crore in revenue and 52.6 crore profit reported by SpiceJet.

"The reason behind Akasas success is that, firstly, it is a new airline, hence it is well funded, and the industry is also growing. Secondly, an incumbent from a successful airline is running the show, which brings in efficient strategies and helps them to develop their business," said Vinit Bolinjkar, head of research at Ventura Securities Ltd.

In the first quarter, Akasa's 365.5 crore provisional loss is more than SpiceJet's 236.5 crore loss.

Since Akasa is a new airline, initially the losses are going to be high. The thing to watch is how quickly they can lower their losses," said Bolinjkar.

Also Read | Before Air India crash, soaring demand for travel put strain on Indian pilots

Akasa's board member and co-founder Aditya Ghosh, chief financial officer Ankur Goel, and general counsel Priya Mehra were previously with IndiGo, India's largest airline.

InterGlobe Aviation, which runs IndiGo, ended with 80,802 crore in revenue and 7,248.9 crore profit in FY25. The Tata Group-owned Air India ended with 78,636 crore in revenue and a 10,859 crore loss.

The country's domestic air passenger traffic declined by 7.6% to 165.4 million in the year ended March 2025.

Karan Khanna, lead analyst for hotels, aviation, property and small and midcaps, Ambit Capital, notes that Akasa aspires to replicate IndiGos low-cost operating model and is following IndiGo's playbook on overall expansion. Given their better capital structure as compared to some of their peers, they are also able to focus on expanding their international routes and are focused on building a long-term market share," Khanna said.

At the heart of SpiceJet's troubles is its inability to raise funds, leading to delays in employee salaries and defaults on payments to aircraft lessors, some of whom have repossessed planes.

Over the years, as homegrown carriers have added planes to their fleet, SpiceJet's fleet has dwindled: The carrier's fleet has dropped from 88 planes at the end of March 2022 to 61 at the end of March 2025. Only 40% or 25 of SpiceJet's planes are operational, according to an investor presentation dated 14 June.

SpiceJet has got too many distractions with which they are not able to focus on their business, for example their brand has taken a hit because they don't have in-time services, and their losses are mounting," said Bolinjkar.

SpiceJet attributes its weak performance to geopolitical situation in our neighbourhood", which led to some restrictions on planes flying. Additionally, delays in the return to service of grounded aircraft due to global supply chain and engine overhaul constraints further reduced our available capacity, directly affecting revenue," said a spokesperson for SpiceJet.

The spokesperson said the carrier's primary focus is on profitable and sustainable growth".

Akasa expects to add five more planes to its current fleet of 30 leased planes by the end of the current fiscal year, even as it expects to receive its entire order of 226 Boeing 737 Max aircraft by 2032.

Akasa, which started with an investment of 260 crore from investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala in August 2022, recently raised 1,200 crore from the family offices of Bengaluru-based billionaires Azim Premji and Ranjan Pai, as well as wealth and asset management firm 360 One Wam Ltd.

Akasa Air co-founder and chief executive officer Vinay Dube and the Jhunjhunwala family owned about 75% of the carrier, according to a 12 May note by ratings firm Icra. The shareholding has changed after investments from Premji and Pai.

Text messages and calls to Dube went unanswered.

Customers will choose Akasa because there are limited services around there and there are so many new airports that are going to be announced. Continuously, the airport count is going to go up and international is also opening up. So the competition is not very intense," said Bolinjkar.

However, this impressive start by Akasa now sets up a bigger challenge ahead of the country's youngest carrier: competing against the two largest carriers, IndiGo and Air India. IndiGo and Air India, with market shares of 65.2% and 26.2%, respectively, held a combined 91.4% share of the domestic aviation market in July, forming a duopoly.

To put these numbers in perspective, Akasa flew 76.93 lakh passengers in FY25, which was less than what IndiGo flew every month.

The other challenge faced by Akasa Air is that its entire fleet consists of a single aircraft model, the Boeing 737 Max, a model that has been temporarily grounded worldwide in the past due to safety and manufacturing issues.

The other issue faced by Akasa is the promised delivery of planes by Boeing.

We understand that Boeing aircraft deliveries were delayed in FY25 due to strike at its US facilities by its unionized machinists that lasted about seven weeks, which caused a temporary halt and disruption in production," said the 14 July valuation note commissioned by Akasa. The strike ended in early November 2024, after which Boeing resumed production."
Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, could get even richerpotentially becoming a trillionaireafter Tesla announced a 10-year compensation package for the electric vehicle companys unique CEO. The super ambitious incentive plan could make him the worlds first trillionaire if Musk accepts the deal and achieves aggressive growth targets.

How Does the Reward Work? The reward is entirely in Tesla stock, not cash. Musk could receive 423.7 million new Tesla shares, currently worth about $143.5 billion. To claim the full package, Teslas stock would need to grow from $1.1 trillion today to $8.5 trillion in 10 yearsover eight times its current value and nearly double the value of Nvidia, todays most valuable company. Among the goals, Teslas annual vehicle sales would need to reach 20 million, and Musk would also need to expand Teslas robot and robotaxi businesses, selling a million robots and a million driverless cabs.

What Are the Conditions to Receive the Stock? Musk must remain at Tesla for at least seven-and-a-half years to access any shares, and 10 years to earn the full amount. Currently, Musks net worth is $437.8 billion, according to Forbes real-time tracker, and this new package could push it over $1 trillion.

Elon Musk's net worth With a net worth of $421.2 billion, Elon Musk topped the Forbes list. Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002 and serves as its CEO, also heads Tesla and holds stakes in social media platform X, AI company xAI, and tunnelling firm Boring Co. Before launching SpaceX in 2002 and joining Tesla in 2004, Musk co-founded PayPal, which was later sold to eBay.

Why is Elon Musks retention considered crucial? Robyn Denholm, Teslas board chair, and director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson highlighted Musks importance in a letter to shareholders, stating, Retaining and incentivising Elon is fundamental to Tesla achieving these goals and becoming the most valuable company in history, according to The New York Times.

The filing also included a shareholder proposal suggesting that Tesla take a stake in Musks private AI firm, xAI, which recently acquired the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). CNN reported that the proposal does not specify the size of the stake or its cost, and Tesla has not yet taken a position. The move could allow Musk to further consolidate his business empire.
Mumbai: With a view to increase their accountability, resolution professionals (RPs) could be in for far stricter action under the proposed Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which will empower the disciplinary committee" to impose penalties of up to 2 crore, suspend, or even cancel their registrations for unlawful gains". The draft law lands at a time when lenders have been moving to replace RPs in many high-profile insolvency cases.

If the proposals are approved, what will change from the current norms are the penaltieswith the maximum being doubled from 1 croreand more teeth to the disciplinary committee", the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), that can act faster with show cause notices. The RPs will be classified as service providers", putting them clearly under the IBBIs regulatory net.

Corporate debtors will also no longer be able to nominate their resolution professional when filing a section 10 application, which allows firms to voluntarily initiate corporate insolvency resolution process. Instead, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) will refer names to the IBBI in a bid to lower the risk of biased appointments.

Also Read | How AI is helping resurrect India's edtech sector

Even now, the IBBI can take action against an RP, also called the insolvency professional/agency on complaints. This action includes suspension or cancellation of registration or the imposition of penalties, with the present maximum monetary penalty capped at 1 crore. The lenders of an insolvent company can replace the RP with a 66% vote.

Currently, the NCLT appoints the resolution professional on the company's recommendation only if no disciplinary action is pending against them. But in cases where the creditors do not favour the professional, the court refers it to the IBBI for recommendation.

In the current context, lenders are seeking to replace RPs in high-profile insolvency cases such as Byjus and Hindustan National Glass, reflecting the growing unease over their conduct. By tightening oversight of the individuals who manage bankrupt firms and oversee creditor recoveries, the amendment seeks restore confidence in Indias nine-year-old insolvency regime.

The disciplinary committee, after giving the service provider an opportunity of being heard, is satisfied that sufficient cause exists, it may impose a penalty as or suspend or cancel the registration of the service provider. Where any service provider has contravened any provisions of this Code or rules or regulations made thereunder, the disciplinary committee may impose penalty which shall be two crore rupees," said the proposed amendment that was rolled out in August. The service provider here refers to a resolution professional.

Also Read | Karnataka HC bars Byju Raveendran from selling assets in Qatar Holdings dispute

While managing a company undergoing the bankruptcy process an RP has to take account of the assets, overlook daily operations, and come up with a resolution plan to repay creditors.

The proposed changes come at a time when lenders in several corporate insolvency cases are seeking to replace existing RPs, citing dissatisfaction with their conduct and lack of confidence in the resolution process. The IBC amendment bill was introduced by the government in the Lok Sabha on 12 August. It has since been referred to a select committee for scrutiny.

In various insolvency cases, creditors have proposed to replace the RPs midway during the insolvency proceedings before the NCLT. In ed-tech firm Byjus, which was dragged into insolvency in July 2024, Pankaj Srivastava, the resolution professional, was replaced by Shailendra Ajmera following allegations of gross misconduct. In the case of Hindustan National Glass, which went into insolvency in October 2021, the operational creditor had sought to remove Girish Juneja, the RP, after a Nashik court held Juneja accountable for a fire break at the company's plant. However, the appellate tribunal later stayed the decision.

In the Educomp personal insolvency case of its promoter Shantanu Jagdish Prasad, which was admitted into insolvency May 2017, Sandeep Kumar Bhatt was replaced by Kanti Mohan Rustagi. More recently, in July this year, in the Shree Ram Urban Infrastructure insolvency case, which had been admitted into insolvency in May 2018, the RP was replaced. In the matter, Pankaj R. Mathijia, the RP, was replaced by Truvisory Insolvency Professionals.

Creditors today are more informed and assertive, having gained considerable experience over the last nine years of the IBC regime, since it was introduced in 2016. They are quick to act if they sense bias or inefficiency and prefer RPs who are commercially adept and legally compliant," said Karishma Dodeja, partner, corporate practice at Trilegal.

Dhananjay Kumar, partner and head of insolvency and restructuring at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, noted that RP replacements often arise from a mix of reasons, including performance-related concerns and the complex financial arrangements typical in insolvency cases.

Also Read | Qatar Fund seeks to enforce $235 mn arbitration award against Byju Raveendran

The stiffer norms in the proposed amendment do not go on to show that the role of RPs is getting challenged. So long as the RPs rely on quality legal advice and act in good faith, they should not fear these challenges. The IBC ecosystem depends on their competence and neutrality," said Kumar of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

"...the Bill reinforces reliance on regulatory oversight to address serious concerns. This allows the insolvency framework to retain its flexibility while ensuring that substantiated complaints relating to insolvency professionals are capable of being resolved through a structured and strengthened disciplinary mechanism," said Pranav Khatavkar, founder and managing partner at Lexentra, a legal firm focused on banking, finance and cross-border cases.

To get their view on the draft amendment, Mint reached out to the resolution professionals in the insolvency cases of Byju's, Hindustan National Glass, Educomp and Shree Ram Urban Infrastructure. There was no response from them till press time.
Former Indian diplomat KP Fabian on Sunday said that US President Donald Trump is starting to realise that his aggressive tactic with India by imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff and other sanction threats did not produce the desired results.

Fabian's comments come days after US President Donald Trump appeared to soften his tone towards India, calling PM Narendra Modi a friend and describing America's ties with New Delhi as a very special relationship.

Responding to Trump's changing tone, Fabian said that the US tariffs imposed by Trump have no solid basis and his assumptions did not bring into account India's resolve.

Prime Minister Modi did what is appropriate to respond to a cordial tweet, but from this, we cannot conclude that we are going to see any early end to this, what I call 'Triple T' -- Trumped-up Trump Tariff. Trumped-up means without basis. But at the same time, it is reasonably clear that President Donald Trump has started to realise that his original expectation that India would surrender when he threatened an additional 25 per cent. He has started to realise that he was wrong, he explained.

Fabian stated that while India remains open to mutual trade and friendly relations, it should not be expected to accept coercive decisions or unilateral measures.

What he has to realise is that India is India. India is a civilisational state. India cannot be a meek camp follower of any other country. India wants to be friends with everyone and wants to do business, but India cannot take dictation, he added.

Trump shifts tone towards India On Friday, US President Donald Trump appeared to soften his tone toward India following months of accusing the country of a series of alleged wrongdoings, like charging the US exorbitant tariffs and buying Russian oil for its own profits.

Trump said both countries have a special relationship and there is "nothing to worry about".

I will always be friends with Modi, he is a great prime minister, he's great, the US President said.

However, he explained that he just doesn't like what he (Modi) is doing at this particular moment, while noting that they will always be friends.

But India and the United States have a special relationship. There is nothing to worry about, Donald Trump said.

Responding to his comments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday fully reciprocated the positive assessment of the India-US relationship.

Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump's sentiments and positive assessment of our ties, Modi said.

India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership, he noted on X.

This was the first time PM Modi and Trump exchanged views of the relationship between their countries since June 17, when both leaders had a telephonic conversation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was spotted sitting in the last row at Sansad Karyashala, the workshop of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs in Delhi, on Sunday. Bharatiya Janta Party MP from Gorakhpur and actor Ravi Kishan, shared a picture, hailing it as the strength of BJP."

In the photo, PM Modi was seen listening intently to the presentations and the program organised.

Every worker here is an organisation, Kishan added in the post.

PM Modi also posted about the workshop on his X handle.

What did PM Modi say "Attended the 'Sansad Karyashala' in Delhi's GMC Balayogi auditorium. MP colleagues from all over India and other senior leaders exchanged valuable perspectives on diverse issues. In our party, platforms like 'Sansad Karyashala' are important because they are great forums to learn from each other and deliberate on how we can serve people even better," PM Modi said in a post on X.

The first session of the workshop included a special mention of the Prime Minister's vision on GST.

Sansad Karyashala The Sansad Karyashala was a two-day workshop organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party for the MPs to share their views on a diverse range of issues.

The first day of the session started at 11 AM with two sessions being conducted. The first session, "Towards a developed India", saw participation from various party leaders, including Kamlesh Paswan, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Bansuri Swaraj and Hemang Joshi.

The second session was on the topic of "Effective Use of Social Media by MPs", with multiple leaders, including Jyotirmoy Mahato, C.P. Joshi, Atul Gagga, Sangeeta Yadav and others speaking on the issue.
New Delhi, Sep 7 (PTI) India has cautioned against weaponising export-related measures or misusing them to create artificial scarcity, distort markets, or disrupt supply chains at an SCO meeting, an official statement said on Sunday.

At the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Trade Ministers' Meeting in Vladivostok on September 6, India said that calibrated and transparent use of these steps is essential to maintain trust in international commerce.

India has also called for addressing persistent trade deficits by ensuring greater market access and simplifying processes for trade facilitation.

These remarks are important as India's auto and electronics sector faced issues due to export restrictions on rare earth magnets and fertiliser by China.

China is a member of the organisation.

India also warned that trade-linked climate measures should not result in arbitrary or unjustified discrimination.

"...persistent trade imbalances must be addressed through better market access, cooperation on standards, and streamlined trade facilitation.

"India cautioned that export-related measures should not be weaponised or misused to create artificial scarcity, distort markets, or disrupt supply chains, and emphasised that their calibrated and transparent use is essential to maintain trust in international commerce," the commerce ministry said in the statement.

India's trade deficit with China has increased to about USD 100 billion in 2024-25.

With the SCO accounting for 42 per cent of the world's population and 17.2 per cent of global trade, India emphasised the importance of coordinated action to enhance trade flows, address vulnerabilities, and support inclusive growth across the region.

Representing India, Amitabh Kumar, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, underlined the need for an open, fair, inclusive and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core.

He also highlighted the importance of a development-centred agenda that includes a permanent solution on Public Stockholding for food security purposes, effective Special and Differential Treatment for developing countries, and restoration of a fully functional two-tier WTO dispute settlement system.

He also underlined the role of services trade and the temporary movement of skilled professionals, in line with national laws and transparency, to support greater participation of MSMEs in global value chains.
A tragic incident occurred on Sunday, September 7, when a fire broke out in a 24-storey building at New Janakalyan Society in Dahisar killing one woman and injuring 18 others, PTI reported citing officials.

An official said the fire was doused at 6:10 pm after it got covered all sides nearly at 4:30 pm.

"Thirty-six residents were rescued, of which 19 were rushed to different hospitals. Of the seven who were admitted to Rohit Hospital, one, a woman, died. One male from this group is critical. The condition of others is stable. Ten of the injured were taken to Northern Care Hospital, and one each to Pragati Hospital and civic-run Shatabdi Hospital," the official stated.

"The fire was covered from all the sides at around 4.30 pm and was completely doused at 6.10 pm. Cooling operations are underway. The blaze was confined to wiring and cables in the electric duct from the ground to the fourth floor as well as two common electric meter cabins in the basement," the official added.

He further said an investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the blaze. Initially, civic officials had mentioned the fire broke out on the seventh floor of the building.

Previous similar incidents Massive fire broke out at a single-storey Bhiwandi dyeing factory on September 5, Friday, in Maharashtra's Thane district. Fire tenders rushed to the accident site to douse raging fumes as soon as authorities were informed about the tragic incident, ANI reported.

There were no reports of casualties in the blaze that erupted at the premises in the Kamatghar area in Bhiwandi town around 10 pm on Friday, an official told PTI.

A fire broke out on the set of the Hindi television show Anupamaa in Goregaon Film City on June 23, NDTV report noted. The blaze, which originated around 6 am, was confined to electric wiring, installations, and studio equipment, affecting an area of 5,000 square feet. There were no injuries.
Punjab floods: The district administration of Amritsar announced on Sunday that schools will be closed on September 8 amid floods in the state. They will reopen on Tuesday, except for schools in Ajnala-1, Ajnala-2, Chogawan-1 and Chogawan-2.

All schools in Amritsar will remain closed on 8th Sept. From 9th Sept, they will reopen (except Ajnala-1, Ajnala-2, Chogawan-1, Chogawan-2). Reopening allowed only after cleaning, sanitization, safety checks, and submission of a safety certificate, Sakshi Sawhney, Deputy Commissioner Amritsar said.

Recent heavy rains in Punjab have worsened the flooding situation. Officials said that the floods in Punjab have resulted in 46 deaths so far and have damaged crops across 175,000 hectares of farmland.

PM Modi to visit on September 9 BJP state unit chief Sunil Jakhar stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab on September 9 to assess the flood situation. "He (Modi) is visiting Punjab on September 9 to personally assess the local conditions and understand the ground realities to provide maximum assistance to the people of Punjab," Jakhar mentioned on X.

He added, "Two central government teams, which visited to assess the damage caused by the floods in Punjab, are set to submit their reports to the central government after their tour. The government of India stands firmly with the people of Punjab.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on September 4 visited Punjab to review the situation in the state. Chouhan checked the extent of crop damage, describing it a situation of 'jal pralai (deluge)'. He guaranteed the farmers that the government would do everything possible to help them overcome this crisis. The minister visited the flood affected areas in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala districts.

The swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with seasonal streams, have caused widespread flooding in Punjab after heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

IAF conducts relief operations Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters are actively conducting relief operations in the flood-affected regions of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir. The IAF has evacuated 541 people from the Bharmor-Chamba area and airlifted more than 10,000 kg of essential supplies to the Kullu and Kishtwar sectors, ANI reported.

In a post on X, the IAF stated that its resources remain on standby for further operations, demonstrating their dedication to providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
Malda district Trinamool Congress (TMC) President Abdur Rahim Bakshi recently launched a veiled attack at BJP legislator Shankar Ghosh. His threatening statement on Saturday, September 6, evening stirred controversy.

My BJP friends, if we listen that we one more time that we Bengalis are Bangladeshis or Rohingyas, then we will pour acid in your mouth and burn it to ashes," Abdur Rahim said in Bengali while addressing the public to protest against atrocities against Bengali-speaking migrant workers.

He added, You remember this well. This is West Bengal. The Bengalis here will not spare a space for you to speak. We will burn your mouth with acid.

Urging the people to agitate and to socially boycott the party, he stated, And the BJP of Bengal who are not supporting the people staying here or speak Bengali in true sense, I request you friends to boycott these BJP leaders, gherao them, tear BJP flags.

BJP condemns TMC leader Abdur Rahim Bakshi's statement BJP strongly condemned the threatening remarks and accused Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal of indulging in vote bank politics by supporting infiltrators.

Also Read | Mahua Moitra booked in Chhattisgarh for objectionable remark against Amit Shah

Condemning Abdur Rahim Bakshi's statement, BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari said, This clearly shows that TMC wants to threaten the people of Bengal who expose their support of infiltrators and Rohingyas for their vote bank, ANI reported.

He added, "I want to tell Mamata Banerjee that she can do whatever she wants. BJP workers will not bow down, be afraid, or stop, because they believe in PM Modi's development vision."

Four days ago, a controversy erupted after BJP MLA from West Bengals Malda Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury, asserted that the assembly elections due next year would not be allowed in the state, unless the Election Commission conducts the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Also Read | ED summons BJP worker who claims Rahul Gandhi is British national
I couldnt hold it in any longer, Prince Harry shared the precise moment he cried at during his mother, Princess Diana's, funeral in his 2023 memoir, Spare.

Princess Diana died on 31 August 1997 following a car accident in Paris at age 36. Her funeral was held a week later on 6 September 1997.

Prince Harry was 12 and his brother, Prince William, was 15 when their mother died, and they famously walked behind her coffin during her funeral procession.

Also Read | Prince Harry almost did not walk behind Princess Diana's coffin in 1997

Here's what Prince Harry said in Spare: In Spare, Prince Harry wrote that his tears nearly began to fall when Elton John performed an emotional rendition of Candle in the Wind during Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey.

"I cant be sure the notes in my head are from that moment or from clips l've seen since. Possibly, theyre vestiges of recurring nightmares. But I do have one pure, indisputable memory of the song climaxing and my eyes starting to sting and tears nearly falling," Prince Harry wrote.

However, the Duke of Sussex emphasised that he didn't cry until his mother was buried on the grounds of Althorp House, the Spencer family's ancestral estate in Northamptonshire.

It was reported that Mummys hands were folded across her chest and between them was placed a photo of me and Willy, possibly the only two men who ever truly loved her. Certainly, the two who loved her most, he wrote. For all eternity wed be smiling at her in the darkness, he added.

Prince Harry said that envisioning it as the flag on her coffin was removed, and her coffin was lowered into the ground, was what finally broke him.

My body convulsed and my chin fell, and I began to sob uncontrollably into my hands, he wrote. I felt ashamed of violating the family ethos, but I couldnt hold it in any longer.

I am my mother's son: Prince Harry In the decades since her death, Prince Harry has honoured his mother's legacy by supporting some of the same charities that she did, such as The HALO Trust.

He and his wife, Meghan Markle, also gave their daughter Princess Lilibet, now 4, the middle name of Diana.

In 2022, Prince Harry said that he always hoped to make his mother proud.

I certainly hope and believe everything I do makes her proud, the Duke of Sussex said then.

In the 12 short years I was lucky enough to have with her, I saw and felt the energy and lift she got from helping others, no matter their background, ailment or status. Her life and theirs were better for it, however short theirs or hers was, he said.
Peter Navarro, Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing under U.S. President Donald Trump, lashed out on Saturday (U.S. local time) after being fact-checked for spreading misinformation about India's purchase of Russian oil.

Reacting to a community note added to his post on X, Navarro dismissed the correction as crap and accused platform owner Elon Musk of enabling propaganda.

He doubled down on his claim that India is buying Russian oil solely to profit from the conflict.

"Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people's posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didn't buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American job", Navarro wrote on X.

His response came to an earlier post where he had accused India of profiteering from Russian oil in his latest slew of remarks, alongside alleging that India's tariffs cost Americans' jobs.

In a post on X on Friday (US local time), Navarro made the remarks in response to an article by the Washington Post, which described the conflicting efforts in Trump's administration over mending the relationship with India.

The news piece by The Washington Post claimed that the inflammatory language used by Washington towards New Delhi is deepening the crisis in the relationship. Navarro criticised the report and said, FACTS: India highest tariffs costs U.S. jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can't handle truth/spins @washpo Leftist American fake news.

Navarro's recent post on X comes shortly after the Ministry of External Affairs, during its press briefing on Friday, dismissed comments made by him, with the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal calling them inaccurate and misleading statements.

In recent months, India and the United States have held multiple rounds of negotiations aimed at finalising a bilateral trade deal. However, the talks have failed to conclude due to sharp differences in key sectors, particularly agriculture and dairy.

Bilateral trade between the two nations stood at approximately USD 130 billion last year, with expectations of continued growth. Despite this positive outlook, certain geopolitical and economic factors have strained ties, including US criticism of India's energy relationship with Russia.

Washington has repeatedly raised concerns over India's continued import of Russian crude oil. In response, India has defended its energy purchases, citing national interest and market-driven decisions as the basis for its procurement strategy.

Following the imposition of Western sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, India began buying Russian oil at discounted prices. As a result, Russias share of Indias total oil imports has surged from just 1.7% in 201920 to 35.1% in 202425, making Moscow New Delhis largest oil supplier.
Democrats are denouncing President Donald Trump after he posted an AI-generated image of himself styled as Robert Duvalls character from the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, paired with threats aimed at Chicago.

The image, labeled Chipocalypse Now, was accompanied by Trumps caption: I love the smell of deportations in the morning

The President added: Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR, referencing his recent executive order renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War.

The remarks come amid reports that the administration is weighing the use of the National Guard in Chicago, a proposal Illinois leaders have strongly opposed.

Newsom: Troops as political pawns California Governor Gavin Newsom accused Trump of abusing the military for political gain.

The President of the United States is deploying the military onto US streets and using our troops like political pawns, Newsom wrote on X. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BECOME NUMB TO THIS.

Newsom and Trump previously clashed when federal troops were deployed to Los Angeles during anti-ICE demonstrations.

Pritzker: Illinois wont be intimidated Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Trumps threats crossed a dangerous line.

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city, Pritzker posted. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isnt a strongman, hes a scared man. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

Chicago Mayor defends the city Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson highlighted recent declines in violent crime while pushing back against Trumps rhetoric.

The Presidents threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution, Johnson wrote. We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump.

Illinois Senators push back Illinois Democratic senators were quick to condemn Trumps comments.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, a combat veteran and retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, posted: No Donald, Chicago is not your war zone.

Senator Dick Durbin blasted Trump for misusing his platform.
A senior Republican, Mike Johnson, has alleged that US President Donald Trump served as an "FBI informant" against convicted Jeffrey Epstein.

According to a report by CNN, Johnson noted that Trump considered Epstein's actions a horrific, unspeakable evil and insisted that the president was misrepresented during the controversy surrounding the files in his second term.

In August 2019, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell while facing multiple sex-trafficking charges. His death was officially deemed a suicide, though it has fueled widespread conspiracy theories and public outrage.

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse continue to push Congress to pass legislation that would force the Department of Justice to release documents related to the case.

The pressure in Washington is growing, with increasing demands for transparency about Epsteins network and how the government has managed the investigation.

During remarks on Capitol Hill, Johnson alleged that Donald Trump has served as an FBI informant for decades, with ties dating back to Epsteins connection to Trumps Mar-A-Lago resort.

The White House has not yet responded to the allegations.

He's [Trump] is not saying that what Epstein did is a hoax, it's a terrible, unspeakable evil, he believes that himself. When he first heard the rumour, he kicked him out of Mar-A-Lago. He was an FBI informant trying to take this down. The president knows and has great sympathy for the women who have suffered these unspeakable harms. It's detestable to him; he and I have spoken about this, as recently as 24 hours ago, Johnson told reporters.

While Johnson sought to clarify Trump's stance, the president himself has dismissed calls for greater transparency in the Epstein case, describing the demand for more disclosures as a Democrat hoax, CNN reported.

It's really a Democrat hoax, because they're trying to get people to talk about something that's totally irrelevant to the success that we have had as a nation since I have been president, Trump told reporters.

In parallel, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna of California are leading a bipartisan bill to compel the release of the complete file. Massie is also working to force a floor vote on the measure through a discharge petition, which requires 218 signatures.

Massie wrote on X, "We have 214 signatures on the discharge petition to force a vote on a bill to release the Epstein files. I'm 99% certain we'll get 218. At that point @SpeakerJohnson may try to change the rules of the House, but chair of Rules Committee says she won't!"

So far, CNN reported, only four Republicans--Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace--have signed on. Survivors, meanwhile, face legal risks in releasing names themselves, with some lawmakers warning they could be "sued into homelessness." Massie suggested such a list might not materialize any time soon.

In another X post, he added, Survivors at our press conference announced they are privately compiling their own Epstein list. They would be sued into homelessness for naming names, but @RepMTG and I are willing to name names in the House of Representatives under Constitutional 'speech or debate' immunity.

Meanwhile, both Johnson and the White House have advised Republicans against supporting Massie's petition. A White House official warned that signing on would be viewed as a "very hostile act to the administration," CNN reported.

(With inputs from ANI, CNN)

(This is a developing story)

The president was 'misrepresented' during the controversy surrounding the files.
US President Donald Trump announced at the White House on Sunday (September 7) that he is prepared to escalate sanctions against Russia in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Trump did not provide detailed timelines or specifics of the potential measures. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, he responded, Yeah, I am, when asked if he was prepared to impose additional sanctions on Russia.

How do you know theres no action? Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside of China, theyre almost equal, would you say there was no action? That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia. You call that no action? And I havent done phase two yet or phase three, Trump said.

The Trump administration has slapped an extra 25% tariff on India over its Russian oil imports, doubling the earlier reciprocal levy and raising the total duties on New Delhi to 50%, effective August 27.

Push for stronger sanctions on Russian oil buyers US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated on Sunday that the United States is ready to collaborate with European nations to impose additional sanctions on countries purchasing Russian oil, aiming to collapse the Russian economy.

We are prepared to increase pressure on Russia, but we need our European partners to follow us, Bessent told NBC News.

Bessent emphasised the urgency of coordinated action, framing it as a race between Ukraines military resilience and Russias economic endurance.

We are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up, versus how long can the Russian economy hold up? And if the U.S. and the [European Union] can come in, do more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in total collapse, and that will bring [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin to the table, he added.

Previous measures and ongoing tensions The comments come after the Trump administration last month imposed 50% tariffs on India, targeting its continued purchase of Russian oil amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The statements coincided with Russia launching its largest air attack of the conflict overnight, killing at least four people and setting fire to a government building in Kyiv.

Ukraine supports tariffs on Russian oil buyers Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed agreement with the idea of imposing tariffs on nations continuing oil and gas purchases from Russia.

Im very thankful to all the partners, but some of them, I mean, they continue [to] buy oil and Russian gas and this is not fair, Zelensky said on ABC News.

I think, what I think, I think the idea to put tariffs on the countries who continue make deals with Russia. I think this right idea, he added.

Zelensky also indicated alignment with Trumps criticism of European countries still buying Russian energy.
United States President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order to change the name of Department of Defense to the Department of War, indicating America has the strongest military, but experts cite this will cost the taxpayers over $1 billion, reported The Independent.

In an article, published by Politico on Thursday, it was written that the change of name may cost billions of dollars as hundreds of Pentagon agencies, its global bases, stationery and other signage will need to be updated.

Also Read | Trump was FBI informant against Jeffrey Epstein, claims Republican

However, on being asked the amount needed to change the name, Trump told reporters on Friday, as quoted by The Independent, "Not a lot. We know how to rebrand without going crazy.

Despite the Trump administration's vowed to cut wasteful spending, the name change will cost the government money, added the report.

Earlier in February, the Biden administrations 2026 fiscal year budget  about $50 billion or 8 percent  was proposed to be cut by the Pentagon to fund Trumps priorities. This included border security and ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing," the daily quoted a press release by the deputy defense secretary  Robert G. Salesses  at the time as saying.

Also Read | Trump hints at major immigration action in Chicago

Previously changed names too: Backing the change in name proposal, Trump had stated that the Pentagons name was changed several times in the last month.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said, "Everybody likes that we had an unbelievable history of victory when it was Department of War.

Earlier, in the late 1940s, after the end of World War II, the Pentagon's name was changed to the Department of Defense.

In an interview with Fox & Friends on Wednesday, now-Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said, as quoted by The Independent, "We won WWI, and we won WWII, not with the Department of Defense, but with a War Department  with the Department of War. As the president has said, we're not just defense, we're offense.

Also Read | Donald Trump signs order to grant tariff exemptions starting Monday

Meanwhile, the US President also mentioned that he would put the proposal ahead of Congress. On being asked if Congress would codify the name change into law, Trump said, I dont knowbut Im not sure they have to. But he did say, Well put it before Congress.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has expressed that he thinks more sanctions and secondary tariffs on Russia as well as countries that buy Russian oil, which includes India, could bring about an economic collapse in Moscow.

Such an action will bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the table to talk about a peaceful solution regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

Bessent in an interview on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday said that the US and Europe are discussing ways to increase sanctions and secondary tariffs on such countries.

We are prepared to increase pressure on Russia, but we need our partners in Europe to follow, Bessent said.

The Treasury Secretary did not name India in his attack when he referred to to countries that buy Russian oil, but the US has been targeting India in its mission to punish Russian trade partners.

We are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up versus how long can the Russian economy hold up? And if the US and the EU can come in with more sanctions, more secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse and that will bring President Putin to the table, Bessent said.

However, he stressed the need for support from EU countries, saying, We need our European partners to follow us, because if the US and the EU do this together, we are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up versus how long can the Russian economy hold up?

Scott Bessent said that he was meeting with European nations' leaders on Monday to discuss more economic pressure.

Russia cripples under sanctions Russia is already under crippling sanctions from both the US and Europe, but has found customers for Russian oil and gas in India and elsewhere.

Trumps plans for a quick negotiated end to the nearly four-year war that began when Russia invaded Ukraine have evaporated after a summit with Putin in Alaska last month. Since then, Russia has continued to bombard Ukraine, with an assault Sunday on the main Ukrainian government complex in Kyiv, an attack deemed a serious escalation of the conflict.

Last week, Trump demanded more economic pressure from Europe on Putin, including a total halt to purchases of Russian oil and gas, according to Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

Is India in danger? India has already been hit with a 50 per cent US tariffs by President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly accused New Delhi of buying Russian oil despite countries like China, who also purchase Russian energy, continue to enjoy lower tariffs. The Trump tariffs on India is among the highest in the world, alongside Brazil.

However, in the recent days, Donald Trump's accusatory tone against India seems to have softened.

Trump on September 5 said India and the US have a special relationship and there is nothing to worry about.

I will always be friends with Modi, he is a great prime minister, he's great, the US President said.

However, he explained that he just doesn't like what he (Modi) is doing at this particular moment, while noting that they will always be friends.

But India and the United States have a special relationship. There is nothing to worry about, Donald Trump said.

Also Read | Ukraine attacks Russia's crucial Druzhba oil pipeline

Responding to his comments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday fully reciprocated the positive assessment of the India-US relationship.

Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump's sentiments and positive assessment of our ties, Modi said.
President Donald Trump's administration plans to step up workplace immigration enforcement following a raid at a Hyundai facility in Georgia that resulted in hundreds of arrests, White House border czar Tom Homan said on Sunday (September 7).

Speaking on CNN, Homan said, Were going to do more worksite enforcement operations. No one hires an illegal alien out of the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they can work them harder, pay them less, undercut the competition that hires U.S. citizen employees.

Sanctuary cities targeted next Homan confirmed that Chicago and other sanctuary cities could see enforcement action in the coming week.

Absolutely. You can expect action in most sanctuary cities across the country, Homan said. President Trumps prioritized sanctuary cities because sanctuary cities knowingly release illegal alien public safety threats to the streets every day. Thats where the problem is.

He added, We dont have that problem in Florida, where every sheriff and chief works for us, right, or Texas, so we got to send additional resources to the problem areas, which are sanctuary cities.

Coordination with local officials Homan pushed back on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzkers claim that state officials were not notified about potential operations.

Governor Pritzker has been notified from day one, he said. ICE agents have been flooding the zone in Chicago for a while now. We were there last week. We were there the week before.

Homan also hinted that the National Guard could be deployed to assist in large-scale enforcement efforts.

Homan emphasised that enforcement targets employers and criminal elements, not US citizens: Were going to send additional resources to all sanctuary cities. But this isnt new to him [Gov. Pritzker]. He knows weve been there. The mayor, Johnson, has failed to work with us.

Trump suggests Chicago as a target President Trump has repeatedly suggested that Chicago could be the next focus for federal immigration operations. The administrations recent actions follow months of tougher rhetoric on illegal immigration and the use of federal resources to target sanctuary cities.

On Saturday, Trump posted a meme on Truth Social referencing the 1979 Vietnam War movie Apocalypse Now, showing the Chicago skyline with flames and helicopters, which drew criticism for its militaristic imagery.

Homan defended the post, saying, Its being taken out of context. The Trump administration is only going to war with criminals and those violating immigration laws.

Impact on industries and workers During the Georgia Hyundai raid, authorities arrested 475 people on immigration violations, most of whom were South Korean nationals. According to ICE officials, some had crossed the border illegally while others held visas that did not permit employment.
The US strike that destroyed an alleged Venezuelan drug-running vessel in the Caribbean, killing 11 people, signalled a sharp escalation in President Donald Trump's hardline approach to Latin America, which Vice President JD Vance called the best use of US military.

Vance took to the social media platform X to defend a recent U.S. military strike on a Venezuelan drug boat that resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals. In a post on X, Vance wrote, Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.

However, the incident has sparked controversy, with critics accusing the Trump-led administration of war crimes.

Liberal commentator Brian Krassenstein criticised Vance's stance, alleging that the strike amounted to a war crime. Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime, Krassenstein wrote.

Vance, however, dismissed the criticism, replying, Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military. In a blunt retort to Krassenstein's accusation, Vance added, I dont give a shit what you call it.

The U.S. president is weighing options for further strikes, including potentially attacking suspected drug cartel targets inside Venezuela, CNN reported on Friday, citing multiple sources briefed on the administration's plans. Such a strike would mark a major escalation.

The Trump administration has ordered the deployment of 10 F-35 fighter jets to an airbase in Puerto Rico to support operations targeting drug cartels in the region, according to sources cited by Reuters on Friday.

This latest move adds to an already significant US military presence in the southern Caribbean, aligning with President Trump's campaign pledge to crack down on drug trafficking networks operating near US borders.

News of the F-35 deployment emerged just hours after the Pentagon condemned a highly provocative manoeuvre by Venezuelan fighter jets near a U.S. Navy warship on Thursday.

In response, Trump issued a stern warning to Venezuela, stating that American forces have the authority to shoot down any aircraft that poses a threat. If they do put us in a dangerous position, theyll be shot down, he declared.

Also Read: Trump Taunting Maduro on Venezuela Coast Spurs Questions on Goal

The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros government of being deeply involved in drug trafficking, claims that Caracas firmly denies.

Trump has specifically alleged that Maduro oversees Tren de Aragua, a violent criminal organisation that the US officially designated a foreign terrorist group in February. The Maduro government, however, insists the group was dismantled during a 2023 prison raid and maintains there is no ongoing connection between the state and the gang, AP reported.
Amid a tumultuous phase of the India-US relationship, political lobbyist Jason Miller met US President Donald Trump in Washington. Miller's lobbying firm was hired by New Delhi a few months back to push the Indian government's diplomatic outreach to the Trump administration.

Describing his visit to Washington as a fantastic week, Miller said that the trip was topped off by having seen President Trump in-action.

Fantastic week in Washington with so many friends being in town, topped off of course by having the opportunity to stop in and see our President in-action, he wrote in a post on X alongside a photo with Donald Trump.

While the official agenda of the meeting has not been disclosed yet, the visit comes at a significant time as the US-India trade relations continue to face pressure amid Trump tariffs on India.

Also Read | Why Trumps tariffs may not kill the contest for toy startups

Who is Jason Miller? The Indian government hired SHW Partners LLC headed by Jason Miller, a Donald Trump aide, in April as part of its efforts to bolster its diplomatic ties with the US with a monthly fees of $150,000.

This is not a new practice. This has been in place for several decades and under successive governments since the 1950s. These firms have been regularly engaged by the Embassy as per the requirement of the situation. All such engagements are available in the public domain. In the run up to the Nuclear Deal in 2007 and thereafter, firms were engaged to strengthen Indias case. I should also add that such a practice is common among Embassies and other organizations in Washington DC and in other parts of the US, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said in May.

Also Read | Donald Trump signs order to grant tariff exemptions starting Monday

SHW Partners LLC in April had disclosed about its $1.8 million contract with the Indian government for a period of one year.

Jason Miller, who heads the lobbying firm, is a veteran of Donald Trump's political campaigns and gained popularity in 2016 when he served as the President's chief media spokesperson.

Known for his vehement support to Trump, Miller was initially up for assuming the White House communications director following Trump's 2016 election win but had to withdraw from the race following accusations by another official. He was allegedly involved in an extramarital affair with the concerned official and impregnated her. He was later accused of sexual abuse and rape by the official.

Despite his past, Miller has been in Trump's close circle and campaigned for him during the 2020 and 2024 elections. He has worked with Republican politicians including Senator Ted Cruz, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised US President Donald Trumps recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, saying it handed Russian President what he wanted. His remarks came in an interview with ABC News, days before Russia launched its largest wave of airstrikes since the start of the war.

Speaking to the news outlet, Zelensky lamented Ukraines absence from the Alaska meeting.

Its a pity that Ukraine was not there, because I think that President Trump gave, gave Putin what he wanted, Zelensky was quoted as saying.

Putin doesnt want to meet with me, but he wants very much to meet with the president of the United States, to show everybody video and images that he is there.

Record drone assault on Ukraine Zelenskys comments came just before Russia unleashed more than 800 drones and other munitions across Ukraine on Saturday night. Ukraines Air Force described it as a record assault, which killed at least eight civilians and injured 59 more. The governments cabinet building in Kyiv was among the targets.

Calls for tougher sanctions Zelensky pressed the US and its European allies to increase economic pressure on Moscow.

We all understand that we need additional pressure on Putin. We need pressure from the United States, he told the news outlet.

Some of [Europes partners] continue to buy oil and Russian gas. And this is not fair So we have to stop buying any kind of energy from Russia. This is only one way how to stop the killer. Energy is his weapon.

On meeting Putin: He can come to Kyiv Zelensky dismissed Moscows demand that he travel to Russia for direct talks with Putin.

He can come to Kyiv, Zelensky said. I cant go to Moscow when my country is under missiles, under attacks each day. I cant go to this capital of this terrorist. Its understandable. And he understands it.

While ruling out a meeting on Russian soil, Zelensky said a bilateral or trilateral dialogue remained possible.

Im ready for any kind of meeting  but not in Russia, he told ABC News.

Security guarantees and lasting peace Zelensky reiterated that Ukraines long-term safety depends primarily on its military strength.

Any security guarantees in Ukraine can be based only on our army, he said.

He welcomed Trumps stated desire to end the conflict but stressed the need for a just and lasting peace.

Its important to finish and not to have aggression again in six months, in one year, in two years, he said.

Defining victory: To survive is a victory Asked by the news outlet what victory looks like for Ukraine, Zelensky offered a stark answer: Putins goal is to occupy Ukraine. Until he can do it, the victory is on our side. For us, to survive is a victory. Because we are surviving with our identity, with our country, with our independence.

Also Read | Trump threatens second stage of sanctions on Russia over conflict in Ukraine
Israel on Sunday said that the Houthi militant group has launched a drone attack that hit the southern airport of the country. The drone attack has triggered closure of the airspace and halting of flights to and from the airport, the Israeli military said on the day.

The Houthis launched multiple drones towards Israel, the military said, adding that some of them were intercepted before they reached the country. However, at least one drone hit near the Ramon International Airport near the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

Israel's airports authority informed about the airspace closure above the Ramon airport earlier on Sunday, without providing an immediate reason for the closure.

Israel investigates Houthi drone attack Israel said it was investigating the crash of the drone launched from Yemen. While the military said that the incident was under review, it did not provide details or nature of the impact.

The airport located near the resort city of Eilat on the border with Jordan and Egypt mostly handles domestic flights.

Also Read | Who was Ahmed al-Rahawi? Houthi rebel prime minister killed in Israeli airstrike

The Iran-backed Houthis have been launching missiles and drones thousands of kilometres north towards Israel, in what the group says are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis recently stepped up attacks and missile launches on Israel. Most of the dozens of missiles and drones launched have been intercepted or fallen short of targets.

The Israeli military said on Thursday a missile launched from Yemen towards Israel fell in an open area outside Israeli territory and no sirens were activated, the third such launch within less than 24 hours.

Also Read | Israel Hits Houthi Targets in Yemeni Port to Halt Missile Fire

In May, a Houthi missile hit near Israels main airport, injuring four people lightly and causing many airlines to cancel their flights to Israel for months. Israel later struck and destroyed the main airport in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
Almost two days after the earthquake, the relief did not touch even a single woman in Afghanistan due to strict gender rules and cultural restrictions, ANI quoted a New York Times report.

The report mentions that Taliban's "no skin contact with unrelated males" rule prohibits male rescuers from physically assisting women, even in life-threatening situations. Due to this rule, there has been delays or denial of medical care to women trapped under rubble.

Lamenting Taliban restrictions and cultural barriers' 19-year-old Aysha survivor from Andarluckak in Kunar Province stated that injured women and girls facing a dire lack of medical care were left behind and many without help.

She also described a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and said many women were left trapped under debris or untreated. "Some of them bleeding, were pushed aside," said Aysha, as per New York Times, adding "They gathered us in one corner and forgot about us."

Ban on women's enrollment in medical education: Taliban had long imposed ban on women studying medicine and working in public roles, which has resulted in a severe shortage of female healthcare workers, resulting in making it difficult to provide medical care to women in rural areas.

Earlier in 2024, the Taliban imposed a ban on women's enrollment in medical education, and the dearth of female doctors and rescue workers has been all too evident in the wake of the earthquake.

Women were left under stones: A male volunteer who travelled to Mazar Dara  Tahzeebullah Muhazeb  stated that the all-male medical team were hesitant to pull women out from under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Also Read | Russia becomes first nation to formally recognize Taliban rule in Afghanistan

He added that all the trapped and injured women were left under stones, waiting for women from other villages to reach the site and dig them out.

"It felt like women were invisible," NYT quoted Muhazeb as saying, who added, "The men and children were treated first, but the women were sitting apart, waiting for care."

According to NYT, rescue workers dragged dead women out by their clothes, so as not to make skin contact. Even some women had to rely on strangers from neighbouring villages to rescue them.

Not only the rescue teams arrived late, a few women were ignored or not prioritised for medical care.

Over 2,200 people died and 3,600 others were injured in the magnitude six quake that flattened countless hamlets and villages, according to figures released by Afghanistan's government.

What the UN says: The response by authorities has epitomised the dual standards that women and girls face in Afghanistan. "Women and girls will again bear the brunt of this disaster, so we must ensure their needs are at the heart of the response and recovery," the special representative for UN Women Afghanistan, Susan Ferguson, said in a statement this week.

Expressing concerns over the Taliban's gender policies, the United Nations and human rights organisations emphasised the need for gender-sensitive disaster response planning and policies that ensure equal access to aid for all individuals.

According to the NYT report, which cited more than half a dozen doctors, rescue workers and women in areas hit by the quake, that the Taliban have not released a gender breakdown of the casualties and women have faced an especially harsh ordeal.

Taliban's strict cultural and religious norms state that only a woman's close male relative  her father, brother, husband or son  is permitted to touch her. While, Women are not allowed to touch men outside their family.
The Government of Nepal has blocked major social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube, after the companies failed to comply with new regulations requiring them to officially register with Nepali authorities.

Several social media users report receiving error messages such as Hmm... something went wrong. This site cant be reached, and Safari cant connect to the server when trying to log in through browsers, sparking frustration and speculation online.

The disruptions come as authorities begin implementing a controversial policy requiring all social media platforms to register with the government to operate within the country.

I tried logging in to Facebook via Safari and Google Chrome, but it's not working anymore. For the time being, the app on mobile is working, but I am confident that it will also go dark; it's just a matter of time, Monika Malla, a University graduate, told ANI.

Social media users in Nepal have been turning to alternative platforms to stay informed amid the ongoing outage. As of 10:45 PM (NPT), services like WhatsApp, Twitter, and YouTube continued to function normally.

Why did Nepal ban social media platforms? The disruption follows the Nepali government's decision on Thursday to block 26 social media platforms for operating without official registration.

A meeting led by Communication and Information Technology Minister Prithivi Subba Gurung, along with ministry officials, representatives from the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, telecom operators and internet service providers, made the decision.

According to ministry officials, all unregistered platforms will be restricted with immediate effect. The government had set a seven-day deadline for mandatory registration, which expired on Wednesday past midnight.

However, major social media platforms such as Meta (Facebook, Alphabet, X, Reddit, and LinkedIn) have not yet contacted the Ministry regarding the process. Officials had earlier warned that platforms failing to comply would face a gradual suspension of their services in Nepal.

Currently, platforms such as Viber, TikTok, Wetalk and Nimbuzz are registered, while Telegram and Global Diary are in the process. Widely used platforms like Facebook, Twitter (X), and WhatsApp have yet to initiate registration.

This move follows a Supreme Court order and a recent ministerial meeting led by Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung. How do Nepalis living abroad talk to their family and home starting today? a social media user questioned in X following the enforcement.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology clarified that the restriction will apply nationwide and that any unregistered platforms found operating in Nepal will also face the same ban. The government has emphasised that platforms may resume operation once they complete registration, ensuring compliance with national regulations.

All other major social media and communication platforms, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Reddit, Discord, Pinterest, Signal, Threads, WeChat, Quora, Tumblr, Clubhouse, Rumble, Mi Video, Mi Vike, Line, Imo, Jalo, Sol, and Hamro Patro, will be blocked until they complete the registration process.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court issued a mandamus order nearly five years after writ petitions were filed seeking restrictions on advertisements and content broadcast through unlicensed social media platforms, OTT apps, and internet browsers.

A joint bench of Justices Tek Prasad Dhungana and Shanti Singh Thapa on Wednesday heard three related writ petitions together and ruled in favor of the petitioners.

In December 2020, advocates B.P. Gautam and Anita Bajgain had filed writs demanding a ban on unrestricted broadcasts, including foreign advertisements, through social media platforms.

Similarly, Manoj Gurung, General Secretary of the Nepal Cable Television Federation, had filed a writ of the same nature.

The court consolidated the cases before issuing the mandamus, effectively directing that unlicensed platforms must stop broadcasting advertisements and content without legal permission.

Last Thursday, the government issued a notice requiring all social media platforms--including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google, and Gmail--that had not yet registered in Nepal to complete the registration process.

The seven-day ultimatum ended on Wednesday, but no platform operators have submitted applications to register in the country. The government has repeatedly issued notices asking social media platforms operating in Nepal, whether from within the country or abroad, to register.

Government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, addressing the National Assembly on August 19, said that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, was repeatedly urged to register in Nepal, but it responded that it was not ready to comply with Nepal's laws and constitution.

According to the ministry's notice, operational platforms are required to register with the ministry, designate contact points in Nepal, appoint officials to receive local complaints, and assign compliance monitoring officers.
Ukraine on Sunday it launched an attack on Russia's Bryansk region, striking the Druzhba oil pipeline that acts as a crude supplier to two European countries.

In a statement on the Telegram app, Ukraine's commander of drone forces Robert Brovdi said that the attack had inflicted comprehensive fire damage to the crucial oil pipeline, Reuters said in a report.

Livemint could not independently verify the report. Russia has not issued a statement regarding the supposed attack yet.

The transit pipeline supplies Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, which continue to buy energy supplies from Russia, even after other European Union nations cut ties following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ukraine has said that its attack on Russia's energy facilities aim to undermine Moscow's overall attempt at war, which has continued with its offence against Kyiv since 2022.

Russia's oil shipments to both Hungary and Slovakia have been disrupted several time in the recent weeks due to Ukraine's attack on the Druzhba oil pipeline. The channel runs from Russia via Ukraine to reach Slovakia.

Russia launches largest air attack on Ukraine Russia struck Ukraine's main government building in Kyiv for the first time in an overnight attack on Sunday, killing at least two people, including a one-year-old.

This was the largest overnight air attack launched by Russia on Ukraine since the war started in 2022, Ukrainian officials said, adding that Moscow fired 805 drones and 13 missiles across the country.

For the first time, the Government building was damaged by an enemy strike  its roof and upper floors, Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Also Read | Putin says foreign troops deployed to Ukraine before any peace deal would be legitimate targets

Smoke was seen bellowing from the massive Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv, with Svyrydenko saying that crews are extinguishing a blaze.

Ukraine's State Emergency Service said that at least 18 people were injured in the attack,

Ukraine's Air Force said on Telegram that Russia launched 805 drones into Ukraine overnight and 13 missiles, with Ukrainian defence units downing 751 drones and four missiles.

The latest Russian attack on Ukraine also damaged residential buildings. Heavy damage was seen in one of the nine-storey apartment blocks in Kyiv, with several floors being partially destroyed, according to authorities.

Also Read | Putin wagers Ukraines army will break before his economy does
Russia's largest overnight air attack of the war set the main building of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv on fire and left three people dead, including an infant, whose body was pulled from the rubble, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.

"For the first time, the Government building was damaged by an enemy strike  its roof and upper floors," Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, said on the Telegram messaging app.

"Rescuers are extinguishing the fire."

Reuters' witnesses saw the top floor of the main building of the Ukrainian government, located in the historic Pecherskyi district, burning, with thick smoke rising into the clear blue sky just after sunrise.

Ukraine's Air Force said on Telegram that Russia launched 805 drones into Ukraine overnight and 13 missiles, with Ukrainian defence units downing 751 drones and four missiles.

That was the highest number of drones Russia has used to attack the country since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Timur Tkachenko, the head of the capital's military administration, said that the infant's body was pulled from the rubble in the Darnytskyi district where a four-storey apartment building was damaged.

A young woman also died as a result of the attack on the district, which lies to the east of the Dnipro River, Tkachenko said.

Also Read | Putin wagers Ukraines army will break before his economy does

State emergency officials said that 18 people were injured in the overnight attack that sowed fires throughout the city.

Moscow did not immediately comment on the attacks. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the strikes, but thousands have died in the war Russia launched with a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Earlier, Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said an elderly woman died in a bomb shelter in Darnytskyi and a pregnant woman was among those injured.

State emergency officials said a fire broke out in two of the four stories of a residential building in the district that hit in the drone attack, with its structure partially destroyed.

Also Read | Putin says Russia will strike any western troops in Ukraine

DRONE DEBRIS

In the western district of Sviatoshynskyi, several floors of a nine-storey residential building were partially destroyed, Klitschko and emergency officials said.

Falling drone debris set off fires in a 16-storey apartment building and two more nine-storey buildings, the mayor added.

Svyrydenko called for more weapons for Ukraine and for the world to respond to the Russian attacks.

"We will rebuild the buildings," Svyrydenko said. "But lost lives cannot be brought back. The enemy terrorizes and kills our people across the country every day."

Smoke billowed out of apartment buildings, some with floors partially collapsed and facades crumbled, photographs on social media posted by emergency officials showed.

Russia was "deliberately and consciously striking civilian targets", said Tkachenko, the Kyiv military administrator, on Telegram.

Dozens of explosions also shook Ukraine's central city of Kremenchuk, cutting power to some areas and damaging a bridge across the Dnipro River, the city's Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi said on Telegram.

Also Read | India flags increased fuel prices for global south amid Ukraine war | 10 points

Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih, also in central Ukraine, targeted transport and urban infrastructure, Oleksandr Vilkul, the head of the military administration for the city, said on Telegram, but no injuries were reported.

In the southern city of Odesa, civilian infrastructure and residential buildings were damaged, with fires breaking out in several apartment blocks, regional governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram.
I remember a late-night news broadcast in the late 2000s showing a massive queue outside a storefront emblazoned with Apples logo. The report was about the launch of a new kind of smartphonean unknown concept in the glory days of Nokia and BlackBerrythat had sparked such frenzy in New York City that lines outside Apples store stretched for kilometres.

Back then, this experience was unique.

Now, until 2023, Apple didnt have a single physical store in India. It first opened an outlet in Mumbais Bandra-Kurla Complex, followed by another in Delhi. On 2 September, the iPhone maker opened its third own store in the country in Bengaluruafter a gap of more than two years.

I imagined that the craze would have faded. It turns out, not quite.

In consumer gadgets, Apple remains one of the few brands that actually runs its stores by itself. Over time, these shops have become a hallmark for a company that still retains a certain halo around its products, offering music and photography sessions and a retail experience that is closely controlled by the brand and not left for third parties to interpret.

But despite its unique appeal, an Apple device is no longer the rarity it once waseven before the pandemicthanks to thousands of third-party retailers and the companys own online store.

Yet, more than 5,000 people thronged the Bengaluru store on its very first day.

Isnt Bengaluru a city where traffic daunts daily lifeand Tuesdays are part of the peak weekday grind? Yes, but that didnt stop Apple from commanding a frenzy few gadgets inspire today, especially in an age when smartphones are already ubiquitous.

Apple, it turns out, isnt the only one. Samsung, Apples closest rival in most gadget categories, operates at a different scale altogether. In an interview with me, Raju Pullanthe companys chief of mobile businesssaid the company is present across over 100,000 stores in India! And theyre now placing AI agents, Wi-Fi hotspots, trained experience executives, and company-provided tablets in stores, even in tier-V cities.

All of this made for one of Mints front-page stories last week.

A subtle chip flex

Last week, India hosted its fourth edition of Semicon, a global semiconductor conference hosted by various countries. Interestingly, the conference was held at a time when India didnt particularly have any headlining announcements or grand unveilings to make.

The second tranche of the India Semiconductor Mission remains under evaluation and hasnt yet been submitted for cabinet approval. Four government-approved chip-testing plants are producing pilot chips; a fifth has existed for decades and is in the expansion phase now. Four more have only just been approved, and the solitary chip fab is still in the construction phase.

Yet, India got the chief executives of Tokyo Electron, Merck, and the venerable ASML to headline the conference. It even brought forth a billion-dollar venture capital fund and built a coalition of recognizable investors to create the India Deep-Tech Alliance to run it.

Front-lining all of this was a showcase plaque of chips built and designed in Indiaone by the governments chip factory in Mohali (more on this later), four pilot chips assembled locally, and the rest fabricated elsewhere but designed across 276 technical colleges and universities in the country.

Veterans of the semiconductor field made an interesting observation: Each of Indias moves was at least partially a subtle, indirect flex at US President Donald Trump, as if to say that Indias ability to attract top companies is not dependent on American sanctions.

It is, of course, not so straightforward and easy to interpretwe all know how intricately intertwined and reliant on specific geographies the semiconductor industry is. However, as Christophe Fouquet of ASML and Kai Beckmann of Merck told me on the first day of Semicon, they both expect India to play a bigger role in the global chip supply chain, and building its supply chain can thus give companies a greater commercial opportunity in future.

It may not seem much, but theres more than what meets the eye for why India wants to build its own computing chips. For now, the contributions have not begun kicking in, but once they do, most expect the industry to scale up well.

A $300-billion tariff threat

On the other side of semiconductors, Indias nearly $300-billion tech outsourcing industry isnt particularly thrilled with flexing muscles in the face of a US-driven global tariff war. Mints resident IT services correspondent, Jas Bardia, last week tracked six tech services firms that have now called out the risks of businesses rising out of Trumps tariff threats to Indiaand the impact that this may have.

This, to be sure, only felt like a matter of time. Indias tech services industry is heavily reliant on North America, and nearly half of its revenue comes from one regionthe US. As tariffs rise and the threat of trade wars becomes very real, businesses such as HCL Technologies, Wipro, and Coforge face rising pressure from slowing cross-border tech spending.

Gaming cases, job cuts

Mint's tracking of the impact on online money games as a result of the Centres ban continued last week, too. Companies have begun laying offthree recognizable names: Games24x7, MPL, and Baazi Games have laid off half or more of their staff.

Meanwhile, theres no possible respite in sight. At the start of last week, information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw met industry stakeholders at his office and underlined that compliance with the ban is a blanket necessityno room for negotiations there.

The big companies, Dream11 and Games24x7, have both said publicly that they do not intend to challenge the law in courtat least with their own names. Appeals filed at high courts to prevent the government from notifying the law have all been rejected.

So, what now? Gameskraft has told its staff to come up with ideas for the company's next move. As for the rest, the industry is best described as in limbo at the moment.

In other news: GST scores, Trump snubs Musk

The overhaul in Indias goods and services tax (GST) regime brought some respite to consumer electronics. This festive season, youre likely to get coveted large-screen televisions, as well as air conditioners, at a considerable discount. The same, though, isnt true for smartphones.

Industry folks told us that they had made an appeal, but by the sound of it, even the appeal itself was half-heartedour math said if the Centre reduced tax on smartphones to 5%, it wouldve lost 3% of its annual tax collection. That, many say, was never going to happen.

In America, meanwhile, the tides have shifted among techs superheroes. On Thursday night, Trump hosted a dinner for the countrysand in many ways the worldstop tech executives. The guest list was as star-studded as expected: Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, and Sam Altman, among others. One name, though, was conspicuously absentTrumps once-favourite tech bro, Elon Musk.

The revelation truly puts a spotlight on how equations at the echelons of power can shiftand why seemingly invincible tech stalwarts, even of Silicon Valley, arent immortal after all.

We wrap up for now, but will be back next week with an exciting investigation into Indias first chip fab, remodelling a home with just Googles Pixel 10 smartphone, delving into the war for core tech jobs between Bengaluru and Hyderabad, and why the governments communication networks are primed for a long-overdue upgrade. Adios!

Transformer by Mint is a weekly newsletter that brings Indias most important and interesting technology updates under one umbrella. As the world transforms with every day of innovation, Transformer will keep tabs on the impact that technologies will make in each of our lives. Published every week, the newsletter brings some of Indias tech landscapes most insightful coverage to date.
As his troops and tanks close in on Gaza City, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a swift victory over Hamas even as one of his top generals suggested the war could last at least another year.

International concern is rising about the fate of Palestinian civilians already suffering from mass displacement and severe food shortages that the UN designates as famine in places.

Some European powers are poised to recognize Palestinian statehood in defiance of Israeli and US arguments that such a move amounts to rewarding Hamas for the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza and across the region.

Netanyahu  whose government denies theres famine in Gaza  described Gaza City, the enclaves de facto capital, as Hamas last important stronghold, whose fall was necessary to defeat the Iran-backed Islamist group and recover the last 48 hostages it holds.

Im aware of the price we are paying in the diplomatic and information space, Netanyahu told his cabinet on Sunday in broadcast remarks.

With the wars second anniversary a month away, the chief of Israel Defense Forces operations, Brigadier-General Israel Shomer, said he hoped fighting would be over before yet another year passes.

Its very hard to put ones finger on the point at which you can say, This is the line at which Hamas puts up its hands in surrender. Do we feel more than previously that were very close to this point? My answer is yes, Shomer told Army Radio.

But he added: If we have to, we can also prepare ourselves to deal with this for years hence.

According to Netanyahu, 100,000 civilians have left Gaza City in recent days, as instructed by the Israeli army. That means as many as 900,000 remain, a potential obstacle should the military operation authorized a month ago escalate into an all-out assault.

Within Gaza City, the number of residents heading south is increasing, despite attempts by Hamas to deter them from heeding evacuation orders, according to people familiar with the situation on the ground.

Hamas backers are flooding social media with calls for people to stay put: portraying conditions in Gazas south as worse than their current situation, belittling those whove chosen to leave, and offering much lower estimates of the number whove fled.

Activists also filmed people burning evacuation leaflets dropped by Israeli planes. Some displaced people reported having been threatened.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Hamas could avert a siege by negotiating an end-of-war deal under which it would disarm, its leaders would go into exile, and all hostages would be handed over.

We will be more than happy to reach this objective by political means, by diplomatic means, Saar told reporters.

Hamas, widely considered a terrorist group in the West, so far has offered Israel only a third, time-limited truce under which it would return some hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and increased aid shipments.

Hamas killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 in the Oct. 7, assaults. The ensuing war has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel has lost more than 450 troops in Gaza combat.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Lunar Eclipse Today Highlights: Sky-watchers witnessed the mesmerising total lunar eclipse in their cities across the country. The partial phase continues till 1:26 am, with the eclipse concluding at 2:25 am, as per reports.

According to PTI, Niruj Mohan Ramanujam, Head of Science, Communication, Public Outreach and Education (SCOPE) Section Indian Institute of Astrophysics said, "The Moon will be fully eclipsed from 11.01 pm to 12.23 am for a duration of 82 minutes."

The total lunar eclipse was visible across Asia, as well as in parts of Europe, Africa, and Western Australia. Sundays event marked the longest total lunar eclipse seen from India since 2022, and the first one since July 27, 2018, that was visible from every region of the country.

Indias next view of a total lunar eclipse will occur on December 31, 2028.

Eclipses are relatively uncommon because the Moons orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees relative to the Earths orbit around the Sun, meaning they dont happen with every full or new moon.
Microsoft has confirmed that its Azure cloud services are once again operating normally after a disruption linked to damage to several undersea cables in the Red Sea.

Azure services resume normal operations The technology giant said on Saturday that it was no longer detecting issues across its platform, following earlier warnings that some customers could face higher latency. According to an update on the companys service status page, the disruption had particularly affected data traffic moving between Asia and Europe through the Middle East.

Damage to subsea cables and mitigation efforts While Microsoft did not specify how the subsea cables were damaged, the firm explained that its engineering teams had been actively working to reroute traffic and minimise delays. Undersea fibre cuts can take time to repair, as such we will continuously monitor, rebalance, and optimise routing to reduce customer impact in the meantime, the company said in a prior statement.

The Red Sea is considered one of the worlds most important digital corridors, linking Europe with Africa and Asia through Egypt. Restoring connectivity in the region can be a complex process, made more difficult by ongoing instability and security risks. Shipping routes in the area have faced repeated attacks by Yemens Houthi movement, further complicating cable repair operations.

Despite the challenges, Microsoft now reports that its services have returned to stable conditions, although monitoring and optimisation efforts will continue as repairs to the affected infrastructure are undertaken.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is stepping up its cybersecurity measures by beginning the second phase of mandatory multifactor authentication (MFA) enforcement for Azure users from 1 October 2025.

The move follows the companys research showing that MFA can prevent more than 99 per cent of account compromise attempts, making it one of the most effective defences against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.

In August 2024, Microsoft announced its plan to introduce compulsory MFA for Azure Public Cloud sign-ins, rolling out the requirement in phases to give customers time to adapt. The first phase, covering access to the Azure Portal, Microsoft Entra admin centre and Intune admin centre, reached full implementation across all Azure tenants in March 2025.

The second phase will now extend MFA enforcement to Azure Resource Manager operations carried out through a range of clients, including the Azure CLI, PowerShell, REST APIs, SDK libraries, the Azure Mobile App and Infrastructure as Code tools. Deployment will be managed gradually via Azure Policy, in line with Microsofts safe deployment practices.
The students of Big Ridge Elementary are learning about investing into their future.

Hamilton County Schools said charitable givers Dane and Sheila Boyington gave a gift to all the kindergarten and first-grade students: an extra $50 in their Chattanooga Future Fund savings account.

Big Ridge students get bonus money for Chattanooga Future Fund Shelia and Dane Boyington are proud former Big Ridge Elementary parents, who are giving back, with $50 donations to each kindergarten and first grade student.

The program, which started in January of this year, is intended to boost children's college and career savings early to assist students in their post-graduation plans.

Every kindergartner and middle schooler in Hamilton County Schools have $100 in this special savings account. They can use this money later for college, trade school, or other learning after high school.

Led by Chattanooga 2.0, with help from the Tennessee Department of Treasury and Pinnacle Bank.

The Boyingtons have special ties to Big Ridge, HCS says. Both of their daughters attended the school, and Shelia serves on the future fund's board.

Even a small gift from our community can reach students and parents in a personal way," she stated in a release. "It shows them saving matters. It also helps kids start to imagine their life after high school.

Before the unveiling event, the students wrote on a piece of paper what they wanted to be when they grew up. Throughout the announcement, students read out what they wrote.

Deputy Superintendent Sonia Stewart, who spoke at the unveiling event, said this commitment is an investment in each young person.

"We believe in you," she said. "We want you to follow your dreams written on the papers you hold."

Hamilton County Schools says they are thankful for the people who contribute to the future fund:

"Kids learn that saving a little early can matter a lot later. In Hamilton County Schools, we want students at every grade level to know they matter. We want our students to thrive and experience a future without limits. Our strategic plan shows this when we say our goal is for every community served."
It was in 2004, when Jacinta Darmon travelled to San Vincenzo, a small town in the Tuscan Region of Italy, to work with a local artisanal family Baker.

It was there where the gentle fermentation technique known in Italy as BIGA was discovered, which set in train the a opportunity to 'create something really special here in Longford'.

The BIGA process consists of a simple recipe of high-quality flour, water and a pinch of yeast which is then allowed to ferment over a long period which makes our breads much lighter, tastier and easier to digest.

Jacinta was so impressed by the quality of the breads that she convinced the founders to design a 25 million purpose-built bakery capable of manufacturing Italian Style Speciality breads.

Upon reflection, Jacinta said, "It was a brave move alright. I remember returning to Ireland determined to scale the Italian BIGA process and create something really special here in Longford.

"The company founders at that time were great visionaries, and they fully bought into the potential."

She got her way, and in 2005, with great support from Longford County Council and Enterprise Ireland, the most modern bakery in Europe was completed, without a single order on the books!

The very first product developed was the Panelto Panini with its renowned honeycomb structure and unique flavour and texture.

It was first launched in Asda in 2005 and later launched in the top four retailers in Ireland and the UK. Twenty years later, it is Paneltos biggest selling product.

The addition of another new production line in 2014 and then again in 2018 doubled the capacity of the Longford bakery facility bringing a new and innovative range of loaves and baguettes to the market.

Today, Panelto is a twenty-four-seven operation, with over one hundred products and a workforce of just under four hundred personnel.

Over that time, Panelto has grown its market share in the Irish and UK Markets, through its reputation for continuous innovation and for its consistency in producing high quality specialty breads. CEO of Panelto Foods, Garry Walsh said, It is a wonderful milestone for all of us at Panelto Foods.

"We have great customers, a well invested plant, but our success over the last twenty years is testament to the commitment of our team.

"Every achievement, every challenge overcome, and every innovation has been made possible by their talent and dedication. We truly have a wonderful team here spanning forty-one nationalities as of today. Its a proud moment for us all for sure.

READ NEXT: Disappointment as Longford misses out on Family Resource Centre despite 'crying need'

READ NEXT: Longford Garda Station welcomes new recruit this week
Connecticut Gov. Ella Grasso and Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis get together at the New England Governors' Conference in Stockbridge in 1976. (The Republican, file) The Republican, file

SPRINGFIELD  When former state Sen. Linda Melconian checks off items on her bucket list, writing a book about the first woman in American history to be elected governor in her own right is near the top of her to-do list.

I always wanted to write a book about my esteemed mentor, Ella Grasso, the former senator told The Republican.

I admired her greatly and tried to emulate her in my 23 years of public service, she continued.

Melconian is just out with her new book about Grasso, who served as governor of Connecticut from 1975 to 1980.

Several women served as governors of their states because their husbands retired or died in office. Grasso is also the first female governor to not be the spouse or widow of a former governor.

Ella Grasso: The First of the Firsts, is a 204-page chronicle of a political titan who reached the pinnacle of elective office in the Nutmeg State after being roundly dismissed because of her gender and ethnic background.

There had never been an Italian governor of Connecticut, let alone an Italian woman, said Melconian.

"Ella Grasso, The First of the Firsts," by Linda Melconian. (Provided image) Provided image

Marital meltdown

Melconian recalls John Bailey, chairman of the Democratic Party in Connecticut from 1946-1975, battling Grasso by backing her opponent.

John Bailey decided machine politics in Connecticut at that time and called the shots for those who were in the state legislature and ran for Congress. He didnt want Ella to run for governor. He supported Bob Killian, who was the attorney general and was from Hartford, said Melconian.

Grasso not only won that election but beat Killian by 2,000 votes on his home turf of Hartford, according to the author.

Bailey forced a union between Grasso and Killian, backing the former AG in his successful bid to become lieutenant governor under Grasso. But the marriage of necessity blew up after the administrations first term.

It was a political marriage that didnt last. She dumped him in the second term because he ran against her for reelection, Melconian writes in her book. Killian never accepted the fact that she was governor.

While Grassos chief challenge may have been that she was a woman, Melconian uncovers another thorny issue.

She had problems as governor, harsh realities. She had a $70 (to $80) million-dollar budget deficit. She kept the promise she made during her campaign, that she would not impose an income tax, according to Melconian.

Grasso may not have touched taxes, but some of the ways she cut spending to eliminate the deficit she inherited were unpopular and drew heavy criticism, according to published reports.

She had tremendous self-confidence. She took on elective challenges because she knew she could. She had tremendous ambition, was a brilliant woman with dogged determination to have people follow in her footsteps. She was a pioneer, a trailblazer, argues the former senator, who praises Grasso for being the first woman from Connecticut to be elected to Congress, and Connecticuts secretary of state.

Melconians mentor

Melconian was a legislative assistant to Thomas P. Tip ONeill, Jr., famed Massachusetts congressman and former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1970s and 80s. She met Grasso when they were both working on Capitol Hill.

She was noticed immediately when she walked into a room. She possessed an inviting smile, lively brown eyes, a sharp and intelligent mind. She wore glasses on the top of her short, tousled hair, and she radiated sunshine, recalls Melconian.

She had a plain Jane appearance and wore clothes off the rack. She had an engaging personality. People wanted to sit and chat with her, said Melconian.

Melconian and Grasso are both graduates of Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, and they both marched to the beat of the colleges founder, Mary Lyon.

She said, Go where no one else will go. Do what no one else will do, stated Melconian.

The author said she and Grasso became friends in Washington, D.C., developing a close relationship that Melconian found inspiring.

She was a mentor to me. She became a friend. She encouraged me to run for public office and to get a law degree, because she said, A woman needs a professional degree, like a doctor or a lawyer, said Melconian.

Melconian graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a bachelors degree in history, a masters degree in public and international affairs from George Washington University and a law degree from George Mason University.

The Springfield resident served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1983-2005, rising to become the bodys first female majority leader. Through it all, Melconian said she modeled Grassos approach.

She was hard working, available 24/7 to her constituents. She had a bubbly personality, which I had. She didnt like people. She loved the people of Connecticut, and I loved the people I represented, said Melconian.

During her life in politics, Grasso never lost an election. But she did lose her battle with ovarian cancer, resigning as governor before succumbing to the disease on Feb. 5, 1981, less than six weeks after leaving office.

Nobody can please everyone, but Ella came close, said Melconian. She was derided by her opponents and loved by (others). They trusted her and she respected them. They called her by her first name, Mother Ella.

The softcover book is available for $20 at www.repubbooks.com.
A two-car crash on I-95 in Attleboro early Sunday morning left one of the drivers involved in critical condition, according to the citys fire department.

Firefighters responded to the crash on the northbound side of the highway shortly after 1:15 a.m., the fire department said in a press release. At the scene, they found a debris field that stretched across nearly a quarter-mile of the highway.

A man who was driving one of the cars at the time of the crash was trapped inside his vehicle, the fire department said. Firefighters freed him from the vehicle, and he was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence in critical condition.

A fiery, two-car crash on I-95 in Attleboro left a driver in critical condition early Sunday morning. Attleboro Fire Department

The second car came to rest about 400 yards away from the first after rolling over and hitting an overpass bridge support, the fire department said. Firefighters found the car underneath the overpass fully engulfed in flames and quickly extinguished the fire.

A woman who was driving the second car at the time of the crash had freed herself from her vehicle before first-responders arrived, the fire department said. She was taken to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro with minor injuries.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was called to inspect the structural integrity of the overpass bridge following the crash, the fire department said. The bridge was evaluated and ultimately cleared for continued use.

A fiery, two-car crash on I-95 in Attleboro left a driver in critical condition early Sunday morning. Attleboro Fire Department

Several bystanders tried to help the drivers before firefighters arrival, the fire department said.

While well-intentioned, the large number of people on scene created challenges for first-responders in quickly identifying who needed medical attention, the release reads.

With so many people present, the first few moments required careful coordination to determine who was injured and who was assisting, Fire District Chief Mark Renker said in the release.

Massachusetts State Police are still investigating the crash, the fire department said.
Ceddanne Rafaela had one of the best catches of the Red Sox season Saturday in Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

PHOENIX  A game that featured multiple defensive lowlights for the Red Sox on Saturday also featured perhaps the clubs best play of the entire season.

The clear highlight of Bostons 5-1 loss to the Diamondbacks came in the fifth inning at Chase Field, when Corbin Carroll smoked a Lucas Giolito pitch into deep right field and had a clear home run robbed by center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who scaled the fence right in front of the ballparks iconic pool. Rafaela raced back to the wall and stuck his cleat into its padding it before reaching his glove over the fence and pulling the ball back for the robbery. Rafaela celebrated on his knees on the warning track as Lucas Giolito, in disbelief, exclaimed on the mound.

Carrolls 100.9 mph, 404-foot blast would have been a homer in 25 ballparks (including Fenway Park). But it went in the book as a simple F8.

Just an all-out do-or-die (play), said shortstop Trevor Story. He had no time for a misstep, timed it perfect. Just an incredible play.

At the time, the Red Sox were trailing, 4-1, after Story had booted a potential inning-ending double play ball in the second. Giolito had been laboring and to that point, had already allowed a parade of hits and walks that put the Sox in an early hole. The starter, who has admired Rafaelas defensive play all season, thought Carroll had homered when Rafaela descended from the top of the fence and dropped to his knees on the warning track. Rafaelas celebration, hundreds of feet away, faked Giolito out.

It was kind of far away from where I was standing, said Giolito. Im looking out there and he climbed the wall. I saw the glove fully extend over. Usually when that happens, those are hard to bring back. Whats funny is that me and the rest of the infield were kind of far away from it, so after, when he was sitting down, I thought he didnt get it. He had his head down. I thought he was like, Oh, damn, just missed it. In reality, he was really pumped up and he was yelling out there.

When he pulled the ball out and threw it in, it was like, Oh my God! It was sick.

Bostons dugout had a better view of Carrolls towering fly.

He was closing the gap, said manager Alex Cora. I didnt (think) he got it, to be honest with you. He backspin that ball really, really good. When he jumped, from where we were, we knew he got it.

Rafaela said it was probably the best catch of his three-year big league career. Another candidate came in May, when Rafaela teamed up with Wilyer Abreu for an alley-oop robbery of Kerry Carpenter in Detroit.

He does something like that it seems like, every week, said Story. I thought it had no chance of being caught and he brought it back.

Giolito added: Hes a premier, premier outfielder. In my opinion, the best center fielder in the league. He has proven it making extraordinary plays like that.

Rafaelas catch did not provide the necessary spark for the Red Sox in a quiet defeat, and it wasnt even the last time the center fielder would play a major role in a key play. In the seventh, Carroll again lifted a deep fly ball, though this time to left-center. Rafaela and left fielder Jarren Duran  similarly to how they did in a costly play late last month in Baltimore  both drifted toward it before it fell in for a double that led to an Arizona insurance run.

I thought I had it. I called it, and I didnt, said Rafaela.

Rafaela didnt even have the only robbery of the night. Diamondbacks left fielder Blaze Alexander had a similarly impressive play on an Alex Bregman deep fly in the eighth, twisting his body to go into the stands and take back a solo shot that would have sliced Bostons deficit.

It was one of those nights for the Red Sox.

Theres nothing you can do, said Cora. You control your at-bats. We hit the ball hard in that inning.
Springfields Jyaire Oates, a 19-year-old Western New England University sophomore, uses his phone to ask WNE's chatbot questions about academic and social life on campus. (Staasi Heropoulos photo) Staff

SPRINGFIELD  As the first in his family to attend college, Springfields Jyaire Oates was worried about what was in store for him.

As a first-generation college student, I was lost, he told The Republican.

A chatbot named Spirit came to the rescue. The artificial intelligence system used by Western New England University detected that something could be wrong, based on its interactions with Oates, a 19-year-old sophomore.

I was flagged because I was uncertain about a lot of things and Im like, Okay, let me talk to a human to figure things out so Im more comfortable on campus. We had a meeting, and it was great, he said.

WNE has deployed Spirit to its 2,500 undergraduate students. Officials say 94% of them are using the chatbot to ask basic questions, like where the dining hall is located, when is the library open and who handles financial aid.

Spirit scours WNE resources like the universitys website, delivering near-immediate responses if it has the answers. If it doesnt, the chatbot tells students whom to call for more information.

Someone asked if there was an elevator in one of the dorms. That informations not in there but (Spirit said) Heres the number to residence life. Theyll be able to answer that question for you, said Jeanne Powers, executive director of Student Hub, which gives students live help during business hours.

Amanda Charter, Western New England University's director of student outreach and support, left, and Jeanne Powers, executive director of Student Hub, are constantly on the lookout for red flags indicating students may be in distress. (Staasi Heropoulos photo) Staff

Spirit is always on the clock, reaching out and responding to students with texts to their phones. It was rolled out last year, and in its first year of operation, Powers said students sent the system more than 17,000 messages.

Humans as backup

While Spirit is largely automated, humans are watching. Spirit flags texts when it thinks undergrads are distressed about finances, their health, social life or other concerns.

We have had students respond theyre feeling lonely, said Amanda Charter, director of student outreach and support. Theyre open and honest because they feel they wont be judged by a bot.

While WNE encourages students to openly share their concerns with Spirit by offering a measure of anonymity, students arent cut loose to manage their lives alone with a bot.

Charter said she and Powers clearly express to students that they look for red flags and will contact students who they believe may be in trouble.

It is important to let students know there are humans who read your responses, because we dont want anyone to feel theyre confidence is betrayed. We want to be transparent, because they might share something private, and we would never want them to feel they shouldnt have done that, said Charter.

Beyond providing practical answers, Spirit helps WNE gauge student happiness and satisfaction by intermittently sending texts that ask how theyre feeling about school. Are they enjoying their courses? Are they homesick, and do they need help?

Margo Thompson is a 19-year-old sophomore from Rutland, Vermont, majoring in biomedical engineering. She opened her phone one day to see a message from Spirit asking if she is OK.

Margo Thompson, a 19-year-old sophomore from Rutland, Vermont, majoring in biomedical engineering, opened her phone one day to see a friendly emoji and message from Spirit asking if she is OK. The chatbot is used at Western New England University. (Staasi Heropoulos photo) Staff

I knew it wasnt a person talking to me, but it got me to sit down, pause my life and take a moment to reevaluate how Im doing, how my academics are going, she said in an interview. Am I making friends, am I being involved?

Officials dont read every text that comes through, because many are only looking for basic information. School officials jump in when Spirit signals trouble, based on what students are asking, writing or how they are answering questions.

You respond with a number correlated to different answers. It could be, Im doing really great, or Im nervous, and depending on your response, it would generate a different output, said Thompson.

Spirit gives potentially at-risk students immediate access to available resources, with an SOS team from WNE following up as soon as possible.

Red flags

University officials say Spirit has so far helped them flag 15 students struggling with (a) sense of belonging, 26 worried about not doing well in classes and 36 unsure about returning to WNE.

Out of the thousands of texts, the vast majority from students ask non-urgent questions about academics, student life and campus events.

This helps us see patterns of what students want to know, which allows us to refine the questions they are able to ask, said Powers.

The steady stream of questions also helps the staff and administration refine its practices, guidelines and offerings, according to Powers. It works much like a live, ongoing focus-group.

When the Chatbot was introduced last year, Spirit received 75 texts during the first week of classes.

Because students are increasingly aware of the AI aid, first-week questions have exploded to 850, Powers said. All of those queries and comments, however, are giving the administration a troubling look at young people who feel left out.

One of the biggest things we see is (students) wanting to have a sense of belonging, feeling like theyre connected, not only to a peer group, but to their majors, said Powers.

WNE is continuing to learn when and whether to step in, if students reveal private concerns.

Oates, the business major who is the first in his family to attend college, said he tested the system with a response he knew would get flagged  and was pleased with the response.

It was good to talk to the bot. But knowing there are humans behind it makes it better. It shows people actually care, he said. Im not just talking to AI that has programmed answers.
Even before the city was clouded with dark, stormy skies Saturday afternoon, it was full of rainbows, as the Pride Worcester Festival, a celebration of Greater Worcesters LGBTQ+ community, was in full force.

Electronic dance music blared from a stage at the end of Franklin Street as attendees danced and sang to their favorite songs. Vendors were lined up throughout the venue as patrons got henna tattoos and T-shirts.

Arlo Rosado, of Leicester, has been to several Pride Worcester festivals in the past but they keep coming back every year.

Theres such a beautiful community here, Rosado said. All these cultures mesh together really nicely.

The highlight of the festival was an organized march starting at the Femme Bar in the Canal District and ending downtown. At 2 p.m., the march arrived on Franklin Street, and the air suddenly erupted into cheers.

Happy pride! People shouted while applauding. The march featured appearances from Worcester Indivisible and the Worcester Public Library, among others, holding banners to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. The march also featured special performances from people who waved flags and flew sticks into the air in a choreographed sequence.

On the side of the street, Kori Hinkle was giving away what she called free mom hugs. Free Mom Hugs is an organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community, inspired by an Oklahoma mother who wore a button that read free mom hugs, giving them to anyone who made eye contact with her.

Hinkle said she had given more than 200 hugs to people at the festival that day.

What Pride Worcester means to me is that every single person on Earth is a human and should be accepted, Hinkle said.

This years pride was also an anniversary, as it marked 50 years since the first Gay Pride Week in Worcester, which took place in June 1975. More than 100 people marched in that parade, which traveled from city hall to University Park, according to Pride Worcesters website.

Now, 50 years later, the community is on the march again.

As the day went on, the sky turned darker, with some people leaving at around 3:30 p.m., just as a severe thunderstorm warning was announced by the Worcester Police Department. The event was put on pause until 5:30 p.m., with people seeking shelter. A tornado warning was issued for Worcester County after 4 p.m.
Drea de Matteo has released her first fully nude photographs on OnlyFans  saying the provocative images are intended to draw attention to the geoengineering conspiracy theory.

Drea de Matteo has released her first fully nude photographs on OnlyFans  saying the provocative images are intended to draw attention to the geoengineering conspiracy theory

The 53-year-old actress, best known for her Emmy-winning role as Adriana La Cerva in The Sopranos, joined the adult site to solve her cash crisis, and has now said her decision to pose naked was motivated by a desire to highlight her concerns about environmental manipulation, a subject she links to the widely disputed chemtrails theory.

Drea told Page Six: We can choose what we eat. We can choose what goes in our arms.

But we dont get a say when powerful interests spray the sky, tamper with our water, or poison our soil. If climate solutions mean breathing mystery air and drinking science experiments, the people deserve a vote.

This isnt about denying climate change  its about rejecting unchecked geoengineering by those who treat our skies as a playground.

In her raunchy photographs, Drea appears with her body painted in the Stars and Stripes, accompanied by the slogan Stop geoengineering written down her leg.

A bald eagle is also seen painted across her chest.

She said the intention was to merge patriotism with activism, using her OnlyFans platform to reach an audience she believes is not addressed elsewhere.

Geoengineering is generally defined as the use of deliberate, large-scale interventions in the Earths natural systems to counter climate change.

While some scientific projects involve methods such as reflecting sunlight away from the atmosphere to reduce warming, a vocal community argues such practices are harmful.

Proponents of the chemtrails theory claim marks left behind by jet aircraft contain toxic substances used for geoengineering  a claim which has consistently been rejected by experts.

Lee Zeldin, the Republican head of the Environmental Protection Agency, said in a statement earlier this year: The skinny clouds are a normal effect of jet aircraft operations and have been since its earliest days of air travel.

His comments followed attempts by Louisiana lawmakers in June to propose a ban on chemtrails.

Drea launched her OnlyFans account in 2023 after publicly discussing financial difficulties, later saying the platform gave her independence and control over her image.
Mendon Schools Superintendent Leasa Griffith-Mathews confirmed that Mendon Elementary School and Mendon Middle/High School buildings were locked down after she was contacted by police on Sept. 5, 2025. MLive.com file photo

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MI  Mendon Community Schools in St. Joseph County went into lockdown Friday morning as police conducted search warrants in the area.

At around 8 a.m., Sept. 5, the Mendon Police Department assisted the St. Joseph County Special Response Team in executing two search warrants: at the 2700 block of Pleasant Road and the 300 block of East Street.

Two individuals were arrested at the East Street residence, police said.

One suspect was taken into custody on a nine-count felony warrant involving a weapons offense that was being investigated by the Mendon Police. The other suspect was arrested for aiding and abetting, according to police.

In a media release, Mendon Schools Superintendent Leasa Griffith-Mathews said she was contacted by police about the situation, confirming that Mendon Elementary School and Mendon Middle/High School buildings were locked down from around 9 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.

Griffith-Mathews said students were able to move around inside the buildings but no outside activities were allowed.

The matter is still under investigation, according to the Mendon Police Department.
Federal agents detained 475 people, mostly South Korean nationals, at the EV battery plant construction site in Georgia on Sept. 4. This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows manufacturing plant employees waiting to have their legs shackled at the Hyundai Motor Groups electric vehicle plant, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga. (Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP) AP

A Michigan energy company has workers at a Georgia manufacturing plant recently raided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Immigration authorities said they detained 475 people in Thursdays raid, most of them South Korean nationals, at the plant in Ellabelle, Georgia., near Savannah, where South Korean automaker Hyundai makes electric vehicles (EVs), the Associated Press reported.

The AP said more than 300 South Korean workers detained will be released and brought home, the South Korean government announced Sunday, Sept. 7.

ICE agents focused on a plant still under construction Thursday, Sept. 4, that Hyundai has partnered with LG Energy Solution - which has three Michigan locations in Holland, Troy and Hazel Park - to produce batteries that power EVs, according to the Associated Press. The plant is being built next to the Hyundai Motor Group location.

Following Thursdays raid, LG said in a statement given to the AP it was closely monitoring the situation and gathering all relevant details.

The company said it couldnt immediately confirm how many of its employees or Hyundai workers had been detained.

Our top priority is always ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees and partners, the company stated. We will fully cooperate with the relevant authorities.

The battery plant operated by HL-GA Battery Co., is a joint venture by Hyundai and LG Energy Solution. It is a $4.3 billion project with production expected to start early 2026, according to the companys website.

Hyundais $7.6 billion electric vehicle plant next to the construction site has been open for a year. The 3,000-acre site employs about 1,200 people, AP reports.

The raid was the result of a multi-month criminal investigation, Homeland Security officials said during a Friday news conference.

Officials said this was the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security investigations.

In a video released by ICE on Saturday, federal agents are seen directing workers to line up outside. Some detainees had their hands up against a bus, were frisked and then shackled around their hands, ankles and waist.

Some of the detainees at the manufacturing site entered the U.S. illegally, officials said, while others entered legally but overstayed work visas and were not permitted to work, but did anyway.

We are sending a clear and unequivocal message that those who exploit our workforce, undermine our economy and violate federal laws will be held accountable, officials said at the Friday press conference.

The employees worked for a network of subcontractors on site, officials said.

It was not just the parent company, but also subcontractors.

The detained workers are now in the custody of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Folkston, GA. No criminal charges have been announced in the ongoing investigation.

Officials said the only injuries reported were one individual that was overheating and treated on scene and an agent who suffered a minor laceration.

They also confirmed there were no substantial uses of force.
A 30-year-old Waterford Township man was fatally injured Friday, Sept. 5 in a three-car crash in Commerce Township, police said. MLive.com file photo

COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, MI - A 30-year-old Waterford Township man was fatally injured Friday evening in a three-car crash in Commerce Township, police said.

According to Oakland County Sheriffs Office, the crash happened at approximately 7:40 p.m. on Pontiac Trail at Martin Parkway.

Police said Matthew John Szakal was operating a 2017 Chevrolet Trax when his vehicle was struck by a second vehicle, a 2021 Lexus RC, which was driven by a 51-year-old Sterling Heights man.

The Lexus driver was heading north on M-5 when the vehicle ran off the roadway and traveled several hundred feet through tall grass and weeds, police said. The Lexus re-entered the roadway and jumped the curb in a roundabout, striking Szakals vehicle.

The collision pushed Szakals vehicle into a third vehicle, a 2021 Honda CR-V, which was being operated by a 64-year-old Wixom woman.

The Honda driver was wearing a seatbelt and sustained minor injuries. Szakal was also wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

It was not known if the Lexus driver was wearing a seatbelt, police said. Excessive speed and alcohol use by the Lexus driver are believed to be factors in the crash.

A search warrant was obtained to test the Lexus operators blood for intoxicants. He sustained serious injuries in the crash and is in custody.

The incident remains under investigation by the Oakland County Sheriffs Office Crash Reconstruction Unit.
Swim risk and small craft advisories will remain high through the weekend across Lake Michigan beaches, according to the National Weather Service.

Beginning on Friday, Sept. 5, strong winds were forecast to whip across Michigan, with some gusts reaching up to 45 mph.

The National Weather Service initially issued gale warnings for Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron, with wind gusts ranging from 30 to 45 mph throughout the morning and early afternoon.

Those planning marine activities should exercise extreme caution and monitor updated forecasts. The winds, driven by Fridays cold front passage, are expected to be strongest around the Great Lakes and north of the I-96 corridor.

The weekend will remain cold and unsettled, with temperatures in the 50s and 60s and a chance of isolated showers, especially north of M-46 towards Saginaw.

Now through Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service has issued a warning of wind gusts ranging from 25 to 35 mph and waves ranging from 3 to 10 feet.

Sunday night could bring potential frost in interior locations, with overnight temperatures potentially dipping into the lower 40s.

Early next week should bring a gradual warming trend, with temperatures potentially climbing back to near normal by midweek.
Flags flap in the wind on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at Genesee County Jail in Flint. Ayrton Breckenridge | MLive.com

FLINT, MI  A Second Chance Resource Expo will be held at the Genesee County Sheriffs Office later this month to offer employment opportunities to justice-impacted individuals and their families.

The expo will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18 on the front lawn of the Genesee County Sheriffs Office, located at 1002 Saginaw Street.

Employers and community resource organizations will attend the event and offer services, according to a news release from the sheriffs office.

Genesee County Sheriffs Office Captain Jillian Macey said one of the offices biggest challenges is trying to re-acclimate individuals with criminal backgrounds into society.

Thats what the Second Chance Resource Expo is about  its trying to take those individuals that have been impacted in the justice system and point them in the direction of resources that are willing and able to help them, Macey said.

This is the second time the countys held this event. Sheriff Chris Swanson hosted the first Genesee Countys first expungement fair in 2022.

Refreshments will be provided by Michigan Work Development Institute, which is the premier sponsor of the event.

The Wayne State Mobile Health Unit will also be on site to conduct free health screenings, Macey said.

The following employment opportunities and community resource organizations will attend the event:
Pictured is LG Energy Solution's in Holland. The fire department responded to a chemical spill within the facility at 875 E 48th Street on Sept. 6, 2025. Photo courtesy LG Energy Solution

HOLLAND, MI - The Holland Fire Department responded to a hazardous materials incident at LG Energy Solutions shortly after completing a water rescue on Lake Michigan.

At 3:26 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6, crews confirmed a chemical spill within the facility at 875 E 48th Street in Holland.

Emergency responders initiated hazardous materials protocols, secured the scene, and ensured the safety of employees and the surrounding areas.

A total of 15 individuals were transported to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment related to the incident, according to a Holland Fire Department news release.

At this time, no life-threatening injuries have been reported.

The chemical was contained on site, and specialized teams conducted cleanup operations to ensure the facility was safe and secure. There was no threat to the public outside the immediate area of the facility, the fire department said.

The incident remains under review, and LG Energy Solutions is cooperating fully with emergency services and environmental safety officials.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Grand Rapids Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred at a local park Saturday evening.

At approximately 7 p.m., officers responded to the area of Kalamazoo Avenue SE and 28th Street SE at Mackay-Jaycees Park, where a male victim was located and pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation by the Major Case Team is ongoing, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Grand Rapids Police Department or Silent Observer.

Detectives can be reached at (616) 456-3380, or tips can be sent safely and anonymously through Silent Observer.
The 20-year-old man was wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) at the time of the incident and was treated and released on scene.(Photo/Park Township Fire Department) Park Township Fire Department

HOLLAND, MI - The Park Township Department Marine Division, assisted by the Holland Fire Department, responded to a single-person water rescue on Lake Michigan Saturday afternoon.

At 3:26 p.m., reports came in of a capsized kayaker approximately 670 feet off the Holland South Pier who was clinging to his kayak.

The man was identified as a 20-year-old resident of Dorr. A nearby sailboat attempted to assist the individual before fire personnel arrived on scene, the fire department said.

Upon arrival, Marine Division personnel observed the sailboat close to the pier with a rope thrown to the kayaker, who was approximately 70 feet away.

A rescue line was thrown to the kayaker, who successfully secured it and was pulled to the personal watercraft (PWC). With 8 to 10-foot swells and the sailboat drifting toward the pier, conditions were challenging, the fire department said.

The rescue swimmer instructed the individual on how to hold onto the rescue device, known as a life sled, and he was safely transported back to waiting fire and EMS personnel.

The 20-year-old man was wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) at the time of the incident and was treated and released on scene. The kayak was later retrieved once it floated to shore.

The Park Township Fire Department warns that wearing a life jacket is essential for safety on the water, as it can save someones life in unexpected situations.
JACKSON, MI  Soon, weddings, galas and chefs trying new recipes will be taking over the newly renovated City Center.

The city of Jackson has completed its planned $5.6 million renovations to the former historic Masonic Temple, 145 W. Cortland St. Now, the building is ready to receive inquiries for rentals, Director of Parks, Recreation and Ground Kelli Hoover said.

Ive gained a lot of love for the Masonic City Center because of what a place its been over the years for the community of Jackson and the opportunities it creates for people to get together, Hoover said. I think maintaining the same dream that the masons had when they created the Masonic, that opportunity to break bread with others, I think its very keeping with the theme.

The completed first floor offers a large ballroom, featuring natural lighting, original floors, a dome stage, ornamental medallions and high ceilings. Two smaller classrooms are also offered on the first floor with fireplaces.

The ballroom can fit roughly 180 people, while the classrooms can fit around 30, depending on the setup, she said. People can either be in a big ballroom, or an intimate setting.

Traveling up the stairs along a dark wooden railing, people will witness the mezzanine overlooking the ballroom and a photography area with benches, chairs and tables.

Nearly everything is original, she said, but there are upgrades, including paint, drywall, heating, electrical bathrooms and an elevator.

Blue painted accents on the walls coordinate with blue furniture. Navy blue is kind of a gilded-age color with the gold, Hoover said. Navy blue also is one of the city colors, which doesnt hurt.

Hoover imagines the space used for galas, proms, weddings, community holiday dinners, baby showers or even for guest speakers on the stage. The venue is located downtown, making it perfect for people to take advantage of Bucky Harris Park, restaurants, parking and other amenities, she said.

The entire space can be rented out for $1,000 per day. The cost is $800 for the ballroom or $600 for the smaller classrooms.

In the basement, the building features around 3,000 square feet of a shared community kitchen that can be used by chefs, bakers and caterers. The space offers an alternative to home-based operations.

Any business can use the kitchen, so long as they obtain a food license and have it switched over to the facility through the Jackson County Health Department, City Purchasing Coordinator Kari Kerstetter said.

The kitchen offers pots, pans, bakeware, prep tables and storage. It also has fully equipped commercial-grade appliances and workstations, dedicated office space for meetings or client tastings and business licensing support, she said.

Bakers, restaurateurs looking to expand or start a business, or food trucks operators in need of preparation space for the day could use it, and established downtown restaurant staff could prepare food for catering orders without overwhelming their own kitchens.

Businesses can sign up for a monthly plan, allowing them to use the space for up to 40 hours a month for $840.

The Jackson Community Foundation is the first organization to use the space with its Fall Gala at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 19. President Monica Moser said each year, the nonprofit tries to find unique locations, and when they heard the City Center was to open, they decided to host it there, she said.

Having it in the center of the community, I think, is pretty cool, especially in a historic building that has been part of our history for a long time, Moser said. Seeing it renovated and brought back to life, I think is one of the reasons why we thought it would be a good place to have our event.

While the first two floors are now complete and open for use, the renovation isnt finished. City Manager Jonathan Greene said the city has not discussed plans for the third and fourth floors but that work will likely be a priority in 2026.

The Masonic Temple was built in 1907 and was home to the Jackson Masonic organization for 80 years before it left for a smaller facility. The building was then incorporated into what was neighboring Vermeulens Furniture as additional showroom space and storage until 2014.

The city purchased the building for $100 in 2017 and planned to sell the Masonic Temple to Jackson School of the Arts and turn into a kitchen the Vermeulens Furniture building, after the store left for West Michigan Avenue in 2014.

However, JSA switched its plans when it realized the costs to renovate the temple were too much and decided to purchase the furniture store instead.

Since March 2022, the city of Jackson has allocated $5.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 relief funds toward the project.

Inquiries and tours can be requested by emailing Recreation@cityofjackson.org.

The city is still formatting the website that restaurants can use to sign up for times and dates to use the kitchen. In the meantime, people can request a tour by emailing WHATSCOOKING@CITYOFJACKSON.ORG.

Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page
The department described Officer Don Morsaw as a "trusted colleague and respected presence" in the community. Getty Images

GRANT, MI - A West Michigan police officer died off duty this weekend.

Grant Police Officer Don Morsaw died on Saturday while running in the Tunnel to Towers Foundation 5K in Alpena, according to the Newaygo County Dispatch.

Morsaw joined the Grant Police Department in 2018 and served our community with dedication, integrity, and compassion, the department wrote in a Facebook post. He became a trusted colleague and a respected presence in our community, always committed to keeping others safe.

Officers will soon wear mourning bands in honor of Morsaw.

Members of the community who wish to share notes of support may send them to the Grant Police Department, located at 280 South Maple Street.

Thank you for your compassion as we grieve the loss of our friend and colleague, the department stated.
A Michigan woman charged in a case of alleged Bridge Card fraud had her hearing delayed. (Illustration by Ben Orner | MLive.com) (Illustration by Ben Orner | MLive.com)

SAGINAW, MI  A Michigan woman charged in a case of alleged Bridge Card fraud had her hearing delayed.

Meanwhile, a Saginaw mother has been charged with giving children THC-infused gummies.

Those headlines and more are included below in this weeks roundup of Saginaw news.

Michigan woman charged in Bridge Card-baked goods fraud has hearing delayed

A Saginaw woman charged with welfare fraud after allegedly selling baked goods online for personal profit must wait a while longer for her day in court.

Talia C. Teneyuque, 32, appeared for a preliminary examination before Saginaw County District Judge Terry L. Clark on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 3. Defense attorney Anthony S. Gonzales requested an adjournment, stating he was standing in for Teneyuques principal lawyer, Emilie K. Lyday, who was in trial in another courtroom.

Gonzales added Lyday had only been appointed to the case that morning. She had received more than 200 pages of discovery material from the prosecution, which she needed time to review, Gonzales said. He asked for the hearing to be rescheduled three to four weeks out.

Read the full story here.

Saginaw mother charged with giving children THC-infused gummies

A Saginaw mother is facing criminal charges for allegedly feeding her children THC gummies.

Prosecutors allege that between January and March 2025, Stephany L. Mogg (nee Frasher) gave her three children gummies infused with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. This occurred at Moggs home on Saginaws West Side.

The childrens father, who is divorced from Mogg, reported the incident to authorities after the kids made admissions to him, prosecutors said.

Read the full story here.

Whats that? New Panera Bread location coming to Saginaw Township

A new Panera Bread location is being built at the site of a recently demolished car wash on State Street in Saginaw Township.

The new restaurant will be between the Red Horse Bar and State Street Kroger on a property owned by CSTATE LLC, according to Saginaw Township Community Development Director Bill Schutt.

Previously, the property was home to the Gentle Touch Auto Wash, located at 4738 State St. The building the car wash occupied was built more than 50 years ago, Schutt said.

Read the full story here.

Saginaw shooting leaves 2 men wounded, 3 jailed

Police are investigating a shooting at a gathering on Saginaws East Side that left two men wounded and three more jailed.

About 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31, Michigan State Police troopers responded to reports of gunfire at a large get-together in the area of Potter Street and North Roosevelt Austin Boulevard (Second Street). Two local men, ages 18 and 21, suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Troopers spotted a vehicle leaving the scene and initiated a traffic stop on Third Street near Potter, said MSP Lt. Kim Vetter. The civilian vehicle briefly stopped and troopers could see it contained three occupants, Vetter said.

Read the full story here.

Mernas in Saginaw is serving breakfast just like grandmas

Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day, and at Mernas, Leane Fernandez is serving it up with flavors right out of grandmas kitchen.

Mernas is located inside SVRC Marketplace, 203 S. Washington Ave., and has been since February 2023.

Since opening, Mernas has moved to a larger vendor space, allowing Fernandez to add more items to the menu.

Read the full story here.

New nonprofit grocery store set to open in Saginaw next year seeks $1.5M more in funds

A new nonprofit grocery store intended to provide healthy, affordable food and nutrition education in what is now considered a food desert is expected to open next year, but officials say they need an additional $1.5 million in funds to make it happen.

The Saginaw Community Food Club & Kitchen, under construction at 310 Meredith St., near MyMichigan Medical Center Saginaw, will be a nonprofit, membership-based grocery store aimed at reducing hunger, improving food access, and bettering the health of residents, particularly those in food deserts.

Compared to right now, our food system is set up that if you can afford to go grocery shopping, you get to, and if you cant, you stand in line, said Saginaw Community Food Club CEO Tina Swanton. Youre expected to be happy with whatevers given to you in a box. Theres no dignity in that.

Read the full story here.
BAY CITY, MI  A Netflix documentary about a Michigan mom who catfished her teen daughter featured a local police officer.

Meanwhile, former Bay City State Theatre Director Mike Bacigalupo may enter a plea in his federal fraud case.

Those stories and more are included below in this weeks roundup of stories you may have missed.

Netflix doc about Michigan mom who catfished teen daughter features local police officer

Its one of the strangest instances of cyberbullying  a Michigan mother who catfished her own daughter and another teen by sending them thousands of abusive text messages.

The imbroglio resulted in the mother, Kendra G. Licari, serving more than a year in prison. A new documentary film on the matter, Unknown Number: The High School Catfish from director Skye Borgman, debuted on Netflix Friday, Aug. 29.

Among the interviewees is Bay City Public Safety Officer Bradley A. Peter, who had a key role in breaking the case and unveiling the digital stalkers identity.

Read the full story here.

Former Bay City State Theatre Director Mike Bacigalupo may enter plea in federal fraud case

The former Bay City State Theatre director may soon enter a plea in a federal fraud case.

Mike Bacigalupo, who faces a single count of federal wire fraud, has consented to a plea hearing before a U.S. magistrate, according to court documents filed Wednesday, Sept. 3.

A court order also filed Wednesday shows Bacigalupos case will go before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris for a plea hearing. No hearing date has been set.

Read the full story here.

Bay City police investigating after man found deceased on Riverwalk

Bay City police are investigating the death of a local man who was found on the citys Riverwalk on Labor Day.

About 11:19 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 1, police and firefighters responded to the Riverwalk path near Breaker Cove on the citys East Side after several people called 911 to report an unresponsive man on the ground. Civilians and emergency responders attempted to save the mans life, to no avail.

Police identified the decedent as 42-year-old Pedro Nunez, a city resident. They determined he had been riding an electric bicycle on his way home after being out with friends. He seemingly crashed the e-bike or suffered some kind of incident that caused him to fall, police said.

Read the full story here.

Bay City man charged with murder in fatal Baytown shooting rejects plea offer

A Bay City man accused of killing a man with a laser-mounted rifle at Baytown Family Neighborhood is rejecting a prosecutions plea offer. In doing so, hes opting to take his chances with a jury.

JaiMari K. Campbell, 20, has been charged with open murder in the homicide of Toryon T. Patterson since his arraignment on Nov. 6. The charge contains first- and second-degree murder, both of which are punishable by up to life imprisonment.

A first-degree conviction normally negates parole, but the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in April it is unconstitutional for convicts 20 or younger to face mandatory life imprisonment. As a result, Bay County Prosecutor Michael P. Kanuszewski in July offered Campbell the option to plead guilty or no contest to second-degree murder.

Read the full story here.

Powerboat erupts in flames on Tawas Bay on Labor Day

Boaters and beachgoers at Tawas Bay this Labor Day witnessed a fiery spectacle when a powerboat erupted in flames. Fortunately, no one was injured in the waterlogged inferno.

The approximately 40-foot red-and-white boat started emitting smoke and fire about 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 1, while in the bay near East Tawas. Cathie Garner was on another boat with her husband and began recording the ordeal.

Those who were aboard the burning boat abandoned ship. They were be picked up by fellow boaters, Garner said.

Read the full story here.

Teachers get annual raises in new contract between union, Bay City Public Schools

Bay City Public Schools has reached a three-year contract agreement with its teachers union that includes salary increases and improvements for preschool educators.

The district board of education on Tuesday morning, Sept. 2, approved the agreement with the Bay City Education Association in a 6-0 vote. Trustee Wendy Legner abstained from the vote because her husband is a teacher.

The agreement was one that I thought was very collaborative, Bay City Public Schools Superintendent Grant Hegenauer said. We went through the process. It took some time.

Read the full story here.

Former Scottish Rite Consistory in Bay City could get new life as event venue

The Bay City Commission will consider establishing the former Scottish Rite Consistory as an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District, paving the way for its transformation into a modern event space.

Developers Margeaux Appold, Matt Elsesser, and Mike and Kendra Mulligan have proposed a $1.17 million investment to renovate the 62,000-square-foot building at 614 Center Ave. The historic structure, which has fallen into disrepair, would be converted into a versatile venue capable of hosting weddings, concerts, corporate events, and other social gatherings.

The building currently faces significant maintenance challenges, including water damage, a deteriorating roof, peeling paint, stained carpets, and 14 non-functioning toilets.

Read the full story here.

Bay City man gets probation, fines for high-speed drunken driving crash

A Bay City man has received a probationary sentence for drunkenly causing a traffic crash that left him and two others hospitalized.

Bay County District Judge Mark E. Janer on Aug. 28 sentenced Jason M. Samborn, 28, to 18 months of probation. He also ordered Samborn to pay $1,465 in fines and costs, of which $100 has been paid as of Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Samborn in July pleaded guilty to one count of second-offense operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed charges of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury and driving without insurance. The causing-injury charge was the most serious, being a five-year felony.

Read the full story here.

Love reading the news and stories you find on MLive?

Heres an opportunity to see even more.

Google has rolled out a new feature, preferred sources, that gives users the ability to customize their experience to see more of the sites you love within the search engines Top Stories feature.

To select MLive.com as a preferred source, simply click here and check the box next to MLive.com.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appears before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) AP

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, is worried that the country will not be prepared to handle another pandemic like the COVID-19 outbreak.

Dingell said during an interview on CNN Friday, Sept. 5 that she is afraid people are going to die, the day after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy appeared before a U.S. Senate committee.

If we get another COVID, we are not going to be ready, and people are going to die in mass numbers, she told CNNs Omar Jimenez. I was scared to death to get the COVID vaccine, but I got it because it was saving lives. We need educated consumers, but we cannot throw this all out.

Dingells remarks come amid growing controversy over pandemic preparedness, highlighted by Kennedys explosive Senate Finance Committee hearing Thursday on health care policies.

During roughly three hours of testimony on Capitol Hill, Kennedy engaged in heated exchanges on Thursday with Republicans and Demorcats who pressed him on the recent upheaval at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and changes to vaccine policy.

Kennedy, who has expressed opposition to vaccines and has a history of spreading conspiracy theories including those related to COVID-19, has made changes to agencies tasked with public health policy and scientific research by laying off thousands of workers, firing science advisers, and remaking vaccine guidelines.

In May, he announced COVID-19 vaccines would no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, a move opposed by medical and public health groups.

Federal guidelines now limit shots to seniors and high-risk individuals, while the Michigan Health Department continues recommending vaccination for everyone over 6 months old.

In June, Kennedy abruptly fired a panel of experts that had been advising the government on vaccine policy, AP reports.

He has voiced distrust of research that showed the COVID-19 vaccines saved lives, and at Thursdays hearing further cast doubt on statistics about how people died during the pandemic and on estimates about how many deaths were averted  statistics produced by the agencies he oversees.

Dingell raised concerns that diseases that have been eradicated will come back. She referenced epidemics of measles in states including Michigan over the last year and states looking at eliminating vaccination requirements for kids in school.

Germs dont know the difference between one state and another, so as weve seen in measles, she said during the CNN interview Friday. People had begun to build up immunity to some of these diseases. And then yet, when it comes into a community, even if some have been vaccinated, others are vulnerable.
BMW AG, Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Volkswagen AG are launching a fresh push in Europe at the Munich auto show this week

Arindam Roy

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
How an insult from Ford motivated Ratan Tata to buy Jaguar, Land Rover

Saurav Pandey is the Deputy Manager of Content at Moneycontrol, specialising in content strategy, execution and performance analysis. He integrates advanced SEO techniques to deliver high-impact, data-driven content formats. His expertise spans various beats, including education, career, science and others, where he adopts a technical approach to optimise visibility, improve search rankings, and drive organic traffic growth. He can be reached out at Saurav.Pandey@nw18.com.

Saurav Pandey

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Saurav Pandey is the Deputy Manager of Content at Moneycontrol, specialising in content strategy, execution and performance analysis. He integrates advanced SEO techniques to deliver high-impact, data-driven content formats. His expertise spans various beats, including education, career, science and others, where he adopts a technical approach to optimise visibility, improve search rankings, and drive organic traffic growth. He can be reached out at Saurav.Pandey@nw18.com.

Saurav Pandey

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Nakul Tomar

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Debutant Anuparna Roy wins Orizzonti Award for Best Director for 'Songs of Forgotten Trees' at Venice Film Festival

Gayatri Rani

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Divorce Attorney Shin actor Han Eun Sung to tie the knot on September 6 with his longtime partner

Gayatri Rani

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Gayatri Rani

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Kannada actress Bhavana Ramanna gives birth to twin daughters via IVF, only one of them survives

It was reported that Bhavana Ramanna was having health issues in the seventh month of her pregnancy during the third trimester.

M Snehanjali

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Proving their strong friendship over the years, on Mammootty's special day, Mohanlal paid him tribute by wearing a special shirt.

M Snehanjali

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Park Chan-wooks No Other Choice selected as Koreas Oscar entry for 98th Academy Awards

No Other Choice is selected for Oscar entry

Gayatri Rani

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Sanjay Dutt opens up about life in Jail, directing murder convicts and hosting a radio show

Sanjay Dutt opens up about life in Jail, directing murder convicts and hosting a radio show

Nakul Tomar

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Ashish Kapoor is known for his role in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai

Gayatri Rani

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
In FY25, ILJIN reported revenues of Rs 2,194 crore with an operating EBITDA of Rs 151 crore. Its revenues have grown at a CAGR of 52% between FY22 and FY25.

Tamal Nandi

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
From richest man to worlds first trillionaire: The impossible math behind Elon Musks Tesla deal

Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Indias trade deficit with China has increased to about USD 100 billion in 2024-25.

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
India engaging with US, global firms to protect IT jobs, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Vaishnaw emphasised that India is not solely dependent on services exports.

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
On the semiconductor and chips side, American firms such as Micron, Nvidia, AMD and Intel are expanding in India.

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Sunil Matkar

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Bulls are betting these catalysts will more than offset the impact of US President Donald Trumps 50% reciprocal tariffs

Arindam Roy

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
SEBI to consider proposals to boost ease of doing business on September 12

Brajesh Kumar

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Siddharth Chakravorty

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Rewati Karan

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Arishaa Izaj

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Panel discussions will cover issues ranging from South-South cooperation in agriculture and farmer-centric innovations to food systems, value chains and nutrition.

101Reporters

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
'I will burn your voice with acid in your mouth': TMC leader slams BJP MLA for calling Bengali migrants 'Bangladeshis'

Ria Kapoor

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Is the ECI bending under pressure?: Mallikarjun Kharge accuses poll body of shielding BJP in Karnataka 'vote chori' case

Siddharth Chakravorty

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Kolkata: 20-year-old raped by 2 'friends' who took her home to celebrate her birthday

Ria Kapoor

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Delhi: 5 days after breaching danger mark, Yamuna water level recedes

The water level of Yamuna at Delhi's Old Railway Bridge on Sunday fell to the danger mark of 205.33 metres, five days after it was breached, officials said.

The water level at 9 pm was recorded at 205.33 metres. After swelling to the season's highest at 207.48 metres on Thursday, the water level has been receding since. While the danger mark is 205.33 metres, evacuation of people starts at 206 metres.
Why UK prosecutors toured Tihar Jail before deciding on Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modis fate

Several white-collar fugitives in the UK have argued that extradition to India would expose them to extortion, violence, or torture in Tihar.

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Mark Zuckerberg is paying US workers Rs 4,850 an hour to build Hindi AI chatbots for India: Report

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described chatbots as a way to complement real-world friendships and normalize bonding with digital companions.

Ankita Sengupta

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
From Mumbai to Abroad: 3 Cheapest Countries You Can Visit Next Month With Simple Visa Rules

From Mumbai to Abroad: 3 Cheapest Countries You Can Visit Next Month With Simple Visa Rules (Image: Canva)

Nivritti Khatri

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Almost 900 people were arrested at London Palestine Action protest, police say

Hundreds of Palestine Action supporters have since been arrested at demonstrations, many of them over the age of 60.

Arindam Roy

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
'Crap note': Peter Navarro slams Musk after his X post on Indias Russian oil purchases gets fact-checked

Siddharth Chakravorty

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
'Donald Trump realised he was wrong about India...': Ex-diplomat on US President's softened tone

101Reporters

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Donald Trump says ready to move on new Russia sanctions

Tamal Nandi

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
High-stakes APEC: Trump to visit South Korea, possible meetings with Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un

The timing of Trumps expected Asia trip comes against a tense backdrop.

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
How Israels war in Gaza has revived memories of 1948 displacement

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Trump has long argued that undocumented migrants take jobs from Americans, even as his administration aggressively courts automakers and battery companies to build plants in the US.

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Russia hits Ukraine with over 800 drones, decoys, largest such attack in war

Siddharth Chakravorty

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
A firefighter works at the site of an apartment building damaged during a Russian drone strike, amid Russias attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (REUTERS)

101Reporters

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Russia says it struck Ukrainian military targets with drones, missiles and aircraft

The ministry said that its troops had taken control of the village of Khoroshe in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region. (File photo)

Arindam Roy

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Bessent says more tariffs on nations buying Russian crude will force Putin to table

Trumps plans for a quick negotiated end to the nearly four-year war that began when Russia invaded Ukraine have evaporated after a summit with Putin in Alaska last month

Arindam Roy

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Emergency workers extinguish a fire in an apartment building that was damaged during a Russian drone strike, amid Russias attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv. ( REUTERS)

Arishaa Izaj

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
South Korea has finished talks with US to release Korean workers

US federal agents carried out a raid at a Hyundai Motor manufacturing facility in Georgia this week

Arindam Roy

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Trump has often suggested that his authority over the National Guard is nearly limitless.

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
US to target more businesses after Hyundai raid, top official says

Opponents of Trump's crackdown and some business groups say major US industries - including agriculture, hospitality and meatpacking - depend on immigrants without legal status.

Arindam Roy

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
We want more students to study Hindi: Russia pushes language in universities as India ties deepen

The Kremlin has also confirmed that President Vladimir Putin will make an official visit to India in December, further cementing the relationship.

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Why a raid at Hyundais Georgia plant exposed tensions from Seoul to Washington

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Zelenskyy rejects Putins Moscow invitation, says 'Kyiv is the place to talk'

Aishwarya Dabhade

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
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
NMC president featured as plenary speaker at 7th Marianas History Conference

NMC President Galvin Deleon Guerrero at the Marianas History Conference. Office of the Guam Governor Photo

(NMC)  Northern Marianas College President Galvin Sablan Deleon Guerrero, EdD, served as the featured plenary speaker at the 7th Annual Marianas History Conference, a three-day event that brought together scholars, educators, and community members to explore the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Mariana Islands.

Deleon Guerrero also received the distinguished honor of being selected to serve as chairman of the 8th Annual Marianas History Conference in 2027, underscoring his leadership in advancing scholarship and cultural dialogue on the Marianas.

Deleon Guerreros plenary presentation, entitled The Woven Ties That Bind, explored the complex balance between individual identity and community in the Marianas, drawing on the philosophical lens of Jean-Jacques Rousseaus The Social Contract. Through this framework, he examined how the people of the Marianas have navigated historical forces  from colonial legacies to cultural resilience  while continuing to shape their own path forward. The presentation was received very well by the audience in attendance.

Throughout the history of the Marianas, we have woven cultural values, a rich heritage, and strong connections into baskets, sails, and vessels that have carried us through the storms of time, Deleon Guerrero said during his remarks. But while these woven ties unite us, they also challenge us to confront how our shared traditions can empower or sometimes constrain us. By unraveling these threads, we can begin to unlock new understandings of our past and chart a course for our future.

The conference, hosted on Guam, drew participants from across the Marianas and the broader Pacific. The gathering of historical and cultural scholars highlighted scholarship on Chamorro and Carolinian traditions, colonial history, cultural preservation, and contemporary identity in the islands.

As chairman for the 8th Annual Marianas History Conference, to be held in 2027, Deleon Guerrero will guide the planning and execution of the regional convening. His selection recognizes both his scholarly contributions and his long-standing commitment to education, cultural dialogue, and regional leadership.

It is truly an honor to lead this conference and to be a steward of Marianas history, said Deleon Guerrero. This work reflects a collective effort to preserve our cultural heritage while preparing our people for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Pacific Judicial Council and District Court for the NMI to host judicial conference

THE Pacific Judicial Council, in conjunction with the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, will host the 2025 Joint Pacific Judicial Council Mid-Year Conference and Annual NMI District Court Conference from September 24 to 26, 2025, on Saipan.

The conference will convene judges, legal scholars, attorneys and court professionals from across the Pacific and U.S. mainland to explore emerging legal issues and strengthen regional judicial collaboration. It will underscore the judiciarys role in adapting to legal and technological changes.

Advancing justice through education

The conference will feature presentations from judges of the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Ninth and Sixth Circuits, the United States District Court for New Hampshire, faculty from the Judicial Education Institute, UC Berkeley School of Law, and Yale Law School, as well as presentations from Pacific jurists. Sessions will address:

 Statutory and Constitutional Interpretation

 Judicial Code of Conduct and Judicial Disability issues

 Supreme Court Review

 Artificial Intelligence and the Law

 Pretrial Detention and Release Best Practices

It is an honor for the Pacific Judicial Council to welcome distinguished jurists and scholars, whose insights on statutory constitutional interpretation and the role of courts in a changing world will enrich our dialogue, said Guam Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert J. Torres, president of PJC. The participation of such leading voices underscores our commitment to ensuring that judges across the Pacific are exposed to the very best in judicial education.

Historic Ninth Circuit appellate arguments

To open the conference and, for the first time in over two decades, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will hold appellate arguments at the District Court in Gualo Rai on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

This Ninth Circuit session is a rare opportunity for our community, and especially for our students, to witness the federal appellate process in action, said Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the NMI. We are reserving seats for students from various schools because its vital that our youth see the judiciary at work and understand the role of courts. Experiences like this help deepen their civic awareness.

About the PCJ

The Pacific Judicial Council is a regional body composed of member jurisdictions from American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Its mission is to promote judicial education, cooperation, and interjurisdictional dialogue among Pacific Island courts.

For more information, contact Amanda Hayes at Amanda_Hayes@nmid.uscourts.gov (U.S. District Court) or Tracy D. Limes at Tracy.Limes@nmijudiciary.gov (NMI Supreme Court).
PSS eyes career-connected pipeline for students, partners with Chamber

Commissioner of Education Lawrence Camacho paints the portrait of a graduate as part of a presentation at a recent Saipan Chamber of Commerce general membership meeting.

COMMISSIONER of Education Lawrence Camacho was a special presenter on Wednesday at the general membership meeting of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, where he sought the SCCs partnership for a K-12 college- and career-connected system framework, set to pilot in the 2026-2027 school year.

Camacho called it the portrait of a graduate presentation.

We want to be that district that really identifies students, watches and guides them from the moment they enter our learning spaces as kindergarteners all the way through 12th grade, he said.

Camacho said PSS could model the new framework on the Metro Nashville Public School System, which offers practical, hands-on learning in small learning communities, according to a YouTube video he shared with the Chamber.

In Nashville, high school students visit job sites to learn how different businesses and industries operate. The placements are based on local workforce needs. Students gain hands-on experience in various fields of study, such as hospitality, IT, finance, engineering, healthcare, to name a few.

Students then return to school and pursue studies in academies designed to prepare them for specific career pathways.

In the CNMI, Camacho envisions introducing academic exposure and career awareness at the kindergarten and elementary levels; providing a continuum of experiences at the middle school level to prepare students for high school academies; and enabling students to choose and pursue a career pathway in high school, continuing that pathway into college and beyond.

In addition to career pathways, he said PSS will also develop students soft skills in citizenship, cultural awareness, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity as they progress from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Camacho is hoping that the Chamber could support the framework through mentorship, internships, guidance to align school pathways with local industry, resource support, guest speaking, site visits, or joining the PSS advisory council.

Its this pipeline that were making sure is the best it can be for our students, Camacho said. The right way is to ensure the pipeline motivates students, builds their self-efficacy, and helps them become competent and confident to pursue the careers they are excited about.
Resolution to honor local architect Herman Blas Cabrera

Local architect Herman Blas Cabrera stands at the construction site of one of his Capital Hill housing projects, which features advanced technology building materials. Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano

SENATE President Karl King-Nabors on Tuesday prefiled Senate Resolution 24-9 recognizing and commending local architect Herman Blas Cabrera for his unyielding service and contributions to architecture, education, and public service as the first Saipan-born Chamorro licensed architect in the CNMI.

King-Nabors noted in his resolution that Cabrera, who will turn 80 on Sept. 15, 2025, pursued a career in architecture by earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Architecture from the University of Hawaii and a Bachelor of Education in Trade, Industry and Technical Education with concentrations in Trade-Architectural Design and Drafting, as well as Real Estate Development as a secondary degree.

Cabrera, who runs his own firm, Herman B. Cabrera & Associates, began his professional career during the Trust Territory period as a teacher and building planner at the Micronesian Occupational Center in Palau from 1969 to 1972. He later served as a capital improvement project planner and architect for the Department of Education/Public School System from 1975 to 1996.

According to the resolution, Cabrera holds the noble distinction of being the first Saipan-born Chamorro native licensed to practice architecture in the Commonwealth, helping to establish a profession of architects during a time when the newly formed CNMI was experiencing significant economic growth, while providing his clients with architectural designs that are inspiring, affordable, and aesthetically suited to our geographical conditions.

The resolution added that Cabrera has overcome historical barriers in education, professional practice, and representation, allowing him to achieve a successful career. His passion and commitment to the Commonwealth have laid a foundation for future generations of local, aspiring professionals to explore architectural design.
US immigration agents arrest hundreds at Hyundai plant, mostly Koreans

ATLANTA/WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters)  Hundreds of workers at a Hyundai Motor battery facility under construction in Georgia were detained in a raid by U.S. authorities on Thursday, stopping work on a plant that is one of the Korean automakers major investments in the U.S.

About 475 workers, most of whom were South Korean nationals, were arrested, according to U.S. immigration officials, the largest single-site enforcement operation in the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys history.

President Donald Trumps administration has been escalating a crackdown on immigrants, disrupting businesses around the country, even as the White House has encouraged more inflows from foreign investors.

The arrests could exacerbate tensions between Washington and Seoul, a key ally and investor in the U.S. The countries have been at odds over the details of a trade deal that includes $350 billion of investments. At a summit last month, South Korea pledged $150 billion in U.S. investments  including $26 billion from Hyundai Motor.

Homeland Security officials said the workers arrested at the Ellabell, Georgia, site were barred from working in the U.S. after crossing the border illegally or overstaying visas. The investigation took place over several months, Steven Schrank, special agent in charge of investigations for Georgia, said during a press briefing.

This was not an immigration operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses, he said. Schrank said there was a network of subcontractors on the site.

A Hyundai Motor spokesperson said none of the people detained were employed directly by the automaker.

The company said its chief manufacturing officer for North America, Chris Susock, would assume governance of the entire megasite in Georgia.

We will conduct an investigation to ensure all suppliers and their subcontractors comply with all laws and regulations. Hyundai has zero tolerance for those who dont follow the law, it said.

The arrested workers were being held at ICEs Folkston, Georgia, detention facility, Schrank said. Most of the 475 people are South Korean nationals, he said. Korean media has put the number of South Koreans detained at roughly 300 people.

The raid  dubbed Operation Low Voltage  included more than 400 law enforcement officers after a months-long investigation.

A spokesperson at Hyundais battery joint venture partner, South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solutions said in a statement it was cooperating and had paused construction work. The facility, a joint venture between LGES and Hyundai Motor, was due to start operations at the end of this year, according to LGES.

Hyundai Motor shares ended down 0.7% on Friday, and LGES shares dropped 2.3%.

Largest development project

Under Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, part of DHS, has driven the Republican leaders sweeping crackdown on migrants, bolstered by record funding and new latitude to conduct raids.

Trump has said he wants to deport the worst of the worst criminals but ICE figures have shown a rise in non-criminals being picked up. Rights advocates have denounced such raids.

The White House said on Friday that any foreign workers brought in for specific projects must enter the United States legally and with proper work authorizations.

South Koreas Foreign Ministry expressed regret and concern about the raid. The economic activities of our companies investing in the United States and the interests of our citizens must not be unduly violated during the course of U.S. law enforcement, ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said in a statement on Friday.

Social media video showed a man wearing a vest with the letters HIS, an acronym for Homeland Security Investigations, telling workers in yellow safety vests: We have a search warrant for the whole site. We need construction to cease immediately. We need all work to end on the site right now.

The U.S. Department of Justice in a statement said several people tried to flee during the raid. Some had to be fished out of a sewage pond on the site, DOJ said.

Georgias Democratic Party condemned the raid, calling it part of politically motivated fear tactics designed to terrorize people who work hard for a living, power our economy, and contribute to the communities across Georgia that they have made their homes. In a statement, a spokesman for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said: In Georgia, we will always enforce the law, including all state and federal immigration laws.

Hyundai said its production of electric vehicles at the sprawling site was not affected.

In 2023, Hyundai Motor and LG Energy announced the $4.3 billion venture to produce EV battery cells, with each company holding a 50% stake. The plant will supply batteries for Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EV models.

The battery factory is part of Hyundais $12.6 billion investments in the state, including the automakers just-opened car factory, in what would be the largest economic development project in the states history.

Regrettable

South Korea said the U.S. governments release of images of the arrest of hundreds of Korean workers was regrettable, especially as the incident followed so closely after a summit between the two nations leaders.

On Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a video and photos of workers shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles getting on a bus after the raid.

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo told U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker in a telephone call that it was regrettable the incident occurred at a critical time, when the momentum of trust and cooperation between the two leaders, forged through their first summit, must be maintained, the foreign ministry said in a statement late on Saturday.

Park also asked Hooker to ensure a fair and swift resolution to the matter.

The video and photos of the raid, which involved a helicopter and armored vehicles, showed hundreds of workers standing in front of a building, some wearing yellow vests with the names Hyundai or LG CNS. Two workers hid in a pond before they were arrested.

President Lee ordered a swift, all-out response to the arrests, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told an emergency meeting on Saturday. Cho said he may go to Washington to meet with officials if needed.

LG Energy Solution, which is working with Hyundai to build the factory, said it had asked employees to return from U.S. business trips while suspending travel to the United States except for customer meetings.

The company said on Sunday it had sent a human resources executive to Georgia to ensure the swift and safe release of those detained.

Hyundai Motor said it would investigate its suppliers and their subcontractors to ensure they meet regulations.

Trump, when asked about the raid, said on Friday: I would say that they were illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job.
BCs Tales of the Pacific  Tambora, the greatest volcano

BC Cook

WE have looked at volcanoes, tsunamis and other natural disasters in the recent past. The Tambora eruption of 1815 was the largest eruption in recorded history and possibly of all time. Rather than talk about explosions, lava flows and tons of debris scattered by the blast (all of which I find fascinating), lets focus on the human impact of this awe-inspiring display of natures power. But first, a few details of the Tambora eruption.

Eruptions like Tambora, Karakatoa, or even Pinatubo do not happen all at once. There is usually a series of events stretched out over a week or more, which include earthquakes, lava flows, huge smoke columns and so on, punctuated by a very large eruption as the climactic moment. The main event of Tambora occurred in April 1815, which was four times larger than Krakatoa or Pinatubo, the only other recent volcanoes that even come close to it. The power unleashed by Tambora equaled 3,300 Hiroshima atomic bombs, enough destructive force to annihilate any modern country, including all of Europe.

Heavy volcanic ash coated Indonesia, killing tens of thousands of people. The sun was completely blocked out and the islands remained in darkness for more than two days. An ash cloud circled the globe and stayed in the atmosphere for years, reducing the earths temperatures by about 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit. That may not sound like much but consider that modern scientists are alarmed by a current warming trend of less than one degree. Ice caps are melting and some are predicting worldwide catastrophe, for one degree! What resulted from Tamboras massive global cool-down?

The year without a summer

Beginning in 1815 a strange condition called dry fog was observed around the United States. The atmosphere was so murky that people could look directly at the sun and see sunspots on its surface. Rain and wind had no effect on the dry fog, but that was just the beginning of the strange effects. It soon turned deadly.

Disease and famine spread as crops failed. Millions of people starved. During the summer of 1816 Europe and North America experienced heavy snowfall in June, July, and August. More than simply a curiosity, it wiped out all the crops that year. The strange climate effects caused by Tambora led to an outbreak of typhus in Europe and the Mediterranean world from 1816 to 1819. We will never know how many died in that epidemic.

The monsoons were severely disrupted in Asia, leading to crop failure and mass starvation, which led to the spread of cholera in 1816. In Germany, crop failures led to a sharp increase in food prices and subsequent starvation. This led to great political upheaval as the masses turned against the government for their failure to avert the disaster. The unrest spread. Soon much of Europe was ablaze in riots, demonstrations, and vandalism.

Tambora proved how thin the veneer of civilization was. It showed how small the margin is for human life and prosperity. What would happen today if another Tambora occurred? Since Indonesia is the center for the Pacific Ring of Fire it is as likely to happen there as anywhere else. The current population of Indonesia is around 250 million. The next most likely location for a massive, Tambora-style volcano is Japan, with a population not far behind that.

While you contemplate the potential toll of another five degree change in the earths temperatures, keep one thing in mind: Tambora is still active.

Dr. BC Cook taught history for 30 years and is a director and Pacific historian at Sealark Exploration (sealarkexploration.org). He currently lives in Hawaii.
Elephant saving a Gazelle pic.twitter.com/cbF6zcQRcn  Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) September 5, 2025



Webb Telescope Spots a Blob Near a Star, but Is It a Planet? SciTech Daily

Bathroom doomscrolling may increase your risk of hemorrhoids Popular Science

When Is Food Not Food? Thomas Neuburger

The Other Mark Zuckerberg Has Had Enough: Bankruptcy Lawyer Sues Meta Over Identity Mix-Ups technobez

First CRISPR horses spark controversy: whats next for gene-edited animals? Nature

COVID-19/Pandemics

Climate/Environment

China?

India

South of the Border

Africa

European Disunion

Old Blighty

Israel v. Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iran

New Not-So-Cold War

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Imperial Collapse Watch

Trump 2.0

Immigration

>Trump readies SIEGE of Chicago as feds prepare for massive immigration raid in showdown with crime-plagued city Daily Mail

Inside the raid: How a monthslong federal immigration operation led to 475 arrests at a Hyundai plant in Georgia CNN

South Korean President vows support to Koreans arrested in US immigration raid Reuters

Trumps radical agenda will ultimately reach a supreme court stacked in favor of conservatives The Guardian

Musk Matters

Democrat Death Watch

Immigration

Our No Longer Free Press

Mr. Market Is Moody

AI

The Bezzle

Guillotine Watch

Antidote du jour (via)

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here
ANTIDEPRESSANTS harm the baby in the womb, despite the LIES purported by shilling psychiatrists and chronic sick care media

Obviously, a baby in the womb, at some point, has a working heart and brain and is human being about to enter the world, but the crazed Leftists and depopulation CULT would have us all believe otherwise, including doctors who sling antidepressant chemical drugs at anyone whos has emotions like depression and anxiety. These drugs given to pregnant woman can have devastating effects on the baby in the womb, and if you follow the science, youll see.

On August 23, 2025, journalist Robert Whitaker published a detailed investigation into a disturbing controversy: the widespread denial of evidence showing harm to fetuses from exposure to antidepressants during pregnancy. His article describes how medical organizations, backed by uncritical media coverage, dismissed or obscured research warning of risks, effectively undermining informed consent and prioritizing professional interests over patient and fetal safety.

Evidence of fetal harm from SSRIs is strong but dismissed: Research in animals and humans shows prenatal exposure to antidepressants alters brain development, increases risks like low birth weight, preterm birth, persistent pulmonary hypertension, neonatal abstinence syndrome, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and later-life depression.

Research in animals and humans shows prenatal exposure to antidepressants alters brain development, increases risks like low birth weight, preterm birth, persistent pulmonary hypertension, neonatal abstinence syndrome, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and later-life depression. FDA panel warnings were attacked by medical organizations: When experts urged informed consent about fetal risks, major psychiatric and obstetric organizations denounced them as biased, claimed SSRIs were safe and essential, and shifted focus to the harms of untreated maternal depression.

When experts urged informed consent about fetal risks, major psychiatric and obstetric organizations denounced them as biased, claimed SSRIs were safe and essential, and shifted focus to the harms of untreated maternal depression. Media amplified misleading narratives instead of investigating: Major outlets like The New York Times, NBC, NPR, and the Los Angeles Times uncritically echoed professional organizations talking points, portraying the panels evidence-based warnings as misinformation.

Major outlets like The New York Times, NBC, NPR, and the Los Angeles Times uncritically echoed professional organizations talking points, portraying the panels evidence-based warnings as misinformation. Conflicted interests overshadowed public health and truth: Psychiatric guilds prioritized protecting prescribing practices over honest risk communication, ignoring psychotherapy as a safe alternative; meanwhile, unborn children remain exposed to chemical interventions with no proven long-term benefit to mother or child.

Psychiatrists, Antidepressants, and the Unborn: A Crisis of Truth in Maternal Mental Health

The debate intensified after a July 21 FDA panel reviewed data on prenatal exposure to SSRIs and SNRIs. Some panelists presented evidence suggesting that manipulating serotonina molecule crucial to embryonic developmentcould plausibly lead to birth defects and long-term neurodevelopmental problems. Animal studies had already confirmed such effects: altered brain development, increased risk of pulmonary hypertension, cardiomyopathy, abnormal behaviors, and even increased mortality. Human studies found associations with preterm birth, low birth weight, congenital malformations, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and affective disorders. A Kaiser Permanente study of over 80,000 pregnancies found that psychotherapy lowered preterm birth risk, while antidepressants increased it.

Another concern is neonatal abstinence syndrome, reported in roughly 30% of exposed newborns. Symptoms include respiratory distress, seizures, feeding problems, abnormal crying, and lethargy84% of which are classified as serious. Meanwhile, studies from Jay Gingrich and colleagues show that prenatal SSRI exposure in both mice and humans can lead to a hyperactive amygdala and increased rates of adolescent depressioneffects not explained by maternal depression alone.

Despite this evidence, leading professional groupsincluding the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologistsissued statements condemning the FDA panel as biased and alarmingly unbalanced. They asserted that SSRIs are safe and necessary to prevent harms of untreated depression, claiming that the risks of non-treatment outweigh those of the drugs. Major media outlets echoed these claims, portraying the panelists as spreading misinformation rather than seriously examining the data.

Whitaker argues this reflects a classic doubt industry response: when evidence threatens entrenched medical practice, a flood of low-quality, statistically manipulated studies appears, generating confusion and preserving the status quo. Statistical adjustments, often poorly documented, obscure rather than clarify true risks. As psychiatrist Joanna Moncrieff noted at the FDA meeting, antidepressants benefits are so small they lack clinical relevancemaking it impossible that their fetal risks are outweighed by maternal gains.

Panelists urged non-drug alternatives, such as psychotherapy, which carry no fetal risks. Yet this essential context was largely ignored in reporting. Instead, professional organizations, compromised by conflicts of interest, defended widespread prescribing and dismissed legitimate safety concerns.

As obstetrician Adam Urato warned: Never before in human history have we chemically altered developing babies like this, especially the developing fetal brain, and this is happening without any real public warning. That must end.

Whitakers investigation exposes a moral crisis in psychiatry and obstetrics: a profession unableor unwillingto confront the harm of its own treatments, even when the victims are the unborn. Until this denial ends, prenatal antidepressant use will remain a hidden public health disaster.

Tune your internet dial to NaturalMedicine.news for more tips on how to use natural remedies for preventative medicine and for healing, instead of succumbing to Big Pharma products that cause, spread, and exacerbate disease and disorder, especially to babies in the womb.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

Brownstone.org
Breaking free: Florida to terminate all vaccine mandates, including for healthy children

Florida announces plans to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including for children entering daycare and school.

Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo denounces vaccine mandates as "wrong" and questions government's authority to dictate healthcare choices.

Vaccine rates in Florida have reportedly dropped, with 90.6% of kindergarteners vaccinated, the lowest in over a decade.

Critics argue the move risks public health, while supporters celebrate increased parental autonomy.

Florida follows Idaho's lead in banning most medical mandates through the Idaho Medical Freedom Act.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo made waves with an unprecedented announcement at a press conference in Tampa: the state will abolish all vaccine mandates, including those for children attending daycare and school. This bold move places Florida at the forefront of a contentious debate over individual health rights versus public health policies. Dr. Ladapo, speaking alongside Governor Ron DeSantis, argued that vaccine mandates were inappropriate and likened them to "slavery."

"Ladapo explained, 'Who am I as a government? Or anyone else? Or who am I as a man standing here now to tell you what you should put in your body?'" His words resonated with critics and health freedom advocates, who have long argued for greater parental autonomy and skepticism of public health mandates.

This decision comes after years of increasingly vocal criticism of vaccine policies and a growing movement advocating for decreased government intervention in personal health decisions. The move to end vaccine mandates brings Florida into direct conflict with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) guidelines, which recommend vaccines for schoolchildren, including those for preventable diseases like measles, mumps and rubella.

Vaccine mandates in context: A timeline of challenges

The pushback against vaccine mandates has been gaining momentum across the United States. Prior to Florida's announcement, several states have introduced measures to limit or eliminate such requirements. In March 2023, the Idaho Medical Freedom Act was signed into law, prohibiting most medical mandates in the state. Other states have seen similar efforts to relax or eliminate vaccine requirements, but Florida's move is the most sweeping to date, targeting all vaccine mandates for children and adults alike.

Vaccine mandates in the U.S. have a long history. Initially introduced in the early 20th century to combat childhood diseases like smallpox and polio, these mandates were hailed as essential for public health. Over time, they were expanded to cover many other preventable diseases, contributing to significant reductions in serious illnesses and deaths.

Critics of the mandates argue that they infringe on personal freedoms and parental rights. They contend that vaccines are overhyped, citing concerns about their safety and efficacy. Supporters of mandates, on the other hand, point to the public health benefits and potential risks to communities if vaccination rates drop.

Floridas role in the movement: Whos leading the charge?

Floridas decision to terminate all vaccine mandates is not a sudden development. Dr. Joseph Ladapo, the states Surgeon General, has been highly critical of vaccination policies, particularly those related to the COVID-19 vaccine. Ladapo, a graduate of Harvard Medical School, gained national attention in April 2020 for his critique of lockdowns as an ineffective strategy to control the pandemic. His stance against vaccine mandates has earned him praise from health freedom advocates and criticism from mainstream public health organizations.

In April 2020, Ladapo co-authored an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal titled "Lockdowns Wont Stop the Spread," arguing that blanket lockdowns were not the best public health response. Similarly, in 2023, Ladapo issued a health alert warning of "substantial increases" in adverse events from mRNA vaccines in Florida. He has also called for a halt in the use of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines over safety concerns and played a key role in Florida's decision to ban fluoride in public drinking water.

Ladapos appointment as Surgeon General in September 2021 solidified his position as a leader in the health freedom movement. His latest announcement is just one more step in his ongoing campaign to reshape Floridas healthcare policies, with implications that echo beyond state lines.

The health freedom movement: A growing concern for public health officials

Mainstream public health officials have roundly denounced Floridas move to end vaccine mandates, arguing that such policies protect public health by ensuring high vaccination rates. They point out that vaccine mandates are a vital tool in controlling the spread of preventable diseases, particularly for vulnerable populations. Dr. Paul Offit, a vocal supporter of vaccination policies, criticized the decision, stating, Flushing vaccine mandates down the drain is not a step toward greater health freedom; it's a step toward a less healthy population.

Current vaccine rates in Florida have already dropped significantly. As of September, only 90.6% of kindergarteners were vaccinated, a sharp decline from previous years and the lowest rate in over a decade. Increases in religious exemptions and other opt-out clauses have contributed to these lower rates, and health officials fear that the elimination of mandates could exacerbate this trend.

Health freedom advocates, however, argue that these policies restrict individual liberties and place undue trust in public health agencies. They emphasize the importance of informed decision-making and parental choice, even if it means facing potential public health risks.

Health vs. freedom: The future of healthcare policy

Florida's decision to eliminate all vaccine mandates marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over personal health freedom versus public health. The states move to spearhead this change has both supporters and detractors urgently questioning the future direction of healthcare policy in the U.S.

The challenge for Florida and other states advocating for similar changes is to balance individual freedoms with the collective responsibility to protect public health. Dr. Ladapos rhetoric around personal autonomy and government overreach will likely face continued scrutiny, particularly from public health officials and skeptics within the scientific community.

While the immediate legal and policy implications of Floridas move are still unfolding, the broader conversation about the role of government in healthcare decisions is likely to intensify. As Florida embarks on this uncharted territory, other states will undoubtedly watch closely, contemplating whether to follow suit or continue supporting traditional vaccination policies.

A shift in the balance of power

Floridas bold move to end all vaccine mandates signals a significant shift in the balance of power between government authority and individual health freedom. The decision has ramifications not only for Florida but also for the broader national conversation about public health policy. As other states consider similar actions, the tension between public health efficacy and individual autonomy continues to mount. Only time will tell whether Floridas approach truly benefits its citizens or if it undermines the very public health protections it seeks to dismantle.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

WFTV.com

FloridaHealth.gov
U.K. comedy writer Graham Linehan arrested over tweets critical of gender ideology, hospitalized after stress

British comedy writer Graham Linehan was arrested at Heathrow Airport due to three tweets critical of gender ideology, following complaints by transgender activists.

Upon arrival, Linehan was met by five armed police officers, placed in a cell and questioned intensively about his posts, which he defended as serious points delivered with humor.

The stress of the arrest caused Linehan's blood pressure to spike dangerously, leading to a hospital admission while in custody.

The arrest sparked widespread outrage online, with notable figures like J.K. Rowling condemning the U.K. government, accusing it of suppressing free speech and prioritizing ideological policing over serious crimes.

Linehan was released with the condition that he must not use the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), highlighting concerns about censorship and free expression under Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership.

Acclaimed British comedy writer Graham Linehan was arrested at Heathrow Airport on his return from the United States, in connection with three tweets critical of gender ideology.

Linehan detailed the experience in a recent Substack post, describing how he was met by five armed police officers upon landing and taken into custody. The arrest, he claimed, followed complaints by transgender activists about tweets he had posted, which included commentary on men in women's spaces and a controversial metaphor involving self-defense.

The ordeal began earlier in his journey, when an airline gate official in Arizona told Linehan he had no seat on the flight, something he now believes was a sign he had been flagged by authorities due to external complaints. At Heathrow, Linehan said the police confiscated his belongings and placed him in a small cell before interviewing him about each tweet "with the sort of earnest intensity usually reserved for discussing something serious like crime." He defended his posts as a mix of serious points delivered with humor, emphasizing concerns about men entering women's spaces.

However, the interview reportedly grew tense when the police officer used terminology such as "trans people," prompting Linehan to challenge the language. "Our sex isn't assigned," he argued, accusing police of adopting activist language influenced by groups like Stonewall. (Related: UK cops arrest, raid home of DISABLED women's rights activist for being anti-transgender.)

The stress of the arrest took a serious physical toll. When a nurse checked on him in custody, his blood pressure was dangerously high, leading to a rushed hospital admission. Linehan attributed his condition to the combined strain of the arrest, travel fatigue and a prolonged campaign of harassment from activists.

"I was arrested at an airport like a terrorist, locked in a cell like a criminal, taken to hospital because the stress nearly killed me and banned from speaking online  all because I made jokes that upset some psychotic crossdressers. To me, this proves one thing beyond doubt: The U.K. has become a country that is hostile to freedom of speech, hostile to women and far too accommodating to the demands of violent, entitled, abusive men who have turned the police into their personal goon squad," Linehan wrote on Substack.

Following his release, Linehan's sole bail condition is a ban on using the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, Linehan, best known for co-creating the hit TV series "Father Ted," has gained attention for his outspoken stance against the mistreatment of children and transgender extremism, particularly after witnessing an incident involving a feminist being attacked by trans activists.

Linehan's arrest sparks outrage over free speech under Starmer

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling took to her X account to share the news. "What the f--- has the U.K. become? This is totalitarianism. Utterly deplorable," she wrote, along with a repost from The Free Speech Union. X users replied to her post, criticizing Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his repeated assertions that the U.K. remains a proud defender of free speech.

"So in today's U.K., five armed officers can't be spared for knife crime on the streets, but they've got time to storm Heathrow over three tweets? Orwell must be rolling in his grave. How does a nation justify unleashing counter-terror style policing on a comedy writer while violent thugs and pedophiles walk free? When the state fears words more than weapons, civilization is already in trouble," one user replied.

"No one is safe in Starmer's Britain, writers and authors are not under threat from imprisonment and cancellation," another one wrote.

Learn more about how anti-trans voices are being silenced at Suppressed.news.

Watch this episode of "Brighteon Conversations" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks to an expert in civilization collapse about how the transgender mutilation of children is one of the final signs of a culture in rapid decline.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Doctors in the UK are resigning left and right over transgender lunacy targeting innocent children.

Popular British feminist writer bemoans police state "hate crime" tyranny in UK: "a transgender man from the Netherlands" behind complaint.

UK: Rape crisis center's transgender boss called for those who disagreed with gender ideology to be fired, says tribunal witness.

WHO appoints former prostitute, other transgender activists to transgender task force.

Former FTM transgender teen supports Florida ban on using Medicaid funds for transgender medical interventions.

Sources include:

Modernity.news

GrahamLinehan.substack.com

Brighteon.AI

Brighteon.com
Gustavo Petro condemns U.S. military strike on Venezuelan vessel as murder

Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned a U.S. military strike that killed 11 people on a drug-laden vessel from Venezuela, calling it "murder" and a violation of proportional force.

Petro argued that drug couriers are often poor youth exploited by cartels and should be captured, not killed, aligning with his broader advocacy for drug policy reform focused on harm reduction and financial targeting of major cartels.

The U.S. strike, confirmed by President Donald Trump, targeted a ship allegedly operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and marked the first known military action in Trumps expanded anti-drug campaign in Latin America.

In sharp contrast, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar praised the strike, called for traffickers to be "killed violently," and blamed drug cartels for fueling her country's crisis of violence and addiction.

The differing responses from Petro and Persad-Bissessar highlight a growing regional divide between calls for militarized crackdowns and approaches emphasizing restraint, justice and systemic reform.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has sharply criticized a recent U.S. military operation that resulted in the deaths of 11 people aboard a vessel allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela.

In a strongly worded post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Petro responded to claims made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who confirmed via his Truth Social platform that the U.S. Southern Command carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean. Trump claimed the ship, operated by members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal group tied to drug trafficking and allegedly linked to the Maduro regime, had sunk the vessel in a "surgical" military strike. (Related: Trump authorizes military action against terrorist-designated DRUG CARTELS.)

Petro then called the action "murder" and questioned the legitimacy of Washington's narrative.

"Bombing the boat violates the universal principle of proportionality of force and results in murder. If this is true, it is murder anywhere in the world. We have been capturing civilians transporting drugs for decades without killing them. Those who transport drugs are not the big drug lords, but very poor young people from the Caribbean and the Pacific," Petro wrote on Sept. 2. He further criticized the operation, noting that for decades, drug couriers had been apprehended without the use of lethal force.

As president, Petro has advocated for a paradigm shift, emphasizing harm reduction, alternative development and targeting financial networks of major cartels rather than low-level traffickers.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister praises U.S. drug strike, calls for "violent" deaths of traffickers

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, this marks the first officially acknowledged attack in Trump's escalating military campaign in Latin America, which has drawn comparisons to early 20th-century U.S. gunboat diplomacy under the Monroe Doctrine.

But unlike Petro, Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar publicly endorsed the U.S. military operation.

"I, along with most of the country, am happy that the U.S. naval deployment is having success in their mission," Persad-Bissessar said that same day. "The pain and suffering the cartels have inflicted on our nation is immense. I have no sympathy for traffickers; the U.S. military should kill them all violently."

She also echoed U.S. claims that the ship was likely bound for Caribbean markets, including Trinidad and Tobago, where the government has declared two states of emergency in recent months in response to escalating gang violence and gun crime.

"Our country has been ravaged by bloody violence and addiction because of the greed of the cartels," Persad-Bissessar said. "The slaughter of our people is fueled by evil cartel traffickers."

Persad-Bissessar's unwavering support for the U.S. strike underscores a stark regional divide over how to confront drug trafficking, through militarized force or restraint and reform.

Visit DrugCartels.news for more similar stories.

Watch this Feb. 4 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about kinetic conflict with drug cartels and rogue ex-federal employees who seek to terrorize Trump's America.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Mexico warns U.S. against sovereignty violations as Trump targets drug cartels.

U.S. designates Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, unleashing financial warfare.

Trump administration declares war on Mexican drug cartels: Military operations and border security take center stage.

Trump designates drug cartels as terrorist organizations, invokes Alien Enemies Act.

Trump administration declares war on Mexican drug cartels, designates them as foreign terrorists.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

EnCiberCuba.com

Brighteon.AI

CNN.com

Brighteon.com
Putin extends invitation to Zelensky for Moscow talks as Ukraine rejects offer, pushing for neutral venue

Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Moscow for direct peace negotiations, citing optimism from his recent discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Putin credited Trump's administration for pushing negotiations, stating, "We see not just their appeals but a sincere desire to find this solution." He referenced Trump's encouragement during their August summit.

Ukrainian officials dismissed Putin's offer as insincere, insisting any talks must occur in a neutral country. Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Sybiha accused Russia of stalling while Ukrainian forces struggle on the battlefield.

The invitation comes as Ukraine faces severe manpower shortages and brutal frontline conditions. Analysts suggest Putin may be leveraging Russias military advantage or testing Kyivs willingness to concede.

While Putin's overture hints at potential negotiations, entrenched hostilities and distrust remain. The war's future hinges on whether diplomacy prevails or if the conflict drags on indefinitely.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Moscow for direct peace negotiations, signaling a potential shift as the war enters its fourth year.

The offer, made during Putins press conference in Beijing following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, comes amid growing battlefield challenges for Ukraine and shifting geopolitical priorities in Washington. (Related: Putin and Xi strengthen strategic alliance with 20 major deals, including landmark gas pipeline.)

The diplomatic standoff unfolds as Ukraine faces severe manpower shortages, with frontline soldiers enduring increasingly brutal conditions. Meanwhile, Putin cited optimism from his recent Alaska summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, suggesting Washington's "sincere desire" for a resolution.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Putin framed the invitation as a gesture toward peace, stating: "I have never refused [talks], provided the meeting is well-prepared and can lead to some positive potential outcomes." He referenced Trump's encouragement during their August meeting, where the U.S. president reportedly urged Putin to engage directly with Zelensky.

"Donald asked me if I could possibly arrange such a meeting. I replied that yes, it's possible. Ultimately, if Zelensky is ready, let him come to Moscow  then the meeting will take place," Putin said.

Yet Ukrainian officials remain wary. Sybiha dismissed the proposal as insincere, accusing Russia of stalling while Ukrainian forces struggle on the battlefield.

"Putin continues to mess around," he said, emphasizing that Kyiv remains open to talks  but only in a neutral country.

Analysts suggest Putin's overture may reflect Russia's confidence in its military position, particularly as Ukraine's mobilization efforts falter. Meanwhile, Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine puts forth that the move suggests deeper geopolitical maneuvering behind the scenes.

The Trump factor and geopolitical shifts

Putin's remarks also hinted at a broader geopolitical recalibration, crediting Trump's administration for pushing negotiations.

"We see not just their appeals but a sincere desire to find this solution," he said, adding that there is "light at the end of the tunnel."

However, skepticism persists. Some experts argue Putin's offer may be tactical  either testing Ukraine's willingness to concede or leveraging Trump's influence ahead of potential U.S. policy shifts. Tigran Meloyan, an analyst at the Higher School of Economics, noted that a trilateral summit involving Trump remains the most plausible scenario, though logistical hurdles remain.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues pressing Western allies for security guarantees and sustained military support. With Washington increasingly preoccupied by Middle East tensions, Kyiv fears waning attention and resources for its fight against Russia.

Putin's Moscow invitation marks the latest twist in a war that has defied diplomatic solutions for years. While Kyiv's rejection underscores the entrenched hostilities, the mere fact of public overtures suggests both sides may be probing for exits, whether through negotiation or battlefield advantage.

For now, the world watches as soldiers like Kalyna endure the war's grinding toll. "At first I thought we would be going in for a month," he told the Kyiv Independent. "But after a month, I realized it was stupid."

As leaders posture and red lines harden, the question remains: Will diplomacy prevail, or will the conflict and its human cost drag on indefinitely?

Watch the video below that talks about Putin's claim that he is sincere about ending the war in Ukraine.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Putin echoes claim that Russia-Ukraine war wouldn't have happened if Trump were president in 2022.

Putin-Trump talks spark hope for peace as Ukraine war death toll revealed to be 1.7 Million.

Trump brokers historic Putin-Zelensky talks Will the war in Ukraine finally end?

Sources include:

TheCradle.co

Tass.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Texas Senate approves bill allowing lawsuits against abortion pill makers, distributors

The Texas Senate passed House Bill 7, allowing private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures or distributes abortion medication, even outside the state, with potential damages of at least $100,000 per case.

The bill exempts Texas women who take abortion pills from lawsuits and shifts enforcement from the state to private individuals, aiming to bypass protections offered by other states' abortion shield laws.

Bill supporters, including State Sen. Bryan Hughes, argue it protects unborn children and women from "poisonous" abortion drugs and enables accountability for out-of-state providers.

Abortion is nearly entirely banned in Texas, but residents continue to access care via telehealth and mail-order services based in states with legal protections for providers.

The bill now awaits Gov. Greg Abbott's signature, with backing from pro-life groups who view HB 7 as a critical tool to curb abortion-by-mail and challenge shield laws in other states.

The Texas Senate has approved a sweeping bill that would allow private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures or distributes abortion medication, regardless of whether they are located inside or outside of the state.

House Bill 7, passed on Sept. 3 by a 178 vote, allows almost any private citizen to file a lawsuit against manufacturers and distributors of abortion medication, except for Texas women who take abortion pills to terminate their own pregnancies. Under the bill, individuals who successfully sue a maker or distributor of abortion pills could be awarded at least $100,000 in damages.

State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R), one of the authors of the bill, characterized the bill as a measure to protect "precious, little unborn babies" and their mothers from what he called dangerous and unregulated substances.

"You manufacture and ship poisonous illegal drugs into Texas, and people are harmed, you will be held accountable," he said during the night vote. "We make no apology for that. Texas must defend our citizens, and that's what this bill is about." (Related: Louisiana classifies abortion pills as controlled DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES.)

Moreover, HB 7 seeks to bypass laws that block local authorities from cooperating with out-of-state abortion investigations by allowing private citizens to file lawsuits, instead of relying on government enforcement.

The measure now heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it into law.

Pro-lifers celebrate HB 7 as a crackdown on the illicit flow of abortion drugs in Texas

The legislation is the latest escalation in Texas Republicans' efforts to eliminate access to abortion in the state.

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, abortion is almost entirely prohibited in Texas, with very limited exceptions, and those who violate the law face severe civil and criminal penalties since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. But despite the ban, Texans have continued to access abortion care through mail-order medication provided by telehealth services based in other states. Many of these providers are shielded by laws that prevent local authorities from cooperating with out-of-state investigations or lawsuits related to abortion services.

Supporters of the bill view it as a crackdown on the illicit flow of abortion drugs into the state, especially via mail and telehealth services based in states with so-called abortion shield laws.

"It is already illegal to traffic abortion drugs in Texas under the Human Life Protection Act, and our priority remains enforcement of that and other laws," said Amy ODonnell, communications director for Texas Alliance for Life. "The revised version of HB 7 provides another tool against illegal abortion-by-mail while including vital protections for women."

Ashley Leenerts, the legislative director for Texas Right to Life, also echoed a similar stance. "HB 7 is the strongest proposed tool to stop this crisis. It provides a new avenue to undermine anti-state laws and empowers women who are tragically targets of the abortion industry to hold traffickers accountable."

Visit Abortions.news for more stories about abortion drugs such as mifepristone and misoprostol.

Watch this video that talks about the Supreme Court's decision to restore access to mifepristone.

This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Walgreens, CVS to sell ABORTION PILLS in states where abortion is still legal.

Kamala Harris blames Georgia abortion laws for death of two pregnant women who took abortion pills.

Texas Republicans push new bill to criminalize distribution of abortion pills.

Canada passes controversial bill providing FREE contraception and abortion pills to all.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes budget plan to expand access to abortion pills.

Sources include:

TheHill.com

Brighteon.AI

Click2Houston.com

Brighteon.com
Wilders calls for chemical castration after Somali migrant accused of attempted rape of Dutch teen

PVV leader Geert Wilders has demanded the chemical castration of Salah H., a Somali migrant accused of kidnapping and attempting to rape a 14-year-old Dutch girl, citing his party's 2025 manifesto.

The suspect, a 37-year-old father of six, allegedly abducted, drugged and assaulted the girl in Oss on March 14, 2025. She escaped, called the police and provided key details leading to his arrest. He denies the charges.

The girl's lawyer reports she suffers from severe trauma, anxiety and social withdrawal. Prosecutors argue the evidence strongly supports her account; the defense claims it was a misunderstanding.

The PVV manifesto calls for life sentences without parole, chemical castration for child abusers, the abolition of psychiatric detention (TBS) and stricter prison regimes including mandatory labor.

Wilders has long promoted nationalist, anti-immigration policies, calling for "zero asylum-seekers," closed borders and the restoration of Dutch cultural identity, while opposing EU centralization and "woke ideology."

Geert Wilders, leader of the Netherlands' largest political party, Party for Freedom (PVV), has demanded the chemical castration of a Somali migrant accused of kidnapping and attempting to rape a 14-year-old Dutch girl.

The shocking case, reported by De Telegraaf, involves 37-year-old Salah H., a Somali national and father of six, who faces three years in prison for attempted rape, indecent assault and unlawful deprivation of liberty. Prosecutors allege that on March 14, the minor was abducted in Oss, drugged and assaulted before managing to escape and call police.

According to the victim's lawyer Priya Soekhai, the girl was taken by car to the suspect's home, where she was groped and kissed before fleeing to a bathroom to alert authorities. Police later found her in distress but unharmed. Her lawyer revealed she now suffers from severe anxiety, avoids social interactions and fears leaving home alone.

The authorities arrested Salah H. after matching her detailed description, but denied all charges. Arjan Syrier, his defense attorney, claimed Salah H. was merely assisting the girl after she appeared unwell on the street. Syrier even suggested DNA evidence could have resulted from an innocent handshake  an argument prosecutors dismissed as implausible given the victim's testimony.

This, in turn, has drawn outrage from anti-immigration firebrand Wilders.

"Somali man suspected of kidnapping and abusing a 14-year-old girl. This scum should also be chemically castrated as punishment. That's what the PVV's 2025 manifesto says!" Wilders wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with the repost of the news from De Telegraaf. (Related: Louisiana lawmakers approve bill authorizing SURGICAL CASTRATION for convicted child predators.)

PVV envisions a nationalist, sovereigntist future for the Netherlands

The call for chemical castration reflects the PVV's wider justice platform, outlined in its 2025 manifesto.

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, the PVV 2025 Manifesto envisions a nationalist, sovereigntist future for the Netherlands, prioritizing Dutch cultural identity, strict immigration controls and resistance to globalist agendas like EU centralization and climate mandates. It advocates for economic independence, law and order and the restoration of traditional values while rejecting mass migration, woke ideology and supranational control.

Based on the manifesto, the party advocates for life sentences without the possibility of parole, harsher punishments for violent and sexual offences and the chemical castration of convicted child abusers. The manifesto also proposes abolishing psychiatric detention (TBS), outlawing groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and Extinction Rebellion and tightening prison conditions by introducing mandatory labor and eliminating early release.

Wilders, who has consistently pushed far-right positions on border control throughout his political career, reiterated these stances in his campaign slogan, stating, "Give back the country to the Dutch people." In an interview with the BBC, he claimed that mass immigration has marginalized the indigenous population and calling for completely closed borders and "zero asylum-seekers."

Visit Violence.news for more stories about child sexual exploitation and efforts to combat it.

Watch this video discussing pedophilia and the reasons why it needs to be stopped.

This video is from the AirTV International channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Kazakhstan considering SURGICAL CASTRATION as punishment for the most heinous pedophiles.

Transgender surgeon promotes castration of teenagers as "an adventure for young people."

Big Pharma's chemical castration drugs are creating TRANS MONSTERS filled with rage and violence.

U.S. medical establishment pushes genital mutilation, chemical castration on children as U.K. sounds alarm.

Backlash growing against "transgender mafia" that targets schoolchildren for genital mutilation and chemical castration.

Sources include:

Infowars.com

AllAboutExpats.nl

Brigheon.AI

Brighteon.com
Canadian study links abortion to higher risk of mental health hospitalization

A Canadian study found that women who had abortions were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric, substance-related and suicide-related reasons compared to women who gave birth.

The study analyzed health records from over 1.25 million women in Quebec (20062022), showing a hospitalization rate of 104 per 10,000 per year for women post-abortion, versus 42 per 10,000 for those who gave birth.

Mental health risks were most elevated in the five years following an abortion, gradually aligning with childbirth outcomes after approximately 17 years.

Women under 25, those with prior psychiatric diagnoses and mothers with previous live births faced the greatest post-abortion mental health risks.

Similar studies in Denmark and the U.S. report increased psychiatric treatment, hospitalization and long-term mental health issues following abortion, supporting a global pattern of elevated risk.

A newly published Canadian study has found that women who undergo abortions face more than double the risk of psychiatric, substance-related and suicide-related hospitalizations compared to women who carry their pregnancies to term.

The study, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, analyzed health records from Quebec between 2006 and 2022, including data from 28,721 women who had abortions and 1,228,807 women who gave birth. Researchers reported a significant disparity in mental health outcomes between the two groups.

According to the findings, women who had abortions required hospitalization for mental health reasons at a rate of 104 per 10,000 per year, compared to 42 per 10,000 per year among women who gave birth. The study noted the risk was particularly elevated in the first five years following an abortion, with the gap gradually narrowing over time, taking up to 17 years for risks to align with those of women who delivered.

Subgroup analyses revealed that certain populations were especially vulnerable.

Women under the age of 25 and those with a history of psychiatric illness faced the highest post-abortion mental health risks. Hospitalizations for suicide attempts occurred at a rate of 14.7 per 10,000 among women who had abortions, while substance use-related hospitalizations reached 56.7 per 10,000, both significantly higher than the rates for women who gave birth.

Another notable finding was that women who already had children experienced greater mental health-related hospitalizations post-abortion than women without prior live births.

The research, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Quebec Health Research Fund, acknowledged that women who sought abortions were more likely to have had prior psychiatric diagnoses, which could partly explain the increased risk of hospitalization. (Related: Pro-abortion feminist ADMITS abortion ends a human life, but says it's justifiable.)

Canadian study confirms growing body of research linking abortion to increased mental health risks

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, abortion has been linked to a range of potential long-term effects on mental health, including increased risks of psychiatric treatment and hospitalizations, as evidenced by studies in various countries.

The findings of the recent Canadian study complement a trend observed internationally through large-scale data analyses.

For instance, in Denmark, a comprehensive review of national medical records revealed that women who had a first abortion experienced a 50 percent increased risk of receiving first-time psychiatric treatment within a year of the procedure, compared to women who did not have an abortion.

Similarly, studies in the United States using Medicaid claims data have identified sharp increases in mental health service usage following abortion. One analysis found that outpatient psychiatric treatments more than doubled in the year after an abortion, compared to the year prior. The study also reported significant increases in both psychiatric hospitalizations and the duration of inpatient stays for women post-abortion.

Another U.S. study of Medicaid data examined the long-term mental health impact of abortion on women who later gave birth. The research showed that women with a history of abortion faced an 83 percent higher risk of psychiatric hospitalization in the postpartum period following a subsequent live birth. Researchers also found a "dose effect," meaning the more abortions a woman had, the greater the risk of future mental health complications.

Check out Abortions.news for more stories related to the murder of the unborn.

Watch this clip from "Judging Freedom" as Judge Andrew Napolitano discusses how legalizing abortion changed America.

This video is from the channel What Is Happening on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Update: Abortion as religious liberty: Pro-abortion organizations agree with Satanic Temple claim that "abortion ritual" represents "religious freedom."

Vaccine Police founder assaulted by abortion supporter at Louisiana abortion clinic.

NO TO "ABORTION TRAFFICKING": Lubbock County Commissioners Court approves anti-abortion transport ban.

Walgreens, CVS to sell ABORTION PILLS in states where abortion is still legal.

Dems, pro-abortion organizations turn to ballot initiatives to enshrine abortion rights into state constitutions.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

AfterAbortion.org

Brighteon.AI

Brighteon.com
TRUMP DEMANDS PHARMA justify the claimed success of the COVID CLOT SHOTS they said saved millions of lives  Wheres that so-called science?

With Paul Offit and his insidious cohorts ousted from the FDA and CDC, President Trump is well on his way to cleaning up the vaccine industry that riddled with pharma shills, toxic jabs, and propaganda piled mountains high claiming every vaccine ever made is safe and effective, though we know just the opposite is true. Just like the violence in DC, now the vaccine violence is being addressed, finally.

On Labor Day, former President Donald Trump called on pharmaceutical companies to release all data related to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, suggesting that manufacturers should be held accountable for any problems uncovered. Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote that he had seen extraordinary information from Pfizer and others that has not been made public, adding, I want them to show them NOW  and clear up this MESS, one way or the other!!!

Trump calls for transparency from Big Pharma  Former President Donald Trump demanded that COVID-19 vaccine and treatment makers release all data on their products, saying the public deserves to know whether Operation Warp Speed was truly a success or a failure.

 Former President Donald Trump demanded that COVID-19 vaccine and treatment makers release all data on their products, saying the public deserves to know whether Operation Warp Speed was truly a success or a failure. Lawmakers and advocates echo the call  Figures including Sen. Bill Cassidy and Childrens Health Defense CEO Mary Holland agreed that a full review of vaccine safety and effectiveness is overdue, with some calling Trumps comments a turning point toward greater accountability.

 Figures including Sen. Bill Cassidy and Childrens Health Defense CEO Mary Holland agreed that a full review of vaccine safety and effectiveness is overdue, with some calling Trumps comments a turning point toward greater accountability. Shifting public confidence and policy  Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens have begun restricting vaccine access amid regulatory confusion, while federal and state agencies re-evaluate guidelines, signaling a major shift in how COVID-19 vaccines are distributed and perceived.

 Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens have begun restricting vaccine access amid regulatory confusion, while federal and state agencies re-evaluate guidelines, signaling a major shift in how COVID-19 vaccines are distributed and perceived. Potential re-evaluation of the entire COVID response  Experts note that Trumps remarks could open the door to questioning not only the vaccines, but the entire pandemic response, creating pressure on the CDC, FDA, and drugmakers to disclose data and rebuild public trust.

Clear Up This Mess: Trump Demands Big Pharma Justify the Success of COVID Shots

Trump questioned whether Operation Warp Speed, his administrations rapid vaccine development initiative, was truly as successful as many claim. He noted that conflicting views about the vaccines safety and effectiveness have created confusion, leaving agencies like the CDC and figures such as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. under pressure to resolve the debate.

His remarks coincided with a broader government review of COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy, led by the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) echoed Trumps call for transparency, emphasizing that public health decisions require clear, reliable data.

Reactions to Trumps comments were swift. Childrens Health Defense CEO Mary Holland said his statement may portend a greater truth-telling, reiterating CHDs position that COVID-19 shots are dangerous and ineffective. Internal medicine physician Dr. Clayton J. Baker described the remarks as momentous, suggesting they signaled a loss of confidence in drug company assurances and potentially opened the door to re-evaluating both Operation Warp Speed and the broader COVID-19 response.

Critics of Big Pharma, including chiropractor Ben Tapper, pointed to Pfizers past legal troubles, arguing that blind trust in the company was misplaced. Attorney Rick Jaffe said that once a president demands answers, it becomes much harder for CDC, FDA and the drugmakers to keep stonewalling, possibly marking the start of real accountability.

Meanwhile, the Biden-Kennedy administration has made several significant policy changes. The FDA recently ended emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines, limiting shots to people at higher risk for severe illness, while leaving access available through physician consultation. Some pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens, responded by restricting or requiring prescriptions for COVID shots in multiple states, creating confusion over availability. ACIP is scheduled to meet on Sept. 18 to vote on updated vaccine recommendations, though leadership changes at the CDC have cast uncertainty over the timing.

Some states, like New Mexico, are working to remove barriers to vaccine access, even as legal experts warn that states cannot override FDA rules governing eligibility. The shifting landscape underscores growing tensions between federal oversight, state authority, and public trust.

Public health experts note that restoring confidence will require transparency across all agencies and companies involved. As University of Maryland professor Linda Simoni-Wastila put it, If our country is ever to trust the CDC, FDA, the National Institutes of Health and other government institutions, then exposing the truth is imperative.

Trumps call for Big Pharma to justify the COVID-19 shots adds political pressure to a debate that is far from settled  and may shape how Americans view both past pandemic decisions and future public health policies.

Bookmark Vaccines.news to your favorite independent websites for updates on experimental gene therapy injections like the deadly COVID CLOT SHOTS that lead to early death, infertility, turbo cancer and Long-Vax-Syndrome.

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

ChildrensHealthDefense.org
Paper and print are part of our history. We met in college. He was a graduate teaching assistant in the photo lab and I was an undergrad. We met in the darkroom to see what would develop.
Suppression of fear-related memories after unpleasant experiences is very critical for adaptive behavior, as it allows one to inhibit responses that could lead to psychiatric problems such as anxiety or depression. Recent theories propose that the extinction of these memories takes place when new, highly context-dependent memories that suppress the initial fear response are created. Electrophysiological experiments on mice support this theory, and show a relationship between certain oscillations of signals recorded in the brain regions of the amygdala and hippocampus with the learning and extinction of fear-response memories. However, this relationship has so far not been confirmed in the human brain.

In an article published recently in Nature Human Behaviour, researchers at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Germany, describe for the first time the electrophysiological signals associated with the extinction of aversive memories in humans.

Researchers employed a powerful technique to study the characteristics of human memory called Representational Similarity Analysis (RSA), which provides information on how brain regions represent information.

The technique allows us to achieve a more detailed and mechanistic understanding of episodic memories, overcoming traditional approaches based solely on brain activation." Daniel Pacheco-Estefan, first author of the paper and researcher at the UAB Department of Basic, Developmental and Educational Psychology

The study provides a detailed characterization of the neural representations involved in the formation and extinction of associative memories. Researchers used a novel experimental design that included multiple cues and contexts in each phase of the experiment (memory acquisition, memory extinction and testing). This allowed them to study the representations underlying classical conditioning in humans and to validate, for the first time, hypotheses derived from studies in animal models. The study involved the participation of 49 epileptic patients who had already had electrodes implanted - for the treatment of the disease - in the brain area related to fear memories and the extinction of these memories. The patients were shown a series of neutral images (a hair dryer, a fan and a toaster), associating some of them with an unpleasant stimulus (a sound), while the brain activity was recorded. Later, the procedure was repeated, but this time without associating the images with the aversive stimulus, in order to promote the extinction of aversive memories.

Among the main findings, researchers observed an increase in theta activity - a type of oscillatory signal emitted by the brain's electrical activity - in the amygdala - a key structure in the coding of emotional states - when previously unpleasant stimuli were presented during extinction learning, suggesting a safety signal. In addition, they observed higher representational similarity between items that were punished during extinction, i.e., those that had been associated with negative sounds. "This result is consistent with previous research that has identified a generalised representational signature for unpleasant memories, which favours their involuntary reappearance in all kinds of situations in subjects who have undergone traumatic experiences", emphasizes Daniel Pacheco-Estefan.

The study also shows that extinction memories are highly dependent on the context in which they are formed. Retrieval of fear memory is more likely than that of safety memory during the test phase, when representations of extinction contexts are more pronounced and specific during extinction. For Pacheco-Estefan "this finding has relevant implications for understanding why fear memories that have already been extinguished, return once patients are out of the therapeutic context". Nikolai Axmacher, coordinating researcher at RUB, adds: "It seems that extinction memories are stored like memories of unique episodes - for the patient, the safe situation may be regarded as an exception that is unlikely to repeat."

Overall, these pioneering results open new paths to investigating the fundamental mechanisms of episodic and autobiographical memory in humans, and "could inspire the development of more effective therapeutic interventions in patients with post-traumatic stress or anxiety disorders", concludes the UAB researcher.
Senior Congress leader justifies LoPs participation in CMs Onam feast

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 20:00 IST

Representational image (Image: News18)

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 7 (PTI) Senior Congress leader and UDF convenor Adoor Prakash on Sunday justified opposition leader V D Satheesans participation in the Onam feast hosted by Chief Minister Pinarayi amidst a raging row over the custodial torture of a Youth Congress leader by police.

While responding to reporters queries, Prakash said the news reports about the incident happened in Kunnamkulam police station in 2023, started appearing on TV channels only after Satheesan went to attend the CMs Onam feast.

Recommended Stories

The UDF convenor said he also attended a press meet along with the LoP and the latter proceeded to attend the feast last week.

Actually the news about custodial torture had not appeared on the TV channels at that time. He (Satheesan) would have kept himself away from the event if it came to his notice before that," Prakash said.

His justification came a day after Congress veteran and former KPCC chief K Sudhakaran criticised Satheesan for attending the CMs feast in light of the Kunnamkulam custodial torture incident.

Responding to reporters queries on whether he would have attended the Onam feast in the wake of CCTV footage showing the alleged torture of Youth Congress leader V S Sujith at Kunnamkulam police station in 2023, Sudhakaran said on Saturday that, I would not have done that. That was not right. Thats all. " He declined to comment further on the matter.

Sudhakaran also described the custodial torture as an act of police persecution".

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Satheesan had already made it clear that protests would intensify if the state government continued to maintain that no further action was required against the five police officials involved.

Four policemen, who served at Kunnamkulam police station in Thrissur, were suspended for assaulting Sujith, police said on Saturday. PTI LGK KH

Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18

First Published: September 07, 2025, 20:00 IST

News agency-feeds Senior Congress leader justifies LoPs participation in CMs Onam feast

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...
Three held in cow slaughter case

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 20:00 IST

Representational image (Image: News18)

Jalna, Sept 7 (PTI) Police on Sunday arrested three individuals in connection with the alleged slaughter of a cow, which had sparked tension in Jalna district, a senior officer said.

Police registered a case of outraging religious feelings and under provisions of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act after a video went viral on September 1, said Superintendent of Police Ajaykumar Bansal.

Recommended Stories

The investigation led to the arrest of the main accused, Aslam Qureshi, and two others, namely Sufiyan Qureshi and Yaseen Qureshi.

The video had sparked widespread outrage, with right-wing groups threatening to halt the immersion of Lord Ganesh idols unless the accused were arrested.

It was a big challenge for us, as there is no magic wand to act instantly. However, we formed four teams and sent them to different locations, including Khuldabad, Parbhani, and Hyderabad," Bansal said.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The police officer said the arrests helped ease tensions, and the Ganesh idol immersions were carried out peacefully without any untoward incident.

He said the police would add more sections of the Information Technology Act and MCOCA against the accused persons. PTI COR NSK

Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18

First Published: September 07, 2025, 20:00 IST

News agency-feeds Three held in cow slaughter case

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...
GST Reforms: Govt Directs Firms To Update Systems, Says Rate Cut Benefits Must Reach Consumers

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 08:42 IST

The GST Council led by Nirmala Sitharaman slashes GST to 5 percent and 18 percent slabs from September 22, promising lower prices on essentials, healthcare, education, and more.

The GST rationalisation will boost consumption in the country and push investments, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

GST Reforms: The government has urged Indian companies to update their systems immediately, so that the new rates (5% and 18%) will be picked up by their systems for generating invoices from September 22. It has also reiterated that the rate cut benefits must pass down to consumers and they should not hold back any benefits accrued due to this rate cut with themselves.

Recommended Stories

Moreover, the government said that the department is closely monitoring price trends pre-cut and post-cut and will intervene if theres a requirement. we will be ready to take that to ensure that benefits are ultimately passed on to consumers," Nirmala Sitharaman Office wrote in the X post.

It added that various chambers and associations have given their assurances to pass down the benefits to customers. But, we are otherwise confident that industries on their own will pass on the benefits. These kinds of assurances are being given by various chambers and associations to us," the post said.

The companies have to immediately take steps to update their systems so that the new rates are reflected.From 22nd September the new rates should be picked up by their systems for generating invoices. Secondly, they have to ensure that rate cut benefits are passed on to https://t.co/nvsXZXe8cB  Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) September 6, 2025

In a sweeping reform, the GST Council, led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has approved a sharp overhaul of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure. Effective September 22, the system will be simplified into just two main slabs of 5% and 18%, replacing the current 12% and 28% rates, with a special 40% slab for luxury and sin goods. Billed as a historic Diwali gift" for citizens and businesses, the reforms aim to lower the cost of living, boost consumption, and spur economic activity.

Big Savings on Essentials: Household products like hair oil, shampoo, toothpaste, toilet soaps, shaving cream and toothbrushes will now attract just 5% GST instead of 18%. Rates on butter, ghee, cheese, packaged namkeens, dairy spreads and utensils have been cut from 12% to 5%. Feeding bottles, clinical diapers and sewing machines too move into the lowest slab.

Healthcare Relief: Health and life insurance premiums, earlier taxed at 18%, are now exempt. Medical-grade oxygen, diagnostic kits, glucometers, test strips, corrective spectacles and thermometers will all attract only 5%.

Education Boost: Learning materials such as maps, charts, globes, notebooks, pencils, crayons, sharpeners, pastels and erasers have been fully exempted from GST.

Support for Farmers: Tractor tyres and parts now fall under 5% (down from 18%), while tractors drop from 12% to 5%. Bio-pesticides, micro-nutrients, drip irrigation systems and agricultural machinery also join the lower slab, easing input costs for farmers.

Cheaper Automobiles: Petrol, diesel and CNG cars within specified categories, earlier at 28%, will now face only 18%. The same applies to three-wheelers, motorcycles up to 350cc and commercial vehicles for goods transport.

Lower Prices for Appliances: Consumer durables including air conditioners, large televisions, monitors, projectors and dishwashers shift from 28% to 18%, making big-ticket appliances more affordable.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Process Reforms: Beyond rate cuts, the Council cleared procedural improvements such as automatic GST registration within three working days, provisional refunds via system-based evaluation, and simplified input tax credit rules.

About the Author Varun Yadav Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the I... Read More

First Published: September 07, 2025, 08:29 IST

News business GST Reforms: Govt Directs Firms To Update Systems, Says Rate Cut Benefits Must Reach Consumers

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...
Toyota Slashes Prices After GST Reform; Fortuner Is Now Cheaper Up To Rs 3.49 Lakh

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 10:57 IST

Toyota Kirloskar Motor cuts prices on Fortuner, Innova Crysta, Vellfire, Hilux, Camry, Legender, Urban Cruiser Hyrider, and Glanza after GST reduction, effective September 22.

Toyota Fortuner. (File photo)

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has reduced the prices of many of its popular cars and SUVs. This decision has been taken after the GST Council recently reduced tax rates in the automobile sector. The company has clearly said that the full benefit of the GST reduction will be given to the customers. The new prices will be effective from September 22.

Recommended Stories

Toyotas price cut announcement followed other competitors like Tata Motors and Renault which have announced the rate cuts recently.

The biggest relief will be given to those who buy Fortuner. The price of this SUV will now be reduced by a maximum of  3.49 lakh. Innova Crysta will be reduced by  1.80 lakh and Innova Hycross by  1.15 lakh. Luxury MPV Vellfire will be cheaper by  2.78 lakh, while the price of Hilux pickup will be reduced by  2.52 lakh. Similarly, the prices of other models will also see a decline. There has been a reduction of  1.01 lakh on Camry,  3.34 lakh on Legender,  65,400 on Urban Cruiser Hyrider and  85,300 on Glanza.

Toyota Vice President Varinder Wadhwa said, We thank the Government of India for this historic reform. This will make cars more affordable for customers and will bring new life to the auto sector. This step will boost market demand just before the festivals."

GST on vehicles has been reduced

The government has made a big change in the GST structure. Under the new system, small vehicles  that is, cars with petrol engines up to 1200 cc and diesel engines up to 1500 cc, whose length is up to 4000 mm, will now be charged 18% GST. While big cars  i.e. vehicles with petrol engines of more than 1200 cc and diesel engines of more than 1500 cc and vehicles longer than 4000 mm will be charged 40% GST.

It means that popular hatchbacks and compact sedans, including Maruti Swift, Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, and Honda Amaze, might become more affordable.

Cars with engine capacity above 1200cc (petrol/CNG/LPG) or above 1500cc (diesel) or length more than 4000 mm will now attract a 40% GST, as compared with 28% (plus 17%-22% compensation cess) earlier. It means that the tax on such vehicles has been reduced to 40%, compared with 45%-50%.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

It covers bigger sedans, premium SUVs, and imported models. Customers looking at vehicles like Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra XUV700 (higher variants), or imported luxury sedans stand to gain, from September 22.

About the Author Varun Yadav Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the I... Read More

First Published: September 07, 2025, 10:56 IST

News business Toyota Slashes Prices After GST Reform; Fortuner Is Now Cheaper Up To Rs 3.49 Lakh

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...
Eight-Year-Old Girl Unable To Walk After Teacher Forces Her To Do 100 Sit-Ups In Chhattisgarh

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 13:05 IST

The parents of the girl expressed anger at the incident and alleged that no action was taken despite them raising the concern to the management.

The incident took place in Chhattisgarh (Representative image)

A school punishment turned too harsh for an eight-year-old girl, as she couldnt walk after she was allegedly forced to do 100 sit-ups and beaten up with a stick for going out of the classroom to go to the toilet. The incident took place in a government-funded school in Pratapgarh, Chhattisgarh.

Recommended Stories

The Class 2 girl has suffered muscle damage in her legs and has also developed severe pain due to muscle tearing. She is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital, reported the Times of India.

Speaking to TOI, Surguja DEO Dinesh Jha said that a team will visit the school to record the statements of teachers, students, and the principal.

The block education officer, along with a team, has been asked to visit the school and record statements of teachers, students, and principal. Prima facie, its clear that something unpleasant has definitely happened with the girl, but the teacher in question doesnt take any class for the girl, is what I have gathered," Jha told TOI, adding that the CCTV footage of the school is also being accessed, and assured action against the accused.

The parents of the girl expressed anger at the incident and alleged that no action was taken despite them raising the concern to the management.

Days have passed since the incident. My daughter is still crying in pain. This is not disciplineit is brutality in the name of teaching," her mother said.

The teacher, Namrata Gupta, and the principal, Rajiv Singh, have also been sent on a compulsory leave for an indefinite period, on orders by the regional officer, DAV Institutions, Chhattisgarh zone.

Meanwhile, speaking to the reporters, the girl said that she was stopped by the teacher on her way to the toilet. The teacher beat her with sticks and asked her to go back to class, where she was forced to do the sit-ups, reported TOI.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Block education officer Indu Tirkey said that a probe will be ordered in the incident and action will be taken against the accused.

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 : Chhattisgarh, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 13:01 IST

News cities Eight-Year-Old Girl Unable To Walk After Teacher Forces Her To Do 100 Sit-Ups In Chhattisgarh

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...
Minor Girl Gives Birth After Being Raped By Married Man, Infant Dies Within 30 Minutes

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 07:57 IST

The incident came to light after the family of the girl took her to a government hospital on Thursday after her persistent complaint about stomach pain.

The accused, Rashid, has been arrested

An 11-year-old victim of rape gave birth to a premature baby, which died soon after, in Uttar Pradeshs Bareilly. The infant, who was born only after seven months of pregnancy, died only half an hour later.

The police have arrested a 31-year-old man, identified as Rashid, for allegedly raping the minor on several occasions and blackmailing her.

Recommended Stories

Rashid, who is a father of two, lured the girl to his house for the first time six to seven months back, offering a fruit.

He then allegedly raped her and threatened to kill her family if she told about this. He even recorded the act and blackmailed her to make further sexual relations.

The incident came to light after the family of the girl took her to a government hospital on Thursday after her persistent complaint about stomach pain. An ultrasound was conducted, and it was revealed that she was seven months pregnant.

The minor was brought to District Womens Hospital, where she delivered the child the same day.

At first, the girl was critical due to blood loss and her young age, but her condition is stable now, and its improving.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Confirming the incident, Nawabganj Station House Officer Arun Kumar Srivastava said that an FIR has been filed against Rashid, and a DNA sample has been taken from the baby to match the accused.

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 : Uttar Pradesh, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 07:57 IST

News cities Minor Girl Gives Birth After Being Raped By Married Man, Infant Dies Within 30 Minutes

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...
1 Dead, 18 Injured After Fire Erupts In 24-Storey Residential Building In Mumbai

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 20:43 IST

The blaze erupted around 3 pm on the seventh floor of the New Janakalyan Society in Mumbai's Dahisar East

Fire erupts at New Janakalyan Society in Mumbai's Dahisar East | Image: X

One woman died and 18 others sustained injuries after a fire broke out on Sunday afternoon in a 24-storey residential building in Mumbais western suburbs, civic officials said.

The blaze erupted around 3 pm on the seventh floor of the New Janakalyan Society in Shanti Nagar, Dahisar East. Initially, no casualties were reported, an official added.

Recommended Stories

The Fire Departments preliminary probe indicates that the fire began in the basement due to a faulty electric wire and then travelled upward through the buildings electrical duct.

The fire, classified as a Level 2 blaze, continues to rage in the high-rise building in Mumbai, they added.

Firefighting operations are currently in progress, an official said. He added that heavy smoke had filled the high-rise, making it challenging for the firefighters to navigate.

At least seven fire engines and additional emergency response vehicles were deployed to the scene, he noted, while the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Rescue teams evacuated 36 people, including men, women, and children, and admitted them to nearby private hospitals.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

At Rohit Hospital, a woman died from her injuries, while a differently-abled girl remains in critical condition, and five others are receiving treatment.

At Northern Care Hospital, a 4-year-old boy is in a serious state. One patient was taken to Pragati Hospital and another to Shatabdi Hospital. Several of those rescued continue to be in a critical condition.

First Published: September 07, 2025, 20:35 IST

News cities mumbai-news 1 Dead, 18 Injured After Fire Erupts In 24-Storey Residential Building In 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...
Lalbaugcha Raja Visarjan Completed After High Tide, Technical Snags Cause Unusual Delay

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 22:45 IST

Lalbaugcha Raja Yet To Be Immersed: The idol was shifted on to a raft in the afternoon after delays due to high tide & technical challenges, with immersion expected around 11pm

The Lalbaugcha Raja immersion procession (right) on Saturday. (File/PTI)

Lalbaugcha Raja: Mumbais iconic Lalbaugcha Raja idol was finally immersed on Sunday after several hours of delay. The immersion, originally scheduled for the morning, was postponed due to high tide and technical issues. The idol was eventually moved onto a raft on Sunday afternoon.

The grand idol of Lord Ganesha was immersed into Arabian sea off Girgaon coast, according to a report in Navbharat Times. During idol immersion, devotees got emotional as they bid adieu to Lord Ganesha. Lalbaugcha Raja had reached Girgaon Chowpatty at 8am on Sunday.

Recommended Stories

The delay in the grand idols immersion was reported for the first time in years. News18 had reported how a special raft, equipped with hydraulic systems and electrical controls, had been designed to gently lower the towering idol into the sea while ensuring stability even in rough waters.

Lalbaugcha Raja

The Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati mandal was formed in 1934, initiated by the Koli fishermen and local traders of Lalbaug (then known as Girangaon), who had lost their marketplace due to industrial shifts. They vowed to establish Ganesh in gratitude once their market was secured. The first Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav of the mandal took place on September 12, 1934. For years, lakhs of devotees across Mumbai visit the pandal, as they believe the Bappa grants wishes. Many even return to thank the Lord once the wish is fulfilled.

EXPLAINED: Lalbaugcha Raja Visarjan Procession Stops At This Mumbai Masjid Every Year: Heres Why

Usually, the Lalbaugcha Raja idol is immersed into the Arabian Sea off Girgaon Chowpatty in south Mumbai before 9 am.

Lalbaugcha Raja immersion: The failed attempts

The idol was moved to a raft, following several failed attempts, more than eight hours after it arrived at Girgaon Chowpatty and over 28 hours after its grand procession began from Lalbaug on Saturday afternoon, PTI reported.

The failed attempts through the morning had prompted Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal functionaries and officials present at the spot to opt for caution and wait for the high tide, of 4.42 metres at around 11.40 am, to recede.

The idol was finally moved from its platform onto a newly constructed raft at 4:45pm with the help of hundreds of volunteers and fishermen amidst a sea of onlookers," an official told PTI.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LalbaugchaRaja (@lalbaugcharaja)

Lalbaugcha Raja immersion: What happened since morning?

Explaining the chain of events since morning, Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal honorary secretary Sudhir Salavi told reporters high tide had begun earlier than expected, while the immersion procession arrived 10-15 minutes later than planned. We attempted to immerse the idol initially, but soon realized it wasnt working properly, so we decided to stop. Local fishermen advised us that the raft would be able to float during the next high tide, which is expected around 11pm. The final process of immersion will be carried out at that time," he informed.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Earlier in the morning, the surge of seawater caused by the high tide created problems, leading to several attempts to immerse the idol failing. The water level rose till the waist of the idol, which made the raft unstable and difficult to manoeuvre, officials at the site and mandal functionaries said. They said the swift water surge caused a platform carrying the idol to start floating, making it difficult to align it properly with the raft meant to carry the idol into the deeper sea for immersion. For about three hours, the idol was in waters a few feet deep, with 15 to 20 volunteers and fishermen trying to maintain its balance, they said.

With PTI Inputs

About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci... Read More

First Published: September 07, 2025, 19:54 IST

News mumbai-news Lalbaugcha Raja Visarjan Completed After High Tide, Technical Snags Cause Unusual Delay

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...
Japans Throne at Risk? With One Young Heir, Male-Only Succession Crisis Explained

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 13:09 IST

Japans imperial succession follows agnatic primogeniturethe throne passes only to male descendants through the male line, prioritising the eldest son.

Japans Prince Hisahito attends his coming-of-age ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. (Image: AFP)

Prince Hisahito, second in line to the Japanese imperial throne, celebrated his coming-of-age ceremony on September 6, marking his official entry into adulthood. This was the first such ceremony for an heir in nearly four decades in the worlds oldest hereditary monarchy.

While Prince Hisahito is widely expected to eventually ascend the throne, the imperial family faces a looming crisis: there is currently no young male successor after him. This shortage has reignited debates over the monarchys male-only succession tradition.

Recommended Stories

Worlds Oldest Monarchy

The Japanese Imperial Family, known as the Koshitsu, traces its lineage back over 2,600 years to the mythical Emperor Jimmu, believed to be a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Unlike modern monarchies, the Japanese emperor has no political power. Since the post-World War II Constitution of 1947, the emperor serves only as a symbolic head of state.

Succession to the Chrysanthemum Thronethe emperors symbolic seatis determined by the Imperial House Law of 1947, which enforces an unbroken line for ages eternal." But with a shrinking pool of heirs, this male-only rule has ignited fresh debate over the monarchys stability in a modern, gender-equal world.

The Succession Tradition

Japans imperial succession follows agnatic primogeniturethe throne passes only to male descendants through the male line, prioritising the eldest son. Article 1 of the Imperial House Law states: The Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by a male offspring in the male line belonging to the Imperial Lineage."

Article 2 sets the order: the emperors eldest son, his son, and so on, followed by younger brothers and their male descendants.

This system excludes daughters, granddaughters, and female-line descendants, even if they are the eldest children.

Further, women lose their imperial status upon marrying commoners (Article 12), which happened with Prince Hisahitos sister and former Princess Mako when she married a non-royal man.

Adoption into the family is banned (Article 9), making succession strictly bloodline-based, and together these rules narrow the succession pool.

The law itself was shaped by the Meiji Constitution of 1889, which codified patrilineal succession under patriarchal ideals influenced by Chinas Tang Dynasty. This overrode earlier traditions, which were more flexible.

Were There Any Female Rules In Japan?

Yes, Japan did not always have a patrilineal succession. Ancient society had matriarchal elements, embodied by figures like Queen Himiko (c. 180248 CE), a shaman-queen, and Amaterasu, the sun goddess central to Shinto belief.

Japan has seen eight reigning empresses, the last being Empress Go-Sakuramachi (r. 17621771), who ruled during a shortage of male heirs. Succession in those times was often considered both paternal and maternal ties, with marriages within the clan legitimising female claims.

The male-only succession rule emerged firmly in the Meiji era, reflecting Confucian ideals of male superiority (danson johi) and sidelining Japans own traditions of dual lineage.

The Current Line of Succession

Right now, the Japanese imperial family has 18 members, of which only three males are the heirs to the throne.

Emperor Naruhito ascended in 2019 after his father, Akihito, abdicated the throne due to his ailing health. He has only one child, Princess Aiko (born 2001), who can not be the heiress despite being the eldest due to the male succession.

Crown Prince Fumihito (Prince Akishino), 59, Naruhitos younger brother, is the immediate heir.

Prince Hisahito, 18, son of Fumihito, is second in line. He is the only male born into the family since 1965 and recently celebrated his coming-of-age ceremony.

Prince Masahito (Prince Hitachi), 89, Naruhitos uncle, is third in line.

Beyond Hisahito, the line extends to distant, elderly male relatives, with no young male successors in sight. The family once had 11 male members in 1947; today, it is down to three, worsened by low birth rates and the rule forcing women out after marriage.

The shortage of heirsoften called the succession crisishas reignited debate. Emperor Naruhito has cautiously noted the reduced capacity of the family to fulfil public duties, but cannot openly push for change.

Public Opinion Vs Political Resistance

According to The Conversation report, a survey in 2024 resulted in around 90% of Japanese citizens supporting female succession. Many argue that passing the throne to the eldest child regardless of gender would align with modern equality while honouring historical precedent. This would include Princess Aiko and allow women to retain status after marriage.

The debate on the succession has flared multiple times. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pushed reforms from 20012006, but they were shelved after Hisahitos birth.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

A 2005 government advisory report recommended allowing female succession, adopting age-based primogeniture, and permitting women to remain in the family post-marriage.

Though never enacted, it resurfaced in 2021 under Yoshihide Suga and in 2023 under Fumio Kishida, but stalled amid the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) infighting. Conservatives, within the LDP, resist reform, claiming the male-only line is a sacred 2,600-year tradition.

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: September 07, 2025, 13:09 IST

News explainers Japans Throne at Risk? With One Young Heir, Male-Only Succession Crisis Explained

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...
1 Cop Killed, 2 Missing After Their Car Plunges Into Shipra River In Ujjain, Search Underway

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 13:00 IST

Ashok Sharma, Madanlal and Aarti Pal from Unhel police plunged into the Shipra River in Ujjain after their car skidded off a bridge. Sharma's body was found after a 12 hour search.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, home guards, and local divers launched a rescue operation. (ANI)

In a tragic incident, a car carrying three police personnel plunged into the swollen Shipra River in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain district after skidding off a bridge, officials said on Sunday.

The incident took place on Saturday, around 9 pm, when the three officials Unhel police station in-charge, Ashok Sharma, Sub-Inspector Madanlal and a woman constable, Aarti Palvisited the holy town for a case investigation.

Recommended Stories

The three were returning to Unhel, about 50 km from the district headquarters, when their car fell into the river. Their phones had been switched off since Saturday night, with the last mobile location showing the Shipra bridge.

The officials said that the body of Sharma was recovered from the river on Sunday morning after a 12-hour-long search operation. Police suspect that the two other officers also drowned in the incident.

The car fell into the river from the bridge without railing, Jiawaji Ganj area City Superintendent of Police Pushpa Prajapati told news agency PTI.

She said that the search operation was halted at 2:30 am due to darkness and resumed at 5:30 am on Sunday, she said.

Ujjain SP Pradeep Sharma said, A white car plunging into the river on a bridge was reported. The water flow is strong, making it difficult to determine the number of occupants or their condition. Onlookers and on-duty police suggest that there were at least two people in the car, with the windows closed; however, this has not yet been confirmed. Multiple SDRF teams are preparing to go down to locate the car"

#WATCH | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh: SP Pradeep Sharma says, This is a very tragic incident. We lost our three police officers, including the Unhel police station incharge Ashok Sharma, sub-inspector Ninama, and lady constable Aarti Pal. A fourteen-year-old girl went missing https://t.co/gofZDypRrC pic.twitter.com/ZiaMQl11B9 ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2025

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and Home Guards with boats, drones and divers were searching for the two personnel.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The car has not yet been traced even after over 12 hours of operations.

(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 : Ujjain, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 13:00 IST

News india 1 Cop Killed, 2 Missing After Their Car Plunges Into Shipra River In Ujjain, Search Underway

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...
27 RSS Activists Booked For Laying 'Op Sindoor' Floral Carpet In Kerala Temple; BJP Reacts

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 09:36 IST

A Temple Committee member said that a High Court order bans any decorative items, including flags, near the temple compound. Despite this, the floral carpet was laid.

Floral carpet laid outside Kerala temple (Credits: X/@RajeevRC_X)

A case has been filed against 27 RSS activists for laying a floral carpet at a temple on Onam in Kollam district of the state, reported PTI, citing the Police. The carpet was made outside the Parthasarathy temple with the RSS flag and Operation Sindoor" inscribed on it.

The Temple committee reported it as a violation of the Kerala High Court order. Speaking about the same, Temple committee member Mohanan told PTI that there had been frequent clashes over flag installations near the temple during festivals previously.

Recommended Stories

To avoid such confrontations, we approached the High Court, which in 2023 banned any decorative items, including flags, near the temple compound," he said.

He further added that despite the order, the floral carpet was laid with RSS flag and inscribed Operation Sindoor with flowers right next to the temple committees floral design.

Since this violated the High Court order and could spark clashes, we filed a complaint. We have full respect for Operation Sindoor, but this is not as the accused are portraying it," the office-bearer said.

According to the report by PTI, the complaint has been filed under sections 223 (disobeying orders lawfully promulgated by public servants), 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), and 3(5) (criminal act committed by several people) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

BJP Calls It Shocking

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also reacted to the complaint, saying it was absolutely unacceptable". In a post on X, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said,"This is Kerala. It is a proud part of India. Yet, an FIR has been lodged for making a Pookkalam with the words Operation Sindoor" in it. Absolutely Unacceptable! Operation Sindoor is our pride. It is the symbol of the valor and courage of Indias armed forces. It is an operation that avenged the death of 26 innocent tourists who were killed after being asked their religion."

This FIR by Kerala Police is an insult to each of those 26 victims of Terror and their families, and also every soldier who defends India with his blood and sacrifice. Thousands of Malayalis wear the uniform, guard our borders, and lay down their lives for the Tricolor. In the name of every Malayali who believes in serving the nation, this FIR and this type of shameless appeasement will be opposed," he added.

This is Kerala. It is a proud part of India. Yet, an FIR has been lodged for making a Pookkalam with the words Operation Sindoor" in it.Absolutely Unacceptable! Operation Sindoor is our pride. It is the symbol of the valor and courage of Indias armed forces. It is an https://t.co/7C8ocJsIG5 pic.twitter.com/V2DDzuwAdX  Rajeev Chandrasekhar  (@RajeevRC_X) September 6, 2025

Kerala Police Issues Clarification

Warning of strict action against those spreading fake news, Kerala Police in an official statement clarified that the case has been filed for displaying flag poles and flexes in the temple premises against the court order.

Various social media handles are spreading the news that the police have registered a case for putting Onam pookalam at the Parthasarathy temple in Muthupilakkad, Sasthamkotta. Strict action will be taken against those spreading such fake news," said Kerala Police.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The Sasthamkotta police have registered a case under F.I.R. No.: 1555/2025 for displaying flag poles and flexes in the temple premises against the court order. Making and spreading fake news is punishable," it added.

(With inputs from PTI)

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: September 07, 2025, 09:35 IST

News india 27 RSS Activists Booked For Laying 'Op Sindoor' Floral Carpet In Kerala Temple; BJP Reacts

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...
3 Syrians Arrested In Delhi For Illegally Raising Funds On Behalf Of Gaza Victims

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 07:47 IST

The accused, Zakaria Haitham Alazar, Ahmed Ohad Alhabash, and Yusuf Khalid Alzahar, were intercepted by Ahmedabad Crime Branch on September 3.

Syrians Arrested In Delhi For Illegally Raising Funds On Behalf Of Gaza Victims

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Saturday arrested three Syrian nationals for allegedly raising funds in India in the name of Gaza victims. The accused were held from the Delhi Airport. The Crime Branch first issued a lookout for and then arrested them.

As per a report by India Today, the three accused, identified as Zakaria Haitham Alazar, Ahmed Ohad Alhabash, and Yusuf Khalid Alzahar, were intercepted on September 3 while trying to board a flight from Delhi to Damascus via Dubai.

Recommended Stories

Notably, this is the second such arrest in recent times. Last month, a Syrian man was arrested in Ahmedabad for raising funds from mosques to help people in Gaza. He was arrested from a hotel in Ellis Bridge area. The three accused arrested on Saturday were also living in the same hotel.

The accused, identified as 23-year-old Ali Meghat Al-Azhar, was arrested from a hotel in Ellis Bridge area, Sharad Singhal, Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch told PTI. The accused allegedly used the money collected on behalf of Gaza victims to live a lavish life.

Based on a tip-off, we arrested Al-Azhar, a resident of Damascus. We found USD 3,600 and Rs 25,000 in cash from his possession. The other three went underground after his arrest," Singhal was quoted as saying by PTI.

Came To India On Tourist Visa

As per the officials, these Syrians came to India on tourist visas and landed in Kolkata on July 22. They reached Ahmedabad on August 2. They used to go to local mosques and show videos of people starving in Gaza to get funding.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

They would approach local mosques and seek donations, showing videos of starving people in Gaza to gain sympathy. They claimed that they were collecting funds for providing food to the needy people in Gaza. But we did not find any evidence that they were sending funds to Gaza," he said.

The Ahmedabad polices crime branch along with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and National Investigation Agency are probing their exact motive behind coming to Gujarat and where the funds collected from local mosques were sent.

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 : Delhi, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 07:19 IST

News india 3 Syrians Arrested In Delhi For Illegally Raising Funds On Behalf Of Gaza Victims

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...
CCTV Footage Shows Cop Assaulting Restaurant Employees In Kerala Police Station

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 14:55 IST

CCTV from Peechi police station in Thrissur shows SI Ratheesh and others assaulting Lalys Group staff, sparking outrage after KP Ouseph released the footage obtained via RTI.

As per the reports, the incident took place in May 2023, and the video was released by Thrissur-based businessman KP Ouseph. (News18)

A fresh custodial torture case has come into the limelight in Keralas Thrissur district after a CCTV footage from Peechi police station, which has surfaced on social media platforms, showed police officers physically assaulting restaurant employees.

As per the reports, the incident took place in May 2023, and the video was released by Thrissur-based businessman KP Ouseph, managing director of Lalys Group, after it was obtained under the RTI Act.

Recommended Stories

According to Ouseph, the dispute began when Dhineesh of Palakkad clashed with restaurant workers at Pattikad and later complained to police, as per the Outlook report.

Following the complaint, Peechi SI Ratheesh summoned restaurant manager Roni and another employee to the station, where he assaulted them.

The CCTV video showed Roni being slapped in the SIs cabin and another police officer beating up the employee who was with him.

Ouseph and his son Paul Joseph reached the police station after hearing this. However, the police confined Paul to the lockup along with the hotel staff. They asked Ouseph to settle for a compromise.

Ouseph alleged that Ratheesh threatened to shut down his business and warned of filing fabricated charges, citing the presence of Dhineeshs minor son at the restaurant. He said Civil Police Officer Mahesh and SI Jayesh also participated in the custodial violence.

He further alleged that a previous enmity lay behind the incident and that the daughter of the sister of a police officer at Peechi station had been caught stealing goods from his store, prompting him to take revenge on them.

Later, as a compromise, Ousep said that five lakh rupees were paid to the complainants. After receiving the money, the complainant returned to the station and withdrew his complaint.

Though Dhineesh was later arrested, he quickly secured bail as the bribe money was not recovered.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Ouseph said he pursued the matter legally, filing RTI requests for the CCTV footage. Though initially rejected on grounds such as women protection" and Maoist reasons," the Kerala State Right to Information Commission finally ordered the release of the footage in August 2024.

The case has parallels to a recent suspension of four policemen in Thrissurs Kunnamkulam station, after CCTV evidence obtained through the RTI Act confirmed the assault of Youth Congress leader V S Sujith in 2023.

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 : Thrissur, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 14:54 IST

News india CCTV Footage Shows Cop Assaulting Restaurant Employees In Kerala Police 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...
Devastating Punjab Floods Leave Trail Of Destruction, Death Toll Climbs To 46

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 06:14 IST

The deluge has been termed by officials as the worst the state has faced in decades, surpassing the scale of the 1988 floods

Partially submerged houses at a flood-ravaged area, in Gurdaspur, Punjab. (File pic: PTI)

The catastrophic floods ravaging Punjab have resulted in a rising human and economic toll, with officials confirming a death count of 46 across 14 districts as of Saturday. The deluge, caused by swollen rivers like the Sutlej and incessant monsoon rains, has been termed by officials as the worst the state has faced in decades, surpassing the scale of the 1988 floods. The human impact has been immense, with over 3.87 lakh people affected and nearly 2,000 villages submerged.

Recommended Stories

The economic devastation is particularly acute for the states agrarian community. The floodwaters have submerged and severely damaged crops on over 1.75 lakh hectares of land across 18 districts, with Gurdaspur, Fazilka, and Ferozepur among the worst hit. Farmers, who were just weeks away from a bumper harvest of paddy and other crops, have seen their livelihoods wiped out overnight.

In response to the crisis, the state government has declared Punjab a disaster-affected area and is working on a war footing to provide relief. More than 22,000 people have been rescued from flood-hit villages by joint teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, and the Border Security Force (BSF). Over 200 relief camps have been established to shelter the displaced, housing thousands of individuals who have lost their homes.

While the government has initiated an urgent relief package, the full extent of the damage is still being assessed. The states finance minister has criticised the central government for a lack of support, stating that a comprehensive financial assistance package is urgently needed to help Punjab recover. The challenge of rehabilitating thousands of displaced families and compensating farmers for their losses remains a monumental task in the weeks and months ahead.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

On Friday, union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan alleged that illegal mining had weakened embankments and contributed to the disaster, while assuring that the Centre would help the state recover from the crisis.

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: September 07, 2025, 06:14 IST

News india Devastating Punjab Floods Leave Trail Of Destruction, Death Toll Climbs To 46

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...
Blood Moon Eclipse Captivates Indians From Ghats To Planetariums; Stunning Images Emerge

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 23:58 IST

People across India watched a rare lunar eclipse as the Moon turned coppery red. Events at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, and Dashashwamedh Ghat marked the occasion.

Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google

The blood moon appears during the lunar eclipse, in Chennai, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (PTI)

People across cities and villages paused on Sunday night to gaze at the sky, where the Moon put on a dazzling show during a rare lunar eclipse.

As the Earths shadow slipped over the Moon, onlookers watched in awe as its bright white glow gradually dimmed and turned into a coppery-red disk, a sight popularly known as the blood moon."

Recommended Stories

Open grounds, terraces, and even busy street corners turned into impromptu viewing points. In many places, temples and cultural groups marked the celestial event with prayers and traditions.

People gathered at the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium to observe the lunar eclipse through telescopes in Bengaluru. Association of Bangalore Amateur Astronauts President Ravi said, The interest is from childhood, and luckily for us in Bangalore, we have this association, which started in 1976. Since that day, we have been helping people observe celestial events."

The Science Centre organised a public viewing of the lunar eclipse in Kalaburagi, Karnataka. Visitors, including children, observed the moon darken and turn reddish during the event.

Kalaburagi, Karnataka: The Science Centre organized a public viewing of the lunar eclipse. Visitors, including children, observed the moon darken and turn reddish during the event pic.twitter.com/JRBZR0MVnz IANS (@ians_india) September 7, 2025

Devotees gathered at Dashashwamedh Ghat as the total lunar eclipse began. During the eclipse, devotees performed holy baths and meditation.

During the lunar eclipse, saints, mahants, and devotees performed special rituals and mantra chanting at Ramkund in Maharashtras Nashik.

Nashik, Maharashtra: During the lunar eclipse, saints, mahants, and devotees performed special rituals and mantra chanting at Ramkund pic.twitter.com/SWuV7UxxKj IANS (@ians_india) September 7, 2025

Ryan Milligan, an astrophysicist at Northern Irelands Queens University Belfast, told AFP that the Moon appears red during lunar eclipses because the only sunlight reaching it is reflected and scattered through the Earths atmosphere".

Blue wavelengths of light are shorter than red ones, so they are more easily dispersed as they travel through Earths atmosphere, he said.

Thats what gives the moon its red, bloody colour," he added.

Sundays eclipse was the longest total lunar eclipse visible from India since 2022, and the first since July 27, 2018, to be seen across the entire country.

Planet Saturn also sharing the stage with the moon, creating a rare cosmic pairing.The moon gradually starts turning red as the #LunarEclipse moves from the partial phase to the total phase. From my balcony!# #redmoon pic.twitter.com/DqEAD3D31B  Penny (@pendushehari) September 7, 2025

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Cloudy skies played spoilsport in several parts of the country, but the live streams set up by astronomy enthusiasts worldwide made up for the disappointment due to overcast skies.

The Moon will be fully eclipsed from 11.01 pm to 12.23 am for a duration of 82 minutes," Niruj Mohan Ramanujam, Head of Science, Communication, Public Outreach and Education (SCOPE) Section, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, told news agency PTI.

First Published: September 07, 2025, 23:45 IST

News india Blood Moon Eclipse Captivates Indians From Ghats To Planetariums; Stunning Images Emerge

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...
Indonesian Woman Held With Fake Aadhaar And PAN Cards At India-Nepal Border

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 06:32 IST

According to sources, the woman confessed to having acquired these fraudulent documents through an agent in Mumbai

Authorities also learnt that she had used multiple identities for international travel, frequently moving between Indonesia, Turkey, Nepal, and India. (Representational Image)

In a significant interception at the India-Nepal border, troopers from the 41st Battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) have apprehended an Indonesian national who was attempting to enter Nepal illegally. The woman, identified as Ni Kaden Sisiani, originally from Bali, was caught on Thursday evening at the old bridge over the Mechi River at Panitanki, a key border crossing point near Siliguri.

Recommended Stories

Initial questioning by the SSBs border interaction team revealed conflicting information, as Sisiani had introduced herself with a different name and claimed to be an Indian citizen. A thorough search, however, exposed her Indonesian passport along with forged Indian identity documents, including a fake Aadhaar card and a PAN card.

According to sources, the woman confessed to having acquired these fraudulent documents through an agent in Mumbai. This revelation further deepened the investigation, as it was discovered that she had been living in the metropolis for nearly a decade using these fake IDs to evade detection. Authorities also learnt that she had used multiple identities for international travel, frequently moving between Indonesia, Turkey, Nepal, and India.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The SSB has seized the forged documents and other evidence. Sisiani has been handed over to the Kharibari police station in Darjeeling district for further legal proceedings. Her arrest and the subsequent revelations underscore the sophisticated networks of identity fraud and human trafficking that operate across this porous border.

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: September 07, 2025, 06:32 IST

News india Indonesian Woman Held With Fake Aadhaar And PAN Cards At India-Nepal 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...
J&K MP Engineer Rashid Attacked By Transgender Inmates Inside Tihar Jail, His Party Claims

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 10:38 IST

Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid was attacked by transgender inmates in Tihar Jail, claims Awami Ittehad Party.

Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid. (File)

Jailed Jammu and Kashmir MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, was attacked by prison inmates inside Tihar Jail, his party has claimed.

The incident took place in Jail Number 3, where the Baramulla MP is currently lodged with three transgender inmates. A group of transgender pushed him and threw a gate at him, his party said.

Recommended Stories

Had it hit him directly, it could have been fatal. This is nothing short of a deliberate attempt to physically harm him," the statement claimed.

Rashid, however, sustained minor injuries after he was attacked by transgender inmates who are encouraged to provoke, attack and create a hostile environment", The Awami Ittehad Party said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Jail authorities dismissed reports of any murder conspiracy" as unfounded, as per media reports.

Reacting to the incident, Rashids son, Abrar Rashid, expressed shock and condemned the attack.

The Awami Ittehad Party has issued a statement stating that Engineer Rashid was about to meet his counsel today, during which he revealed how a dreadful attack was carried out on him inside the jail. This is very shocking, not just for me and my family but also for those currently in Tihar Jail," Abrar stated.

He further appealed to the Centre to ensure his fathers safety.

The party and I condemn the attack, and we request the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and jail authorities to ensure the safety of Kashmiri prisoners there. He is not just a political prisoner but also a Member of Parliament from North Kashmir, so his safety must be protected," Abrar added.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Engineer Rashid was arrested in 2019 in connection with an alleged terror funding case in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite being under trial, he won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Baramulla constituency, defeating prominent leaders. The case against him involves charges of criminal conspiracy, sedition, and terrorism under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The MP had been granted permission to attend the Monsoon and Budget sessions of Parliament this year and was also allowed to campaign for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections last year.

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 07, 2025, 10:38 IST

News india J&K MP Engineer Rashid Attacked By Transgender Inmates Inside Tihar Jail, His Party Claims

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...
Madhya Pradesh Man Bludgeoned To Death By Third Wife, Lover; Body Found In Well

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 10:34 IST

MP Man was killed by his third wife and her lover. The body was found in a well by victim's second wife. All three accused have been arrested and the investigation is underway.

Representative image

A 60-year-old man was allegedly murdered by his third wife and her lover in Madhya Pradeshs Anuppur district. The police found the body in a well, wrapped in a sack.

The body was first spotted by the victims second wife. As per a report by Times of India, the murder took place on August 30 and the body was seen floating in the well.

Recommended Stories

The accused wife, 38-year-old Vimla Rajak, along with her 48-year-old lover Narayan Das Kushwaha and labourer Dheeraj Kol allegedly murdered Bhaiyalal Rajak while he was asleep.

As per the report, Narayan Das and Dheeraj entered the house at around 2 am and bludgeoned the victim to death.

All three accused are in police custody and further probe is underway.

Kerala Man Murdered By Wife

In another incident, a 41-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by his wifes live-in partner at Naduvathoor in the south Kerala district, police said on Saturday.

The deceased, identified as Syamsundar of Kuzhikkattu Junction, Neduvathoor, was attacked by Dhanesh (37), who lived near the victims house.

Syamsundars wife and child were living with Dhanesh for the past four years, and the two men often quarreled, police stated.

On Friday, around 10 pm, an altercation took place when Syamsundar accused Dhanesh of attempting to seize his property with the help of his wife and child. Neighbours intervened and sent Dhanesh away, a police officer told PTI.

However, around 11:50 pm, Dhanesh allegedly returned and stabbed Syamsundar with a sharp weapon during another altercation, the FIR reported.

Neighbours rushed Syamsundar to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries early on Saturday.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Puthoor police have registered a case under sections 332(a) (house trespass) and 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Officials said Dhaneshs arrest will be recorded soon. The body will be handed over to relatives after postmortem, police added

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 : Bhopal, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 10:34 IST

News india Madhya Pradesh Man Bludgeoned To Death By Third Wife, Lover; Body Found In Well

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...
Maoist, With Rs 10 Lakh Bounty, Killed In Gunfight With Security Forces In Jharkhand

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 11:22 IST

A maoist zonal commander with a Rs 10 lakh bounty, was killed on Sunday in a gunfight with security forces at Burjuwa Hill in Jharkhand.

Representative image

A Maoist with a bounty of Rs 10 lakh was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhands West Singhbhum district on Sunday, according to police officials.

The encounter broke out in the morning at Burjuwa Hill in the Goilkera police station area.

Recommended Stories

Speaking to PTI, Kolhan DIG Anuranjan Kispotta said, An encounter between Maoists and security forces took place in the morning. A body was recovered during a subsequent search operation." IG (operations) and Jharkhand Police spokesperson Michael Raj S told PTI, The body was identified as that of Amit Hansda alias Aptan, a self-styled zonal commander of CPI(Maoist) who carried a Rs 10 lakh reward." He said the search operation is still underway in the area.

As per the official, Chaibasa superintendent of police had received a tip-off about the presence of Maoists in the Relaparal area under the jurisdiction of Goilkera police station.

Following the information, security forces conducted a search operation in the morning, leading to the encounter around 6 am.

As the security forces reached, the Maoists retreated into the dense forests. During the subsequent search operation, Hansdas body was discovered along with a firearm, the officer stated.

Woman Naxalite Killed in Encounter in Chhattisgarh

A woman Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security forces in a forest area along the border of Narayanpur and Dantewada districts in Chhattisgarh on Friday, according to a senior police official.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The encounter broke out when a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) from Narayanpur and Dantewada, along with the Special Task Force (STF), both units of the state police force, were conducting an anti-Naxal operation along the inter-district border, the official stated.

So far, the body of a woman Naxalite has been recovered from the site along with one .303 rifle and two BGL (Barrel Grenade Launcher) launchers and other items of daily use," he was quoted as saying by PTI.

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 : Jharkhand, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 11:10 IST

News india Maoist, With Rs 10 Lakh Bounty, Killed In Gunfight With Security Forces In Jharkhand

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...
Marred By Poverty, Jharkhand Couple Sells Month-Old Baby For Rs 50,000; Cops Rescue Child

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 14:42 IST

The police action came after Chief Minister Hemant Soren took cognisance of the incident and ordered the cops to immediately rescue the boy.

Jharkhand couple sells baby boy due to poverty (AI-generated Image)

A month-old baby boy was allegedly sold by his parents for Rs 50,000 due to poverty; however, he was rescued by Jharkhand Police on Sunday, officials said.

The police action came after Chief Minister Hemant Soren took cognisance of the incident and ordered the cops to immediately rescue the boy.

Recommended Stories

A couple from Lesliganj area in Palamu district allegedly sold their son for Rs 50,000 due to extreme poverty," Lesliganj Circle Officer Sunil Kumar Singh said.

As the matter came to the fore, the Palamu district administration reached out to the family and provided 20kg of foodgrain to them and launched efforts to enrol them under welfare schemes, the official said.

Ramchandra Ram, the father, told media that he had sold his son to a tout couple from a nearby village as he did not have money for living or to treat his wife, Pinki Devi, who had been unwell since giving birth to the child.

I did not have money for her treatment or to arrange for food," Ram said. He was a daily wage labourer who has been unemployed for the last few months due to incessant rainfall.

The middleman couple took to baby to Latehar district after the completion of payment.

We are homeless and spend nights along with four other children of ours under a dilapidated shed," Ram said.

Ram hails from Uttar Pradeshs Mirzapur and has been living in Lotwa for around 15 years with his wife, who is a local. The couple worked as labourers and even begged in the village when they did not work, sources told news agency PTI.

The couple was deprived of the benefits of government schemes as they did not have Aadhaar or ration cards, they added.

Pinki Devi said that her father had given her a small piece of land and they had built a hut, which got damaged in rain.

We were left with no other option but to live under the shed," Ram said.

The woman had delivered the baby under the shed and had been sick since then.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

A team of police was sent to Latehar to find the boy, who was later rescued on Sunday, Lesliganj police station officer-in-charge Uttam Kumar Rai said.

(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

Location : Jharkhand, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 14:42 IST

News india Marred By Poverty, Jharkhand Couple Sells Month-Old Baby For Rs 50,000; Cops Rescue Child

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...
Mother, Son Reunite After 10 Years Due To Police Officer's Instagram Post

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 12:33 IST

A head constable in Amroha with 45 lakh Instagram followers, helped 77-year-old woman reunite with her missing son in Deoria through a viral social media post.

AI-Generated Image

Social media has become one of the most powerful tools in modern times. The reach of content on social media knows no limits, and a recent case reported from Uttar Pradeshs Deoria backs these statements. Here, a social media post helped reunite a mother and son.

A head constable in UP uploaded a post on Instagram, and on September 3, a man in Mumbai saw the post and recognized his uncle, who had been missing for years. He immediately reached out to the head constable and was connected with his family.

Recommended Stories

As per a report by Times Of India, the police officer, identified as 35-year-old Ashwani Malik, is posted in Amroha and has 45 lakh followers on Instagram.

The man video-called his uncle, and his grandmother confirmed that the man on the screen was her son. 77-year-old Rasuma Bano had lost all hope of ever seeing her son, but a social media post made it all possible.

As per the report, this is the fifth such case where Malik helped a family reunite.

UP Woman Finds Missing Husband in Instagram Reel

In a similar incident, a woman in Uttar Pradeshs Hardoi district identified her husband  who had been missing for eight years  via an Instagram reel. However, this was not a very jolly reunion as the man abandoned his wife to marry another woman. Upon identifying him, his wife filed a complaint with the police.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The accused, Jitendra alias Bablu, had left his pregnant wife, Sheelu, in 2018 and was living in Ludhiana, Punjab, where he had allegedly remarried. He was arrested following the complaint.

The case came to light when Sheelu, a resident of Murarnagar in the Sandila area, spotted her husband in a video on Instagram recently. She approached the police, which launched an investigation that confirmed his identity and location.

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 : Meerut, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 12:33 IST

News india Mother, Son Reunite After 10 Years Due To Police Officer's Instagram Post

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 To Visit Flood-Hit Punjab On Sept 9, Likely To Announce Special Relief Package

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 09:55 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit flood-hit Punjab, including Gurudaspur, to assess damage and review relief efforts for affected farmers and residents.

The economic devastation is particularly acute for the states agrarian community. (File)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab, which is ravaged by catastrophic floods, on Tuesday, September 9, to assess the situation and review ongoing relief and rescue operations.

BJPs Punjab unit, in a post on X, announced that the Prime Minister will be visiting Gurudaspur where he will meet with the flood-affected people, including farmers to share their sorrow and take every possible step to help the victims."

Recommended Stories

       9           -                                  BJP PUNJAB (@BJP4Punjab) September 7, 2025

This visit of the Prime Minister proves that the central BJP government always stands with the people of Punjab and will provide full support in this difficult time," the party said.

As per sources, the Central government is also expected to announce a special relief package for the state, as it has been severely impacted by incessant rainfall and flash floods.

Earlier, it was reported that the Prime Minister would visit multiple rain-affected states to assess the situation. In the past few weeks, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand have been devastated by flash floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall.

Punjab Floods

The catastrophic floods ravaging Punjab have resulted in a rising human and economic toll, with officials confirming a death count of 46 across 14 districts as of Saturday. The human impact has been immense, with over 3.87 lakh people affected and nearly 2,000 villages submerged.

The deluge, caused by swollen rivers like the Sutlej and incessant monsoon rains, has been termed by officials as the worst the state has faced in decades, surpassing the scale of the 1988 floods.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The floodwaters have submerged and severely damaged crops on over 1.75 lakh hectares of land across 18 districts, with Gurdaspur, Fazilka, and Ferozepur among the worst hit. Farmers, who were just weeks away from a bumper harvest of paddy and other crops, have seen their livelihoods wiped out overnight.

In response to the crisis, the state government has declared Punjab a disaster-affected area and is working on a war footing to provide relief. More than 22,000 people have been rescued from flood-hit villages by joint teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, and the Border Security Force (BSF). Over 200 relief camps have been established to shelter the displaced, housing thousands of individuals who have lost their homes.

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 07, 2025, 09:55 IST

News india PM Modi To Visit Flood-Hit Punjab On Sept 9, Likely To Announce Special Relief Package

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...
Strength Of BJP: PM Modi Sits In Last Row At Party Workshop, MP Ravi Kishan Shares Photo

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 17:11 IST

PM Modi attended BJP's workshop at GMC Balayogi Auditorium, sitting in the last row.

joined fellow BJP parliamentarians, opting to sit in the last row like a regular member during the workshop. (X)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s workshop at the GMC Balayogi Auditorium in the Parliament complex.

In an unusual and rare gesture, he joined fellow BJP parliamentarians, opting to sit in the last row like a regular member during the workshop.

Recommended Stories

In a photo shared by BJP MP Ravi Kishan, the Prime Minister was seen sitting in the last row of the auditorium among other parliamentarians.

At the NDA MPs workshop, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, seated in the last row, embodies the strength of the BJP; every worker is part of this organisation," Ravi Kishan said in a post on X.

The workshop was held ahead of the upcoming election of Vice-President of India on September 9.

The session unanimously passed a resolution endorsing the Centres sweeping Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms.

These reforms were in line with the promise made by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, where he had assured the middle class of relief under the GST framework.

The GST Council rationalised the indirect tax structure, cutting the current four slabs down to two in a landmark decision that promises to ease household budgets and lift consumer sentiment. Answering the Indian middle class long-pending demand, the GST Council scrapped the 12% and 28% rates, retaining only the 5% and 18% slabs.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Items earlier taxed at the higher rates will now largely migrate to the lower two slabs, making essentials, personal care items, restaurant meals, travel, gadgets and even automobiles more affordable.

On September 22, the first day of Navratri, all changes in GST rates will come into effect.

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 07, 2025, 17:11 IST

News india Strength Of BJP: PM Modi Sits In Last Row At Party Workshop, MP Ravi Kishan Shares Photo

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...
Wanted His Friend To Be Jailed: How Noida Man Put Mumbai On Terror Alert For Personal Revenge

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 09:44 IST

The Noida man, who threatened Mumbai Police with live bombs across the city and infiltration of 14 Pakistani terrorists, was arrested.

The accused has been arrested in Noida. (Credits: News18.com)

Noida resident, Ashwini Kumar, who was arrested by Mumbai Police for threatening serial blasts in the Maharashtra capital amid Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, wanted to avenge his jail punishment from a former friend in Bihar and therefore devised the plan to threaten blowing up the city, according to a report.

Kumar, who hails from Patna, shifted to Noida five years ago and established an astrology business in the city.

Recommended Stories

Why Did He Send Threatening Message To Mumbai Police?

Kumar was booked by his friend Firoz Ahmed in 2023 in a cheating case in Bihars Phulwari Sharif police station, which landed him in jail for four months, Times of India reported.

Due to his stay behind bars, he developed a deep grudge against Ahmed and looked for an opportunity to take revenge, the report said.

As part of his plan, he sent a threat message to Mumbais traffic control room on Thursday, with his friends name on it. In the WhatsApp message, Kumar warned that 34 live bombs were planted across Mumbai and 14 Pakistani terrorists had infiltrated. He also wrote a fictitious name Lashkar-e-Jihadi to send a message that a terror organisation was involved.

He sent the message from a number that he had bought recently and put Ahmeds display picture on WhatsApp.

As the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities were underway, the police declared high alert and deployed the anti-terrorism squad and the crime branch.

Police Arrest Suspect

They traced to origin of the message to Noida and coordinated with Noida police commissioner Laxmi Singh, the report said.

On Friday night, a special Mumbai team along with Noida Police raided Kumars residence at Civitech Stadia in Sector 79 and recovered seven mobile phones, three SIM cards, an external SIM slot device, six memory cards, and four SIM holders  all of which he used to mask his identity, TOI reported.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The cops said that Kumar had no links to any terrorist group.

He wanted his friend to be jailed," a senior officer was quoted as saying in the report.

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: September 07, 2025, 09:41 IST

News india Wanted His Friend To Be Jailed: How Noida Man Put Mumbai On Terror Alert For Personal Revenge

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 Stripped, Tied To Tree And Beaten Over Land Dispute In Tamil Nadu

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 09:27 IST

Four women stripped and thrashed another woman over a land dispute in Tamil Nadu. Police have arrested one accused while three remain at large.

AI-Generated Image

In a disturbing incident reported from Tamil Nadus Cuddalore district, a woman was stripped, tied to a tree and thrashed by four other women. The brutal act was filmed as well and the video was circulated on social media.

As per a report by NDTV, police said the incident happened due to a land dispute. The video shows four women beating up a woman who is tied to a tree with her own saree.

Recommended Stories

Accused women first thrashed her and then ripped off victims blouse to further humiliate her. The victim was beaten up by stick and several abusive and derogatory words were hurled at her.

The police have arrested one of the accused, while other three are still at large. A land issue appears to be the motive. Investigation is underway," a senior police officer told NDTV. Further investigation is underway.

Woman Beaten To Death In UP

In another disturbing incident reported from Uttar Pradeshs Hardoi, a 40-year-old woman was beaten to death with sticks and rods. As per the police, a fight broke out among children during a play and the matter got escalated. The families got involved and in a fit of rage, one group attacked the other party with sticks and batons. They stormed at their house.

The attacked a woman, identified as Rahmani alias Alia, who was present in the house, leaving her critically injured," Circle Officer Anit Mishra told PTI.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

He said that her husband, Razzaq, named the assailants as Musaffar, Sher Ali, Naseem, and also a minor.

The attackers severely beat Alia. Hearing her screams, neighbours gathered, but by then, the attackers had already fled, hurling abuses," Mishra added.

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 : Tamil Nadu, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 09:27 IST

News india Woman Stripped, Tied To Tree And Beaten Over Land Dispute In Tamil Nadu

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...
Fiery And Unapologetic, Indian Chillies Heat Up The Global Food Scene

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 17:17 IST

From curries to chips, Indias chillies are now global stars. As demand for spicy foods surges, heat has become more than taste; its a cultural phenomenon.

Spicy foods are becoming a global cultural phenomenon.

If theres one flavour that refuses to stay quiet, its spice. Across kitchens, restaurants, and snack aisles, chilli has gone from being a background note to the main headline. From fiery sauces to ramen challenges on Instagram, Indias love for heat is now part of a global flavour revolution, and the rest of the world is catching up.

Global Appetite for Heat

Recommended Stories

According to Sagar Merchant, Founder of Kaatil, When it comes to chilli-flavoured food, the worlds appetite is on fire. India, already producing over 40% of the worlds chillies, is now seeing its own kitchens and diners embrace not just heat but deeper flavour experiences." He points out that this is not an isolated phenomenon but part of a global boom, with the spices and seasonings market projected to touch $47.6 billion by 2035.

Merchant added that food brands everywhere are innovating  from spicy chips to chilli oils, and India has a unique role to play. The future will be all about customisation and introducing more consumers to the complexity of heat from Indian chillies," he said.

Spice Becomes Culture

Deb Mukherjee, Founder of Moi Soi, takes a more playful view. If chillies had a Tinder profile, India wouldve swiped right centuries ago, and never looked back. First brought by the Portuguese in the 16th century, a foreign fling soon became a forever love," he quipped.

For Mukherjee, the present boom is being fueled by younger diners. Gen Z and millennials dont want bland, safe flavours; they want food that excites: food that slaps, stings, and leaves you wanting more," he said.

Today, chillies arent just in curries. They dominate snacks, sauces, fries, chocolates, and even pizzas. Spice has become more than a flavour; its now a cultural identity.

Restaurants Turn Up the Heat

The restaurant scene is also evolving with changing palates. Sannat Ahuja, Founder of Sadak Chaap, explained, In the past year, our guests have become both braver and pickier about spice. Our Bhoot menu has been an instant hit, and many even ask for super-hot condiments on the side."

He added that exposure to international flavours like Korean gochujang, chilli oils, and wasabi has only heightened the appeal of spice. Restaurants in India now have the opportunity to leverage the increasing spice tolerance with the distinctiveness of diverse Indian chillies," Ahuja said.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The Fiery Future

What was once considered exotic has now become everyday. Chillies are no longer just ingredients. Theyre experiences, culture, and even bragging rights. As global demand surges, Indias fiery contribution is poised to lead the way, proving once again that this spice has absolutely no chill.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 17:17 IST

News lifestyle food Fiery And Unapologetic, Indian Chillies Heat Up The Global Food Scene
Early Symptoms And Red Flags For Common Cancers In India

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 12:33 IST

Cancer is a growing threat in India, but early detection and timely intervention are our strongest weapons

Detecting cancer at an early stage often means the difference between a curable disease and one that has progressed to a life-threatening condition.

Cancer is no longer a rare disease in India. According to recent reports, approximately one in every eleven Indians is at risk of developing cancer in their lifetime. This rising prevalence makes awareness of early warning signs more critical than ever. Detecting cancer at an early stage often means the difference between a curable disease and one that has progressed to a life-threatening condition.

Recognizing the red flags of the most common cancers can empower individuals to seek timely medical advice, improving outcomes significantly. Below, Dr. Ankur Bahl, Principal Director Medical Oncology, Fortis Gurgaon outlines key symptoms and warning signs for some of the cancers most frequently seen in India.

Recommended Stories

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among Indian women. Early detection is vital for successful treatment. Key signs to watch for include:

 A lump or thickening in the breast or underarm that does not disappear over time.

 Changes in the size, shape, or contour of the breast.

 Nipple discharge, particularly if it is blood-stained.

 Skin changes over the breast such as dimpling, redness, or an orange peel" texture.

Women should regularly perform breast self-examinations and consult healthcare providers if any abnormalities persist. Mammography and clinical exams are crucial for early diagnosis.

Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer remains a significant health challenge in India, largely due to lack of screening and awareness. Early symptoms include:

 Abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as bleeding between periods, after sexual intercourse, or post-menopause.

 Unusual vaginal discharge that may be foul-smelling or blood-tinged.

 Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse.

Regular Pap smear tests and HPV vaccination are effective preventive measures. Early detection through screening can reduce mortality drastically.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer, often linked to smoking and air pollution, is increasingly common in India. Watch for these symptoms:

 A persistent cough lasting more than three weeks.

 Coughing up blood or blood-tinged sputum.

 Shortness of breath or chest pain that worsens with deep breaths.

 Unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite.

High-risk individuals, especially smokers and those exposed to pollutants, should consider low-dose CT scans as a screening tool.

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is particularly prevalent in India due to widespread tobacco use in smoking and chewing forms. Key signs include:

 A non-healing ulcer or sore in the mouth lasting longer than two weeks.

 White or red patches inside the mouth.

 Difficulty swallowing or persistent hoarseness of voice.

 A lump in the neck indicating possible spread to lymph nodes.

Early diagnosis dramatically improves prognosis. Regular dental check-ups and avoiding tobacco can reduce risk.

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is often detected late because its symptoms can be mistaken for benign conditions. Red flags to note:

 Persistent changes in bowel habits, including constipation or diarrhea lasting several weeks.

 Blood in stools or black, tarry stools indicating bleeding.

 Abdominal pain that persists without clear cause.

 Unexplained weight loss.

Colonoscopy and stool tests can aid early diagnosis, especially in individuals over 50 or with family history.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is common among older men and often progresses silently. Warning signs include:

 Difficulty in urination, weak urinary stream, or frequent urination at night.

 Blood in urine or semen.

 Persistent pain in the back, hips, or pelvic area.

Regular screening with PSA blood tests and digital rectal exams is recommended for men above 50 or those at higher risk.

Why Early Detection Matters

Not every symptom listed here means cancer, but persistent and unexplained changes in the body should never be ignored. Early consultation with a healthcare professional can lead to timely diagnosis and treatment, significantly improving survival rates.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Tools like breast self-examinations, Pap smears, HPV vaccinations, low-dose CT scans for smokers, and routine medical check-ups are invaluable in the fight against cancer. Despite these advances, late diagnosis remains a major challenge in India due to lack of awareness and limited access to healthcare.

Cancer is a growing threat in India, but early detection and timely intervention are our strongest weapons. Awareness and vigilance can save lives turning the tide against this disease and offering hope to millions.

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: September 07, 2025, 12:33 IST

News lifestyle health-and-fitness Early Symptoms And Red Flags For Common Cancers In India
Why Daily Sunscreen Is The Smartest Beauty Habit You Cant Afford To Skip

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 09, 2025, 16:30 IST

Cloudy skies dont block UV rays - up to 80% still reach your skin, causing hidden damage. Daily sunscreen prevents ageing, sunburn, dark spots and lowers cancer risk.

Sunscreen should be used year-round, not just in summer.

Sunscreen has long been typecast as a summer essential, pulled out only on beach vacations or during peak heatwaves. But dermatologists and skincare experts agree: sun protection is not seasonal. Rain or shine, humid or chilly, the skin is constantly exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation that accelerates ageing, triggers pigmentation, and raises the risk of skin cancer. True skincare begins with daily SPF, because the sun never really takes a day off.

Sunscreen Beyond Summer

Recommended Stories

Its a common misconception that sunscreen is only needed during peak summer. UVA rays, in particular, are present at consistent levels year-round and can penetrate through clouds and glass. Consistent use is the key to building long-term protection," said Malini Adapureddy, Founder & CEO of Deconstruct.

Dermatologists echoed this, pointing out that cloudy skies dont reduce the skins exposure to harmful rays. Dr. Navjot Arora, Consultant Dermatologist, Dermaheal Skin and Clinic, Delhi, explained, Up to 80% of UV rays can pass through clouds, silently damaging your skin without you realising it. Daily use of sunscreen helps prevent premature ageing, sunburn, and reduces the risk of skin cancer."

Weather Doesnt Diminish Damage

Seasons may change how we feel the sun, but they dont change how UV rays work. During winter, reflection from surfaces like water, snow, or even concrete can intensify UV impact," said Adapureddy. In monsoon humidity, people often assume theyre protected, but the reality is different.

Adding perspective, Dr. Vishalakshi Viswanath, Consultant Dermatologist, KIMS Hospitals, Thane, noted, Most people use sunscreen only when they are on a beach holiday or a hot summer afternoon. But sunscreen usage is a daily habit, not a seasonal habit. Even indoors, blue light from devices contributes to skin damage."

Choosing the Right Formulation

Comfort is the secret to consistency. It is best to go with lightweight, non-greasy formulations that adapt to the climate. Gel-based sunscreens are perfect for humid months, while hydrating formulas with hyaluronic acid or niacinamide work better in colder weather," said Adapureddy.

Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, MD, Consultant Dermatologist at MedLinks, reinforced the importance of SPF choice: Dermatologists advise using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and PA+++ as part of your morning routine. Think of SPF as daily armour: it preserves collagen, delays visible ageing, and cuts down long-term risks."

Common Mistakes People Make

Experts agree that one of the biggest errors is inconsistent application. Adapureddy pointed out, Most people apply too little sunscreen or forget to reapply every few hours." Dr. Pravin Banodkar, Co-Founder & Lead Dermatologist, Skin Beyond Borders, added, UV damage builds silently. Over the years, it can lead to pigmentation, atypical moles, and early wrinkles. Even indoors, infrared and visible light contribute to skin ageing. Sunscreen isnt optional."

The Daily Habit That Pays Off

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Ultimately, sunscreen is less about quick fixes and more about prevention. Daily SPF is the easiest, cheapest, and best insurance policy for your skin, no matter if the sun is shining or not," said Dr. Vishwanath.

From preventing early wrinkles to cutting down cancer risks, sunscreen is more than skincare. Its self-care. And just like brushing your teeth, its a habit worth keeping every single day.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 13:38 IST

News lifestyle Why Daily Sunscreen Is The Smartest Beauty Habit You Cant Afford To Skip
Lokah: Kalyani Priyadarshan CONFIRMS Mammootty As Moothon, Drops BTS Pic On His Birthday

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 20:51 IST

On Mammoottys 74th birthday, team Lokah- including Dulquer Salmaan and Kalyani Priyadarshan- confirmed that he plays Moothon in the fantasy thriller.

Rapid Read + Follow us On Google

Mammootty confirmed as part of Lokah universe, Kalyani Priyadarshan wishes happy birthday to 'Moothon'

Malayalam superstar Mammootty is celebrating his 74th birthday today. On this special occasion, his son Dulquer Salmaan, the producer of Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, shared a special poster of the film, confirming that the superstar indeed plays the mysterious rile of Moothon (The Elder) in this fantasy thriller. Lokah actress Kalyani Priyadarshan also confirmed the same, and wished Moothon a happy birthday by sharing a behind-the-scenes picture with him from the sets.

Mammootty Confirmed As Part Of Lokah Universe

Recommended Stories

On Sunday, Dulquer Salmaan and his production house Wayfarer Films shared a poster on Instagram that read, Happy Birthday Moothon. You have our eternal love. -Team Lokah," thereby confirming Mammoottys involvement in Lokah. Meanwhile, the films lead actress Kalyani Priyadarshan shared the same poster, as well as a behind-the-scenes picture with Mammootty. In her caption, she recalled him surprising the team of Lokah by walking onto the sets.

Kalyani Priyadarshan Wishes Mammootty

I remember the day he walked onto our set as a surprise. I think all of us instantly dropped anything in our hands the moment we saw him. I was jealous of the boys who managed to grab pictures with him, while I was stuck in costume and couldnt. While we were all so tense, his aura was what it always is (light, funny, effortless). Thats just the kind of person he is  someone who inspires without trying, and reminds you what it means to be human. I just hope with this film, weve made him proud. Happy birthday to our Moothon," she wrote.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kalyani Priyadarshan (@kalyanipriyadarshan)

For the unversed, the character of Moothon appeared only briefly in a fleeting cameo in Lokah, and had just a single dialogue. While the characters face was never shown, only a hand and a voice were seen and heard on screen. Fans speculated whether Mammootty was behind the mysterious role, and this fan-theory has now been confirmed.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dulquer Salmaan (@dqsalmaan)

About Lokah

Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, starring Kalyani Priyadarshan, introduced the first female superhero in the Malayalam cinema. The film follows the story of Sunny, a young man who develops a crush on his new, enigmatic neighbour, Chandra, in Bangalore, leading to his discovery that she is not human and that myths and legends from Indian folklore, particularly from Kerala, are real. The narrative explores Chandras journey as she discovers her hidden powers and rises as a superhero, while Sunny becomes an unwitting partner in her world of supernatural events and dark forces.

Th film is helmed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan under his banner Wayfarer Films. Set as the first installment in the planned Wayfarer Cinematic Universe (WCU), the film also stars Naslen and Sandy, alongside Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, Raghunath Paleri, Vijayaraghavan, Nithya Shri and Sarath Sabha. It released in theatres on August 28, 2025.

First Published: September 07, 2025, 20:51 IST

News movies malayalam-cinema Lokah: Kalyani Priyadarshan CONFIRMS Mammootty As Moothon, Drops BTS Pic On His Birthday
Radhika Apte Birthday: Did You Know She Once Slapped A Co-Star?

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 07:20 IST

Happy Birthday Radhika Apte: While Radhika is admired for her versatility as an actress, she has also earned respect for her outspoken and fearless personality.

Rapid Read + Follow us On Google

Radhika Apte

Radhika Apte, born on September 7, 1985 in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, developed a passion for the performing arts from an early age. Raised in Pune, she pursued her education there before immersing herself in theatre, collaborating with several experimental groups that shaped her as an artist. Her first brush with cinema came in 2005, when she played a small role in Shahid Kapoors fantasy drama, Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!. Though it was only a brief appearance, it marked the beginning of what would evolve into a daring and unconventional journey in films.

Breakthrough Roles That Defined Radhika Apte

Recommended Stories

Radhika Aptes first leading role came in the Bengali drama Antaheen (2009). However, it was in 2015 that she truly captured mainstream attention. That year, she appeared in three Hindi films: Badlapur, Hunterrr and Manjhi-The Mountain Man. Each of these films underlined her versatility as a performer.

Her fearless approach continued with indie standouts such as Phobia (2016) and Parched (2016), where her layered portrayals won critical acclaim and cemented her image as an actress not afraid to experiment with bold themes.

Radhika Apte And The Netflix Wave

The year 2018 proved to be a turning point in her career, placing her firmly on the global map. Apte starred in three Netflix originals released in quick succession: the anthology Lust Stories, thriller Sacred Games and the horror mini-series Ghoul. Her nuanced performance in Lust Stories even earned her an International Emmy Award nomination, making her the first Indian actress to receive such recognition.

Her association with streaming platforms only grew stronger in the years that followed. She delivered memorable performances in Raat Akeli Hai (2020) and the neo-noir thriller Monica, O My Darling (2022).

Beyond Indian cinema, she impressed global audiences with her portrayal of Noor Inayat Khan in A Call to Spy (2019).

Most recently, in 2024, her performance in Sister Midnight earned her a nomination at the British Independent Film Awards.

When Radhika Apte Slapped A Co-Star For Misbehaving

While Radhika Apte is admired for her versatility as an actress, she has also earned respect for her outspoken and fearless personality.

In a 2018 interview on Neha Dhupias talk show, as reported by the Hindustan Times, Apte shared an incident from the early days of her career. She revealed that during the shoot of a Tamil film, on her very first day on set, a well-known South Indian actor crossed the line by tickling her feet without consent.

Shocked and angered by the behaviour, Apte reacted instinctively and slapped him on the spot.

Personal Life: Marriage And Motherhood

Away from the camera, Radhika Apte leads a grounded life. She met London-based musician Benedict Taylor in 2011, and the two married in 2012. In 2024, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, marking a new chapter in her life.

Radhika Aptes Latest Release: Sister Midnight

Radhika Aptes most recent project is Sister Midnight (2025), directed by Karan Kandhari. Released in India on May 30, 2025, the film received strong critical acclaim, particularly for Aptes layered and gripping performance. The role also brought her international recognition and award nominations, reaffirming her status as one of the most versatile Indian actors working today.

Upcoming Project: Last Days With Justin Lin

Aptes next project is the English-language biographical drama Last Days, directed by Hollywood filmmaker Justin Lin. The film tells the tragic and controversial story of John Allen Chau, the American missionary who was killed while attempting to contact the protected Sentinelese tribe in the Andaman Islands.

The cast also features Sky Yang, Naveen Andrews, Ken Leung, Toby Wallace, Ciara Bravo and Claire Price. The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in January and is scheduled for release in US cinemas on October 24, 2025.

About the Author Nibandh Vinod Nibandh Vinod is a seasoned journalist with 26 years of experience, specializing in covering events, festivals, and driving SEO content for News18.com. A tech-savvy person, Nibandh works closely with ... Read More

First Published: September 07, 2025, 07:20 IST

News movies Radhika Apte Birthday: Did You Know She Once Slapped A Co-Star?
Opinion: The Era Of Uncertainty In Bangladesh

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 19:28 IST

Bangladesh has been pushed into an unprecedented socio-political conflict, which is likely to intensify in the days to come

Rapid Read + Follow us On Google

Uncertainty is not new to Bangladesh, writes the author. (Reuters File)

An Indian politician from the Opposition camp recently called a journalist in Dhaka. He wanted to know the state of affairs in Bangladesh. The journalist replied that things were as good as they could be in a civil war situation". The metaphor explains the degree of uncertainty that has engulfed the country after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League (AL) government on August 5, 2024.

Uncertainty is not new to Bangladesh. The country has never seen sustained political stability, except for the 15 years under Hasina (2009-2024) and seven years of General H. M. Ershad (1983-1990). All governments  except for Hasinas 1996-2001 term  tried to prolong their stay in power through unfair means and eventually fell to street protests or army coups.

Recommended Stories

Since the end of military rule in 1990, every government, including the Dr. Muhammad Yunus administration, has outdone its predecessors in abusing democratic values and institutions. Revenge politics remains a common thread.

That said, the current disruption is too big to be quelled by a mere election, as demanded by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is keen on a shortcut to power. They approved the ban on AL. It is only a matter of time  or opportunity before they may approve a ban on JP as well. These three parties together secured 87 percent of the votes in the non-controversial 2008 election. AL alone commands over 30 percent loyal voters.

On the surface, the Islamic forces  led by Jamaat-e-Islami and the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), both enjoying administrative backing  want to curate the political space. They do not have the numbers. So, an election (let alone a fair one) is not their first choice. But if forced to go to polls, they would like it managed their own way."

A curated mandate may deprive BNP of a brutal majority (better still, deliver a hung Parliament) and ensure a second spot for Jamaat. That would make it a cakewalk for the Islamists to eat into BNPs space. The ultimate goal is to make Bangladesh an Islamic country.

This plan has pushed Bangladesh into an unprecedented socio-political conflict, which is likely to intensify in the days to come. Unless one of the warring sides meekly surrenders  which is unlikely  bloodshed is unavoidable. Peace and stability will be held to ransom.

Opportunity for Islamists

The primary problem is that the Islamists have become exceptionally ambitious. Except for the nine months of the Liberation War in 1971, staunch Wahhabi Muslims, who make up no more than five percent of the population and are considered the core support base of Jamaat, have never enjoyed as much attention and administrative support in the 78-year history of the land, dating back to East Pakistan.

The second problem is that prevailing geopolitical uncertainty has opened a window of opportunity. Turkeys ambition to lead the Islamic world, Pakistans known aspirations, the US-Pakistan-Turkey axis, overt US interest in Myanmar, the rift in India-US relations, and the India-China rivalry  all have worked in the Islamists favor. Jamaat wants to seize the moment before it vanishes.

This has created a host of issues. The biggest among them is a vicious effort to erase or demean the Liberation history of 1971 and its greatest inspirationHasinas father, Mujibur Rahman. Since India is inseparable from Bangladeshs Liberation, there is a conscious attempt to vitiate bilateral relations. Rising exchanges with Pakistan and Turkey are part of the plot. Threatening Indias security is an unspoken goal.

The blueprint is not new, but the ferocity and vicious nature of its implementation are exceptional. Back in 1971, Jamaat-led Islamists formed militia groups, popularly referred to as Razakar (volunteers), to suppress dissent against Pakistani rule. Liberal intellectuals, Hindus, and soft-Islam followers were natural targets. This time, they are orchestrating mob attacks on the same targets.

Crackdown on Liberals

The new design helps disguise institutional links. Exiled bloggers  like Elias Hossain and Pinaki Bhattacharya  openly set targets and orchestrate mob attacks on Liberation relics and pro-Liberation voices in media and politics. The Yunus government either allows the destruction or does exactly what the mobsters want them to do.

On August 28, a mob stormed a roundtable in Dhaka discussing the values of the Liberation movement. Police arrested 16 attendees under the Anti-Terror Act. The list included 85-year-old freedom fighter Abdul Latif Siddiqui, ousted from AL in 2014 for alleged anti-Islam" remarks; Professor Sheikh Hafizur Karzan of Dhaka University; and TV journalist-turned-popular YouTuber Monjurul Alam Panna.

Monjurul was a strong critic of Hasinas rule. He loudly supported the July protestsuntil he realized the meticulous design" behind it. He then began criticizing the current dispensation. He was targeted by the exiled bloggers and Islamists. Weeks before his arrest, he spoke about alleged terror planning against India.

The crackdown on anti-Yunus, anti-Islamist, and pro-Liberation voices has been evident since July, when 71-year-old retired professor Abul Barkat was arrested on corruption charges in a midnight raid. He was known for his seminal works on terror financing and the persecution of religious minorities.

On August 7, Professor Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah of Dhaka University was also arrested again on corruption charges. Kalimullah, who heads an election monitoring group, was vocal against the Yunus administration and was targeted by the blogger gang. This is in addition to the hundreds of arrests of lawyers, judges, journalists, activists and others. In a striking similarity all are denied bail. Prominent lawyers pointed out that Bangladeshi courts have virtually stopped granting bail.

BNP has either surrendered to these forces or is complicit. Last month, the party suspended chairpersons adviser Fazlur Rahmana freedom fighter and former MPwho had been extremely critical of Hasina. In recent months, he rose to prominence for his vociferous rejoinders defending Liberation history. Bloggers targeted him. A mob harassed the 77-year-old advocate.

Return of 1971

The situation on the ground is turning from bad to worse. Human rights organisation ASK reported 441 rape incidents during JanuaryJune 2025more than the 401 rapes recorded in 2024. Rape was a prime weapon of intimidation in 1971. Recoveries of dead bodies from rivers rose by 20 percent to 43 per month during JanuaryJuly. One-third of these were unidentified.

As of May this year, 266 journalists were facing criminal cases. ASK says 196 journalists were attacked in the first six months of the year. At least two journalists were killed in August, and one editor committed suicide after alleging censorship by Yunuss media handlers and the resulting job loss.

Hindus remain the softest target in Bangladesh. Videos of Hindu women being strippedand even raped in front of their familiesare circulating online. The Yunus administration largely blames this on the communitys traditional support for the Awami League. Only a fraction of cases brought forward by minority groups are admitted.

Sufi Muslims, who follow a softer version of Islam, are under sustained attack by fundamentalists. In a mid-January release, the Yunus administration admitted attacks on 40 Sufi shrines (mazars) and 44 dargahs (graves of Sufi saints) since the July protests. Unofficial estimates quote a higher number. In a recent case, the body of a Sufi saint (pir) was exhumed and burned. The mob claimed he was not Muslim enough."

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

That was exactly the complaint of the Pakistani rulers in the run up to 1971.

Pratim Ranjan Bose is an independent columnist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: September 07, 2025, 19:28 IST

News opinion Opinion: The Era Of Uncertainty In Bangladesh

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.
BJP Slams Rahul Gandhis Malaysia Trip, Reminds Congress Of Manmohan Singhs 12-Year-Old Tweet

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 12:59 IST

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted on X, Looks like the heat and dust of Bihars politics was too much for the Congress Yuvraj, who had to rush off for a break...

Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google

Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh (right). (X/File)

Amid the campaign for the Bihar Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a strong attack on the Congress, questioning MP and Opposition leader Rahul Gandhis trip to Malaysia and reminding people of a 12-year-old tweet of former PM the late Manmohan Singh that showed how the party functioned.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted on X, Looks like the heat and dust of Bihars politics was too much for the Congress Yuvraj, who had to rush off for a break. Or is it another one of those secret meetings that no one is supposed to know about?"

Recommended Stories

Rahul Gandhi has slipped away yet againthis time on a clandestine vacation in Langkawi, Malaysia.Looks like the heat and dust of Bihars politics was too much for the Congress Yuvraj, who had to rush off for a break. Or is it another one of those secret meetings that no one is pic.twitter.com/NdiA4TP2bT  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 6, 2025

Either way, while people struggle with real issues, Rahul Gandhi is busy perfecting the art of disappearing and vacationing," he wrote, posting a picture of the Congress leader.

In another post, Malviya wrote: 12 years ago, the condition of our country was such that even the official handle of the Prime Ministers Office was forced to post things that exposed the Congress led UPAs failures and the confusion within. Think about itif the PMO itself had to put out such messages, what must have been the ground reality then? This is the difference between then and now."

The then PMOs tweet read: I would be happy to work for the Congress party under the leadership of Mr Rahul Gandhi  PM."

12 years ago, the condition of our country was such that even the official handle of the Prime Ministers Office was forced to post things that exposed the Congress led UPAs failures and the confusion within.Think about itif the PMO itself had to put out such messages, what pic.twitter.com/pJwLDgKb6F  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 7, 2025

Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav held a Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, questioning the Election Commissions Special Intensive Revision (SIR), for two weeks. The campaign concluded on September 1. Gandhi and Yadav have been calling the SIR undemocratic" and biased" move for vote theft".

Gandhis foreign visits have often been a topic of discussion and speculation during Parliament sessions or amid election campaigns.

One heard Rahul Gandhi is in Vietnam in Holi after being there during the New Year as well. He is spending more time in Vietnam than his constituency. He needs to explain his extraordinary fondness for Vietnam. The frequency of his visit to that country is very curious: BJP pic.twitter.com/Bxm0wEFfHK Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 15, 2025

During this years Budget session, the BJP had questioned Gandhis frequent trips to Vietnam and other countries. One heard Rahul Gandhi was in Vietnam during Holi after being there during the New Year as well. He is spending more time in Vietnam than in his constituency. What is the reason of his so much love for Vietnam suddenly. He needs to explain his extraordinary fondness for Vietnam. The frequency of his visit to that country is very curious," Ravi Shankar Prasad had said.

It is important that the Congress clarifies Rahul Gandhis frequent foreign travels, the details of which are neither disclosed to Parliament nor made public. Udit Raj, a senior party spokesperson, confirms his latest trip but only speculates on the reasons. As the Leader of the https://t.co/2MjN0cPAmq Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 15, 2025

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

As the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi holds a crucial position, and his numerous clandestine trips abroad  especially while Parliament is in session  raise serious questions about propriety and national security," Malviya had said in a post on X.

Earlier, Gandhi had left for Vietnam during the seven-day mourning period following the death of Singh on December 26 last year. This visit also drew criticism with the BJP saying that while the country was mourning Singhs demise, Gandhi had flown to Vietnam to ring in the new year. The BJP had further accused the LoP of using Singhs death for expedient politics" while choosing to be away during the mourning period.

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: September 07, 2025, 12:49 IST

News politics BJP Slams Rahul Gandhis Malaysia Trip, Reminds Congress Of Manmohan Singhs 12-Year-Old Tweet

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...
ED Summons Karnataka BJP Worker Who Claims Rahul Gandhi Holds British Citizenship

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 05:10 IST

The ED is investigating the matter under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have consistently denied these claims, branding them as politically motivated attempts to discredit him. File pic/PTI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a summons to S Vignesh Shishir, a Bharatiya Janata Party worker from Karnataka, in connection with his ongoing petition in the Allahabad High Court. Shishir had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holds British citizenship, making him ineligible to be a Member of Parliament.

Recommended Stories

Sources said Shishir has been asked to depose before the probe agency in New Delhi on September 9. He is required to present all the evidence and documents he has on the case, as the ED is investigating the matter under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The agency is reportedly interested in whether any financial transactions or undeclared income from abroad are connected to the allegations.

This is not the first time the issue of Rahul Gandhis citizenship has been raised. A similar complaint was made in 2019 by then-Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy, who alleged that Gandhi had declared himself a British citizen in the documents of a UK-based company, Backops Limited. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have consistently denied these claims, branding them as politically motivated attempts to discredit him.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Shishirs petition in the Allahabad High Court, however, has added a new dimension to the controversy. During a recent hearing, the court ordered round-the-clock security for the petitioner, observing that he was pursuing a case against a very powerful individual" and was facing constant threats. The court has also asked the central government to seek information from the UK government on the matter.

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: September 07, 2025, 05:10 IST

News politics ED Summons Karnataka BJP Worker Who Claims Rahul Gandhi Holds British Citizenship

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...
Fellow Hyderabadi: Owaisi Backs INDIA Bloc's Vice-President Nominee Sudershan Reddy

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 12:05 IST

Owaisi said that his party AIMIM will extend support to INDIA bloc's VP nominee Sudershan Reddy for the September 9 election.

Owaisi backs Sudershan Reddy in VP election (PTI Image)

Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday extended support to the INDIA blocs Vice Presidential election nominee B Sudershan Reddy.

Owaisi said that he received a request from the Telangana Chief Ministers Office to back the retired Supreme Court judge, who is pitted against NDA nominee and incumbent Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan for the September 9 poll.

Recommended Stories

@TelanganaCMO spoke to me today and requested that we support Justice Sudershan Reddy as Vice President. @aimim_national will extend its support to Justice Reddy, a fellow Hyderabadi and a respected jurist. I also spoke to Justice Reddy and expressed our best wishes to him," Owaisi wrote on X.

.@TelanganaCMO spoke to me today and requested that we support Justice Sudershan Reddy as Vice President. @aimim_national will extend its support to Justice Reddy, a fellow Hyderabadi and a respected jurist. I also spoke to Justice Reddy and expressed our best wishes to him. Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) September 6, 2025

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy thanked Owaisi for his support to the VP nominee.

Thank you @asadowaisi bhai, Lok Sabha MP and national president of @aimim_national for coming forward in support of Justice Sudarshan Reddy garu as Vice President with a common national interest initiative," he tweeted.

The INDIA bloc announced its VP candidate on August 19 for the VP election. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had described his nomination as an ideological battle".

He said that Reddy represents the values that reflect Indias freedom struggle.

Today, these values are under assault, and this is the reason that the Opposition decided to contest this ideological battle unitedly," he said.

Reddy, who worked as a lawyer in Andhra Pradesh and later became the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, was made a Supreme Court judge in January 2007. He retired in July 2011. On August 12, BJP president JP Nadda announced Maharashtra Governor Radhakrishnan as NDA candidate for Vice President election.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The election was necessitated after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his position, citing medical reasons.

The Vice President is elected by an electoral college comprising members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

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: September 07, 2025, 08:43 IST

News politics Fellow Hyderabadi: Owaisi Backs INDIA Bloc's Vice-President Nominee Sudershan Reddy

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 Tiffin Meets To Singapore Model: PM Modi's Guidance To MPs At BJP's Karyashala

Reported By :

CNN-News18

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 23:32 IST

PM Modi spent over eight hours at BJPs Karyashala, urging MPs to take standing committee reports seriously, stay rooted through tiffin meetings and draw lessons from Singapore.

Rapid Read + Follow us On Google

News18

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spent over eight hours at the Bharatiya Janata Partys karyashala (training workshop) organised for MPs of both Houses in the run-up to the vice president election. He arrived at Parliament around 10:45 am and left close to 6:45 pm after sitting through the entire session.

The Prime Minister sat in the last row with MPs, making the point that he was one of them and for most of the meeting, attended it like any other member of Parliament.

Recommended Stories

Interestingly, the multiple sessions the BJP had organised were conducted by MPs themselves, in a mix of young and experienced members.

Emphasising the weight of the new legislation, PM Modi urged BJP MPs to ensure rural communities, who are among the hardest hit by addiction and financial loss, are made aware and do not fall prey to online money games.

Take Standing Committee Meetings Seriously

After lunch, several subgroup meetings were held, largely focused on parliamentary standing committees. In one such meeting, PM Modi noted that he never had the opportunity to be a member of a standing committee, as from the time he came to Delhi he has been in the seat of power as Prime Minister.

PM Modi told his MPs that leaders must take Parliament standing committee reports extremely seriously and read them thoroughly because they have great significance and can guide the government in a certain direction. He said it is the need of the hour for members of Parliament to think out of the box, go beyond routine matters and come up with innovative ideas. He also stressed that MPs must understand the importance of standing committee reports, read them carefully and come prepared for any questions. PM Modi further advised his party colleagues not to get into confrontation mode with officers who are only there to assist them. He also underlined the importance of meeting ministers before and after committee meetings so that greater clarity can emerge.

He told his party colleagues about the importance of staying away from corporate interests and not pursuing selfish agendas by asking questions that favour them.

On Swachhta And Singapore

On the issue of cleanliness, he said it does not only require money but also effort and even the simplest efforts can make a difference. He underlined that urban and rural issues are different and every MP must understand how this mechanism works.

He also spoke about the role of MPs as public representatives in this initiative of great importance. PM Modi is said to have elaborated on how the founder of Singapore achieved success through unified effort, adding that a lot has gone into making Singapore the country it is today and members should learn from that example.

Hold Tiffin Meetings

In the style of old meetings, PM Modi asked his party colleagues to hold a tiffin meeting in every segment of their assembly once a month. He said such meetings will keep them connected with the people and ensure that nobody will ever have to ask why the Member of Parliament has gone missing.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Last but not least, PM Modi once again advised his colleagues to stay in constant touch with the actual stakeholder, which is the public in their respective constituencies. He said it is important for MPs to know what is happening in their areas, who the actual beneficiaries are and how many more potential beneficiaries can be brought under central government schemes and other programmes.

The session will resume once again on Monday from 3 pm and is expected to continue till 6 pm. Members of the NDA will be attending the session on Monday, which will conclude with PM Modis address.

First Published: September 07, 2025, 23:32 IST

News politics From Tiffin Meets To Singapore Model: PM Modi's Guidance To MPs At BJP's Karyashala

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...
'Not Responsible': Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Calls For Unity As AMMK Quits NDA Ahead Of Polls

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 18:28 IST

Dhinakaran earlier announced that his party would no longer be part of the BJP-led alliance in Tamil Nadu, citing repeated betrayal and failed efforts to reunite AIADMK factions

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran and TTV Dhinakaran, leader of the AMMK party | File Image

Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran on Sunday distanced himself from Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) chief TTV Dhinakarans decision to pull out of the NDA, saying he cannot be blamed for the development.

Dhinakaran earlier announced that his party would no longer be part of the BJP-led alliance in Tamil Nadu, citing repeated betrayal" and failed efforts to reunite AIADMK factions.

Recommended Stories

Betrayal never wins. But we aimed to bring Ammas (J Jayalalithaa) cadres together. When we discovered that there was no chance, AMMK decided to go its own way," he said.

Nagendran, however, insisted the decision was not his responsibility. He also signalled that he was open to holding talks with Dhinakaran.

If those who share common views come together, the DMK will not be able to return to power. But Dhinakaran walked out of the alliance, and I cannot be held responsible for that. I am ready to approach them and hold talks for reconciliation," he said.

Calling for Opposition unity, the BJP leader added, Those who believe that the DMK should not remain in power, and who truly hold affection for revolutionary leader MGR, must unite and drive the DMK out. I am ready to meet and hold direct talks with TTV Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam. Everyone in the AIADMK should unite."

The row comes days after Dhinakaran had criticised Nagendrans leadership, claiming the alliance was handled properly" under former BJP state chief K. Annamalai.

The BJP state president may have thought that our party is small. As long as Annamalai was the BJP state president, the alliance was handled properly. But Nainar Nagendran does not know how to handle the alliance properly," he had said at a press conference.

Even so, Dhinakaran clarified that demands from within the AMMK drove his partys exit.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Our decision to leave the alliance was not because of Nainar Nagendran, but because of our own cadres. It was due to the pressure from my cadres that I exited the alliance," he said.

The split marks a significant political shift ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Location : Tamil Nadu, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 18:27 IST

News politics 'Not Responsible': Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Calls For Unity As AMMK Quits NDA Ahead Of Polls

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 Burn Your Face With Acid: TMC Leader's Shocking Threat To BJP MLA Draws Condemnation

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 14:18 IST

TMC leader Abdur Rahim Bakshi threatened BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh at a protest gathering, stating that he would pour acid inside his mouth.

TMC leader threatens BJP MLA of acid attack (Photo: X)

TMC leader Abdur Rahim Bakshi stoked a controversy after he threatened to pour acid into the mouth of a BJP MLA in West Bengal, drawing sharp criticism from the Opposition.

Bakshi is the TMC President of the Malda district and he made the remarks while addressing a gathering on Saturday to protest against alleged atrocities against Bengali-speaking migrant workers in other parts of the country.

Recommended Stories

While speaking at the event, Bakshi attacked BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh without naming him. Referring to his remarks in the Assembly, dubbing migrant workers from the state as Rohingyas" or Bangladeshis", Bakshi said,"The one who shamelessly says that the 30 lakh migrant workers of Bengal who work outside are not Bengalis they are Rohingyas, they are Bangladeshis. He shouted this. I said it then and I am saying it today  if I hear this from you again, I will burn your voice to ashes with acid inside your mouth. You should know that this is West Bengal. We Bengalis will not give you a place to speak. I will burn your face with acid," NDTV reported.

Listen to what TMCs terrorist leader from Malda, Abdur Rahim, is saying! Hes openly threatening @cid attacks on BJP MLAs.Maybe they dont realize that PM @narendramodis BJP government weeds out terrorists. pic.twitter.com/hmrdwsKgdA  Tushar Kanti Ghosh (@TusharKantiBJP) September 7, 2025

He appealed to the people to tear BJP flags and boycott the party in the district.

The BJP slammed the TMC over his remarks and said that such threats are a reflection of the TMCs politics.

This is the same man who, a few years ago, had threatened to cut off the hands and feet of BJP, CPI(M) and Congress workers. Violence is not new to TMCit is their political culture. And in Malda-Murshidabad, where illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas form Mamata Banerjees committed vote bank, such threats are a reflection of how TMC sustains its politics. Is this democracy or terror?" Amit Malviya tweeted.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The party said that TMC was intimidating people.

This is the culture of the Trinamool Congress. Their job is to intimidate people. Such statements are happening all the time in Malda now. The district president of TMC often says such things to be in the news. The fear that Trinamool will lose in the next assembly elections is working for them," BJP MP from Malda Uttar, Khagen Murmu 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 : West Bengal, India, India

First Published: September 07, 2025, 11:39 IST

News politics Will Burn Your Face With Acid: TMC Leader's Shocking Threat To BJP MLA Draws Condemnation

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...
AI May Wipe Out Entry-Level Office Jobs Within A Year, Warns Anthropic CEO

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 06:43 IST

Dario Amodei stated in an interview that AI could decimate many white-collar jobs within an unusually short timeframe of just one to five years

While Amodeis predictions are among the direst in the tech world, they are part of a broader, divided debate. File pic

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has once again sounded a stark warning about the imminent and profound impact of artificial intelligence on the job market. Speaking on BBC Radical with Amol Rajan, Amodei predicted a rapid and dramatic shift, stating that AI could decimate many white-collar jobs within an unusually short timeframe of just one to five years.

Recommended Stories

Amodeis prediction focuses on what he calls repetitive but variable tasks" that are common in professions like law, consulting, finance, and administration. He provided a specific example, noting that AI is already adept at document reviewa task that is both high-volume and a staple for first-year associates in law firms. He argued that the technology has improved so rapidly that it is now capable of performing work that traditionally required a human touch, accelerating the timeline for automation far beyond public perception.

This isnt the first time Amodei has sounded the alarm. In a previous interview, he suggested that AI could wipe out half of entry-level office roles within five years, potentially raising unemployment to unprecedented levels. His concerns are backed by private conversations with corporate executives who, according to Amodei, are frank about their intention to use AI not to augment" their employees but to cut costs" and reduce headcount.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

While Amodeis predictions are among the direst in the tech world, they are part of a broader, divided debate. Some industry leaders, like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, reject the idea of mass job displacement, arguing that AI will instead create new roles and augment human capabilities. However, a growing number of reports from institutions like Harvard Business School and Goldman Sachs acknowledge that AI could cause a temporary, if not permanent, period of job displacement, particularly for young workers in tech-exposed fields. Ultimately, Amodei insists that the debate is no longer about if AI will transform the workforce, but how soon and to what extent, with his timeline pointing to an accelerating reality rather than a distant future.

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: September 07, 2025, 06:43 IST

News tech AI May Wipe Out Entry-Level Office Jobs Within A Year, Warns Anthropic CEO

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...
Blood Moon Tonight: As World Watches Celestial Event, NASA Explains How Eclipses Occur

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 23:06 IST

Skygazers witnessed a total lunar eclipse or Chandra Grahan on September 7, visible across Australia, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Totality will begin around 1730 UTC and last for about 82 minutes, NASA said, (Image: X/@NASA)

Skywatchers witnessed a total lunar eclipse, also called a Blood Moon or Chandra Grahan, that illuminated the night sky on September 7. The eclipse was visible in parts of Australia, Europe, Asia, and Africa, NASA said.

In a post on X, NASA wrote, Its a full moon today! Skywatchers in most of Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia may also see a lunar eclipse, or Blood Moon. Totality will begin around 1730 UTC and last for about 82 minutes." NASA also explained what such celestial events happens.

Recommended Stories

Its a full moon today! Skywatchers in most of Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia may also see a lunar eclipse, or Blood Moon. Totality will begin around 1730 UTC and last for about 82 minutes. No matter where you are, you can learn how eclipses work: https://t.co/qt42ek6ojZ pic.twitter.com/pxXFRnSjUE  NASA (@NASA) September 7, 2025

Why Do Eclipses Happen?

Eclipses happen when the Sun, Moon, and Earth line up in space. The type of eclipse we see depends on how they align. There are two types of eclipses: lunar and solar.

A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon moves in front of the Sun, from our viewpoint on Earth, partially or fully blocking its light and casting a shadow on Earth. Whereas a lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into Earths shadow, causing it to become partially or fully darkened.

Solar Eclipse:

Solar eclipses can only occur during the new moon phase, when the Moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun  meaning its in the sky during the day.

Even though a new moon occurs roughly once every month, we dont see a solar eclipse each time. This is because the Moons orbit is tilted about five degrees compared to Earths orbit around the Sun, known as the ecliptic plane. As a result, during most new moons, the Moons shadow passes above or below Earth. Solar eclipses are only possible during two specific periods each year, called eclipse seasons, when the Moons orbit intersects the ecliptic plane and allows its shadow to fall on Earth.

Types Of Solar Eclipses

Annular solar eclipse : An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes in front of the Sun but doesnt completely cover it, leaving a bright ringcalled a ring of fire"visible around the Moon. This happens because the Moon is farther from Earth and appears smaller in the sky.

: An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes in front of the Sun but doesnt completely cover it, leaving a bright ringcalled a ring of fire"visible around the Moon. This happens because the Moon is farther from Earth and appears smaller in the sky. Hybrid solar eclipse : A hybrid solar eclipse is a rare type that shifts between a total and an annular eclipse along different parts of its path. In some areas, the Moon completely covers the Sun (total), while in others, it leaves a ring of sunlight visible (annular).

: A hybrid solar eclipse is a rare type that shifts between a total and an annular eclipse along different parts of its path. In some areas, the Moon completely covers the Sun (total), while in others, it leaves a ring of sunlight visible (annular). Partial Solar Eclipse: A partial solar eclipse happens when the Moon and Sun arent perfectly aligned, so only part of the Sun is covered. The Moons penumbra reaches Earth, but its umbra does not.

Lunar Eclipse:

Lunar eclipses happen during the full moon phase, when Earth is placed directly between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment causes Earths shadow to fall on the Moon, darkening it and often giving it a deep red hue that can last for several hours. Unlike solar eclipses, each lunar eclipse is visible from half of Earth.

Types Of Lunar Eclipses

Total Lunar Eclipse : A total lunar eclipse happens when the entire Moon passes through Earths darkest shadow, called the umbra. During this time, the Moon can appear red or copper-colored because some sunlight bends through Earths atmosphere and reflects onto the Moon.

: A total lunar eclipse happens when the entire Moon passes through Earths darkest shadow, called the umbra. During this time, the Moon can appear red or copper-colored because some sunlight bends through Earths atmosphere and reflects onto the Moon. Partial Lunar Eclipse : When the Sun, Earth, and Moon arent perfectly aligned, the Moon passes through only part of Earths umbra, causing a partial lunar eclipse where the shadow darkens only part of the Moon.

: When the Sun, Earth, and Moon arent perfectly aligned, the Moon passes through only part of Earths umbra, causing a partial lunar eclipse where the shadow darkens only part of the Moon. Penumbral Eclipse: In a penumbral lunar eclipse, the Moon passes through Earths faint outer shadow, causing only a slight dimming thats often hard to detect.

Upcoming Lunar Eclipses The next total lunar eclipse will occur on March 3, 2026, followed by a partial lunar eclipse on August 28, 2026. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish... Read More

Location : New York, United States of America (USA)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 20:48 IST

News world Blood Moon Tonight: As World Watches Celestial Event, NASA Explains How Eclipses Occur

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...
Propaganda: Trump Adviser Navarro Attacks Elon Musk As X Fact-Checks His India-Russia Rant

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 07:22 IST

Elon Musk's X called out Peter Navarro over his India-Russia rant and flagged his stance as "hypocritical". Navarro attacked Musk over the community note.

Peter Navarro attacks Elon Musk over X fact check (Reuters Image)

Donald Trumps trade adviser Peter Navarro, after days of ranting over Indias imports of Russian oil, has now targeted Elon Musk  whose once shared bromance with the US President until June  over X fact-checking him for accusing New Delhi of profiteering" from energy purchases from Moscow.

Navarro on Friday accused India of buying the Russian oil purely to profit" to feed Russian war machine" in Ukraine. FACTS: India highest tariffs costs U.S. jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India cant handle truth/spins," Navarro had posted on X.

Recommended Stories

Hours later, the Elon Musk-owned social media platform added a community note with the title Readers added context they thought people might want to know".

It flagged that Indias purchase of Russian oil is for energy security" and does not violate any sanctions. It also highlighted the United States import of uranium and minerals from Russia and termed it hypocritical".

Indias Russian oil purchases are for energy security, not just profit, & dont violate sanctions. While India has some tariffs, the U.S. has a trade surplus with it in services. U.S. also continues to import certain commodities from Russia which is hypocritical," the note said.

As X fact-checked Trumps adviser publicly, he hit out at Elon Musk, alleging propaganda".

Trump and Musk shared a bromance during the 2024 election campaign. The Tesla CEO even went on to head Trumps DOGE in his administration. However, the bromance came to a bitter end in June over the Presidents big beautiful bill".

Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into peoples posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didnt buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukranians. Stop taking American jobs," Navarro responded on X to the community note.

His response was once again fact-checked by X, which went on to underline that it was Indias sovereign decision to buy Russian oil which also was not a violation of any law. Musks platform also exposed the double standard" of the US in its own purchase of uranium from Moscow.

Navarros claims are hypocritical. Indias legal,sovereign purchases of Russian oil for energy security do not violate international law. The US,while pressuring India, continues to import billions in Russian goods, like uranium,exposing a clear double standard," the note said.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Navarros remarks came even after his boss, Donald Trump, toned down his attack on India in his latest interaction with the reporters at the White House on Friday. He described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his friend, despite tensions, and said that India-US ties are special". PM Modi also responded to his comments, stating that he fully reciprocates his sentiments on the relations of two countries.

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 : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 07:14 IST

News world Propaganda: Trump Adviser Navarro Attacks Elon Musk As X Fact-Checks His India-Russia Rant

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...
'Don't Give Sh*t': JD Vance Responds To Critics After US Strike Kills 11

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 11:50 IST

Vice President JD Vance has responded to the critics calling the US strike a 'war crime' and said that 'he doesn't give a sh*t'.

US Vice President JD Vance (Credits: AFP)

Days after the United States killed 11 people in a deadly military strike against an alleged drug boat linked to the Venezuelan cartel Tren de Aragua, Vice President JD Vance has defended the move and said he doesnt give a sh*t" if its referred to as a war crime by the critics.

In a post on X on Saturday, Vance wrote, Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military."

Recommended Stories

Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military. JD Vance (@JDVance) September 6, 2025

Meanwhile, the US strike has also drawn backlash from the administration. Political commentator Brian Krassenstein referred to it as a war crime and wrote on X, Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime."

Responding to his post, Vance wrote, I dont give a shit what you call it."

Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime. Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) September 6, 2025

Earlier, US President Donald Trump confirmed the strike and said on September 3 that the US Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists, following his orders.

TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!" he added.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

According to a report by CNN, the US military was deploying over 4,000 Marines and sailors to the waters around Latin America and the Caribbean amid its intensified fight against drug cartels. The move is meant to show strength and also give the president more military options to go after the cartels.

The Trump administration is taking strict action against Latin American drug cartels, labeling several of them as foreign terrorist groups and global terrorists.

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 : United States of America (USA)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 11:45 IST

News world 'Don't Give Sh*t': JD Vance Responds To Critics After US Strike Kills 11

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...
Helicopter Crashes Near Airlake Airport In Minnesota, Leaves No Survivors

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 09:35 IST

A Robinson R66 helicopter crashed near Airlake Airport in Lakeville, Minnesota, leaving no survivors. NTSB and FAA are investigating the incident.

A devastating helicopter crash near Airlake Airport in Lakeville (X)

A helicopter crashed in a field in Dakota County in Minnesotas Lakeville Saturday afternoon, leaving no survivors.

The incident occurred on Saturday at approximately 2:45 pm (local time) in an area west of Airlake Airport, according to a statement from the Lakeville Police Department.

Recommended Stories

Officers found the crashed chopper, identified as a Robinson R66, which was engulfed in flames, near Highview Avenue and 219th Street West.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 6, 2025Case Number: LA25003585Lakeville Police Respond to Fatal Helicopter Crashhttps://t.co/I8NAe65bsW pic.twitter.com/rzZGb8c5WH Lakeville Police (@LakevillePD_MN) September 6, 2025

According to the police, there were no reported injuries on the ground as the crash site was a non-residential and non-commercial area.

Emergency crews, including fire personnel, responded to the spot. Paramedics were initially dispatched but later cancelled.

Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told Fox News Digital that the helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances, and a post-crash fire ensued."

An investigator is expected to arrive in Minnesota on Sunday to document the scene and examine the wreckage before it is moved to a secure facility for further evaluation.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also been notified and will be responding to the scene, according to police.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The Robinson R66, a single-engine turbine helicopter, typically seats one pilot and four passengers.

Lakeville, Minnesota is about 20 miles south of downtown Minneapolis, and 25 miles south of St. Paul.

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 : United States of America (USA)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 09:35 IST

News world Helicopter Crashes Near Airlake Airport In Minnesota, Leaves No Survivors

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...
No Need To Press 2 For English: Trump Aide Says Prez May Block IT Outsourcing To Indian Firms

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 11:55 IST

Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist in the US, claimed that Trump was considering blocking the outsourcing of IT work to Indian firms by American companies.

Laura Loomer's bizarre remark on Indians' English language (Reuters Image)

American right-wing activist Laura Loomer has claimed that President Donald Trump is considering preventing US companies from outsourcing their work to Indian tech firms amid ongoing trade tensions with New Delhi.

She also said in a bizarre comment, striking a stereotypical note, that the move will put an end to the need for Americans to press 2" to speak in English for customer support in India. Loomer said she is excited" for the days when there would not be the need to press 2 to speak to someone who doesnt speak English".

Recommended Stories

Laura Loomers Claim On Outsourcing

In a post on X, she claimed, President Trump is now considering blocking US IT companies from outsourcing their work to Indian companies. In other words, you dont need to press 2 for English anymore."

Make Call Centers American Again!" she wrote, in line with Trumps Make America Great Again" campaign slogan.

JUST IN:President Trump is now considering blocking US IT companies from outsourcing their work to Indian companies. In other words, you dont need to press 2 for English anymore. Make Call Centers American Again!  Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) September 5, 2025

The next day, she followed up her previous post with another press 2" rant, stating, I am so excited for President Trump to end the days of pressing 2 for English to speak with someone who doesnt speak English. Very nice."

I am so excited for President Trump to end the days of pressing 2 for English to speak with someone who doesnt speak English.Very nice.  Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) September 5, 2025

Amid growing calls for ending the outsourcing of work to Indian firms, it is yet unclear if Trump is considering imposing restrictions on the same.

However, conservatives in the US are voicing their opposition to outsourcing work to Indian companies.

Countries must pay for the privilege of providing services remotely to the US, the same way as goods. Apply across industries, levelled as necessary per country," right-wing commentator Jack Poso said

Laura Loomers Language Jab At Indians

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The Trump supporters post on X also raised a stereotype about Indian call centres that supposedly pose language barriers for foreigners. However, the data paints a different picture.

Pew Research has proved that around 84% of Indians above 5 years of age are proficient in English. This population includes 28% people who interact only in English at home and 56% who speak another language at home but speak English very well, Hindustan Times reported.

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 : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 11:55 IST

News world No Need To Press 2 For English: Trump Aide Says Prez May Block IT Outsourcing To Indian Firms

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...
Pakistanis Rip Into Army Chief Munir Over India Mercedes, Nation Dumper Truck Remark

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 19:12 IST

Army chief Asim Munirs statement in which he compared Pakistan with a dumper truck sparked outrage, highlighting public frustration with Pakistan Army leadership.

Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir (Image: AFP/file photo)

Pakistans Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has drawn widespread criticism after reportedly comparing Pakistan to a dumper truck" during a meeting with a Saudi delegation a few weeks ago.

India is like a shining Mercedes, but we are like a dumper truck loaded with stones; imagine what happens when the two collide," Munir had reportedly said. The statement has sparked outrage across Pakistan as citizens accused him of humiliating the nation and damaging its image at global level.

Recommended Stories

Pakistans Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi echoed the Army Chiefs remarks, further fueling public anger. Social media erupted with memes, satire, and AI-generated images depicting the controversial analogy, Uzbekistan-based news outlet Zamin reported.

Many users called the remarks humiliating" and tone-deaf," with one commenting, How can Field Marshal Asim Munir call Pakistan a dump truck full of gravel? Is this what leadership looks like?" Zamin reported.

Entrepreneur Ali Ahmed Ghumman expressed disbelief, while journalist Moid Peerzada said the remarks reflect a degradation of leadership.

Peerzada added, At this point, expecting shame or a new low from this state is pointless. Theyve already mastered rock bottom. Not satire. Not sarcasm. No shame left," Peerzada was quoted by Zamin as saying.

Critics argue that such analogies expose a growing credibility crisis within Pakistans military-led establishment. A local activist in Balochistan, Samad Baloch, referred to the incident as the Tampa fiasco," calling it evidence of the arrogance and incompetence" within the Armys leadership.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Public disgust is real and growing  Asim Munirs Tampa fiasco showed the world the arrogance and incompetence behind the Pakistan Armys facade," Baloch stated.

Beyond social media, the controversy highlights deeper frustrations over the civil-military imbalance in Pakistan and the militarys growing role in politics. Critics warn that such rhetoric not only damages Pakistans image but also undermines public trust in its institutions.

About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish... Read More

Location : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: September 07, 2025, 19:09 IST

News world Pakistanis Rip Into Army Chief Munir Over India Mercedes, Nation Dumper Truck Remark

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...
Prince Harry In UK This Week: Will He Meet Father King Charles? Family Reconciliation Likely?

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 13:34 IST

The visit will provide an opportunity for the 76-year-old monarch, King Charles, and his son, Harry, to see each other and start healing their high-profile rift

Rapid Read + Follow us On Google

Buckingham Palace says it never discusses private family matters, while Harry's spokesperson declined to comment. (AP File)

In what may be a tentative step towards family reconciliation in 20 months, Prince Harry will be back in Britain this week, amid speculation that he might visit his father, King Charles.

Harry will attend the WellChild Awards, an annual charity event for seriously ill children on Monday, the third anniversary of the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

Recommended Stories

The visit has left media and royal commentators postulating that it will provide an opportunity for the 76-year-old monarch and his son to see each other and start healing their high-profile rift, according to a Reuters report.

There is talk, growing talk, that he might well meet up with his father," said Simon Perry, who covers the royal family in London for People magazine, as quoted by Reuters. I think with any time Prince Harry comes close or relatively close to his father, and they can be in the same country, theres going to be talk that they might well get together."

Buckingham Palace says it never discusses private family matters, while Harrys spokesperson declined to comment.

The prince, 40, who last saw his father in February last year shortly after Buckingham Palace revealed the king was undergoing treatment for cancer, has been estranged not just from Charles but the rest of the Windsors since he and his wife Meghan left royal duties in 2020 and moved to California.

Prince Harry is heading back to Britain for the week ahead. His team says the focus will be on charity work, but the trip has raised questions about a possible reconciliation with the King could be on the cards.Skys royal correspondent @SkyRhiannon has more pic.twitter.com/OUBRd1wKF6  Sky News (@SkyNews) September 7, 2025

IT WOULD BE NICE TO RECONCILE

In interviews, TV documentaries and his autobiography Spare, the couple has been critical of the royal household with Harry delivering particularly barbed comments about his father and elder brother, heir Prince William.

In an emotional interview in May, after he lost a legal battle with the British government over his security, Harry, the Duke of Sussex, told the BBC he wanted a rapprochement.

Of course, some members my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course they will never forgive me for lots of things. But you know  I would love reconciliation with my family  theres no point in continuing to fight anymore. And life is precious," he said.

I dont know how much longer my father has. He wont speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile."

In July, the kings communications chief and Harrys media representatives were pictured at a secret meeting in London in what newspapers suggested might be the first steps towards a reconciliation.

I think its important for the image of the monarchy that the king and his younger son are seen to be on speaking terms," historian and author Anthony Seldon told Reuters.

I also think its very important for both of them  the king is the king, but hes also a human being and a loving father."

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Harry is not expected to see William, with newspapers saying the Prince of Wales was not yet ready to bury the hatchet with his brother.

With Reuters 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: September 07, 2025, 13:33 IST

News world Prince Harry In UK This Week: Will He Meet Father King Charles? Family Reconciliation Likely?

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...
Red Sea Cable Cuts Disrupt Internet In India, Pakistan, Middle East

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 15:09 IST

Undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea disrupted internet in India, Pakistan, UAE, affecting SMW4 and IMEWE systems near Jeddah, with Microsoft Azure reporting increased latency.

The disruption was traced to the SMW4 cable run by Tata Communications and the IMEWE cable managed by an Alcatel-Lucent consortium. (Representational)

Undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea disrupted internet access in parts of Asia and the Middle East, including India, Pakistan, UAE, according to reports cited by the Associated Press (AP).

However, it wasnt immediately clear what caused the incident.

Recommended Stories

Monitoring group NetBlocks claimed that a series of subsea cable outages in the Red Sea has degraded internet connectivity in multiple countries," specifically naming India and Pakistan among those affected. It blamed failures affecting the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia."

Microsoft also confirmed that its Azure cloud service experienced disruptions, warning users of increased latency" on routes passing through the Middle East.

According to a status update from Microsoft, its Azure users may experience increased latency, particularly for traffic originating in or terminating in the Asia and Europe regions. Undersea fibre cuts can take time to repair; as such, we will continuously monitor, rebalance, and optimise routing to reduce customer impact in the meantime. Well continue to provide daily updates, or sooner if conditions change," Microsoft said.

However, this rerouting has led to higher-than-normal latency.

There has been concern about the cables being targeted in a Red Sea campaign by Yemens Houthi rebels, which the rebels describe as an effort to pressure Israel to end its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. But the Houthis have denied attacking the lines in the past.

Undersea cables are one of the backbones of the internet, along with satellite connections and land-based cables. Typically, internet service providers have multiple access points and reroute traffic if one fails, though it can slow down access for users.

The disruption was linked to failures in the South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4 (SMW4), managed by Tata Communications, and the India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE), which is operated by a consortium led by Alcatel-Lucent.

Pakistan Telecommunications Co. Ltd., a telecommunication giant in the country, noted that the cuts had taken place in a statement on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia did not immediately acknowledge the disruption, and authorities there did not respond to a request for comment.

In the United Arab Emirates, home to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, internet users on the countrys state-owned Du and Etisalat networks complained of slower internet speeds.

Subsea cables can be cut by anchors dropped from ships, but can also be targeted in attacks. It can take weeks for repairs to be made as a ship and crew must locate themselves over the damaged cable.

The lines cut comes as Yemens Houthi rebels remain locked in a series of attacks targeting Israel over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Israel has responded with airstrikes, including one that killed top leaders within the rebel movement.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The Red Sea has become a flashpoint in recent months. From late 2023 through 2024, Houthi forces targeted more than 100 ships, sinking four and killing at least eight mariners, according to AP.

(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 : Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 15:09 IST

News world Red Sea Cable Cuts Disrupt Internet In India, Pakistan, Middle East

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...
Russia Pounds Ukraine Govt HQ With 800 Drones, Missiles; Europe Says Putin Unserious About Peace

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 19:08 IST

Russias biggest drone attack on Kyiv killed three, including a baby. Ukraine struck back; Zelenskyy and EU leaders condemned Russia.

Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google

Smoke rises over the government headquarters in Kyiv, following Russian drone and missile strikes on September 7, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)

Russia attacked Kyivs Pecherskyi district, with 805 drones and decoys overnight on Sunday, the largest such attack since the full-scale invasion, Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraines Air Force, said.

A fire also erupted on the top of an administrative building. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Facebook that this was for the first time, the Government building, roof and upper floors have been damaged due to an enemy attack."

Recommended Stories

An infant was among three people killed in Russian overnight strikes in Kyiv. 18 people were also injured in the attack, and several buildings were set on fire in the capital city, including the seat of the government, Ukrainian officials said.

State emergency officials said that a fire broke out on two of the four stories of a residential building in the district attacked by Russia.

The government building went up in flames after an assault that began with drones and was followed by missile strikes, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. In the western Sviatoshynskyi district, parts of several floors of a nine-story building were destroyed, while falling drone debris ignited fires in a 16-story high-rise and two other nine-story buildings, officials said.

Dozens of blasts hit the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, knocking out power in some areas, Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi said on Telegram. In the same region, Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih damaged transport and city infrastructure, according to local military head Oleksandr Vilkul, but no one was hurt.

Ukraine Retaliates

According to a statement from the Air Force, Ukraine shot down and neutralised 747 drones and four missiles.

Ukraine also hit back and attacked the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russias Bryansk region, inflicting comprehensive fire damage", the commander of its drone forces, Robert Brovdi, said, Reuters reported.

Zelenskyy Reacts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia fired over 800 drones and 13 missiles.

Since last night, work has been ongoing to eliminate the consequences of Russian strikes  more than 800 drones, 13 missiles, including 4 ballistic. According to preliminary information, several drones crossed the border of Ukraine and Belarus," he posted on X, giving details of the damage suffered in the overnight strikes.

Since last night, work has been ongoing to eliminate the consequences of Russian strikes  more than 800 drones, 13 missiles, including 4 ballistic. According to preliminary information, several drones crossed the border of Ukraine and Belarus.In Kyiv, ordinary residential pic.twitter.com/CefQOopLtD  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) September 7, 2025

Killing Must End: EU Chief

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen criticised Russias latest massive drone and missile strikes on Ukraine, accusing the Kremlin of mocking diplomacy and international law. She further reaffirmed the EUs unwavering support for Kyiv.

Once again, the Kremlin is mocking diplomacy, trampling international law and killing indiscriminately. Europe stands, and will continue to stand, fully behind Ukraine. We are reinforcing Ukraines armed forces, building lasting security guarantees, and tightening sanctions to increase pressure on Russia. The killing must end," Ursula wrote on X.

Putin Not Serious About Peace: UK PM Starmer

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Russias barrage of air strikes against Ukraine on Sunday, saying they showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not serious about peace".

Im appalled by the latest brutal overnight assault on Kyiv and across Ukraine," Starmer said in a statement, AFP reported. These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace."

Russia Sinking Deeper Into War, Terror: Macron

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

French President Emmanuel Macron also denounced Russias overnight barrage of drones and missiles on Ukraine, pledging continued support for Kyiv and stressing the need for a just and lasting peace.

My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Together with Ukraine and our partners, we stand for peace. Russia, meanwhile, is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror. By Ukraines side, we will continue to do everything to ensure that a just and lasting peace prevails," Macron wrote on X.

Location : Ukraine

First Published: September 07, 2025, 19:08 IST

News world Russia Pounds Ukraine Govt HQ With 800 Drones, Missiles; Europe Says Putin Unserious About Peace

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 Signals Second Stage Of Russia Sanctions As His Treasury Secy Presses EU For Support

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 22:22 IST

The remarks came shortly after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged closer coordination between the US and Europe to intensify sanctions on Russia

US President Donald Trump. (File photo)

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he is prepared to move into the second stage" of sanctions against Russia, signalling a fresh round of economic pressure on Moscow to push it towards ending the war in Ukraine.

Asked on his way to the US Open Final if he was ready to escalate punitive measures on Russias President Vladimir Putin, Trump replied, Yeah, I am."

Recommended Stories

Are you ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia?"@POTUS: Yeah, I am." pic.twitter.com/I2tGWy6QJC Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 7, 2025

The remarks came shortly after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged closer coordination between the US and Europe to intensify sanctions on Russia.

Speaking on NBCs Meet the Press, Bessent argued that tougher measures could push Putin to the negotiating table over the war in Ukraine.

If the US and the (European Union) can come in, do more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse, and that will bring President Putin to the table," Reuters quoted Bessent as saying.

.@SecScottBessent: We are prepared to increase pressure on Russia, but we need our European partners to follow us If the U.S. and the EU can come in, do more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse." pic.twitter.com/fNfGiofCsr Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 7, 2025

He added that the administration was prepared to increase pressure on Russia."

Bessent, who has been critical of India and China for continuing to purchase Russian oil, described both as bad actors" propping up Moscows war machine.

While the US has already imposed steep tariffs50 per cent on India for imports of Russian oilhe pressed for broader penalties and secondary sanctions.

India, however, has pushed back, accusing the West of hypocrisy.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

New Delhi has argued that several European countries continue to buy large quantities of Russian energy without facing the same punitive measures.

The Trump administrations next steps are expected to hinge on whether European allies agree to mirror Washingtons tougher approach, a move that could further attempt to isolate Moscows economy.

About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (De... Read More

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 22:22 IST

News world Trump Signals Second Stage Of Russia Sanctions As His Treasury Secy Presses EU For 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...
Trump Likely To Visit South Korea In October, Bilateral With China's Xi On Cards: Report

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 08:10 IST

Donald Trump may hold a bilateral meeting with China's Xi Jinping during South Korea visit next month, which is under consideration, according to a report.

Trump-Xi meeting: Trump likely to visit South Korea (Reuters File Image)

US President Donald Trump is quietly preparing to travel to South Korea in October for the gathering of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers, where discussions are underway for a bilateral meeting with Chinas Xi Jinping, CNN reported, citing administration officials.

However, no firm plans for the meeting are yet in place, the report said.

Recommended Stories

During a possible visit, Trump will be accompanied by his top advisers to the Summit which is set to be held in the city of Gyeongju between late October and early November.

The trip is being viewed as an opportunity for the US President to meet Xi on the sidelines of APEC, for which serious discussions" are underway, CNN reported.

In a phone call between the two leaders last month, Xi invited Trump and his wife, Melania, to visit China, which was formally accepted by the latter. However, no dates for the expected visit have been announced yet.

Details of Trumps visit are yet to be finalised, and it is not yet certain if he will stop in other countries as well before concluding his foreign trip.

The administration officials told CNN that the foreign trip is also being seen as an opportunity for Trump to bring in more investments in the US  something which he has done in his recent foreign visits, including to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Trumps attendance at the Summit may also put him in a position to sit down again with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, though its still unclear whether the latter would participate in the gathering. The administration officials said they are paying more attention to organising a potential meeting with Xi.

Trumps expected visit to South Korea comes at a tenuous time in his ties with both Xi and Kim.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had invited Trump to attend the APEC Summit during their meeting last week and suggested that this could be an opportunity for him to meet Kim, the American media outlet reported, citing sources.

Trump told Lee he was willing to meet Kim. I will do that, and well have talks. Hed like to meet with me. We look forward to meeting with him, and well make relations better," he said.

Xi recently hosted Kum, Vladimir Putin, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi  which Trump heavily criticised.

May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America," Trump wrote on social media as Chinas military parade was underway.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

On Friday, Trump shared a picture of Xi, Putin, and PM Modi and captioned it, Looks like weve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!"

However, later in the day, he told reporters that he did not believe that India had been lost to China, in his softening stance on New Delhi, of which he has recently been critical for buying Russian oil.

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 : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 07:38 IST

News world Trump Likely To Visit South Korea In October, Bilateral With China's Xi On Cards: 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...
US Immigration Raids Hyundai Plant, Detains 475 South Koreans; Seoul Moves To Secure Release

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: September 07, 2025, 20:53 IST

South Korea and the United States agreed on the release of detained Korean workers after a major raid at the Hyundai Motor plant in Georgia, the largest such US operation to date.

Rapid Read + Follow us On Google

US Immigration Raids Hyundai Plant. (Screengrab from X)

South Korea has concluded discussions with the United States regarding the release of detained Korean workers in Georgia, a presidential official confirmed on Sunday.

A plane will be on its way to bring back the Koreans once administrative procedures are completed, Kang Hun-sik, the Presidential Chief of Staff, said in televised remarks, Reuters reported.

Recommended Stories

This comes after U.S. federal agents carried out a raid at a Hyundai Motor manufacturing facility in Georgia this week in the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Securitys investigative operations.

Most of the 475 people arrested in the raid were South Koreans suspected of working illegally in the US. According to the officials, it was the biggest single-site operation yet under President Donald Trumps anti-immigration campaign.

This comes amid strained relations between Washington and Seoul over the formers imposition of tariffs on imported goods. The two countries have been at odds over the details of a trade agreement that includes $350 billion of investments.

In a video released by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday, a caravan of vehicles was seen driving up to the Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution joint venture plant in the town of Ellabell, and federal agents subsequently directed workers wearing hard hats and safety vests to line up outside.

The plant is set to produce batteries for electric vehicles and has been called Georgias largest economic development project by state officials.

The videos circulating on social media showed a man wearing a vest with the letters HIS, an acronym for Homeland Security Investigations, telling workers in yellow safety vests: We have a search warrant for the whole site. We need construction to cease immediately. We need all the work to end on the site right now."

Some detainees were instructed to place their hands on a bus while being frisked and then restrained with shackles on their hands, ankles, and waist. Others were secured with plastic ties around their wrists as they boarded a Georgia inmate-transfer bus.

Federal agents arrived at the site like it was a war zone", a construction worker told CNN. They just told everybody to get on the wall. We stood there for about an hour and were then taken to another section where we waited. Then we went inside another building and got processed," he said, seeking anonymity.

The agents asked each workers Social Security number, date of birth, and other identification details. Those found to be legally in the US were given a paper labelled clear to depart," which they were instructed to show to officers at the plants exit, according to an employee.

South Korea, Asias fourth biggest economy, is a key automaker and electronics producer with multiple plants in the US. South Korean firms have invested billions to establish factories in America to tap the US market and sidestep potential tariffs under President Trump.

Steven Schrank, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent in Atlanta, said those arrested during the raid were illegally present in the United States" and working unlawfully".

According to him, some of those arrested had entered the US illegally, while others were in the country on visas that did not allow them to work, or had overstayed their work visas.

This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy and protecting workers from exploitation," he said.

An immigration attorney for two of the detained workers stated that his clients had entered from South Korea under a visa waiver program, allowing them to travel for tourism or business for up to 90 days without a visa.

According to the US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Georgia, several workers tried to flee the spot, including some who ran into a sewage pond located on the premises".

South Korea vowed to support over 300 of its citizens who were arrested after a US immigration raid on a Hyundai Motor car battery facility in Georgia https://t.co/xvCwgfQEBY pic.twitter.com/rP4Duj1Ya4 Reuters (@Reuters) September 7, 2025

Agents used a boat to fish them out of the water. One of the individuals swam under the boat and tried to flip it over to no avail," the US Attorneys Office said. These people were captured and identified as illegal workers."

Schrank further noted that this was not an immigration operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses". This has been a multi-month criminal investigation," he said.

The raids stemmed from a criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and serious federal crimes" at the plant. There was a majority of Korean nationals from the 475," he said, adding that it was the largest single site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations."

Meanwhile, South Korea has recently reached a major trade deal with the U.S., which includes a $350 billion fund to help Korean companies enter the U.S. market.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Trump may visit South Korea in October for the gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation event, CNN reported on Saturday, citing three Trump administration officials.

The South Korean official on Sunday said the government will seek ways to improve the visa system of Korean workers travelling to the U.S. to prevent a similar incident."

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: September 07, 2025, 20:53 IST

News world US Immigration Raids Hyundai Plant, Detains 475 South Koreans; Seoul Moves To Secure Release

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...
Ambassador Stuart Comberbach has died, Acting President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has announced.

Amb Comberbach succumbed to cancer-related complications in the UK on Thursday. He was 72.

Acting President Chiwenga expressed sorrow over the loss of a distinguished diplomat and public servant.

Amb Comberbach held several diplomatic assignments and served in various senior Government positions in a career spanning close to five decades.

During his five decades of professional service to the Government, Ambassador Comberbach demonstrated a rare and unwavering commitment to duty, said Acting President Chiwenga.

His patriotism was never in question, and he believed that our differences in race, colour and creed only served to enrich our shared humanity as one family in a unified Zimbabwe.

On behalf of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, and the First Family, the Government and ZANU PF party, the entire nation, and on my own behalf, I wish to express my sincere condolences to Mrs Comberbach and the entire family following the loss of their loved one.

May they take comfort from the knowledge that their loss is shared by the whole nation in whose service he contributed immensely.

Ambassador Comberbach served as Ambassador to Italy, Japan and South Korea, and, most recently, as Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

He was a respected voice in international diplomacy, advocating for Zimbabwes values and aspirations.

During his career, Ambassador Comberbach served in various capacities, among them Special Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade from 2018 to 2021, Secretary of the Corporate Governance Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet from 2014 to 2018.

He also served as Ambassador to Japan and to the Republic of Korea (2003-2014); Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and International Trade (2000-2003); Director of the Special Information Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1999-2000); Ambassador to Italy and

Permanent Representative to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) (1994-1999).

He was also head of the Zimbabwe Trade Mission and later the Zimbabwe Representative Office in Johannesburg, South Africa (1987-1994); Head of the Information and Research Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1982-1987); Multilateral Affairs Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1980-1982). Sunday Mail
President Mnangagwa has reaffirmed Governments commitment to safeguarding the countrys independence and advancing inclusive national development, saying the Second Republic draws strength and inspiration from the legacy of the countrys late founding leader, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe.

Cde Mugabe died on 6 September 2019, at the age of 95 and was declared a national hero. He was buried in the courtyard of his home in Kutama village, Zvimba District in Mashonaland West Province.

In a statement to mark the sixth anniversary of Cde Mugabes passing, President Mnangagwa said the ruling party, Zanu PF, Government and the nation at large stood with the former First Family in honouring a liberation icon who shaped the destiny of Zimbabwe and Africa at large.

As we remember our late President, the Second Republic once again re-dedicates itself to preserving the legacy of Cde RG Mugabe by winding up the successful National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and preparing for NDS2 guided by the goal to have a society that is free, democratic and prosperous, which leaves no one and no place behind through inclusive development, he said.

We commit to the revolutionary icons enduring refrain that Zimbabwe will never be a colony again, a mantra which finds expression in our national guiding philosophy of Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo!

The President noted that Cde Mugabes leadership during the liberation struggle and in the formative years of the First Republic laid the foundation for social and economic transformation. His pursuit of land reform and indigenisation policies, President Mnangagwa said, restored dignity to Zimbabweans and instilled resilience against external pressures, including illegal sanctions imposed by the West.

The late Presidents renowned political astuteness and zeal for social, economic and political empowerment of Zimbabwes indigenous people impelled him to champion the Land Reform Programme, which addressed historical land ownership imbalances emanating from the colonial era, he said.

His undying quest to economically empower indigenous farmers and to transform the lives of all Zimbabweans saw him implement various indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes, which gave Zimbabweans back their self-belief and respect, thus building the resilience to overcome illegal sanctions imposed on the country.

President Mnangagwa said Cde Mugabe was a freedom fighter par excellence, a veteran nationalist and a revered frontline Statesman, who fearlessly championed the political and economic emancipation of Southern Africa and the continent at large.

Describing Cde Mugabe as a true son of the soil and an iconic liberation fighter, the President said the late national hero ushered Zimbabwe into Independence in 1980, following a protracted Second Chimurenga/Umvukela armed liberation struggle against colonial rule.

Cde Mugabe endured eleven years of incarceration and detention by the settler colonial regime bent on perpetuating minority rule in our richly endowed motherland, he said. Sunday Mail
Back in the 1990s, it was a common beauty routine for Black women: Every month or so, they'd go to the salon to have their hair chemically straightened. Today, thousands of those same women have filed lawsuits alleging that the treatments gave them cancer, particularly uterine or ovarian cancer. One of the biggest concentrations of suitsmore than 600 comes from Georgia, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is taking an in-depth look at the issue, one that involves interviews with some of the plaintiffs. "Everybody was getting it," says JoAnna Zackery, who began her own treatments in 1990 to emulate Black women she saw on TV. "It was beautiful to see straight hair, and I wanted it. I wanted to try it." In 2023, doctors found cancer lining her uterus, and Zackery blames the companies behind the products.
Sleep is crucial to our existence, with most adults needing between seven and nine hours a night to best function, per Axios. Yet the average clocked by Americans is only six hours and 40 minutes, per stats from the latest Apple Heart and Movement Study, which examined almost 17 million sleep records from upward of 61,000 US adults in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The survey found that Hawaiians got the least shut-eye, averaging just six hours and 31 minutes, but they tended to turn in earlier, hitting the hay at 11:06pm local time. Washington, DC, meanwhile, isn't lights off until close to midnight, at 11:56pm. Here, the top and bottom 10:
You know a mystery has legs when it can outlast dictators, revolutions, and even the memory of where the morgue is. The BBC reports that nearly five decades after Musa al-Sadr, a towering Lebanese cleric and political leader, vanished in Libya, a photo of a decomposed corpse in a secret mortuary in Tripoli may finally hold the key. Bradford University's Professor Hassan Ugail ran the image through a facial recognition algorithm and found a "high probability" match to Sadr, who disappeared in 1978 after a planned meeting with Moammar Gadhafi. "This is what he looks like now?" Ugail asked, staring skeptically at the image.

To understand why this matters, you need to know who Sadr wasand why his absence still haunts the Middle East. Revered for championing Lebanon's marginalized Shia community and promoting interfaith dialogue, he founded the Movement of the Deprived in 1974 and was even honored with the title of "imam" while still alive, a rarity among Shia clerics. He had the charisma and height (6-foot-5) to command attention and, some argue, the political vision to steer Iran's revolution toward moderation. Then he flew to Tripoli in August 1978, checked into a hotel, and was never seen again.

Recent attempts to solve the mystery have been as dramatic as Sadr's life. Lebanese-Swedish journalist Kassem Hamade photographed a body in a secret Tripoli mortuary in 2011 that appeared to match Sadr and even collected hair for DNA testingbut the sample was later reported lost. Ugail's algorithm scored the photo in the 60s, suggesting a strong match, but Sadr's family and supporters in Lebanon reject the findings, arguing he may still be alive in a Libyan prison. The BBC's investigation into the case was so sensitive that its own reporters were detained by Libyan intelligence for several days in 2023. Of Sadr's disappearance, former Libyan Justice Minister Mustafa Abdel Jalil said in 2011, "Gadhafi has the first and the last word in all decisions."
Artificial intelligence company Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit by book authors who say the company took pirated copies of their works to train its chatbot. The landmark settlement, if approved by a judge, could mark a turning point in legal battles between AI companies and the writers, visual artists, and other creative professionals who accuse them of copyright infringement, the AP reports. The company has agreed to pay authors or publishers about $3,000 for each of an estimated 500,000 books covered by the settlement. "As best as we can tell, it's the largest copyright recovery ever," said Justin Nelson, a lawyer for the authors. "It is the first of its kind in the AI era."
Russia hit Ukraine's capital with drone and missiles Sunday in the largest aerial attack on the country since the war began, killing at least two people and leaving smoke rising from the roof of the nation's main government building. Russia attacked Ukraine with 810 drones and decoys, Ukraine's Air Force said. A spokesperson confirmed to the AP that Sunday's attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Russia also launched 13 missiles of various types. Ukraine said it shot down and neutralized 747 drones and four missiles.

Hits from nine missiles and 54 drones were recorded at 33 locations across Ukraine, and the debris from targets shot down fell at eight locations, the Air Force said. A plume of smoke rose from the roof of Kyiv's cabinet of ministers building; a direct hit would mark an escalation in Russia's air campaign, which has so far spared government buildings in the city center. Officials said two people, a woman and her 3-month-old child, were killed and 20 were injured. "For the first time, the government building was damaged by an enemy attack, including the roof and upper floors," said Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. "We will restore the buildings, but lost lives cannot be returned."

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged stronger sanctions on Russia and air defenses. "Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war," he said. "Every additional (air defense) system saves civilians from these vile strikes." Russian drones struck a nine-story residential building in Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-story residential building in Darnytskyi district, the government said. The Russian military said Sunday that it used aviation, drones, missiles, and artillery to strike military-industrial targets in Ukraine, including drone assembly and storage sites, military airfields, two air defense radar stations, and troop positions.
South Korea and the US have struck a deal to release about 300 South Korean workers detained last week in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia. The Seoul government said Sunday that it will send a plane to the US to bring the workers home, the Wall Street Journal reports. About 475 people in all were arrested in the federal raid ; many of the South Koreans were employed by subcontractors working at the construction site of an electric vehicle battery planta joint venture between Hyundai and LG Energy Solution.

South Korea was not notified of the raid in advance, straining relations with the US, despite the nations' close economic and strategic ties. "We are deeply concerned and feel a heavy sense of responsibility over the arrests of our nationals," Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said at an emergency meeting in Seoul, per the national Yonhap News Agency. President Lee Jae Myung emphasized "that the rights and interests of South Korean nationals and the business operations of South Korean companies investing in the United States must not be infringed upon," the agency reported, per NPR. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun reportedly plans to leave Monday for the US for talks about the matter, per the AP.

Trump administration officials say the workers detained had either crossed the border illegally, misused visa waivers, or overstayed their visas, per the Journal. Many of the South Korean nationals reportedly held B-1 visas, which typically are intended for training rather than employment, and were serving as instructors at the site. South Korea said it will review its procedures and work more closely with companies to ensure future deployments of workers comply with US immigration laws. The plant represents Hyundai's largest manufacturing investment in Georgia, and the company has pledged billions more for expansion in the US.
A drone fired by the Houthi militants in Yemen breached Israel's multilayered air defenses on Sunday and slammed into the country's southern airport, the Israeli military said, briefly shutting down commercial airspace and diverting flights over southern Israel. Israel said Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked with several drones, most of which were intercepted outside of Israel. At least one of the drones slipped through Israel's defense system and crashed into the passenger terminal at the Ramon International Airport near the resort city of Eilat, the Israeli Airports Authority said, blowing out glass windows and sending smoke plumes billowing. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strike, the AP reports. An emergency service said a 63-year-old man for light shrapnel wounds.
Law enforcement officials on Sunday removed a peace vigil that had stood outside the White House for more than four decades. President Trump ordered it to be taken down as part of the clearing of homeless encampments in the nation's capital, the AP reports. Philipos Melaku-Bello, a volunteer who has manned the vigil for years, said Park Police removed it early Sunday morning, telling him the memorial was a shelter. "The difference between an encampment and a vigil is that an encampment is where homeless people live," Melaku-Bello said. "As you can see, I don't have a bed. I have signs and it is covered by the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression."

The White House told the AP in a statement that the vigil was a "hazard to those visiting the White House and the surrounding areas." Taking down the vigil is the latest in a series of actions the Trump administration has ordered as part of its federal takeover of policing in the city, which began last month. The White House has defended the intervention as needed to fulfill Trump's executive order on the "beautification" of DC. Melaku-Bello called the move a civil rights violation. "They're choosing to call a place that is not an encampment an encampment just to fit what is in Trump's agenda of removing the encampments," he said.

The vigil was started in 1981 by activist William Thomas to promote nuclear disarmament and an end to global conflicts. It is believed to be the longest continuous antiwar protest in US history. When Thomas died in 2009, other protesters like Melaku-Bello staffed the tiny tent and the banner, which read "Live by the bomb, die by the bomb," around the clock to avoid it being dismantled by authorities. The small but persistent act of protest was brought to Trump's attention during an event at the While House on Friday. Brian Glenn, a correspondent for the conservative network Real America's Voice, told the president the blue tent was an "eyesore" for those who come to the White House and described it as anti-American and "sometimes anti-Trump."
Tennis' governing body told broadcasters carrying the US Open to censor any protests or reaction to President Trump's appearance at the tournament on Sunday, but the negative reaction from the crowd was hard to miss. "We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President's attendance in any capacity," said the memo, which was reviewed by the Athletic . It said plans called for Trump to be shown on feeds during the ceremony before the men's singles final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, including the singing of the national anthem. A spokesman said, "We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions."

The match was delayed and delayed again while fans went through enhanced security because of the president's presence, then started 48 minutes late. Many were still in line when play began, per the AP. "If it's a three-set match, we'll miss half of it," said two who reported paying $500 for their tickets. There was no announcement when Trump arrived and a subdued, mixed reaction when he first appeared; not many of the spectators were inside yet. But when Trump was briefly shown on the large screens at Arthur Ashe Stadium during the "Star-Spangled Banner," per the New York Times, the crowd's reaction was mostly boos. The boos became louder when the screens projected a presidential smirk, per the AP.

Trump was the guest of Rolex, despite imposing steep tariffs on the Swiss watchmaker's home country. The 39% tariff is more than 2 times the levies placed on European Union goods exported to the US and nearly four times the hit on British exports to the US. The White House declined to comment on the president accepting a corporate client's invitation. Celebrities in the crowd included Bruce Springsteen; the Boss and the president are not fans of each other.
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.
The Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with stc Bahrain to launch the kingdoms first digital bus station, marking a major step toward supporting the national transport strategy and advancing Bahrains digital transformation. The initiative reinforces Bahrains position as a regional leader in smart and sustainable transportation.

Fatima Abdullah Al-Daan, Undersecretary for Land Transport and Postal Affairs at the Ministry, highlighted that the launch of the digital bus station represents a significant leap in developing the transport sector. She said the project promotes the use of advanced digital solutions, offers an enhanced experience for passengers, and supports the kingdoms move toward more sustainable cities and communities, in line with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 and sustainable development goals.

Shaikh Ziyad bin Faisal Al Khalifa, stc Bahrains Vice President for Government Affairs, expressed the companys pride in the partnership. He said, The launch of Bahrains first digital bus station is a strategic investment in developing the transport system and supporting the future of the national economy. At stc Bahrain, we are proud to play our role as a leading digital enabler, providing smart and sustainable solutions that serve the community, develop infrastructure, and enhance national competitiveness.

The stc Digital Bus Station project is seen as a starting point for a more advanced future in smart transportation in Bahrain. By leveraging modern technologies and data, it aims to improve service efficiency and support economic sustainability, reflecting a strong public-private partnership in advancing national development.
Nominations Sent to the Senate: Stephanie Hallett to be U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain

Nominations Sent to the Senate: Stephanie Hallett to be U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain

Stephanie Hallett, of Florida, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor, has been re-nominated to serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Hallett has extensive experience in the U.S. State Department, currently serving as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, where she has twice acted as Charge dAffaires. She previously served as Executive Director for Gulf and Arab Region Security Affairs at the White House National Security Council, reflecting her deep expertise in regional and strategic issues.

Her diplomatic career includes roles as Deputy Chief of Mission in Cyprus and Oman, Political and Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain, and Deputy Political Counselor in Cairo. She has also worked in the State Department Operations Center, the Iran Affairs Office, and held consular assignments in Monterrey, Mexico, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Hallett holds a bachelors degree from George Washington University and a masters in philosophy from the University of Cambridge. Fluent in Arabic and Spanish, she is well-positioned to strengthen U.S. engagement in the region.

Her nomination comes at a time of growing Bahrain-U.S. cooperation across defense, economic, and educational sectors, with Bahrain hosting the U.S. Fifth Fleet. This appointment highlights Washingtons commitment to enhancing its strategic partnership with Bahrain and its diplomatic presence in the Gulf.

Hallett was initially nominated for this post during President Bidens administration. The current nomination, now sent to the U.S. Senate, would have her succeed Ambassador Steven Bondy and continue her distinguished diplomatic career.
TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Telecom firm honoured at inaugural GCC ceremony

Zain Bahrain has been recognized as a regional benchmark in Bahrainization, securing a distinguished honor from the Committee of Labor Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries for achieving a Bahraini workforce ratio of 93.33%.

The recognition was presented during a first-of-its-kind ceremony in Kuwait that celebrated achievements in civil service, labor, and social affairs across the region. Zain Bahrain was nominated by the Ministry of Labor in Bahrain, underscoring its consistent record as one of the Kingdoms top-performing employers of nationals.

Gulf benchmark

The award marks Zain Bahrains elevation from a leading local employer to a GCC-level standard-setter in workforce localization. The company had previously been recognized in 2023 and 2024 as one of the top employers of Bahrainis, but this is the first time it has been celebrated on a regional stage.

Commitment to talent

Rana Al Majed, Chief Human Resources and Corporate Sustainability Officer at Zain Bahrain, said the recognition reflected the companys longterm vision. Bahrainization is not just a goal - it is a core value embedded in Zains culture and strategic vision. We believe in the power of local talent to shape a successful future, and we are committed to continuing our investment in their growth and development, she said.

Regional significance

The event itself was historic, being the inaugural GCC-wide initiative designed to promote integration, excellence, and innovation in human resource development. Ministers, senior officials, and business leaders from across the Gulf attended, making the recognition a significant milestone not only for Zain Bahrain but also for Bahrains broader labor market.

Zain Bahrains achievement is seen as both a corporate milestone and a national success story, aligning closely with the Kingdoms economic and social development goals.
TOKYO, Sep 07 (News On Japan) - Prime Minister Ishiba announced on September 7th at a press conference that he would step down, formally declaring his resignation. He also indicated that he would not run in the upcoming Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race, which he asked to be brought forward.

At the press conference held at the Prime Ministers Office at 6 p.m., Ishiba acknowledged responsibility for the partys defeat in the recent Upper House election. He stated, "Now that tariff negotiations with the United States have reached a conclusion, this is the right timing to resign. I have decided to step aside for the next generation."

He further emphasized his commitment until a new leader is chosen, saying, "Until a new president is selected, I will fulfill my responsibilities and then entrust the future to the next prime minister and party leader."

Following Ishibas formal announcement, the LDP is expected to hold an extraordinary executive meeting on the morning of September 8th. At that meeting, the party is likely to decide against submitting documents to postpone the leadership election, clearing the way for an early contest.

Source: TBS
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Sexual violence is rife in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but urgently needed assistance for survivors has had to be halted as sweeping funding cuts bite, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, warned on Friday
BRISBANE, Sep 07 (News On Japan) - Restoration work of cultural exchange is thriving in Brisbane, where an event introducing Japanese food and culture was held on September 6th, attracting around 20,000 visitors. "The situation is worse than we imagined," said one organizer, noting how unexpectedly large the turnout had become.

Named 'Matsuri Brisbane,' the event was organized by a Japanese permanent residents association and marked its seventh edition this year. Visitors were enthusiastic: "I love Japanese food and culture," said one attendee.

The venue, set up on the grounds of a suburban school, featured more than 100 Japanese food stalls, cultural exhibition booths, and live performances, filling the grounds with a festive atmosphere.

Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner, who attended the event, remarked: "As you can see from the large number of visitors, the people of Brisbane truly love Japanese culture." He added that ties between Japan and Australia are strengthening year by year.

Organizer Yoko Hintz noted, "There are more and more people who love Japan. Many who have been to Japan want to share their experiences with others."

With Brisbane set to host the 2032 Summer Olympics in seven years, the city is already experiencing a sense of rising energy. Event officials expressed hope that gatherings like this will help visitors discover the depth of Japanese culture.
Sep 08 (Kabuki In-Depth) - Today we look at two very different major news for the future of kabuki.

The National Theatre in Tokyo presented a performance of Chushingura, the classic tale of the forty-seven ronin, weaving together music, poetry, and dramatic narration.

The staging featured repeated interludes of music alongside verses evoking snow, clouds, flowers, mountains, and forests. These images shifted between light seasonal beauty and heavier themes of fate, sin, and loyalty. The interplay of good news and bad news framed the storys emotional contrasts.

Through this blend of traditional verse and theatrical delivery, the production highlighted the enduring appeal of Chushingura, a work that has been central to Japanese performing arts for centuries.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. 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
New Jersey homes and businesses are without power. See latest updates from JCP&L, PSEG, Atlantic City Electric and Rockland utilities. Canva for NJ.com

A total of 2,302 power outages were reported on Saturday evening after a strong line of thunderstorms passed through the state. More than 10,000 outages were reported earlier in the day.

More thunderstorms are expected across New Jersey on Saturday evening and continuing overnight into Sunday.

Current utility outages as of 11 p.m:

JCP&L: 2,125 outages

PSE&G: 133 outages

Atlantic City Electric: 43 outages

Rockland: 1 outage

The National Weather Service reported a strong cold front crossing the region, bringing thunderstorms and potential for heavy rainfall. The front is expected to become nearly stationary over New Jersey through Sunday, with a weak low-pressure system tracking along the front Sunday afternoon.

Severe weather elements include potential thunderstorms, high winds, and heavy rainfall, with some areas potentially receiving 1 to 2 inches of rain, particularly southeast of the urban corridor.

Residents are advised to stay informed about local weather conditions and potential power interruptions. Utility companies recommend having emergency supplies ready and checking their websites or local news for updates on restoration efforts.

Current weather radar

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local weather news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.
Online previews of the Exit Zero property, located at 110 Sunset Boulevard, Cape May, are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 11 and again Sept. 18, according to the Tranzon auction website. Tranzon

The Exit Zero Filling Station, a prominent West Cape May restaurant property, will be sold through an online auction with the opening bids starting at $2 million.

The establishment is set to close its doors on Sept. 20.

Owner Jack Wright, who listed the property for $4.7 million earlier this year, opted for an auction format.

The property at 110 Sunset Boulevard sits at a busy intersection just three blocks from the beach and in proximity to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal.

The Exit Zero Filling Station, a prominent West Cape May restaurant property, will be sold through an online auction starting at $2 million after a decade of operation. The establishment is set to close its doors on Sept. 20. Tranzon

My assumption is that the person who purchases it will either be a restaurant owner or a person who can see it as a prime development location three blocks from the ocean on Cape May Island, Wright said.

He added that the location would also be perfect for a condo development.

The property spans an entire block with frontage on three sides, according to Bob Dann of Tranzon, the nationwide real estate auction company handling the sale.

People love Exit Zero and are sad to see it close, Dann said. Maybe we will find a new restaurant owner to continue the tradition.

Bidding for the property at 110 Sunset Ave., West Cape May will open at $2 million, according to Bob Dann of Tranzon, a nationwide real estate auction company. Tranzon

Wright has already sold the restaurants plenary liquor license for $850,000 to Curtis Bashaw, a Cape May businessman and real estate developer who sold the same license to Wright in 2021.

Bashaw is a managing partner in Cape Resorts, which owns the historic Congress Hall in Cape May.

The restaurant, which opened in a former gas station, became known for its unique outdoor dining featuring a converted 1949 Chevy truck that seated eight diners. The truck and kitchen equipment are not included in the auction.

Jack Wright, owner of Exit Zero Filling Station, inside the vintage Chevy truck available for dining

Online property previews are scheduled for Sept. 11 and Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Bidding opens at 1 p.m. on Sept. 26 and closes at 1 p.m. on Oct. 1.

Bidders must register on the Tranzon website to participate in the auction or view the property.

Until its closure, Exit Zero will operate Wednesday through Friday from 4 p.m. and Saturday from noon.

The restaurants retail and publishing operations will relocate to the Washington Street Mall, and existing gift cardholders can redeem their cards for merchandise through the companys online store.

The restaurant was featured as one of the 11 best in the Cape May area in NJ.coms 2025 ranking.

Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.
Looking for more to do this week? Check out the latest on Gambit's calendar at calendar.gambitweekly.com.

Christone Ingram

With his blazing guitar work, Clarksdale, Mississippi native Christone Kingfish Ingram is leading a generation of young blues musicians. He released his debut album, Kingfish, in 2019, and then won the Best Contemporary Blues Grammy with his follow-up 662 in 2022. His fourth album, Hard Road, is due out later in September. A single off the album, Nothin But Your Love, previews the soul and R&B influences on the album. Buffalo Nichols opens for him at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, at House of Blues. Tickets $24 and up via ticketmaster.com.

Mark Winters

Texas-based musician (and literal rocket scientist) Mark Winters writes pop-oriented rock and blues thats often optimistic and uplifting. He released his latest album, Acoustic Me, in May and is now on his Good Vibes Highway tour. Winters plays The Den at Howlin Wolf at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10. South Louisiana chamber-folk band Minos the Saint also performs. Tickets are $13.29 via thehowlinwolf.com.

Dear Evan Hansen

In the musical, Evan Hansen is an awkward teenager who struggles with social anxiety. He gets caught in a difficult misunderstanding when he inadvertently suggests he was close friends with a classmate who committed suicide. Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts presents the show at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, and Saturday, Sept. 13, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, and the show runs through Sept. 28. Tickets $43-$57 via rivertowntheaters.com.

Cristina Mariani

Austin comedian Cristina Mariani has a quiet delivery, sharp insights and a provocative dark streak that has garnered her plenty of views online and spots on a host of podcasts. She performs stand-up at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at Gasa Gasa. Tickets $30.62 via gasagasanola.com.

Hanoun Brass Band

Formed during the 2024 Carnival season, the Hanoun Brass Band is the community band extension of New Orleans Musicians for Palestine, the local collective advocating for Palestinians and the end to Israels war on Gaza. Hanoun recently released its first single, Ana Dammi Falastini, a brass- and percussion-fueled interpretation of a song by Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf. Hanoun will play a release show at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, at Mudlark Theatre. Find more information on Instagram: @nolamusicians4palestine.

Clown Yoga

Normally one wouldn't think to put on a red plastic nose while prepping for sun salutations, but professional clown and yoga instructor Bambi Maloney invites amateurs and experienced yoga practitioners alike to tap into their playful sides on Sunday, Sept. 14, at the Music Box Village. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. with an hour-long vinyasa class beginning at 11. Clown attire is encouraged but not required, and participants are asked to bring their own yoga mats. Afterward the class is over, there will be face-painting and games  and lots of rubber chickens and whoopee cushions. For tickets, visit tixr.com/groups/musicboxvillage.

Waitress

In the 2007 musical, Jenna is a waitress in an abusive relationship. Shes also a skilled baker with dreams of opening her own pie shop, but she learns shes pregnant, which threatens to derail her plans to build a better life. Entering a baking contest offers her a little bit of hope. Broadway veteran Leslie Castay directs the show for Jefferson Performing Arts Society. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, and Saturday, Sept. 13, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, and Sept. 19-21 at Jefferson Performing Arts Center. Tickets $30-$88.75 on ticketmaster.com.

New Orleans Fashion Week

The annual, week-long fashion industry event returns for its 15th season Sept. 12-20 with runway events, designer presentations, competitions and parties. There is a kickoff party hosted by Emline on Sept. 13, a kids runway day on Sept. 14, a conversation with fashion photographer Nigel Barker on Sept. 15, two nights of runway showcases and more. Find the full schedule and more information at neworleansfashionweek.com.

David Bode

New Orleans saxophonist and composer David Bode has played with the New Orleans High Society, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and other projects, but he steps into his own as a leader on the new big band album, Good Hang, featuring 19 locally based musicians. Good Hang is out now and Bode will play a release show at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, at the Broadside. Tickets are $11.66 via broadsidenola.com.

Out Cry: The Two Character Play

In Tennessee Williams Out Cry: The Two Character Play, two actors, Felice and Clare, arrive at a rundown theater, and abandoned by their company, they set out to improvise a play. A later work for Williams, it is more abstract than some of his more heated dramas, and in some ways a response to the abstract work of writers like Samuel Beckett. The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans stages the drama at the Lower Depths Theatre at Loyola University New Orleans. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, through Saturday, Sept. 13, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, and continuing Sept. 17-21. Tickets $25-$50 ($10 for Loyola students) at twtheatrenola.com.

Krewe du Vieux Kick-Off

The bawdy, satirical Carnival krewe throws a fundraising party at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Broadside with music by Gitkin and CosmoKnots. There also will be live and silent auctions. Tickets are $22.20 via broadsidenola.com.

Culture Collision

New Orleans area cultural organizations, performing arts companies, museums, radio stations and arts groups and more share information about upcoming events, seasons, activities, membership and volunteer opportunities at the free event. There are short performances, giveaways and more. Participating groups include the WYES, LPO, OperaCreole, the New Orleans Film Society, the Japan Society of New Orleans and more. Visit culturenola.org for details. At 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Find information at culturenola.com.

Mike Dillons 60th

Percussionist and vibraphonist Mike Dillon celebrates his 60th trip around the sun on Saturday, Sept. 13, at BJs Lounge. Hes pulling double duty: Dillon will play with his band The New Fuck Yeahs and hell join percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Earl Harvin for a duo set. Music starts at 9 p.m. Find more info on Instagram: @bjslounge.
Plans for two IPAS centres in separate bars in one town in the Midlands have been put on hold

Laois County Council has sought further information in relation to plans for two IPAS centres in the village of Durrow in Laois.

Applicant Marc Lennon submitted two planning applications for asylum centres at Lennons Bar and Peadars Bar at Mary Street. The applications attracted significant opposition with hundreds of submissions and a series of public meetings held.

In both applications Laois County Council planners requested Mr Lennon to demonstrate that the accommodation meets the Department of Justice standards for IPAS Centres. In both cases he was requested to confirm whether relevant contracts are in place with the Department of Justice for IPAS accommodation on the sites.

In relation to Peaders Bar the Council commented: The description of the development on the public notices submitted states the retention and change of use of the existing bar on the ground floor and private accommodation on the first floor. This description suggests that there is an existing bar on the ground floor. This conflicts with the existing floor plans submitted which shows accommodation on the ground floor. Furthermore, the Planning Report submitted states that the property is currently in use as an IPAS centre which again conflicts with the description of the development in the public notices. The

applicant goes on to state in the Planning Report that the property is currently vacant and has been permitted as a guesthouse which also appears to be incorrect. The applicant is requested to clarify these matters.

The Council said there were inconsistencies between the number of proposed beds for Peaders Bar. They said while the report states 30 beds the drawings indicate more than this number.

The planning authority was unable to access the rear of Peaders Bar or Lennons Bar during the time of the site inspections and the applicant was asked to arrange a time for another inspection for both locations.

Further questions were raised around the proposed floor area at Peaders Bar and surface water attenuation and disposal.

Issues around the boundary of the site were also raised and clarity sought on whether it is encroaching on thirty-party lands to the north without consent.

The application for Peaders Bar received 128 submissions raising concerns while Lennons Bar received 129.

The Council also sought clarification on the description of development at Lennons Bar questioning the request for the change of use of the existing pub & guesthouse.

This appears to be an incorrect description as retention permission was granted under planning file reference 24/60198 to retain the change of use of the pub to a guesthouse/hostel, the planners stated.

The public notices state that a proposed change of use to an IPAS centre is sought. It is noted from the submissions on file that the property is currently either partly or completely in use to house displaced persons from Ukraine in which case the property may already be used in this capacity and the public notices may be incorrect as a result.

A number of submissions from residents living beside Lennons Bar disputed the applicants claim that the property is vacant and the Council sought clarification on this.

Again the local authority said there were inconsistencies around the number of proposed beds for Lennons Bar with the planning report indicating 30 bed spaces but the drawings showing in excess of this.

Mr Lennon now must provide the further information requested within six months or the applications will be declared withdrawn.
This old observation (familiarity breeds contempt) is often attributed to Aesop, though there is little proof of that. But assuming the attribution is correct, it might lead us to consider Aesop to be a liberal, which is to say, someone who in principle is willing to consider and even support novel ideas.

But to my mind, familiarity seems more often to breed inattention than contempt. We often act out of habit and only rarely consider whether there is a better alternative. Mostly we fall into the fundamentally conservative trap of doggedly clinging to tradition, apt to resist any suggestion that we should change.

The conservative argument has a natural advantage in that a tradition provides experience. While some experiences were bad ones, there are likely to be some good experiences for illustrating an advantage to following tradition.

Clearly, in our politics, polarization and duopoly have led to obstruction and even disappointment with politics generally. But traditionalists will argue that, were it not for the duopoly, there would be catastrophic gridlock because neither party could ever force through their agenda over the opposition of the other party. Perhaps change will come nevertheless and someday we will be able to point to our multi-party democracy using BAV elections, in which politicians from various parties can cooperate as thinking individuals rather than as doctrinaire members of two competing parties that are perpetually at war with one-another.

Unfortunately, in promoting BAV there are currently no examples of success to draw on; the very fact of being new and different precludes the possibility of examples. The traditional approach using plurality voting is clearly flawed, but the thought of changing to an untried system (such as BAV) may seem to some as just too risky. But risk is the lifeblood of progress. What if the Wright brothers had decided not to try because the risk failure could be fatal. Would we still today have no airline travel?

There are some example elections that we might study; Latvia uses BAV for multi-winner municipal elections. But in the U.S., our needs are different. Unlike most of our elections, municipal elections in Latvia have multiple winners, and they generally have many more candidates than there can be winners. Latvia does not seem to suffer from the shortage of candidates that now plagues elections in the U.S.

But ironically, the very system, BAV, that suits elections in Latvia also offers great advantages for the U.S. with its mostly single-winner elections. In our context, BAV discourages polarization and encourages the competition of multiple parties. Still, for Latvia, BAV is still a good voting system, if only because it enables voters to express themselves so easily and accurately.

But the lack of good, real-world examples remains a problem for promoting BAV and even for understanding it. Studying examples is a useful way to improve understanding. And with understanding, confidence in the proposal can mature. Although describing a relevant, real-world BAV election is (for now) impossible, we can instead study an example that, while fictional, strives to be realistic. The election we offer below is to choose a replacement for a state's senior Senator who is retiring after 42 years in office.

This election takes place in a state that, seven years earlier, had adopted BAV for statewide elections. Even prior to that, a few cities and towns in the state had conducted BAV elections in their local elections. To date, however, no minor-party candidate has won an important election and there remains widespread skepticism that anyone other than Democratic and Republican candidates could win election. Unfortunately, as we will see, such opinions can serve as a self-fulfilling prophesy.

As part of the state's legislation to adopt BAV, the rules for ballot access were relaxed to facilitate increased competition. Aside from primary elections, the legislation restricted ballot access to a maximum of eight qualified political parties. The five parties having the most registered voters would automatically be placed on the ballots, but in addition, as many as three more parties would be selected (on a rotation basis) from among the remaining parties with registered members representing over 2.5% of the registered voters.

The state still is considered a purple one. Even though the Democratic party has had a larger share of registered voters, disappointing Democratic turnout was frequent and so there were frequent wins by Republican candidates. State politics have been changed by the voting reform, however. Due to the new ballot-access laws as much as to the adoption of BAV as the voting method, more than a third of voters have changed their party affiliation and are now registered with neither the Republican Party nor the Democratic Party. Unlike before, Republicans (now with 915,000 members) outnumber Democrats (now with only 900,000 registered voters). This change leads most pundits to argue that the next Senator will surely be the Republican nominee.

But there are three smaller parties that have joined the competition, though few voters think these candidates have any chance of winning. The Libertarian Party, with 535,000 members (consisting mostly of former Republicans), have a candidate on the ballot. But in comparison to Republicans, the Democratic Party has lost an even greater number of its former members. These former Democrats have mostly changed their registration to one of two new parties. The Progressive party has 560,000 members and the Socialist Party has another 90.000 members. The Green Party and a Fascist Party are represented as well, but because the membership of each of these parties is below the minimum 2.5%, they are not allowed on the ballot.

As tradition would have it, the Democratic candidate campaigned primarily on the platform of being the only alternative of electing a Republican. Similarly, the Republican candidate campaigned as being the alternative to electing a Democrat; neither of these two parties acknowledges there is any possibility for a smaller party to win elections.

The Libertarian candidate has campaigned on eliminating most regulations on business. In sharp contrast, the Progressive candidate's platform emphasizes reenacting the reforms of Roosevelt's New Deal and of Johnson's Great Society, while the Socialist candidate's platform mostly calls for the government to encourage establishment of co-ops that are worker-owned and worker-operated. Notably, the Socialist candidate stimulated considerable excitement by proposing that corporations be required to obtain a Federal Charters if they conduct business in multiple states or in international markets.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
This is Oregon Insight, The Oregonians weekly look at the numbers behind the states economy. Dave Killen/The Oregonian

The number of convention attendees visiting Portland is poised to drop sharply next year, a lingering echo of the trauma the city endured in the pandemic and its aftermath.

Portland is set to draw about 260,000 convention visitors in 2025. Thats well ahead of pre-COVID levels and the citys third strong year of convention business in a row. But convention visitors will drop substantially in 2026, based on current booking levels.

The reason? A hangover from the pandemic era, and the accompanying upheaval that blighted Portland and its national image.

We saw this coming. This is not a surprise to us. We knew the storm was arriving and now its here, said Marcus Hibdon, communications director for Travel Portland, the not-for-profit agency that markets the city to visitors.

Large conventions typically book a few years in advance. In 2021 and 2022, Portland was still digging out from the riots of 2020, an increase in homelessness, and a surge in homicides and other crimes. Out-of-town organizations booking ahead for conventions in 2026 wanted no part of that, according to Hibdon.

That triggered the steep drop-off in convention bookings that Portland will feel next year. Advance hotel room bookings for 2026 are down by a third compared to 2025, though Travel Portland said its confident late bookings will close a portion of that gap.

Regardless, the outlook gets better in a hurry in the years ahead.

While homelessness and public drug use remain severe problems  especially in parts of downtown Portland  crime has fallen sharply over the past two years and Portlands national image has improved considerably.

Some of the reputational things wed been going through in the past, thats really fading into the rear-view mirror, said Jon Hixon, Travel Portlands vice president of business strategy. He said organizations that visit Portland now to scout the city for conventions are typically very pleased with what they find.

Hotel occupancy in and around downtown is at its highest level since the pandemic over the past 12 months, at nearly 60%, according to Travel Portland data.

And hotel room bookings for future conventions are up enormously, from a low of 54,000 in 2021 to more than 330,000 last year. Thats an all-time high.

Some of those conventions wont hit the city for several years, but Travel Portland said the record bookings suggest a path toward a sustained rebound in visitor traffic.

Last summer we feel like there was a big shift, Hibdon said. Were seeing recovery.

This is Oregon Insight, The Oregonians weekly look at the numbers behind the states economy. View past installments here.
Hector Carranza, 36, speaks briefly with a public defender at the Multnomah County Justice Center on Friday, August 1, 2025. Zaeem Shaikh/The Oregonian

A Gresham police officer facing dozens of charges including rape and sexual abuse of an underage girl has resigned from the force, the police department announced Friday night.

Police said they were unable to release any additional information because of the ongoing criminal investigation.

Hector Carranza , 36, was arraigned Aug. 1 and pleaded not guilty to 56 counts of charges including rape, sodomy, sexual abuse, luring a minor, encouraging child sexual abuse and using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct.

The indictment alleges Carranza engaged in sexual acts with the victim between 2014 and 2017. According to the indictment, the alleged abuse began when the girl was younger than 16 years old.

Carranza was hired by Gresham police in 2014, according to state records. The department said it received a criminal complaint against him in November. Carranza was placed on paid administrative leave, and the department asked Oregon State Police to investigate.

According to Multnomah County court records, on Aug. 11, a judge denied the states request to keep Carranza in custody pending trial. His bail was set at $250,000.

Friday, his defense attorney filed a motion to modify the release conditions so he could travel to Washington state for work. He has been working for a concrete business owned by family members on projects in Portland and Sandy, according to the motion, and is needed for projects in Vancouver, Camas and Clark County.
Police said the father, 32-year-old Travis Decker, has extensive military training. Wenatchee Police

Travis Decker, the Wenatchee man accused of murdering his three elementary school-aged daughters, has evaded authorities for 100 days.

It remains unclear if hes alive or dead.

Heres what we know.

An overview of the case

The search for Decker, 32, began in late May when his three daughters, Olivia, 5; Evelyn, 8; and Paityn, 9, were not returned to their mother after a scheduled visit. The girls were found dead June 2, west of Leavenworth at the Rock Island Campground near Deckers 2017 GMC Sierra pickup.

A judge issued a warrant for Deckers arrest in June, ordering no bail. Chelan County prosecutors charged Decker with three counts of first-degree aggravated murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping.

Autopsies confirmed the girls died from asphyxiation. The trucks tailgate had bloody handprints, and Deckers cellphone records showed him in the area around the time. The girls were found wearing the same clothes Decker picked them up in.

The girls mother, Whitney Decker, had sought a protection order due to Deckers deteriorating mental health. Whitney Decker also filed for divorce in 2024, citing Travis instability. She wrote in the divorce paperwork that Decker had borderline personality disorder and narcissism.

Divorce documents reveal contentious interactions between the mother, the girls and Travis Decker. At one point, he allegedly took the girls to Montana without informing their mother, left them unattended and missed scheduled visits.

The mother, her family and her ex-husbands family are all cooperating with investigators but have requested privacy.

Whats being done to find Travis Decker?

Decker, a U.S. Army veteran, is described as a skilled outdoorsman who has spent weeks in the woods at a time. The search has spanned several states and involved law enforcement agencies. Despite the copious resources dedicated to the search, hes still at large.

Possible sightings were reported in forests around the Pacific Northwest. None have been confirmed.

The Chelan County sheriffs office pledged to keep searching until Decker is found.

You will be brought to justice, Sheriff Mike Morrison said in June. Those young ladies deserve it.

Whats next?

After months of false sightings and dead ends, the Federal Bureau of Investigations Seattle branch conducted a two-day, 250-acre grid search at the Rock Island Campground in late August.

Federal investigators found bones near the campground, but later determined they werent human.

This extensive search was just one step in a three-month process by a variety of agencies to locate Travis Decker, discover signs of his whereabouts, or find any other evidence of the murder of his three daughters, the FBIs Seattle field office reported in a news release Sept. 3.

The Chelan County sheriffs office has remained the lead agency in the investigation.

Morrison told The Wenatchee World that another federal agency would be joining the search effort in September, but wouldnt specify which agency.

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to Deckers arrest. Decker is about 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds, with black hair, a mustache and brown eyes. He was last seen in a light shirt and dark shorts. If you see him, call 911. Hes considered dangerous, though its unclear if hes armed.

Those with information on the case are encouraged to contact the U.S. Marshals Communications Center at 800-336-0102 or submit a tip at usmarshals.gov/tips.

Pictures, flowers and candles mark a makeshift memorial Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Wenatchee, Washington, in honor of Olivia, Paityn and Evelyn Decker, who were found dead near Leavenworth after their father Travis Decker failed to return them after a scheduled visitation. Nick Wagner/The Seattle Times

Whats being done to memorialize the Decker girls?

Hundreds gathered for a memorial service in Wenatchee in June. Memorial attendees wore the girls favorite colors: purple, pink and green. Attendees remembered the girls as loving, sweet and kind. The girls attended Lincoln Elementary School in the Wenatchee School District.

Whitney Decker delivered unplanned remarks during the memorial. In tears, she said Evelyn wouldve oohed and aahed at everyones outfits, while Paityn wouldve complimented everyone like she did at the grocery store. Their grandfather told attendees that Olivia was a beautiful, loving, Category 5 hurricane.

A GoFundMe to support Whitney Decker has raised $1.2 million, with donations from over 27,000 people.

Theres also a Facebook group, Remembering Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia! that Whitney Decker helps oversee.
Members of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about federal vaccine policy and turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some Republican senators who had voted to confirm Kennedy said he had backtracked on his promises by restricting access to the Covid-19 vaccine.

Nick Anderson leads this weeks editorial cartoon gallery with his explanation of Kennedys contradictory statements on vaccines then and now. The parasitic worm found in his brain says, Im not anti-vax! Kennedy says, I am.

Walt Handelsman draws a doctor and children in a boat going over a waterfall with rocks named for vaccine-preventable diseases, while Kennedy holds their paddle. Dana Summers sees those diseases as cars making their way to Florida, which is moving to suspend vaccine mandates for schoolchildren. Mike Luckovich portrays Kennedy as an executioner and the public health system kneeling at the guillotine. Michael Ramirez draws him driving a hearse disguised as an ambulance.

Another hot topic is the news conference by women who said they were victimized by disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The women called for the full release of the Epstein files, which presumably contain names of famous and powerful men. President Donald Trump has called the tumult over the files the Epstein hoax, a talking point ridiculed by David Horsey and Mike Luckovich.

Trump also made plans to send national guard troops to Chicago. Scott Stantis of the Chicago Tribune draws Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzer and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson protesting that crime is under control while plugging the muzzle of a gun with their fingers. Summers and Joey Weatherford make a similar point.

Cartoonists also noted the unfounded internet rumor that Trump was dead; court rulings against the presidents tariff and deportation policies; and our obsession with our social media personas riffing on sculptor Auguste Rodins The Kiss.

Cartoons were drawn by Jack Ohman, Nick Anderson, Bill Bramhall, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Scott Stantis, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey, Phil Hands, Joel Pett and Joey Weatherford of Tribune Content Agency; and Mike Luckovich, Steve Breen and Michael Ramirez of Creators Syndicate.
Oregons law unfairly imposes a five-year limit on bringing medical malpractice claims. But survivors of medical negligence know it has long-lasting, hidden impacts, including trauma.

Often survivors dont discover the cause of our injuries within that five-year-limit.

When hurt, we seek understanding, care and healing, not lawyers. But the fact is, if you didnt realize you were harmed within five years, Oregons law will leave you without any legal recourse, and worse.

Oregons constitution ensures a right to remedy. But this five-year limit treats us differently than those harmed by other forms of negligence. For non-medical claims, the Statute of Ultimate Repose  or SOUR  is 10 years in Oregon.

Extending the limit for medical claims to 10 years is a nonpartisan remedy for all Oregonians. It achieves parity with Oregons other negligence laws, ensuring fair treatment for all survivors, and holds negligent health care providers accountable.

We know that Oregons Legislature doesnt want us to believe that theyre willing to deny us justice, yielding to well paid lobbyists skilled at pressuring them to cast votes that prevent our access to equal protection and rights to recourse when we have been harmed.

In the short legislative session next year, lawmakers should reintroduce the original Senate Bill 233 that simply changes the time limit from five to 10 years and ensures parity for all Oregonians.

Let this be our call to action. Be a survivor and share your own story, to let them hear our combined voices, for change. Please visit oregonparity2026.com.

Jim Evangelista, Eugene

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
The settlement comes after a class-action lawsuit was filed against three Oregon counties in 2023. fstop123 | Getty Images

Multnomah County has agreed to pay millions to settle a class action lawsuit that accused it and other Oregon counties of keeping money from former owners, heirs or valid lienholders who were entitled to a portion of proceeds from sales on their foreclosed homes.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023, sought to compel Oregon counties to compensate homeowners for the surplus funds they were owed after their properties were foreclosed on. Surplus funds include any money remaining after all unpaid taxes, fees and other costs have been covered.

All told, Multnomah County will shell out $3.5 million, which includes all surplus proceeds collected since 2017, plus interest, into a settlement fund to pay former owners and others entitled to those dollars within the county.

This settlement will not apply to other Oregon counties named in the lawsuit, which include Lane and Yamhill counties, records show. The legal action against those counties remains ongoing.

Three Oregon homeowners first filed the lawsuit in October 2023 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that counties could not collect the total proceeds in sales of foreclosed homes.

Martin Lynch, the lead filer in the case, sued on behalf of his deceased wife, who had accrued nearly $32,000 in unpaid taxes on her Springfield home. Lane County foreclosed on the property and sold the home for around $118,500  nearly $87,000 more than what Lynchs wife owed in taxes.

Multnomah County spokesperson Julie Sullivan-Springhetti said the county was following existing Oregon law at the time when it kept the surplus funds. The county agreed to the settlement July 25, and budgeted for the expense in its 2025 budget, Sullivan-Springhetti said.

The settlement is awaiting court approval. Notices will be sent to those who are potentially entitled to funds.

 Austin De Dios covers county politics, programs and more. Reach him at 503-319-9744, adedios@oregonian.com or @AustinDeDios
1803 Fund CEO Rukaiyah Adams, Albina Vision Trust Executive Director Winta Yohannes and Albina Vision Trust Director of Partnerships Kayin Talton Davis cut the ribbon in front of the newly opened Albina One buildings doors on Sept. 6. Tatum Todd

Lizz Fouther-Branch, 73, still remembers the Northeast Portland home that her family lived in when she was 4 years old.

It was two stories tall, she said, and had been subdivided into a duplex with her family living on the ground floor. And her community was close by  her great-aunt, who was like a grandmother to her, lived only a block away.

But that all changed when the Portland Development Commission declared eminent domain on her entire neighborhood in the mid-1950s, forcing her family and many others to move. Their homes were razed and the lots taken over to expand Emanuel Hospital, which is now the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Her family had no choice but to move a mile north, and the days of being within walking distance of her great-aunt were over.

Almost 70 years later, the place where Fouther-Branch formed her earliest memories is now a hospital parking lot.

Thousands of other Black Albina residents experienced similar situations, as government officials launched project after project that demolished homes, sometimes replacing them with nothing more than empty lots.

Decades later, the Albina One development, spearheaded by the nonprofit Albina Vision Trust, aims to create a path for some former residents to move back into the neighborhood.

On Saturday, Albina Vision Trust hosted a grand opening for the 94-unit affordable housing development project, which broke ground in June 2022. It gives preference to applicants who lost their homes in Albina due to discriminatory policies  or their descendants.

Our celebration is a powerful reminder that Portlands Black community in Albina was never defined by the trauma of what had been done, Michael Alexander, the Albina Vision Trusts board chairman said at the opening ceremony. It was defined by our resilience, by our joy and by the unwavering love that we have for one another

Michael Alexander, the Albina Vision Trust's board chairman, was the closing speaker at the opening ceremony for Albina One. Tatum Todd

Fouther-Branch has no intentions of moving into the new development, but she was there Saturday to cheer on the projects opening with her daughter, who works as the financial manager for Albina Vision Trust.

Fouther-Branch was also a participant in community listening sessions that Albina Vision Trust ran during the development process of the new building, which features Afro-futuristic art, community spaces and viewing decks where residents can look across the river at Portlands skyline.

The project is one of several recent moves that Albina residents, community organizations and government agencies have made to invest in the neighborhood. Earlier this summer, Multnomah County reopened the Albina Library after an extended remodel and expansion. And in August, Portland Public Schools announced it was in negotiations to buy the One North building at North Williams Avenue and Fremont Street to house the long-awaited Center for Black Student Excellence.

The grand opening ceremony for Albinas newest development was greeted with much fanfare Saturday as hundreds of people gathered in front of the building for a block party that featured food, live music and local vendors. A laundry list of current and former officials showed up to share their support, including Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong, former U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter, Mayor Keith Wilson and many others.

A host of Oregon officials made an appearance at the opening ceremony on Saturday. Tatum Todd

Over the course of the 90-minute opening ceremony, officials, community members and leaders of other nonprofit organizations, architecture firms and construction companies that worked on the project spoke before the assembled crowd. When it was all said and done, Albina Vision Trust Executive Director Winta Yohannes, 1803 Fund CEO Rukaiyah Adams and Albina Vision Trust Director of Partnerships Kayin Talton Davis cut the ribbon in front of the buildings doors.

As attention turned back to the block party, Alexander mingled with the people who had helped make the project happen and the community members who turned up to celebrate.

It wasnt the end of his organizations mission to bring restorative justice to North Portland, he said.

We took our direction from the community, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive. I think I would never use the term over. This part of the project is completed, but its indicative that its named Albina One, which suggests that there will be an Albina Two.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the name of 1803 Fund CEO Rukaiyah Adams.

 Tatum Todd is a breaking news reporter who covers public safety, crime and community news. Reach them at ttodd@oregonian.com or 503-221-4313.
An updated report from the National Weather Service was issued on Saturday at 6:18 p.m. for strong thunderstorms until 7:15 p.m. for West Columbia River Gorge of Oregon above 500 ft, Upper Hood River Valley, Clackamas County Cascade Foothills and North Oregon Cascades.

The storms are packing wind gusts of up to 40 mph and nickel-sized hail (0.88 inches).

"At 6:18 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm near Zigzag, or 7 miles southwest of Government Camp, moving north at 25 mph," explains the weather service. "Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible."

Locations impacted by the alert include Government Camp, Mount Hood Village, Mount Hood, Zigzag, Lolo Pass, Lost Lake, Dee, Welches, Rhododendron and Brightwood. This includes the following highways: U.S. Highway 26 east of Portland between mile markers 30 and 62. State Highway 35 between mile markers 58 and 59.

The weather service states, "If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle."

Preparing for approaching lightning: Expert safety advice

Each year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times, mostly during the summer. It claims the lives of about 20 people annually, according to the weather service. The threat of lightning becomes more pronounced as thunderstorms draw nearer, peaking when the storm is directly overhead and gradually waning as it moves away.

To protect yourself during a thunderstorm, take these recommendations into consideration:

Lightning safety plan:

When venturing outdoors, it's crucial to have a lightning safety plan in place.

Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it's a clear indication of nearby lightning.

Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

Indoors safety measures:

Once you've found shelter indoors, abstain from using corded phones, electrical appliances, or plumbing fixtures, and refrain from approaching windows and doors.

These precautions help reduce the risk of electrical surges, as lightning can follow conductive pathways.

Wait for the all-clear:

After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.

It's important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn't available:

If you find yourself outdoors with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, as they expose you to greater lightning risk.

Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.

If you're in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.

Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning.

Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. Although water and metal do not attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, vigilance and preparedness are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of lightning-related accidents and prioritize your safety.

Mastering wet roads: Safety tips for heavy rainfall

Rain can turn roads into hazards. Stay informed and follow these tips from the weather service to ensure safety during heavy rainfall:

Beware of rapid water flow:

In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.

Maintain safe driving distances:

The two-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Extend it to four seconds to ensure safe spacing in adverse conditions.

Slow down and drive with care:

If it is raining and the roads are wet, slow down. Take your foot off the accelerator and let your speed drop gradually. Never use the brakes suddenly because this may cause the car to skid.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes on multi-lane roads to minimize the risk of hydroplaning, as water tends to accumulate in outer lanes.

Prioritize visibility

Turn on your headlights and be careful of other vehicles to the rear and in blind spot areas as they are especially difficult to see through rain-spattered windows.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The initial half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mixture of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass with caution.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or sheltered spots.

If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
By GARY FIELDS, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP)  In a swath of the nations capital that sits across the tracks and the river, residents can see the Washington Monument, the Waldorf Astoria  formerly the Trump Hotel  and the U.S. Capitol dome.

What the people of Anacostia cannot see are the National Guard units patrolling those areas. And they dont see them patrolling on this side of the Anacostia River, either.

In this storied region of Washington, home to Frederick Douglass, the crime that President Donald Trump has mobilized federal law enforcement to address is something residents would like to see more resources dedicated to. But its complicated.

We do need protection here, said Mable Carter, 82. I have to come down on the bus. Its horrifying.

There might be military units patrolling Union Station and public spaces where tourists often come, she said, but none of them over here. They are armed  on the Mall. Aint nobody doing nothing on the Mall. Its for show.

Carter wants to see more police in this area  the citys own police, under the direction of Chief Pamela Smith. Id rather see them give her a chance. She has the structure in place.

The Pentagon, when asked if there were plans to deploy the National Guard to higher crime areas like Anacostia and who determines that, sent a list of stations where the military units were present as of late last month. None of those deployments included stations east of the Anacostia River.

The White House did not immediately respond when asked whether those deployments had been extended, or whether there were plans to do so. On Sunday, stations like Anacostia had special police visible who have been fixtures long before the emergency declaration.

Demonstrators protest against President Donald Trump's deployment of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops in Washington during a march on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) AP

A neighborhood caught in the middle

Over the course of two weekends east of the river, in conversations with groups and individuals, including a seniors gathering at Union Temple Baptist Church, a theme emerged.

Like Carter, people would like more law enforcement resources, but they distrust the motives behind the surge and how it has usurped the authority of the mayor and local officers. And while they acknowledge crime is more serious here than most other areas of the district, it is nowhere near the levels of three decades ago, when the D.C. National Guard worked with the Metropolitan Police to address the violence.

This years homicides in the district, as of Friday, were at 104, a 17% decrease from 126 as of Sept. 5 last year. But, more than 60% of them are in the two wards that are almost exclusively east of the Anacostia River, including 38 in Ward 8, according to the Metropolitan Police Department crime mapping tool. That proportion is about the same as it was in 2024. when there were 187 homicides citywide for the year. One of the most notable murders was a double homicide that left two teens lying dead on the street and a third man wounded.

I just called the police the other night, said Henny, 42, who owns NAMs Market.

He said a group of teenagers attempted to rob his store after casing it throughout the day. He called the police and said they asked him if they were armed. I didnt see a weapon, he said, adding that no patrol officers responded.

The store owner said he has been here about 10 years and has been victimized multiple times, but thinks it is getting worse now. He does not give his last name out of fear.

Members of the South Carolina National Guard patrol with the Lincoln Monument in the background, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) AP

What worries me is to make sure theyre not coming back, he said. There are a lot of things going on. Asked if he feels safe, he answers: Absolutely not.

He has pepper spray but has been told by authorities not to use it, he said. When he heard of the federal law enforcement and National Guard arrival, To be honest, I said thats good  but thats not over here. Its getting worse. The city says crime is down, but I dont see it.

The rampage with guns is nothing new

A block away, Rosie Hydes perspective is different. The ashes of one of the 75-year-old widows sons are spread around her property. Samuel Johnson was killed about three miles away on April 20, 1991. The case is still open.

Hyde, a retired probation officer for the city, said her son died during that epidemic of gun violence. That was 35 years ago, she said. That tells you the rampage with guns is nothing new.

Homicides topped 400 annually in 1989 and stayed there through 1996, according to the districts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Aggravated assaults were also at record totals.

Hyde believes Trump is after the optics in areas where he will get attention  at the train station, on the Mall, in areas with a concentration of tourists. They havent been over here like that, she said.

The majestic home of Frederick Douglass is here, offering a panoramic view of other parts of the city west of the river. Further east is the Smithsonians Anacostia Community Museum. The plaque outside says as much about this moment as it does about history: The museum, it says, aspires to illuminate and share the untold and often overlooked stories of people furthest from opportunity in the Greater Washington, D.C. region.

Norm Nixon, an associate pastor at Union Temple Baptist Church, poses for a photo in the sanctuary during an Aug. 23, 2025 seniors' party hosted at the church in Washington. (AP Photo/Gary Fields) AP

Federal agents are in this area working with local authorities, including FBI agents and Border Patrol, as well as Metro Transit Authority police. Along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, a major thoroughfare in Anacostia, new buildings mix with older ones and small groups of people mill about, drinking from bottles and with the occasional smell of marijuana. But it is relatively quiet.

At one point, a large group of National Guard members climbs out of a van at the Anacostia Metro station, but they catch the train heading west back beneath the river. While troops are stationed at 18 stops, the last one on the green line is the Navy Yard-Ballpark station, the final one west of the river.

Guard presence has precedent in this neighborhood

There was a time when the Guard was here  or, more precisely, above it. During the high crime years, the D.C. National Guard worked with District police; officers flew aboard the Guards helicopters directing patrol units to crime scenes.

Norm Nixon, an associate pastor at Union Temple Baptist Church, said there are federal agents around, but their presence is not constant and no military uniforms are seen on the streets. He said local officers who try to push community policing  communicating with residents and acknowledging their concerns  will probably get blowback because of the federal presence.

He, like others, questions why Trump decided to federalize the city when violence is present virtually everywhere, including in rural areas where drugs and economic hardships have created fertile ground for lawlessness.

The Border Patrol pulls out of the metro station in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Gary Fields) AP

The president needs to have these initiatives to make it seem like something is happening, almost like hes got to make news, Nixon said, adding that he is also concerned about the focus on rousting the homeless population. What happened to those people? Are they receiving services?

Vernon Hancock, a church elder and trustee attending a seniors day party, said he believes Trumps actions are a test. Washington, D.C., is easy because it is federal and he has the authority to do what hes doing, Hancock said. It is a federal city so he can just take over. But he wants to take this to other cities and spread this.

Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.
This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows manufacturing plant employees waiting to have their legs shackled at the Hyundai Motor Groups electric vehicle plant, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga. (Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP) AP

By HALLIE GOLDEN, The Associated Press

Hundreds of federal agents descended on a sprawling site where Hyundai manufactures electric vehicles in Georgia and detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals.

This is the latest in a long line of workplace raids conducted as part of the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda. But the one on Thursday is especially distinct because of its large size and the fact that it targeted a manufacturing site state officials have long called Georgias largest economic development project.

The detainment of South Korean nationals also sets it apart, as they are rarely caught up in immigration enforcement compared to other nationalities.

Video released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday showed a caravan of vehicles driving up to the site and then federal agents directing workers to line up outside. Some detainees were ordered to put their hands up against a bus as they were frisked and then shackled around their hands, ankles and waist. Others had plastic ties around their wrists as they boarded a Georgia inmate-transfer bus.

Here are some things to know about the raid and the people impacted:

The workers detained

South Koreas Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Saturday that more than 300 South Koreans were among the 475 people detained.

Some of them worked for the battery plant operated by HL-GA Battery Co., a joint venture by Hyundai and LG Energy Solution that is slated to open next year, while others were employed by contractors and subcontractors at the construction site, according to Steven Schrank, the lead Georgia agent of Homeland Security Investigations.

He said that some of the detained workers had illegally crossed the U.S. border, while others had entered the country legally but had expired visas or had entered on a visa waiver that prohibited them from working.

But an immigration attorney representing two of the detained workers said his clients arrived from South Korea under a visa waiver program that enables them to travel for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

Attorney Charles Kuck said one of his clients has been in the U.S. for a couple of weeks, while the other has been in the country for about 45 days, adding that they had been planning to return home soon.

The detainees also included a lawful permanent resident who was kept in custody for having a prior record involving firearm and drug offenses, since committing a crime of moral turpitude can put their status in jeopardy, Lindsay Williams, a public affairs officer for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Saturday.

Williams denied reports that U.S. citizens had been detained at the site since once citizens have identified themselves, we have no authority.

Hyundai Motor Company said in a statement Friday that none of its employees had been detained as far as it knew and that it is reviewing its practices to make sure suppliers and subcontractors follow U.S. employment laws. LG told The Associated Press that it couldnt immediately confirm how many of its employees or Hyundai workers had been detained.

The South Korean government expressed concern and regret over the operation targeting its citizens and is sending diplomats to the site.

The business activities of our investors and the rights of our nationals must not be unjustly infringed in the process of U.S. law enforcement, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lee Jaewoong said in a televised statement from Seoul.

This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows a person being handcuffed at the Hyundai Motor Groups electric vehicle plant, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga. (Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP) AP

Most of the people detained have been taken to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida state line. None of them have been charged with any crimes yet, Schrank said, but the investigation is ongoing.

Family members and friends of the detainees were having a hard time locating them or figuring out how to get in touch with them, James Woo, communications director for the advocacy group Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, said Saturday in an email.

Woo added that many of the families were in South Korea because many of the detainees were in the United States only for business purposes.

Raid is the result of a monthslong investigation

The raid was the result of a monthslong investigation into allegations of illegal hiring at the site, Schrank said.

In a search warrant and related affidavits, agents sought everything from employment records for current and former workers and timecards to video and photos of workers.

Court records filed this week indicated that prosecutors do not know who hired what it called hundreds of illegal aliens. The identity of the actual company or contractor hiring the illegal aliens is currently unknown, the U.S. Attorneys Office wrote in a Thursday court filing.

The sprawling manufacturing site

The raid targeted a manufacturing site widely considered one of Georgias largest and most high profile.

Hyundai Motor Group started manufacturing EVs at the $7.6 billion plant a year ago. Today, the site employs about 1,200 people in a largely rural area about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Savannah.

Agents specifically honed in on an adjacent plant that is still under construction at which Hyundai has partnered with LG Energy Solution to produce batteries that power EVs.

The Hyundai site is in Bryan County, which saw its population increase by more than a quarter in the early 2020s and stood at almost 47,000 residents in 2023, the most recent year data is available. The countys Asian population went from 1.5% in 2018 to 2.2% in 2023, and the growth was primarily among people of Indian descent, according to Census Bureau figures.

Raid was the largest single site enforcement operation

From farms and construction sites to restaurants and auto repair shops, there have been a wide array of workplace raids undertaken in this administration. But most have been smaller, including a raid the same day as the Georgia one in which federal officers took away dozens of workers from a snack-bar manufacturer in Cato, New York.

Other recent high-profile raids have included one in July targeting a legal marijuana farm northwest of Los Angeles. More than 360 people were arrested in one of the largest raids since Trump took office in January. Another one took place at an Omaha. Nebraska, meat production plant and involved dozens of workers being taken away.

This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows manufacturing plant employees being escorted outside the Hyundai Motor Groups electric vehicle plant, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga. (Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP) AP

Schrank described the one in Georgia as the largest single site enforcement operation in the agencys two-decade history.

The majority of the people detained are Koreans. During the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30, 2024, only 46 Koreans were deported during out of more than 270,000 removals for all nationalities, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Community members and advocates have mixed reactions

Kemp and other Georgia Republican officials, who had courted Hyundai and celebrated the EV plants opening, issued statements Friday saying all employers in the state were expected to follow the law.

The nonprofit legal advocacy organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta described the raid in a joint statement as unacceptable.

Our communities know the workers targeted at Hyundai are everyday people who are trying to feed their families, build stronger communities, and work toward a better future, the statement said.

Sammie Rentz opened the Viet Huong Supermarket less than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the Hyundai site six months ago and said he worries business may not bounce back after falling off sharply since the raid.

Im concerned. Koreans are very proud people, and I bet theyre not appreciating what just happened. Im worried about them cutting and running, or starting an exit strategy, he said.

This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows manufacturing plant employees being escorted outside the Hyundai Motor Groups electric vehicle plant, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga. (Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP) AP

Ellabell resident Tanya Cox, who lives less than a mile from the Hyundai site, said she had no ill feelings toward Korean nationals or other immigrant workers at the site. But few neighbors were employed there, and she felt like more construction jobs at the battery plant should have gone to local residents.

I dont see how its brought a lot of jobs to our community or nearby communities, Cox said.

AP reporter Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida contributed to this report.
Weather permitting, there will be alternating left and right lane closures on northbound and southbound Route 222 so the contractor can set barrier and perform inlet work in the median. PennDOT

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced there will be lane restrictions Sunday night on northbound and southbound Route 222 and on westbound Route 30 at the Route 30/222 Interchange Improvement Project in Lancaster County.

These restrictions will be in place from 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, to 6 a.m. Monday, Sept. 8.

Weather permitting, there will be alternating left and right lane closures on northbound and southbound Route 222 so the contractor can set the barrier and perform inlet work in the median. A right lane closure will be in place on westbound Route 30 so pavement markings can be applied.

Motorists should be alert and drive with caution through the work zone, a press release said.

This work is part of a project that includes improvements at the Route 222/Route 30 Interchange and reconstructing Route 222 from the interchange north approximately one mile near Stoner Park, which is just south of the Landis Valley Road bridge spanning the highway.

Work on the north side of the interchange includes constructing a second lane on the southbound Route 222 ramp to westbound Route 30 that will tie into the existing northbound Route 272 (Oregon Pike) exit ramp. A third lane will be added from the westbound Route 30 ramp to northbound Route 222 while extending this lane to the existing westbound Route 30 third lane approaching Oregon Pike (Route 272).

Work on the south side of the interchange includes constructing a second ramp lane from eastbound Route 30 to northbound Route 222. The new ramp lane will tie into the existing Route 30 travel lane (right lane), giving drivers using the right lane of eastbound Route 30 the option to continue east or exit to northbound Route 222.

Route 222 will be converted from four lanes to six lanes from the interchange to the north end of the project limits.

Additionally, the two bridges carrying Route 222 ramps over Route 30 will be replaced, with the northbound Route 222 bridge being widened to two lanes. The Eden Road bridge spanning Route 222 north of the interchange will remain in place. Route 222 under the bridge will be lowered to increase clearance under the bridge.

Four lanes of traffic will be maintained during the life of the project.

This project is expected to be completed by Sept. 3, 2027.

JD Eckman, Inc., of Atglen, PA, is the contractor on this almost $72.2 million project.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following local alerts on X.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties at PennDOT District 8.

Information about infrastructure in District 8, including completed work and significant projects, is available at District 8 Results. Find PennDOTs planned and active construction projects at PennDOT Projects.
Police and other emergency workers converge on the beach in Cape May on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025 to search for a missing swimmer. David Kauth White

The search for woman who reportedly went missing while swimming in Cape May City ended Saturday afternoon after authorities said they found no evidence that anyone had gone missing.

The search began Thursday when authorities from Cape May City, including police, beach patrol and the fire department, were notified at 8:10 a.m. about a possible woman in distress in the water in the area of Madison Avenue, officials said.

The U.S. Coast Guard, New Jersey State Police and fire companies from Townbank and North Wildwood, as well as Cape May Public Works, joined the search for the woman, officials said.

The Coast Guard and state police continued searching for the woman, who was described as being between the ages of 30 and 40, until Saturday, officials said.

On Saturday, after several days of investigation, authorities said a missing person report had not been filed with Cape May Police Department or other organizations.

Based on all available information, there is no evidence to suggest that a missing person case exists or is warranted at this time, the Cape May City Office of Emergency Management stated in a Facebook post.

According to preliminary figures from the National Weather Service, there have been 69 surf zone fatalities in 2025, two of which occurred in New Jersey.

Authorities encouraged people to keep reporting any safety concerns they have to 609-884-9500.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Amira Sweilem may be reached at asweilem@njadvancemedia.com.
Valerie Nava is part of the Post and Courier's Education Lab in Charleston. She holds an M.A. from the University of Missouri.
Grace Beahm Alford is the Assistant Visuals Editor for The Post and Courier, where she has been since 2001. Her photojournalism has sent her to every corner of South Carolina, and was part of the newspaper's team recognized as a Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Feature Photography for coverage of the mass shooting at Emanuel AME Church.
PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-07 04:45:07

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 448 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

Medicaid payment suspensions disrupt operations for Housing Stabilization providers and vulnerable clients in Minnesota.MINNEAPOLIS, MN / ACCESS Newswire / September 6, 2025 / On August 1, 2025, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) suspended Medicaid payments to 77Housing Stabilization Service providers . According to DHS investigator Ashley Stoupe, the suspensions were issued with no specified end date, creating uncertainty for providers and clients statewide.Twyla Martin ImageProviders state that the suspensions followed data-mining reviews described as investigations. While the reviews functioned as audits, suspension notices did not cite specific allegations of fraud. Some agencies report that the loss of Medicaid funding forced them to reduce staff and services, creating challenges in continuing operations.Home Care Staffing, one of the impacted providers, reported that its suspension notice was linked to a single case among its broader client base. The client later submitted a written statement confirming the accuracy of billing records and services received. Despite this, the agency reports due to immediate payment stop with no timeframe, this resulted in agency collapsing, relocating and laying off 32 staff and over 400 clients from this one agency. The prior announcement of statewide program shut down, has left companies with an inability to rebuild themselves. Payment reinstatement has not yet been reinstated despite client attesting to correct billing for this specific agency.Providers and advocates have expressed concern that service interruptions have left many disabled and homeless individuals without stable housing. Some individuals have been hospitalized following disruptions in care. DHS requires a 60-day waiting period before clients can transfer to new providers, leaving many without immediate alternatives.Federal legal proceedings have been initiated by several providers, including Home Care Staffing. Court filings note that suspension notices took effect the same day they were issued and reference managed care organizations, including Health Partners UCare and Hennepin Health, in connection with payment processes. The case is under review regarding due process considerations."This situation has created significant challenges for both providers and the people they serve," said Twyla Martin, spokesperson for Home Care Staffing. "Businesses have been disrupted, clients have been left in limbo, and there is uncertainty about the future." Video Interview: Twyla Martin explains the threat to Minnesota's HSS program.At the time of this release, DHS had not provided additional public comment regarding the suspensions.About Elevated ProvidersElevated Providers is a Minnesota-based consultancythat supports Housing Stabilization Service providers with compliance, operations, and Medicaid readiness. The organization works with agencies to strengthen audit preparedness, optimize billing, and deliver person-centered services that promote independence and community stability. Learn more atwww.elevatedproviders.biz Media Contact: Twyla Martin, dba Home Care StaffingElevated Providers612-393-1080 Elevatemnsolutions@ gmail.comhttps://www.elevatedproviders.biz SOURCE: Home Care Staffing
PR-Inside.com: 2025-09-07 20:30:07

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 627 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 7, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., September 7, 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.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to promptly intervene in the face-off between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Dangote Group.

The Congress called on the President to call on the Dangote Group to comply with labour laws and international conventions.

NLC made the call in a statement signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, which was made available to journalists on Saturday in Abuja.

The statement was sequel to the announcement by NUPENG that it would commence a nationwide strike from Sunday, over what it described as Dangotes anti-union practices, monopolistic agenda, and indecent industrial relations strategies.

Mr Ajaero called on the president to immediately call Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Sayyu Dantata to order and impress on them to respect the nation and international law

He added that the government must not look the other way while a few individuals privatise the nations energy future and enslave its workforce.

The NLC president accused Dangote Group of exploiting Nigerian workers while disregarding their constitutional rights to unionise and bargain collectively.

The NLC unequivocally condemn the anti-union, anti-worker, and monopolistic practices of the Dangote Group and its affiliates.

Nigerian workers are not slaves and cannot be serially abused without consequences, he said.

Mr Ajaero said the NLC further demanded the immediate unionisation of Dangote Refinery and all its subsidiaries.

According to him, preparations are underway for a united resistance in solidarity with NUPENG, including possible industrial action.

If Dangote continues on this reckless anti-union path, we will move beyond words to action.

Our solidarity is not negotiable. We will fight because we must.

The working class must not be sacrificed on the altar of corporate greed, he said.

(NAN)
Cast: Oiza Abu, Meyi Abu, Abounce Fawole, Evaezi Nimyel, Baaj Adebule, Eve Bankong, Folaremi Agunbiade, Eva Ibiam, Riyo David, Dipsen, Joseph Onoja, Toju Peter, Princess Salaudeen, Emeka Golden, Lawrence Chu, Okereke Ifunaya Juliana, Obadina Morakinyo, Chris Biyibi, Tony Tetuila, Mike Afolarin, Chukwubueze Samuel

Director: Paul Utomi

Run time: 1h 34mins

Streaming Platform: Prime Video

According to a 2024 report, hundreds of Nigerians are languishing in foreign prisons.

With Nigeria becoming one of the main transit routes for drugs in the Gulf of Guinea, recent years have seen a boom in cocaine consumption in Europe.

Tie that to the Japa bug, and what you have, is a desperate Nigerian student seeking further studies abroad.

Plot

Omon Igahlo (Meyi Abu) and Dade (Folaremi Agunbiade) are in a relationship.

She is set to leave Nigeria for Liverpool to further her studies. Dade has dreams of joining her, but for Omon, its the end of the road.

As she puts it, long-distance relationships have a way of fizzling out.

To keep her in his life forever, Dade is given a potion that will tie him to Omon together, provided they drink from the same cup.

On the other hand, her twin sister Odion Ighalo (Oiza Abu), the black sheep of the family, has run-ins with Jaja (Baaj Adebule), whom she owes a lot of money.

Their parents, Innocent (Abounce Fawole) and Martha (Evaezi Nimyel), throw a going-away party for Omon, which takes place a few hours before her departure.

Innocents squeeze, Rolake (Eve Bankong), gatecrashes the party, causing Martha to take matters into her own hands.

Things start to go downhill at the party when the same drink is mixed with laxative and a love potion, a thug comes to collect, and someone is wheeled off in a body bag.

Review

Say Who Die is another case of great acting meeting terrible execution.

For their film debut, the duo of Oyiza and Meyi put up a great performance.

The film reads like a Death at a Funeral but without the humour and interesting storyline.

The movie sheds light on the hidden activities of drug dealers and how they can take advantage of any situation.

The saga continues when Odion is mistaken for her sister, who swallowed 1 kilogram of cocaine, a drug-dealing gang decides to cut her open to bring out the drugs.

When they discover she is a twin, Abdul (Mike Afolarin) orders her to retrieve the ingested cocaine from her dead sisters body.

The movie progresses into many layers of intrigue. From a boyfriend who suspects that the love potion he applies is actually poison to a mother who believes her laxative took her daughters life.

And then there is Rolake, who believes what was meant for her has killed another.

Final thoughts

Unfortunately, Say Who Die is fraught with plot holes, inaccuracies and poor production.

Very few Nollywood productions can handle twisted plots without making a mockery of themselves.

Otherwise, how does Rolake drink from a bottle and get poisoning, but Dade drinks from the same bottle and is doing ok?

Other than the great acting, viewers might be weighed down by the films unrealistic plot.

Whether it is the late Omon being taken for burial the same day she died, while the suspect is still being held in detention.

In general, Say Who Die is a feel-good movie for viewers who are willing to look beyond the films inconsistencies.

Verdict: 5/10
Nigerias State Security Service (SSS, also known as DSS) has written to X Corp, the owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), demanding the deletion of a tweet by activist Omoyele Sowore or face official repercussions.

In the letter, which the agency shared on its X handle early on Sunday, it accused Mr Sowore of using his tweet to disparage and ridicule Nigerias President Bola Tinubu.

6th September, 2025

The Chairman and CEO X Corp. Bastrop County,

Texas USA Email: [email protected]

RE: MISLEADING INFORMATION AND WILLFUL, INTENTION TO

FURTHERING AN IDEOLOGY CAPABLE OF SERIOUS HARM,

INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE, CYBER CRIME, HATE SPEECH TO DISCREDIT/DISPARAGE THE PRESIDENT pic.twitter.com/f4kAxt6Vop  Department of State Services (DSS) (@OfficialDSSNG) September 7, 2025

In a tweet posted by Mr Sowore on 25 August, he criticised a foreign trip to Brazil by President Tinubu and the statement the president made during the trip.

This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly, Mr Sowore wrote.

This criminal @officialABAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is NO MORE corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly! pic.twitter.com/uwtMBu1tL2  Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) August 26, 2025

The SSS claims that supporters of the president, angered by the tweet, have started protesting on the streets, thereby creating political tension.

It, therefore, asked X to take down the tweet within 24 hours or it would be compelled to take far-reaching measures.

Legal ground

Beyond its threat, the SSS also anchored its demand on several Nigerian laws, claiming that Mr Sowores tweet was not just offensive but criminal.

It cited Section 51 of the Criminal Code Act, which prohibits the publication of false information likely to disturb public peace, as well as Sections 19, 22 and 24 of the Cybercrimes Act 2025, which criminalise spreading fake news, harassment and offensive online content.

The agency further pointed to Section 2(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which outlaws statements or actions capable of advancing ideologies that threaten national unity.

Rights groups have often argued that laws cited by the authorities are used to stifle dissent and silence voices critical of the government.

According to the SSS, Mr Sowores comments amounted to misleading information, online harassment and abuse, and hate speech that could incite unrest and damage Nigerias image abroad.

The security agency also warned that X itself could be held complicit if it failed to act, stressing that both the author and the platform were culpable under Nigerian law.

It gave the company 24 hours to comply with its demand to delete the tweet and deactivate Sowores account.

Mr Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and a perennial critic of successive Nigerian governments, has been arrested and prosecuted multiple times, including on treason and unlawful assembly charges.

As of Sunday morning, X Corp had not responded publicly to the Nigerian governments letter.

Sowore fights back

Reacting to the SSSs letter, Sowore described the move as another act of national disgrace and an assault on constitutional rights.

In a series of posts on his Facebook page, the activist said he was not surprised by the agencys action, saying it was part of a broader campaign of harassment orchestrated by the Tinubu administration.

He alleged that the SSS sponsored protesters outside the Federal High Court and the Ministry of Justice in Abuja last week, who demanded that he leave Tinubu alone and be arrested.

So it came as no surprise to discover a ridiculously crafted letter from the DSS to X (formerly Twitter), demanding that my Twitter account be deactivated within 24 hours. I wont be surprised if the same has been extended to my @Facebook page, where similar views have gained currency against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and redundant, corrupt, and non-performing state governors, he wrote.

The brazenness of this is not only unconstitutional, and I need not even mention the constitution, because these guys are outlaws who operate above their own laws; however, this latest self-disgrace by the DSS is a desecration of national dignity, the activist added.

Mr Sowore accused the government of using security agencies to persecute him since the #EndBadGovernance protests last year.

He recounted being placed on a no-entry list at airports, having his passport seized, being arrested, rearrested and injured by police officers and facing what he described as trumped-up charges, including an allegation of terrorism financing.

First, during the #EndBadGovernance national protest, they ordered Immigration to place me on a no-entry list at all international airports, he continued. Then, the illegal IGP had me arrested for calling him what he is. A Federal High Court judge was procured to seize my passport since February 2025. I was then rearrested recently, my cell was broken into by eight armed police officers who injured my right hand, and dragged again to court on trumped-up charges.

According to him, claims that Tinubus supporters were protesting his tweets were a shameless pretext since the supposed protesters were security operatives acting under orders.

He added that exporting the dispute to Xs headquarters in the United States showed how far Nigeria has sunk into the hands of its most incompetent and dysfunctional citizens.

Mr Sowore vowed not to delete the tweet and declared that the struggle against corruption and authoritarianism would continue with or without a Twitter account, with or without Facebook, and whether I am in jail or outside of it.

He also revealed that X Corp had formally contacted him regarding the SSSs request. In the notification, the company confirmed receiving the complaint from the Nigerian government but stated it had not taken any action on the reported content.

As X strongly believes in defending and respecting the voice of our users, it is our policy to notify our users if we receive a legal request from an authorised entity  to remove content from their account, the platform wrote, adding that Mr Sowore had the right to seek legal advice or contest the request.

Mr Sowore hailed the companys stance, insisting that deleting the tweet was one option I will NOT be taking.

Options before SSS

The SSS is Nigerias secret police tasked with the responsibility of protecting the Nigerian state, but it has been accused of defending the interests of ruling politicians.

The agency did not state the specific actions it would take should X refuse to delete the Tweet or deactivate Mr Sowores account.

The SSS may choose to file a suit against X and Mr Sowore over the tweet.

It may also decide to work with telecom regulators to ban X, as was done by the Nigerian government during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the Buhari government banned X, then called Twitter, for several weeks, preventing millions of Nigerians from being able to access the social media platform.

The ban was condemned by human rights groups and later declared illegal by a court.
The Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) has called on the federal government to take necessary measures to prevent coercive recruitment by any organisation, citing the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of association.

This appeal comes after the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) threatened industrial action over Dangote Refinerys alleged anti-union practices.

NUPENG accused Aliko Dangote and Sayyu Dantata (owner of MRS filling stations) of engaging in alleged anti-union practices. The union claims the businessmen are trying to monopolise Nigerias downstream oil and gas distribution while suppressing workers rights.

On 15 June, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced a major initiative to transform Nigerias fuel distribution landscape. At the time, the company said that effective 15 August, it would begin distributing petrol and diesel to marketers, petrol dealers, manufacturers, telecoms firms, aviation, and other large users nationwide.

To ensure the smooth take-off of this scheme, the refinery said it invested in the procurement of 4,000 brand-new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tankers.

NUPENG, whose membership includes petrol tanker drivers, in a statement jointly signed by its President, Williams Akhoreha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, on Friday, alleged that the drivers recruited for the CNG trucks are being forced to sign undertakings not to belong to any existing union in the oil and gas industry.

The union called on the federal government and its agencies to call the two businessmen to order, adding that if anti-union attitudes persist, it would mobilise its members to fight within the framework of the law.

DTCDA, in a statement signed by its National President, Enoch Kanawa, on Saturday, said it is not joining issues with the NUPENG as there is no basis for that.

We, as stakeholders in the Nigerian transport industry, deem it fit to put issues in their proper perspectives so that the public is not being manipulated and taken for a ride because the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the freedom of association for persons to voluntarily choose who and whom to associate or partner with. More so that the Nigerian economy is fully deregulated.

The DTCDA is an association and not a union. It is an organisation of all drivers, both in the wet and dry cargo, of the transport sector, of which Dangote drivers, MRS and other drivers of established transport companies are members.

The association said its roles include getting the oil firms to cater for the general welfare of their drivers in terms of health, insurance and pension benefits, especially post retirement.

The DTCDA said it is open to all drivers who subscribe to the associations objective and who are desirous of a better working life during and after retirement.

This is to give them and their families a guaranteed future. The leadership of the DTCDA is committed to the transparent, accountable and good governance of the association in the promotion and protection of its members welfare, ensuring safe driving, education, safety and sanity on our highways.

The DTCDA said it will not interfere with the operation of any organisation, union or association in Nigeria; rather, drivers should be allowed to have a freedom of choice on which union or association can best serve their interests in the course of the legitimate pursuit of their driving experience.

Any person who is licensed to drive a heavy-duty vehicle should be mature enough both physically, mentally and emotionally to discern which organisation can best serve his/her own interests.

The DTCDA therefore urges the federal government and its agencies to take every measure necessary to prevent any one organisation trying to recruit membership by coercion, thereby breaching the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of association, thought and expression as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, it added.

The DTCDA said it is in full support of the deregulation of the downstream sector of the Nigerian economy and the Renewed Hope agenda of President Tinubu, of which our members are poised to play an integral role in the distribution of goods and services throughout the country.

The DTCDA believes that any action against the smooth flow of petroleum products in the country is a disservice, flagrant abuse of the power of unionism and should be condemned by all Nigerians and the general public, it said.

While NUPENG has threatened to commence a strike today over the matter, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked President Tinubu to intervene to prevent a crisis in the oil sector.
Human rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher Omoyele Sowore has written to X (formerly Twitter), countering a demand by the State Security Services (SSS) for the deletion of one of his posts and deactivation of his account.

Mr Sowores legal team, which authored the letter on his behalf on Sunday, described the SSS request sent to X early Sunday as unlawful, unconstitutional, and without legal foundation.

In a letter shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Mr Sowores lawyers, led by human rights lawyer Tope Temokun, sent a letter to Xs legal and policy team titled, RE: Request by the Nigerian Department of State Services (DSS) to Remove Content Posted by Omoyele Sowore.

We write to formally state that such a request is unlawful, unconstitutional, and without legal foundation, on the following grounds, Mr Temokun stated.

Mr Temokun stated that Mr Sowore, a journalist, pro-democracy activist, and Nigerian citizen, had brought to their attention a request from the SSS demanding the removal of one of his posts concerning President Bola Tinubu.

The legal team formally stated that such a request is unlawful, unconstitutional, and without legal foundation.

Grounds for challenge

The letter spotlighted that freedom of expression is guaranteed under Section 39(1) of Nigerias constitution and further protected under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, domesticated into Nigerian law.

Mr Temokun emphasised that no administrative agency, including the SSS, has the authority to censor citizens or compel private platforms to remove content, and only a valid court order can justify any restriction.

The letter also cited Nigerian court rulings, including the Supreme Court in Director, SSS v. Agbakoba and the Court of Appeal in Arthur Nwankwo v. The State, affirming that fundamental rights cannot be curtailed by executive fiat.

It pointed to a historical pattern of repression against Mr Sowore, noting multiple arrests, detentions, and travel restrictions linked to his activism since 2019.

Mr Temokun warned that complying with the SSS request would implicate X in violating Nigerian and international human rights standards.

Our client reserves the right to seek redress before competent national and international fora should any action be taken that violates his rights.

Kindly confirm receipt of this letter and communicate your position to us forthwith, Mr Temokun noted.

Sowore and lawyer condemn SSS

This newspaper reported earlier that Mr Sowore and his lawyer, Mr Temokun, separately condemned the SSS attempt to pressure X as illegal, unconstitutional, and an abuse of power.

Mr Temokun stressed that only a competent court can order the removal of speech, and that the SSS is not a court but a security agency.

He warned that privately pressuring platforms to delete content is an unlawful abuse of power that could threaten any journalist, activist, or ordinary citizen who challenges the government.

Mr Sowore similarly described in a Facebook post the SSS demand as a desecration of national dignity and part of a broader effort to silence his criticism beyond Nigerias borders.

He said he discovered a ridiculously crafted letter from the SSS demanding that his account be deactivated within 24 hours and added that he would not be surprised if the same applied to his Facebook page.

He also cited previous harassment, including arrests, detentions, and passport seizures linked to his activism.

SSS claims

PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier on Sunday how SSS wrote to X Corp, the owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), demanding the deletion of a tweet by Mr Sowore or face official repercussions.

Signed by B. Bamigboye, on behalf of the agencys Director General, the letter accused Mr Sowore of publishing misleading information, hate speech and content capable of inciting violence via his verified handle, @YeleSowore.

The SSS (also known as DSS) cited a 25 August post in which Mr Sowore called President Tinubu a criminal and alleged dishonesty regarding corruption.

The agency warned that the post threatened national security and risked provoking unrest among the presidents supporters.

It referenced the Criminal Code Act, the Cybercrimes Act 2025, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 as legal grounds and threatened far-reaching, sweeping and across-the-board measures if X failed to comply.

X response

On Sunday, Mr Sowore said X notified him of the SSS request but had not acted on it.

He vowed not to delete the post, calling the SSS action despicable and lawless.

In its statement, X said it informs users when it receives legal requests from authorised entities to remove content.

The company advised Sowore to seek legal counsel or engage civil society groups if he wished to challenge the request and pointed him to its legal resources and transparency report.

Unending battles

Mr Sowore, a frenetic government critic, has faced arrests, detentions and prosecutions by the police and the SSS over the last six years over his anti-government protests and remarks.

Under former President Muhammadu Buharis administration, he was arrested, detained for months and charged with treasonable felony over his #RevolutionNow protest.

He accused Mr Tinubu government of using security agencies to persecute him since the #EndBadGovernance protests last year.

He recounted being placed on a no-entry list at airports, having his passport seized, being arrested, rearrested and injured by police officers and facing what he described as trumped-up charges, including an allegation of terrorism financing.

First, during the #EndBadGovernance national protest, they ordered Immigration to place me on a no-entry list at all international airports, he continued.

Then, the illegal IGP had me arrested for calling him what he is. A Federal High Court judge was procured to seize my passport since February 2025. I was then rearrested recently, my cell was broken into by eight armed police officers who injured my right hand, and dragged again to court on trumped-up charges.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) over the proposed salary increase for political and public office holders in Nigeria, particularly the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers.

RMAFC had last month disclosed the commissions proposal to increase the salaries for the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria, claiming that the salaries for these office holders are paltry.

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1834/2025 filed last week at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to determine whether RMAFCs proposed salary hike for the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria is not unlawful, unconstitutional and inconsistent with the rule of law.

SERAP is asking the court for a declaration that the proposed salary increase for the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria is unlawful, unconstitutional and inconsistent with the rule of law as it violates the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and RMAFCs Act.

SERAP is seeking an order of injunction restraining RMAFC, its agents and privies from taking any step to review upward the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria.

SERAP is also seeking an order directing RMAFC, its agents to review downward the salaries and allowances of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria to reflect the economic realities in the country.

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that, restraining the commission from arbitrarily increasing the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers would serve legitimate public interests.

SERAP is also arguing that, The RMAFCs constitutional and statutory mandates do not imply the unrestrained powers to increase the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers.

According to SERAP, Reviewing downward the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers would be entirely consistent and compatible with the Nigerian Constitution, the countrys international human rights obligations, and the current economic realities in the country.

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Oni, and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: When the exercise of RMAFCs constitutional and statutory mandates clashes with Nigerians fundamental rights, the public interests in upholding these rights ought to prevail.

The imminent pay rise for political office holders is a gross violation of the provisions of chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution relating to Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, and the countrys international human rights obligations.

The combined provisions of chapter 2, and chapter 4 on fundamental rights particularly section 42 give meaning and substance to the socio-economic rights of Nigerians and their right to equality and non-discrimination.

The RMAFC should properly discharge its constitutional and statutory mandates to monitor the accruals to and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account and advise the Federal and State Governments on fiscal efficiency and methods by which their revenue can be increased.

The imminent pay rise for political and public office holders in Nigeria, particularly the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers, is a gross misuse of the RMAFCs constitutional and statutory mandates.

The RMAFC has neither unrestrained constitutional and statutory mandates nor unbridled discretion to increase the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers.

The RMAFC has improperly and incorrectly exercised its constitutional and statutory mandates by increasing the salaries of political office holders. The proposed salary increase is a violation of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the countrys human rights obligations and the legal doctrine of reasonableness.

RMAFC cannot legitimately or justifiably increase the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers at a time when over 133 million Nigerians are poor and several state governments are failing to pay salaries of workers and pensions.

RMAFC seems to act consistently to give advantage to political office holders over the interests of poor Nigerians. The RMAFC, in the exercise of its constitutional and statutory mandates ought to balance the interests of the marginalised and vulnerable sectors of the population against the interests of political office holders.

The RMAFC ought to prioritise cutting the excessive amounts yearly budgeted as allowances for political office holders and life pensions for former presidents, vice-presidents, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers.

The idea of representative democracy, fairness and equality and non-discrimination would mean little if the salaries of political office holders are arbitrarily increased while millions of poor Nigerians continue to pass through harrowing times and watch their standards of living plummet.

The grim condition of many Nigerians is worsened by the deterioration of public services where access to pipe-borne water and affordable health-care remains a dream and the supply of electricity is epileptic and unreliable in an era in which globalisation has made such services ubiquitous and cheap.

The RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Bello on 18 August 2025 reportedly stated the commissions decision to propose a pay rise for the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria on the seriously flawed ground that the salaries for these office-holders are paltry.

The commission claimed that the review package remain fair, realistic, and sustainable, and align with the country`s current socio-economic realities.

According to him, the allocation formula was last overhauled in 1992, saying that there had been several executive adjustments since 2002, but a full-scale overhaul had not been undertaken until now.

Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor of the Federal High Court Lagos ordered the RMAFC to review downward and fix the salaries, remuneration or allowances of members of the National Assembly to reflect the economic realities in the country.

The judgment dated 4 June 2021 followed the consolidated suits brought by Mr Monday Ubani, Mr John Nwokwu, more than 1,500 concerned Nigerians, SERAP, BudgIT and Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE).

Under sections 154(1) and 156(3) and paragraph 31, Part I of the Third Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution, members of the Commission are appointed by the President subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Kolawole Oluwadare

SERAP Deputy Director

7/09/2025

Lagos, Nigeria

Emails: [email protected]; [email protected]

Twitter: @SERAPNigeria

Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
The BUA group has condemned the killing of eight personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers during an attack near its Cement Company in Okpella, Edo State, on Friday.

BUA Group is a Nigerian conglomerate with diverse interests in food and infrastructure, including BUA Foods and BUA Cement.

In a statement on Sunday, the companys management expressed concern over the abduction of a foreign national during the attack

BUA is deeply saddened by the attack of Friday, 5 September 2025, in which eight operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and a civilian driver lost their lives near our Okpella facility in Edo State.

The company condoled with the families of the victims, the NSCDC, and the Nigerian government, and wished the injured officers a swift recovery.

BUA said it is working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The safety of our people, partners, and host communities remains paramount. This tragedy is a painful reminder of the sacrifices borne daily by our security personnel. Their courage will never be forgotten, the statement added.

The attack

The eight NSCDC personnel who lost their lives in the attack were escorting five Chinese expatriates back to the companys base following a routine patrol.

The personnel were members of a security team attached to the cement factory.

During the ambush, the assailantsarmed with sophisticated weaponsopened fire on the convoy, killing eight NSCDC operatives and one civilian.

The NSCDC reportedly responded swiftly to the incident and rescued four of the expatriates, while one expatriate was abducted by the suspected kidnappers.

Four other NSCDC operatives sustained injuries and were currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital, the source added.

NSCDC on Saturday mourned eight of its personnel killed in the attack.

Increased abductions

Abduction for ransom has become one of the prevalent crimes in many Nigerian cities, with just anyone, including clerics and students, as targets.

In Edo, the situation is compounded by cult-related attacks and killings.

Gunmen on Friday abducted 29 passengers on a highway in the state. The police have rescued 16 of the abducted passengers.
Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore and a lawyer in his legal team, Tope Temokun, on Sunday condemned the State Security Services attempt to pressure social media platform X (formerly Twitter) into deleting a post critical of President Bola Tinubu, calling the move illegal, unconstitutional, and an abuse of power.

In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Temokun said the SSS lacks legal authority to censor citizens or direct private platforms to remove content.

Only a competent court can order the removal of speech. The DSS (SSS) is not a court; it is a security agency, he said.

Mr Temokun cited Section 39 of the Nigerian constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, domesticated into Nigerian law.

He referenced Supreme Court and Court of Appeal rulings affirming that fundamental rights cannot be curtailed except in strict compliance with the law and that the government must not use state power to suppress free speech.

Mr Temokun warned that privately pressuring X to remove content is an unlawful abuse of power. Today it is Sowore; tomorrow it could be any journalist, activist, or ordinary citizen who dares to question the government. If allowed, no voice is safe.

He urged the SSS to retrace its steps and called on Nigerians to remain vigilant, emphasizing that freedom of expression is a constitutional right, not a gift from the government.

Earlier, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Sowore described the SSS demand that X deactivate his account within 24 hours as a desecration of national dignity and part of a broader effort by the Tinubu administration to silence him beyond Nigerias borders.

I discovered a ridiculously crafted letter from the DSS to X, demanding that my account be deactivated within 24 hours. I wont be surprised if the same has been extended to my Facebook page, he stated.

Mr Sowore also alleged that state security operatives had falsely accused him of terrorism financing and cited previous harassment, including passport seizure and arrests linked to his activism.

SSS claims

PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier on Sunday how SSS wrote to X Corp, the owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), demanding the deletion of a tweet by Mr Sowore or face official repercussions.

Signed by B. Bamigboye, on behalf of the agencys Director General, the letter accused Mr Sowore of publishing misleading information, hate speech and content capable of inciting violence via his verified handle, @YeleSowore.

The SSS (also known as DSS) cited a 25 August post in which Mr Sowore called President Tinubu a criminal and alleged dishonesty regarding corruption.

The agency warned that the post threatened national security and risked provoking unrest among the presidents supporters.

It referenced the Criminal Code Act, the Cybercrimes Act 2025, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 as legal grounds and threatened far-reaching, sweeping and across-the-board measures if X failed to comply.

X response

On Sunday, Mr Sowore said X notified him of the SSS request but had not acted on it.

He vowed not to delete the post, calling the SSS action despicable and lawless.

In its statement, X said it informs users when it receives legal requests from authorised entities to remove content.

The company advised Sowore to seek legal counsel or engage civil society groups if he wished to challenge the request and pointed him to its legal resources and transparency report.

Unending battles

Mr Sowore, a frenetic government critic, has faced arrests, detentions and prosecutions by the police and the SSS over the last six years over his anti-government protests and remarks.

Under former President Muhammadu Buharis administration, he was arrested, detained for months and charged with treasonable felony over his #RevolutionNow protest.

He accused Mr Tinubu government of using security agencies to persecute him since the #EndBadGovernance protests last year.

He recounted being placed on a no-entry list at airports, having his passport seized, being arrested, rearrested and injured by police officers and facing what he described as trumped-up charges, including an allegation of terrorism financing.

First, during the #EndBadGovernance national protest, they ordered Immigration to place me on a no-entry list at all international airports, he continued.

Then, the illegal IGP had me arrested for calling him what he is. A Federal High Court judge was procured to seize my passport since February 2025. I was then rearrested recently, my cell was broken into by eight armed police officers who injured my right hand, and dragged again to court on trumped-up charges.
Less than 24 hours after broadcast journalist Deji Bademosi erected a billboard to highlight a deadly open manhole along the Ikeja axis leading to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the Lagos State Government deployed officials to cover the hazard.

In an updated video posted on his Facebook page on Sunday, Mr Badmus stated that the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu has deployed the staff of Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) to fix the manhole.

Im back at the spot to give an update. Less than 24 hours after we put out that sign, the Lagos State Government has deployed its officialslikely from the public worksto cover the manhole. As you can see behind me, the manhole is being covered.

He praised the swift response, calling it the kind of immediate action residents should expect.

He also urged the state government to take similar steps across the city, highlighting that many uncovered manholes continue to endanger motorists.

There are several uncovered manholes across the city. I hope the state government will also react to cover all these other manholes. The government should probably declare an operation to fix all the open manholes in the city because they are very dangerous, he said, showing the depth of the manhole.

The story gained wider attention after PREMIUM TIMES published a report amplifying Mr Badmuss video and highlighting the public safety risk. The combined effect of the journalists civic action and media coverage appears to have prompted the rapid government response, demonstrating how citizen advocacy and reporting can drive accountability in Lagos.

On Saturday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Badmus erected the billboard to draw the attention of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the hazard. In a video that went viral, the award-winning journalist and founder of TV360 was seen planting the billboard inside the uncovered manhole. The sign read: Gov Sanwo-Olu fix this open manhole before it takes lives.

Mr Badmus said he acted after narrowly escaping an accident at the site. He explained that he had initially marked the hazard with a red cloth for more than three months, but government officials ignored it.

That manhole has been open for about three months. I almost had an accident here, and just days ago, there was a terrible crash. Thank God no life was lost, he said.

It is shocking that this has been left like this on such a busy road that connects the international and local airports. Several cars have already run into it. Its a disgrace for a megacity like Lagos.

He appealed directly to Governor Sanwo-Olu to intervene, stressing that no barriers had been erected to warn motorists.

Attempts by PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday to reach the General Manager of the LSPWC, Tokunbo Ajanaku, were unsuccessful as calls to the contact listed online went unanswered.

The incident adds to growing concerns over the theft of manhole covers across Lagos. In January, the Lagos State House of Assembly urged the governor to enforce environmental laws against scavengers responsible for stealing the covers.

In April, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) announced it had begun replacing stolen metal and fibre composite covers at Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) laybys with treated wooden alternatives.

The wooden covers, which have no scrap value, are expected to reduce theft and improve safety.

LAMATA urged residents to take greater ownership of public infrastructure and protect it from vandals.
The 2023 Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has accused the police of aiding hoodlums in attacking attendees at the venue for his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Saturday.

In a viral video seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Mr Rhodes-Vivour spoke to journalists at the event while holding someone who claimed to have been harassed and beaten by the attackers.

The venue, Christ Gospel Mission Church, was supposed to accommodate 4,000 people. Everything had been arranged, including our healthcare services. But about 20 to 40 police officers came, locked the gates, and said we could not hold our event. In a church, they led talks, came in, and scattered everything, Mr Rhodes-Vivour said.

He added, pointing to an injured member of his team, This young man was hurt. He is our cameraman. They were with the police. The attacks were coordinated with the police guiding them.

Mr Rhodes-Vivour also accused the police of protecting an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally occurring at the same location.

This is the height of agro-ocracy. We cannot be in a democracy where people hold power through intimidation, by hurting and crushing the spirit of youth. How can young people respect the police in such a situation? he said.

The cameraman, who spoke anonymously, corroborated Mr Rhodes-Vivours claims: They were with the police. They burst my head, wielding cutlasses, seized phones, and destroyed equipment. This is not fair. I am a press person, and this is how they operatedestroying property without consequence.

In the video, an unnamed ADC member present at the event said: We are here to receive our new members, particularly from the Labour Party, led by Mr Rhodes-Vivour.

Despite intimidation and challenges in providing a credible alternative to Nigerians, we remain committed to democracy. We will continue to offer Nigerians a government for the people, not the elites, and leadership that prioritizes citizens over power grabs. People have seen and heard the news, and we hope they will vote accordingly.

Police refute claim

The Lagos State Police Command dismissed claims of political bias, describing them as false, misleading, and damaging to the commands reputation.

In a statement on Saturday by the Command Deputy Spokesperson, Babaseyi Oluseyi, said that police personnel were not involved in any political activities.

He explained that joint police teams, including conventional officers, tactical squads, and anti-riot units, had been deployed across Alimosho Local Government Area and other parts of Lagos since 4 September to prevent crime, ensure public safety, and maintain peace.

Mr Oluseyi said, The deployed teams have remained professional and polite, providing security without bias. At no time did officers cover for political attacks. No political party or individual lodged complaints at any police station in Lagos regarding attacks or reprisals.

He added that Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, had reiterated the commands neutrality, emphasizing its constitutional duty to protect lives and property.

Mr Jimoh urged political stakeholders and residents to channel genuine complaints to the police instead of spreading misleading narratives, assuring that all credible complaints would be addressed promptly.

Defection to ADC

Mr Rhodes-Vivour formally declared for the ADC at the Lagos event on Saturday. The move comes amid a coalition of opposition parties under the ADC platform seeking to challenge APC dominance in the 2027 general elections.

ADC became the coalitions platform in July, courting prominent figures disenchanted with APC and PDP dominance to build a formidable third force ahead of the polls.

Speaking during the declaration, Mr Rhodes-Vivour described the move as part of a broader coalition.

I am happy to become part of this family. I look forward to the union and governance this party will bring to Nigerians. My prayer is that God grants our leaders the wisdom to unite and define a new path for our country, he said.

The governorship hopeful also called for unity among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

This coalition is meant to rescue Nigeria. We cannot afford to divide the opposition going into the next election. We must come together through a robust coalition that stands a chance to deliver this country in 2027, he added.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has delivered 12 tonnes of emergency medical supplies and equipment to support the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in responding to its latest Ebola virus disease outbreak.

The supplies, shipped from WHOs Emergency Response and Preparedness hub in Nairobi, include personal protective equipment (PPE) sufficient for 120 frontline workers for one month, patient isolation kits, and water, sanitation and hygiene materials.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa disclosed this on Sunday in a post on X.

Earlier on 5 September, the WHO announced the release of $500,000 from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to support the response.

WHOs Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the funds would help strengthen surveillance, contact tracing, testing and infection prevention.

Vaccination of responders

WHO said frontline responders from the agency, the DRC Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are being vaccinated against Ebola before deployment to the field.

The global agency added that the DRC has a stockpile of 2,000 Ebola vaccine doses and is in the process of procuring additional supplies in the coming days.

These measures follow the declaration of an outbreak in Kasai Province of the DRC, where 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths, including four health workers, had been reported as of 5 September.

Ebola virus disease, first identified in 1976, is a rare but severe illness with high fatality rates.

It is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals such as fruit bats. It spreads from person to person through direct contact with blood, body fluids, contaminated objects or the body of a deceased patient.

The DRC has experienced 15 previous outbreaks, more than any other country in the world. Its last outbreak in Equateur Province in 2022 was contained within three months.

Kasai Province, the current epicentre, previously recorded outbreaks in 2007 and 2008.

Nigeria on alert

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said there are no cases of Ebola virus disease in the country, but that preparedness measures have been activated.

In a public health advisory issued on Saturday, the agency said it is working with relevant ministries, departments and development partners to enhance readiness.

According to the NCDC, ongoing measures include heightened surveillance at borders and points of entry, as well as infection prevention and control measures in health facilities nationwide.

Our risk communication and community engagement structures have also been alerted to ensure timely and accurate information is provided to Nigerians, as well as track and address perceptions, rumours, and misinformation, the advisory stated.

The NCDC also urged Nigerians to practise good hygiene, avoid contact with bush meat such as bats and primates, and promptly report unusual symptoms.

Travellers returning from affected countries within the past 21 days were advised to watch for symptoms including fever, sore throat, diarrhoea, weakness, vomiting or unexplained bleeding, and to immediately contact health authorities if they occur.
Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedolas Memoir, Making it Big: Lessons from a life in Business, on Sunday ranked 1st on the Amazon Best Sellers in the Starting a Business category, accompanied by a fivestar average rating from readers.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the book, launched on 18 August, quickly ranked 4th in Business, Biographies and Memoirs, just a day after its release.

In the 286-page memoir, Mr Otedola, who chairs Geregu Power PLC and FirstHoldCo PLC, narrated his life journey from a modest beginning as a child to becoming a billionaire at 41.

On Amazon, Mr Otedolas book ranked ahead of Steven Bartletts The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life (number 2); Simon Squibbs Whats Your Dream?: Find Your Passion, Love Your Work and Build a Richer Life (number 3) and Stephen Coveys The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Endorsements

The book has received endorsements from industry leaders, including the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the immediate past President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina and Africas richest man, Aliko Dangote.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala praised Mr Otedola for deciding to capture his experience in a book, noting the rarity of books by African business leaders documenting their journeys.

There are very few books by successful African business leaders documenting their journey and sharing lessons learned for posterity, but in particular for a younger generation, she said.

Mr Adesina described it as a must-read for everyone interested in entrepreneurship and leadership.

The book is a must-read for all business leaders, policy makers and young people venturing into the world of entrepreneurship and business.

Meanwhile, Mr Dangote praised the books practical guidance and relatable narrative, saying it offers useful insights for surmounting business hurdles and is a highly recommended read for anyone who aspires to be successful in a challenging environment.

Cascade of revelations

In the memoir, Mr Otedola wrote about his educational background, revealing that he dropped out and did not go to university because he was continually drawn to business.

He wrote how, during a breakfast meeting in 2005, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo persuaded him to fund the completion of the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja with a donation of 300 million.

He also revealed an encounter he had with the late business magnate, philanthropist, and politician, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, and how the encounter with Mr Abiola shaped his perception about the interplay of money and power in the lives of politicians, business moguls, and other notable figures in society.

The memoir also recounts how he built businesses in oil and gas, shipping, power, real estate, and finance, while also navigating crippling setbacks that at times threatened his fortune and reputation.
Life is unfair, but death is fair.

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21).

Let us call a spade a spade. This scripture is absolutely ridiculous. Whoever came up with this scripture must be from heaven. He probably has no understanding of what it is like to live here on earth.

How can I bless someone who persecutes me? Why should I bless him? Why should I allow someone to get away with murder?

Imagine a situation in which some religious fanatics attack a mans house and burn it to the ground. In the process, they kill his wife and children. And then during the burial ceremony, a pastor reads the scripture above. Give place to wrath. Leave the matter to God. So, the attackers of the mans family go scot-free.

To add insult to injury, when the man dies he meets his attackers in heaven. They have all become heirs of salvation. I ask you, is this fair?

What kind of discussion do you think David would have had with Uriah in heaven? How do you think Uriah would feel meeting, in heaven of all places, the man who slept with his wife, got her pregnant, and had him killed to cover his tracks?

Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. But does the Lord really repay? Can the Lord give a man true satisfaction?

You have been used and abused; you have been spitefully treated, and you take the matter to the Lord. What type of satisfaction are you likely to get?

The Lord would preach the gospel to you. He would tell you to forgive and forget. And if you do not, the Lord Himself would deliver you, the aggrieved person, to tormentors who will torment you until you forgive the offender. (Matthew 18:34).

But what about the offender? What would the Lord do to him? How would the Lord take vengeance on him? The Lord might just ask someone to go and preach the gospel to him. Is that acceptable?

Of all people to ask to go and preach to Nineveh, God chose Jonah. The Assyrians had oppressed the Jews for a long time. Now God decided to send a Jew to them, not to destroy them, but to preach to them the gospel of repentance and salvation.

Jonah would have none of it. He took a boat and headed instead for Tarshish, the exact opposite direction from Nineveh. God would have none of that and decided to take him to Nineveh against his will by a submarine.

God arranged it for Jonahs shipmates to throw him into the sea and then had him swallowed by a big fish. The fish just happened to dock at Nineveh harbour, where it vomited passenger Jonah.

Jonah did not need persuading after that. He had no choice but to preach salvation to his enemies. His preaching was so powerful and so impressive that everybody in Nineveh repented, and Gods judgment on Nineveh was revoked.

Take a look at the Bibles description of Jonahs reaction to this elaborate divine conspiracy: Jonah 4:1-4

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the LORD, and said, Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore, I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore, now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live! (Jonah 4:1-3).

Why should Jonah not be angry? Despite all the crimes of the people of Nineveh, they received a free pardon. God is totally unfair. You simply cannot get retributive justice from a God who is gracious and loving, and whose mercies endure forever.

But is there not something strange about being upset with God because He is gracious and forgiving? Is this not like the case of those Pharisees who persecuted Jesus because He healed a man on the Sabbath?

Since we are being frank, let us pull no punches. Do you know the greatest injustice of all? It is that you yourself should be the heir of salvation. The greatest injustice of all is that you should be saved. The greatest injustice of all is that you, of all people, should be heaven-bound.

You, who were a crook, a liar and a cheat. You were a fornicator and an adulterer. You were an idol worshipper. You were a drunkard and a drug addict. You were proud, vain and riddled with deceitful lusts. Why in heavens name should God forgive someone like you?

It is absolutely unfair that you should go to heaven. In the name of justice, you should go to hell and fry there. And it is not fair that Jesus, who never sinned and never told a lie, never answered back when insulted, had to die on your behalf.

So lets call a spade a spade. If we are going to insist on justice, let there be justice for all. Since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, justice without mercy means that all of us would end up in hell. Therefore, I would rather have a merciful God than a God of judgment. Even if this means that I have to spend eternity in heaven with Bin Laden or Mobutu Sese Seko, so be it. Heavenly Father, let Your judgment rejoice over Your mercy in my case.

What is the meaning of the singular act of Gods magnanimity, which found profound expression in the salvation of Jesus Christ?

Yes, life is so unfair. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Some die young, and some live to a ripe old age. Some are handicapped, and others are bedridden with sickness. Some are handsome and some are ugly. Some are smart and some are stupid. Some are fast and some are slow. Some are successful and some are failures.

Solomon says:

I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

But life is unfair because what we call life is not what God intended. What we call life is precisely what Jesus came to redeem us from. He redeemed us from a life of injustice, a life of sickness, a life of sin, a life of death, a life of misery and failure and affliction and calamity.

Life is unfair, but death is fair. The poor die, and the rich also die. Moreover, when the rich die, they lose all their wealth. When the poor die, they lose all their poverty. When the sick die, they lose their sickness. When the disadvantaged die, they lose all their disadvantages, and the advantaged lose all their advantages.

Every valley is exalted and every mountain is made low. The crooked places are made straight and the rough places made smooth. And then the glory of the Lord is revealed. Therefore, the fairness of God is revealed, not in life, but in death. CONTINUED.

[email protected]; www.femiaribisala.com
When the House of Lords, as the upper chamber of the UK Parliament is called, debated the Courts Bill introduced by the government of Edward Heath in December 1970, Lord Hailsham was in the Woolsack as the Lord Chancellor. His father, the first Viscount Hailsham, had served his first tour of duty in the same position a mere 42 years earlier. As the debate proceeded on the bill, Lord Hailsham reminded the prospective judge to approach the Bench with the enthusiasm of a bridegroom approaching marriage, or of a priest approaching priesthood.

In the British system, the relationships entailed between a groom and his spouse or a priest with his Bishop, excluded multiple partners or patrons; but just as alimentary wellbeing has always been celebrated as the key to the heart of a spouse, politicians intent on cultivating intimate relations with the judiciary disregard judicial independence and invest financially in the appurtenances of judicial wellbeing

In 1992 Matthew Ngulube became the Chief Justice of Zambia, the first to be appointed since the country transitioned from one-party rule. The president was Frederick Chiluba. Ngulube arrived the Chambers of the Chief Justice with credentials that looked impeccable. One and a half decades earlier, he had served as President of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), the countrys Bar Association.

Ngulube served as Chief Justice for one decade, presiding over some momentous decisions and transitions in Zambias judicial and constitutional history. During this period, he became well known around the Commonwealth as a spokesman for judicial integrity. Outside public view, his record stank.

On 28 June 2002, President Levy Mwanawasa, successor to President Chiluba and, himself also a former president of the LAZ, accepted the resignation of Chief Justice Ngulube. The facts that emerged were shocking.

As Chief Justice, Ngulube was in fact in the payroll of President Chiluba and received thousands of dollars from a special account managed by Xavier Chungu, former intelligence chief and ex-president Frederick Chilubas top security adviser, amounting to over $168,000. This was a lot of money in a poor country at the time and indeed more than the equivalent to the Zambian governments annual funding to a single government department. From the proceeds of this financial intimacy, Chief Justice Ngulube separately built a nearly-completed mansion on the eastern fringes of Lusaka, whose cost is estimated at about 700 million kwacha (about 149,000 dollars).

These payments enabled the government of President Chiluba to buy favourable decisions from the court of Chief Justice Ngulube. The investigations reportedly revealed that the government used him to subvert the course of justice in all cases involving Chiluba and his aides during the past ten years of his administration.

52 years earlier, in the debate on the High Court and County Judges Bill in the United Kingdom House of Commons in May 1950, Mr. Marlowe, a member of parliament, explained that it was impossible for a High Court judge to discharge his functions properly if he knows that during the day, he will sit on the Bench with a prisoner in the dock before him and later in the evening may be sitting side by side with the prisoner in the bus.

When they are not concerned about gifting houses to judges, politicians in Nigeria, for instance, seem overly concerned with the cars that the judges drive. On the last day of July 2025, Adamawa State Governor, Umaru Fintiri, gave away 23 sub-urban utility vehicles (SUVs) to judges in the state as an expression of his unwavering commitment to strengthening the justice system.

Governor Fintiri was the latest governor to advance this practice of conducting executive intimacy with judges on four wheels. In this he was merely following in the footsteps of his peer in neighbouring Borno State, Babagana Zulum, who had donated 19 cars to judges and Khadis in the state in January 2025 to enhance the judicial sector and ensure that our citizens have access to justice as we continue to recover from 16 years of insurgency.

In one month between July and August 2024, Kogi States Governor Ahmed Ododo donated 25 SUVs in two instalments of 14 and 11 respectively to the Chief Judge, Josiah Majebi, for use by judges in the state with assurance to supply more soon so that it can go round all the Judges and magistrates operating in the state. A mere eight months earlier, in December 2023, Governor Ododos benefactor and predecessor, Yahaya Bello, on the eve of his departure from office as Governor, had donated 40 SUVs to be shared equally between judges and legislators in the state.

When Catholic priest-turned-governor, Hyacinth Alia, gifted six new SUVs to judges in Benue State in May 2024, he claimed that he did it to enhance judicial service delivery.

Eight months earlier, in September 2023 his counterpart in Abia State, Alex Otti, handed over five SUVs to judges of the State High Court because they were reportedly in their fourth year of service in the role without official cars.

In July 2023, Anambra State Chief Judge, Onochie Anyachebelu, received 11 SUVs from the state government, the first batch of official vehicles the Governor, His Excellency, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo pledged to allocate to the Judicial Officers. The Chief Judge thanked the governor for being timely in commencing the fulfillment of his promise to the Judiciary to that effect, noting that the Judiciary expectations on him for the remaining vehicles are high.

In August 2022, Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, presented 13 SUVs to judges in the state to enhance their welfare.

In September 2020, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, handed over 51 SUVs and eight houses to judges in the state as part of his vision to build a strong judiciary.

In this, Governor Sanwo-Olu bettered his counterpart in Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who the previous month, in August 2020, gave 41 SUVs to judges in the state.

Three months earlier, in May 2020, his counterpart in neighboring Owerri, Hope Uzodinma, handed 20 to judges in Imo State to motivate them. He added 10 more in July 2024.

In February 2020 then Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, gifted 24 SUVs to judges in Kaduna State.

In five years since 2020, advocacy group, Citizen Gavel, reckons that eight governors gifted at least 237 SUVs to judges in their respective states. This is a gross undercount.

The Nigerian Bar Association has complained that the practice of gifting cars to judges demeans the judiciary, impoverishes judicial office, and hollows out judicial independence.

In 2014, the Federal High Court ordered government at all levels to pay funds for the needs of the judiciary to the National Judicial Council (NJC). Compliance with this would have ended the undisguised importuning of judges with alimentary blandishments from the executive.

Instead, the Federal Government has turned that into art form and appears to have designated a Minister for the Welfare of Judges in all but name. This past week, the Minister, Nyesom Wike, boasted that about 80 per cent of the accommodation problem bedeviling judges would have been solved before the end of the first tenure of President Bola Tinubu.

The calibration of this pretence of executive magnanimity with the electoral cycle was an essential part of the announcement. Buying judges has become a central tool in the arsenal of political ascendancy in Nigeria. No one pretends to conceal the appearance of quid pro quo.

At the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Enugu at the end of last month, a judge from one of the neighboring states of south-east Nigeria was heard openly fulsomely confessing the support of himself and his judicial colleagues for the present administration. He cited the increase in judicial salaries by over 300% and the increase in age of retirement of High Court judges and warned whoever cared to listen that any political competitors will not receive the support of judges in 2027. How many votes do judges have?

102 years ago, the High Court in England cautioned that it is essential that nothing is done that creates even a suspicion that there has been an improper interference with the course of justice. The role of the Ministry of Judges Welfare is to ensure precisely that the opposite is the new normal. He is doing well.

Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer, teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and can be reached through [email protected].


Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, on Saturday received members of the Radda Development Forum at the Government House, Katsina. The Forum, representing the Governors hometown of Radda, paid a courtesy visit to express appreciation for the remarkable progress being made both locally and across the state.

The delegation was led by Professor Sadiq Radda, who conveyed the Forums heartfelt gratitude to Governor Radda for his visionary leadership. During the visit, special prayers were offered in gratitude for Governor Raddas safety following the minor road accident he experienced last month while travelling from Katsina to Daura.

The delegation prayed for his continued protection and commended him for his bold reforms and people-centered initiatives, which are driving economic growth and development across Katsina State. Professor Radda highlighted that the visible development projects in Radda town and throughout the state demonstrate the Governors dedication to improving the lives of the people.

We are truly impressed by the positive changes taking place in Katsina State, Professor Radda said. People often share encouraging feedback about our Governors initiatives, and we can see the transformation happening right here in Radda. He further noted the progress in the hometown, adding, Every visit to Radda reveals new projects and improvements. The growth is remarkable and fills us with pride as residents of this town.

Governor Radda, in response, expressed gratitude for the Forums recognition and encouragement. He reiterated the importance of staying connected with communities to ensure that development projects meet real needs, particularly in rural areas of Katsina State.

Engaging with citizens is vital for achieving meaningful change, Governor Radda adding that visits like this remind us of the importance of dialogue and maintaining close ties with our local communities.

The visit also provided a platform to share ideas and discuss ongoing and upcoming projects in Radda and across Katsina State. Governor Radda encouraged the Forum to continue offering suggestions that would support sustainable growth and long-term development.

The meeting highlighted the strong relationship between the government and local communities, demonstrating how engagement, mutual respect, and a shared vision can lead to tangible improvements for citizens throughout Katsina State.
BEIJING, Sept. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In this pivotal year of 2025 - commemorating both the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the UN - Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), offering China's wisdom and solutions to further strengthen and improve global governance. The Global Times (GT) has launched a series of interviews, "China's vision on global governance,", to share international scholars' insights into the spirit, contemporary relevance and global significance of the GGI.

In the first installment of the series, Ong Tee Keat (OTK), president of Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific and former Malaysian minister of transport, told GT reporter Li Aixin in an interview that when the compromised global order is attuned to serving certain countries' unilateral interests at the expense of the global majority, calls and actions to reset the ailing order are absolutely necessary, relevant and laudable.

GT: From your perspective, what stands out as the key practical significance of the GGI, and why does it carry necessity, particularly in the present historical context?

OTK: The GGI is rolled out when global governance comes to a crossroad characterized by increasingly fragile peace and incoherent leadership in the face of existential challenges, alongside denial of the global majority's aspirations by rising protectionist and hegemonic unilateralism. It coincides with the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN which saw the increasing untenability of rules-based world institutions, rendering global governance dysfunctional in face of common challenges.

It serves as a clarion wake-up call to alert the international community of the imperative to reflect and reset the existing global order before further decadence.

The GGI presents a multi-dimensional agenda for resetting global governance with actionable and deliverable initiatives which are entailed in the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). The GDI and GSI form the mutually-reinforcing duo which promotes peace through development, and the dividend of peace in return will further provide a conducive environment bolstering development.

Parallel to this, the GCI provides a Chinese solution to breaking the civilizational silos that impede inter-civilization interaction and understanding, thereby pre-empting the prophecy of clash of civilizations. Now, the GGI calls for the world to take real actions in addressing the prevailing woes derailing global governance. It's not that the major shortcomings remain unidentified but it's the lack of collective global resolve in resetting the skewed order for fear that the reigning hegemon might have its primacy hamstrung.

GT: How do you view the five core concepts of the GGI? Could you share your perspective on the world China envisions through them?

OTK: The set of five core concepts portrays an ideal model of global governance that the world should rightfully be striving for. They align with the contemporary needs and aspirations of the global majority. Yet it remains a tall order as the reigning hegemon stays recalcitrant in upholding its "exceptionalism," mounting a naked challenge to "sovereignty equality" and "international rule of law."

Meanwhile, promoting multilateralism is central to fostering globalized cooperation which is crucial to mitigating common challenges concertedly. Conversely, protectionist unilateralism only catalyzes the fragmentation of our "global village," rendering the international community impotent in face of exigencies.

The ideal of committing to a people-centered approach is virtually rooted in inclusivity that involves all stakeholders who ultimately deserve to be rewarded with a fair share of dividends of any human endeavor. This is a tall order amid the world of diverse polity and political systems but it's an egalitarian model.

To go for an action and result-oriented approach in resetting global governance is absolutely relevant and imperative to command the delivery of the deliverables.

Ultimately, as the GGI is gaining traction with more countries coming on-board, it is envisaged that the privileged minority which has been holding sway in global matters for far too long will gradually have its clout eroded, thus paving way for the potential emergence of a more egalitarian order.

GT: From the GDI, GSI, GCI, to today's GGI - which together form a more comprehensive set of "four initiatives" - how do you see the connections among them?

OTK: The "four initiatives" are interrelated and mutually complementary. Comprehensively, the "4 in 1" set envisions fostering a new model of global governance underpinned by an egalitarian and multilateral order characterized by inclusivity and symbiosis, alongside being grounded in development-driven peace and civilizational understanding, thus leaving no space for exceptionalism and hegemony.

The successive roll out of "public goods" in the form of "global initiatives" as the Chinese solutions to the ailing global governance is a clear manifestation of China's commitment to playing a more prominent global role as a major power. No other nation should ever frown upon it, more so when the incoherent global governance is getting increasingly untenable in the present evolving order.

GT: Looking to the future, what are your expectations for the prospects of the GGI?

OTK: Knowing that the GGI is set to be confronted with a rough international terrain ahead, the initiative needs to garner sufficient support worldwide to gain the desired traction. The GGI must go in unison with the other three global initiatives to make it actionable. To this end, partnership engagement with regional and sub-regional groupings is to be prioritized with specific programs rolled out under the framework of the four initiatives. All these have to go in tandem with the full cooperation of such alternative multilateral development banks as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank, which are tasked to address the potential gaps in development finance.

GT: How do you see Malaysia and ASEAN engaging with the Global Governance Initiative? What unique roles could ASEAN play in connecting regional development with broader global governance?

OTK: In view of the prevailing China-ASEAN dynamics and the enduring ties, ASEAN member states including Malaysia look receptive to the GGI. Such optimism stems primarily from the bloc's positivity toward the various Chinese-led initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 and the ideal to build an ASEAN-China community with a shared future.

In advancing the GGI, ASEAN - the top trading partner of China - could provide a good template in linking regional development with broader global governance. The three key pillars of ASEAN Community Vision 2045, in political security, economics and social culture, constitute ready dimensions for collaboration with China in pursuit of a "Resilient, Innovative, Dynamic and People-Centred ASEAN." This collective vision of strengthening regional peace, economic integration and social development aligns well with the four Chinese initiatives designed to reset global governance.

To this end, the existing China-ASEAN partnership offers an ideal platform to extend beyond mere trade. Its leverage to engage with other regional groupings for broader cooperation is to be given full play.

SOURCE Global Times
The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda, Saturday, received Mr Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Katsina. During the visit, special prayers were offered in gratitude for Governor Radda safety following the minor road accident he experienced last month while travelling from Katsina to Daura.

Mr Ogbonna personally prayed for the Governors continued protection and commended him for his bold reforms and people-centered initiatives that are driving economic growth and development across Katsina State.

Governor Radda warmly welcomed Mr Ogbonna and his delegation, expressing appreciation for their thoughtful visit. He assured them that the gesture would not be taken for granted and reaffirmed his administrations commitment to partnering with financial institutions to attract investments, expand agricultural opportunities, and strengthen the states economy.

The visit ended on a positive note, with both parties expressing optimism about future collaborations aimed at boosting the local economy and supporting key sectors such as agribusiness and small-scale enterprises. Accompanying Mr Ogbonna were Hadiza Ambursa, Executive Director, Commercial Banking and Muntaka Badru Jiamshi, Executive Director of Agricultural Services at the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority.
The Katsina State Government has confirmed that seven people were killed when bandits attacked Magajin-Wando village in Dandume Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the attack, which residents said began late on Friday and stretched into the early hours of Saturday.

Five people were killed on the spot, while two others died later from gunshot wounds, a resident told journalists. They also abducted three people  two women and a boy.

In a statement on Saturday, the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, said, The State Government confirmed a tragic incident that occurred last night, between 11:00 p.m., where seven lives were lost when bandits launched an attack on Magajin-Wando village in Dandume LGA.

Mr Muazu said the attack was repelled by a vigilante group, preventing what could have been a far more devastating outcome for the community.

Thanks to the swift and courageous intervention of the Community Watch Corps (CWC), he wrote.

He said those who sustained injuries during the attack were evacuated and rushed to the hospital for immediate medical treatment.

However, they were ambushed on their way to the hospital by the same group who had divided themselves.

In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, their vehicle being riddled with bullets, the Community Watch Corps fought bravely, and escaped the ambush, and returned to safety, he said.

According to the commissioner, the CWC vehicle was burnt during the ambush.

He suggested that the bandits may have been on a revenge mission.

Preliminary findings indicate that the ambush was carried out by the same group of criminals, who moved to avenge so many of their members who were killed in the community, Mr Muazu added.

He said the state government, through the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, commended the bravery and sacrifice of the Community Watch Corps for their prompt response.

The government also commended their continued commitment to safeguarding vulnerable communities under dangerous conditions.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and pray for the quick recovery of the injured, the commissioner said.

Mr Muazu said that the government remained resolute in its commitment to intensifying security operations across the state.

We will continue to work closely with the military, police, and other security agencies to track down and dismantle the criminal networks behind these attacks, the commissioner said.

He, however, called on the residents to remain vigilant and promptly share any useful information with security agencies to support the ongoing operations.

Together with the courage of our security forces and the resilience of our people, we will defeat these enemies of peace and restore lasting security across Katsina State, he said.

Katsina is one of Nigerias northern states, troubled by banditry. Thousands of people have been killed and many others kidnapped by bandits in the state in recent years.

Other states witnessing similar attacks by separate groups of bandits include Zamfara, Sokoto and Kaduna.
The lawmaker representing Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, says he has accepted his expulsion from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in good faith and will announce his new party soon.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the NNPP in Kano expelled Mr Jibrin from the party after accusing him of anti-party activities and failing to meet his financial obligations to the party.

The NNPP chairperson in Kano, Hashim Dungurawa, announced the sanction at a press conference on Saturday.

Reacting to the development, Mr Jibrin, in a statement late Saturday, said his NNPP membership has ended. He, however, decried that he was not given an opportunity for a fair hearing by the NNPP before his expulsion.

No invitation was extended to me to defend or explain myself by any organ of the party and in the process, neglecting the very important principle of fair hearing, due process and justice that the NNPP cry out loud and demand from others, he wrote.

Even under military dictatorship, an accused is subjected to a court martial. Perhaps, if the appropriate processes were followed, the need for such harsh decision to force me out of a party and family I love so dearly may not be necessary, the lawmaker wrote.

Mr Jibrin, even as a member of the NNPP, has been a vocal supporter of President Bola Tinubu. Many observers expect him to join Mr Tinubus party, APC, which is the main opposition in Kano.

Read Mr Jibrins full statement below.

It came as a surprise and a rude shock, my sudden expulsion from the NNPP.

I strongly believe the contents of the interview I granted few days ago in English and Hausa should not warrant such heavy penalty because it is in tandem with the core principles of our party and movement which allows for dissenting views overtly or covertly. I expected the party to pick lessons from the interview. For the purpose of emphasis, I stand by all the statements I made in the interviews.

No invitation was extended to me to defend or explain myself by any organ of the party and in the process, neglecting the very important principle of fair hearing, due process and justice that the NNPP cry out loud and demand from others. Even under military dictatorship, an accused is subjected to a court martial. Perhaps, if the appropriate processes were followed, the need for such harsh decision to force me out of a party and family I love so dearly may not be necessary.

While, I would have loved to stay in the NNPP and continue my service to our people and country despite differences on some issues (which I will adress elaborately in due course to avoid people being mislead), the party has made and announced a decision. I am therefore obliged to accept the decision of the party in good faith and without grudges. But for the respect I have for the party, its members and leaders, I would have viewed this action as null and void as it failed to follow due process or coming from a factional group of the party and test it in court. I will rather wish the party well and go in peace. I beg the party to allow me also go in peace.

READ ALSO: NNPP expels Kano federal lawmaker amidst defection rumour

On the issue of non-payment of my dues, I am appealing to the party that there is no need to go to court as I have never refused to pay my dues. I respectfully request the party to send me the invoice and I will promptly pay. I have always advocated for harmonious relationships in Kano and Nigeria, so I am appealing to NNPP to stay on the part of decorum without personal attacks or throwing abuses and insults as we part ways. For me, relationship will continue irrespective of party affiliation.

The partys position on political value is no news to me. The party does not believe any body has political value and come short in treating people with the respect they deserve at various levels. This case is a clear instance. I am grateful to the Almighty for what ever value I have, no matter how little and will be more than glad to invest it where it will be appreciated with dignity rather than a place where no matter what you bring on board, you are a nobody and you brought nothing!

While thanking the party for the support I enjoyed during our sojourn, I am proud of my contributions to the party and movement over the years. Whether it is acknowledged or not, I am happy enough with Allah SWT as witness.

I welcome all my supporters who wish to join me in my new journey. But for those who chose to remain in NNPP, I hold no grudges against them and I look forward to keeping a peaceful and harmonious relationship with them both at the local, state and national levels.

Finally, I will carefully weigh all the options before me as I decide on my next political home. SO HELP ME GOD.
The police in Bayelsa State, southern Nigeria, have paraded three out of four suspects linked to the assault of a teenager, Nancy Wilfred.

Nancy, who is from Imo State, resides in Ughelli, Delta State. She said she traveled to Bayelsa for her friends signing out ceremony at the Federal University Otuoke, where she was assaulted on 29 August.

In a Facebook video, the victim said she had stayed behind with her friend at Edepie School Road in Yenagoa. According to her, a little quarrel between her and her friend led to her assault.

My friend ganged up with the three other girls, they called me that I should come and pick up my clothes from the drycleaner and that the clothes are ready. Getting to the place, they locked the door and started questioning me.

Nancy said the four girls first took away her phone and began to hit her with a hard object.

The viral video of the assault was posted on X a few days ago. It showed the girls slapping and punching the victim. They later stripped her and used a sharp object to cut her hair braids.

Nigerians have expressed outrage over the assault, after the victim filed a petition to the police.

The parade

During the Thursday parade at the police headquarters in Yenagoa, the state capital, the police identified the suspects as Kadi Daniel, Miracle, and Becky, all students of the Federal University, Otuoke in Bayelsa.

Kadi, one of the suspects, admitted her role in the assault. She attributed their actions to alcohol and expressed regret about the incident.

She lied against me, saying I used charms. When I confronted her and she didnt answer, I slapped her, and she pushed me back. That was how it all started, Kadi said.

She said the attack escalated beyond what she and her accomplices had planned.

The suspect disclosed that four people were initially involved in the incident, but one of them, identified as Favour, who allegedly instigated the attack, is on the run.

According to a report published by Vanguard, the police spokesperson in the state, Musa Mohammed, said investigations revealed that the suspects lured the victim to their apartment under pretences, attacked her, stripped her, and recorded the act before sharing it online.

The assault, according to police, was linked to allegations that Nancy accused one of the suspects of using charms, locally called Kayamata, to attract men.

Mr Mohammed, a deputy superintendent of police, assured that justice would be served and reaffirmed the polices commitment to arresting the remaining suspect.

The commissioner of police in Bayelsa, Francis Idu, confirmed that the arrested suspects would face charges including conspiracy, indecent assault, grievous harm, attempted kidnapping, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.

The police chief said the matter was being treated with utmost seriousness.
Kenneth Nnaji, a staff member of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU) in Anambra State has been accused of engaging in admission fraud in the institution.

NAU, popularly known as UNIZIK, is a federal university in Anambra State.

The universitys spokesperson, Louis Njelita, said in a statement on Saturday that Mr Nnaji was accused of collecting N400,000 from a prospective students mother.

He said Mr Nnaji works at the Personnel Unit (Statistics) of the Registry Department in the university.

Mr Njelita said the staff member collected the money on the basis that he would secure admission for the prospective student into the Faculty of Medicine of the university.

However, the deal was later renegotiated for admission into Nursing Science.

The woman, who made the payment, reported Kenneths actions to the acting vice-chancellor after he stopped picking her calls, he said.

The UNIZIK spokesperson said Mr Nnaji admitted his actions when confronted in the presence of top university officials, including Chief Safety Officer Ken Chukwurah and Chief Legal Officer Maurice Izunwa.

Mr Njelita said the vice-chancellor of the institution, Carol Arinze-Umobi, has reiterated the universitys policy on admission.

He quoted Mrs Arinze-Umob, a professor, as stressing that admission is free.

The matter has been referred to the appropriate disciplinary committee, and the university community awaits the outcome.

This decisive action is seen as welcome development, and it is hoped that it will serve as a deterrent to others who may be tempted to engage in similar acts of corruption, he said.

Not the first time

This is not the first fraud case in UNIZIK.

In 2023, the university suspended 14 staff members, including academic and non-academic workers, for alleged fraud.

At least five lecturers were indicted for various offences, including extortion of money from students who successfully completed their courses.

One lecturer was dismissed for using a student to extort other students.

Admission racketeering is among major fraud cases in many Nigerian higher institutions.

In November 2023, the Nigerian Senate began investigation into alleged admission racketeering in the countrys tertiary institutions.
A former senator from Ekiti State, Bode Ola, has appealed to governorship aspirants in the state, particularly Kayode Ojo, to shelve their ambitions to allow the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, to spend a second term in office.

Mr Ola, who represented Ekiti Central Senatorial District between 2009 and 2011, said Mr Oyebanjis administration has recorded significant achievements across all sectors and should be allowed to continue in the spirit of fairness and unity.

The former senator stated this in a statement issued on Saturday to declare his support for the governors re-election bid.

Engr. Kayode Ojo is a brilliant young man with many ideas. I hold him in very high regard. He is calm, calculated, and very industrious. When you listen to him, it is clear that he has good plans for Ekiti. However, I believe his time has not yet come. There is a time for everything, and this is why Jesus told His mother in John 2:4 that His hour had not yet come.

Presently, the mood of the state is that BAO has performed excellently, and everyone is looking forward to him completing his second term. To think otherwise is unrealistic. I have even told some of Kayode Ojos followers that they should stop deceiving themselves.

As a fair and reasonable leader, I have decided to support BAO because of his good works, and I join others who want him to continue and complete these great achievements, the former senator said.

Mr Oyebanji was elected governor on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022 and will complete his first term in October 2026.

So far, two aspirants have picked the partys nomination forms to challenge the governor for the partys ticket in 2026.

Abimbola Olawunmi, a female aspirant, purchased her nomination form at the APC National Secretariat in August. Mr Ojo, a businessman and former Pro-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, also obtained his form in August.

Mr Ojo said he was in the race to rescue Ekiti from what he described as the poor governance of Mr Oyebanji.

For her part, Mrs Olawunmi accused the governor of mismanaging the states resources despite receiving over N500 billion in federal allocation since 2023.

The APC primary election has been scheduled for 1 October, with the appeal window closing the following day.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed 20 June 2026 for the governorship election in line with the constitutional timeline.
CAESAREA, Israel, Sept. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Max Stock Limited (TASE: MAXO) (the "Company") announced that on September 4th, 2025, the Company's Deputy CEO and Head of Finance, Mr. Nir Dagan, informed the Company of his decision to resign from his role in the Company after nine years of service. He will continue to serve as Deputy CEO and Head of Finance until December 31, 2025.

The Company thanks him for his longstanding contribution and dedication over the years.

This is an English translation of segments of a Hebrew immediate report published on September 7, 2025 (Reference no: 2025-01-067223) (hereinafter: the "Hebrew Version"). This English version is only for convenience purposes. This is not an official translation and has no binding force. Whilst reasonable care and skill have been exercised in the preparation hereof, no translation can ever perfectly reflect the Hebrew Version. In the event of any discrepancy between the Hebrew Version and this translation, the Hebrew Version shall prevail.

About Max Stock

Max Stock is Israel's leading extreme value retailer, currently present in 64 locations throughout Israel. We offer a broad assortment of quality products for customers' everyday needs at affordable prices, helping customers "Dream Big, Pay Small". For more information, please visit https://ir.maxstock.co.il

Company Contacts:

Talia Sessler,

Chief Corporate Development and IR Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE Max Stock Limited
A Heartwarming Adolescent Anime Is Now Available

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The wait is finally over. The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity, the highly anticipated anime adaptation of Saka Mikami's acclaimed manga, is now streaming exclusively on Netflix in the United States, with episodes 1 and 2 live on the platform today! Animated by CloverWorks and produced by Aniplex, the series arrives with heartfelt storytelling, stunning visuals, and a devoted global fanbase eager to experience this tender high school romance.

Saka Mikami, KODANSHA / The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Production Committee

As the bottom-ranked all-boys school, Chidori, students are looked down upon by the prestigious all-girls Kikyo Academy next door. The curtains between the classrooms are always drawn, and the two schools remain worlds apart. That is, until Rintaro Tsugumi, a Chidori student with a frightening appearance that hides a kind heart, meets Kaoruko Waguri, a gentle Kikyo Academy student who treats him without prejudice. Their chance encounter sparks a story of two hearts, so near yet so far, weaving a radiant tale of youthful romance.

Insights from the Production Team

Uryu, the series's producer at Aniplex who is responsible for overseeing the adaptation from manga to anime, shared insights on the story, characters, and production process.

On the characters and why the story was adapted now:

"The characters are very straightforward, pure, and hardworking. Karouko especially has a strength you can see from the very first episode, and Rintaro slowly learns to voice his feelings as the story progresses. That change extends to his classmates and friends as well. In today's world, voicing your own feelings requires a lot of courage, and that's one of the reasons we wanted to move forward with this adaptation."

On meeting fans' expectations:

"The original work is very complete and carefully thought through, so we wanted to stay as true to it as possible. I've been an anime producer for over ten years, and this was one of the smoothest scriptwriting processes I've experienced. Everyone understood where the key emotional points were, and the staff worked hard to capture the details in the characters' expressions, movement, and color. I have previously worked with the director on "THE IDOLM@STER SideM" and character designer on "SK8 the Infinity" and feel we were fortunate to bring together this staff, whom I trust and are talented creators. Their attention to detail made this adaptation possible."

On collaborating with creator Saka Mikami:

"Mikami was deeply involved in the process, from reviewing every scenario and setting to visiting the studio many times during recording sessions," Uryu said. "Our team asked countless questions, and Mikami always responded with detailed insights. That collaboration shaped the adaptation and ensured the smallest nuances were carried through. Mikami's personality is felt throughout the production, even in moments where the anime might otherwise have taken a more open-ended approach."

On animating Kaoruko's most distinctive traits:

"Kaoruko has so many memorable scenes, but her hair was one of the biggest challenges in bringing her to life," Uryu noted. "When I first read the manga, I knew it would be difficult but also exciting. When the director shared the promotional video, I was amazed at the amount of movement in her hair, it showed how much CloverWorks invested in the animation. Even in the first episode, the way she brightens up and blushes leaves a strong impression, and the movement of her hair makes those moments even more unforgettable."

On the story's universal appeal:

Beyond anime fans, Uryu sees the story's appeal as universal, noting its resonance with classic tales of love and courage, and emphasizing that Rintaro and Kaoruko's story offers an entry point for both longtime anime fans and new viewers alike.

"It's almost like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet," Uryu said. "Of course, it's not as tragic, but that sense of two people separated by their worlds is central to the story. From the very beginning, we wanted to capture that feeling in the adaptation."

On delivering the anime to fans:

"CloverWorks did an incredible job producing this series, and I believe it's one of our best works to date. I watched both the sub and the dub, and they captured the characters perfectly. We know fans had to wait a little longer, but that time allowed us to make the series everything it needed to be. We're proud to finally deliver it to audiences."

Now streaming on Netflix U.S., The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity invites both longtime manga readers and first-time viewers into its world of heartfelt honesty and unforgettable romance.

STORY

 Beyond the curtain lies a world that has nothing to do with me  forever. 

At the bottom-ranked all-boys school Chidori, known as a gathering place for troublemakers, the students are looked down upon by the prestigious all-girls school Kikyo Academy next door. The curtains between the two schools' classrooms are always drawn, and not once have the students ever seen each other.

Rintaro Tsumugi, a Chidori student with a scary appearance that often drives people away, has gradually grown used to keeping his distance from others.

One day, while helping out at his family's cake shop, he encounters Kaoruko Waguri, a kind girl who treats him without prejudice.

"I've never once thought you were scary, Rintaro-kun."

Though puzzled at first, Rintaro soon finds comfort in the time he spends with Kaoruko. But there's one catchshe happens to be a student at Kikyo Academy.

A story of two hearts, so near yet so far, weaving a radiant tale of youthful romance.

STAFF

Original Work: "The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity" by Saka Mikami (Serialized in Magazine Pocket from Kodansha)

"The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity" by (Serialized in Magazine Pocket from Kodansha) Director: Miyuki Kuroki

Associate Director: Satoshi Yamaguchi

Series Composition: Rino Yamazaki

Series Director: Haruka Tsuzuki

Character Design and Chief Animation Supervisor: Kohei Tokuoka

Minor Character and Clothing Design: Manami Umeshita

Manami Umeshita Cake Design: Yasuho Tamura

Yasuho Tamura Prop Design: Yuko Yoshida

Art Director: Asuka Kouki

Art Setting : Yoshinori Shiozawa

Color Setting: Asuka Yokota

Director of Photography: Yukiko Nagase

CG Director: Keita Watanabe (Sublimation)

(Sublimation) Editing: Kazuhiro Nii

Music: Moeki Harada

Moeki Harada Sound Director: Takatoshi Hamano

Sound Production: Magic Capsule

Magic Capsule Production: CloverWorks

CAST:

Yoshinori Nakayama (JP) / Robbie Daymond (EN) as "Rintaro Tsumugi"

(JP) / (EN) as "Rintaro Tsumugi" Honoka Inoue (JP) / Bijou Middlebrooks (EN) as " Kaoruko Waguri "

(JP) / (EN) as " " Kikunosuke Toya (JP) / Aaron Yamawaki (EN) as " Shohei Usami "

(JP) / (EN) as " " Koki Uchiyama (JP) / Aaron Fors (EN) as "Saku Natsusawa"

(JP) / (EN) as "Saku Natsusawa" Hiiro Ishibashi (JP) / Skylar Silverlake (EN) as " Ayato Yorita "

(JP) / (EN) as " " Aya Yamane (JP) / Kelly Baskin (EN) as " Subaru Hoshina "

Music Credits:

OP: Title: Your Gaze, Crepuscular Lyricist : Tatsuya Kitani Composer : Tatsuya Kitani Arranger : Tatsuya Kitani Label : Echoes / Sony Music Labels





ED: Title: Harenohini Lyricist: Reira Ushio Composer: Reira Ushio Arranger: Kouhei Kamiguchi Label: Sony Music Labels



Rights Notation

Saka Mikami, KODANSHA / "The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity" Production Committee

Additional Assets

HERE

SOURCE Aniplex, Inc.
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
When I was a child, I watched a neighbor struggle after a stroke. He survived, but without rehabilitation he remained trapped in his disability, dependent on others for every task. That memory shaped my understanding of medicine: Survival alone is not enough. Patients deserve a chance to reclaim independence and dignity.

Years later, after completing medical training abroad, I came to the United States as an international medical graduate (IMG), determined to pursue residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). Like many IMGs, I was motivated by the belief that my perspective and experiences in underserved communities could enrich the U.S. health care system. I knew the road would be difficult, but I did not expect to encounter overt exclusion.

In April 2025, I began an observership at a university medical centers department of physical medicine and rehabilitation. My supervising physicians gave me positive feedback and even agreed to provide recommendation letters, critical for my residency application. For weeks, I shadowed diligently, studied cases, and tried to absorb every lesson.

But one afternoon, a senior physician pulled me aside. His words were blunt: You have no chance here. We do not take IMGs. We already have enough American graduates, and this program has not accepted an IMG in over twenty years.

I was stunned. This was not a critique of my performance, but a categorical rejection of who I was and where I trained. Despite his warning, I continued my observership, believing that my work ethic and the support of my other mentors would carry me forward.

What followed was a series of retaliatory actions that left me shaken. I was abruptly banned from clinics without explanation. Staff who had once spoken warmly to me suddenly avoided eye contact. I was threatened with police and even immigration enforcement if I persisted in seeking access to my mentors. Most painful of all, the recommendation letters I had been promised were withheld, cutting off my ability to apply for residency this year.

In that moment, the message was clear: my identity as an IMG, not my abilities as a physician, determined my fate.

The consequences are devastating. Without those letters, my application to residency is incomplete. I must now wait another year, losing time, income, and momentum in my career. More importantly, the patients I hope to serve will wait longer for the care I could provide.

This experience is not just about me. It exposes a structural inequity that has persisted in medical education for decades. IMGs make up nearly twenty-five percent of the U.S. physician workforce. Many practice in underserved communities, rural areas, and specialties facing shortages. They are bilingual, culturally competent, and often willing to serve where others will not. Yet behind the closed doors of selection committees, categorical exclusion of IMGs remains an open secret.

In a state with immense diversity and pressing health care needs, shutting out qualified IMGs is not only unfair; it is harmful. Patients lose when talented physicians are blocked from contributing. Communities lose when cultural and linguistic diversity is stripped from the physician workforce. The profession loses when equity is sacrificed for gatekeeping.

The irony is bitter. In PM&R, the very field dedicated to restoring function and dignity, I witnessed the opposite: exclusion and silence. My patients in underserved communities taught me that survival without independence is not true healing. My experience as an IMG now teaches me that opportunity without fairness is not true equity.

I continue to believe in the vision of rehabilitation medicine: helping patients move from limitation to possibility. That belief will not be shaken by this experience. But I also believe we must shine a light on institutional practices that quietly exclude IMGs and deny them a fair chance to contribute.

I share my story not as a complaint, but as a call for transparency and accountability. Residency programs should evaluate applicants on merit, not birthplace. Institutions should honor their promises to trainees, not wield bureaucracy as a weapon. And as a profession, we must ask ourselves: if we truly value diversity, equity, and inclusion, why do we still tolerate systemic barriers against IMGs?

ADVERTISEMENT

Survival alone is not enough, for patients, or for physicians like me. We deserve the chance not just to survive, but to thrive, to contribute, and to restore dignity, not only in our patients, but within our profession itself.

Fereshteh Kagar Bafrani is a physician.
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Physician Daryna Bahriy discusses her article How Ukrainian doctors kept diabetes care alive during the war, sharing how medical teams in western Ukraine adapted to protect vulnerable patients amid the chaos of conflict. Daryna explains how disrupted supply chains threatened insulin access, how doctors rapidly coordinated resource redistribution, and how patient education initiatives provided life-saving guidance in bomb shelters. She reflects on the importance of leadership, foresight, and humanity in medicine during crisis. Listeners will learn how health systems can prepare for instability, support chronic disease patients under extraordinary conditions, and draw strength from resilience and solidarity.

Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot.

Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click.

Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, its backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertiseand its built on a foundation of trust.

Its time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow.

VISIT SPONSOR  https://aka.ms/kevinmd

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST  https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast

RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD  https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome Daryna Bahriy. She is an internal medicine physician from Ukraine. And todays KevinMD article is How Ukrainian doctors kept diabetes care alive during the war. Daryna, welcome to the show.

Daryna Bahriy: Hello. Thank you.

Kevin Pho: All right, so why do we not start by briefly sharing your story and journey and then talking about why you decided to share this article on KevinMD?

ADVERTISEMENT

Daryna Bahriy: Thank you. I am originally from Ukraine, where I trained and worked as a physician. I focus on internal medicine, especially on chronic diseases; I mostly work with diabetes. Medicine has always been not just about a career for me; it is about a calling. I worked in a regional clinic where I treated patients, where I educated them, and I organized some training so they could improve their life with this chronic condition.

Also, my passion was evidence-based medicine and preventive medicine, public health. That is what I worked on before the war. But on February 2022, everything changed. One day I was reviewing lab results, speaking with patients, and scheduling training. The next day, I was trying to figure out how to keep patients with diabetes alive during massive disruption, during air raids that shook our city. I now am living in the United States, and I continue to reflect on those experiences, and I would like to share.

Kevin Pho: All right, so why do we not go ahead and do that? You talk about that in your KevinMD article. Talk to us about what it was like during that time in Ukraine during the war and how it affected you as a physician. Tell us about your article.

Daryna Bahriy: Yes. So, thank you for the question. The days before the war felt like the calm before the storm. Everyone was talking about the possibility of war, but no one really believed it would happen until it suddenly did. I remember that morning. I believe everyone remembers that morning when we figured out, even that night, that it had happened.

We had a lot more patients at that time because people were fleeing from the most dangerous part of Ukraine to our region. I live in Western Ukraine, and it was as peaceful as it is possible to be peaceful in a war. So people were arriving, and insulin warehouses were destroyed. Usual distribution and medical chains had collapsed. We did not have enough medication; we did not have enough insulin. And people were panicking.

In those first days, medical teams across our region were trying to locate available stocks of insulin and other medication and build chains to relocate it to another clinic, to another city, to shelters, to relocate it where it needed to be. Humanitarian organizations gave us huge help, but coordination on the ground happened in real time, often under air raids. It was how it was.

We were also trying to teach patients to be peaceful, what to do in a situation when they were stuck in a bomb shelter, when there was not enough food, water, or medication. So they knew how to use insulin in this situation, how to keep calm, how to monitor symptoms, and what to do. If it became peaceful enough, they could go to a clinic and find insulin and find medication as soon as possible.

Writing this piece for KevinMD, it was both emotional and healing for me. I never thought that I was going to have this experience in my life, but it shaped me into who I am today, and I am really grateful to have this possibility to share my story with you and your audience.

Kevin Pho: So tell us what it is like for patients to, like you said, sometimes have to receive insulin in the setting of air raids or in the setting of being in a bomb shelter. You said as a physician that you had to give them advice in terms of how to manage their diabetes in that war setting. So what kind of advice did you share with them?

Daryna Bahriy: So first of all, it is to be calm. Panicking is not OK in any situation, and also, panicking increases the glucose level in the blood. We all know it. Also, we spoke about how to use insulin. If you do not have enough insulin and you do not know how much time you are going to spend in a bomb shelter, you need to use it carefully, a little bit. As long as you can keep your glucose level not in the normal range but in a not-critical range, you can keep going for a long time, but not in a perfect situation. Also with food, if you have no food, try to use a long-acting insulin a little bit, not fast-acting with no food. Also, drink water. If you have water, drink it in small sips so you can stay hydrated as long as possible.

Also, when it becomes safe, go to the nearest clinic to visit a doctor. A lot of patients came and they had been using one type of insulin all their lives. Right now, we did not have this insulin; we needed to use another insulin. And patients were panicking, and the whole situation was totally terrifying. No one wants to change insulin in one day because people had used it for ten years and it was safe.

We tried to keep them calm, explain how the action is similar, that it is OK for you to use right now. You can come back when it is going to be peaceful. We will find more. Humanitarian organizations are going to help us; they are going to send us insulin. To be honest, at the end when it became peaceful, a lot of people started receiving better insulin. We changed something. So people who used NPH insulin twice a day started to use better insulins, and they were even thankful for that experience, that they took this step forward to change something in their life and in their treatment.

Kevin Pho: Tell us what was going through your mind as you as a physician were treating patients in a war setting, knowing that your own life was at risk during that time. What were you thinking as you were seeing patients in the clinic? What was going through your mind?

Daryna Bahriy: I was thinking about my daughter, to be honest. Because I went to work and left her at daycare. It was an all-day air raid, and she spent a lot of time in a basement. This basement was never meant to be a basement for kids; it was a technical room.

Kevin Pho: And what continued to motivate you to go in and see patients in a clinic instead of spending time with your family and daughter during that time?

Daryna Bahriy: I understand I have no way to stay in a basement. I need to work. I need to help. It was heartbreaking that she stayed, but I did think that it was safer for her to stay there than to stay at home with me because at home we did not have a basement. It was not like a basement in the United States. It was a technical room. There were some supplies. It was never meant for people to live there or spend their time. So I understood that she needed to stay there for her safety. She did not understand the whole situation. She was just three years old. Her teacher gave us updates on what they were doing and how they were doing.

And I was still working because I understood the situation. I understood the patients. I understood that I needed to be here. I am necessary here. I am useful here. A lot of my coworkers that morning just left our city and went to the most dangerous part of Ukraine to give help, like surgeons and traumatologists. People, my coworkers, who I spoke with every day, they just left that day and went to that part to give help. That was the most necessary first help for the injuries of soldiers and people. So I understood that for them, it is the most stressful. For me, to stay here and work, there are air raids, but we are still working, we are treating, we are doing what we need to do in our place. Everyone was doing the same. My sister is a pharmacist, and she also was working all day. Her kids were at school, at daycare. So we all do what we do. And I understand that leadership is not from the top; leadership is local. From local doctors, nurses, volunteers. You just need to act to save lives, to be in your place.

Kevin Pho: So tell us about the health care workers who were among the casualties of the war. How many of your colleagues do you know personally that you have lost?

Daryna Bahriy: From our clinic, thank God, we did not lose any person. But my friend from childhood, we played together, we studied at different universities but were always in touch. He died on the first day of the war because he was a surgeon and he went to the most dangerous part to give help, and he died from air raids, from a drone. The whole team that was on the way to this place where they needed to be located, the whole team died in one moment.

Kevin Pho: So tell us what the situation is now. What is it like now in Ukraine for health care workers? The war has been going on for several years now. What kind of stories are you hearing from back home in Ukraine?

Daryna Bahriy: Right now, it is as normal as it can be normal during the war because there are still air raids. At the hospital I worked at, a small clinic in a small town, we do not have a basement. We do not have the possibility and staff to move everyone during air raids to a safe place. A basement is just impossible. So people stay, people stay working, still helping patients. Nothing changed.

But when you have a breakout, when we had in the winter before last year, we had a lot of time when we did not have enough electricity. And it was stressful because when you are going through an operation or through another medical procedure, it is just life or death to have electricity. It was stressful, but we are adaptive people. We just have some stuff to keep working. We have generators to keep having electricity, backup plans. Right now we are trying to handle it, but at first, it was hard. I wish we had prepared before. I wish we had backup plans before. I wish we had emergency delivery routes. I wish we had some stockpile of medicine. But right now, we are doing OK, as much as you can say OK in this situation. Because the situation is totally not OK, but people are working in their places and trying to do their best.

I know a lot of people who left Ukraine, and I am as well. I was working for one year during the war. Then I decided that for the safety of my family, for my daughter, we needed to leave because there were days where my daughter spent the whole day in a basement. It was heartbreaking. So we decided that we needed to leave. We came to the United States, and we are very grateful for this possibility to be here. I was working online with my patients, consulting. Right now, I am starting to prepare for the USMLE to become a doctor here in the United States.

Kevin Pho: You said that this whole experience about practicing in a war setting in Ukraine changed you as a physician. How did it change you?

Daryna Bahriy: You know, before, I do not know how it changed me, not just as a physician but also as a person. I will never be the same as before, for good or for bad. I do not know. I just became more peaceful. I have less great joy in life, but I am enjoying small peace in life right now. Before, I had dreams to become someone, I do not know, to be someone on the top. But right now, I understand that I do not need it. I do not need to be on top to change something, to matter. You just need to be in the place where you are, and it is the best you can do. It is very important. You do not need big stuff in your life to be happy. You do not need big supplies and everything at work, which I really wished for because we had a really regular hospital. We did not have a lot of stuff that I wished we had. Right now, I understand it is all not as important as it was for me at that time.

Kevin Pho: What is the message that you want listeners and readers of your article to remember? As we mentioned before, the war has been going on for years now. Sometimes that means it gets pushed back in the news cycle. Now, for those people who are listening to you now, what is the message that you want them to hear?

Daryna Bahriy: I want to say that adaptability saves lives. Protocols are important. They are very important, but flexibility is critical when everything changes. Leadership is local. You do not need a big title to change something. You just need to act. Communication matters, even from time to time, more than medication. You need to be in your place to support your patient, not just by medication, but by your humanity, your words.

And take care of caregivers. Doctors and nurses under stress also need support, or the whole system can collapse. And advice as a human: be grateful for your life right now. Enjoy your life. Feel everything that you have right now. Do not wait until some time to do something. Just live your life now.

Kevin Pho: Tell us the emotion that you are feeling for having to leave Ukraine under these circumstances. You were a physician in Ukraine, and you mentioned now you are in the United States studying for your USMLE in hopes of being a physician in the United States. Tell me the emotion that you are feeling about being forced to leave your home country.

Daryna Bahriy: To be honest, I feel guilty that I left. I feel guilty because I know that I could still be working, still helping in that place where I was. But our life is not only work; it is also family, and you need to balance between all this stuff. So the main emotion is guilt, and I am working on it. But I hope that I can improve my skills here. I will become a doctor here, and I am still going to help in Ukraine. I am going to work tirelessly with my colleagues, with the hospital where I used to work, to help them improve some stuff they have right now.

Kevin Pho: We are talking to Daryna Bahriy. She is an internal medicine physician from Ukraine. Her KevinMD article is How Ukrainian doctors kept diabetes care alive during the war. I am going to end with asking you just some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience.

Daryna Bahriy: Medicine is not just about treatment. Medicine is about leadership, foresight, and communication. It does not matter where you work, in a war zone or in a peaceful clinic, remember your leadership and your humanity are as much important as your prescription.

Kevin Pho: Well, thank you so much for sharing your story and perspective, and thanks again for coming on the show.

Daryna Bahriy: Thank you. Thank you so much for asking me. It was really nice to speak with you, and it was really healing for me to share this experience. Thank you so much, Kevin.

Kevin Pho: Thank you so much for sharing.
Disney/Bahareh Ritter

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/07/2025



ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

couple Jeremy Simon and Bailey Taylor Brown have announced that they're taking their relationship to the next level.Jeremy and Bailey endured a lot of ups and downs during their time on 's tenth season, but when they got voted out by their peers prior to the finale , they left as a strong couple.In a finale update, ABC revealed on September 2, "Jeremy and Bailey have met each other's families. They're making plans to call the same city home later this year. [ Susie Evans ] who?"Jeremy -- who lives in New York, and Bailey, who currently resides in Atlanta, GA -- opened up about what happened after the show during Part 1 of the cast reunion."We definitely restarted our relationship. I think we were really happy with the foundation and things that we really got to know about each other in Paradise," Bailey shared with host Wells Adams during the September 4 episode of the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast."I feel like we've honestly spent so much time with each other this summer, just traveling back and forth. And we went to Portugal; he met my mom and my sister over there. We traveled around a little bit."But Bailey shared how she's actually "been in New York for the majority" of the summer."I think a lot of people that posted spoilers can attest to that," Bailey quipped."So that's been fun. We've been trying to do the disguise thing, but you can only wear a wig so much before your wig gives out. So I just feel like we've really loved being with each other every day."Bailey went on to tease how she and Jeremy "definitely have some exciting plans" in store."For later this year," Bailey began."She's moving in with me," Jeremy revealed."Yeah!" Bailey confirmed.Bailey gushed about how she and Jeremy "are in a really good place" and are "really happy with each other" post-show."We've been meeting family, and I think that's all you can really ask for. [We've] met friends. He's met all of my best friends," Bailey continued."And I'm meeting his best friends, so yeah, we're really happy."Jeremy paired up with Bailey for the first few days of 's tenth season.But then Jeremy enjoyed a great date with Susie and seemed torn between the two women.After making a difficult decision, Jeremy ended up giving Bailey his rose at the subsequent Rose Ceremony, resulting in Susie's early and unexpected elimination.Once Susie was gone, Jeremy thought he and Bailey were all in, but then Bailey accepted a date with Andrew Spencer Bailey's decision made Jeremy spiral and question everything, and so he called Susie on the phone and begged her to return to Paradise so they could give their romance another shot.Susie, clearly feeling emotionally depleted after her reunion with ex-boyfriend Justin Glaze on the show, declined Jeremy's offer Since Bailey ran back into Jeremy's arms after her date with Andrew, Jeremy seemed to focus his attention on Bailey and resume dating her.However, Jeremy continued to miss Susie and mention her frequently to his friends, according to footage. At one point, he said he regretted giving Bailey his rose.Jeremy was even shown joking to Brian Autz that he'd propose marriage to Susie on the spot if she returned to Paradise.Jeremy never told Bailey about the phone call or his lingering feelings for Susie, and so Brian took it upon himself to spill the beans once the show introduced a competitive element.Bailey was devastated and nearly quit Paradise, especially because neither Jeremy or a single one of her girlfriends had told her about her man's once-strong feelings for Susie.But Jeremy begged Bailey to stay and insisted that he truly cared for her and only had eyes for her at that point.Jeremy and Bailey continued to grow their connection and were eventually voted out of , missing out on a shot to win up to $500,000.However, the pair decided to become boyfriend and girlfriend, officially, before leaving Costa Rica.The pair has since faced backlash from Bachelor Nation.Jeremy has been slammed for lying by omission to Bailey, and Bailey has received criticism for choosing to stay with a man who pretty clearly preferred another woman, at least for a short period of time."I've made some stupid mistakes that me and her have obviously talked about a million times before the show -- before it aired and while it aired," Jeremy admitted during the reunion."I wish I could take some of them back... I acted like a child."Jeremy concluded, "At the end of the day, we have pretty thick skin and we know what we have... We just try not to let people get to us."Interested in more The Bachelor news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
Introduction

When I first arrived in North Carolina several years ago, I thought happiness would come easily. I had completed my medical education in Nepal, was ready to serve as a physician in the U.S. health care system, and carried the excitement of new beginnings. But I learned that happiness is not automaticespecially for physicians navigating American health care while maintaining their sense of purpose.

The transition from practicing medicine in Nepal to establishing myself here was both challenging and transformative. Back home, I could speak my patients language of pain and understood their cultural context. Here, I had to rebuild not just my medical practice, but my entire approach to patient care and professional fulfillment.

As physicians, we often focus intensely on our patients well-being while neglecting our own. Today, as I run my rheumatology practice, Ive discovered that sustainable happiness rests on four interconnected pillars I want to share with fellow physicians seeking balance and meaning.

Faith: Finding purpose beyond the prescription pad

Faithwhether spiritual, philosophical, or simply a deep sense of purposehas been my anchor throughout my medical career. Growing up in Nepal, Eastern teachings shaped my understanding of service. The concept of dharma from the Bhagavad Gita became particularly relevant: performing righteous action without attachment to results.

This philosophy transformed how I approach patient care. Instead of being driven primarily by financial outcomes or professional recognition, I focus on serving each patient with complete dedication. When I see a young mother who can no longer hold her baby due to rheumatoid arthritis, Im not just treating inflammationIm participating in something larger than myself.

The practice of mindfulness has become essential to my daily routine. Before seeing patients, I center myself, remembering that each person deserves my full attention and compassion. This transforms clinical work from routine medical care to meaningful service.

In those early, often daunting days of building my practicenavigating insurance complexities, staff shortages, and financial uncertaintyI continually returned to that deeper sense of purpose. Ancient teachings about maintaining composure through both triumph and setback guided my approach to entrepreneurship, helping me face each challenge with resilience. The administrative workstrategic planning, compliance, and financial oversightbecame an extension of my service, a necessary stewardship to ensure my practice remained a sustainable force for healing.

Family: Redefining work-life integration

As physicians, we often struggle with work-life balance. The reality is that medicine is demanding, and traditional balance may be unrealistic. Instead, Ive learned to focus on work-life integrationaligning my professional calling with family values.

As a father of two and husband to a woman pursuing her own health care mission, Ive discovered that family support is crucial for sustainable medical practice. My wife dreams of serving the Indo-Nepalese community by supporting new mothers. Watching her passion taught me that successful families in medicine often involve both partners pursuing meaningful work while supporting each others missions.

Running a medical practice while raising young children has taught me that family extends beyond blood relatives. My patients have become extended familyespecially elderly patients who remind me why I chose medicine. My clinic staff has become family too, as we work together with shared values and purpose. Family means any circle of belonging that reminds you that your work has meaning beyond yourself and that youre not alone in medical practice challenges.

Meaningful work: From employment to entrepreneurship

ADVERTISEMENT

The transition from employed physician to running my own practiceEmpowered Arthritis and Rheumatology Center PLLCforced me to reconnect with medicines deeper purpose beyond productivity metrics and RVU targets. This reminded me why I chose rheumatology: the opportunity to dramatically improve patients quality of life through comprehensive, compassionate care.

Starting my own practice allowed me to implement a patient-centered philosophy more fully. I could take adequate time with patients, listen to their complete stories, and address not just physical symptoms but their fears and hopes. The business aspects became acts of stewardship, ensuring this vehicle for healing remains sustainable.

Ive found deep meaning in mentoring young physicians, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, sharing strategies for maintaining cultural identity while excelling in American health care. Teaching them to honor their values while providing excellent patient care has become another form of service. Meaningful work in medicine isnt just about clinical excellenceits about creating systems and relationships that allow you to practice medicine as you envisioned when you first chose this profession.

Friends: The colleagues who sustain us

Building meaningful connections with colleaguesboth within and outside our specialtyis crucial for personal well-being and professional growth. The early days of establishing my practice were isolating. Long clinic hours, family time, and business management demands left little energy for professional networking. I realized I was becoming clinically successful but professionally lonely.

Now, Im intentionally building a community of physician colleagues who understand our unique challenges. Through medical societies and local physician groups, Ive found practitioners who share similar values about patient care and professional integrity. Professional friendship requires the same intentionality as building a medical practice. You must show up consistently, offer support without expecting immediate returns, and create space for vulnerability. These relationships have become my informal board of advisors and accountability partners.

Integration: The synergy of all four pillars

These four pillarsfaith, family, meaningful work, and friendsare interconnected foundations that strengthen each other. When grounded in purpose, I show up more patiently for family and patients. When fulfilled in work, I have more energy for colleagues and community. When professional relationships support me, I better serve others and guide my family.

Im not perfect at balancing all four pillars. There have been seasons when practice demands dominated everything, when family felt neglected, when I drifted from purpose, or when professional relationships grew quiet. But Ive learned to recognize these imbalances and gently work to restore equilibrium.

A call to reflection

As physicians, we dedicate our lives to healing others but often neglect our own well-being. High rates of physician burnout remind us that clinical excellence alone isnt enough for a fulfilling career.

My journey from Nepal to running a successful rheumatology practice has taught me that true professional satisfaction comes from nurturing the foundations that sustain us as whole human beings:

Faith that grounds us and gives meaning to our service

Family that supports us and shares our mission

Meaningful work that fulfills us and serves our community

Friends that walk beside us and help us grow

Which pillar needs more of your attention today?

Whether youre a resident starting your career, a mid-career physician feeling burned out, or a senior doctor considering retirement, these pillars can guide you toward more fulfilling and sustainable medical practice. Our patients need us to be not just clinically excellent, but personally fulfilled and professionally sustained.

Ananta Subedi is a rheumatologist.
Three suspicious containers were found washed ashore in the coastal areas of Palghar district in Maharashtra on Sunday, a civic official said.

Image used for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

Authorities are treating the sightings as a serious security and environmental matter, putting coastal villages on alert and intensifying patrolling on beaches.

Two of the containers were discovered on Satpati beach, while one was found on Shirgaon beach, sparking a swift response from security and disaster management agencies.

Upon receiving the alert, the Indian Coast Guard and Palghar Police rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to prevent public access.

"We received information about three unidentified containers being washed up on the Palghar coast. Two were found near Satpati beach and one on Shirgaon beach," said Vivekanand Kadam, Chief of the Disaster Management Cell of Palghar.

Efforts to inspect the containers have been complicated by tidal conditions. The rising sea made it difficult for authorities to reach the exact locations of the containers, which remained partially submerged.

"Due to high tide, it is currently difficult to access and examine the containers. We are coordinating with the Coast Guard to ensure a safe and controlled recovery operation," Kadam added.

Local authorities suspect that the containers may have washed up from a shipwreck or vessel that may have encountered distress in deep seawaters.

However, no official confirmation has been made regarding their origin or contents.

Several curious people thronged the beaches before the police imposed restrictions.

"We are urging citizens to stay away from the area until the containers are fully secured and examined. At this point, we cannot speculate about the contents, but public safety is our top priority," said Kadam.

He further stated that bomb disposal and hazardous materials teams would be kept on standby until the containers are inspected and cleared by experts.

This isn't the first time such an incident has occurred along the Palghar coastline. Earlier this year, a container had washed up on Vasai beach, raising concerns about maritime safety and coastal security.

"We are not ruling out any possibilities at this stage," Kadam said, adding that the investigations will look into whether these containers were part of cargo lost from ships during rough seas or due to illegal dumping.

The Palghar Police, along with Coast Guard authorities, have launched a joint investigation. Maritime authorities are also being roped in to trace the possible origin of the containers through shipping logs and coastal surveillance data.

"We are treating this as a serious security and environmental matter. All necessary agencies are working together to assess and resolve the situation," Kadam said.

As a precaution, the district disaster management team has placed coastal villages on alert, and beach patrolling has been intensified in the area.
A fresh custodial torture incident has come to light after CCTV footage showing a Peechi police station officer assaulting restaurant employees in May 2023 surfaced on Sunday in this central Kerala district.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The footage was released by Thrissur-based businessmsn K P Ouseph, the managing director of Laly's Group, whose employees were allegedly assaulted inside Peechi police station on May 24, 2023.

According to Ouseph, the incident began after a verbal duel between Dhineesh of Palakkad and some of his restaurant staff at Pattikad. Dhineesh later approached Peechi police, claiming that he was assaulted by the hotel employees.

"Soon, my hotel manager, Ronny Johny, and driver, Libin Philip, were called to the police station. There, Sub Inspector P M Ratheesh assaulted both of them. When my son Paul Joseph reached the station, he was locked up," Ouseph alleged while talking to reporters here on Sunday.

He further claimed that when he reached the police station, the sub-inspector threatened to shut down his business.

"The officer also threatened to register a case of attempt to murder and under the POCSO Act, since Dhineesh's son was also present at the restaurant. Civil Police Officer Mahesh and Sub Inspector Jayesh were also behind the custodial torture," he alleged.

Ouseph said Ratheesh insisted on a settlement with Dhineesh.

"When I met Dhineesh, he demanded Rs five lakh. I went home with Dhineesh in his car and paid him the amount. Dhineesh told him that Rs three lakh would go to the police officials, while he would keep Rs two lakh," he said.

Later, Dhineesh returned to the police station and withdrew his complaint.

"The next day, we approached the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ollur, who directed us to Thrissur City Police Commissioner Ankit Ashokan. Ashokan accepted a written complaint from me," Ouseph said.

Subsequently, Dhineesh was arrested but soon secured bail as the money could not be recovered, the businessman said.

Ouseph alleged that no action was taken against the accused officers even after his complaint.

"One month after the incident, the sub-inspector was promoted as Circle Inspector and posted at Cheruthuruthy police station. He is currently serving at Kadavanthra station in Kochi," he said.

As part of his legal fight, Ouseph filed an RTI application seeking CCTV footage of Peechi police station.

"My application to the Thrissur city police commissioner was forwarded to Peechi station and rejected, citing 'women protection' reasons. An appeal to ACP Ollur was also rejected, citing 'Maoist reasons'," he said.

He then filed an appeal to the Kerala State Right to Information Commission, which, after several hearings, ordered police to hand over the CCTV footage in August 2024.

Ouseph said that the Thrissur Range DIG recently contacted him and informed him that an internal inquiry against the officers was underway. "He told me that the file is currently with the South Zone IG's office and assured me of all support," he added.

The businessmen also said he had approached the Kerala State Human Rights Commission, but despite several hearings, no action was initiated. He further alleged that after he filed complaints, Ratheesh repeatedly approached him seeking a withdrawal.

"But I refused. Such a police officer should not continue in service. We want such officials to be dismissed," Ouseph added.

Recently, four policemen who served at Kunnamkulam police station in Thrissur were suspended for assaulting Youth Congress leader VS Sujith in 2023.

The action was taken after Sujith recently obtained CCTV camera footage of the police station under RTI Act after two years long legal battle.
The Metropolitan police on Sunday condemned the 'intolerable' abuse suffered by officers who were 'kicked and spat on' as they made over 890 arrests at a protest in London against the banning of Palestine Action as a terror group.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

Hundreds gathered at Parliament Square over the course of the weekend to oppose the group's proscription by the UK government, holding placards such as 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' in protest over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The police had, in August, arrested a large number of people during a similar protest defying the ban on the same organisation.

A total of 857 individuals were arrested in Parliament Square in London under the UK Terrorism Act 2000 over alleged offences, the Met Police said. Other arrests were made for other offences, including on suspicion of assaulting officers.

"In carrying out their duties, our officers have been punched, kicked, spat on and had objects thrown at them by protesters," said Met police deputy assistant commissioner Claire Smart, who led the policing operation.

"It is intolerable that those whose job it is to enforce the law and keep people safe -- in this case arresting individuals committing offences under the Terrorism Act -- should be subject to this level of abuse."

"The tactics deployed by supporters of Palestine Action in their attempt to overwhelm the justice system, as well as the level of violence seen in the crowd, required significant resources which took officers out of neighbourhoods to the detriment of the Londoners who rely on them," she said.

On Saturday, the Met Police said it had deployed more than 2,500 officers to manage protests across the UK capital. The majority of protests, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, passed with very few arrests.

However, the protest organised by the Defend Our Juries organisation in support of the proscribed terrorist organisation Palestine Action saw the most arrests.

"Throughout the demonstration, there was a coordinated effort to prevent officers from carrying out their duties which escalated to violence where officers were punched, kicked, spat on and had objects thrown at them," the Met Police said.

"More than 25 individuals have been arrested for assaults on police officers and other public order offences. Attacks on officers will not be tolerated and those responsible will be pursued to the full extent of the law," the Met police added.

Former home secretary Yvette Cooper had banned Palestine Action under the UK's Terrorism Act in July, making membership of or support of the group a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries claimed their rally had been 'the picture of peaceful protest' and that the Met Police's statement about its officers being abused was an 'astonishing claim.'

It has called on the new Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood -- appointed in a reshuffle two days ago as Cooper moved to the Foreign Office, to lift the ban.

Elsewhere in the UK, Police Scotland made two arrests at a demonstration in Edinburgh, where dozens of people held signs showing support for Palestine Action.

Earlier on August 9 and 10 weekend, the Metropolitan Police arrested over 500 people during what was the UK's largest protests in support of Palestine Action.

While 522 of those arrested during the demonstration in London were detained under the UK's Terrorism Act for showing support for a proscribed group, others were held for other offences, including assaulting police officers.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who took office last October, announced his resignation on Sunday as president of the Liberal Democratic Party, just weeks after its ruling coalition suffered a historic defeat in a July election.

IMAGE: File image of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru. Photograph: ANI Photo/Reuters

Ishiba announced the news on X and wrote, "Today, I have decided to resign from the position of President of the Liberal Democratic Party."

Earlier, while adressing the news conference, he said he will not run in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party's upcoming special leadership contest.

It's also believed he made the decision to try to contain the confusion within his ruling party, according to NHK World.

Ishiba said a deal on US tariff measures has now been reached, citing this as a reason for his resignation.

He said he had told LDP Secretary-General Moriyama Hiroshi to carry out procedures for the presidential election based on the party's rules.

Ishiba said he hopes the party will begin the process of choosing a new president.

The Japanese PM vowed to tackle inflation and reform the party, but faced mounting pressure from right-wing factions within the LDP, as per NHK World.

The LDP has been involved in a series of political fundraising scandals.

Shortly after he took power, the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in a Lower House election. The ruling coalition also fell short of a majority in an Upper House election in July.

Amid growing calls for Ishiba to take responsibility for the election result, the LDP had been expected to decide on Monday whether to hold a special leadership contest.

According to NHK World, Ishiba met former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and Agriculture Minister Koizumi Shinjiro at his office on Saturday.

According to sources, Suga and Koizumi told Ishiba that party unity is more important than anything else and suggested he step down before Diet members submit documents on a special leadership election.
The Maharashtra government is planning to give its resolutions and orders a corporate-style makeover, replacing the dry black-and-white legal text with attractive presentations that may include bullet points, flowcharts, graphs, and colour layouts.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addresses a press conference, in Mumbai, as state deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde look on. Photograph: ANI Photo

According to senior officials, several rounds of meetings were held on administrative reforms, and redesigning government resolutions (GRs) is part of this modernisation exercise.

"A GR is a legal document, but it is not meant only for interdepartmental decisions. Citizens also frequently access these documents, and many of them are shared on social media. We have observed that the present appearance is blunt, and the language is too legalistic, making it difficult for people to understand quickly," an official told PTI.

The government aims to ensure that people understand the background and intent of each decision easily.

Traditionally, GRs begin with a detailed preface of the decision-making process, but he said that the text-heavy style often creates confusion or misinterpretation.

"Some GRs issued in the last few months have already experimented with diagrams and flowcharts, along with information presented in the form of points. We are now seriously considering formalising such formats," the official said.

The move comes against the backdrop of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' push for efficiency in governance. From January this year, the state has launched its ambitious 100-day task programme and initiated a review of every department's performance, signalling a shift towards measurable and people-friendly governance.

The redesign of GRs is being seen as a complementary step in the same direction.

Officials further pointed out that the speed at which information spreads on social media has also changed the dynamics.

"Earlier, people found out about government decisions only through newspapers the next day. But now, once a GR is uploaded on the official website, it goes viral within hours, especially if it concerns the public. However, when the language is complex and the presentation dull, it creates confusion, which can sometimes cause unnecessary chaos," the official said.

To avoid misinterpretation, the government is exploring ways to make GRs not only clearer in language but also visually appealing.

The use of colour and better formatting is under consideration to make the documents more accessible.

If implemented, Maharashtra could become one of the first states to adopt a corporate-style presentation for its official resolutions, a step that will combine governance with design to better connect with citizens.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday conveyed to French President Emmanuel Macron New Delhi's support for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict even as the two leaders "positively" assessed the India-France strategic ties.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with French President Emmanuel Macron . Photograph: ANI Photo

Following a phone conversation with Macron, Modi said the strategic partnership between New Delhi and Paris will continue to play a key role in fostering global peace and stability.

The two leaders deliberated on ongoing efforts to bring an early end to the Ukraine conflict with the prime minister reiterating India's call for early restoration of peace and stability in the region.

Macron was among the European leaders present during US President Donald Trump's talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in White House last month.

"Had a very good conversation with President Macron. We reviewed and positively assessed the progress in bilateral cooperation in various areas," Modi said on social media.

"Exchanged views on international and regional issues, including efforts for bringing an early end to the conflict in Ukraine. The India-France Strategic Partnership will continue to play a key role in fostering global peace and stability," he said.

It is not known whether the implications of Washington's tariff policy figured in the Modi-Macron conversation.

According to an Indian readout, Modi thanked Macron for accepting the invitation to the AI Impact Summit to be hosted by India in February and that he looked forward to welcoming the French president.

It said the two leaders reviewed and positively assessed the developments in bilateral cooperation across different sectors including economic, defence, science, technology and space.

"The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment towards further strengthening of the India-France strategic partnership, in line with the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, the Indo-Pacific roadmap and the defence industrial roadmap," the readout noted.

"They exchanged views on recent efforts towards bringing an end to the conflict in Ukraine. PM Modi reiterated India's consistent support for peaceful resolution of the conflict and early restoration of peace and stability."

It said both leaders agreed to continue to remain in touch and work closely together to promote global peace and stability.

The discussion between Modi and Macron on the Ukraine conflict appears to be significant.

The prime minister met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China's Tianjin this week.

In the meeting, Modi conveyed to Putin that India welcomes all the recent efforts towards establishing peace in Ukraine and that it is humanity's call to find a way to resolve hostilities as soon as possible.

Zelenskyy had dialled Modi last Saturday, two days before the prime minister's meeting with Putin.

After the phone conversation with Modi, Zelenskyy said India is ready to make the necessary efforts and to deliver the appropriate signal to Russia.

India has been consistently calling for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

Trump's talks with Zelenskyy and several other European leaders came days after he held summit talks with Putin in Alaska that was primarily to lay a foundation for ending the war in Ukraine.
In a fervent appeal to MPs ahead of the vice presidential polls, Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy on Sunday exhorted them not to let party loyalty guide their choice and asserted that by voting for him, they would be ensuring that the Rajya Sabha stands as a true temple of democracy.

IMAGE: INDIA blocs Vice-Presidential candidate, former SC judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy (right), speaks to media as deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi looks on, in Guwahati, September 5, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

In a video message, Reddy told the MPs that this is not just a vote to elect their Vice-President but is a vote for the spirit of India itself.

The joint opposition candidate said he seeks the MPs' support not for himself but for the "values that define us as a sovereign democratic republic".

In this election, there is no party whip, and the ballot is secret. It is not loyalty to any political party, but love for the country that must guide your choice. Each one of you carry the moral responsibility to preserve the conscience, the soul of our beloved nation,

Reddy said in his over 12-minute-long video message for members of Parliament.

By entrusting me with this office, you will be choosing to defend parliamentary traditions, to restore dignity to debate, and to ensure that the Rajya Sabha stands as a true temple of democracy, the former Supreme Court judge said.

Together, let us strengthen our Republic and create a legacy that future generations will be proud to inherit, he said.

In his message to MPs, Reddy said he stands before them with humility and a deep sense of responsibility as a candidate for the office of the vice-president of the great Republic.

"India's democracy was built on the supreme sacrifices of our freedom fighters and nurtured for decades by their vision," he said.

Today, as that democratic space shrinks and citizens' rights come under strain, "it is our duty to defend the soul of our democratic Republic", Reddy said.

He said his candidature is not at all a personal aspiration but a collective effort to protect and strengthen India's democratic fabric.

In his message to MPs, Reddy said he brings decades of experience in public service and understands both the spirit and functioning of India's democracy.

This experience equips me to serve as an impartial and dignified custodian of parliamentary traditions, he said.

Quoting India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Reddy said, "The strongest bond of unity is the common affection that we hold for our country."

This bond has guided me in every stage of my journey and continues to motivate me to serve as an impartial custodian of our democracy, he said.

The Vice-President, as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, must embody this balance, wisdom, and neutrality  principles I have always upheld by giving respect to every voice, across party lines. If elected, I will strive to make the Rajya Sabha a true forum of reasoned debate and constructive dialogue, he asserted.

Following the example set by first vice-president Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Reddy said he pledges to ensure that the Rajya Sabha remains a chamber of thoughtful deliberation in the national interest instead of avoidable discord.

Democracy thrives on cooperation, not confrontation and my strength lies in listening, mediating, and building consensus. In my vision, the Rajya Sabha must be a chamber where national interests are upheld above partisan concerns, he said.

Quoting Babasaheb Ambedkar, Reddy said, "Democracy is essentially a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience."

"And I take inspiration from this vision that democracy must be a shared, collective journey," he added.

Reddy said he has witnessed first-hand the challenges India faces - economic reforms, social justice, climate change, and ensuring opportunities for youth.

The vice-president's office provides a platform to guide discussions on these issues with dignity and decorum, steering the Upper House toward policies that truly benefit citizens of this great nation India that is Bharat, he said.

"By ensuring fairness, I hope to elevate the quality of our lawmaking," he added.

Pandit ji, in his historic 'Tryst with Destiny' speech, envisioned a nation where 'freedom and opportunity' would reach every Indian. As Chair of the Rajya Sabha, I will work to align our debates with that dream, he said.

A key priority will be to keep parliamentary practices transparent, inclusive, and participatory so that disruptions don't overshadow deliberations, Reddy said.

Our first Vice-President warned that disorderly conduct erodes public faith. Taking his caution to heart, I will strive to restore an environment where disagreement is expressed with respect and dignity. It should always be reciprocal, he said.

Reddy said another area where he intends to contribute is in strengthening parliamentary committees.

India's parliamentary democracy has stood as a beacon to the world, but it demands continuous nurturing. I will strive to preserve its sanctity by upholding constitutional conventions and morality, ensuring neutrality in proceedings, and protecting the dignity of every member of the House irrespective of their party affiliations, he said.

Babasaheb's warning during the Constituent Assembly rings true: 'Democracy in India is only a top-dressing on an Indian soil which is essentially undemocratic.' This especially resonates after our experience with the regime that has favoured a few at the cost of crores of citizens of India - Dalits, tribals, backward communities, women, minorities, youth - who are increasingly being pushed to the margins, Reddy said.

"It is our duty to prove that democracy in India lives not just in emblematic institutions, but in spirit. As vice-president, I will dedicate myself to preserve the sanctity of our parliamentary system by ensuring absolute neutrality in proceedings and protecting the dignity of each and every member," he told the MPs.

He also put out a message in Hindi, making a similar appeal to the MPs.

The vice presidential election is coming in 2-3 days, and I would request all of you to vote thoughtfully and not in the interest of your party but in the interest of the country. I have full faith that whatever decision you take, it will not be in my or your interest, but in the interest of the country, Reddy said in his Hindi message.

Whatever your decision will be, I am ready to accept it. This country is yours, mine and of all of us. You have more responsibility than me to take care of this country because you are honourable members of the Parliament, he said.

"Now, it is for the people of India to decide," Reddy signed off in the video message in English.

The vice presidential poll will be held on September 9. It will be a direct contest between ruling NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate Reddy.
More than 50 persons have been detained for questioning in connection with the vandalisation of a plaque with the Ashoka emblem in the Hazratbal shrine here as police intensified searches for those involved in the incident, officials said on Sunday.

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com

IMAGE: Women protesters vandalise a plaque at the Assari Sharief Hazratbal shrine by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board in Srinagar on September 5, 2025.

The police checked the videos and CCTV footage of the incident that occurred after the Friday congregational prayers, following which these people were detained, they said.

"No one has been formally arrested so far but some people are being questioned," a senior police official said.

The official said action "as per law will also be taken against women who vandalised the plaque but any minor found involved in the incident will not be proceeded against".

A huge controversy erupted in Kashmir after the plaque with the Ashoka emblem was vandalised in the Hazratbal shrine on Friday, with political parties accusing Waqf Board chief Darakshan Andrabi of hurting religious sentiments by using the national emblem in the mosque.

They demanded registration of a criminal case and her immediate removal.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the Waqf Board should apologise for the "mistake," asserting that the national emblem is meant for government functions, not religious institutions.

While parties like the NC, PDP and the CPI(M) said the use of the Ashoka emblem in the mosque was "provocative" and blasphemous, the BJP slammed the defacement of the plaque, claiming the incident was an attempt to revive terrorism and separatism in the Valley.

The plaque was placed inside the Hazratbal shrine, which houses a relic of Prophet Muhammad, on Thursday, sparking outrage among devotees who maintained that placing any figure or symbol inside a mosque is against the Islamic principle of monotheism.

The plaque was subsequently vandalised and removed by unidentified individuals after Friday prayers, prompting police to register a case.

"I have never seen an emblem being used in this way in any religious place. Mosques, shrines, temples and gurudwaras are not government institutions. These are religious institutions and government emblems are not used in religious institutions," Abdullah said.

Andrabi, a BJP appointee, called for legal action, including booking the "hooligans" under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), for vandalising the emblem.
Russia launched its largest aerial assault of the Ukraine war overnight into Sunday, deploying more than 800 drones and striking a Kyiv government building for the first time, CNN reported.

IMAGE: Thick smoke from a nearby strike site fills the sky during a Russian drone strike in Ukraine, September 7, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo/Reuters

At least three people, including a child, were killed and dozens were injured after a series of overnight Russian missile and drone strikes pounded multiple Ukrainian cities, damaging residential areas and igniting a fire in Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers building, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In a statement on X, Zelenskyy said emergency services were working around the clock to address the aftermath of the attacks, which included over 800 drones and 13 missiles, four of which were ballistic.

As per Zelenskyy, citing preliminary reports, several drones had crossed into Ukrainian airspace from Belarus. The Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv sustained significant damage, with a fire breaking out on its upper floors following the strikes.

"Since last night, work has been ongoing to eliminate the consequences of Russian strikes -- more than 800 drones, 13 missiles, including four ballistic. According to preliminary information, several drones crossed the border of Ukraine and Belarus. In Kyiv, ordinary residential buildings have been destroyed. In one of them, the floors between the 4th and 8th stories have collapsed. As of now, two people have been reported killed, including one child. My condolences to all their loved ones. In total, dozens were injured in the capital alone. The Cabinet of Ministers building was damaged -- a fire broke out on the upper floors," the Ukrainian President stated.

Russia launched a total of 810 drones, four ballistic missiles and nine cruise missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force said. While most were shot down by air defences, 54 drones and nine missiles hit targets across Ukraine, it said.

The latest assault surpasses the size of a July attack that was previously the largest of the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022.

It also comes after recent attempts by Kyiv's Western allies to broker a peace deal, as per CNN.

Zelenskyy described the attack as "vile," saying that "such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started a long time ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war."

"The world can make the Kremlin's criminals stop killing, all we need is political will," Zelenskyy said.

He further stated that other regions across Ukraine were also hit.

In Zaporizhzhia, more than 20 houses and a kindergarten were damaged. Warehouses were destroyed in Kryvyi Rih, and one person was reported killed in Safonivka of the Sumy region and the Chernihiv region. A residential high-rise was hit in Odesa, causing further damage and concern.

"More than 20 houses and a kindergarten were damaged in Zaporizhzhia. Warehouses were destroyed in Kryvyi Rih, one person was killed in Safonivka, Sumy region, and another one in the Chernihiv region. A residential high-rise was hit in Odesa. Many regions have been affected over the past day. Our emergency services are working everywhere they are needed," his post read.

He again urged international allies to maintain pressure on Moscow and follow through on commitments to strengthen Ukraine's air defence, referencing past agreements made in Paris and statements from Washington promising sanctions for failure to engage in peace efforts.

Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to the countries assisting Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict and reiterated the urgent need for enhanced air defence capabilities.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko called it a "massive attack," saying the cities of Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Kremenchuk, and Odesa all came under fire, as well as Kyiv.

In the capital, the building that houses the prime minister's office, as well as some government ministries, was struck in the assault, she said, CNN reported.

"For the first time, the government building, its roof, and upper floors were damaged by the enemy attacks. Rescuers are extinguishing the fire. I thank them for their work," Svyrydenko said.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said any Western troops in Ukraine would be considered "legitimate targets for defeat," a day after it was announced that dozens of Western countries have pledged to contribute to a potential peacekeeping force there if a ceasefire deal is agreed.
Efforts to bring back high-profile economic offenders such as Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya from the United Kingdom have gained momentum with a team from Britain's Crown Prosecution Service recently visiting Tihar Jail, an official said on Sunday.

IMAGE: A view of the Tihar Jail in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The visit, carried out last week, was aimed at assessing prison conditions to satisfy legal requirements laid down by the UK courts before deciding on extradition pleas, he said.

India has been pressing hard for the return of several fugitives wanted in cases ranging from bank fraud to arms smuggling. Authorities are seeking to assure British courts that those extradited will not face unsafe or inhumane conditions in custody.

According to the official, the CPS delegation toured the high-security ward of Tihar and also interacted with some inmates. Jail authorities conveyed that if needed, a separate enclave could be created within the premises to house high-profile accused, ensuring their safety and compliance with international standards.

UK courts in the past have turned down extradition requests from India citing prison conditions. New Delhi has since given assurances that the rights of the accused will be safeguarded, with no scope for illegal interrogation or mistreatment.

Mallya, facing loan default charges of over Rs 9,000 crore, has been residing in the UK and is contesting extradition.

Nirav Modi, prime accused in the Rs 13,800 crore Punjab National Bank scam, was declared a fugitive offender in 2019 and was arrested in the UK the same year. His extradition has already been cleared by a London court, though appeals remain pending.
Blog Archive: Dec 2025 (46) Nov 2025 (141) Oct 2025 (153) Sep 2025 (149) Aug 2025 (154) Jul 2025 (155) Jun 2025 (150) May 2025 (155) Apr 2025 (9) Mar 2025 (149) Feb 2025 (139) Jan 2025 (155) Dec 2024 (144) Nov 2024 (143) Oct 2024 (155) Sep 2024 (149) Aug 2024 (155) Jul 2024 (155) Jun 2024 (150) May 2024 (153) Apr 2024 (149) Mar 2024 (155) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (155) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55)
Opposition MPs would be briefed on Monday on the procedure to vote in the September 9 vice presidential polls, sources in the INDIA bloc said on Sunday.

IMAGE: INDIA bloc Vice Presidential Candidate and former Supreme Court Justice B Sudershan Reddy arrives at Delhi airport, August 19, 2025. Photograph: Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain/ANI Photo

They said a 'mock poll' would be conducted in the Central Hall of the Samvidhan Sadan at around 2:30 PM on Monday after the briefing on the procedure to vote in the vice presidential polls.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was to host a dinner for the opposition MPs as well on Monday evening but it has been cancelled in view of the flood situation in the country, the sources said.

It is a direct contest between ruling NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy on September 9. Both candidates this time hail from southern India, with Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu and Reddy from Telangana.

The vice-presidential election has been described by the Opposition as an ideological battle, even as the numbers are stacked in favour of the ruling National Democratic Alliance.

Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody, who is the returning officer for the vice-presidential election, has said that the polling will take place on Tuesday in Room No. F-101, Vasudha, Parliament House.

The polling will commence at 10 AM and close at 5 PM on September 9.

"The electoral college for election to the Office of the Vice-President of India consists of the Members of both Houses of Parliament. The nominated Members of Rajya Sabha are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College and, therefore, are entitled to participate in the election.

"The polling arrangements in Parliament House are being made by Shri PC Mody, the Returning Officer for the Vice-Presidential Election, 2025, and Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha," the statement from the Rajya Sabha secretariat said.

"The counting of votes will commence at 6 PM on the same day and the result will be declared immediately thereafter," it said.

While Radhakrishnan is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran from Tamil Nadu and the governor of Maharashtra currently, Reddy is a former Supreme Court judge.

Reddy (79), who retired from the apex court in July 2011, is a veteran jurist known for several landmark judgments criticising the then Union government for showing slackness in probing black-money cases. He had also declared Salwa Judum, appointed by the Chhattisgarh government to fight Maoists, as unconstitutional.

As an apex court judge, Reddy ordered the formation of a special investigation team to take all steps for bringing back unaccounted monies unlawfully kept in bank accounts abroad.

For the 17th vice-presidential election, the electoral college consists of 233 elected members of the Rajya Sabha (five seats are currently vacant), 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha and 543 elected members of the Lok Sabha (one seat is currently vacant).

The electoral college comprises a total of 788 members (781 presently).

The Congress-led opposition is projecting Reddy as a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice.

Reddy has had a long and eminent legal career, including as a judge of the Andhra Pradesh high court, the chief justice of the Gauhati high court and a judge of the Supreme Court.

He also led the committee that undertook the caste survey in Telangana.
Jayaben Mali was inconsolable as she recounted the final phone call she received from her only son, Suresh Mali, just hours before he was killed with five others in a ropeway accident on Pavagadh Hill in Panchmahal district of Gujarat.

IMAGE: Relief work is underway after a trolley carrying construction material for the ropeway in Pavagadh broke down, in Panchmahal, Gujarat, September 6, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Six people died after the cable wire of a cargo ropeway snapped at Pavagadh Hill, famous for the Mahakalika Temple at the summit, on Saturday.

Suresh Mali, a florist in his 30s who supplied fresh flowers to the temple, assured his mother Jayaben that he had made a delivery and would be returning soon, only to never make it home.

Jayaben fought to hold back her tears as she recounted her last conversation with her only son.

"Suresh had travelled to Vadodara to procure flowers and spoke to me around 1 pm, informing me he had sent a bag of flowers and would be returning soon," a visibly distraught Jayaben told reporters.

"I called on his mobile phone again after a while, but it was switched off. It rang once, then there was no answer," she said.

A ropeway operator, who was at the scene of the tragedy, said the situation unfolded suddenly.

The visibility was poor as it was cloudy, and he could not see what happened, he said.

"I was operating the ropeway when it broke. I could not see what had happened. The place was under a blanket of clouds. It (the trolley) suddenly broke," the operator said.

Superintendent of Police, Panchmahal, Haresh Dudhat, said that prima facie, the accident occurred after the wire of the ropeway snapped.

An investigation is underway with the help of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), he said, adding that it will be clear if the trolley was going uphill or coming down only after the probe.

Local MLA Jaydratsinh Parmar said that the ropeway was being used to carry different materials to the top of the hill, and the entire trolley of the ropeway came crashing down, hitting one of the towers.

All six people who were inside the trolley died, he said.

The deceased ropeway operators, Mohammad Anwar Mahmad Sharif Khan and Balwant Singh Dhaniram, were natives of the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Their mortal remains will be taken to their hometown, they said.

Pavagadh Hill rises from Champaner in three stages, and its plateau lies at an altitude of 1,471 feet. The hilltop has a heavily patronised temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. It attracts 2.5 million visitors every year.
Peter Navarro, Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing for United States President Donald Trump, had a meltdown after being corrected over spreading misinformation pertaining to India's purchase of Russian oil on Saturday (US local time).

IMAGE: Peter Navarro, senior counselor for trade and manufacturing in the Donald Trump administration. Photograph: @RealPNavarro/X

Calling the community note on X "crap", Navarro alleged that Elon Musk is allowing "propaganda" and reiterated his accusations of India purchasing Russian oil only to make profits.

"Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people's posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didn't buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American job", Navarro wrote on X.

His response came to an earlier post where he had accused India of profiteering from Russian oil in his latest slew of remarks, alongside alleging that India's tariffs cost "Americans' jobs".

In a post on X on Friday, Navarro made the remarks in response to an article by The Washington Post, which described the conflicting efforts in Trump's administration over mending the relationship with India.

The news piece by The Washington Post claimed that the inflammatory language used by Washington towards New Delhi is deepening the crisis in the relationship.

Navarro criticised the report and said, "FACTS: India highest tariffs costs U.S. jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India can't handle truth/spins @washpo Leftist American fake news."

Navarro's recent post on X comes shortly after the Ministry of External Affairs, during its press briefing on Friday, dismissed comments made by him, with the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal calling them "inaccurate and misleading statements."

"We have seen the inaccurate and misleading statements made by Navarro, and obviously, we reject them," Jaiswal said.

Last week, Navarro accused India of being an "oil money laundromat for the Kremlin" and described it as "strategic freeloading" New Delhi continuing to buy Russian weapons while urging American defence firms to transfer sensitive military technologies and set up manufacturing plants in India.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a downturn after President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

The 25 per cent tariff has already come into effect and additional levies are due from August 27.

India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable" and even wondered why it has been singled out for the punitive action. Surprisingly, the US has not imposed any punitive measure on China, the largest importer of Russian crude oil.
Local school bus drivers picketed outside the Brattleboro Union High School complex in the area where students are typically dropped off by school buses, calling for Beacon Mobility, which owns F.M. Kuzmeskus/Travel Kuz, to get back to the negotiation table. Temporary drivers were brought in to bring students to school on the first day.
The summer was full of speculation and hints from Brussels officials that Ukraine and Moldova might be separated on their respective paths to eventual EU membership.

The two Eastern European countries have been paired ever since both applied for membership of the bloc in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

They both got EU candidate status simultaneously in the summer that same year, and in late 2023 EU member states signaled to both that accession talks could start.

But the fact remains that these talks haven't started with either of them -- and that has to do with Hungary blocking the entire process with Ukraine over what Budapest sees as Kyiv's discrimination of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.

The Central European country held a consultative referendum earlier this year in which 95 percent of the respondents were against Ukrainian EU membership.

While most other EU member states dismissed this vote as another political stunt by Budapest, few think the country is willing to lift its veto to start the talks any time soon.

And some think this is unfair to Moldova, as none of the 27 EU member states have anything against commencing negotiations with Chisinau.

The EU enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, opened up on the idea of a formal decoupling when speaking to RFE/RL this spring and the idea seemed to gain traction over the summer when Brussels briefly was rattled by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's sudden move in July to limit the independence of two key anti-corruption agencies.

The fact is that these sort of political "decouplings" have happened before, most recently last year as Albania was allowed to move forward with membership negotiations while Bulgaria has continued to veto the same steps for its neighbor North Macedonia.

But when the bloc's Europe ministers, which deal with enlargement issues, met in Denmark on September 1-2 there were no words about decoupling Moldova and Ukraine other than it was ruled out -- at least for now.

Reasons To Reject Decoupling

The reason for this is threefold: a recognition not to give in to what many member states see as Hungarian blackmailing, a feeling that such a move would be strategically disadvantageous for both the EU and Ukraine right now, and that it would have limited impact on Moldova anyway.

On the first issue, there is an increasing frustration that Budapest is trying to dictate too much of the EU's policy toward Ukraine already.

And it is fair to say that the country has been successful.

EU institutional funding, via the European Peace Facility (EPF), for Ukrainian weapons has been blocked for two years already and later this week European diplomats will most likely accept that Budapest -- together with Bratislava -- will manage to remove some oligarchs from the bloc's Russia sanctions blacklist in order to achieve unanimity for a six-month extension of all the restrictive measures.

The thinking here is very much that rather than handing Hungary another win, it could be wise to wait until the Hungarian parliamentary election in April 2026 with polls showing that the opposition has a real chance of seizing power.

This would not automatically mean a total reversal of Hungary's Ukraine policy, but few EU officials think while Ukraine is losing precious time, a few more months of waiting is insignificant in a bigger process that can drag on for years or possibly decades.

Secondly, many of Ukraine's most ardent supporters in the club such as the Baltic states and the Czech Republic immediately started a diplomatic rearguard action against any type of decoupling as soon as rumors started spreading that it was considered.

Lithuania authored a discussion paper, seen by RFE/RL, in which it argued that EU-26, meaning the entire club bar Hungary, should conduct informal negotiations with both Ukraine and Moldova in the meantime and that negotiations on most of the 33 accession chapters would be opened "in a fast-track manner when EU-27 support is rebuilt."

Crucially, both France and Germany, the two EU heavyweights, came onboard against any decoupling now especially as the United States has signaled that Ukrainian NATO membership most likely is off the table in any potential future peace negotiation with Russia.

In this sense, EU membership for Kyiv becomes even more pertinent according to most EU diplomats who see this as the most obvious political and security guarantee that European nations can offer the war-torn nation going forward.

Moldova Against Decoupling -- For Now

Finally, there were also signals from Moldova that even Chisinau wasn't too keen on decoupling, at least now.

Many European officials had wanted to give the country's pro-EU government a boost ahead of what is expected to be a closely fought parliamentary election on September 28 by opening accession talks a few days or weeks before the vote.

Yet, others, both in EU capitals and in Chisinau, argued that this would have a limited outcome anyway for two reasons.

Firstly, few beyond the corridors of power in Brussels understand the technicalities or the significance of starting EU accession negotiations.

As one EU diplomat put it to me: "People want to know when their country can join and what it means for them, not when some obscure diplomats meet."

Secondly, there is a recognition among all EU candidate countries, but notably Moldova , that it is Ukraine and its efforts to fight off the Russian invasion that has reignited EU enlargement in general.

Chisinau in fact jumped on the coattails of Ukraine in applying for EU membership back in 2022. For now, they will remain connected, but don't rule out that the decoupling debate might start again later in the year.
KYIV -- Russian drone strikes have struck a key Ukrainian government building for the first time since Moscows full-scale invasion began, Kyiv said.





The September 7 attack targeted Kyivs Cabinet of Ministers building, which houses the prime ministers office, and was part of Russias biggest aerial assault on the Ukrainian capital since February 2022, Ukrainian officials said.

Russia fired over 800 drones and missiles across the country, a new record, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Three people were killed as Russian drones struck and partially destroyed two high-rise residential buildings in Kyiv, officials said.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said an infant child, a young woman, and an elderly woman were killed, and more than a dozen people were injured.

The Cabinet of Ministers building, located in the heart of Kyiv, is home to Ukraine's Cabinet and houses the offices of its ministers.

Russia has previously avoided targeting government buildings in central Kyiv, a heavily defended part of the city.

For the first time, a government building was damaged by an enemy attack, including the roof and upper floors, said Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

We will restore the buildings, but lost lives cannot be returned.

Russian drone and missile attack also hit residential areas and civilian infrastructure in the cities of Zaporizhzhya, Kryviy Rih, and Odesa, as well as the regions of Sumy and Chernihiv.

The attack on September 7 was the second major Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv in recent weeks.

"Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Facebook.

Kyivs allies also condemned the attack.

"I'm appalled by the latest brutal overnight assault on Kyiv and across Ukraine," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement. "These cowardly strikes show that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace."

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military said it attacked an oil pipeline in Russia's Bryansk region, inflicting "comprehensive fire damage" during an overnight attack on September 7. No casualties were reported.

Russias Defense Ministry claimed 69 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across nine regions, briefly disrupting flights in the cities of Moscow, Volgograd, and Nizhny Novgorod.

Russias drone barrage has dimmed hopes for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine aimed at ending Moscows three-and-a-half-year unprovoked invasion of its neighbor.

Russias attack came days after European countries, led by France and Britain, pledged to deploy a "reassurance" force to Ukraine if a cease-fire is reached.

But Putin warned that foreign troops deployed in Ukraine would be treated as "legitimate targets."

Zelenskyy rejected an offer from Putin to travel to Moscow for peace talks and instead challenged him to come to Kyiv.

"He can come to Kyiv," Zelenskyy told ABC News on September 6. "I can't go to Moscow when my country's under missiles, under attack, each day. I can't go to the capital of this terrorist."

The Ukrainian president added that Putin's offer was intended to "postpone the meeting," and that the Russian leader was "playing games with the United States."

Putin had earlier downplayed the value of meeting with the Ukrainian president, but also suggested that he would be willing to meet with him, but only on home soil.
Russian drone strikes have struck a key Ukrainian government building for the first time since Moscow's full-scale invasion began, Kyiv said. The September 7 attack on Kyiv's Cabinet of Ministers building was part of Russia's biggest aerial assault on the Ukrainian capital since February 2022, according to Ukrainian officials. Some 800 drones and missiles targeted Kyiv, officials said, killing at least three people.
KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded a "strong" US response to the latest massive drone strike by Russia on Kyiv, one in which a government building was hit for the first time since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

"It is important that there is a broad response from partners to this attack today," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

"We are counting on a strong response from America. That is what is needed."

"Clearly, Russia is trying to inflict pain on Ukraine with even more brazen attacks. This is a clear sign that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is testing the world -- whether they will accept or tolerate this," Zelenskyy said.

"That is why it is important that the statements of leaders, states, and institutions be backed by strong actions -- sanctions against Russia, against individuals associated with Russia, tough tariffs, and other restrictions on trade with Russia," he added.

US President Donald Trump, who has long expressed admiration for Putin and has spoken of their "friendship," has grown increasingly frustrated with the Kremlin leader's refusal to accept a cease-fire and his rejection of direct talks with Zelenskyy.

Trump has also said he was "very disappointed" with Putin following the recent series of intensified attacks on Ukrainian cites. That has led him to suggest new sanctions or tariffs against Russia, although no action has been taken so far.

On September 7, Trump indicated he is moving closer to imposing punitive measures against Moscow but did not provide details.

Asked by a reporter at the White House if he is prepared to move to "the second phase" of sanctions against Moscow, Trump said only, "Yeah, I am."

Washington and Kyiv's European allies have already imposed financial measures on Moscow following its Ukraine invasion with a view to crippling the Russian economy.

US special envoy Keith Kellogg wrote on X that the Kremlin's latest deadly attack on Kyiv "was not a signal that Russia wants to diplomatically end this war."

"Russia appears to be escalating with the largest attack of the war hitting offices of the [Ukrainian] Cabinet in Kyiv," he added, noting that he had been in that government building two weeks ago meeting Ukrainian leaders.

In the attacks early on September 7, Russia fired over 800 drones and missiles across the country, a new record, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Four people were killed as Russian drones struck and partially destroyed two high-rise residential buildings in Kyiv, officials said.

The Cabinet of Ministers building, located in the heart of Kyiv, is home to Ukraine's cabinet and houses the offices of its ministers.

Russia has previously avoided targeting government buildings in central Kyiv, a heavily defended part of the city.

"For the first time, a government building was damaged by an enemy attack, including the roof and upper floors," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.

The "barbaric attack proved we have to do whatever it takes to stop Russian war machine fueled by oil and gas revenue," Svyrydenko was quoted by the New York Post as saying.

"We appreciate President Trump's prompt reaction and a strong signal of readiness to impose secondary sanctions on Russia. This step is very important for Ukraine as our people continue to suffer every day from Russian strikes of increasing scale."

"We hope this decision comes effective soon," she added.

Zelenskyy said on Facebook: "Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war."

Despite widespread evidence to the contrary, Russia denies that it targets civilian sites in Ukraine.

With reporting by Reuters
Delhi Court Grants Permission To Engineer Rashid To Vote In Vice-Presidential Election

Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi appeared on Rashid's behalf during the proceedings.

Delhi Court Grants Permission To Engineer Rashid To Vote In Vice-Presidential Election Latest News:

The Patiala House Court in Delhi has permitted Engineer Rashid to visit the Parliament in custody to cast his vote in the upcoming Vice-Presidential election on September 9, the Hindustan Times reported, citing an order dated September 4.

As per the order delivered on Saturday, Rashid will not be required to make any immediate payment towards travel expenses, the report said. However, he must furnish an undertaking to bear the cost later, which the report said is subject to the outcome of appeals currently reserved for orders by the Delhi High Court.

Advertisement

Advocate Vikhyat Oberoi appeared on Rashid's behalf during the proceedings. The Vice-Presidential election must be done in person, and therefore, Rashid had moved the Special NIA Court at Patiala House seeking permission to cast his vote despite being lodged in Tihar Jail.

Rashid's party, the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) on Saturday welcomed the order of the Patiala House Court permitting Engineer Rashid to cast his vote in the upcoming Vice-Presidential elections.

Engineer Rashid is also making headlines for allegedly being assaulted in Tihar Jail by inmates. He has alleged that Kashmiris are deliberately being kept in the same house with transgender males positive for HIV.

Advertisement

Read more here, getting harassed here.

(For more news apart from Delhi Court Grants Permission To Engineer Rashid To Vote In Vice-Presidential Election , stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Exempted From Personal Appearance In Castration Case Again: Report

Gurmeet Ram Rahim's counsel moved an application for exemption from personal appearance.

Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Exempted From Personal Appearance In Castration Case Again latest news; Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim has once again been exempted from appearing before the CBI court in Panchkula in the castration case on Friday, September 5, the Hindustan Times reported.

According to the report, earlier on August 14 Gurmeet Ram Rahim had skipped the hearing. However, co-accused, Dr MP Singh and Dr Pankaj Garg, who are on bail, were present in court.

Advertisement

Gurmeet Ram Rahim's counsel moved an application for exemption from personal appearance. The counsel informed the court that the accused had been temporarily released on parole for 40 days from August 4. His movement, however, is Gurmeet Ram Rahim restricted by the authority, making it impossible for him to attend the hearing, the HT report said.

The counsel stated that his absence was not deliberate and that he had no objection if proceedings were recorded in his absence.

Therefore, the court allowed the application and exempted him from personal appearance.

Advertisement

(For more news apart from Radhika Murder: Chargesheet Filed Against Father Who Shot tennis player Daughter Dead , stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
PM Modi To Personally Assess Flood Conditions And Ground Realities In Punjab Tomorrow

Earlier, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Chauhan visited Punjab to evaluate the situation, along with two central government teams.

PM Modi To Personally Assess Flood Conditions And Ground Realities In Punjab Tomorrow Latest News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab on September 9 to meet people and farmers affected by one of the worst floods the state has faced in nearly four decades and to oversee relief operations and rehabilitation efforts.

The BJP's Punjab handle announced the visit on X, stating, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming to Gurdaspur, Punjab on 9th September. He will meet directly with the flood-affected brothers, sisters, and farmers to share their sorrow and take every possible step to help the victims."

Advertisement

In a subsequent post, the handle said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is "deeply concerned about the flood situation in Punjab and is closely monitoring it."

It said that the PM is visiting to "personally assess the local conditions and understand the ground realities to provide maximum assistance" to the people of Punjab.

Earlier, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Chauhan visited Punjab to evaluate the situation, along with two central government teams.

Advertisement

The two teams will submit their reports to the Central Government after their tour, Sunil Jakhar, President Punjab BJP, said in a post on X today.

(For more news apart from PM Modi To Personally Assess Flood Conditions And Ground Realities In Punjab Tomorrow, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Punjab: National Awardee Teachers donate Rs. 1.25 lakh for flood relief on Teachers' Day

Cheque handed over to Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains for contribution to Chief Minister's Flood Relief Fund

Punjab: National Awardee Teachers donate Rs. 1.25 lakh for flood relief on Teachers Day: Chandigarh, September 7: National Awardee Teachers Association (NATA) Punjab presented a cheque of Rs. 1.25 lakh to Punjab Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains on Teachers Day to contribute to the state governments flood relief operations, Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab said on Sunday.

A delegation of National Awardee Teachers led by NATA President Dr. Balram Sharma met S. Harjot Singh Bains to contribute to the Punjab Chief Ministers Flood Relief Fund and assured full support to the state government in this challenging situation faced by the state.

Advertisement

S. Harjot Singh Bains praised the National Awardee teachers and said that they are the pride of the education department. He appreciated the initiative of the teachers to provide assistance to the flood-affected people and their sincere spirit to further strengthen the bond of the community.

Dr. Balram Sharma, Amarjit Singh Chahal, and other members of NATA assured the Education Minister that NATA Punjab would continue its support to mitigate the educational losses of the students in the flood-affected areas, which shows their commitment and sincerity towards education in these difficult times.

(For more news apart from Transgender HIV-Positive Inmates Attack Rashid (AIP) In Tihar Jail, Kashmiris Targeted: Report, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Transgender HIV-Positive Inmates Attack Rashid (AIP) In Tihar Jail, Kashmiris Targeted: Report

The party called it deliberate attempts made to disturb and provoke them.

Transgender HIV-Positive Inmates Attack Rashid (AIP) In Tihar Jail, Kashmiris Targeted Latest News: Engineer Rashid was attacked by a group of transgender inmates in Tihar Jail. The inmates pushed him and threw a gate at him, according to the Times of India, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), headed by the Baramulla MP, alleged in a statement.

Had it hit him directly, it could have been fatal. This is nothing short of a deliberate attempt to physically harm him, the AIP statement is quoted as claiming in the TOI report.

Advertisement

Tihar sources have confirmed to the news portal that Rashid, an MP, was attacked by transgender inmates following an altercation about a week ago.

According to the report, Rashid is currently lodged in Jail No. 3 of Tihar, which houses three transgender inmates.

The exact cause of the altercation is under investigation, the report said, adding that the allegations of a murder conspiracy have been dismissed as baseless by Tihar sources.

Advertisement

The report further stated that the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) has alleged that Kashmiris were deliberately housed with male transgenders in Tihar Jail and that they were encouraged to provoke and attack Kashmiris.

Rashid reportedly disclosed to his lawyer during a recent meeting that a systematic campaign of targeting Kashmiri detainees over the past three months had been started.

Rashid told his legal counsel that transgender inmates who were HIV-positive and had the backing of notorious gangsters inside Tihar had been deliberately placed with Kashmiris.

Advertisement

The report said that, as per the testimonial of Rashid, AIP has alleged that other Kashmiri prisoners in Tihar were also attacked and humiliated and that the harassment intensified, especially when they offered prayers.

The party called it deliberate attempts made to disturb and provoke them.

According to TOI, the party demanded an independent probe into the matter and immediate guarantees for the safety and dignity of Rashid and all other prisoners from Kashmir.

Advertisement

(For more news apart from Transgender HIV-Positive Inmates Attack Rashid (AIP) In Tihar Jail, Kashmiris Targeted: Report, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Election Commission To Conduct SIR Of Voter List Across Country; Ameeting To Be Held On September 10

The Election Commission believes that this step will increase transparency and credibility in the voter list

Election Commission To Conduct SIR Of Voter List Across Country Latest News: New Delhi: After the 'Special Intensive Revision' (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar, the Election Commission is now planning to implement it across the country. The move is aimed at ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the voter list across the country. In this regard, the Commission has called an important meeting of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states and union territories on September 10.

SIR (Special Intensive Revision) is a special campaign, in which the names of dead, permanently transferred, duplicate or non-citizen voters are removed from the voter list. Its purpose is to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out from being included in the voter list and no ineligible person is included in it.

Advertisement

Opposition parties had raised questions about this process in Bihar, alleging that the exercise is being done for political gain. After these allegations, the Election Commission had clarified that it is its constitutional responsibility and now it has decided to implement it across the country

Under this nationwide campaign, voters of all states and union territories except Bihar will have to fill a signed form (enumeration form). The order issued by the Commission will also tell which people will need to submit supporting documents and who will not. This entire process will last for a month.

Census: Booth-level officers (BLOs) will go door-to-door to collect information from voters and get forms filled.

Publication of draft list: After the census, a draft voter list will be published.

Advertisement

Claims and objections: Voters will be given one month to make corrections or changes in this list.

Final publication: After all claims and objections are settled, the final voter list will be published in early January 2026.

In the meeting to be held on September 10, the Election Commission will decide the outline of this campaign with the CEO. Issues like rationalizing polling stations and training election officials will also be discussed in it. The Election Commission believes that this step will increase transparency and credibility in the voter list, which is very important for a healthy democracy.

(For more news apart from Election Commission To Conduct SIR Of Voter List Across Country; Ameeting To Be Held On September 10, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Punjab: Bhagwant Mann To Conduct Cabinet Meeting From Hospital On Sep 9, Modi Visits The Same Day

The cabinet meeting comes at a time when the Prime Minister of India is scheduled to visit flood-affected areas in Punjab on the same day.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann To Conduct Cabinet Meeting From Hospital On Sep 9, Latest News: An important Punjab cabinet meeting will be held tomorrow at 12 noon at the residence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, according to sources.

Bhagwant Mann still remains hospitalized and has not fully recovered; however, he will conduct the meeting virtually from the hospital. He reportedly fell sick earlier this week and was hospitalized on September 5, 2025.

The cabinet meeting comes at a time when the Prime Minister of India is scheduled to visit flood-affected areas in Punjab on the next day. Earlier today, BJP Punjab said in a post on X that PM Modi would visit Punjab on Sep. 9to personally assess the ground situation.

Advertisement

Previously, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited Punjab on September 4, along with two central government teams, to assess the situation. He told the media that he was sent by the Prime Minister.

The two teams included officials from various departments, including water, electricity, and roads. They are set to submit a report to the Centre after completing their tour of the flood-affected villages in Punjab.

Punjab witnessed one of the worst floods in its history and the worst in nearly four decades. Over 1,500 villages were inundated, and most still remain submerged, disrupting daily life. The floods claimed more than 40 lives, washed away crops, filled farmland with sand, and caused the loss of a significant number of livestock. The educational institutions also remained closed for a prolonged period.

Advertisement

The Education Department, Punjab, announced today that schools will open as usual from Monday, with the exception of government schools. Government schools will open for students from September 9; however, teachers will be present in their respective schools on September 8 to ensure cleanliness and to make sure the buildings are safe.

Amid the devastating floods, the state government wrote to the Centre asking for the release of a special relief fund and its pending Rs. 60,000 crore. However, after receiving no assurance from the Centre, it appealed to everyone, including people in Punjab and those living abroad, to contribute to the Chief Ministers Relief Fund for the relief and rehabilitation of those affected by the floods.

The Punjab government made the appeal after Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Minister Mann.

Celebrities from various industries, including Diljit Dosanjh and Shah Rukh Khan, extended help, and various associations also came forward to do their bit.

Advertisement

The Supreme Court recently issued a notice to the flood-affected statesPunjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmirasking them to submit a report on the flood situation.

(For more news apart from Transgender HIV-Positive Inmates Attack Rashid (AIP) In Tihar Jail, Kashmiris Targeted: Report, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Pak Don Bhatti's Ally Baja Apprehended in Jalandhar, Had Fired on ASI's Son in June

When the team tried to stop Baja, who was coming on a bike, he started firing. One bullet hit the SHO's official vehicle.

Punjab News, Pakistan Don Bhatti's Ally Baja Apprehended in Jalandhar, Latest News: A Pakistani don named Shahzad Bhatti's henchman, Davinder Singh Baja, was injured in a police encounter at around 10:30 PM on Saturday night in Daroli village of Adampur police station in Jalandhar.

Davinder Singh Baja was taken to a government hospital in Adampur after he was shot in his right leg in the encounter.

Advertisement

Baja, a shooter, is a resident of village Damunda (Adampur). He had reportedly fired at the house of NRI social media influencer Simran Sikand alias Sam in Model Town, Hoshiarpur, on the night of 9 August.

The Pakistani don named Shahzad Bhatti had taken responsibility for the firing. Bhatti was demanding ransom by threatening to throw a grenade at Sam's house.

Earlier, in a separate case, Baja had shot ASI Sukhwinder Singh's son, Harmanpreet Singh, in the leg in Adampur on 26 June. The police had arrested Baja's associate, Parminder Singh, but Baja himself was absconding.

Advertisement

Regarding the encounter with Baja, the Adampur police station in charge, Ravinder Pal, said that he had received inputs that Baja was coming to the Adampur area. The police, on Saturday night itself, under the supervision of DSP Inderjit Singh Saini and Kulwant Singh, and led by SHO Ravinder Kumar and the CIA staff team, had started looking for him by putting up a blockade in the area.

The blockade was set up near the village of Daroli at around 10:30 PM. During this, when the team tried to stop Baja, who was coming on a bike, he started firing. One bullet hit the SHO's official vehicle.

After this, the team surrounded him. Baja was about to fire the second shot when the police shot him in the leg, causing him to fall. He was then taken to the hospital.

Advertisement

The reason why Baja shot the ASI's son will become clear only after his recovery and further investigation into how he came in contact with the don.

(For more news apart from Pak Don Bhatti's Ally Baja Apprehended in Jalandhar, Had Fired on ASI's Son in June, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Punjab Police AGTF Nabs Two Wanted Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Operatives, Glock Pistol Seized

Major Breakthrough in CM Mann's Drive Against Organised Crime: Punjab Police Arrests Notorious Gangsters

Punjab Strengthens War on Crime: Bishnoi Gang Members Held in High-Intensity Operation

Chandigarh: In a significant success under the ongoing crackdown on organised crime, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Punjab Police has arrested two dreaded operatives of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang from PatialaAmbala Highway near village Shambhu, dealing a major blow to gangster networks operating in the state. A sophisticated Austria-made 9mm Glock pistol with six live cartridges has also been recovered from their possession.

Identifying the arrested as Akshay Delu and Ankit Bishnoi alias Kakkar, both hailing from Khairpur village in Fazilka, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said that the duo was wanted in multiple heinous crimes and had been acting on the directions of their foreign-based handlers Anmol Bishnoi and Arzoo Bishnoi.

Advertisement

The DGP revealed that the accused had fled to Nepal after committing the murder of Bharat Ratan alias Vicky in Fazilka on May 2, 2025, but returned on instructions of their handlers to execute another sensational crime in Punjab. Both operatives carry a heavy criminal record with over 15 cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion, Arms Act, and NDPS Act registered against them across Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

Sharing operational details, ADGP AGTF Promod Ban said that police teams acted swiftly on intelligence inputs about the movement of the accused. Special units tracked and intercepted them during an early morning operation on the PatialaAmbala Highway, leading to their arrest.

DIG AGTF Gurmeet Chauhan explained the modus operandi of the gang, stating that they typically carried out assignments for their handlers and then fled to Nepal to hide at safe houses arranged by gang associates or foreign masters.

A case under Section 111 (3)(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 25 (6)(7) of the Arms Act has been registered at Police Station Punjab State Crime, SAS Nagar.

Advertisement

DGP Yadav underlined that the arrest is a testimony to the Punjab Governments zero-tolerance policy against organised crime, as envisioned by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. This operation reinforces the governments resolve to eliminate gangsterism and ensure peace and safety in Punjab, he said, adding that further investigations are underway to uncover wider linkages.

(For more news apart from Punjab Police AGTF Nabs Two Wanted Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Operatives, Glock Pistol Seized, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
US Detains Koreans 'Illegal Aliens' in Immigration Raid; Korea Says 'Unjustly Infringe Upon Rights'

South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun on Saturday held an emergency meeting about the issue.

Koreans Detained In US In Immigration Raid At A Hyundai Battery Plant In Georgia US Latest News: South Korea's government has held an emergency meeting to respond to the arrests of hundreds of its citizens in a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in the US, the BBC reported.

According to the news portal, Korea has dispatched its diplomats to the site in Georgia. Meanwhile, LG Energy Solution, which operates the plant with Hyundai, said it was suspending most business trips to the US, the report said.

Advertisement

The report further stated that a total of 475 people, mostly South Korean nationals, were detained by US officials.

US officials said that the hundreds of detainees were found to be illegally working at the battery facility, one of the largest foreign investment projects in the state.

The United States has defended the detention, dismissing concerns that the raid could deter foreign investment.

"They were illegal aliens and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] was just doing its job," President Donald Trump is quoted as saying after the raids on Friday.

Advertisement

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, in video footage, showed the workers restrained in front of a building, with some wearing yellow vests with names such as "Hyundai" and "LG CNS."

ICE stated that people on short-term or recreational visas are not allowed to work in the US and added that it was necessary to protect American jobs.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Steven Schrank said in a statement on Saturday that the operation sends a clear message that those "who exploit the system and undermine our workforce will be held accountable."

Advertisement

South Korea, which maintains a strong partnership with the United States, has promised to invest large amounts of moneytens of billions of dollarsinto building and supporting manufacturing projects in America. One reason for this is to balance or reduce the impact of US tariffs.

According to the report, the timing of the raid has raised concerns in Seoul, as the two nations engage in sensitive trade talks.

Many of the LG employees arrested were on business trips with various visas or under a visa waiver programme, the report said, citing officials.

Advertisement

Minister of Foreign Affairs, South Korea, Holds Emergency Meeting

South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun on Saturday held an emergency meeting about the issue.

The minister said that the government had set up an Overseas Korean Protection Task Force to respond to the arrests and that he may himself travel to the US if needed.

"Immediately after this incident became known, the President stressed that US law enforcement actions must not unjustly infringe upon the rights of our nationals or the economic activities of our Korean-invested companies," the minister is quoted as saying in the report.

LG Energy Solution Sends Chief Human Resources Officer to US

On Saturday, LG Energy Solution announced it was sending its Chief Human Resources Officer, Kim Ki-soo to the Georgia site on Sunday, in an effort to secure the swift release of detained individuals.

"We are confirming regular medications for families through an emergency contact network for detainees and plan to request that necessary medications be delivered to those detained," it is quoted as saying in a statement in the report.

Company Suspends Business Trips to the US

According to the BBC report, the company said that it was suspending most business trips to the US and directing employees on assignment in the US to return to Korea immediately.

The arrested workers were being held at an ICE facility in Folkston, Georgia, until the agency decides where to move them next, the report said.

(For more news apart from US Detains Koreans 'Illegal Aliens' in Immigration Raid; Korea Says 'Unjustly Infringe Upon Rights', stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
September 7, 2025

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsflash

Newsroom, 07.09.2025, 14:00

ATTACK  Russia launched more than 800 drones and ballistic missiles on several cities in Ukraine on Saturday night. The attacks damaged buildings in Kyiv, including the government building, and killed three people, among whom a one-year-old child. Putins missiles and drones have killed innocent people again, said Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu. He said Romania strongly condemns such criminal attacks that show the true face of the Putin regime. Mosteanu believes that there is no intention of peace in this barbaric attack by the Kremlin. According to him, Russia wants to destroy Ukraine and intimidate Europe.

AVRAM IANCU  The Pantheon of the Moti in Tebea is today hosting the traditional national celebrations dedicated to the memory of Avram Iancu, one of the most important heroes of the 1848 Revolution in Transylvania. The event, which marks the 153rd commemoration of his death, includes religious ceremonies, wreaths laying at Avram Iancus grave, the evocation of his historical personality and a folk show. The public ceremony will end with the parade of the guard of honor. The national celebrations in Tebea bring together thousands of participants every year, who have come to honor the memory of the one who fought for the rights and freedom of the Romanians in Transylvania.

MOTIONS  The Parliaments plenary in Bucharest is debating and voting today on the four censure motions tabled by the opposition after the Governments response to the second package of measures to reduce the budget deficit. The projects targeted by the action of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), the Young Peoples Party and SOS Romania refer to the fiscal reform, the healthcare reform, the reform of state institutions and autonomous companies. While AUR accuses the Government of presenting a limited reform and ignoring institutions that maintain bureaucratic procedures and high taxes, the ruling coalition claims that the oppositions action is just a political game. For a censure motion to be adopted, 233 favorable votes are required. However, calculations show that PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR and the national minorities have a comfortable majority in Parliament, with the opposition missing over 100 votes for the initiative to succeed. If the motions are rejected, the four reform projects are considered adopted.

DEFENSE  The Romanian Ministry of National Defense begins, on Monday, an exercise to test the response capacity in a crisis situation. The Concordia 25 exercise is coordinated by the Defense General Staff and will take place in nine counties in the country, in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Protection and Guard Service and the Special Telecommunications Service. The exercise aims to verify action procedures, including for the management of possible chemical, bacteriological, radiological and nuclear incidents. Thus, between September 8-12, patrol actions, mobile camps, public order maintenance missions, mine clearance operations and actions to combat cyber threats will be held.

EDUCATION  The opening of the new school year in Romania, scheduled for Monday, will be boycotted in several counties. Teachers have announced that they will not participate in the festivities. They have been taking to the streets for more than three weeks, in Bucharest and across the country, dissatisfied with the increase in the teaching norm, in the number of students in a class and the merging of schools. All are part of the first package of fiscal measures, adopted by the government to reduce the budget deficit. The Federation of Free Trade Unions in Education on Saturday called on teachers to join the protests until the austerity measures imposed on the education system are repealed. The union leader, Simion Hancescu, recalled that a major protest is scheduled for Monday in Bucharest and urged teachers to boycott the start of school year. Student organizations have also announced their support for the protests, dissatisfied with the change in the scholarship system. On the other hand, the Ministry of Education has requested that parents be informed promptly about what will happen in each school on Monday, so that they know what students and preschoolers should do. (EE)
Tata Motors, Indias largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, has announced that it will fully pass on the benefits of the recent GST reform to its customers. Beginning 22nd September 2025, when the revised GST rates come into effect, Tata Motors entire commercial vehicle range will be available at reduced prices, reflecting the governments new 18% GST slab for trucks, buses, vans, and small commercial vehicles.

The announcement follows the GST Councils landmark reform to simplify Indias tax structure, a move expected to spur economic activity, lower costs, and accelerate fleet modernization.

A Timely Boost for Indias Transport Backbone

Commercial vehicles remain vital to Indias economy, carrying goods across industries, enabling passenger mobility, and connecting remote regions to mainstream markets. By reducing vehicle acquisition costs, Tata Motors aims to ease the financial burden for transporters, fleet operators, and small business owners.

Mr. Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors, said, The reduction in GST on commercial vehicles to 18% is a bold and timely step towards revitalizing Indias transport and logistics backbone. Inspired by the Honble Prime Ministers vision and the progressive reforms announced by the GST Council under the stewardship of the Honble Finance Minister, Tata Motors is proud to extend the full benefit of GST reduction on all our commercial vehicles to customers across the country. With a rich legacy of trust and an expansive portfolio of future-ready vehicles and mobility solutions, we continue to be the partner of choice for those who move India forward- empowering businesses, enabling mobility, and fueling growth.

Price Reductions Across Segments

These lower prices are expected to bring down the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) significantly, enabling operators to modernize fleets, reduce running costs, and enhance profitability. From heavy-duty trucks to last-mile delivery vehicles, all categories of Tata Motors commercial vehicles will see significant price reductions from September 22. Estimated reductions include:

 Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs): Rs 2,80,000 to Rs 4,65,000

 Intermediate & Light Commercial Vehicles (ILMCVs): Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 3,00,000

 Buses & Vans: Rs 1,20,000 to Rs 4,35,000

 Small Commercial Vehicles (SCV) Passenger Range: Rs 52,000 to Rs 66,000

 SCVs & Pickups: Rs 30,000 to Rs 1,10,000

Driving Modernisation and Cleaner Mobility

With transporters now able to access cleaner and more technologically advanced mobility solutions at a lower upfront cost, the move is expected to speed up the transition towards modern, safer, and more efficient vehicles. It also aligns with the governments broader goals of improving logistics efficiency, reducing emissions, and bolstering Indias manufacturing sector.

The announcement comes ahead of the festive season, traditionally a strong period for vehicle sales. Tata Motors has encouraged customers to book their vehicles early to ensure timely delivery, as demand is expected to rise once the GST-linked price cuts take effect.
What do the rumblings of Iceland's volcanoes have in common with the now peaceful volcanic islands off Scotland's western coast and the spectacular basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland?

About sixty million years ago, the Icelandic mantle plume -- a fountain of hot rock that rises from Earth's core-mantle boundary -- unleashed volcanic activity across a vast area of the North Atlantic, extending from Scotland and Ireland to Greenland.

For decades, scientists have puzzled over why this burst of volcanism was so extensive. Now, research led by the University of Cambridge has found that differences in the thickness of tectonic plates around the North Atlantic might explain the widespread volcanism.

The researchers compiled seismic and temperature maps of Earth's interior, finding that patches of thinner tectonic plate acted like conduits, funneling the plume's molten rock over a wide area.

Iceland, which is one of the most volcanically active places on Earth, owes its origin largely to the mantle plume. Beyond volcanism, the Iceland Plume's influence even extends to shaping the seafloor and ocean circulation in the North Atlantic and, in turn, climate through time. Despite its global significance, many aspects of the plume's behavior and history remain elusive.

"Scientists have a lot of unanswered questions about the Iceland plume," said Raffaele Bonadio, a geophysicist at Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences and lead author of the study.

Bonadio set out to explain why the plume's volcanic imprint was much more widespread sixty million years ago -- before the Atlantic opened -- forming volcanoes and lava outpourings stretching over thousands of kilometers. The pattern could be explained by the mantle plume spreading outward in a branched, flowing formation, Bonadio explained, "but evidence for such flow has been scarce."

In search of answers, Bonadio focused on a segment of the North Atlantic Igneous Province to better understand the complex distribution of volcanoes in Scotland and Ireland. He wanted to know if the structure of Earth's tectonic plates played a role in the surface expression of volcanism.

Using seismic data extracted from earthquakes, Bonadio created a computer-generated image of Earth's interior beneath Britain and Ireland. This method, known as seismic tomography, works similarly to a medical CT scan, revealing hidden structures deep within the planet. Bonadio coupled this with seismic thermography measurements -- a new method developed by the team -- which reveal variations in the temperature and thickness of the tectonic plate.

He found that northwest Scotland and Ireland's volcanoes formed in areas where the lithosphere (Earth's rigid outer layer that makes up the tectonic plates) is thinner and weaker.

"We see ancient volcanoes concentrated within this corridor of thin lithosphere beneath the Irish Sea and surrounding areas," said Bonadio. He thinks the hot plume material was preferentially funneled along this corridor, ponding in the thin plate areas due to its buoyancy.

Previously, some scientists had put forward alternative, non-mantle plume origins for the volcanic activity, said Bonadio. But his new research shows the scattering could be explained by the magma being diverted and re-routed to areas of thinner lithosphere.

Sergei Lebedev, from the University of Cambridge said, "this striking correlation suggests that hot plume material eroded the lithosphere in this region. This resulting combination of thin lithosphere, hot asthenosphere and decompression melting likely caused the uplift and volcanic activity."

Previously, the authors have found a close link between the uneven distribution of earthquakes in Britain and Ireland and the thickness of the lithosphere, showing how the scars left by the mantle plume influence seismic hazards today.

Bonadio and Lebedev are also using their methods to map geothermal energy resource potential. "In Britain and Ireland, the greatest supply of heat from the Earth's mantle is in the same places where volcanoes erupted sixty million years ago, and where the lithosphere is thinner," said Lebedev. He and Bonadio are working with international colleagues to apply their new seismic thermography methods to global geothermal assessment.
Every person important, it's time to live for Bharat and not die for it: Bhagwat

> <

22:41 One killed, another injured in Ranchi shooting, probe underway One person was killed and another injured after armed men opened fire in here on Sunday evening, police said. Police said the incident took place at a house within the city's Ratu police station limits. Two youths were sitting at a friend's house when unknown criminals arrived and opened... Read more >

22:15 Water reaches walls of Taj Mahal due to rising Yamuna levels in Agra File image The water levels in the Yamuna river rose further here on Sunday, exceeding the danger mark and reaching the walls of the Taj Mahal, officials said. The rising Yamuna levels in Agra have also inundated the homes of some people living along the riverbank. It rose following recent... Read more >

22:12 Punjab: Gangster Goldy Brar's aide held with 5 pistols Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force on Sunday apprehended an associate of foreign-based gangster Goldy Brar and recovered five pistols and 10 live cartridges from his possession, said a top police officer. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the accused has been... Read more >

21:44 Kolkata: Woman found dead after threatening boyfriend of suicide over video call A 23-year-old woman was found dead in south Kolkata's Bansdroni area after she threatened her boyfriend on a video call that she would hang herself, the police said on Sunday.Sudipta Maity, who worked at a private firm, lived in a rented apartment in the Vivekananda Park area of the locality,... Read more >

21:18 Man from TN held for bomb threat to Mangaluru airport A man from Tamil Nadu has been arrested for allegedly making a bomb threat call to Mangaluru International Airport, police said on Sunday.The accused, identified as Shashikumar (38) of Vellore district, was detained and later remanded to judicial custody after a case was registered against him.On... Read more >

20:55 Class 9 girl 'raped' inside car in Odisha's Kandhamal A class 9 girl student was allegedly raped inside a car by a man in Odisha's Kandhamal district, police said on Sunday. According to the police, the incident occurred on Friday evening after the girl visited her elder sister's home and later went to Daringbadi market to witness Ganesh Puja... Read more >

20:50 UP: Farmer dies as health deteriorates while spraying pesticides in paddy field A 50-year-old farmer died on Sunday after his health deteriorated while spraying pesticides in a paddy field in Saharanpur, the police said. The incident occurred in the Dubharkishanpur village of Titro area when Padam Singh was spraying pesticides in his paddy field and suddenly fell... Read more >

20:23 Heavy rains trigger landslides in J-K's Kheri village, several houses damaged File image Residents of Kheri village, situated in the Bantalab area of Jammu, say that 15 to 20 houses have been damaged or destroyed due to landslides caused by heavy monsoon rains over the past few days.The relentless downpours over past few days have also resulted in deep cracks in the soil, rendering... Read more >

19:59 Temples in Uttarakhand close doors ahead of last lunar eclipse The doors of temples in Uttarakhand, including at Badrinath and Kedarnath, were closed after performing puja on Sunday afternoon, ahead of the last lunar eclipse of the year. The evening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar was also performed in the afternoon. The lunar eclipse will... Read more >

19:41 IRCTC introduces local vegetarian cuisine on Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat To promote the rich culinary heritage of Jammu and Kashmir, Railways, in collaboration with IRCTC, on Sunday started serving local vegetarian cuisine on the recently launched Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, an official said. The menu includes famous Kashmiri 'Kahwa', fresh bakery items,... Read more >

19:28 Vets remove 28 kg plastic, 41 nails from pregnant cow's stomach in HP File image Doctors at a government-run veterinary hospital here have removed 28 kg of plastic and 41 metal nails, among other things, from the stomach of a pregnant cow. The complex surgery was performed at Zonal Veterinary Hospital, Barnoh by a team of doctors led by hospital in-charge Dr Nishant... Read more >

19:12 50 detained over Ashoka emblem vandalism at Hazratbal Protesters vandalise a plaque at the Assari Sharief Hazratbal shrine in J-K/ Umar Ganie for Rediff.com More than 50 persons have been detained for questioning in connection with the vandalisation of a plaque with the Ashoka emblem in the Hazratbal shrine here as police intensified searches for those involved in the incident, officials said on Sunday. The police checked the videos and CCTV... Read more >

19:07 Tiger Shroff-starrer 'Baaghi 4' earns Rs 24.54 cr at box office Baaghi 4, headlined by Tiger Shroff, has crossed the mark of Rs 20 crore at the domestic box office in two days, the makers said on Sunday. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala's banner Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, the film also features Sanjay Dutt alongside Sonam Bajwa and former Miss... Read more >

18:37 10 women from West Bengal held as police bust sex racket at Ranchi hostel Ten women from West Bengal were detained on Sunday from a private hostel in Ranchi where a sex racket was being operated, the police said. Acting on a tip-off, a raid was conducted at the girls' hostel in Lalpur, and the women were detained, they said. All the individuals were allegedly... Read more >

18:19 NHRC notice to MP govt over death of newborn due to 'rat attacks' The NHRC has issued notices to the principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh's health department and Indore's district magistrate over a complaint alleging that a newborn died and others were injured due to rat attacks inside a hospital, officials said on Sunday. The case, following the... Read more >

17:49 US tariff: Modi has become 'enemy of the nation', alleges Kharge Referring to the US tariff issue, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday claimed that US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be friends, but alleged the latter has become an enemy of the nation. Addressing reporters in Kalaburagi, the Leader of Opposition... Read more >

17:24 Man drowns during Ganesh idol immersion in UP's Mathura A 22-year-old man drowned here on Sunday during idol immersion on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, the police said. According to the police, his body was recovered after two hours of effort. The police said Amit, a resident of Sadabad area of Hathras district, had reached Mauja... Read more >

16:56 800 drones strike Ukraine in Russia's largest assault File image Russia launched its largest aerial assault of the Ukraine war overnight into Sunday, deploying more than 800 drones and striking a Kyiv government building for the first time, CNN reported.An infant was among at least two people killed during drone strikes on several residential buildings in the... Read more >

16:53 3 police officers killed as car plunges into Shipra river in MP File image At least three police officers, including Unhel police station in-charge Ashok Sharma, sub-inspector Ninama, and constable Aarti Pal, died after their car fell into the Shipra River while responding to a missing girl report. Aarti Pal was driving when the vehicle lost balance, said an... Read more >

16:40 Modi to visit flood-hit Punjab on Sep 9 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab on September 9 to take stock of the flood situation, BJP state unit chief Sunil Jakhar said on Sunday. He asserted that Modi is deeply concerned about the flood situation in Punjab and is closely monitoring it. He (Modi) is visiting Punjab... Read more >

16:21 Lunar Eclipse 2025: Rare celestial event to be observed in India, Australia The total Lunar Eclipse is set to take place on Sunday, offering skywatchers a rare celestial event.A lunar eclipse occurs only during the full moon phase, when the Earth comes directly between the Sun and the Moon.During this alignment, Earth's shadow falls on the lunar surface, which results in... Read more >

16:01 Punjab CM Mann progressing well: Fortis Hospital Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who was admitted to Fortis Hospital in Mohali on Friday after he complained of exhaustion and low heart rate, is progressing well, the hospital authorities said. His vitals are normal and he has been mobilised, they said in a statement on... Read more >

15:55 Red Sea cable outage leads to internet disruption A series of undersea cable outages in the Red Sea has degraded internet connectivity in multiple countries including those in South Asia. While NetBlocks, an entity that monitors global internet has named India as one of the countries impacted by the disruption, Indian telecom operators said... Read more >

15:45 Punjab schools, colleges to reopen for students from Monday All schools, colleges and universities in Punjab will reopen for students from September 8, eucation minister Harjot Bains said on Sunday, days after educational institutions across the state were closed due to floods. If any school or college is affected by floods, the decision on its... Read more >

15:18 Man on run after Maha woman's murder apprehended from Indore A tattoo led to the arrest of a 24-year-old man who had been on the run for the last 10 months after killing a woman in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Sunday. Based on a tip-off, Raju Mahendra Singh, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended from Madhya Pradesh's Indore city... Read more >

14:42 Ganesh idol immersions: 4 drown, 13 missing in Maha At least four persons drowned and 13 were missing after the immersion of idols following the culmination of the Ganesh festival in various districts of Maharashtra, police said on Sunday. In Pune district's Chakan area, four persons were swept away in different water bodies in three separate... Read more >

14:35 Not in race to claim credit, working with CM as team: Shinde on Fadnavis ads File image Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has asserted there is no race among the ruling Mahayuti allies to claim credit for work, and that he is working with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as a team. Shinde made the comments in response to a question over full-page advertisements... Read more >

14:22 Two teenagers drown during Ganesh idol immersion in MP Two teenage boys drowned after falling into a stream during the immersion of an idol of Lord Ganesh in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district, police said on Sunday. The incident occurred at around 8 pm on Saturday in Ghatkheda village, located 35 km from the district headquarters, they... Read more >

14:08 Malayalam superstar Mammootty turns 74 Malayalam superstar Mammootty turned 74 on Sunday with fans, industry colleagues and politicians greeting him with warm wishes. For his hardcore fans, the occasion is more joyous as the legendary actor recently recovered from a brief illness and now getting ready for a comeback to the film... Read more >

13:42 Ordering in food on Swiggy, Zomato to get costlier The hike in platform fees by Zomato, Swiggy and magicpin ahead of the festive season is set to make ordering food costlier for millions of users across the country, which is likely to rise further due to the 18 percent GST levy on delivery charges from September 22. Swiggy has hiked its... Read more >

13:26 Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan detained at Mumbai airport Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan/Image courtesy Facebook Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was detained at Mumbai airport on Sunday as there was a lookout notice issued by the Kerala police in a case related to a harassment complaint given by an actress, officials said. Sasidharan, in a Facebook post, said he has arrived at Mumbai airport... Read more >

12:44 Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru to step down Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru on Sunday decided to step down from the post over a month after his party was hit with a major electoral setback in the Japanese Parliament, NHK World reported.NHK World was the first to learn about the development.Earlier in July, Ishiba had faced a major... Read more >

12:42 1 dead, 5 hurt in electrocution during Mumbai Ganesh immersion A man died and five other persons were injured after coming in contact with a live electric wire during a Ganesh idol immersion procession in Mumbai on Sunday morning, civic officials said. The incident occurred on Khairani Road in Sakinaka area at around 10.45 am when a dangling electric... Read more >

12:21 Maoist killed in encounter with security forces in Jharkhand File image A Maoist was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Chaibasa area of West Singhbhum district, officials said on Sunday.The joint operation involved the district police and COBRA battalion, and led to the recovery of weapons, including an SLR rifle.Michaelraj S, spokesperson of the... Read more >

12:15 3 swept away in creek during Ganesh idol immersion in Maha's Palghar, rescued File image Three men swept away in a creek during Ganpati idol immersion in Maharashtra's Palghar district have been saved with the help of a Ro-Ro boat after a quick alert from maritime authorities, officials said on Sunday. The incident took place at around 3 pm on Saturday at Narangi jetty in Virar... Read more >

12:11 Rajasthan witnessed 20 custodial deaths in two years: Govt report Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Rajasthan recorded 20 custodial deaths in police lock-ups between August 2023 and August 2025, with six of them attributed to suicides, a government report has stated. The report, which was submitted in the state assembly in response to a query by Congress MLA Rafeek Khan, said 12 of the... Read more >

11:59 Modi's nudge spurs major GST overhaul, FM leads drive Ek baar aap GST dekh lo! -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gentle nudge to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in December last year sparked the beginning of a mammoth exercise to overhaul the tangled goods and services tax regime. And the final outcome is a significantly simplified... Read more >

11:36 UP: Woman refuses to get married to man chosen by parents; killed by father A 20-year-old woman was allegedly strangulated to death by her father here after she opposed her marriage to a man against her wishes, the police said on Sunday. The accused Gayyur then himself reached the police station on Saturday and informed police about the crime. Circle officer... Read more >

11:28 Teacher who took on BJP activists during Bihar bandh gets notice A female teacher, whose video of engaging in a war of words with BJP workers trying to enforce the Bihar bandh went viral on social media, was issued a show-cause notice by the government, an official said on Saturday.The teacher, posted in Jehanabad district, was pushed and shoved by female BJP... Read more >

11:09 Mentally unstable woman kills 3-yr-old niece, dies by suicide in Maha A mentally unstable woman allegedly killed her three-year-old niece before committing suicide in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Sunday. The incident took place on the intervening night of Friday-Saturday, they said.The 26-year-old woman, resident of Ambernath town, was... Read more >

11:07 TRAI rejected application to send Maha 'poll fraud' SMS: Cong The Congress on Sunday claimed that the TRAI rejected its application for sending out SMSes to its Maharashtra cadre with the link of a documentary on how Maharashtra assembly elections were allegedly stolen on the grounds that it is content related to protest. The opposition party also... Read more >

11:03 3 boys killed in freak accident involving scooter, lorry, car Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Three boys have been killed and another sustained critical injuries when the scooter, which they were riding, collided with a lorry and a car travelling in opposite directions in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar, police officials said on Sunday.The four boys were riding a scooter on the Ring Road near... Read more >

10:33 Thousands gather at Girgaon Chowpatty to bid adieu to Lalbaugcha Raja Thousands of devotees gathered at Girgaon Chowpatty in south Mumbai amid rains and tight security on Sunday morning to bid farewell to the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja and other idols of the elephant-headed deity, marking culmination of the 10-day Ganesh festival.The immersion processions of major... Read more >

09:56 Modi likely to be felicitated for GST reforms at BJP meet A two-day karyashala (workshop) of BJP MPs will begin on Sunday at the Parliament complex where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be felicitated for the GST reforms. While the workshop was planned several days ago, sources said Modi may now participate as well. However, a... Read more >

09:29 Fear grips UP village as 'nude men' allegedly target women Panic has gripped Bharala village near Meerut city following incidents of women being pulled into fields by nude men. According to police, they have received reports of two such incidents happening in the past 10 days. On August 30, a woman passing a field was allegedly grabbed... Read more >

09:14 AIMIM to support INDIA bloc candidate Sudershan Reddy in V-P election All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi has announced his party's support for the opposition's vice-presidential candidate, B Sudershan Reddy. In a post on X, Owaisi has said the Telangana CMO spoke to him and requested him to support... Read more >

08:56 11-year-old girl raped by married man gives birth, baby dies An 11-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly, who had been subjected to repeated rape and blackmail, has given birth to a premature baby which died soon after, police said on Saturday. The infant was born seven months into the pregnancy and died half an hour later, they said.A police... Read more >
Grieving mother Christina Cardona reflects on the events that led to the drowning death of her son Thomas Sanchez, 6, at the Stapleton waterfront in mid-August. Here, she returns to the location on Aug. 28, 2025. Shaina McLawrence

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  On a stretch of shoreline in Stapleton, a painful reminder of tragedy haunts one Staten Island family.

This is where 6-year-old Thomas Sanchez, a non-verbal child with autism, drowned last month after he got out of his home and accessed an unfenced section of the waterfront.

Thomas had wandered to an approximately 50-foot opening on the far right corner of a park closest to the waterfronts rocky shoreline. The area is about 500 feet from the intersection of Front and Canal streets.

This panorama view shows the section where Thomas Sanchez, 6, drowned at the Stapleton waterfront in mid-August. (Advance/SILive.com | Shaina McLawrence) Shaina McLawrence

His mother, Christina Cardona, 37, described her son as energetic, intelligent, and affectionate, with a fondness for sensory comforts like chew toys, goldfish crackers, and playful routines with his family.

And now hes gone.

In the wake of his death, Cardona is fighting to make sure no other family experiences the loss that she did.

The mother has launched a petition on Change.org calling for the city to close the gap in the fencing and improve safety measures at the Stapleton waterfront.

Thomas is whats getting me to do this. His life matters, she said. I want to prevent something like this from happening again, that because of Thomas, no other child or anybody will suffer.

The above map depicts the path Thomas' mother believes he took to the Stapleton Waterfront Park on the morning of Aug. 17, 2025. Google Maps

Boy found unconscious

Just before 9 a.m. on Aug. 17, Cardona flagged down local police to help search for her missing son near Broad Street and Tompkins Avenue.

Officers canvassed the area and found Thomas unconscious in the water at the edge of Stapleton Waterfront Park.

Despite lifesaving efforts and transport to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, Thomas was pronounced dead. The investigation remains ongoing, according to police.

Cardona believes Thomas wandered to a familiar section of the pier near Front Street, a place he often visited with his siblings, and accessed the water through the gap in the fencing. Its not like its a puddle, she said. Anybody can fall in.

Grieving mother Christina Cardona reflects on the events that led to the drowning death of her son Thomas Sanchez, 6, at the Stapleton waterfront in mid-August. (Advance/SILive.com | Shaina McLawrence) Shaina McLawrence

Safety concerns at the waterfront

Although the rest of the waterfront walking path at the park is gated, Cardona pointed out that the corner section where Thomas drowned had no barriers or gates.

Cardona emphasized the preventable nature of the tragedy, noting that her son would not have been able to climb over a fence had one been present.

Were saddened by this tragic loss of life and our hearts go out to the victims family, said a spokesperson for the New York City Parks Department.

Parks Enforcement regularly patrols the park and removes any patrons who they witness climbing on the rocks, the spokesperson said. The department deferred further questions about the death to the NYPD.

Grieving mother Christina Cardona reflects on the events that led to the drowning death of her son Thomas Sanchez, 6, at the Stapleton waterfront in mid-August. (Advance/SILive.com | Shaina McLawrence) Shaina McLawrence

In an interview with the Advance/SILive.com, Assemblyman Charles D. Fall, a Democrat who represents the North Shore, expressed his condolences to the family. He shared that this tragedy particularly resonates with him as he lost his 6-year-old brother in a similar drowning incident when he was 9 years old.

My thought now is how do we make the area much safer? So things like this dont happen again, Fall said. Thats one of the things were going to be finally reaching out to the city about, is to assess the waterfront in that neighborhood and other neighborhoods to see what are some safety measures we can take so something like this does not happen in the future.

Fall also added that he is particularly concerned because of plans made for development of the waterfront area in the future.

Christina Cardona, 37, described her son as energetic, intelligent, and affectionate, with a fondness for sensory comforts like chew toys, goldfish crackers, and playful routines with his family.(Advance/SILive.com | Shaina McLawrence) Shaina McLawrence

Struggling to cope

Meanwhile, the family is struggling to cope with the devastating loss.

The tragedy has deeply affected Thomas siblings, especially his twin brother Bobby and 9-year-old sister Aubrey.

Bobbys been on Thomas bed a lot lately; hes just clinging to it" Cardona said. Hes been napping there. Hes never slept on Thomas bed before.

Their stepfather, Devin Everett, 34, shared a special bond with Thomas and visits the site nightly. That was my boy, Everett said.

Thomas had wandered to an approximately 50-foot opening on the far right corner of a park closest to the waterfronts rocky shoreline. The area is about 500 feet from the intersection of Front and Canal streets.(Advance/SILive.com | Shaina McLawrence) Shaina McLawrence

Thomas loved ones are urging the community to be vigilant and proactive when they see a child in potential danger. If you see a child, grab them, Everett said. In moments like that, you say something, you do something.

As of this week, the petition had garnered nearly 100 signatures. Cardona has also reached out to elected officials and organizations.

Those interested in learning more about or participating in Cardonas petition can visit: change.org/protection-gate-for-stapleton-water-front
Participants pass bags decorated with messages for the deceased during an Out of the Darkness Walk event organized by the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Sawyer Point park, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) AP

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Suicide remains a leading cause of death in the United States and is the second leading cause of death for New Yorkers ages 15 to 34.

To promote awareness and prevention, volunteers across the country are participating in events this season, including Staten Islands annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk.

Hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention New York City Chapter (AFSP NYC), the walk will take place Sunday, Sept. 14, at 12 p.m. ET at Wolfes Pond Park.

The event invites community members to walk in memory of loved ones, in support of someone struggling, or to honor their own mental health journey.

The Staten Island Walk creates a safe space for unconditional support, honest conversations, fostering hope and understanding in our local community, said Felicia Gambino, AFSP Staten Island Walk co-chair.

Proceeds from the walk support AFSPs research, education, advocacy, and loss support services. Attendees also have the opportunity to connect with others who have been affected by suicide, sharing stories and building a sense of community.

According to AFSP, suicide impacts one in five families in the United States.

This years Staten Island walk is among hundreds being held nationwide. The event will feature remarks from AFSP NYC staff and walk chairs, as well as a special Honor Beads Ceremony recognizing community members and their personal connections to the cause.

Local sponsors supporting the walk include Hands of Hope, Richmond University Medical Center, Shamanista Lifestyle, UrgentVet Staten Island, and Richmond Behavioral Associates, with in-kind contributions from DJ Ricardo Phillips and Starbucks.

Those interested in participating or donating can visit afsp.org/StatenIslandWalk.

About the American Foundation for Suicide PreventionThe American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide.

AFSP works to create a culture that is informed about mental health through public education and community programs, advances suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide.

Headquartered in New York and led by CEO Robert Gebbia, AFSP has chapters in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with programs and events nationwide.
Three new bath houses are set to open in New York City, with two as soon as this fall, according to a new report by Gothamist. Staten Island Advance

New York City will be getting three new public bathhouses in the near future, according to a recent report by Gothamist.

Of the three joining New York Citys long, storied history of public bathhouses, two are expected to open in the coming months, Gothamist reports.

One bathhouse, run by the Canadian company Othership, will open a location in Williamsburg. The other, Lore Bathing Club, will be opening in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan.

Although no exact dates have been given, both should be opening sometime this fall, according to Gothamist.

The third location, another operated by Othership, will eventually open on the Upper East Side some time in 2027, the outlet reports.

Setting itself apart from other competitors, which charge per visit, Lore Bathing Club looks to utilize a monthly membership plan, the news outlet reports.
Police are searching for an individual who broke into the apartment of a 71-year-old woman, near Liberty Avenue and Berriman Street, and assaulter her. Courtesy Google Maps

Police in Brooklyn are looking for an individual who broke into the home of a 71-year-old woman and sexually assaulted her while she slept, according to a new report from amNY.

The incident occurred around 2:15 a.m. on Aug. 30, near the intersection of Liberty Avenue and Berriman Street in East New York, police told the news outlet.

The individual entered the womans apartment through a kitchen window. He then entered her bedroom and began choking and groping her, amNY reports.

Before leaving the apartment, the individual stole the 71-year-old womans pajama bottoms. He then fled southbound on Atkins Avenue, police told the news outlet.

The suspect was described by police as wearing gray sweatpants, a dark-colored shirt, and black and white sneakers.
On the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Staten Island resident Jeanette Gutierrez, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, led the charge for kindness and unity in New York City. She is pictured with Pay It Forward 9/11 founder Kevin Tuerff. (Courtesy Dennehy Public Relations) Courtesy Dennehy Public Relations

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  On the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Staten Island resident Jeanette Gutierrez, along with a dedicated group of volunteers, led a charge on Sept. 3 for kindness and unity in New York City.

The event, part of the ongoing 11 Days of Kindness and Unity campaign, aimed to honor the lives lost on 9/11 by inspiring random acts of kindness throughout the city.

The event was organized by Pay It Forward 9/11 founder Kevin Tuerff and the organizations board, which includes Gutierrez.

Volunteers gathered at Xavier Mission on West 15 Street, Manhattan, to distribute free coffee, wristbands, and smile cards, offering kind words and random acts of goodwill to passersby.

Volunteers also shared personal reflections on the significance of kindness in the wake of tragedy, pledging to continue spreading goodwill throughout the #11DaysofKindness campaign.

After the 9/11 attacks, people all over the world came together as one to help each other and support those in need, said Tuerff. Now is the time to plan an act of kindness with other people in your circles, register your kindness commitment online, and help restore unity through kindness, which creates a ripple effect.

A legacy of kindness

Pay It Forward 9/11 was founded in 2002 by Tuerff, one of the thousands of airline passengers stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, on 9/11.

In that moment, Tuerff was moved by the kindness of the small Canadian towns residents, who provided food, shelter, and comfort to the stranded travelers.

Inspired by this experience, he created Pay It Forward 9/11 to honor the spirit of compassion and kindness.

This years campaign features a range of kindness-driven activities, including random acts of goodwill, volunteer efforts, and creative ways to engage communities in spreading joy.

Planned acts on tap

A series of acts of kindness are planned throughout the week, including:

Sept. 10: A screening of the Come From Away musical (Apple TV version) at Pace University.

Sept. 11: 125 students from Warren Township, NJ, will join the 9/11 Memorial to sing the national anthem and speak on the importance of kindness.

Sept. 11: Teams from the American Thoracic Society will perform random acts of kindness across the Ground Zero neighborhood.

Sept. 11: Employees at FiDi Hotel will share extra kindness with guests and neighbors.

Sept. 11: Pace University students will spread kindness through random acts and share their experiences.

During those dark days, we pledged to never forget those lives taken on 9/11 and the kindness and bravery of helpers and first responders, Tuerff said. Our 11 Days of Kindness campaign honors those killed in 2001 on 9/11, and also the heroes who volunteered with acts of compassion.

How to participate

This September, Pay It Forward 9/11 encourages everyone to join in the movement by participating in acts of kindness. Here are a few ideas:

Teachers can download free #11DaysofKindness for Kids classroom lesson plans and activities from the Pay It Forward 9/11 website.

Write thank-you notes to first responders, healthcare workers, military personnel, or essential workers.

Buy a tank of gas for a stranger at the gas station.

Pay for a beverage for the person behind you in line and encourage them to pay it forward.

Ask a restaurant or bar if you can pick up the tab for a nearby table and insert a note saying, Smile! Youre the recipient of a random act of kindness.

Over the past 24 years, the campaign has inspired individuals, corporate groups, and schools to unite in kindness. The #11DaysofKindness culminates each year on September 11, National Day of Remembrance and Service.

Volunteers from various organizations, including Pace University, the American Thoracic Society, and FiDi Hotel, joined in to carry the torch of kindness across the city.

To inspire others, participants are encouraged to share their kindness stories on social media using the hashtags #PayItForward911 and #NeverForget.

The 24th anniversary of Pay It Forward 9/11 is supported by the Come From Away musical and Junkyard Dog Productions, as well as Gallin & Son, Trinity Church Wall Street, and Air Canada.

Sponsorships are still available for the 2025 campaign and the 25th anniversary in 2026.

Visit payitforward911.org for more details.
Suburban cafes and restaurants are becoming increasingly popular as flexible work patterns normalise and CBD office buildings remain vacant, with new data showing customers on average spending more on food and drinks locally compared with city centres.

In the first half of 2025, businesses in suburban Sydney and Melbourne recorded higher on average food and beverage spends per customer according to transaction data from payment terminal provider Square.

In Sydney, the average spend per transaction at cafes, restaurants and bars was $14.52 at suburban businesses, but just $12.87 in the CBD. For Melbourne, the average spend on food and drink transactions was $15.15 in suburban cafes, higher than the $13.53 average in the city centre.

Customers are spending more on food and drinks at suburban cafes than in city centres. Credit: Eddie Jim

The same data also showed that in CBDs theres a reliance on a diverse range of ever-changing patrons, while in the suburbs, businesses are flourishing thanks to repeat customers.
Several flights have already been canceled due to Tropical Storm Tapah, as Typhoon Signal No. 8 has now gone into effect.

Starlux Airlines confirmed the cancellation of several flights between Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong for this evening and tomorrow.

According to the airlines statement, flights JX205/206 between Taipei and Macau, and JX331/332 between Taichung and Macau are canceled for Sunday. On Monday, flights JX201/202 between Taipei and Macau and JX233/234 between Taipei and Hong Kong will also be suspended.

Information from the airports website also shows several flights of Air Macau, including routes to Jakarta, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Taipei, as well as flights operated by other airlines to Macau.

In addition, sea travel has been halted, with the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) announcing a suspension of all ferry services until further notice.

The Fire Services Bureau (CB) advises residents to check the stability of doors and windows and to stock adequate water and supplies. Citizens are also warned to avoid low-lying areas and basements and to stay clear of scaffolding, billboards, and building balconies.

Tropical Cyclone Tapah is expected to strengthen, with both the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) and the Hong Kong Observatory warning residents earlier today of an imminent upgrade to Signal No. 8.

As of 8 p.m., SMG reported that Tapah was located approximately 240 kilometers south of Macau. The storm is moving north-northwest at about 20 km/h and is forecast to approach the western coast of Guangdong soon.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Observatory announced it will raise the Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 at 9:20 p.m., preceded by a Pre-No. 8 Special Announcement about two hours earlier.

Following a flood warning issued earlier by SMG for low-lying areas, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) approved the temporary closure of the Inner Harbour Mocha Club at 9 p.m.

At the same time, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) reminded residents and tourists that all public transportation services in Macau will be suspended due to the typhoon.

The last buses for all public routes will begin departing from 8:40 p.m. onward.

The last buses tonight will depart at 8:40 p.m. for Route 21A, at 9:00 p.m. for Routes 50, 56, and 73, at 9:15 p.m. for Routes 11, 22, 30, 52, and 55, at 9:30 p.m. for Routes 28A, 35, 36, 71, MT1, and MT2, and at 10 p.m. for multiple routes including 1, 2, 2A, 3, 3A, 3X, 6A, and 7.

All six night bus routes will be temporarily suspended until further notice.

Meanwhile, following a dispatch from the Chief Executive and in accordance with the Civil Protection Law (Law No. 11/2020), Macau entered the immediate prevention stage.

Authorities urge all residents to follow safety protocols, secure homes, and avoid unnecessary travel as the city braces for the storms impact.

Like this: Like Loading...
Baz Luhrmanns new Elvis Presley film EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert has premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to a standing ovation, closing the loop on a journey that began for the filmmaker when he was developing his critically acclaimed 2022 biopic Elvis.

The new film, a blend of documentary, concert film and narrated autobiography, was assembled from unearthed fragments of archival material believed lost from Elvis: Thats the Way It Is, the film of Presleys 1970 Las Vegas summer residency, and another road concert film, 1972s Elvis on Tour.

Baz Luhrmann in Toronto for the premiere of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert. Credit: Leon Bennett/Getty Images

Its not a documentary, its not a concert film, Luhrmann said, speaking after the premiere screening in Toronto at the weekend. Instead of people telling you about Elvis, it [is a film in which] Elvis sings and, for someone who wasnt that verbal, [he] tells his story like never before. The storyteller is Elvis himself.

Presley, the Mississippi-born, Tennessee-raised musician, was one of the most influential music artists of all time, rising to prominence in the 1950s, parlaying his success on the concert stage into a film career and selling more than 500 million records worldwide during his career. Presley died in 1977.
When Marcia Hines became a star in Australia, Donna Summer  who grew up with her in Boston  offered her congratulations. But there was a time when the queen of disco considered Hines, who was thrice voted Australias queen of pop, to be a pest.

I was best friends with Donnas younger sister Linda, Hines explains. Donna was about four years older and, to us, she was the coolest chick in the world. Whenever shed leave the house, Linda and I would go through her things and look at her clothes.

Marcia Hines (left) and Casey Donovan are paying tribute to Donna Summer in a new show that will tour nationally. Credit: Simon Schluter

The two teenagers made every attempt to cover their tracks  but their efforts were usually in vain. You know how you can just tell if someone has touched your stuff? Hines says. Donna would know straight away. Thats why she hated us!

Earlier this year Hines decided to craft a tribute to the woman who sold more than 130 million records globally. The result is a new show, Marcia Sings Summer, with special guest Casey Donovan, which tours nationally from October.
The creation of the Great Koala National Park on the states North Coast by the Minns government will be greeted with joy and fury.

In announcing the park, a patchwork of 176,000 hectares of state forest stitched together with sections of existing national park into a protected zone sprawling over 476,000 hectares around Coffs Harbour, the government is delivering on a key election promise at significant political risk.

Yarriabini National Park is part of the proposed Great Koala National Park. Credit: Janie Barrett

The park was first conceived of by activists in 2012 as a way of preserving some of the last critical koala habitat in the state, and was backed by Labor as far back as 2015.

In 2020, after the black summer fires killed a third of the already declining NSW koala population, a parliamentary inquiry found that without radical intervention the animal would become extinct in the wild in this state by 2050.
I want when visitors from overseas come here, they go and see the reef, they go and see Uluru, and they come to the Great Koala National Park, Sharpe said. The other factor that proved decisive for Minns was a decision last year by Essential Energy, the electricity network that covers 95 per cent of NSW, to phase out wood for composite power poles made of fibreglass and resin, mainly to reduce bushfire risk. The move by Essential Energy will have a significant effect on the timber industry in the region of the Great Koala National Park. Before that decision, the Mid North Coast provided timber for 90 per cent of power poles in NSW and 70 per cent nationwide, according to the Australian Forest Products Association. Koalas were added to the federal list of endangered animals earlier this year. Credit: Janie Barrett [Essential Energys] decision to get out of hardwood for their telegraph poles made a big impact on me in terms of the future of this industry, Minns said. It doesnt mean theres no future for the [forestry] industry, but it does mean that its substantially changing.

The creation of the park will throw the spotlight onto the future of logging in the states public native forests, a practice that has been halted in several other states including Victoria. The Minns government is working on a forest industry action plan that it says will achieve a sustainable timber industry that aligns with key environmental priorities. Minns said it would be impossible to finalise a plan without certainty about the size and nature of the Great Koala National Park, so one had to come before the other. Loading The news that the park will be full size  all 176,000 hectares of state forest assessed will be included and joined with 300,000 hectares of existing national park  and logging will cease immediately was met with joy and relief from environmentalists, and fury and devastation from the timber industry and unions. The government estimates about 300 jobs are affected by the moratorium and it has provided a package for six mills to stand down workers on Jobkeeper-style arrangements, in the hope of achieving certainty of wood supply for roughly 19 other mills in the region.

Australian Workers Union NSW branch secretary Tony Callinan said the government had overridden the advisory committee in announcing such a large park and that he would press for a better deal for workers. Im very angry, very confused and disappointed that a Labor government has placed the desire of the green lobby ahead of the workers it was formed to assist, Callinan said. Brook Waugh, the owner of Thora Mill near Bellingen who employs about 35 men, said he was reeling from the news. Brook Waugh, manager of Thora mill, who sources timber from forests that may be locked up by the establishment of the Great Koala National Park. Credit: Janie Barrett To say Im devastated is just an understatement, Waugh said. In one respect, Im glad my grandpa and my dad have already died because my grandpa built our mill, and weve managed to keep it going all these years through the hard times and kept people employed.

The government has said it will delay legislation to create the park in the hope of being able to earn carbon credits for protection of the forest. Minns said the government wanted that federal scheme to work for the park because it would be an important source of revenue. We expect it to come through, but obviously these are decisions that are outside the NSW governments decision-making, Minns said. We dont anticipate major changes there, but well have to look at ways of creating the Great Koala National Park based on their decisions. Loading Minns said Labor did not control either the upper or lower house, so legislation would need support from the crossbench or Liberal MPs prepared to vote against their National colleagues. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said: The NSW Liberals support having more ambition to protect koalas, but the government has left some questions unanswered.
Liberal powerbroker Alex Hawke has refused to be drawn on whether he referenced frontbencher Jane Hume during a phone call with senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Prices office, following the latters comments about Indian immigration.

In a tense exchange on ABC Afternoon Briefing, host Patricia Karvelas grilled Hawke about whether he referred to Hume during the phone call.

Opposition spokesperson for industry and innovation Alex Hawke. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Karvelas asked: The staffer has reported to the senator who she works for that you directly mention Jane Hume in a way that was menacing, because you were basically insinuating that, like Jane Hume was dumped from the front bench, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price would be too.

Hawke said, No, I didnt make any threat or reference to Jane in any way about her dumping.

Loading

When pressed on whether he mentioned Hume at all, Hawke said: Im not going to go into the conversation we had. I am going to say I didnt make any reference to any dumping, and Im going to say perfectly clearly, I wouldnt draw the staffer into it.

Hawke rejected Karvelas suggestion that his call to Prices office was more than five minutes long, rather than the two minutes he claimed it was. Karvelas cited several conservative Liberals as telling her about the length of the phone call.

I dont know how any several conservative Liberals would know that, Hawke said.

Im on one end, and theres someone on the other end. It was an unplanned and unexpected call, and theres only two people that know how long it went for. Everybody else is speculating. Im not going to get into that realm of gossip and stupidity.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size A leading contractor on major government infrastructure projects, including federal police facilities at Sydneys new international airport, allegedly orchestrated a terrifying campaign of mafia-style attacks to suppress a worker-exploitation scandal. An interim inquiry by the CFMEU administration outlines suspicions that Future Form, which is also a key sponsor of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL club, may have been involved in firebombings and repeated threats aimed at the family of a veteran union official investigating the firm over systemic worker mistreatment at the federal and state-funded rail project servicing the new Badgerys Creek airport. Future Form has denied all allegations of wrongdoing, although confidential communications and source testimony obtained by this masthead raise serious concerns about the firms integrity. The Future Form allegations outlined in the provisional CFMEU report mark a major turning point in the Building Bad scandal because a major company, rather than the union, is implicated in serious, albeit strongly disputed allegations, of involvement in unlawful and violent activity  many months after the Albanese governments intervention in the industry. The claims come amid separate calls for far greater government intervention to fight organised crime in the construction industry, fresh revelations of an unrelated firebombing spree in Melbourne  including a shocking attack on a company owners home  and a pledge from Queensland Premier David Crisafulli that his states royal commission will target crooked companies as well as the CFMEU. Future Form said the union administrations claims about its links to standover activity and worker exploitation were entirely false and without foundation, saying a refusal to compromise our integrity had triggered baseless attacks.

Advertisement

We look forward to clearing our name and will fully co-operate with authorities to do so, the firms managing director, Nabil Hafza, said in a statement. Future Form managing director Nabil Hafza. Credit: Instagram Administration chief investigator Geoffrey Watson, SC, is yet to interview any Future Form personnel, a step which needs to occur before his provisional reports conclusions are finalised and tabled in parliament. The investigation was also unable to speak to other key people central to the allegations. CFMEU NSW executive officer Michael Crosby said he was personally convinced that Future Form was responsible for the attacks on our organiser, including a firebombing outside the mans home and demands with menace allegedly made through a de facto relative. Future Form logo on the Canterbury Bulldogs 2024 jumper. Credit: Instagram The interim report outlined suspicions the reason a veteran union organiser and his family were repeatedly and violently targeted over the past year was probably that he was probing allegedly corrupt conduct by Future Form and the firm was suspected of seeking to prevent that  from coming to light. A well-liked CFMEU organiser and his family have been attacked, Watson wrote in his interim report. The risk is so great that the CFMEU is currently providing security for two of its organisers and their families. It is obvious that those behind these attacks are dangerous.

Advertisement

The suspicions outlined in Watsons interim report have not been tested to the standard required in a court, and this masthead is not suggesting they have been proven, only that they have been alleged by the union administration and several sources. The suspected corruption referred to by Watson involves concerns that Future Form engaged in systemic worker exploitation, denying employees lawful rates of pay, superannuation and income protection entitlements. One mechanism Future Form is suspected of using is sham contracting, an unlawful practice that involves treating employees as subcontractors. The firm is also accused by the union of major safety breaches at the airport site, exposing workers to possible harm. Future Form project at Western Sydney Airport. Credit: Instagram Documents seen by this masthead suggest that on one site at which Future Form was engaging dozens of workers, its workers insurance records suggested it had just 11 full time rather than the dozens working. Watson said the records indicated that these 11 workers were also apparently earning less than $65,000 per worker annually or less than half of what they should have been paid under the companys CFMEU agreement.

Advertisement

According to information provided to Watson and Crosby, the targeted CFMEU organiser began to suspect unlawful workplace behaviour by Future Form in October. Shortly after this, his suburban Sydney home was attacked late at night while he was away and his young children and wife slept inside. CCTV from October, obtained by this masthead and 60 Minutes, shows two masked and hooded men daub the property with profanity-filled graffiti denouncing the organiser as a paedophile and CFMEU dog. About an hour later, the men returned to cut the homes power supply, plunging it into darkness. Three months later, when the organiser forced a temporary halt to work after he uncovered further suspected serious safety and employment breaches involving Future Form on the Western Sydney Airport site, he was allegedly yelled at by a company delegate, who purportedly said: You hate us  you are biased against us! On the same day, January 30, CEO Nabil Hafza also sent increasingly frustrated texts to the CFMEU organiser, including messages that said need this resolved right now and need this shit resolved.

Advertisement

CCTV obtained by this masthead and 60 Minutes reveals that after midnight on February 1, the union official was sleeping inside with his family when two masked men covered his car and boat in petrol before torching both. Crosby said the attacks sent a message to back off and had scared the living daylights out of the organisers family. It also led him to stall his Future Form investigation. But in late June, the organiser ordered an audit of Future Form by issuing right of entry notices on the terminal site. He got a call from workers on the site saying the place was a complete mess, it was really unsafe, And frankly, to his credit, he thought, OK, Ive gotta do something about that, Crosby said. Watsons interim report outlines allegations that a day after the audit notice was issued, the organiser was unexpectedly called by his de facto relative, also a construction worker, who said he had been jumped in a car park by several men who he said claimed to represent Future Form. According to Watsons report, the organiser was told: Theres a carload of them. They followed me from home. They know where your family is at  they say they know they are at the dentist. They even know where I work on the weekend.

Advertisement
It was a bit of a shock. But they went through everything in a lot of detail, and I was sent all this stuff that I needed to take to my GP. The information I was given was very helpful. The researchers found that one in 50 of their participants  aged between 18 and 40  had a high genetic risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer or heart disease. Bellette was one of those individuals. Specifically, researchers found a variant of the BRCA2 gene, which is linked to far higher rates of breast and ovarian cancer in women. For the Tasmanian, everything was starting to fall into place. Her mothers breast cancer, when it was discovered, had already spread to her ribs in between regular mammogram appointments. Bellette was determined for the same thing not to happen to her. In March this year, she had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy  the surgical removal of both breasts  followed by whats called a DIEP flap reconstruction, a type of breast reconstruction using the patients own tissue from another part of the body.

Loading I had it all through the public system. It didnt cost me anything. I was shocked at how quick I got in  I think I waited 90 days and then had my surgery. The first surgery was 13 hours. But I healed really well. You wouldnt even know now. I feel great. Bellette says shes incredibly grateful to have been able to take part in the study, which is currently undergoing peer review. The Tasmanian had not been eligible for genetic testing through Medicare, even though her mother was receiving cancer treatment, because that cancer had not yet been linked to inherited risk. Ive been able to control what happens, Bellette says. My mums family is also huge, so theres so many aunties and uncles now getting tested. Its probably going to prevent a lot of people from possibly getting cancer.

Monash Universitys Dr Jane Tiller, the studys co-lead, said Bellettes story illustrated why Australia needed to widen access to publicly funded genetic testing for certain diseases. We want to find people ahead of time, Tiller says. We would like to test 100,000 people and look at the evidence on how we roll this out to the broader population, in the future, as a DNA screening program. Bellette flew to Canberra last week to speak to politicians about her experience. She is pictured here with Dr Jane Tiller from Monash University. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Tiller stressed that while people might be desperate to find out their personal genetic information, it was important for publicly funded DNA screening to focus on conditions that are very high risk and treatable if caught early enough.

Otherwise, researchers run into ethical issues, such as the effects on someones mental health if they learn they have a very high risk of developing early onset dementia, but there is nothing that can be done to prevent it. Alongside the BRCA1/2 genes, Tiller would like the federal government to expand access to genetic testing for Lynch syndrome  associated with higher risks of bowel cancer, endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer  and familial hypercholesterolemia, linked to genetic high cholesterol and risks of heart attack from an early age. Young people want to take preventative steps for their health. We would rather that be through a publicly funded screening program than people getting dodgy genetic tests from overseas because they cant get them at home. The University of Sydneys Dr Brooke Nickel, who is not associated with Tillers research and has previously written about the risks of overdiagnosis, said a genetic testing regime that was too broad had the potential to pile additional pressure on the health systems limited resources. I think it is really important to focus testing where it really makes a difference, Nickel said.

During the previous term of parliament, the Albanese government promised to stop life insurance companies from using DNA screening results to discriminate against customers. That draft legislation is now expected to come before MPs in the coming months. Loading A spokesperson for Health Minister Mark Butler said the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing was reviewing Monash Universitys expanded DNA screening proposal. In the meantime, Bellettes surgical journey isnt finished. Ill get my ovaries out when Im 40, and that should be the last surgery that I need.
Exclusive data released to the Herald shows reports made to the online Sexual Assault Reporting Option, which allows victims to report anonymously and only progress with an investigation if and when they choose to, jumped by 52 per cent in a month, from 317 in March to 485 in April. This increase coincided with a campaign aimed at increasing community awareness of sexual assault reporting options. Figures remained steady for the rest of the campaign, falling after it ended. The sex crimes boss says there has been a rise in victim-survivors choosing to revisit their reports and seek legal action or non-legal support services. Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty, head of the NSW Police Sex Crimes squad. Credit: James Brickwood Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said there was also a threefold rise in reports since January 2023, when the SARO portal replaced the original online reporting tool  which was presented in a clunky PDF format and required complainants to create fake email addresses for anonymity.

Our highest [annual total] on the old PDF one was in 2022 and we had just short of 1000 reports, Doherty said. The first year that we ran SARO, wed gone up to over 3000, almost 4000, reports. And its been pretty consistent. Sexual assault victims 16 years and older, who do not want to speak with a police officer but want to alert them to the crime, can complete securely stored SARO questionnaire through a community portal. There are options for anonymous entries or for leaving contact details. Doherty said the report, though not formal, can help police find repeat offenders, understand the criminal landscape of specific areas and empower victims to seek further support outside the legal process. What we find is a lot of victims use that option as a way of testing the waters, she said.

Some victims have reported its the first time theyve actually articulated their story [and they] have a very cathartic response, in that theyve told someone, and then they feel they can go on and tell other people. Some people never contact police again, but others return a day, week, year or 10 years later and decide to proceed with an investigation, which may rely on crucial details from the earlier SARO report. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows sexual violence is one of the most underreported forms of violence, and, Doherty says, SARO reports show this is particularly prevalent in domestic violence. This information has helped police develop strategies to encourage more victims to come forward. Weve done a lot... but we can do more

Doherty said despite the many measures police have taken to address the sexual assault crisis, more can be done. Research consistently shows victim-blaming is a main deterrent for sharing stories. You never question someone whose house has been broken into, but someone who says I went on a Tinder date and was sexually assaulted, people start to ask questions like What were you wearing? Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty A 2022 study of 30 countries conducted by Ipsos and the Global Institute for Womens Leadership at Kings College London found among the western countries, Australia had the highest proportion of people thinking women reporting abuse or rape made up or exaggerated their claims. That view was held by one in five people surveyed  and almost 30 per cent of men. Doherty said tackling victim-blaming is a community-wide responsibility.

We all have this image of what a sexual violence victim is, and when someone doesnt quite fit that image, they get questioned, she said. Loading You never question someone whose house has been broken into, but someone who says, I went on a Tinder date and was sexually assaulted, people start to ask questions like What were you wearing? What did you expect to happen?  Asked whether she felt police officers have at times contributed to stigma surrounding sexual assault victims, Doherty said NSW Police have done a lot of work in relation to that, [as in] educating police in relation to an appropriate response to sexual violence. Theres quite a few thousand police officers out there, but we are changing attitudes, we are educating ourselves, and we hope to educate the community as well.

The SARO overhaul was made under NSW Polices 2021-24 Sexual Violence Project, aimed at improving victim-focused and trauma-informed responses, while encouraging victims to report assaults or seek support  nearly nine out of 10 do not. Other changes included the introduction of sexual violence portfolio holders, who drive each commands response to sexual violence and visit schools and other community groups, as well as specialised victims rooms in every police station. How SARO works If you are 16 years or older and do not want to speak directly with a police officer, but you want the police to know you have been sexually assaulted you can complete the online Sexual Assault Reporting Option (SARO) through the community portal. Information received via the SARO is treated with the utmost confidentiality and recorded on a secure and restricted NSW Police Force database. This SARO has three pages: Page 1 seeks information about the person making the disclosure. You will have the opportunity to remain anonymous, provide your details but request no engagement from police, or ask police to contact you.

Page 2 seeks information about the person who hurt you. If you do not know the offender/s or do not want to disclose the offender/s name you will be asked to describe the offender.

Page 3 seeks information about the what happened to you, and you will be asked to describe what happened in your own words. Source NSW Police Earlier this year, police ran a three-month education campaign titled Your Say. Your Way via social media, online videos and outdoor advertising. It coincided with a 50 per cent increase in SARO reports. So, weve come a long way, Doherty said.

Weve done a lot of things to change the police response to it, but we can do more, and well continually improve. Alex has repeatedly relived being raped, but has been afraid to share her story Alex understands concerns around victim-blaming all too well. On many occasions, she considered reporting being raped, even driving to a police station with her sister one day and backing out as they arrived. Its all just so intimidating, she said.

I havent told anyone but my sister because I cant help but feel like people will ask why I drank so much, whether I gave him the wrong idea, why I got into his car. Alex added she was afraid of being retraumatised by the police and legal processes for the slim chance of seeing justice. However, she was not aware of the SARO option until recently, and said she may decide to use it. Its comforting to know that I can share my story and decide later if I want to press charges, but I dont know if Im ready, she said. Too early to tell impact of sexual assault legal reforms

Having worked with victims for decades, Doherty said a challenge is the hesitancy of many to proceed with an investigation due to trauma. Loading And for those who come forward, police can face challenges building a strong prosecution case due to the intimate setting of most sexual crimes. Data released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research in 2024 found fewer than 15 per cent of the 5869 sexual assaults reported to police in a year resulted in charges. Less than half of those that made it to court resulted in a finding of guilty, resulting in about a 7 per cent conviction rate for all police reports.

Recent legal improvements include NSW affirmative consent laws enacted in 2022, which say consent must be a free, voluntary and ongoing communication of agreement, rather than presumed. Last year, coercive control  an abusive pattern of assault, threats, humiliation or intimidation against a current or former intimate partner  was criminalised. Doherty said it was too early to gauge the overall and lasting impact of these new laws, including coercive control in the context of sexual assaults. Weve got a few matters coming through trials at the moment that will test those new consent laws  they havent been overly tested, Doherty said, adding police will be waiting for some time for many of the coercive control offences to go to trial. She hoped these would make a difference. She had this message for victims considering how to seek help: Speak to us. Speak to related services Full Stop Australia have victims advocacy services, they can help you through counselling and so on, until you feel confident enough to come forward to police.
Sipping a coffee in Darlinghurst, visitors to a local plant shop and cafe are first met with Parisian-inspired scenes of al fresco dining areas and potted plants overflowing with lush greenery. But shattering the illusion are two GoGet vans parked squarely in front.

Local cafe Stanley Green has been at odds with the City of Sydney for more than a year over the councils refusal to move two car share spaces where GoGet vans are parked next to coffee tables from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

Bobby Kamal, owner of the local cafe, says the council has dug its heels in and is refusing to move the car share spaces. Credit: Dylan Coker

Owner Bobby Kamal is frustrated at the visually detrimental vans that he says obstruct views, disturbs customers and prevents visitors from fully enjoying the space. He has asked the council to move the two car share spaces so he can convert them into street dining space, but said it has not budged.

The vans overshadow the space and block sunlight. Its visual pollution for us  weve spent so much time and money creating this beautiful, inviting space. But the only thing you can really see is the GoGet vans, Kamal said.
The other surfers were in closer [to shore] than him, and he told them to huddle together and paddle to shore. They were doing that, and because [of that] he was out slightly further ... The shark breed remains unknown, but a 2.09 metre great white shark was tagged and released from a SMART drumline at The Kick, Collaroy at 09:27am on Sunday, the Department of Primary Industries reports. The attack has devastated Psillakis family and the broader surfing community on the northern beaches. Described as a keystone of the surfing fraternity on social media, he was a life-long northern beaches resident who had been heavily involved in the local board-riding community for decades along with his twin brother Mike Psillakis, the owner of popular surfboard brand Psillakis Surfboards.

The two men have been members of the Long Reef Boardriders club since the 1980s, and both brothers won a club champion award in the 1990s. Mercury had recently helped organise a paddle-out tribute after the death of another Dee Why surfer. Graphic footage of the moment Psillakis was attacked was captured on a local beach camera as he paddled at the back of a huddle of surfers 100 metres off Long Reef, but this masthead has chosen not to show it. Police at the scene on Saturday, where two pieces of surfboard were taken for further examination. Credit: James Brickwood Beaches across the region remained closed on Sunday morning, as local, friends and fellow surfers descended on Dee Why to share their stories, and watch on as members of the Dee Why Surf Life Saving Club patrolled the water on two jetskis and by drone. Rod McGibbon, president of the Surf Life Saving - Sydney Northern Beaches, said the beach would remain closed for between 48 and 72 hours, depending on what they observe from their surveillance.

McGibbon confirmed that the attack took place just south of the lagoon at Long Reef. That section of the beach is netted. Loading Among the scores of people at Dee Why Beach on Sunday morning was Scott Romain, a long-time friend and fellow surfer of Psillakis, who had travelled with him in Indonesia in the late 1980s. Romain was marking the loss of his friend by playing the didgeridoo on the beach, and said he plans to return to the water as soon as the beach reopens. Others are not so sure. Im rattled. Im not sure I want to go straight back out, said fellow surfer Angela Edwards, 46, who was surfing the same break just a few hours before Psillakis was taken.

I might need a little pause and reset on it. This is very close to home. You wont ever go out if you think about it, and its certainly front of mind. Loading Edwards echoed the sentiments of many bystanders when she said she is opposed to the use of shark nets and culling. I dont know that they do a great job. I mean they didnt work here, she said. Id like to see more tag-and-release and more drones to warn people. We have to co-exist, and we have the technology. Luca Fiaschr, who migrated from South Africa with his wife and two children nine months ago, said Australia and South Africa are the only two countries in the world where shark nets are deployed.

If they worked so well this wouldnt be happening, and the loss of all other forms of sea life is too great, Fiaschr said. Oscar OShea, a 14-year-old surfer, who was in the water at the time of the fatal shark attack in Dee Why. Local 14-year-old surfer Oscar OShea was surfing just 100 metres away when the attack took place on Saturday. The waves did look really good down past the lagoon, but there were about 20 or 30 surfers there, so we stayed up the [north] end of the beach, he said. We were just surfing when all these people on the beach were waving and whistling out to all of us in the water to come in, said OShea, from Collaroy. Normally, its pretty clear out there, but I couldnt see the bottom or anything, so that could be one factor.

OShea doesnt plan to let it deter him from returning to the water any time soon or as soon as the waves are good again. Former pro-surfer Toby Martin said Psillakiss heroic move once hed spotted the shark, to corral his five or six mates in to shore ahead of him, was a testament to the type of man he was. Martin urged people to not let the attack put them off enjoying the ocean. The ocean is a beautiful place. Dont be afraid of it. Dont let a really random incident put you off. Were here to enjoy it, he said. Minns described Saturdays attack as an awful tragedy. My heart goes out to the victims family and friends. I also want to thank the first responders and community members who tried to help in such tough and confronting circumstances, he said.

Shark attacks are rare, but they leave a huge mark on everyone involved, particularly the close-knit surfing community. The NSW government spends more than $21 million on its annual shark management program, with nets installed annually at 51 beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong from the start of September. As part of a trial to remove nets from some beaches, three councils  including the Northern Beaches, Waverley and Central Coast council  were asked to nominate a beach where nets could be removed. NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty invited the councils to nominate a beach, but all three councils asked the Department of Primary Industries to make the final decision, since it was legally responsible for the program and would have the relevant data. In her letter to Moriarty, Northern Beaches Mayor, Sue Heins, said the council would not object to Palm Beach having nets removed. Central Coast Council said it will continue to work with the department on shark mitigation measures.
Tim Donovan was right in saying milk monitor (C8) was a prized job, writes Warwick Teasdale of Pretty Beach. However, the ultimate prize was to be a Bin Boy. When lunch finished, Bin Boys wandered around, collecting the garbage bins from classrooms and the playground. They could then spend a considerable amount of time emptying the bins into a burning incinerator. An added bonus was pretending to smoke by puffing on burning milk straws.

Granny is pretty sure that John Frith of Paddington was not alone in his technique in dealing with a classic school punishment (C8), currently under discussion: Whenever I had to write out 100 lines, I found it easier on the hand to write out the first word 100 times down the page, then the second word 100 times down the page, and so on.

This would not have worked for Jeffrey Gabriel of Gladesville: Wheres the creativity in lines? At St Marys Cathedral College, our deputy headmaster, Mr Millar, would hand out a ten by ten where we had to write ten different sentences with ten words or more on the subject of our particular infringement and why we shouldnt have done it. Repeat sentences and repeated reasoning were not allowed.

Maggie Hamilton of North Sydney says, My dad often told the story of his teacher at Lakemba Boys in the 1940s. Sir had a pile of tennis balls on his desk and if a lad misbehaved, he would grab one and fling it towards the miscreant. Among the tennis balls was nestled one cricket ball. He never checked when he picked a ball, so the boys learnt quickly to behave (or duck).

The Heralds surly photo of Dan and the Dictators last Thursday goes to show that, in China, Mandarin cheese wont put a smile on your face, reckons George Manojlovic of Mangerton.
Police have issued a public appeal for information after a 26-year-old man was gunned down in Melbournes CBD in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The man, from Seabrook in Melbournes south-west, was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital about 4.20am by two other men who police believe are friends or acquaintances of the shooting victim.

The trio were standing outside an apartment building on Elizabeth Street when a car drove up to them and at least one shot was fired about 3.40am. Police believe the occupants of the car and shooting victim knew each other. Police established a crime scene at the corner of Franklin and Elizabeth streets on Sunday morning.

Detective Inspector Graham Banks. Credit: Penny Stephens

Detective Inspector Graham Banks said the dead man was known to police, but he declined to offer further details. However, he confirmed there was no indication the shooting was linked to Melbournes tobacco wars.
A West Australian local government will become the second to push back against a nonsensical government committee that has voted to disallow proposed cat containment laws.

The Shire of Pingelly attempted to push their plans, named the Save the Numbat Local Law, through the committee that reviews shires legislation against the state Cat Act, but those plans were not supported.

Numbats in the Dryandra woodlands of WA, which along with the Pingelly area is one of only a handful of locations the once-widespread species is still found. Credit: Robert McLean

Shire chief executive Andrew Dover said they had received a 14-page letter, pointing to issues with their proposed laws that the committee claimed did not meet requirements.

The catch, Dover said, was they had copy-pasted the Narrogin cat containment plan  which the committee passed through in 2016  only changing the name to the Save the Numbat Local Law.
Researchers also have more than 100 years of shark attack records to help calculate the odds of your worst-case scenario ever becoming a reality. So what do we really know about why these big fish bite?

In the past few decades, tracking programs have started to piece together a new picture of the oceans most fearsome predator. Scientists have learnt that sharks, once considered notoriously solitary, are surprisingly social; that some will return to the same stretch of coast alongside the same sharks year after year; that they can learn from each other, remember, and even count; that they might lean in to human touch, lay their head in the lap of a diver or play in the bubbles of their tank.

Not all of the 500-odd shark species out there look like Shark 26. Some dont even look like sharks  our native wobbegong more closely resembles a carpet while the Greenland shark grows large and hundreds of years old in the icy waters at the top of the world.

If we were to follow that shark, where would he lead us? Great whites travel thousands of kilometres along Australias coastline and beyond every year. Some are tracked by researchers; they have names, or at least numbers, and their own radio frequencies, thanks to tags implanted under their skin and dorsal fins. On the seafloor, receivers listen for them to get close. But they wouldnt hear this shark. He doesnt have a tag yet. Well just call him Shark 26. (Thats how many years hes been alive.) For a great white, hes barely a grown-up, one of a few thousand adult whites estimated to be left in Australian waters.

Now, above the surface, tragedy is unfolding. Lifeguards and panicked swimmers rush to help. But the shark didn't stick around. He's already gone, back into deeper water, with a strange taste in his mouth. So what did he want?

Now hes really here, and perhaps youre close enough to see that his eyes arent black at all, theyre navy; dark in the deep but in the sun they shine inky blue. His teeth catch the light too. You might see them first, jagged like steak knives. Of course, more likely than not you see nothing but a flash of grey before the bite. Its gentle, by shark standards. Your leg jerks. You kick out, throw a punch. He lets go.

Suppose your worst-case scenario goes like this: by the time you turn, hes already seen you, and hes closing fast. Youve seen him before too, this great white. Not in the surf, but when you close your eyes, when you glimpse a shadow in the water, this is the shark you imagine: 2000 kilograms of muscle and teeth with the black, dead stare of a killer.

The 2020 tally really hurt, says surfer Dave Pearson, who has been running the worlds only shark attack survivor support group, Bite Club, since his own run-in with a bull shark in northern NSW almost 10 years ago. Whenever you chat to a surfer these days, inevitably the conversation turns to sharks.

In 2021, three people died from shark bites in Australia; one died in 2022 and three people had died in the year to December 2023.

Still, bites are no less tragic for being rare. By late November 2020, eight people had died in Australian waters alone, making it our deadliest shark attack year since 1929 (when panicked Sydneysiders advocated for dynamiting sharks at Bondi). Thats a very bad year, Naylor says. There were no bite deaths in 2019.

Consider that number against the many millions of people taking to the water. Or against the tens of millions of sharks killed each year for their meat and fins as industrialised fishing pushes a third of all shark species towards extinction. Even the great white is now endangered.

Youre more likely to be killed by bees or cows than sharks, says Gavin Naylor, an evolutionary biologist who curates the International Shark Attack File. On average worldwide, just over 80 people a year have run-ins with sharks in so-called unprovoked attacks, when the shark seems to come from nowhere, rather than being lured by fishing or bait. About six people usually die.

Above: In the US, a reef shark, known as Foggyeye, lets Christine Zenato remove a hook from her mouth  in all, it takes 40 minutes as the shark recoils, swims off, and returns. She never left me alone after that day, Zenato says.

At Macquarie University, biologist Nathan Hart and his team examined more than 100 years of Australian attack records against environmental conditions and shark behaviour to develop a world-first predictive model for bites. Its a bit like weather forecasting [for sharks], Hart says. The risk goes up near river mouths where runoff tend to draw them close, or after high rainfall stirs up the sea. And big sharks like to hunt where cool waters meet warm. Shifts in the East Australian Current due to climate change are pushing these nutrient-rich upwellings closer to shore, Hart says. A major hotspot for white shark attacks on the east coast even lines up to the western boundary of the current.

Leonardo Guida, a shark ecologist at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, says a perfect storm of changing environmental conditions might now be driving bigger sharks closer to Australian coast. Warming oceans are shifting the migration patterns of some whales and fish further south  and sharks follow the food. A recent study found climate change was already seeing bull sharks move into Sydney in greater numbers.

The shark bite capital of the world is actually a small stretch of beach in Florida called New Smyrna  but so far none of its attacks have been fatal. Comparing white shark bites to the [main] culprit species [in New Smyrna], a blacktip, is like comparing dingo bites to hamsters, Naylor says. Youve got about a minute-and-a-half before you faint if the big femoral artery [on the thigh] is severed.

Naylor offers two practical reasons: there are more people in the water than ever before, and there are more people reporting encounters than they did when official record-keeping began in 1958. Fortunately, our medical response times, our [shark] surveillance, is getting much better, so were actually saving more [victims globally].

Herein lies the mystery for scientists. If shark numbers are actually going down, why are attacks going up?

Naylor says in the rare cases such man-eaters have emerged in other species, say, lions and leopards in Africa, the animals were often older, losing their teeth, and no doubt beginning to see an unsuspecting human as easier prey than a baboon. But sharks, like wine, improve with age, growing bigger and more savvy.

While shark attack forensics are still evolving, Naylor says theres no evidence in the data so far of the same individual shark attacking more than once. Certainly, tagging research suggests sharks move around far too much to be behind numerous attacks. Even the author of the shark attack horror Jaws once penned an open letter pleading with Australians not to buy into the myth of the rogue shark . Such creatures do not exist, despite what you might have derived from [the film].

Leading shark scientist Yannis Papastamatiou agrees that people still see sharks as serial killers. Ive swum with whites, with hammerheads, Ive looked into their eyes, he says. Theyre not harmless, they dont care about your feelings, but theyre not out to get you either. They have very basic reasons for attacking, which we still dont fully understand but we do know its not malice or spite.

Perhaps its because they catch us so literally out of our depth, in their domain. At Sydneys Bondi Beach, ancient rock carvings depict shark attacks. During a brief but controversial program in 2014, the West Australian government hunted and killed rogue sharks thought to have mauled people, as if tracking down wanted criminals.

Weve done it to wolves and snakes, to bats, she says. Three-year-olds are taught to fear sharks, even before theyve seen the ocean.

Fifteen years ago, diver Cristina Zenato began removing fishing hooks caught in the mouths of reef sharks in the Bahamas. Today those sharks will lay in her lap like dogs. Zenato, known to the internet as the shark whisperer, says people have made monsters out of sharks because its easier to pretend they are not an animal that feels and hurts.

Papastamatiou has watched sharks hunt all over the world, from whites stalking seals at dawn to grey reef sharks charging into an atoll in French Polynesia after sundown. (It was dark, dead quiet and suddenly, they sounded like bulldozers, tearing up the reef.) While he agrees its usually the juvenile sharks still learning the ropes involved in attacks, he doesnt buy the popular theory that sharks mistake humans, often in their sleek black wetsuits, for seals.

The records do reveal some crucial clues. The bigger [and so older] ones tend not to be involved in the incidents; they know were not food, Naylor says. Its those young, more naive sharks that are starting to transition into eating things like seals and turtles, not just fish, as they grow.

Above: This camera is on a grey reef shark as it cruises through a school of barracuda off Palmyra Atoll in the US. Footage by Yannis Papastamatiou.

Sharks might be styled as the perfect killing machine but, as with most predators, their success rate at catching prey is surprisingly low. They can burn out very quickly, Papastamatiou says. So it makes sense for them to bail out if the animal doesnt offer much energy or their chances are low.

We are within the size range of typical fare for a big shark such as a white but Papastamatiou notes that humans have very little fat, or energy-rich blubber, compared with some of sharks favourite prey, seals. For the same reason, youd be able to tell if I fed you non-fat brownies instead of ones made with real butter.

A shark, say our white Shark 26, sees in blurry low resolution, like someone who has forgotten their glasses, but his eyes are good for a fish, and even better at night. Its a bit insulting to the shark to say theyre bumbling along making mistakes, Papastamatiou says. Every now and then, probably, but not all the time.

Guida agrees. Scientists (including Hart) have shown that sharks are colourblind, putting an end to old fears about yum-yum yellow attracting them to surfboards, but they can still make out contrast and contours. Even something as small as a cigarette packet floating on the water, sharks will check out, Guida says.

And sharks are notoriously curious  investigation or taste testing is considered a likely motivation behind many attacks. They don't have hands, so how do you investigate something if you're a shark? You bite it, Papastamatiou says. Of course, it can still be devastating.

This might also explain why human encounters with the predators typically look very different to a shark truly in hunting mode. When a white such as Shark 26 has spotted a target, he will barrel to the surface in a burst of speed so powerful hell often breach out of the water himself. His eyes will roll back in his head to protect against an errant flipper or tooth.

If sharks went after surfers the same way they went after seals wed be seeing a lot more fatalities, Papastamatiou says. Some attacks may just come down to how hungry a shark is, but very rarely do we see actual consumption.

Many sharks will leave after biting a human rather than charging a second time or waiting for the victim to bleed out, as they often do with their regular prey.

Still, there are aberrations that haunt the public memory. The shark that mauled Ken Crew in the shallows of a Perth beach in 2000 then turned on his rescuer. Pearson says some Bite Club survivors have been bitten more than once or chased back to shore. Weve had a shark bump someone else out of the way to go for one of our guys, he says. And Ive spoken to about 10 people thrown metres into the air in a stealth breach attack  thankfully, the surfboards took the brunt of it.

In Tasmania in 2020, a boy was dragged from a fishing boat by a breaching white shark but rescued with only minimal injuries by his father as the shark let go. Papastamatiou says the boat itself, rather than the boy, was probably the target. But its really guesswork, why it attacked.

Hart notes many victims are surfers, who tend to be further out in the deeper water where bigger sharks dwell. But he thinks the mistaken identity theory shouldnt be discounted too quickly  his own experiments carting foam seal decoys behind boats for white sharks in South Africa found that when the foam seal was outfitted with a flashy strip of lights, disguising its familiar silhouette, the sharks stayed away.

And someone on the surface can look pretty similar to our foam seal.

Its also unclear if sharks are territorial, Papastamatiou says. Some do have home ranges and  hierarchies. Youll see injuries from other sharks, a white might charge another one to let it know to back off, though Ive never heard of [these clashes] being fatal.

But, while some of the smaller sharks may perceive us as a threat, he says the bigger species involved in most incidents (bulls, whites and tigers) are unlikely to feel threatened by an ungainly human in their ocean.

We need to look, too, at all the times a shark was there and nothing happened. If people knew how often there was one in the water with them, theyd be shocked.

Australian surfer Mick Fanning's close encounter with a white was captured live on television during a 2015 competition.

What have we learnt from close encounters?

Australian champion surfer Mick Fanning famously fended off a white shark live on television during a competition in South Africa, and recalled later how he felt the predator move behind him as he tried to swim for shore. Some instinct told him to whip back around, to fight with his fists, rather than turn his back.

Papastamatiou, himself trained in martial arts as well as diving, admits the old punch in the nose advice likely wont do a whole lot of good. Obviously, you should fight back, but if I had a choice Id be going for the eyes or the gills; theyre more sensitive to damage. My Brazilian jiu-jitsu probably wont do much at all unless I wanted to put the shark in a headlock  definitely not advisable.

Instead, he says, think like Mick: Never turn your back on a shark. If a shark thinks it can catch you unawares, youre a much more interesting prospect than someone vigilant who might give it a fight. Papastamatiou has seen sharks bail out of charges just because a turtle glanced up and spotted them.

Can sharks really smell a drop of blood miles away? Not exactly. It would have to be a lot of blood pooling in one spot for a decent period, and so easy to track. Shark senses are very good, particularly their hearing, thanks to jelly-like pores along their sides that detect vibrations in the water. But thats still not going to bring them in [from] more than a kilometre away, Papastamatiou says. A shark might be drawn to a floating whale carcass or river mouths. An activity such as spearfishing, full of soundwaves and fish blood, is more likely to attract a nearby shark than a small cut on a hand. One impressive, though even more short-range, sharky sense is their ability to detect electrical fields produced by prey, say, from hearts beating, allowing sharks to zero in on fish, even those hiding beneath sand on the seafloor. Strong electric fields can also overwhelm this sense and so repel sharks, inspiring a range of personal deterrent devices. Many products have not been properly tested but some have shown promise, including certain electric field models and even bite-resistant wetsuits. Still, theres no silver bullet.

Pearson shudders to imagine how he would have reacted if his own encounter with a bull shark hadnt happened so fast, if hed looked it in the eyes as it broke out of the water in front of his surfboard. What he remembers instead was the gaping teeth and, later, a grey shape in the roiling surf. The sharks nose clocked Pearson in the head and his left arm became stuck between its jaws and his board as they were dragged underwater together, man and shark. I wouldnt say we were wrestling exactly, Pearson recalls. We were both stunned from the [collision so] it did the hard work for me.

In the years since that day, Pearson has come hair-raisingly close again and again to large sharks in the waters of NSW  12 encounters within his first 12 months back in the water. A white sniffed [his] feet all the way in on a wave. A bull rubbed its back against him.

Some close calls were easy to shake off. Some werent. Id tell [my mates]: Dont leave me alone. Sometimes I just sat back on the beach and cried, thinking, can I keep doing this? Now Im more settled, my love of the ocean is still stronger than my fear of sharks. But they dont call me shark bait for nothing; I seem to have a radar these days. I know when to get out ... People need to listen to sightings.

In the documentary Save This Shark, Fanning himself gets close to some of the worlds biggest sharks in an effort to understand what happened that day in South Africa and how the predators, which he now calls the janitors of the ocean, are faring against overfishing. I think people expected that Id be calling for a cull on sharks, but its the opposite, Fanning says. I learnt to dive so I could get closer to the sharks and resolve the feelings I had  Hopefully, [now] Ill be known less as the guy who punched a shark and more as an ocean activist.

Shark biologist Charlie Huveneers took Fanning cage-diving with whites in the Neptune Islands, a known hotspot for the species in South Australia. It was in these waters that Huveneers and his team first noticed whites seemed to be using an interesting tactic to hunt  coming at prey from the same direction as the sun to seemingly improve their vision (and dazzle their target). They even changed direction as the sun shifted throughout the day.

World War II jet fighter pilots did it too, Huveneers says. But we hadnt seen it with a marine animal before.

Diver Neal Watson took surfer Mick Fanning swimming with tiger sharks in the Bahamas for the documentary Save This Shark. Credit: This Film Studio, Sean Williams

What do we know about how sharks think?

When Zenato takes tourists on reef dives in the Bahamas, she is also followed by a group of loyal regulars; sharks she gives names such as Grandma, Stumpy and Shredder. Some are more popular, others must be coaxed in for a feed, cheekier animals might be scolded for stealing bait. Its like the whites Papastamatiou works with in Mexico; certain animals will swim calmly to the boat, he says, and others are just  theres no other word for it  bad-tempered.

Researcher Catarina Vila Pouca has seen the same surprising personalities surface in (smaller) sharks shes trained back at Macquarie Universitys Fish Lab. Some of the Port Jacksons on which her team ran cognition experiments were bolder than others. The sharks could also learn from one another, recognise patterns and even count (in a sense), identifying specific quantities of dots on cards.

Its likely such skills translate to bigger species too, Vila Pouca says, as they seem key to survival. Theres a whole range of abilities science has assumed only happened in mammals we're now testing in fish. People think fish have terrible memories, but sharks can learn things and remember them for more than a year.

There are also signs of learning in the wild, she says. Its why fishermen will often complain of sharks stealing fish straight off their hooks or following their boats, and why tagged sharks released by scientists will often shoot off into the open ocean and not return to shore for months.

Huveneers says that personality and unpredictability can even show up in migration patterns. Sharks are constantly moving, not just to hunt but to return to preferred breeding grounds  usually in more sheltered reefs and mangroves where baby sharks born tough but small can be safe to fend for themselves. They dont travel in packs but many species have been known to come together in small clans year after year.

Theres even this mysterious bit of ocean off Hawaii, in the middle of nowhere, that white sharks near the US gather at the exact same time, says marine biologist Olaf Meynecke. We call it the White Shark Cafe. In the shark world, usually the bigger sharks move around more, but we still dont quite know how they find each other again in all that vast ocean. Its like a desert.

Whites are found in every ocean on Earth. Those in Australian waters will often swim across to New Zealand, New Caledonia and the Pacific Islands. One now-famous white named Nicole (after the actress and shark enthusiast Nicole Kidman) was tracked from South Africa to south-west Australia and back again in nine months. In recent years, the CSIRO has started building a white shark family tree of Australasia using DNA samples from tagged animals. Its like ancestry.com, but for sharks, a spokesman says. Analysing that data, they could estimate the true size of Australias white population for the first time, he says, and found it has stabilised over the past decade since protections were introduced but remains in trouble  short on breeding partners.

The extinct shark megalodon was similar to the great white today (just at a much bigger scale), which scientists say underscores the "success of the model". Credit: Getty Images

Why are sharks in trouble  and how do we live with them?

Sharks have swum in our oceans for the past 450 million years  their ancestors fought the dinosaurs. They are finely evolved to hunt at the top of the food chain. Zenato calls them the wolves of the sea, stopping any one species from getting out of hand and throwing off the ecosystem below.

The problem for sharks is that they also mature and reproduce very slowly. So if their populations start to decline rapidly, as they are today under unprecedented overfishing pressure, they cannot make up for the losses fast enough.

Naylor muses that, while sharks have already survived four of the five big extinction events on Earth, and will likely survive climate change too, the one thing they won't survive is being fished out of the water by a bunch of monkeys, [without] end.

And there will be consequences if we remove sharks; we dont know exactly what yet. It could be algae all over our beaches, blanketing the Gold Coast. It could be much worse.

In the Bahamas, shark numbers are stable thanks to new protections, but they still regularly find themselves snared by hooks after being drawn to fish thrashing on lines.

Its the job of the shark to clean up what is hurting, what is bleeding, Zenato says. And she now considers it her job to help them where she can.

Removing hooks from the mouth of a shark is not easy. People say, Use pliers, I need to use my hands.

Sharks outside her regular group will turn up on dives with hooks too. And Ill take them out and never see those sharks again. But they know to come.

Guida has studied the impact of shark mitigation and fishing methods on animals, measuring the build-up of chemicals in their bodies during capture. A shark jerks just like a human when I draw blood, he says. Their brains, their physiological responses to pain and stress are not that dissimilar to ours.

Even in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area, Guida says fishing nets can stretch for more than a kilometre. Once somethings in a net, on a hook, flopped up on a boat or trawler, it becomes a race against time. Some species that need to swim to breathe, like the [endangered] hammerhead sharks, start choking fast.

Marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck at the Humane Society International says living with sharks safely is not about shark-proofing the ocean. Thats a very Australian idea, he says. [Bites] are horrific, and they make us think authorities should do something, but the way to stay safe isnt what might feel right; its not [vengeance].

Research consistently shows that killing sharks  through netted beaches, baited drum lines or bullets  doesnt stop attacks. In some cases, sharks and other marine life caught, such as turtles and dolphins, might even attract more predators to the area. In others, Guida says the measures can create a false sense of security for beachgoers. (The nets, for example, only go up four metres.) The death of a surfer on the Gold Coast in September was at a beach with both nets and drumlines, although proponents insist overall deaths remain low at netted beaches, even if attacks have not slowed.

Scientists now see real promise in shark surveillance programs being rolled out from South Africa to WA and NSW. In October, a loud warning from an overhead drone may have saved professional surfer Matt Wilkinson from a shark that had swum close without him noticing.

Im saving up my pennies for my own drone,Pearson says. And theres nothing like surfing with five or six survivors  one splash and every head snaps around.

The big question we all wonder  why did it happen?  we never really get an answer to, so [as a group] weve become each others answer.

Loading

As Zenato describes the swollen jaws of the sharks she helps by hand, she stresses that she understands the risks (I would never try to remove a hook from a great white). But still she wonders, when the animals sink down into her lap, do they enjoy her touch? The protective chainmail she wears over her wetsuit is soft against the skin.

Its the same way we might wonder if a 500-year-old Greenland shark, born before the Industrial Revolution, has felt the ocean warming in the centuries since, as pollution spilled black and sticky into the seas.

At the end of the day, its a wild animal, who knows? Guida says. But I remember now cage-diving with a white and in the whole 45 minutes she was close, she only bared her teeth once. It just struck me how gentle they can be, how shy they can seem.

Zenato thinks the reef sharks come to her because they feel no threat. Some stay for a very long time, some just a few minutes. But in that moment, they trust me.

Fascinating answers to perplexing questions delivered to your inbox every week. Sign up to get our new Explainer newsletter here.
Imagine waking up to find the car or boat ablaze in the driveway of your family home while your kids sleep inside. Now, imagine that those behind this terrifying attack get away with it.

Incredible as it may seem, thats the state of affairs a year into the Albanese governments supposed moves to clean up the construction industry, after the revelations of crime and corruption aired in this mastheads Building Bad series.

Honest union officials and builders are not only living in fear, but their families are being targeted.

In Victoria, there have been three terrifying attacks at the family homes of building industry figures, and multiple firebombings on construction sites.
When Parliament resumes next month, the House of Representatives will continue its debate on Barnaby Joyces private members bill to abolish the net zero emissions target.

The government has taken the highly unusual step of giving the bill a priority almost always denied to such private members business, to showcase divisions within the Coalition. Labors decision to do so is political mischief-making of the highest order, but who can blame them? In the Senate, meanwhile, Joyces consigliere Matt Canavan will be introducing his own private senators bill to the same effect. (The fact that Canavan is currently supposed to be conducting a review of National Party policy on the issue shows how seriously that process can be taken.)

Opposition leader Sussan Ley is facing friendly fire from Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, whose private members bill aims to abolish the net zero emissions target. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

It is likely the issue will be agitated in the Liberal party room, as members of the partys right seek to circumvent the more authentic process of policy review being undertaken by the shadow minister Dan Tehan.

These events come as yet another state branch of the Liberal Party, the Queensland division, voted at its annual conference a fortnight ago to abandon the net zero target. (The hybrid Liberal National Party is the Queensland division of the Liberal Party as well as an affiliate of the federal National Party.) The terms of the motion were carefully worded to refer to a net zero mandate rather than target, but the nuance was lost on almost everyone. Queensland joins other Liberal Party divisions in South Australia and Western Australia, the NSW branch of the National Party, and the Country Liberal Party in the Northern Territory, in rejecting net zero. The intensity of feeling among party members may vary somewhat from state to state, but overall, it is very strong.
A Liberal Party rupture over immigration has spilled into public allegations of gendered mistreatment, after Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price accused colleague Alex Hawke of berating staff and the party of failing to stand up for women.

Her claims came as the dominant business group in Sydneys Little India refused to meet Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on Sunday, unless Price apologised or was sacked over her comments on Indian immigration, in a sign of how the firebrand senators remarks imperilled the partys reputation among Indian Australians.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price in parliament last week. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Price has been under pressure since she told the ABC last Wednesday that the federal government was bringing in migrants from particular countries over others to win votes, naming the Indian community as an example.

The fallout has compromised Leys attempts to unite her party while rebuilding the Liberal Partys brand in multicultural communities after a historic election defeat.
Punches were thrown and demonstrators hurled abuse at one another as pro-Israel and Palestinian protest groups clashed during a tense stand-off at Bondi Beach.

Two rival protests held at the Sydney beach turned ugly on Sunday morning when pro-Israel demonstrators shouted abuse at a group of a few hundred pro-Palestinian demonstrators, who had converged on the sand for a paddle-out supporting Gaza.

Despite a heavy police presence and determined work by officers to keep the two groups separated, punches were thrown during a scuffle between demonstrators, video shows.

Police are investigating the incident.
Cronullas million-dollar halfback Nicho Hynes has praised the NRLs common sense decision to downgrade his hip-drop charge which leaves him free him to play in Saturdays sudden-death finals clash with the Roosters.

Hynes was initially issued a grade two dangerous contact charge by the Match Review Committee for his hip-drop tackle on Marcelo Montoya, and was set to challenge his one to two week ban at the judiciary on Tuesday night.

The NRLs initial charge was based on a Bulldogs medical report provided to the governing body that expressed preliminary fears Montoya had suffered a high-grade syndesmosis injury in the Hynes tackle.

But Canterbury doctor Peter Lorentzos wrote to the NRL advising that scan results late on Sunday returned far more positive news after it was feared Montoyas injury would likely require surgery and be season-ending.
The dish: Braai, South Africa

Braai meat including boerewors sausage, lamb chops and chicken kebabs. Getty Images

Plate up

Which country is the most obsessive about barbecues? Because its not Australia. When it comes to passion for singed meat, were middling grillers at best. The winner could be Argentina, or perhaps Brazil. It could be the US, or possibly Spain. Or, it could be South Africa. Because if youve ever been to South Africa or even just met a South African, you would surely know about the culture of the braai.

A braai is a barbecue, but its also a ritual, a long afternoon of grilling meats  almost solely meats  and socialising with family and friends. Join South Africans for a braai and you will almost certainly be served boerewors, the traditional spiral-shaped sausage, and then maybe cuts of beef, lamb, chicken or pork, or skewers known as sosaties, or game meats such as kudu, warthog, ostrich or springbok (thats right, were not the only country to eat its national emblem). These meats will be cooked over wood fire or charcoal, and served with bread or pap  a maize-meal porridge  Mrs Balls Chutney and maybe a beer or a pinotage wine.
Advertisement

Reviews & adviceTripologist Opinion Transit traps: The connecting flight issues that could ruin your holiday Michael Gebicki The Tripologist September 8, 2025  5:00am

September 8, 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 56 View all comments

Key points Transits between flights might require visas, health insurance or proof of vaccination

US transits require an ESTA or a visa

Minimum connection times vary. Delays, security checks or terminal changes can cause missed flights

Travelling with grandchildren or only one parent may need certified parental permission

Last month a relative was just about to board her Qatar Airways flight in Adelaide when the agent at the check-in desk asked if she had health insurance. Yes, she replied, and Ive got a certificate to prove it. But what would happen if I didnt? she asked. Then you wouldnt be allowed to board, replied the agent. Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. iStock This was despite a Qatar Airways booking that saw her only transiting through Doha, with a few hours in the airport before her connecting flight to Paris. In this case, the check-in staffer made a mistake, but its indicative of the complex rules surrounding transits that can cause confusion.

Advertisement

International transit stops are meant to be simple and straightforward. You leave one flight, pass through security checks, grab a coffee or a juice, have a shower if its available and wander through the terminal to your boarding gate. But they dont always play out so smoothly. Even though youre not actually entering the country youre transiting through, where youve come from, how long youre staying and who youre with can turn your transit stop into a flightmare. Your transfer might require a visa If youre travelling on a split ticket, booking your first flight sector with one airline with a separate booking for a connecting flight aboard another airline, you might have to retrieve your checked baggage off the first flight and check in for the second. If that happens in a foreign country youll need to pass through immigration, and that could require a visa, or a visa waiver if youre eligible. Without it you wont be permitted to proceed to the baggage collection area, or go to the check-in desks. You could end up being sent back to wherever you came from, or having to pay an exorbitant amount to resolve the situation. This problem could also occur if your transfer involves airlines that do not have an interline agreement, a relationship allowing baggage transfers between them without your involvement. If you book a ticket through an online travel agent, its not uncommon for them to issue tickets for different airlines that do not have such an agreement. Traveller has recently received letters from readers who ran into this problem when trying to transit through Vietnam without a visa.

Advertisement

In that case you need to be aware of the entry requirements for the country where your flight transfer takes place. If youre transiting from an international to a domestic flight, you will always have to clear immigration and customs, even if you are staying within the same airport terminal. Transiting through the US If youre transiting through the US, youll still need an ESTA or visa. Getty Images If your final destination is Mexico or anywhere in Central or South America and youre transiting through the US, you must pass through US immigration and customs, collect your luggage and re-check your bags for your next flight. Even if youre travelling on a single booking, and not intending to enter the United States, US immigration policies require all arriving passengers to clear passport control and baggage inspection before proceeding to their next flight. That means you need to have either an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), a visa waiver available to Australian passport holders, or a visa. Without the correct documentation you wont be boarding your flight to the US. This is another case where you need plenty of time between connecting flights to allow for any unforeseen delays. Travelling with children

Advertisement

Plenty of grandparents take their grandchildren away on overseas holidays while the childrens parents stay home. Authorities are aware of the issue of human trafficking, and theyre on the lookout. At transit stops, grandparents might be asked to prove they are allowed to travel with the children. That requires a letter from the parents or legal guardians giving permission. The letter needs to be certified by a justice of the peace. The same problem can arise if a solo parent travels with a child with a passport in a different surname. It might be intrusive, but a certified letter from a parent with the same name as the childs could save the day. Canada goes one step further, advising that any parent travelling alone with their child or children to bring a letter from their co-parent or legal guardian proving the arrangement is consensual. Its also a good idea to include the length of time theyll be away. Related Article Opinion

Tripologist The 24 common scams and traps travellers fall for (and how to avoid them) Michael Gebicki The Tripologist Do you need a transit visa? In October Im flying to Morocco with Saudia Airlines, with a 9-hour layover in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Since the layover is mostly at night Im not planning to leave the airport but even if it was more than 12 hours in the airport, the Saudi Government requires me to have a transit visa. A transit visa usually allows you to leave the airport for a short visit. If youre not leaving an airport its an unusual requirement but its wise to check. If I had a longer layover, and didnt know the rule, Id risk being denied boarding my flight to Jeddah. The United Arab Emirates also requires passport holders who do not qualify for a visa on arrival or visa-free entry to apply for a transit visa, but Australian passport holders are exempt. Pay attention to the minimum connecting time (MCT)

Advertisement

As the name suggests, MCT is the time you need to transfer from your incoming flight to your outgoing flight. There is no such thing as a fixed MCT, it varies from one airport to another, and there are plenty of incidents that can derail the MCT. A late arriving flight, a hold-up at security screening, a change of terminals or gates that require a long walk between flights and youre in danger of missing your connecting flight. When you book a ticket with a connecting flight the airline is supposed to take account of the MCT but it doesnt always work out. If you are travelling on a single booking and you miss your connecting flight due to circumstances beyond your control, your airline is obliged to book you on the next available flight, and provide food and accommodation if required. Related Article Opinion

Tripologist More than basic details: What border officials know about you Michael Gebicki The Tripologist Proof of yellow fever vaccination According to the World Health Organisation many countries in Africa and South America are at risk of yellow fever transmission. Among them are countries popular with Australians, for example Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Kenya and Uganda. Ethiopia is a major airline hub and also a country at risk for yellow fever transmission. If youre coming from South Africa, a country that is not at risk for yellow fever transmission, and transiting through Ethiopia, any country you subsequently enter or even transit through might require proof of yellow fever vaccination. As a post-script to this story, subsequent investigations have revealed the agent at the check-in desk in Adelaide was wrong. According to Qatars Ministry of Public Health, Visitors who are eligible to obtain a visitor visa on arrival at the border crossings are exempt from obtaining a visitors insurance policy for the first 30 days from the date of entry to the country. Australians are among those eligible. Also, Health insurance does not apply to transit passengers or temporary entry travellers. Check-in staff make mistakes sometimes. If you suspect theyre wrong, hold your nerve and Google the relevant authorities.

Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.
Kyiv: Russias largest overnight air attack of the war set the main building of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv on fire and left three people dead, including a baby, whose body was pulled from the rubble, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.

Witnesses saw the top floor of the main building of the Ukrainian government, in the historic Pecherskyi district, burning, with thick smoke rising into the clear blue sky just after sunrise.

For the first time, the government building was damaged by an enemy strike  its roof and upper floors, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on the Telegram messaging app.

Rescue personnel work to extinguish a fire at the Ukrainian government building in Kyiv following a Russian strike. Credit: AFP/Official Telegram channel of Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko

Ukraines air force said on Telegram that Russia launched 805 drones into Ukraine overnight and 13 missiles, with Ukrainian defence units downing 751 drones and four missiles. That was the highest number of drones Russia has used to attack the country since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Washington: US President Donald Trump has amplified his promises to send National Guard troops and immigration agents to Chicago by posting a parody image from Apocalypse Now featuring a ball of flames as helicopters zoom over the nations third-largest city.

I love the smell of deportations in the morning, Trump wrote on his social media site on Saturday, Washington time. Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR, he added, along with three helicopter emojis.

The president offered no details beyond the label Chipocalypse Now, a play on the title of Francis Ford Coppolas dystopian 1979 film set in the Vietnam War, in which a character says: I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

In response to the post, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, called Trump a wannabe dictator.
SIMSPSON BAY:--- The Honorable Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc Mercelina, has issued a statement following the incident involving a WestJet Boeing 737-800 aircraft, flight WS2276, arriving from Toronto at Princess Juliana International Airport earlier today.

First and foremost, we are grateful that the passengers and crew of WestJet flight WS2276 are safe following todays incident at Princess Juliana International Airport, stated Prime Minister Mercelina. The safety and security of travelers, our aviation personnel, and the general public remain our highest priority.

The Prime Minister confirmed that the Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company (PJIAE), the PJIAE Fire Department, and the Sint Maarten Civil Aviation Authority are working diligently and in close coordination with local contractors to ensure the aircraft is safely removed from the runway.

While the runway remains closed for the time being, every measure is being taken to ensure that the airport resumes safe operations as soon as possible, Prime Minister Mercelina emphasized. I want to commend the swift response of the PJIAE Fire Department, PJIAE operations staff, Civil Aviation, emergency services, and all stakeholders who immediately mobilized to address the situation with professionalism and efficiency.

The Prime Minister also urged the public and travelers to remain patient and to rely on official channels for updates.

I ask the traveling public to remain calm and follow updates directly from Princess Juliana International Airport and WestJet Airlines. Together, we will ensure a safe and swift return to normal operations, said PM Dr. Mercelina.

The Government of Sint Maarten will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide additional updates as necessary.
India-Africa trade reached an all-time high of $100 billion in 202425, marking a major milestone in South-South cooperation.

The announcement was made by Indias junior foreign minister, Kirti Vardhan Singh, at the 20th India-Africa Business Conclave held in New Delhi end of August. This figure reflects a dramatic surge from $56 billion in 201920, driven by increased economic engagement across sectors such as healthcare, renewable energy, and agri-tech. Singh emphasized the evolving focus on co-creating a shared future, moving beyond traditional development partnerships.

India is now among Africas top five investors, with $75 billion in cumulative investments since 1996. These include concessional loans worth over $12 billion for 336 infrastructure projects in 42 countries  208 of which are already completed. Additionally, $700 million in grant aid has supported vocational training centers, hospitals, and IT education. India has also offered 50,000 scholarships, with over 42,000 African students having benefited.

The trade composition remains diverse. India exports to countries like Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania, totaling $51.2 billion in 2024, included petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, and rice. Imports largely consist of crude oil, cotton, fruits, and minerals, primarily from Nigeria, Angola, and Algeria. Singh also praised Africas permanent G20 membership, secured during Indias G20 presidency, stressing that we put emphasis on Africas rightful place at the global high table. With Africas population projected to reach 2.4 billion by 2060, the India-Africa partnership is poised to become a cornerstone of global development strategy.
Trump escalates crackdown threats with Chicago 'war' warning



Washington, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday to unleash his newly rebranded "Department of War" on Chicago, further heightening tensions over his push to deploy troops into Democratic-led US cities.

The move seeks to replicate an operation in the US capital Washington, where Trump deployed National Guard troops and boosted numbers of federal agents, sparking a backlash and a fresh protest on Saturday that drew thousands.

"Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR," Trump posted Saturday on his Truth Social account.

The Democratic governor of Illinois, where Chicago is located, voiced outrage at Trump's post.

"The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal," Governor JB Pritzker wrote in a post on X.

"Illinois won't be intimidated by a wannabe dictator," he added.

The post featured an apparent AI image of Trump and the quote: "I love the smell of deportations in the morning" -- both references to the 1979 Vietnam War film "Apocalypse Now".

In the film, the line is spoken by Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore who says he loves the smell of "napalm" -- not "deportations" -- as the American military drops the highly flammable weapon on Vietnamese targets.

The 79-year-old Republican has steadily ramped up threats against Chicago, since an early mention of it at the end of August.

Anti-Trump protesters took to the streets of Chicago on Saturday, carrying signs that read "stop this fascist regime!" and "no Trump, no troops."

The protest route also went past Chicago's Trump tower, and protesters made rude gestures at the president's building as they walked past.

On Saturday in the US capital, where National Guard troops have been deployed since Trump declared a "crime emergency" in August, a thousands-strong protest march wound through downtown with participants demanding an end to the "occupation."

Demonstrators in DC carried inverted US flags as they marched past the country's national monuments, traditionally a symbol of a country facing existential peril.

Trump's troop and federal agent deployments -- which first began in June in Los Angeles, followed by Washington -- have prompted legal challenges and protests, with critics calling them an authoritarian show of force.

Local officials in Los Angeles spoke out against the deployments and the violent tactics employed by ICE agents in Los Angeles, who often wore masks, drove in unmarked cars and chased down and snatched people from the streets without cause or warrants.

In addition to Chicago, Trump has threatened to replicate the surges in Democratic-led Baltimore and New Orleans.

On Friday, Trump signed an order changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, saying it sends "a message of victory" to the world.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth cheered the move, saying the US will decisively exact violence to reach its aims, without apology.
Missing Canadian soldier found dead in Latvia



Ottawa, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



Canada's military said Saturday that a soldier who went missing for several days had been found dead in Latvia.

Warrant Officer George Hohl, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces deployed to the Baltic country, who had been missing since September 2, was found dead on September 5.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was deeply saddened to learn of Hohl's death and offered his deepest condolences to friends, family and colleagues in the armed forces.

"Warrant Officer Hohl was deployed as part of...a brigade I had the honor of spending time with late last month," Carney said in a X post Saturday night.

With nearly 20 years of experience in the Canadian Armed Forces, Hohl was deployed on Operation Reassurance, Canada's largest overseas mission, contributing to NATO deterrence in Central and Eastern Europe.

Canadian Forces Military Police are supporting Latvian authorities with the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Hohl's death.

No cause of death was released.

Officials said the incident poses no threat to the 1,500 troops stationed in Latvia in support of Operation Reassurance, as part of the Canadian-led NATO battlegroup that has been there since 2017.
Four killed in tribal clashes in Baghdad: ministry



Baghdad, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



Four people, including two police officers, were killed during tribal clashes in Baghdad, Iraq's interior ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry said the two officers were killed and five policemen wounded late Saturday night when they intervened to disperse a "tribal dispute" in the Saada area of the Iraqi capital.

Security forces had returned fire after being attacked by "those who started the clashes", killing two attackers and wounding five others, the ministry added. Six attackers were also arrested.

The ministry did not specify the cause of the dispute, but tribal feuds are common in Iraq, a war-scarred country awash with weapons.

Tribes wield significant influence and often operate under their own moral and judicial codes, and they possess huge caches of arms.

Iraq has only recently begun to regain a sense of stability after decades of violence that followed the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted long-time ruler Saddam Hussein.
Baghdad clashes kill six, including four police: ministry



Baghdad, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



Clashes between members of two local tribes in Iraq's capital Baghdad have killed at least six people, including four policemen who intervened in the violence, the interior ministry said on Sunday.

Iraqi security officials, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said that the clashes late Saturday erupted over increased fees for a private power generator.

The vast majority of Iraqis rely on private generators to compensate for daily long power cuts to public electricity.

The violence Saturday in Baghdad's Saada area resulted in the deaths of four police officers, two of them commanders, after they had intervened to disperse a "tribal dispute", the interior ministry said, revising an earlier toll.

A security official, requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to brief the media, said the toll was updated after two policemen succumbed to their injuries.

Another nine officers were wounded, the ministry said.

It said the force was attacked by "those who started the clashes", and returned fire that killed two people.

Five of those involved in the clashes were wounded and several arrested, the ministry said.

Tribal feuds are common in Iraq, a war-scarred country awash with weapons, where the pettiest row can turn into deadly tribal clashes.

Tribes wield significant influence and often operate under their own moral and judicial codes, and they possess huge caches of arms.

Iraq has only recently begun to regain a sense of stability after decades of violence that followed the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted long-time ruler Saddam Hussein.
UK government looks to military sites to house migrants



London, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



The British government said on Sunday it was considering housing migrants on military sites, as anger grows among some sections of the public over a policy of accommodating asylum seekers in hotels.

"We are looking at the potential use of military and non-military use sites for temporary accommodation for the people who come across on these small boats," Defence Secretary John Healey told Sky News.

Interior minister Shabana Mahmood said in a statement migrants using boats to cross the Channel from France was "utterly unacceptable".

More than 30,000 people have arrived by that route since the beginning of the year, according to figures published Sunday by Mahmood's Home Office.

She also said a deal with France that came into effect in early August should allow Britain to detain those arriving by boat and send them back to France.

The agreement allows the returns as long as Britain takes in an equal number of eligible migrants from France.

Protests have erupted around some of the hotels currently used to house migrants, with the government having to fight legal challenges.

The government is legally bound to ensure access to accommodation and to health care for asylum seekers.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to end the use of hotels within the next four years, and his government has already announced that the number of places has been halved compared to a year ago.

The previous Conservative government had already set up two disused military bases which are accommodating several hundred asylum seekers -- a practice criticised by migrant-aid groups.
Iran will accept nuclear curbs if sanctions lifted: report



London, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



Iran will accept limits on its nuclear programme and restrictions to uranium enrichment if international sanctions are lifted, its foreign minister said in a piece in The Guardian on Sunday.

Iran "is ready to forge a realistic and lasting bargain that entails ironclad oversight and curbs on enrichment in exchange for the termination of sanctions", wrote Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

"Failing to seize on this fleeting window of opportunity may have consequences destructive for the region and beyond on a whole new level."

The message was addressed to the so-called E3 group of nations -- France, Germany and the UK -- involved talks with Iran over its nuclear programme.

At the end of August, the E3 nations triggered a mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with commitments over its nuclear programme signed a decade ago.

Under the "snapback" mechanism, they gave Iran a month to negotiate before sanctions were reimposed.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas met Araghchi on Thursday to seek a "negotiated solution" to the standoff.

The 2015 deal negotiated under former US president Barack Obama offered Iran sanctions relief in return for drastically scaling back its nuclear work.

But President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal during his first term and imposed sweeping sanctions, including on countries that bought Iranian oil.

Western countries accuse Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons -- something Tehran denies, defending its right to what it insists is a civilian nuclear program.
Lebanon Christian party urges Hezbollah to give up weapons



Beirut, Lebanon, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



Lebanon's leading Christian party on Sunday urged Hezbollah to hand its weapons to the state, as the army prepares to implement a disarmament plan.

The Iran-backed group has been severely weakened by a year-long conflict with Israel, including two months of open war, that destroyed part of its arsenal and decimated its leadership.

Under pressure from the United States, the Lebanese government in August ordered the military to prepare a plan to disarm the group by the year's end.

Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces and parliament's main Christian bloc, said Hezbollah's weapons had "no impact" against Israel and only brought "destruction, ruin, displacement and invited new occupation".

"The shortest path to ending Israeli occupation and aggression, my brothers, is building a real state... and there can be no true state as long as illegal weapons remain," he added, calling for "all weapons to return to the Lebanese state".

"Your war with Israel was lost and destructive... a civil war would be even more disastrous and could cause you to lose everything."

Hezbollah, the only faction to keep its weapons after Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, has rejected disarmament, accusing authorities of serving Israel and the United States.

"It's still possible to break this cycle and avoid further losses by making the courageous choice to move from illegality to legitimacy," Geagea said, accusing Hezbollah of serving "an Iranian expansionist project".
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
General secretary Sharon Graham said: Labours promise to ban fire and rehire is now a burnt-out shell. By amending the Employment Relations Bill to allow councils to use fire and rehire, has them given them the green light to push down workers pay to cut debt. Yet again workers pay the price.
During Labours years out of power, Lammy was repeatedly re-elected to his constituency of Tottenham, and attempted an election run to be declared the Labour candidate for London Mayor in 2014 (he ultimately came fourth, behind Sadiq Khan and Diane Abbott). Two years later, in 2016, he was fined 5,000 for instigating 35,000 automatic phone calls to Labour party members, urging them to back his run for mayor. It was the first time a politician had been fined for authorising nuisance calls, and Lammy apologised unreservedly for doing so.
The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark. You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.
Asked whether there would be a shift in Government policy on the group, Mr Healey said: I expect Shabana Mahmood to be just as tough as Yvette Cooper and I expect her to defend the decision the Governments taken on Palestine Action, because of what some of its members are responsible for and were planning.
The duke appears to be focusing on his philanthropic ventures, while the Duchess of Sussex, who is not expected to join him on the trip to the UK, has been working on her lifestyle brand As Ever and promoting the recent launch of the second season of her critically savaged Netflix show.
Weve all heard the cliche about a glass being half full or half empty. At the Texas Capitol, though, Republicans and Democrats arent even looking at the same glass. One side swears its a soup can, the other insists its a plastic jug. And instead of water, they argue whether it holds apple cider, prune juice or kerosene.

The latest proof came in last weeks late-night debate of proposed new House rules to stiffen fines for breaking quorum and strip future quorum breakers of their seniority in the chamber (and the perks that come with it). The floor fight had been brewing for nearly a month and finally came to a head in the final hours before the second legislative special session of the year was gaveled to a close.

The House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, shortly before the session began. A quorum was not present after most Democratic state representatives left Texas to break quorum and block a vote on a Republican plan for Congressional redistricting. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

We'll start with the Democrats because they're the ones who broke quorum in the House by flying off to Chicago in early August in a Hail Mary bid to derail a Republican-backed congressional redistricting bill designed to give the GOP more clout in Washington. The Democrats argued that they had not only the right, but the duty, to stop the House from advancing the measure on the grounds that it would disenfranchise Texans of color.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Their rationale was that because the Texas Constitution requires two-thirds of the members in each chamber to be present to act on legislation, the founders surely realized that the other one-third was free to simply not show up if they didn't like what the majority was about to do.

READ MORE: Republicans pass bill to bar fundraising during future walkouts

Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Republicans were buying none of that. They noted that the Constitution is pretty much silent on whether there's such a right, but it's loud and clear on the House's right to compel attendance during legislative sessions.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"We heard a lot about the constitutional right to break quorum. There is no constitutional right to break quorum," argued Republican Rep. Cody Vasut of Angleton, who authored the rule change. "You cannot have a constitutional right if in the same (section of the Constitution) there is a penalty for exercising it."

Democratic Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins of San Antonio, who chairs the House Black Caucus, took umbrage at the notion quorum-breakers could be punished at all. She said the punishment measures under consideration would treat her and her Democratic colleagues who remained out of state for 15 days as if they were children at best, and as "runaway slaves" at worst.

"Let America know that democracy is under attack," said Gervin-Hawkins, her voice rising as she addressed the House. And she scoffed at the notion that she and the other absent Democrats had been shirking their duty by leaving the state during a legislative session.

"We were working every day, and talking to our constituents," she said. "We were working every day trying to save democracy. We were working every day to make sure people saw what was happening in this Texas House under a rigged, gerrymandering map (drawing)."

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Republican Rep. Brett Money of Greenville said that if any legislative work was being done, it should have been done in Texas.

"Every day you were working in Chicago or New York or California, or wherever, we were here as called by the governor, as required by the Constitution to do the will of the people of Texas," Money told Gervin-Hawins.

Vasut noted that the House first adopted quorum-breaking penalties after Democrats fled to Washington in 2021 as they tried to kill legislation governing procedures for casting ballots each election day. And, he noted, those penalties proved far too weak. He made little secret that his rule change, which was adopted later in the evening on a party line vote, was intended to take quorum-busting as a legislative tactic off the table once and for all.

READ MORE: Democrats try different message in Texas culture wars

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The heftier penalties could give cover to members who are being pressured by "outside influences"  meaning political donors and Democratic insiders  to break quorum. Such members could simply say the personal or political cost would be too high.

"I think these penalties are reasonable," Vasut said. "I think they're strong to help deter a future quorum break. I hope that the availability of these penalties will give the members of both parties, in whatever circumstances they find themselves in, the ability to resist outside influences that would seek them to break quorum."

Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, who lead the House Democrats during the 2021 quorum break, couldn't resist poking back at Vasut's reference to forces outside of Texas seeking to influence the actions of Texas' elected officials.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"Something really struck me when (Vasut) talked about how the purpose of the resolution was to protect the House against 'outside influences,'" Turner said. "May I remind Chairman Vasut, and all of you, this whole thing started because of an outside influence named Donald J. Trump. Lest you forget, President Trump picked up the phone. He called Governor Abbott, said, 'Governor, I need five new seats in Texas.'
On a gray February afternoon at North Austins Guerrero Thompson Elementary, parents lingered after dismissal as four SUVs  two marked with Texas Department of Public Safety insignia and two unmarked with tinted windows  rolled onto campus. Some mothers and fathers bolted inside with their children, where staff hurried them into dark classrooms and supply closets. There, they waited, whispering behind shuttered windows for nearly an hour, long after the vehicles finally pulled away.

The fear that sent families running indoors had begun that morning. At 8:40 a.m., about an hour after drop-off, state troopers stopped a father of a Guerrero Thompson student at the intersection outside the campus while he was driving his older sons to high school. In full view of parents and teachers, they pulled him into the driveway and called in federal immigration agents to arrest him. Panicked calls flooded the school office.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Principal Briana Garcia still remembers the suffocating weight of the air that day.

Guerrero Thompson Elementary School Principal Briana Garcia looks out the front doors on the first day of school in Austin, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

What Garcia thought was the semesters low point proved instead to be a harbinger. Over the following months, as President Donald Trump settled into his second term and pursued one of the nations most aggressive immigration crackdowns, law enforcement became a steady presence on and near campus. DPS patrol cars often idled near entrances during pickup. On one occasion, Garcia said she saw U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents staged in the school parking lot, donning tactical gear, masks and weapons  though the agency denied to the American-Statesman that they had set foot on school property.

Immigration arrests have been prevalent in the Rundberg-Lamar corridor, home to Guerrero Thompson and a neighborhood where most residents are immigrants. State troopers and federal immigration agents are now fixtures in McDonalds parking lots and along busy thoroughfares, according to educators and photos reviewed by the Statesman. DPS has taken the lead, joined at times by ICE  a collaboration the state agency has touted as making communities safer.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The only thing DPS is targeting is crime and those who break the law, agency spokeswoman Ericka Miller told the Statesman.

In the process, law enforcement has crossed a line once considered off-limits: operating on and near school grounds as state officers carry out directives to help enforce immigration laws. For years, sensitive locations such as schools, churches and courthouses were shielded from immigration enforcement. That protection ended when Trump revoked the guidance on his first day back in office.

Students walk through the halls at Guerrero Thompson Elementary School on the first day of school in Austin, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Last semester, the community at the high-performing school faltered under the weight of fear and stress. Teachers coped with students withdrawing into silence or erupting into tantrums after relatives were detained. They also saw more hungry children as families lost wage earners.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

This may have always been a high-crime area, but kids always knew this was a safe campus, school counselor Claudia Villarreal said. Now theyve lost that sense of security.

She said families began to self-deport before the school year ended. By summers end, Villarreal had counted more than two dozen families that had left the country.

Now, with a new school year underway, administrators, staff members and parents at Guerrero Thompson worry the federal governments escalating deportation efforts could make the coming months as chaotic as last semester.

Its clear theyre targeting us and I dont think its going to stop anytime soon, Garcia said of DPS continued presence on and near campus.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Students struggle as deportations disrupt family life

One of Elizabeth Vasquezs fifth-graders had been among the best math students in her special education class: eager, with strong attendance. That changed in February after her mother was deported. The once-sharp girl became meek and unresponsive.

For the rest of the semester, Vasquez struggled to make the student comfortable in class, limiting her participation requests to small groups. But her efforts were mostly in vain. The girl became timid, and her stutter  which Vasquez had been helping her overcome  returned.

She was in daydreams. I mean, she was in la-la-land, Vasquez said. Those days were no longer normal for her.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Guerrero Thompson Elementary School counselor Claudia Villarreal checks on a pre-kindergarten class on the first day of school in Austin, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

At the end of last school year, Vasquez was surprised when the father of the fifth-grader, whose mother had been deported, said his daughter didnt need an advisory meeting to prepare for middle school. The family was returning to Guatemala.

Parents struggled with what to tell their children about their changing realities. Some avoided the conversation. Others, like Mily, the mother of a fifth-grader whose last name the Statesman is withholding because of her immigration status, tried to reassure their children by telling them the Trump administration would focus on deporting people who owed something.

Its unlikely children can be shielded from such a pervasive environment of stress and anxiety, said Joanna Dreby, a sociology professor at the University at Albany who has studied the long-term effects of immigration enforcement on children of immigrant households.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The child knows whats happening. Kids as young as 5 know whats happening, Dreby said.

Mily, who is an immigrant from Mexico, brushes the hair of her 10-year-old daughter, Emily, at their home in Manor before driving her to Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

At Guerrero Thompson, spring brought a new normal. Teachers and staff recall children sobbing inconsolably, interrupting lessons to ask if they could call their parents, and frightening classmates with stories of relatives who hadnt come home.

A few teachers were asked in advance by parents to serve as childrens guardians in case of deportation, Garcia said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The number of mothers volunteering daily  laminating papers, setting up bulletin boards and serving as lunch monitors  fell from about a dozen to just a few.

Mily continued volunteering at school to prove she would not be ruled by fear. But like others, she began cutting back on grocery trips and taking her children out less often.

Previously, the kids would say, I want to go to the trampolines for fun, I want to go get ice cream, and parents would take them, Mily said. Now the parents dont do that.

Immigration checkpoints in our state: DPS patrols unsettle Austin school community

With no notice or communication, DPS became a common presence at Guerrero Thompson.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Garcia estimates DPS came to campus at least a dozen times last semester, parking during about half of those visits but never entering the building. The state agency never communicated with administrators, Garcia said, though she suspects troopers were running license plates to find reasons for stops.

DPS wields broad authority, said Kristin Etter, director of policy and legal services at the Texas Immigration Law Council. Even without a record tied to a plate, troopers can pull drivers over for minor violations such as overly tinted windows or slightly deflated tires  making racial profiling hard to prove, she said.

The surge in stops in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods such as North Austin suggests DPS is shifting from a border role to interior enforcement after a January order from Gov. Greg Abbott directing state agencies to aid federal immigration efforts, Etter said.

We essentially have immigration checkpoints in our state with DPS, she said. Any car can be pulled over for an alleged transportation code violation almost at any time, at any point and anywhere.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Zeferino waves to his wife Mily, who are immigrants from Mexico, in the driveway of their home in Manor as she drives their 10-year-old daughter, Emily, to Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Before this year, Garcia said, DPS had been on campus only twice in her 12 years at the school, each time for safety inspections after the Texas Legislature passed a 2023 school security law in the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting.

Responding to Statesman questions about its presence at Guerrero Thompson, DPS spokeswoman Sheridan Nolen said troopers are encouraged to be on campuses to offer additional, visible law enforcement presence, deterring unwanted visitors and reducing crime  something we should all agree is a positive outcome.

Nolen said troopers had logged hundreds of calls and traffic stops near Guerrero but not a single one has been on school grounds.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Nolen said troopers on Feb. 5 stopped a vehicle at an intersection adjacent to the school because it was unregistered or improperly registered. The troopers contacted ICE as part of standard procedure when a driver cannot provide legal identification. After the stop, Nolen said, the officer went onto campus to complete his report.

Garcia said staff and district officials have felt powerless to respond to DPS and ICEs actions. Early attempts to ask the agencies, through a district liaison, to stop operating on or driving through the campus went nowhere, so Garcia said she stopped reporting the presence of law enforcement.

The Austin school district did not make Superintendent Matias Segura available for an interview.

Austin schools Police Chief Wayne Sneed stopped short of refuting Garcias claims but said he has seen no evidence of immigration enforcement on district campuses. ICE, he said, assured him and Segura during a March meeting that the agency had no plans to carry out operations at schools, only to complete stops already underway.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Sneed added that state and federal agencies dont need permission to enter campuses and restricting them would make schools havens for evading law enforcement.

We're not going to impede an investigation of a law enforcement agency no more than we would want them to do it for us, he said.

Emily, 10, whose parents are immigrants from Mexico, gets ready at her home in Manor to go to Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Mily, who is an immigrant from Mexico, packs a lunch for her husband and daughter at their home in Manor, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Mily, who is an immigrant from Mexico, and her 10-year-old daughter, Emily, leave their home in Manor to drive to Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Mily, who is an immigrant from Mexico, drives her 10-year-old daughter, Emily, from their home in Manor to Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Mily, who is an immigrant from Mexico, drops off her 10-year-old daughter, Emily, at Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

For her sons education, a mother stays despite deportation and hardship

In the weeks before the new school year, Mariela  the mother of a Guerrero Thompson first-grader who asked to be identified only by her middle name because of her immigration status  thought several times about returning to her native Honduras.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In July, state troopers stopped the truck carrying Marielas partner, the familys main breadwinner, on his way to a construction site. The stop occurred on Rundberg Lane, a few blocks from the school. Her partner, who Mariela said had no criminal record, was deported.

Mariela had already lost hours at the western wear store where she worked, dropping from about 50 a week to 20. She believes the cutbacks were due to a decline in immigrant spending. She had also been warned her two pending immigration cases were faltering.

Everything is tight  lights, electricity, phone. Everything that used to be [paid by] two people is now one, Mariela said in Spanish.

But the poor economic outlook in Honduras, along with her sons struggles with attention and hyperactivity, which she thinks can only be addressed by the American education system, have kept her from leaving. For now, Mariela has taken in relatives to split rent and begun using food pantries for the first time.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Im worried about the kids  their anxiety levels, their stress, their physical health levels because theyre not going outside  that theyre depressed, Vasquez, the fifth-grade teacher, said.

Staff and parents have rallied around families, collecting food and supplies and helping with daily tasks. Garcia said these efforts kept attendance stable and motivated students to learn. The school often sent support staff to convince parents to return their children to class after immigration arrests around campus.

Yet economic stress persists. At times, it mixes with the feeling of being, as Mariela put it, worse than the criminals.

Donated clothes are available to students in need. Fifth-grade reading teacher Ida Rodriguez leads her class.

Kids here just want to learn: Fear lingers as new school year begins

In spring, a kindergartners family told the school not to expect him back after an immigration court appearance. School staff packed his backpack with snacks, crayons, Legos and a sweater. They wished the child goodbye.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Oh, that was hard, Garcia recalled. Luckily, he did come back.

With similar uncertainty, life at Guerrero Thompson is continuing. DPS and ICE remain constant presences. Nationally, ICE arrests and deportations increased over the summer, while the federal government launched a recruitment push.

The thought of another year like the last has weighed on teachers. During staff training before classes began, Vasquez questioned whether she could endure it.

You know how they say, Put on your oxygen mask before you help someone else? Vasquez said. Thats what I'm worried about: Are we putting our oxygen masks on first?

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

A week before the new school year began, school police put the campus on lockdown after a reported crime at the nearby H-E-B grocery store. Within minutes, state troopers drove through the site in pursuit of a suspect.

Although Garcia is accustomed to police presence because of the neighborhood's crime rates, she felt no reassurance as she counted the DPS vehicles. Instead, she felt dread, certain that troopers were present in larger numbers than ever  and would remain so.

Garcia said she knows she cant tell DPS what to do. But she knows what shed say if she could:

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Kids here just want to learn, Garcia said. And the parents: They're the ones who are building the majority of downtown Austin. These are good people; these are hardworking people.
A customer holds a number slip for Powerball lottery tickets. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

The Powerball jackpot rose to life-changing figures, which meant more eyes on the lottery. By Saturday night's drawing, the $1.8 billion jackpot had become the second-highest in Powerball and U.S. lottery history  and two lucky people struck big.

Here's your Sunday morning update:

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Where were the Powerball winners from?

Two players claimed the winning numbers on Saturday when the jackpot reached $1.8 billion. One ticket was sold in Texas and the other in Missouri.

The winning jackpot ticket was sold at Big's 103 at 11905 E US Hwy 290 in Fredericksburg, Texas, according to the Texas Lottery.

Players in the following states won the $2 million prize for Match 5 + Power Play:

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Kansas

Texas (sold in Tyler)

Players in the following states won the $1 million prize for Match 5:

California (2)

Colorado

Florida

Illinois (2)

Kansas

Maine

Michigan

New Jersey

New York (2)

Ohio (2)

Oregon

Texas (2; sold in Austin and Midlothian)

West Virginia

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Powerball winning numbers 9/6/2025

Winning numbers: 11-23-44-61-62

Powerball: 17

Power Play: 2X

What is the Powerball jackpot now?

After two people claimed the $1.8 billion jackpot, the prize dropped to a mere $20 million for Monday's drawing.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

When is the next Powerball drawing?

The next drawing will be at 10:12 p.m. CT on Monday, Sept. 8. Powerball drawings occur every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

What are the largest Powerball jackpots?

Here are the current largest jackpots in Powerball history, along with the states the winners lived in:

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

$2.04 billion: Nov. 7, 2022 - California $1.8 billion: Sept. 6, 2025 - Texas, Missouri $1.765 billion: Oct. 11, 2023 - California $1.586 billion: Jan. 13, 2016 - California, Florida, Tennessee $1.326 billion: April 6, 2024 - Oregon $1.08 billion: July 19, 2023 - California $842.4 million: Jan. 1, 2024 - Michigan $768.4 million: March 27, 2019 - Wisconsin $758.7 million: Aug. 23, 2017 - Michigan $754.6 million: Feb. 6, 2023 - Wisconsin

Where can I buy Powerball tickets?

You can buy Powerball tickets at authorized lottery retailers, like gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. Some states also allow online ticket purchases through official lottery websites or third-party apps like Jackpocket.

The standard cost for a Powerball ticket is $2 per play, according to the Powerball website.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

What are my chances of winning the Powerball jackpot?

The odds of scoring the jackpot prize are 1 in 292,201,338. Theres a 1 in 24.87 chance at any prize, ranging from $4 to the jackpot.

How can I watch the Powerball drawing?

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Here are some ways you can watch the live drawing of the Powerball:
President Donald Trump, shown speaking to reporters, forces us to confront questions about the sort of country we are and the type of people we want to be, K. Ward Cummings writes. The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im

In less than a year, the U.S. will celebrate its 250th anniversary. Whether you like him or not, there may be no better person than President Donald Trump to lead us in the celebration.

A decade after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a gathering of brilliant men put down on paper a plan for how our republic should function. Enough has been written about them to know they would be horrified by Trump, but they probably wouldnt be surprised he was elected. You can see their pessimism about human nature woven into their blueprint for our government  with its three equal branches, each suspiciously eyeing the other two.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

They may have thought such an arrangement would contain the ambitions of selfish, incompetent men. But they were wrong.

Despite his flaws, Trump is exactly what America needs right now. A more competent leader  one better at managing his emotions and the affairs of state  might have lulled us into a false sense of security about the nagging, pressing issues we seem unwilling to address, such as climate change, economic justice and racism. Trumps performance in office is forcing us to confront questions about ourselves, about the sort of country we are, and about what sort of people we want to be.

Are we, for example, the sort of people who take advantage of the poor to benefit the rich? Based on the number of people who elected Trump to a second term, we may be.

Six months in office, Trump signed into law a bill that weakens the social safety net for needy Americans  and few of us objected. According to an assessment by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Trumps Big Beautiful Bill gives the top 10% of Americans an average income increase of $13,600, while it cuts the income of the bottom 10% by $1,200, and cuts social and healthcare assistance for low-income families.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Is that what Americans do to each other? Is that who we are?

Submit a letter to the editor We want to hear from you. Click here to get started.

If Thomas Jefferson were alive today, what would he think of this nations role in all the suffering happening around the world? Jefferson was burdened with his own sins, but its hard to imagine him turning a blind eye to Americas complicity in the systematic starvation and killing happening in Gaza. Is it possible that is the sort of nation weve become?

Are Americans liars? Are we the sort of people who erase unpleasant details from our past to make ourselves feel better about our crimes? Are we the sort of people who think its OK to erect monuments to sworn enemies of the United States, to force Black Americans to remember their place? Is that us?

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

If God blesses America with another 250 years, will we continue being the sort of nation that alienates and segregates based on ethnicity or sexual orientation? Or the type that weaponizes benevolent concepts such as diversity, equity and inclusion out of angry spite?

The Trump presidency couldnt have come at a better time. It forces us to look at ourselves and to see who we really are  who weve become. The next time the president of the United States calls a veteran a loser, or mocks someone with a disability, each of us will be confronted with a 250-year-old question: Is that us?

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
A U.S. Marine Corps heavy-lift Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, offloads an F-35B Lightning II after a long-range external lift operation at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., on Aug. 27, 2025. The F-35B Lighting II aircraft, known as BF-1, was the first F-35B Lightning II variant ever built, ushering in a new era for Marine Corps Aviation. (Isabella Renaud/U.S. Marine Corps)



The last flight of the first F-35B Lightning II covered more than 500 miles at speeds considerably slower than Mach 1.6. And in this case it had to hitch a ride.

The airframe of the fighter jet, known as the BF-01, was carried Aug. 27 by a U.S. Marine Corps heavy-lift Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter from Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland to its new home at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina.

It will be a permanent static display to help tell the story of the new era of Marine Corps Aviation, MCAS Beaufort said in a news release.

Static displays usually are retired on the base, and then they just taxi it over to the location its going to be at forever, said Lt. Col. Jarrod Allen, the executive officer of Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. This is different because its coming from Pax River, and I have never heard of anybody moving it via helicopter.

U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, transport an F-35B Lightning II near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., Aug. 27, 2025. (Bryan Giraldo/U.S. Marine Corps)

U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, transport an F-35B Lightning II near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., Aug. 27, 2025. (Bryan Giraldo/U.S. Marine Corps)

U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, transport an F-35B Lightning II near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., Aug. 27, 2025. (Bryan Giraldo/U.S. Marine Corps)



Though the jet was without its mission and propulsion systems, outer wings and additional equipment, it wasnt an easy move. The wings of a fifth-generation fighter generate lift, creating unpredictable challenges for pilots.

The operation required precise coordination between Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Distribution Support Battalion, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron, and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 from MCAS New River, alongside Marines from Marine Aircraft Group 31 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 from MCAS Beaufort.

Its something that could have been a simple movement. Allen added. But we chose to do it in a way that flexes muscles we dont always use, such as mission planning, coordination, and risk management. It turns a simple task into an opportunity to get better as a team.

The the BF-01 was the first F-35B to perform a vertical landing in 2010, and the first vertical takeoff in 2013, according to the Marine Corps.

BF-01 was the first of its kind ever built, explained Maj. Joseph Leitner, Communication Strategy and Operations Director for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is significant and tells a great story about its importance to the Marine Corps and to the F-35B community.
A course instructor provides feedback to future military police officers during a field training exercise at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Sept. 3, 2025. (Trenton Fouche/U.S. Army)



FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Tribune News Service)  An 18-year-old soldier was killed during training at a rifle range Friday, according to officials at the military base.

The soldier, from California, was assigned to the 1st Battalion 48th Infantry Regiment. He was pronounced dead at the training site about 10:30 a.m. No other soldiers were injured, officials said.

The soldier has not been identified. Fort Leonard Wood law enforcement and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division are investigating.

U.S. Rep. Mark Alford of Missouris 4th District, which includes the base, said in a Facebook post that he was devastated by the news.

Our nation sends its best to FLW and we must ensure it maintains the highest safety standards, Alford wrote.

2025 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Visit www.stltoday.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
An official U.S. Marine Corps photo of Quoc Nguyen. Nguyen was was found dead with a gunshot wound on the side of a road in Texas. (Grizzys Hood News via Facebook)



(Tribune News Service)  A Marine veteran was found dead with a gunshot wound on the side of a road in Texas, according to authorities and his family.

On Thursday, deputies were called for reports of a possible pedestrian accident, according to a Friday news release from the Harris County Sheriffs Office.

When deputies arrived at about 11 p.m., they found a man, later identified as 28-year-old Quoc Nguyen, dead. Initially, they believed it to be a fatal hit-and-run, the sheriffs office said.

However, after investigating the scene, deputies said they realized Nguyen had a gunshot wound.

Investigations told KPRC they believe Nguyen was in a vehicle that crashed, then his body was dragged to the spot he was found. The person then drove away in the vehicle, the outlet reported, citing authorities.

Family members, who referred to him as Jake Hieu Quoc Nguyen, said in a GoFundMe that Nguyen was a Marine veteran, and after serving in the military he moved home to take care of his mom and sister.

Those who knew Jake could say that he was such an easy going guy, and always came through when needed. Our family will remember him as a hero in many ways and his legacy will live on through those who knew of his quiet but ventureful nature, the GoFundMe page said.

The sheriffs office said its homicide unit is working to identify the circumstances leading up to the shooting.

2025 Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Visit star-telegram.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Australian state halts logging for koala haven



Sydney, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



Australia's eastern state of New South Wales halted logging in a large stretch of woodland Sunday to create a retreat for koalas and save the local population from extinction.

The state government imposed a ban effective from Monday on logging across 176,000 hectares (435,000 acres) of forest on the north coast for a Great Koala National Park, hitting six timber mills and about 300 workers.

Without action, it warned that koalas in Australia's most populous state could die off by 2050.

Environmentalists say koala numbers in New South Wales have suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades due to deforestation, drought and bushfires.

"Koalas are at risk of extinction in the wild in NSW -- that's unthinkable. The Great Koala National Park is about turning that around," said New South Wales Premier Chris Minns.

"We've listened carefully and we're making sure workers, businesses and communities are supported every step of the way."

State officials contacted each affected mill, the government said in a statement, vowing to provide payments to cover workers' salaries and business costs while offering free access to training, financial, health and legal services.

The state government first announced the planned koala haven in 2023 but it only stopped logging in 8,400 hectares of forest. The plan was also criticised for not protecting trees immediately.

- Gliding marsupials -

The Great Koala National Park will provide a refuge to more than 12,000 koalas, 36,000 greater gliders -- nocturnal marsupials with a membrane that lets them glide -- and more than 100 other threatened species, officials said.

The government said it would invest Aus$6 million (US$4 million) to support new tourism and small business opportunities in the area.

It also boosted funding to create the park by Aus$60 million -- in addition to Aus$80 million announced in 2023.

"This park will ensure future generations will be able to see koalas, greater gliders and other threatened species in the wild for many years to come," said Gary Dunnett, chief executive of the state's National Parks Association.

"The permanent protection of this magnificent area will also safeguard critical water catchments for the people of the Coffs Coast, protect sacred Indigenous sites and open up huge economic opportunities for regional green tourism. It is truly a win-win for the people of NSW and nature."

When connected with existing national parks, the koala haven would create a 476,000-hectare reserve, the state government said.

Final creation of the koala park will depend on it being registered by the federal government as a carbon project for improved management of native forest, the state said. That assessment was underway.
'Build, baby, build': Canada PM's plan to counter Trump



Montreal, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



On the night he won Canada's election, Prime Minister Mark Carney summarized his plan to jumpstart the country's economy in response to President Donald Trump's threats.

"Build, baby, build!" Carney told a jubilant crowd of Liberal party supporters in April.

In the early weeks of his first term, Carney's plans to build have taken shape, headlined by the new "Major Projects Office", launched last month to spearhead the construction of ports, highways, mines and perhaps a new oil pipeline -- a contentious subject for groups concerned about the environment.

The office, which is expected to announce its priorities in the coming days, was formed after Carney's Liberals secured cross-party support to pass legislation empowering his government to fast-track "nation-building projects."

"We are moving at a speed not seen in generations," Carney said, a level of urgency he argues is required as Trump reshapes the global economy.

Trump's threats to annex Canada have eased, but his trade war is hurting the Canadian economy.

US tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum have squeezed the three crucial sectors and led to job losses.

The unemployment rate hit 7.1 percent in August, the highest level since 2016 outside of the pandemic.

That "adds to evidence that the trade war is taking its toll on Canadian labor markets," RBC senior economist Claire Fan said this week.



- 'Economy in peril' -



Since entering politics earlier this year, Carney has insisted Canada needs to break its decades-long reliance on US trade by revitalizing internal commerce while pursuing new markets in Europe and Asia.

During a visit to Germany last month, Carney said his government was "unleashing half a trillion dollars of investment" in infrastructure for energy, ports and other sectors.

Jay Khosla, an energy expert at the Public Policy Forum, said the momentum to build would not have been possible without Trump.

"We know our economy is in peril," he said, noting Canada was effectively "captured economically," because of its closeness to the United States.



- 'Energy superpower'? -



Canada is the world's fourth largest oil exporter and its crude reserves are the world's third largest.

Most of its resources are in the western province of Alberta, which exports almost exclusively to the United States, as Canada lacks the infrastructure to efficiently get energy products to other foreign markets.

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau, Carney's predecessor, put climate change at the center of his political brand and faced criticism from some over his perceived lack of support for the energy sector.

In a shift from the Trudeau era, Carney's Liberals now support exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe.

"What we heard loud and clear from German LNG buyers and LNG users is they believe there is demand and they want to buy our products" Energy Minister Tim Hodgson said in Berlin last week.

Carney has repeatedly said Canada "can be an energy superpower."

But not everyone is enthusiastic about that plan.

Greenpeace has accused the prime minister of backing "climate-wrecking infrastructure" while ignoring clean energy.

Carney could likely press ahead despite concerns from pro-climate NGOs, but support from Indigenous leaders -- for whom safeguarding the environment is top priority -- is seen as essential.

Despite Carney's efforts to secure Indigenous backing for his major projects push, their concern persists.

"We know how it feels to have Trump at our border. Let's not do that and have Trump-like policies," said Cindy Woodhouse, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, in a swipe at Carney's backing for energy infrastructure.

"Let's take the time and do things properly."

gen/tib/bs/md
Australia halts logging for koala haven on eastern coast



Sydney, Sept 7 (AFP) Sep 07, 2025



Australia halted logging in a large stretch of woodland on the country's eastern coast Sunday to create a retreat for koalas and save the local population from extinction.

The New South Wales government imposed a ban effective from Monday on logging across 176,000 hectares (435,000 acres) of forest on the state's north coast for a Great Koala National Park, hitting six timber mills and about 300 workers.

Without action, it warned that koalas in Australia's most populous state could die off by 2050.

Environmentalists say koala numbers in New South Wales have suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades due to deforestation, drought and bushfires.

"Koalas are at risk of extinction in the wild in NSW -- that's unthinkable. The Great Koala National Park is about turning that around," said New South Wales Premier Chris Minns.

"We've listened carefully and we're making sure workers, businesses and communities are supported every step of the way."

State officials contacted each affected mill, the government said in a statement, vowing to provide payments to cover workers' salaries and business costs while offering free access to training, financial, health and legal services.

The state government first announced the planned koala haven in 2023 but it only stopped logging in 8,400 hectares of forest. The plan was also criticised for not protecting trees immediately.

The Great Koala National Park will provide a refuge to more than 12,000 koalas, 36,000 greater gliders -- nocturnal marsupials with a membrane that lets them glide -- and more than 100 other threatened species, officials said.

The government said it would invest Aus$6 million (US$4 million) to support new tourism and small business opportunities in the area.

It also boosted funding to create the park by Aus$60 million -- in addition to Aus$80 million announced in 2023.

The koala park was hailed by environmentalists but criticised by unions for its impact on logging industry workers.

- 'Pro or anti koala' -

"Koala numbers in NSW crashed by more than half between 2000 and 2020 thanks to deforestation, drought, disease and devastating bushfires," said WWF-Australia chief executive Dermot O'Gorman.

"This park is a chance to turn this tragedy around and eventually lift koalas off the threatened species list by 2050," he added.

"These tall eucalypt forests are a climate refuge for koalas. Australia needs landscape-scale protected area networks like this to prepare for the possibility of 2.5 to three degrees of warming by the end of this century."

When connected with existing national parks, the koala haven would create a 476,000-hectare reserve, the state government said.

Unions said the koala reserve was far larger than the state government's own experts had advised, and it would hit local communities hard.

"This is not about being pro or anti koala," said Tony Callinan, New South Wales secretary of the Australian Workers Union.

"We all want to see koalas thrive. What we're against is the unnecessary destruction of an entire industry and the communities it supports when there is a science-based option that achieves both conservation and a viable timber industry."

Final creation of the koala park will depend on the federal government agreeing to assess it as a carbon project for improved management of native forest, the state said.

Australia's official national koala monitoring programme estimates there are between 95,000 and 238,000 koalas in the eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

Another 129,000 to 286,000 of the furry marsupials are estimated to be living in Victoria and South Australia.
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

A West Point alumni group has abruptly canceled its upcoming award ceremony for Oscar-winning actor and prominent President Joe Biden supporter Tom Hanks.

The prestigious U.S. Military Academy, located north of New York City, had planned to honor the 69-year-old Forrest Gump star with the Sylvanus Thayer Award at a ceremony on September 25. The award is traditionally presented to an outstanding citizen who is not an alumnus of the academy but exemplifies its ideals of duty, honor, and country. Former president Barack Obama received the honor last year.

Retired Army Col. Mark Bieger, president and chief executive officer of the West Point Association of Graduates, announced in an email Friday that the ceremony and parade would no longer go forward.

This decision allows the Academy to continue its focus on its core mission of preparing cadets to lead, fight, and win as officers in the worlds most lethal force, the United States Army, Bieger wrote, according to the Washington Post.

It was not made clear whether Hanks honor had been revoked or if he would be celebrated in a different way.

Tom Hanks was scheduled to receive an award for being an 'outstanding citizen' and exemplifying the college's ideals of duty, honor, and country ( Getty )

The Independent has contacted West Point and Hanks representative for comment.

Hanks, a longtime Democrat, was originally named the 2025 recipient of the institutions Thayer Award in June. Tom Hanks has done more for the positive portrayal of the American service member, more for the caring of the American veteran, their caregivers and their family, and more for the American space program and all branches of government than many other Americans, said Robert McDonald, a former secretary of veterans affairs and the alumni associations board chairman.

The prolific Hollywood star has portrayed U.S. service members in several movies, including Saving Private Ryan (1998), Forrest Gump (1994), and Greyhound (2020).

At the time, the Sleepless in Seattle actor and frequent Donald Trump critic called the honor humbling and meaningful.

The ceremonys unexpected cancellation comes as the college faces mounting political pressure from the Trump administration, which has barred military academies from promoting, advancing or otherwise inculcating ideas deemed un-American, including gender ideology and the idea that Americas founding documents are racist or sexist.

Late last month, West Point dissolved its sociology major and canceled history classes on gender and race and ethnicity. Professors were forced to remove works from James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and other writers of color.

Just last week, the institutions library rehung a portrait of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The picture had been removed in 2022 to comply with a Department of Defense directive that ordered the academy to address racial injustice and do away with installations that commemorate or memorialize the Confederacy.

After the painting was restored, Rebecca Hodson, the Armys communications director, said in a prepared statement: At West Point, the United States Military Academy is prepared to restore historical names, artifacts, and assets to their original form and place. Under this administration, we honor our history and learn from it  we dont erase it.
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

Nobody has a bad word to say about this years Emmy Awards host, Nate Bargatze. This is by design. The 46-year-old comedian has become one of the hottest properties in stand-up by studiously avoiding the divisive, rage-inducing topics that most other contemporary comedians find themselves drawn towards, like moths to a trans joke. He avoids profanity as carefully as he avoids controversy, carefully expelling even the hint of vulgarity from his family-friendly sets.

Online, he is unquestionably best known for a Saturday Night Live skit he performed while hosting the show in October 2023. Bargatze didnt even write Washingtons Dream, the work of SNL regulars Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell, but it made perfect use of his deadpan, folksy delivery and his eye for skewering everyday absurdities. In the sketch, Bargatze donned a powdered wig to play George Washington rallying his troops in the Revolutionary War with inspiring words about choosing our own systems of weights and measures and ditching British spellings. One day, if we are brave, we will get rid of the u in a lot of British words like color and armor, he tells his men. But by God, we will keep the British u in the word glamour! The clip has been viewed over 16 million times on YouTube, and was called the best SNL sketch in years before spawning a sequel.

When it was first announced that Bargatze would host that episode of SNL, the news was greeted with more than a few raised eyebrows. In fact, its unlikely he would have even landed the gig if it hadnt been for the then-ongoing actors strike. When he took the stage, he opened his monologue by saying: Look, Im as shocked as you are that Im here. At the time, Bargatze was considered a midtier stand-up comedian, but hed built a reputation as a safe pair of hands and was ready to grasp the opportunity when it came to him. In the years since that first SNL appearance, his career has skyrocketed. Hes just extended his ongoing arena tour, and his recent Netflix special, Your Friend, Nate Bargatze, has been nominated both for Outstanding Variety Special and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special at the upcoming Emmys.

Unlike the Golden Globes, which has recruited comics like Ricky Gervais and Nikki Glaser to roast celebrities and lend their show some edge, the Emmys have generally tended to steer closer to the middle of the road. Last year, the night was hosted by beloved Schitts Creek father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, who kept things relatively tame. The Associated Press described the pair as gentle hosts, and Eugenes knowing dig at The Bear was about as close to a vicious mauling as they got. I love the show, and I know some of you will be expecting us to make a joke about whether The Bear is really a comedy, said the American Pie star. But in the true spirit of The Bear, we will not be making any jokes.

open image in gallery Nate Bargatze is expected to be a safe pair of hands at the 2025 Emmy Awards ( Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for The Michael J. Fox Foundation )

Bargatze is expected to deliver more in that vein. During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in June, he joked in reference to his upcoming hosting gig that he wasnt sure if he would be required to watch all the nominated shows. I guess Ill just do what I do, he told Colbert. Im very self-deprecating. Ill try to bring it inward. I know its a tough thing, when [everybodys] up for all these awards, but I want everybody to have a good time. Ill try to make it lively and fun and Ill make fun of me.

The Nashville-born comedian has been making fun of himself for as long as he can remember, and never seems to run short of material. He grew up as the son of a professional clown, an experience that inspired the name of his 2012 debut comedy album Yelled At By a Clown. His family are devoutly Christian, which perhaps helps explain his lifelong aversion to vulgarity or dirty jokes. I grew up watching clean comedy. Starting out, I wanted my parents to come watch me, he told Vulture in 2015. I still think that way, even though Im a parent now. Im a clean comic, but I dont really want people to notice it.

open image in gallery Nate Bargatze reprising the role of George Washington on Saturday Night Live ( Saturday Night Live/NBC )

It was while working for a water company in Tennessee that Bargatze first decided to pursue a career in comedy. He quit his job in 2002 at the age of 23 and moved to Chicago to enroll with improv troupe Second City, before leaving to focus on stand-up. He had stints in New York and Los Angeles and slowly but surely built a career as a touring road comic. A major breakthrough came with his appearance on Netflix series The Standups in 2017, but a planned sitcom based on his life in 2019 wasnt picked up after the pilot episode. Nevertheless, his star continued to rise, and next year hell star opposite Mandy Moore in a film he co-wrote himself, The Breadwinner, about a man who becomes a stay-at-home dad after his wife lands a deal on Shark Tank.

If that sounds a long way from the endless cycle of topical rage-bait that the algorithm generally likes to fill our feeds with, thats very much the point. Bargatzes comedy isnt concerned with either commenting on or generating headlines. Instead, its about quietly pointing out that for all that divides the red states and the blue, we have a lot more in common. Its a recipe that makes him the man of the hour for the Emmys, and for America, too.
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

Soap star Jamie Borthwick has been axed from EastEnders after 19 years on the BBC programme.

The 31-year-old actor portrayed Jay Brown, the foster son of Billy Mitchell, and was one of the soaps longest-serving cast members, having arrived on Albert Square in December, 2006.

A BBC Studios spokesperson told reporters: We can confirm that Jamie Borthwick will not be returning to EastEnders. We do not comment on individual matters.

The Independent has contacted Borthwicks representatives for comment.

Borthwicks EastEnders exit comes after he was suspended by the BBC for using a disabled slur on the set of Strictly Come Dancing in June.

The actor had been set to restart filming for EastEnders this month following his suspension, according to the Mirror. However, Borthwick has now been dropped by the BBC altogether.

Borthwick , who competed in the 2024 edition of Strictly, was said to have made the offensive remark on a phone video while the Strictly cast were at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom last November.

open image in gallery Jamie Borthwick has been axed from 'EastEnders' after 19 years ( BBC )

The BBC said his language on the Strictly set was entirely unacceptable and in no way reflects the values or standards we hold and expect at the BBC.

In a statement at the time, Borthwick said: I want to apologise sincerely and wholeheartedly for the words I used in the video showing my reaction to making it through Blackpool week on Strictly.

Meanwhile, Warren Kirwan, media manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: Attitudes and language like this are never acceptable.

He added: Mr Borthwick needs to reflect on what he said, educate himself and do better. We hope he takes the opportunity to get to know the reality of disabled peoples lives.

open image in gallery Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas on Strictly Come Dancing in 2024 ( BBC )

Borthwick won the Strictly 2023 Christmas special with Nancy Xu, and won the best actor gong at the Inside Soap Awards in September of that year.

The actor rose to fame when he joined the cast of EastEnders as Jay Brown (then Mitchell) at just 12 years old. He won a British Soap Award for best dramatic performance from a young actor in 2008.

Borthwick made it through to Strictlys Blackpool week when he returned to the series with his new professional partner Michelle Tsiakkas in 2024. The actor was voted off the BBC dance competition later in November, making him the ninth celebrity to leave the programme that year.
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

Slow Horses author Mick Herron has compared the rightwing bogeyman figure from his popular spy series to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The 62-year-old novelist was at Balliol College, Oxford at the same time as the former Tory leader, who read classics at the university from 1983 to 1987.

Herron said his floppy haired, bicycle-riding MP character Peter Judd, played in the TV series adaptation by Samuel West, shares Johnsons self-obsession and complete disregard for ethics.

Public school educated, a sense of entitlement, self-obsession, complete disregard for ethics or morality or integrity, Herron summarised Peter Judds character to The Guardian.

I mean, Boris Johnson fits that. But so do many other politicians, he said.

Herrons spy series follows a group of intelligence agents investigating espionage, based at the fictional Slough House  and the author attributes the success of the series with the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Slow Horses first hit shelves in 2010, with Herron struggling to find a publisher for the books sequel, Dead Lions, until 2013.

open image in gallery 'Slow Horses' author Mick Herron has compared his 'bogeyman character' to UK politicians ( Getty Images )

The series really took off with the publication of London Rules two years after the Brexit referendum in 2018. The countrys misfortune was my good luck, Herron said.

Seven further books followed, with his eighth, Clown Town, to be published alongside the release of the fifth series of the franchises TV adaptation this month.

The series has reached a whole new audience thanks to the Apple TV+ adaptation starring Gary Oldman as the dishevelled, mildly alcoholic leader of Slough House, Jackson Lamb.

Oldman stars in the show alongside Kristin Scott Thomas as MI5s deputy director Diana Taverner and Jack Lowden as River Cartwright, an ambitious but naive field agent.

open image in gallery Samuel West as Peter Judd in 'Slow Horses' and Boris Johnson ( Apple TV+ / Getty )

Each season of the critically acclaimed show is based on a different book in Herrons series, with season five dropping on 24 September.

The latest novel, Clown Town follows 2022s short story Standing by the Wall. Taverner is pulling political strings behind the scenes and Lamb is determined to expose career-ending MI5 secrets.

When asked elsewhere in the interview about his series success, Herron, who previously worked as a sub-editor at a legal journal, said: There was never a moment in my previous life where I thought this was possible.
This years Venice Film Festival finally subsided, as always, with sprays of fireworks, spritz cocktails and a fistful of Lion awards for films ranging from a long Hungarian drama about the study of trees to a horrific drama set among an emergency response team in Gaza.

It also established that Jacob Elordi, who plays the tragic monster in Guillermo del Toros vast, extravagant and arguably indulgent adaptation of Frankenstein, is in the fast lane to next years Oscars. If he wasnt in the big league before, he certainly is now.

Australian actor Jacob Elordi attends the Frankenstein red carpet. Credit: Getty Images

First, the Australian contender. Critics were divided by the bombastic Frankenstein, but Elordis performance as the lonely monster, who pursues his vain, myopic creator Dr Frankenstein across the Earth to demand he make him a companion, was identified by many as the films saving grace.

As in the novel, the story is told by Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) to his rescuer; Del Toros key twist is to have the creature interrupt him, then resume the story  but from his own monstrous, persecuted point of view. At that point, says Vulture, the movie roars to life  Elordi makes the creatures awakening, his growing curiosity and hurt, feel fresh, vital, new. Indiewire agreed, saying that he becomes the soul of a movie that may not have had one without him.
Last Monday morning at Darling Harbour, three young men approached me with a swagger that felt newly emboldened. Their words were crude, their intent clear: I didnt belong here. As an Australian man with Indian-Malaysian heritage who has lived in this country for decades, I nonetheless feel the effect of the ugly scenes and rhetoric we witnessed last this time last week.

Anti-immigration protesters march from Belmore Park towards Victoria Park during the March for Australia. Credit: Getty Images

This personal confrontation was no isolated incident  it was the toxic spillover from the weekends so-called March for Australia rallies, which drew more than 45,000 protesters nationally and were infiltrated by neo-Nazis chanting Heil Australia.

The atmosphere of hate these rallies generated doesnt confine itself to Hyde Park or Federation Square. It seeps into everyday encounters, emboldens the worst instincts, and makes people like me question their place in a country they call home.

My parents made the decision to leave Malaysia seeking better quality of life in Australia and a deeper racial equality. They found it, as millions before and since have done. Australia has been our safe haven, our opportunity, our home. But moments like last Sunday make many of us question that narrative. Racism is not new to this country; whats different now is how its public expression has been emboldened by far-right rallies that make division and hatred mainstream.
Medicare shame

From November 1, our government is scrapping the only mental health care consultation item number from Medicare (item 2713). An annual mental health care plan is all that will remain.

Doctors have been told that this work will be absorbed into other time-based consultation item numbers, but its just not true. It will represent just one more way that patients will be required to pay a bigger gap to access essential care.

With mental health remaining a huge issue and priority, this is a short-sighted disgrace. As a GP, when Albanese triumphantly wields his Medicare card on a podium, I want to weep.

Can our elected leaders confidently stand in front of their electorates and support this decision?

Dr Emily Jones, Beaumaris Election prediction

George Megalogenis says the Coalition will struggle to win government until it improves its connection with migrant communities (Until the Libs listen to this silent and diverse majority, they will struggle to win, 5/9). He is an experienced analyst. But heres a dissenting view.

The ALP will face the election of 2029 with a millstone of failure around its metaphorical neck. Albanese declared Medicare the beating heart of his 2025 campaign. He said that the future of Medicare depended on voters electing the ALP. He promised people would find it easier to see a doctor for free, no matter where they live.

Medicare will still be in deep trouble in 2029. There is a shortage of doctors. It cannot be fixed in three years, especially in rural areas.

The government will undershoot its 2029 target of 1.2million new homes. Even Jim Chalmers bureaucrats say so.

It will also miss the targets for greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 that it imposed on itself in 2022 and has, so far, made negligible progress towards. One of its climate change advisors says they are far from achieving the 2030 goals .

Politics is a dynamic process. The electorate in 2029 will be very disenchanted with the ALP.

Alun Breward, Malvern East Power before people

It is shocking that the Victorian Labor government is withdrawing subsidies to support the accommodation needs of Victorians with disabilities (7/9).

It sadly highlights the priorities of this government in allocating taxpayer funds. Tens of billions of dollars for projects such as the SRL providing a decades-long pipeline of overpaid work for the favoured unions, and in energy subsidies to select households to gain their votes.

However, no money can be found for disability accommodation services. The Labor Party used to be the party that protected the vulnerable; now it is just the party focused on pork barrelling to hold on to power.

Gary Gavin, Surrey Hills Direct support for disabled

I worked in community residential units in St Kilda and other suburbs with people with disabilities for eight years (Thousands with disabilities ..., 7/9). These people either have no family, or family with little resources. They are almost fully dependent on the state for their support.

Ideological madness led to a severe mistake in privatising these services and putting the livelihoods of many at risk. These people need to be taken back into direct state support. Their future cannot be jeopardised. This is the least our society can do.

Tim Hoffmann, Brunswick Drought action

Nick OMalleys article (Jody fought drought for 20 years. She now fears the worst, 7/9) is a reminder that net zero is not a leftist ideology or a luxury we cant afford.

It is our only hope of avoiding a very grim future in which droughts are so long that farmers go bankrupt and the fires and floods are so bad and so frequent that emergency services will not be able to help us. No one wants a future like that. We need to go for net zero no matter how much it costs.

Jan Ratcliff, Forrest

First, look to China

Nick OMalley paints a scary picture for our country if emissions are not curtailed. Lets assume climate change is man-made and not cyclical, then shouldnt the onus be on China to reduce emissions rather than building more coal power plants?

China has a smart, pragmatic energy policy with a mix of renewables, nuclear and coal power plants.

Australia can learn from this, instead of demonising nuclear purely on ideological grounds and misconceptions. Given our tiny emissions, if Australia closed down tomorrow this would not make one iota of difference to the climate.

Christo Krousoratis, Templestowe Too many arrivals

Be it in any local, state, or federal elections, voters electing Greens-supported Labor governments are shooting themselves and all future generations in the foot.

They are voting in Labor governments that are soft on serious crime, illegal immigration and letting in far too many migrants yearly with far too many of them from  relative to population  cultures hostile to our long-established Western democratic society. Many of their diaspora members are more loyal to despotic and/or totalitarian regimes from whence they have come, than they are to Australia.

Howard Hutchins, Wantirna Good people, not racist

I have supported and assisted with two Asian families permanent residency applications. Were it not for the nasty people, I would have attended last weeks immigration protests. Does that (now) make me a racist?

Are the 2000 residents who marched in Church Street, Brighton, last October racists or the PMs good people? Racist because they care about overpopulation, heat islands, congestion, wildlife, architectural heritage and homes with gardens? Because they see infrastructure crumbling under the population onslaught?

Democracy crumbles as the premier selects Brighton to announce/dictate removal of local council involvement in her authoritarian planning dystopia and goes out of her way to foster division and prompt Karens of Brighton nastiness.

Just like Three young men told me I didnt belong here, but theyre wrong (Opinion, 2/9), many established Australians wonder if they still belong here?

Ronald Elliott, Sandringham Afghan tragedy

How tragic to read that women trapped in the earthquake in Afghanistan are not being rescued, but men and children are. Women didnt even receive care because women rescuers were banned. Apparently, women are untouchable and good for nothing except to produce children. How can any religion support such thinking in the 21st century?

Maureen Goldie, Blackwood, SA Learning to swim

After reading the Good Weekend article Fish Out of Water, I want to highlight another factor with regard to kids not learning to swim.

Even if parents can afford swimming lessons there are not enough pools available. Certainly when I tried to book my (now older) son into swimming lessons in Brunswick the pool was full and there were no lessons available. The pool is also full on some hot days with queues snaking out the door waiting for someone to leave so they can get in.

It is with a growing sense of despair that I read of the Banyule Councils plan to close the Heidelberg Olympic Leisure Centre in West Heidelberg. If we seriously want our young people to grow up with the opportunities we had to learn to swim, as well as let off steam over summer in a social and physically active manner, we must stop closing these vital community assets.

Jane Gilbert, Brunswick

Herald age of swimming

Ive just read Fish out of Water and recalled my early school days cycling to the local pool for The Herald learn-to-swim program. After lunch wed race to our bikes and race to the pool, on the busy roads of Camberwell, for the earnest endeavour towards achieving the 25-metre swim that earned you the coveted yellow certificate sponsored by The Herald newspaper.

Getting your Herald was a shared pride, a status, a badge of honour that youd made it to the first rung of a hierarchy of aquatic achievement which led you to the red Senior certificate, the pinnacle that was The Bronze, the life-saving medallion that inspired awe towards those older kids whod earned it. This was what being Australian meant to a young Scots immigrant desperate to belong to his new scene.

Perhaps Harvey Norman could sponsor an Age certificate, and grandparents with time on their hands could chaperone riding school buses, and councils could spend some of their profits to keep their pools open in winter.

David Marshall, West Brunswick Poison or pleasure

Michael Koziol, you have to be joking saying lobsters are overrated (The $61 takeaway lunch that just proves lobster is overrated, 6/9). As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, similarly one mans poison is another mans pleasure. A grilled lobster with a squeeze of lemon is one of lifes pleasures.

Julie Krousoratis, Bulleen Defending Dan

Dan Andrews is a long-time advocate of trade with China so his appearance at the Chinese celebration was no surprise. It certainly wont harm Australias reputation in that country.

Some people like to foster relationships, others like to undermine them.

It is a pity that so many column inches have been devoted to tearing down the man.

Wendy Baker, Lilydale AND ANOTHER THING Politics

I disliked the term during our too many lockdowns of Dictator Dan. Unfortunately, it appears Daniel Andrews has claimed the title himself. Has he forgotten he was trying to save lives, not like the other men of the now infamous photo who have no respect for it?

Margot Sharman, North Carlton

Trump is now on a war footing to secure the Nobel Peace Prize.

Nat Srinivasan, Surrey Hills It is no surprise the loathsome Exclusive Brethren are misogynistic; all religious cults are the same in this regard. It tells you everything about the Liberal Party that it enlisted its support.

Michael Read, Carnegie Senator Jacinta Price should apologise for her comments about our Indian community. While in the apology mode she could include her infamous sellout with Warren Mundine of Indigenous Australians during the Voice referendum campaign in 2023.

Tony Delaney, Warrnambool Furthermore

Boys 12 and 15 killed, neo-Nazis in full swing, the gap between the haves and have-nots widening daily ... Wake up Australia!

Bosko Marojevic, Williamstown Tony Wrights insightful article (Before sovereign citizens, Mel Gibson was linked to a radical group near Porepunkah4/9) ends with How far we have come. It should read How far we have sunk.

Gail White, Ferntree Gully
Australian home owners still covet pools despite the cost-of-living crisis, the industry says, though their preferences are shifting towards efficiency and wellness.

A creative pool has cleaned up at the 2025 Swimming Pool and Spa Association awards of excellence, partially for how it responds to these trends, builder and Laguna Pools director Glenn Maxton says.

This pool in Melbournes Clifton Hill won Concrete In-ground Spa, Pool Landscape Design and Spa of the Year. Credit: Laguna/Swimming Pool and Spa Association

It probably encapsulates a little bit of everything thats going on right now. Its really unique in the sense that it utilised a wet-edge [or] infinity-edge pool and its use of clever design to minimise the pool fence, he said.

Its got a cold plunge built-in, it has a spa  the whole brief around it was bringing the wellness lifestyle with a busy young family, that maximised the garden space but could be used all year round. At-home wellness is definitely a big thing.
Beijing: Chinas military said its forces had followed and warned an Australian and a Canadian warship, which were sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, in a move it criticised as a provocation.

The Peoples Liberation Armys Eastern Theatre Command said the Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec and the Australian guided-missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane were engaged in trouble-making and provocation.

A photo taken on Philippine Navy BRP Jose Rizal shows it sailing in formation with HMAS Brisbane and Canadian navy frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec east of Scarborough Shoal, in the South China Sea, last month. Credit: Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP

The actions of the Canadians and Australians send the wrong signals and increase security risks, it said.

A Defence spokesperson said the Brisbane, which is on a four-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, in accordance with international law.
London: British police said on Sunday they had arrested almost 900 people at a demonstration the previous day in support of Palestine Action, and the UK government appealed for people to stop demonstrating in support of the banned campaign group.

Britain designated Palestine Action a terrorist group under anti-terrorism legislation in July after some of its members broke into a Royal Air Force base and caused an estimated $14 million of damage to military planes.

Police arrest a woman carrying a placard expressing support for Palestine Action outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Saturday. Credit: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

That followed vandalism and incidents targeting defence firms in Britain with links to Israel. The group accuses Prime Minister Keir Starmers government of complicity in what it says are Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

Hundreds of Palestine Action supporters have since been arrested at demonstrations, many of them over the age of 60.
Bargi police solve youths murder mystery, all four accused arrested





Staff Reporter :

Bargi police successfully solved murder mystery of a youth whose body was found on Ghansaur Road in Bargi Nagar, after 20 days of the incident. Soon after the crime was reported, police swung into action and solved the case after 20 days. The investigation report highlighted that one Satendra Uike, a resident of Kudo village in Ghansaur, was murdered by Sachin Yadav, Dadua alias Brijlal alias Brijesh, Bihari alias Ashish Dhurve and Shivdin Uike. The police have arrested all the four accused and recovered the weapons used during the crime from their possession.

According to the police, Kishore Singh Yadav, a resident of Bargi Nagar, informed police on August 20, that a youths body was lying near Binjha turn. The police had identified the deceased as Satyendra Uike. In the police investigation, it was revealed that on August 15, Satendra left home with his friends Dadua and Sachin Yadav, saying that they were going to Mandla, after which he did not return home. When the police interrogated the suspect Sachin, it was revealed that Satendra had a love affair with a girl from the village.

The crime was committed along with his friends at the behest of the girls brother Ashish alias Bihari. After the crime, the accused fled to Chennai. The police came to know from an informer that the accused were coming to Nagpur from Chennai. The police team raided Nagpur road and caught Bihari, Shivdin, Dadua. When the police recreated the crime, it was found that Bihari alias Ashish, was angry due to his sisters love affair with Satendra and not tying Rakhi to him on Rakshabandhan.

Hence, he planned to teach a lesson to both the lovers and planned to murder Satendra along with his four friends. On August 15, Satendra was called to the jungle by Satendras friend Dadua and he was strangled to death. The accused also slit his throat with a sharp iron rod and crushed his face with a stone and then hide the body. The police seized the stone, iron rod and mobile used in the crime.
Bhilais Pride: Harsh Gohiya Joins Ranks of Indian Army





Staff Reporter :

BHILAI :

The commissioning of Bhilai lad Harsh Gohiya, as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army, is not only a matter of pride for his family but also an inspiring milestone for the city of Bhilai and the SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant Collective. A son of the soil, Harsh embodies the values of perseverance, discipline, and patriotism that define the armed forces of India. Harsh successfully cleared the UPSC Combined Defence Services (CDS) II Examination 2023, securing an All India Rank (AIR) of 187. His achievement earned him a coveted seat at the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, where he underwent rigorous training to prepare himself for the noble responsibility of military service.

On 6th September 2025, Harsh was formally commissioned as a Lieutenant, a moment of honour witnessed nationwide through the live telecast of the passing-out parade on DD National. The story of Harsh is also deeply tied to the legacy of the SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant. His father, Satya Kumar Gohiya is posted in the P&BS Department of BSP, while his mother, Mithilesh Gohiya is a homemaker. His sister, Deeksha Gohiya, works as a software engineer at HP. Harshs educational roots trace back to BSP School, Sector-2, and BSP Senior Secondary School-X, institutions that laid the foundation for his discipline and commitment.

Harsh expressed heartfelt gratitude to his family, mentors, and well-wishers who supported him throughout his journey. His commissioning, he said, symbolises not just personal achievement but also a pledge to uphold the values of courage, discipline, and service before self. For Bhilai and for SAIL-BSP, Harshs achievement is more than a personal triumph; it is an emblem of how nurturing environment of this industrial city fosters national service and excellence. The entire BSP collective has extended their warm wishes to Lieutenant Harsh Gohiya, expressing pride in his achievement and wishing him a bright future in the service of the nation.
Bhopal breathes easy for now, pollution spike expected next month as monsoon ends, warn experts





Staff Reporter :

With the monsoon showers continuing to lash the city, Bhopal is currently enjoying a spell of pleasant weather and clean air. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has remained in the Good category for several weeks, offering a rare window of relief to residents. But environmental experts and officials warn that this calm is temporary, and the city should brace for a sharp rise in pollution levels once the rains retreat. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Bhopal recorded an AQI of 38 on September 8, 2024, placing it firmly in the Good; category.

However, just a month later, on October 8, 2024 the AQI spiked to 133, falling into the Poor category. Officials say this pattern is likely to repeat this year, with deteriorating road conditions and dry weather contributing to a surge in airborne pollutants. In December 2024, Bhopal recorded an AQI of 155, categorised as Unhealthy, with several monitoring stations reporting levels above 200. Officials fear similar conditions may arise this year unless mitigation efforts are ramped up. Rainfall naturally suppresses dust and particulate matter, but once it stops, we see a rapid deterioration in air quality, said Brajesh Sharma, Regional Officer of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB).

The roads are in a dilapidated state, and as they dry, dust clouds will return, pushing AQI levels upward. Under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), a joint committee comprising MPPCB, Bhopal Municipal Corporation, PWD, National Highway Authority, and the RTO has been tasked with implementing preventive measures. These include filling potholes and repairing damaged roads ,cracking down on garbage burning and use of traditional tandoors in hotels and action against vehicle who create pollution. Sharma noted that while 8090% of days in Bhopal fall under the Good days, nearly 1020% are classified as

Bad Days, when AQI is under 200 it is called good days, when exceeds 200, considered bad days and it poses serious health risks. Dr Parag Sharma, a pulmonologist in GMC, warns that rising pollution levels can trigger a host of respiratory and cardiovascular issues, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions. High concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 particles have been linked to asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, and stroke. Long-term exposure may also impair lung development in children and exacerbate chronic illnesses. Citizens are advised to monitor AQI levels regularly via CPCBs dashboard, avoid strenuous outdoor activities during high pollution hours, and report violations such as garbage burning to municipal authorities. As Bhopal enjoys its current spell of clean air, the message from experts is clear: enjoy the breeze, but prepare for the haze.
Forces to intensify anti-Naxal op: 30 new bases to be opened in Chhattisgarh





New Delhi :

Raipur :

Security forces will open more than 30 new forward bases and special units of the CRPF and its CoBRA battalion will further move deep inside to target top Maoist leaders in Chhattisgarh as part of a fresh plan drawn to meet the deadline of ending Naxalism from the country by March 2026, offical sources said Saturday. A high-level meeting was held in Raipur on Friday with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) Tapan Deka, CRPF Director General (DG) Gyanendra Pratap Singh, Chhattisgarh DGP Arun Dev Gautam and other senior officials in attendance. The meeting on anti-Naxal operations reviewed the deployment of the forces and their requirements for the new units, which will further go deep inside.

It has been decided to open more than 30 new forward operation bases (FOBs) in the remote locations of the Bastar region after the end of monsoon rains to further intensify the offensive, the sources told PTI. The majority of this work will be done by the units of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) while its special jungle warfare battalion CoBRA will be further traversing into core Naxal-affected areas of the state, they said. The meeting was held to review the progress of the operations and plan new ones, keeping in mind the Union governments declared deadline of ending the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) from the country by March 2026, according to the sources in the security establishment The Bastar region of Chhattisgarh remains the last bastion where some Naxalite presence and violent activities are taking place.

The forces like CoBRA and District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Chhattisgarh Police have been directed to target the remaining leadership of Maoists, the sources said. The results are already being achieved with the killing of a number of Naxal cadres, and if the current pace of operations goes good, chances are that the deadline to end Naxalism from the country can be met by December 2025 or January 2026, a top officer said. Some new units brought in by the CRPF from Jharkhand and other states in the recent past have also entrenched themselves in the existing FOBs and they will further move forward, according to the decision of the latest meeting, the sources said.

The CRPF and other forces have created around 50 FOBs in the state over the last few years. These are bases built in remote Naxal areas meant to support security forces operations. CRPF DG Singh and Chhattisgarh DGP Arun Dev Gautam also held a separate meeting on the subject in Jagdalpur on Saturday. The deliberations centred on enhancing synergy between security forces, intelligence agencies and the administration to strengthen peace efforts and eradicate Naxalism from the state, the CRPF said in a social media post. The CRPF DG, before this meeting, also laid a wreath at the martyrs memorial built recently by the force at its campus in Kondagaon district, the gateway to Bastar.

The memorial honours the memory of the 460 brave CRPF personnel, including 20 officers, who were killed in the line of duty in the Bastar region between 2003 and August 15, 2005. At least 230 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year, according to the state police. Of these, 209 were eliminated in the Bastar division, which comprises Bijapur, Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Sukma and Dantewada districts
Man strangulates wife to death, commits suicide by hanging in forest





Staff Reporter :

A harrowing incident has come to light in Bhopals Ganesh Nagar, where a married couple was found dead under suspicious circumstances. Police suspect the case to be a murder-suicide. The wifes body was discovered in the bathroom of their home, while the husbands body was found hanging from a tree several kilometers away.

The deceased have been identified as Jeevan Adiwal (34) and his wife, Shobha Adiwal (29), residents of Ratlam. The couple had arrived in Bhopal three days ago with their 10-year-old son to stay with a relative. At the time of the incident, only the couple and their son were at home. According to police reports, around 2:30 pm on Friday, Jeevan Adiwal gave some money and documents to his son before leaving the house.

When the son returned inside, he found his mother unconscious near the bathroom. The boy immediately alerted neighbours, who then rushed Shobha to AIIMS, where doctors pronounced her dead. Simultaneously, police were notified of a body found hanging from a neem tree near a drain in Bagli village, within the Misrod police station jurisdiction. The body was identified as Jeevan Adiwal. Initial examination of Shobhas body revealed scratch marks on her neck, leading police to believe Jeevan may have strangled his wife before taking his own life.

The investigation has revealed a heartbreaking motive behind the tragedy. Just three months ago, the couples 16-year-old daughter had died by suicide in Ratlam. This tragic event had plunged the couple into deep depression, and they were in Bhopal to seek treatment for it. Misrod Police Station In-charge Sandeep Kumar Pawar stated, This appears to be a case of murder followed by suicide.

The husband seemingly killed his wife and then hanged himself. However, this will be confirmed only after the post-mortem report is received. Both bodies have been handed over to the family after the post-mortem, and an investigation is underway.
MotherSon duo held for burglary





Staff Reporter :

BHILAI :

A WOMAN and her son landed in police net in Bhilai after being found involved in a house burglary, with stolen jewellery worth Rs 5.5 lakh recovered from their possession. Following their court appearance, both were remanded to judicial custody. Police identified the accused as Anuradha Jagat (42) and her son Dishu Jagat (20), residents of Zone-3, Khursipar. The case was lodged on the complaint of Sudarshan Kumar Kurre, a Ganesh Nagar resident, who reported that his house had been broken into on August 13, 2025, while he and his family were away in Balodabazar. Burglars forced open the lock and made away with ornaments worth nearly Rs 1.5 lakh.

Investigators examined CCTV footage and tapped but later admitted to the theft. Dishu Jagat confessed that he would pass the ornaments to his mother, who either sold or pledged them. Part of the stolen gold had already been disposed of in Dantewada, while some proceeds were used to purchase an iPhone. With the assistance of Dantewada Police, a significant portion of the stolen ornaments was recovered. The duo now faces charges under sections 331(4), 305, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Noida astrologer held for hoax Mumbai terror threat





NOIDA :

A NOIDA resident has been arrested for allegedly sending a hoax threat message to the Mumbai Police, claiming that 14 terrorists had entered the city with explosives, to frame a man who had filed a case against him and seek revenge, officials said on Saturday. The accused, Ashwani Kumar (51), a native of Patna in Bihar, was living in a housing society in Noidas Sector 79 for the past five years.

He described himself as an astrologer and vastu expert, the officials said. According to the officials, the message received by Mumbai Police on Thursday was traced to Noida, following which Sector 113 police swung into action and arrested Kumar within hours. Kumar was arrested from Sector 79 and handed over to the Mumbai Police, Additional DCP (Noida) Sumit Shukla told PTI. Investigators said Kumar admitted that he acted out of personal vendetta. He wanted to take revenge from a friend who had filed a case against him in Patna in 2023, in which he was jailed for three months.

To settle scores, Kumar sent the threat message to the Mumbai Police using his (friends) name, the officer said. Mumbai Police was on alert on Thursday after receiving the threat message on WhatsApp which claimed that 14 terrorists had entered the city with 400 kg of RDX planted in 34 vehicles, just days ahead of Anant Chaturthi celebrations, when lakhs gather across the city. The message, sent to the traffic polices helpline, mentioned the name of a group called Lashkar-e-Jihadi. A case was registered at Worli police station under the provisions of the BNS.
Thousands of idols immersed hassle-free





Staff Reporter :

On the concluding day of 10-day Ganeshotsav, thousands of idols of Lord Ganesha were immersed with full religious rituals across the citys immersion ponds under well-organised arrangements. Mayor Jagat Bahadur Singh also performed the immersion of Lord Ganeshas idol at Bhatoli pond.

On the occasion, he reviewed the arrangements made by the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation. The Mayor examined cleanliness, security and lighting facilities at the site and instructed officials to remain stationed at immersion points to ensure that the idols were immersed safely and conveniently without any lapse. Mayor Singh personally inspected the ghats at Bhatoli immersion pond and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements.

He acknowledged the efforts of the Municipal Corporation in managing the immersion process and praised the dedication of the officials and staff present on duty. During inspection, the Mayor also interacted with members of Ganesh Utsav Samities and employees. He appreciated their morale and role in ensuring smooth conduct of the visarjan.
Trump begins U-turn: My friend Modi a great Prime Minister; Modi responds formally





By Yoshita Singh :

NEW YORK :

WASHINGTON :

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump said India and the United States have a special relationship and theres nothing to worry about as the two countries just have moments on occasion, amid current tensions between Washington and Delhi over tariffs and purchases of Russian oil. Ill always be friends with (Narendra) Modi, hes a great Prime Minister. Hes great. Ill always be friends, but I just dont like what hes doing at this particular moment, Trump said in the Oval Office on Friday. But India and the United States have a special relationship. Theres nothing to worry about. We just have moments on occasion, Trump added with a smile.

The president was responding to a question on whether he is ready to reset relations with India, as ties between the two countries continue to reel under possibly the worst phase in over two decades. Trump also said that he is very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. Ive been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia, and I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India, 50 per cent tariff, very high tariff. I get along very well with (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, hes great. He was here a couple of months ago, Trump said in response to a question on his social media post that the US has lost India and Russia to China. In the Truth Social post, Trump said that Looks like weve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together! President Donald J.

Trump. Trump had also posted an old photo of Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trumps post on social media came days after the bonhomie among Modi, Xi and Putin at a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Chinese city of Tianjin drew global attention. To a question on how trade talks are going with India and other countries, Trump said, They are going great. Other countries are doing great. Were doing great with all of them.

Were upset with the European Union because of whats happening with not just Google, but with all of our big companies. Meanwhile, Trump administrations Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing, Peter Navarro, said in a post on X that Indias highest tariffs costs US jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/revenues feed Russia war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. US taxpayers shell out more. India cant handle truth/spins, Navarro said. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett has said that Trump and his trade team are disappointed that India continues to fund Russias Ukraine war. I think that the trade team and the president are disappointed that India continues to fund Russias Ukraine war, and hopefully its a diplomatic issue that it will have positive development soon, Hassett told reporters in the White House Friday.
Victim Raja Raghuvanshis kin seek death penalty for his accused wife, 4 others





INDORE :

A day after the Meghalaya Police filed a chargesheet in Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshis murder, his family members on Saturday demanded death penalty for his wife Sonam, the prime accused in the case, and four others. The Meghalaya Police on Friday filed a 790-page chargesheet, supported by material evidence and enclosures, against eight persons, including Sonam, in the sensational murder of her husband during their honeymoon to Sohra in May this year. Apart from Sonam, the document names her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, his three friends, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Singh Rajput, Anand Kurmi, and three others.

They were charged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal conspiracy to murder Raghuvanshi and destruction of evidence. Talking to PTI in Indore, deceased Raja's elder brother Vipin Raghuvanshi said, My family has only one demand, that is - along with Sonam and Kushwaha, all five accused be sentenced to death. He said his family was yet to see the detailed chargesheet, but was satisfied with the police investigation and believed that the charges slapped against the accused were strong.

The sensational case saw several dramatic turns. After Sonams arrest, her elder brother Govind had visited the victim's home on June 11 and broke down, claiming his family had severed ties with Sonam and that he would himself fight the legal battle to secure justice for Raghuvanshi. Raja's brother Vipin, however, on Saturday alleged that Govind lied to protect his own business interests. Govind had said he stood with our family, but we came to know that he has hired a lawyer to defend Sonam, he said. He said his family has also roped in a lawyer to pursue the case. According to police, Raja Raghuvanshi, his wife Sonam had travelled to Shillong on May 21 before heading to Sohra. On May 26, the couple were reported missing, prompting a massive search operation by Sohra police, the Special Operations Team (SOT), NDRF, SDRF, trekking groups and local villagers.

After days of intensive search, the body of Raja Raghuvanshi was recovered on June 2 from a deep gorge at Arliang Riat Kunongrim, Umblai, near the famous Wei Sawdong falls in Sohra. Investigators found that Sonam was in a relationship with Raj Kushwaha. The duo, along with three hired assailants, allegedly conspired to eliminate Raghuvanshi under the pretext of a honeymoon.

The killing was carried out by Rajput, Chauhan and Kurmi in Sonam's presence at the gorge, the police said. Within a week of the probe, five accused, including Sonam, were traced to Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Sonam, Kushwaha, Rajput, Chauhan and Kurmi have been charged under 103(1) (murder), 238 (a) (disappearance of evidence) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the BNS. Later, three more accused, Lokendra Tomar, Balla Ahirwar and Shilom James, were arrested from Gwalior, Shadora and Dewas for their alleged role in destroying evidence.
With dhol-tasha and gulal clouds, Mumbai gives rain-soaked farewell to Bappa





MUMBAI :

RAINS and a bomb threat failed to dampen the spirit of devotees of Lord Ganesh in Mumbai as they gathered in large numbers to bid adieu to their beloved deity amid the beating of dhol-tasha and clouds of gulal rising in the air as the 10-day Ganpati festival drew to a close on Saturday.

Till 3 pm, more than 2,100 Ganpati idols were immersed in various water bodies in Mumbai, officials said. Scores of people were seen sitting on road dividers, terraces of buildings, balconies, trees, and poles to catch a glimpse of the grand finale as the idols made their way to the citys beaches and other water bodies amid chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya, pudhachya varshi lavkar ya - a fervent wish for the gods early return next year. Earlier in the day, rangolis were drawn on roads, even as parts of the city witnessed light to moderate showers since morning.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 2,198 Ganapati idols, including 59 of Sarvajanik mandals (local community groups) and 87 of Goddess idols immersed in natural water bodies and artificial ponds created by the civic body by 3 pm. At Lalbaug in central Mumbai, famous for its iconic Ganapati mandals, the processions began with idols of Tejukaya, Ganesh Gully, and several other mandals.

Thousands gathered along the streets of Lalbaug and other major procession routes to bid farewell to their favourite deity, with prayers on their lips and to witness the vibrant spectacle filled with music, dance, and clouds of celebratory gulal (vermillion powder). No untoward incident reported during the immersion process, a BMC official said. Processions of the famous Ganpatis from Lalbaug, including Lalbaugcha Raja, Chinchpoklicha Chintamani, Ballaleshwar of Bal Ganesh Mandal, Mumbaicha Raja of Ganesh Galli, Mahaganapati of Kalachowki, Rangari Badak Chawl Ganpati, and Tejukaya Ganapati, had reached the main road by 1 pm.

Crowds assembled at Shroff Building in Lalbaug, from where the traditional pushpa vrishti (flower shower) was performed on the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh idol around 5.30 pm with a model of a Rafale aircraft pulled using a rope contraption. The procession of this iconic Ganesh mandal is likely to reach the Girgaon Chowpatty shore on Sunday morning. The procession passes through Byculla, Nagpada, Don Taki and Goldevool areas before reaching the immersion point. The procession of the Rangari Badak Chawl was the first to receive Pushpavrishti at Shroff Building, followed by the Cotton Green cha Raja Ganesh idol.

The Seva Sadan Mandal used an icon of Abhijat Marathi for its procession, as Marathi has been declared a classical language this year. Major processions from Lalbaug, Parel, Kalachowki, and other areas of central Mumbai began moving towards the seafronts after 1.30 pm. More than 21,000 police personnel have been deployed in the city to maintain law and order during the idol immersions.

The city police were on alert after receiving a threat message claiming 14 terrorists had entered the city with 400 kilograms of RDX that had been planted in 34 vehicles, an official said. The threat message was received on the traffic polices WhatsApp helpline on Thursday while the metropolitan force was making security arrangements for Anant Chaturdashi, the last day of the Ganesh festival.

The police later arrested a 50-year-old man from Noida in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sending the threat message. The crime branch apprehended the accused, Ashwinikumar Supra, from his residence in Noida within 24 hours of receiving the threat message, the official said.
Photo: Mavis-Jay Sanders, Culinary Director of Community Kitchen with founder Mark Bittman [Photo credit: Community Kitchen]

Food journalist, former New York Times recipe columnist and author of the renowned cookbook How To Cook Everything, Mark Bittman is creating a new type of restaurant with a focus on equitable access for all involved. The pilot project, Community/KITCHEN, is a non-profit public restaurant model that will be based in the LES and will operate on a sliding scale for diners.

The concept combines locally sourced, seasonal meals made by workers being paid a living wage.

The restaurant will pay staff in excess of $32 an hour, and menu prices will be tiered at $15, $45, and $125 for diners to select what they can afford.

Located at The Lower East Side Girls Club at 7th Street and Avenue D, they plan to serve dinner for the next three months, Wednesday through Saturday, beginning September 19th.

Culinary director Mavis-Jay Sanders (left), executive director Rae Gomes (center) and founder Mark Bittman in their soon-to-be new restaurant space at The Lower East Side Girls Club.

I talked with Bittman and two members of his team, Executive Director Rae Gomes and Culinary Director Mavis-Jay Sanders about the endeavor and how it came about:

When I decided Id had enough of writing or at least of writing full time, I thought I wanted to do something, Bittman said. I wanted to do something in food, and I wanted to do something in good food. And I first thought it was important for me to come up with a definition of what good food is, and its pretty simple, but people werent saying it. Its food thats sourced well, sourced from farmers who care about the land and care about the crops and care about their workers. Handled by workers who are being treated respectfully, which as you probably know has been long been a problem in the food chain. Cooked well, deliciously, nutritiously, wholesomely. And then made accessible to everybody.

photo courtesy of Community Kitchen

Those first three things kind of define good food in most cases but the fourth thing is what gets ignored a lot, which is you know you can go to a great restaurant that does that other stuff, but its only accessible to people who pay $100 to $150 per meal. So how do you make it accessible? You do a sliding scale. How do you do a sliding scale? You do a non-profit. So I kind of woke up one morning and said, okay, Im gonna do a nonprofit restaurant.

From there he started to raise money and build his team with some willing consultants, including his partner, Kathleen Finlay, who is president of the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming.

The culinary director, Mavis-Jay Sanders is a James Beard award-winning chef and activist working at the intersection of food and social justice, and met Bittman at Gods Love We Deliver as a culinary counsel member. Their executive director, Rae Gomes, is a founder & principal at Cultivating Justice LLC, a co-founder at Central Brooklyn Food Cooperative and an Urban Design Forum Fellow with a Food Equity focus.

Florence Fabricant noted in The New York Times that the advisory board includes heavy hitters like Alice Waters, Jose Andres, Marion Nestle, Saru Jayaraman and Karen Washington.

The core team toured a lot of different locations and sites but landed on the Lower East Side Girls Club after seeing the space they had available. Gomes explained, We wanted [the site] to align with our values. I call it scenario planning because it wasnt just the location, it was also the partnerships. It was the neighborhood. It was like, how can we tell the story of Community Kitchen in a way thats connected to the neighborhood and the community. And based on those scenarios, what feels good and aligned with what were trying to do here was this space.

photo courtesy of Community Kitchen

I asked how they will define success now and what the vision is for what happens three months from now, after this trial period.

Because its a pilot, success looks like getting a lot of feedback, Gomes said. Making sure that people are able to share with us, able to tell us how they feel. I dont think New Yorkers are shy about telling us how they feel, but were hoping to create different types of spaces so that different people can feel empowered to tell us how they feel. And well see the folks from the community. Were really interested in their feedbackand Im just really interested in seeing what comes out of thisLike what actually would happen when we bring people together in a space that is not censoring profit, that is really about bringing people together, having connection, having this delicious food that Mayvis-Jay is preparing for us, having this atmosphere where the hospitality staff is paid well and taken care of right?

We want people to come here and relax and enjoy themselves and eat well and hang with people they wouldnt ordinarily hang with, Sanders said.And be in a space that they wouldnt ordinarily be in and be able to be comfortable in every aspect of that. Whether that aspect means they can afford a meal they wouldnt ordinarily be able to afford, or whether that aspect means theyre paying more than they might ordinarily pay, in order for other people to [come and] support our mission.

Also, we are hoping to do a longer term version of this, Bittman said. And if it happened on the Lower East Side, wed feel really happy. That would be one measure of success. If we said, were staying on the Lower East Side. We we feel welcome. We feel like weve made ourselves a part of the community.

We want people to come here and feel like youre going to your favorite cousins house, you know, added Sanders. I want things that like are familiar. I want to do food thats familiar, but also things that people wouldnt expect, you know, things that are surprising. I dont want to [get] too far away and have people be like, oh, I didnt see myself in that food at all. And the neighborhood itself is very diverse and so we want to pull from different different cuisines and, know, do our take and tell peoples stories.

Bittman added, I think if you combine the [living wage] mission weve talked about with the sliding scale and Mavis-Jays attitude about hospitality and comfort, and our ability to source from local farmers who deserve support, and put that food on the menu, and be willing to change the menu when the food the farmers have [available] changes, its just gonna be great.

I think were gonna redefine what it means to be a great restaurant, Sanders said.

Wouldnt that be something? Bittman added.
PM Modis Manipur visit should be seen as journey towards peace, not end goal: Gaurav Gogoi

|

Guwahati, Sep 6 : Senior Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's likely visit to Manipur should not be seen as the end goal, but rather as the start on a long journey to bring peace back to the State.

Mr. Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on the sidelines of a programme in Guwahati on Friday (September 5, 2025), said, "We cannot say that normalcy has returned to Manipur... there is no elected government, so [Mr.] Modi's visit should not be seen as the end goal. It is only a start on a "long journey to bring peace, justice, reconciliation and democracy back to Manipur," the Congress MP said.

Emphasising that the relationship among the people of Manipur must heal, their aspirations must be met, he said, "I hope that the BJP understands that the PM's visit is not the end but only a beginning which has come very much delayed."

The likely visit of the PM should have been planned two years ago, and there are still many more milestones to overcome, the Assam Congress president claimed. "As they say that justice delayed is justice denied, people of Manipur have been denied of the PM's visit for far too long," he said.

He hoped that when the PM arrives, the first thing he should do is to "apologise to the people of Manipur for not showing up for the last two years."

On the new Immigration and Foreigners' (Exemption) Order, 2025, Mr. Gogoi said it has negated the Assam Accord, and such an important matter should have been first discussed in Parliament.

"I hope my colleagues from across the political aisle realise how, at this point, we need someone who understands Manipur, the Assam Accord and other issues of the Northeast," he said.

Mr. Gogoi asserted that he was confident that Reddy would do much better than what the people's expectations are. PTI


Korean business leaders have called for regulatory reforms to boost the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), as per a report by Pulse, the English service of Maeil Business Newspaper Korea. The urge from the leaders came as it was found that only four out of every 10,000 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Korea advance to mid-market status. At the launch of the Corporate Growth Forum held in Seoul on Thursday, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won highlighted the need to overhaul regulatory structures that, he said, are stifling business momentum at every stage of expansion. "As long as these size-based rules remain, some firms choose to stay small or even split operations to avoid moving up and facing more restrictions," Chey said, according to the Pulse. KCCI data showed large companies posted average annual sales growth of 10.5 per cent between 1994 and 2004 and 10 per cent between 2004 and 2014. The rate, however, plunged to 2.6 per cent from 2014 to 2023. SME growth also slowed, dropping from 8.7 and 9.3 per cent in earlier decades to 5.4 per cent more recently. Between 2020 and 2023, just 0.04 per cent of SMEs grew into mid-market firms, while only 1.4 per cent of mid-sized companies became large caps. Research by KCCI and Professor Kim Young-ju of Pusan National University identified 343 differential regulations across 12 economic laws and 6,000 punitive economic provisions. Chey urged a shift away from policies that protect companies solely for being small, toward incentives that reward those pursuing growth. Song Seung-heon, managing partner of McKinsey Korea, agreed, noting government aid alone has limits. Song highlighted the need for market-based safeguards and rewards that help firms build sustainable growth plans. About 30 officials and business leaders attended, including Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol, Federation of Korean Industries Vice Chairman Kim Chang-beom, Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea Executive Vice Chairman Lee Ho-joon, Employment and Labour Minister Kim Young-hoon, First Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Shin-hak, Democratic Party Representative Choi Ki-sang, and People Power Party Representative Kim Eun-hye. Koo pledged the government would "mobilize all available resources" to help Korean companies compete globally. (ANI)
The recently announced GST 2.0 reforms have drawn a positive response from industry leaders across sectors, who see the overhaul as a catalyst for growth, affordability, and long-term sustainability. From real estate and electric mobility to corporate transportation and tax advisory services, the impact of these changes is expected to be wide-ranging. In the real estate sector, the reduction of GST on key construction materials like cement and steel is being viewed as a major boost. Snehdeep Aggarwal, Founder & Chairman of Bhartiya Group, said, "The reduction of GST on cement, steel and related construction materials is a timely and much-needed boost for the real estate sector. Lower input costs will allow developers to invest more in superior design, modern amenities, and sustainable practices, while ensuring greater affordability for homebuyers." "Corporate real estate too will benefit from improved cost efficiencies, making office and commercial projects more attractive for businesses and investors," he added. The reforms also address the corporate transport ecosystem, with a sharp cut in GST on commercial vehicles from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. This is expected to enhance the viability of vehicle ownership for driver-partners and improve the scalability of corporate commute programs. Sriram Kannan, Founder & CEO of Routematic, said, "The GST 2.0 reforms will significantly transform the corporate commute ecosystem in which Routematic operates. By reducing GST on commercial vehicles from 28 per cent to 18 per cent, more driver-partners will find it viable to purchase ICE vehicles at lower EMIs, boosting their earnings and livelihood security." In the electric vehicle (EV) space, keeping all EVs--across segments--within the 5% GST slab without cess is being viewed as a progressive, market-shaping move. "The government's decision to keep all EVs--whether mass market or luxury SUVs--under the 5% GST slab without any additional cess is a progressive step that will have a significant impact on adoption," Vasudha Madhavan, Founder and CEO, Ostara Advisors. From a tax and regulatory standpoint, the three-rate GST structure and process simplifications are being hailed as a long-awaited reform. Subroto Bose, Partner, ASA & Associates, said, "The recommendations on tax rate changes by the GST Council will have a huge positive impact on consumption and boost production." "The 3-rate slab structure brings much-needed clarity, especially to foreign investors interested in the India growth story. Simplified GST registrations for small and low-risk businesses and sanction of risk-based provisional refunds will reduce administrative bottlenecks and facilitate trade," he added. (ANI)
The initiative follows the government's annual "Absurd Regulation Contest," where citizens submit complaints about rules that make daily life unnecessarily difficult.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination said it had selected 10 key items for reform based on this year's submissions.

One major change will simplify the cancellation process for mobile phone contracts. Currently, users often need to call customer service, visit branches, or go through mandatory consultations to cancel a plan. Under the new policy, cancellations will be possible with just a few clicks online.

The Korea Communications Commission will implement the change, allowing users to terminate contracts immediately, with any outstanding payments settled afterwards.

Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), the publicly-run railway operator in Seoul, will allow passengers to change seats and stations via mobile apps after boarding.

Student loan applications will be expanded to weekends and holidays. Drivers will also be able to pay highway tolls at convenience stores.

The Personal Information Protection Commission, the country's national data protection authority, said it will provide legal grounds by 2026 to permit the use of CCTV footage for crime reporting, resolving longstanding privacy concerns.

Separately, at a joint meeting of economic and industrial ministers, the government approved 33 tasks aimed at improving public services including greater digitisation and reduced wait times. Pilot schemes will also be introduced at 100 highway gas stations to display next-day fuel prices, reflecting fluctuations in international oil prices.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said that the reforms aim to "enhance public satisfaction by cutting unreasonable regulations and accelerating innovation in public services." (ANI)
One of the earliest historical examples of a scorched earth policy was during the Peloponnesian war nearly 2,500 years ago. The Athenians, facing an invasion by the Spartans, burned and destroyed their own countryside and retreated behind their fortified city walls.

Students of history will recognise the similarities of those tactics with what the Congress is now attempting in its agitation against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Its response to losing three successive national elections has not been introspection and a strategic reboot. Instead, the party has kept doubling down on its failed strategies, while also retreating behind the fortified walls of its few remaining demographic fortresses.

Imaging: Deni Lal

The current Congress campaign represents a double doubling down of earlier failed tactics. The current attempt to sully Prime Minister Narendra Modis name with disproved or unsubstantiated allegations is an almost unvarnished revival of the 2019 chowkidar attacks on him. Not only did those allegations around the procurement of Rafale fighter jets fail, it led to a Congress rout. When it comes to personal image, for over two decades in public life, the prime minister has continued to enjoy a teflon-coated reputation for incorruptibility.

The second doubling down currently is the Congress attack on the ECI. For years, it persisted with allegations against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) that did not resonate with voters. That was partly because the Congress found fault with EVMs only when it lost, and had no issues with them whenever and wherever it won. It was also because no one has ever been able to demonstrate an EVM being hacked, despite the ECI having repeatedly held open challenges to test their integrity.

There are several odd aspects in the Congress stand. For instance, its denigration of the electoral rolls in Karnataka is unreal, since it is in government there and appoints the state election commission. Second, it blithely contradicts the claim of anomalies in the electoral rolls by opposing the Bihar SIR, which is the ECIs drive to remove such anomalies.

In fact, right from the very first elections in 1952, it has been understood and acknowledged that anomalies would inevitably creep into the electoral rolls of the largest democracy in human history, and thus measures have been put in place for periodic corrections. Apart from annual exercises for this purpose, SIRs have been conducted more than a dozen times since 1952.

The reality is that electoral rolls regularly see both purges and additions to improve their accuracy, for which there are well established provisions and procedures. In fact, any adult citizen of India is entitled to request additions and deletions of voter names via specified forms, which are then thoroughly verified and acted upon by the ECI.

Many NGOs, activists, political party workers and others regularly avail of these provisions to seek such changes. It is part and parcel of the ECIs regular work to deal with such requests, and there is nothing mysterious or controversial about it. Unless, of course, such requests are made only via press conferences, without filing the statutory paperwork.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhis unrelenting attacks on the ECI, despite the allegations being debunked, is characteristic. It is just the latest example of his stubborn persistence with whimsically determined strategies, without regard to data, evidence, facts, or, indeed, the results they yield.

Such a scorched earth policy is highly unlikely to boost the traction of an election campaign, and at best might serve only as an excuse to justify its failure.

Baijayant Jay Panda is National Vice President of the BJP and a member of the Lok Sabha.
When a terrible drought hit the land of Oudh in 1784, Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah did not distribute free food to his starving subjects. Instead, he provided employment and got them to build the Imambaras in Lucknow. Among these, the Bada Imambara is best known, especially for its quirky labyrinth. This is the famous bhool bhulaiyaa maze consisting of passages and corridors, staircases, dead ends and pitfalls.

I am convinced that it was some descendent of the generous Nawab who designed the modern-day maze called the Income Tax portal. It is a wondrous creation, just like the bhool bhulaiya, with convoluted corridors, unexpected dead ends and treacherous pitfalls. The website pushes you on paths that you do not want to take, and then leaves you totally confused and lost. It serves a purpose higher than any bhool bhulaiya ever could, because it bridges the gap between the physical and the metaphysical. It tests your faith in the Almighty and teaches you spiritual tolerance. It also poses innumerable questions of an existential nature, ranging from What is your PAN, TAN, XAN to Are you filing as Individual/HUF/Firm/ET/Other? Sometimes the website is downright rude and calls you names in abbreviated form, like ITR, ERI, DSC and even an owteepee!

Last Friday, while trying to file my return, I got lost in the labyrinth of Error 503: Service Unavailable. Invalid JSON format. Suddenly I came to the crossroads of the DTSV Scheme of 2024 and Download CSI File and got stuck on eTutorials. My respect for the IT johnnies went up several notches. They are truly edified blokes! By providing a tutorial they have acknowledged that their website is a bhool bhulaiya. Bravo! It takes courage to admit that you have mucked up and these tax walas have done so with such grace!

Illustration: Job P.K.

I had barely started my eTutorial when I got timed out. I logged in again and got timed out again. And again. And again. Since it was close to midnight and I was cranky and sleepy, I screamed at my computer for a good ten minutes.

Why dont you seek Gopus help? That no-good friend of yours fancies himself to be a tax expert and hands out advice to all and sundry, said my sleepy wife, petulantly.

The old girl was right! I should have thought of Gopu earlier! He never tires of giving advice and he uses tax codewords for anything and everything. His vocabulary has phrases like Wheres your 12BB, Have you got a 26QE, or Have you reported speculative losses? When I once asked him what 12BB was for, he enigmatically replied, It makes the government slightly less suspicious of you.

Gopu came by on Sunday to help me file my IT return. I confessed to him that I did not know the difference between FY and AY. I also admitted that I get frustrated by the taxmans diktats that keep changing, exempting, altering, modifying, replacing, substituting or adjusting rules, subrules, footnotes and loopholes.

Why do they keep changing the rules and rates and returns? I asked Gopu. Why the hell cant they execute their improvements, simplifications and rationalisations in one go?

Just who do you think you aresome hotshot finance minister? taunted Gopu. Arent you aware there is a whole paper pulping industry out there somewhere, that thrives on outdated compendiums, ready reckoners, handbooks and collations of rulings of courts, CATs, BATs and ITATs?

When we got down to business, Gopu had a good laugh at my pathetic finances. He declared that by agonising over my tax return, I was subjecting myself to a financial colonoscopy without reason. He sniggered that this year we have till mid-September to file our returns because the income tax blighters scored a self-goal. They made their codes and forms so complicated that they themselves need more time to understand them! Very cleverly, and condescendingly, they have made it known that the date has been extended as a special favour to the taxpayer!

Gopu and I then spent a lot of time filling the boxes, columns and forms bearing numbers like 80C, 80CC, 80CCC and 80CCD (1). We wasted a lot of time getting timed out. But we certainly spent the most time with CII.h(50)H. With a misty look in his eye, Gopu said, Earlier there used to be Delta(TH)C9, too, which was loads of fun. Sadly, because of changing laws, one cant have it now.

Later, in the evening, when we got thoroughly confused, we decided to give up and live to file another day. You know, Gopu, I said, the government may have the sovereign right to snatch my money, but I resent the spin that is given to this extortion. I am told that I pay taxes for my own good. But actually, Im financing freebies for assorted freeloaders, for which some modern day Asaf-ud-Daulah will take credit. Cant I stop paying taxes altogether?

Well, there I cant help you, my friend, said Gopu, getting up to return home. Not for nothing is it said that death and taxes are inevitable. What people like you should accept is that death is simpler. And kinder. And quicker.

K.C. Verma is former chief of R&AW. kcverma345@gmail.com
This column said last week that vice-presidents of yore made no news; they do nowadays. We cited J.D. Vance and Jagdeep Dhankhar. Vance has since set the Potomac on fire, claiming in an interview that he is ready for the top job. Indeed, he added Don Trump is in good shape..., but if, God forbid, theres a terrible tragedy.

Many fear, Vance has dug his political grave. One, Trump is alive and kicking like a mule. Two, a golden rule in politics is that even if youre dying to get the top job, you should act like a virakt.

Two men have paid the price for violating itone in the US, one in India, both after terrible tragedies.

When Ronald Reagan was shot, his vice George Bush Sr was in Texas. Alexander Haig, who was secretary of state, walked into the White House press room and announced, I, Al Haig, am in control here. He was right in making the claim, but his brashness put people off. Reagan recovered; Haig lost his job.

Imaging: Deni Lal/Ai

When Indira Gandhi was shot, Pranab Mukherjee is said to have made an open claim for the top post. His admirers say he only wanted to be a stop-gap PM, a la Gulzarilal Nanda, till Rajiv took over. Soon he was out of the Congress to serve out a brief vanvaas.

How should one conduct oneself when one covets a job and opportunity knocks? Do like what Bush did, after Haig took control. He landed in Washington, where his aides told him to take a chopper to the White House to show the world that everything, including the nuclear button, was under control. Bush negatived it, saying, "Only the president lands on the South Lawn."

Or do a Narasimha Rao. When Rajiv was murdered and many asked him to take over, Rao got the party offer the crown to Sonia. Perhaps he knew she would say no. The gesture stood him in good stead in the scramble for power afterwards.

Morale of the stories? When Lady Opportunity knocks, dont fling open the door and seat her in your living-room. Take her quietly into your closet; she will know when to come out.

Vance is safe for now. We dont know if Trump is displeased. Even if he is, he cant sack a veep. All the same, Vances succession is not guaranteed. For, many say that Trump may seek a third term.

Doesnt the law prohibit a third term? Yes, but legal eagles say, there are loopholes.

Ever since George Washington refused a third term, US presidents have conventionally never sought it. But the exigencies of the Great Depression and the World War made Americans overlook the convention and give F.D. Roosevelt a fourth term. After his death early in his fourth term, they made the 22nd amendment in 1951 that banned anyone from being elected to a third term.

How can Trump bypass the law? Take a leaf from Vladimir Putins power book, and improvise on it.

Russia had a law that prohibited more than two consecutive terms to a president. After serving two terms, Putin got his man Friday Dmitry Medvedev elected prez, and he served under him as PM. Both did one term like that, and swapped places in the next election.

The US law doesnt allow a third-time election, even non-consecutive. But it doesnt explicitly prohibit succession. So, Trumpists say, he could make one of his yes-men run for president, and he would run for VP. Once elected, both will serve a few days in their elected positions, and then the elected POTUS will resign citing ill health, family problems or insanity. Under the US law, if a prez dies or quits, the vice takes over for the rest of his term, as Gerald Ford did after Richard Nixon quit. Trump would then rule for the rest of the term.

Probable? No. Possible? Probably!

prasannan@theweek.in
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has written letters to the employees, highlighting the airline's progress in performance, customer experience, and network growth while reaffirming the company's commitment to transparency and cultural transformation. "Like all airlines, we face a variety of operational scenarios--some of which are under our control, and some that are not," the CEO wrote, referring to the crisis it faced post the AI171 plane crash in Ahmedabad earlier this year. "When the spotlight is on us, it's crucial to offer timely, clear and accurate information and the right context," he wrote in his letters disseminated through e-mail. He acknowledged that Air India has deliberately been "more transparent than usual in reporting incidents and events, however small." While this has temporarily increased news coverage, he emphasized that in context of Air India's scale and size, the incidence rate is "entirely normal." "This transparency will, over time, help build trust. In the short term though, it naturally results in an uptick of news coverage, and with more than 1,200 departures every single day - nearly one every minute - across the Air India Group, it can seem like a lot. In context of our scale and size, however, the incidence rate is entirely normal." The airline has recorded notable improvements in operational performance, the CEO apprised in the letter. "Our OTP (on time performance) in August also crossed 80%, nearly 10 ppts above the Air India and Vistara 2024 average," the CEO said. Customer sentiment has also surged, he added. "Our NPS (net promoter score) for August reached an historic high of 36, continuing the strong momentum from July." Other key service metrics also improved, including mishandled baggage rates and the speed of reuniting bags with passengers. To further empower staff, Air India CEO said they have enabled front-line teams to offer e-vouchers to flyers in cases of service shortfalls, with plans to extend this to cabin crew going ahead. "We've empowered our front-line teams with the ability to offer e-vouchers to customers in cases where a service shortfall has occurred, such as for mishandled baggage, and are also working to extend this capability to our cabin crew, enabling them to provide on-the-spot resolution to customers during their journey," the CEO's letter read. "These measures, along with the improved metrics, reflect the organizational culture we are building and the brand values that matter most: staying grounded, staying focused, and acting with authenticity and integrity, whether or not someone is watching," the CEO added. Further, in his letter, he said that the airline is gradually reviving elements of the Air India experience, such as its in-flight magazine, specialty menus, and social media engagement. On the network front, Air India announced new seasonal non-stop flights between Delhi and Jaisalmer. "We're launching seasonal twice-daily non-stop flights between Delhi and Jaisalmer from October 2025 till March 2026," the CEO noted. He also apprised that Air India Express (AIX) has expanded operations from Chandigarh and Ahmedabad, with Dehradun to be added on September 15. "With Dehradun set to commence operations on September 15, AIX's network will expand to 58 domestic and 17 international destinations." AIX was officially welcomed as a member by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), reinforcing the airline's commitment to safety, service, and operational excellence, he added. Additionally, the airline launched a limited-time promotional sale (September 2-7) offering attractive fares for Business Class and Premium Economy on select short-haul international routes, covering South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. (ANI)
Recently, Mumbai found itself at the mercy of a wild-eyed, wild-haired political activist, Manoj Jarange Patil, 43, who declared an indefinite hunger strike until his demands were met.

Patil, the strident voice of the Marathaswho make up nearly a third of Maharashtras populationmanaged to paralyse Indias busiest city in the middle of its most celebrated festival: Ganesh Chaturthi. Without getting into the legitimacy of his demands, lets just say, his methods were highly questionable. The tricky, prickly reservation issue is a sensitive, politically engineered strategy, not unique to Patil and his ilk. But the timing of his protest makes one wonder about his motive. For Mumbaikars, who struggled through traffic jams, closed shops and vanishing workdays, his demands seemed secondary to the colossal disruption.

Patil, a school dropout and former Congress worker, was first spotted helping out in a modest eatery frequented by local politicians. The taste of politics proved addictive. Once considered a leader without prospects, he gradually reinvented himself as the face of Maratha agitationa community with a complex mix of warrior and agrarian roots. Fifteen years ago, he spearheaded the movement for Maratha reservation, faced lathi charges and steadily turned into a professional protester demanding a Kunbi status and 10 per cent quota for Marathas.

Manoj Jarange Patil | Amey Mansabdar

The agitation in Mumbai has catapulted a relatively unknown Patil into the national spotlight. His followers even expected a visit from none other than Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who happened to be at the famed Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati pandal while Mumbai was gridlocked. Shah, sensibly, didnt oblige, which was seen as a snub. Patil stepped up the tempo and declared he would stop drinking water if his demands were not immediately met. The ultimatums continued while Mumbaikars fumed at the mayhem let loose by truckloads of young men with saffron scarves impudently bullying commuters and car owners. Schools, colleges, shops hastily shut down in the interests of safety. Mumbais overworked, overwhelmed cops and municipal workers valiantly braved heavy rains as they attempted to restore some order.

I was keen to meet the man responsible for the Maratha menace unleashed on the public. Patil is obviously a shrewd tactician. Bundled under a blanket, he played martyr, inaccessible and remote, ready to give up his life for the cause. Mumbai has seen off many such leaders in the past. For a man whose life was made into an adulatory biopic, with seasoned actor-director Makarand Deshpande in the title role, he is behaving like a well-trained thespian, with carefully rehearsed lines, expressions and body language.

The youngest of four brothers, a father of three, Patil still lives with his parents as a display of family commitment. His early years as a victim of agrarian struggle, in a farming family, shaped his resolve to fight for his rights. He sold his land to fund a movement to honour his hero, Shivaji Maharaj.

With a declared net worth of Rs10 lakh, he has positioned himself as a humble warrior for grassroots empowerment, a message that has clearly struck a chord with his followers.

Patil is active on social media, providing frequent updates and commentary. Patils bravado is at a peak when he declares he wont back down even if shot. That is most unlikely, but it makes headlines.

Marathas are not terrorists, said Uddhav Thackeray. But they did terrorise the average Mumbaikar. Heres hoping Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis places Mumbaikars over party politics and resolves the current crisis permanently.
After four days of police custody, a Delhi court has ordered television actor Ashish Kapoor to be remanded in judicial custody for a 14-day period. The actor is looking at serious charges after he was arrested following a complaint from a 24-year-old woman, who had accused him of rape at a private party. Kapoor will remain in Tis Hazari Jail until further notice.

Kapoor, known for starring in the hit television series 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai', was apprehended by the Maharashtra Police on Thursday. The woman had filed the complaint on August 11. After his arrest, the Delhi Police had a moved an application for a 5-day remand in police custody for conducting procedures such as the recovery of the victim's phone and a potency test for the accused.

The victim had claimed that at the party, she was drugged and raped by the actor, and that he also filmed the assault. There were Ashish and three others at the party. Alcohol was served, and everyone was inebriated. She alleged that someone had drugged her drink, which caused her to lose consciousness. She was forced into the bathroom, where she was raped. Though the woman initially claimed gang rape and gave other names of men she alleged were involved, she retracted her statement later. In her revised statement, she named just Ashish.

An NDTV report says the woman had interacted with Kapoor on Instagram, and the latter invited her to a friend's house party where the incident occurred.

After the details of the complaint leaked, Ashish went into hiding. He was later traced to Goa but fled as the police arrived there. He was then traced to Pune, where he finally landed in police custody.

Ashish Kapoor has been part of top shows like 'Saraswatichandra', 'Love Ya Arranged Marriage', 'Dekha Ek Khwaab' and 'Woh Apna Sa'.
Malayalam superstar Mammootty just turned 74, and on the occasion of his birthday, actress Malavika Mohanan remembered the beginning of her acting journey with the Dulquer Salmaan-starrer 'Pattam Pole' twelve years ago.

Malavika, whose latest film 'Hridayapoorvam', co-starring Mohanlal, is running successfully in theatres, posted a note on her Instagram handle, along with a picture of her and Mammootty, reminiscing about her first meeting with the 'Bramayugam' actor.

"This was my first ever audition in my life. The magnitude of it never hit me back when it was happening, but who gets their first one taken by a legendary actor? Crazy right?They were casting for Pattam Pole at the time with Dulquer and Mammukka spotted me at a set I was visiting and recommended me for the film and thats how I landed my first role ever," she wrote, adding that she "cant help but think of where it all started and the man who was responsible for me foraying into this world which I wasnt really planning on otherwise."

Meanwhile, Mammootty thanked fans, well-wishers and the "Almighty" for bringing him back to good health after undergoing treatment for an ailment that caused much concern.

Mammootty's recovery was confirmed by his longtime associate, make-up man, and producing partner George, and his friend and producer Anto Joseph.

On the work front, Mammootty is expected to resume filming of the remaining portions of the Mahesh Narayanan film, reportedly titled Patriot, in September. The film, which also has Mohanlal in a prominent role alongside Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara and others, has so far completed 60% of its portions. It is bankrolled jointly by MammoottyKampany and Anto Joseph Film Company.

Love and Thanks to All and The Almighty pic.twitter.com/RKiCNHonkw  Mammootty (@mammukka) September 7, 2025

Filming began in Sri Lanka in November last year, followed by schedules in Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates. Other locations reportedly include London, Thailand, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Kochi.

The film billed as a thriller is editor-turned-director Mahesh Narayanan's biggest venture yet. He is known for the films Take Off, CU Soon, Malik, and Ariyippu. He also debuted as a cinematographer with the Fahadh-starrer Malayankunju, for which he wrote the script.

Mammootty, who was last seen in Bazooka, is looking forward to the most-awaited Kalamkaval, in which he is playing a lead role, of a negative shade, opposite Vinayakan, who plays the other main lead. It is helmed by debutant Jithin K Jose.

A teaser of 'Kalamkaval' was recently played alongside 'Lokah: Chapter 1 - Chandra' and simultaneously released online. The footage, which gives us a glimpse of the character played by Vinayakan and Azees Nedumangad, comes with much promise, most notably the chilling psychopath played by Mammootty. After 'Bramayugam', all eyes are on this film which is expected to mark another milestone in his career.
The Ministry of Railways has proposed the construction of a 40.2 km railway line between Baramulla and Uri. The move carries immense strategic importance as it will bring the trains in Kashmir to the Line of Control (LoC).

The track has both economic and strategic importance as it will not only benefit the residents of Uri but also the thousands of troops deployed along the LoC.

The rail line will ease travel for troops from Uri to regions outside Kashmir. In case of military confrontation, the rail line will help ferry troops and equipment in large numbers faster.

The proposal was mooted at the 99th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) in New Delhi to evaluate infrastructure projects under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

The rail line will ensure an all-weather, reliable connectivity. It will reduce dependency on road travel, which is vulnerable to the vagaries of weather, especially in winter.

The line has also been designated as part of a strategic corridor. It will also give a boost to tourism in Uri where the Kaman Post, a bridge that connects Uri with Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is located.

The bridge attracts a lot of locals and tourists from different parts of India. The Kaman Post was one of the five crossing points at the LoC for divided families living on either side of the LoC to meet their relatives.

An official statement said, As Uri, located near the LoC in Kaman Post, has already emerged as a border tourism destination, the new railway line will give a significant boost to tourism.

The proposed railway line will include three Road Under Bridges (RUBs) and nine Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and will be developed as a new single broad-gauge line, requiring fresh land acquisition.

The railway ministry has also cleared the proposal to double the 73.5-kilometre QazigundBudgam line, currently operating as a single track.

It will allow for smoother operations, reduce delays and create greater capacity for both passenger and freight movement. Importantly, this line has also been recognised as a Hill and Strategic Corridor, supporting defence logistics.
A 12-year-old madrasa student, whose body was recovered from the septic tank of the institution, was tortured and killed by five minor boys in the age group of 12 to 15 years, Odisha Police said on Sunday. The accused in the case are the victims seniors at the madrasa, who allegedly killed him to ensure the sexual assaults they had committed against juniors never came to light. The victim himself was sexually abused for about six months by the other minors, it was revealed.

The shocking incident was reported at a madrasa under Ranpur police station limits in Odisha's Nayagarh district. The allegedly murdered boy, who hailed from the Badamba area in Cuttack district, had threatened the seniors with exposing their act of sexual abuse of junior students, news agency PTI reported. The police claimed that the boy was sodomised by two senior boys, including the 15-year-old senior inmate of the madrasa, before being killed and his body dumped into the septic tank on September 2, Tuesday.

Initially, the police team thought the boy would have died after accidentally falling into the septic tank. However, when his body was inspected, marks of torture and strangulation were spotted, changing the course of the probe, PTI said. The police registered a case on September 3, and the five accused minor boys in the age group of 12 to 15 years have been taken into custody on Saturday. It was then revealed that the boy had survived a similar murder attempt on August 31, Sunday. But he didnt get lucky the second time.

A case was registered under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), on a murder charge, and the POCSO Act. While three boys were booked on charges of murder, one was booked for murder and under the POCSO Act, and another one only under the POCSO Act. The accused were shifted to a juvenile correctional facility at Angul.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a fresh attack on the Election Commission on Sunday, accusing it of stonewalling crucial information on the Karnataka voter fraud matter.

The CECs move has effectively shielded those behind the vote chori, he said.

Kharge shared a newspaper report that claimed the case related to an attempt to remove electors by forging Form 7, ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election, has gone cold since the ECI has yet to share the crucial data needed to nab the accused.

Is the Election Commission of India (ECI) now the BJPs back-office for Vote Chori?, the Congress leader asked.

Is the Election Commission of India (ECI) now BJPs Back-Office for #VoteChori?



Understand the chronology



Ahead of the May 2023 Karnataka elections, Congress had exposed massive deletion of voters: in Aland Constituency



Thousands of voters were stripped of their rights pic.twitter.com/HZ5Qs1XFfs  Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) September 7, 2025

Giving a chronology of the case, Kharge said Congress had exposed massive deletion of voters in the Aland constituency ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

Thousands of voters were stripped of their rights through a very sophisticated operation of forging Form 7 applications, he claimed, adding that a case was filed in February 2023 after the party raised the allegation.

The probe revealed 5,994 forged applications  clear evidence of a massive attempt at voter fraud, Kharge said, noting that the Congress government ordered a CID probe into the case.

But heres the twist: while ECI had earlier shared part of the documents needed to trace the forgery, it has now stonewalled the crucial informationeffectively shielding those behind Vote Chori!, said the Congress chief.

"Why has the ECI suddenly BLOCKED vital evidence? Who is it protecting? BJPs Vote Chori department? Is the ECI bending under BJP pressure to derail the CID probe?," he asked.

Congress candidate Bhojaraj won from the Aland constituency with a margin of nearly 10,000 votes against the BJP's Subhash Guttedar.
Amma Makkal Munneetra Kazhagam (AMMK) chief T.T.V. Dhinakaran has categorically stated that Edappadi Palaniswami cannot be accepted as the Chief Ministerial candidate. He claimed that he will soon be meeting with K.A. Sengottaiyan, one of the longest-serving AIADMK MLAs, and a surprise alliance is going to sweep the upcoming state assembly polls.

The AIADMK on Saturday had removed the senior leader from all party posts. The party, in a brief statement, said AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has removed Sengottaiyan from the posts of the (state) organisation secretary and Erode rural west district secretary.

The action comes after Sengottaiyan set an ultimatum to Palaniswami to take steps to bring about a unification among the expelled leaders within ten days. He had called upon Palaniswami to "bring back" into the party fold all those who left AIADMK and face the Assembly election as a unified force.

"I have no anger towards anyone in the AIADMK except Edappadi Palaniswami. We cannot accept him as the Chief Ministerial candidate. The AMMK was started against Palaniswami. We will meet Sengottaiyan soon. An alliance you did not expect is going to be formed. The alliance we have is going to win the assembly elections. The AIADMK will face setbacks after the assembly elections," Daily Thanthi quoted him as saying.

Speaking to the press at Sivaganga, AMMK General Secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran said BJP State President and Tirunelveli MLA Nainar Nagendran was the reason for his NDA exit. "The reason we left the National Democratic Alliance is Nainar Nagendran. He keeps one thing in his mind and says another publicly. Palaniswami thinks that is enough. The reason I left was to support Palaniswami. Nainar Nagendran acted with arrogance," Daily Thanthi quoted the former RK Nagar MLA as saying.

Elaborating further on his relationship with the NDA in Tamil Nadu, he reportedly said K. Annamalai always remained neutral. "It was former BJP State President Annamalai who first brought me into the National Democratic Alliance. He acted neutrally. He is a good friend of mine. Nainar Nagendran does not know the current mood of Tamil Nadu. Nainar Nagendran says without hesitation that O. Panneerselvam is ready to talk to T.T.V. Dhinakaran. O. Panneerselvam is the one who gave up the Theni constituency for me. Who else will speak for him if I don't speak for him?" Panneerselvam had then claimed that he was denied an opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi despite letting Nagendran know of his wish. The state BJP chief had denied the same, maintaining Panneerselvam expressed his desire to meet the Prime Minister, he would have arranged the meeting between them.

"The way Nainar had treated Panneerselvam, who wanted to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 26 during his visit to Tuticorin, in particular, was disheartening. Panneerselvam and I need not bow down to his (Nainar's) arrogance. He doesn't know how to handle allies," Dhinakaran alleged.

The BJP has been projecting AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2026 Assembly election and has announced that he would lead the NDA in Tamil Nadu.
A team of officials representing the Crown Prosecution Service in the United Kingdom visited Tihar jail recently to assess whether the prison conditions were good enough to host Indian fugitives Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya. India has been pressing the UK for the extradition of the duo for economic offences.

The visit suggests India's steps to bring back these high-profile offenders are gaining momentum. According to Tihar jail authorities, British officials visited the prison last week to check whether the prison conditions satisfied legal requirements laid down by the UK courts before deciding on extradition pleas.

According to prison officials, the delegation from CPS toured the high-security ward of Tihar and also interacted with some inmates. Jail authorities conveyed that if needed, a separate enclave could be created within the premises to house high-profile accused, ensuring their safety and compliance with international standards.

UK courts in the past have turned down extradition requests from India, citing prison conditions. The Centre has assured UK courts that rights of the accused will be safeguarded, with no scope for illegal interrogation or mistreatment.

Mallya, facing loan default charges of over Rs 9,000 crore, has been residing in the UK and is contesting extradition.

Nirav Modi, prime accused in the Rs 13,800 crore Punjab National Bank scam, was declared a fugitive offender in 2019 and was arrested in the UK the same year. His extradition has already been cleared by a London court, though appeals remain pending. India has been pressing hard for the return of several fugitives wanted in cases ranging from bank fraud to arms smuggling.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday had said that it was issuing its first-ever Silver Notice published by Interpol, the international Criminal Police organisation, against a Dubai-based Indian drug trafficker named Pawan Thakur. The media had reported that Thakur was wanted by the federal anti-narcotics agency for a case that was related to the recovery of 82 kilograms of cocaine worth 2,500 crore in Delhi in November 2024.

NCBs investigation into the case has revealed that Thakur was not just behind the November seizure, NDTV reported in an exclusive. He is alleged to have gone from being a hawala agent in Delhis Kucha Mahajani market to having gradually expanded into a large-scale narcotic trafficking operation.

The Silver Notice has be shared with agncies in the UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong nad several European countries where Thakur is belived to have invested heavily in real estate and businesses thorugh shell companies and front organisations.

The operations are believed to span India and Dubai. The black money generated from the drug trade was routed through an elaborate hawala system, possibly consisting of cryptocurrency and cross-border shell companies in India, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the UAE.

An Enforcement Directorate probe that ran parallel to the NCB investigation revealed that Thakurs syndicate laundered over 681 crore through fake import-export documentation, crypto transfers, and falsified financial statements.

Thakur had failed to comply with multiple summons from the ED. Delhis Patiala House Court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him. After the November seizure, he fled to Dubai with his family. He now operates his smuggling and money laundering from there.

In the November seizure, NCB officials raided a property in Delhis Nangloi area and recovered 82 kilograms of cocaine. The drugs were concealed in a consignment shipped from Mexico and were intended to be transported to Dubai. Five of his associates were arrested.

Sources say that Thakur owns multiple properties and luxury cars in Dubai, including a villa in the Dubai Hills estate.



The Interpol silver notice, the newest of its colour-coded notices, was launched in 2025 to help authorities trace and recover criminal assets such as financial accounts, properties, and vehicles.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) president for the Malda district Abdur Rahim Bakshi on Saturday made vitriolic comments about attacking a BJP MLA with acid.

At a gathering organised to protest against what he called "atrocities against Bengali-speaking migrant workers" in other parts of the country, he launched a fiery tirade against BJP MLA and chief whip Shankar Ghosh, as per an NDTV report.

ALSO READ | Why did West Bengal Speaker suspend BJP's chief whip Shankar Ghosh, 4 MLAs during discussion on atrocities against Bengali migrants

However, Ghosh was not mentioned by name in Bakshi's speech, the report added.

Ghosh was suspended for a day from a West Bengal Assembly session earlier this week for creating tensions during a discussion on a government resolution over "atrocities" against Bengali migrants, according to Speaker Biman Banerjee.

When he and a few other BJP MLAs refused to leave the session to let West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee speak, they were marshalled out. Ghosh reportedly fell ill soon after.

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: An ambulance arrived at the State Assembly, as the health of BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh deteriorated following a ruckus and altercation in the House.



A few BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the House for sloganeering. BJP MLAs Shankar Ghosh, Agnimitra pic.twitter.com/bGDH59JVXB  ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2025

Referencing Ghosh's comments in the session in which he called the migrant workers "Rohingyas" and "Bangladeshis", Bakshi warned that "if I hear you saying this again, I will burn your voice to ashes with acid inside your mouth".

ALSO READ | Strong in 60 seats, fluctuating in 46: Decoding BJP path to power in West Bengal

"You should know that this is West Bengal. We Bengalis will not give you a place to speak. I will burn your face with acid," he added.

Notably, a few years ago, Bakshi had even threatened to dismember leaders and party workers from the BJP, CPI(M), and Congress.

ALSO READ | Who is Ankita Adhikari? Former Trinamool ministers daughter features in West Bengal SSCs tainted candidates list

His comments on Saturday quickly drew flak from the BJP, with Malda BJP MP Khagen Murmu calling it a culture of intimidation.

"The fear that Trinamool will lose in the next assembly elections is working for them," he added.
Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' wife, Amruta Fadnavis, hosted a beach clean-up drive at Juhu Beach post the celebrations of the Ganpati Visarjan on Sunday. Amruta Fadnavis hosted the beach clean-up drive from her foundation, Divyaj Foundation, in association with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). It was also attended by the Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar. In the visuals, Akshay Kumar was seen cleaning the Juhu beach by putting huge flower garlands in a bag along with other junk, including bottles, dirty clothes and others. The BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani also participated in the clean-up drive on Sunday. While talking to the ANI, Amruta Fadnavis said, "We have organised a beach cleanup at Juhu Beach today. We are very pleased with the participation of people from all walks of life in this clean-up drive. A lot of organisations helped us, including BMC, in this initiative because it is our responsibility to keep the beaches clean. As celebrating festivals is our right, so is the cleanup. " While sending a message to the youth, Amruta said, "I just want to tell the youth that there is only one earth. Its growth and nourishment is our responsiblity and no alien will come down to do it for us. We have to do it by ourselves." Devendra Fadnavis' daughter Divija Fadnavis also participated in the cleanup drive. While narrating her experience, Divija called for the eco-friendly Ganesha idols. "I felt really good that I got the permission to come and clean our beautiful beach. I saw that there are small pieces of plaster of Paris left from the idol of Lord Ganesha. I was very sad to see this. That's why I want to say, please take an eco-friendly Ganesh as our Lord should not be insulted like this," said Divija while talking to ANI. The cleanup drive was organised after the Lord Ganesh idol visarjan on Saturday. The 10-day celebrations for Ganesh Chaturthi began on August 27. The festival marks the worship of Lord Ganesha, who is revered as the god of new beginnings and remover of obstacles. The festival culminates on the 10th day, which is marked by vibrant processions, music, prayers, and other celebrations. Devotees across all big cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Hyderabad, participated in the last day of the grand celebration. (ANI)
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided to resign to avoid a split within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, NHK reported.

With Ishiba at the helm, the LDP-led ruling coalition has lost its majority in elections for both houses of parliament since coming to power last year, amid voter anger over rising living costs.

The Prime Minister's Office did not make further comments.

The loss had added pressure on the leader since October last year.

The announcement on Sunday came just weeks after the 68-year-old leader had denied media reports that he would resign after the party lost the upper house election. Ishiba had decided not to quit immediately after the elections, to prevent political instability as August 1 was the deadline for the trade deal with the US. Japanese media had reported that the PM would resign this month.

LDP lawmakers are scheduled to vote on Monday on whether to hold an extraordinary leadership election. Ishiba's government finalised details of a trade deal with the United States last week.

Ishiba is leaving office less than a year after he was elected after defeating the conservative Sanae Takaichi.

During the elections, new political parties, especially on the far-right had surged to take up a significant number of seats in the Upper House.
Russia on Sunday pounded Ukraine with 805 drones and decoys, the largest such attack since the war broke out in 2022. Moscow also launched 13 missiles of various types.

At least two people, including a one-year-old child, were killed and 15 others were injured in the attack. Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's city administration, said the childs body was dug out of the rubble by rescuers.

BREAKING: 



Russia has launched strikes on a government building in Ukraine, the Ukrainian prime minister said. pic.twitter.com/d2cpMFGLpn  Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 7, 2025

The Ukraine Air Force claimed to have shot down 747 drones and four missiles, while 56 drones and nine missiles struck various locations in the country.

Debris from shot-down drones and missiles fell on eight locations.

A nine-story residential building in Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-storey residential building in Darnytskyi district were hit by the drone debris.

The Associated Press reported that a plume of smoke was seen rising from the roof of Kyiv's cabinet of ministers building. It was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit by Russian drones.

Ukraine foreign minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed damage to the government building and called it a serious escalation.

The greatest cynicism is that these brutal attacks come just as President Trump makes every effort to achieve peace. But instead of reciprocating these efforts and agreeing to a leaders meeting, Putin rejects diplomacy and escalates terror, Sybiha said.

Russia escalates its terror against Ukraine and this needs to get a strong response from our allies.



For the first time, more than 800 (!) drones and missiles overnight. Civilians killed and injured, civilian infrastructure damaged in Kyiv, Odesa, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, pic.twitter.com/ia2xUouzGy  Andrii Sybiha  (@andrii_sybiha) September 7, 2025

The Ukraine minister alleged that the Russian war machine runs on oil and gas revenues and urged the allies to defund Moscow in order to end the war.
White House advisor Peter Navarro, who has been making anti-India rhetoric ever since the relations between the two countries soured over tariffs, faced a setback after one of his posts on New Delhis Russian oil purchase was flagged by a community note on X.

Navarro, the senior counsellor for trade and manufacturing for US President Donald Trump, had alleged in his post that Indias trade with Moscow was purely to profit/revenues feed Russia war machine.

His post was in response to a recent article in the Washington Post, which described the conflicting efforts in Trumps administration over mending the ties with India.

The article had also claimed that the inflammatory language used by Washington towards New Delhi was deepening the crisis.

Navarros post was fact-checked by a community of X users, which pointed out that Indias oil trade with Russia was for energy security, not just profit. It also claimed that the trade had not violated any sanctions.

"While India has some tariffs, the US has a trade surplus with it in services. The US also continues to import certain commodities from Russia, which is hypocritical," the community note said.

Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people's posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didn't buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukranians. Stop taking https://t.co/Uj1NMUrVOM  Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) September 6, 2025

Navarro dismissed the note as crap and accused X owner Elon Musk of letting propaganda into peoples posts. Interestingly, Musk had served as a senior advisor to Trump before he got into a public feud with the President and left the administration earlier this year.

"That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didn't buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukranians. Stop taking American jobs," Navarro wrote.

Navarro made several controversial remarks against India in recent weeks after the tariff war broke out between the two countries. He called New Delhi Maharaja of tariffs and termed the Ukraine conflict as Modis war.

In another polemic remark, he said, Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of Indian people.
US President Donald Trump is preparing to travel to South Korea in October to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, reports said on Saturday.

Trump is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but no firm plans are in place, CNN reported, quoting top White House officials.

There have been serious discussions about a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of APEC, it said.

Xi, in a telephone conversation last month, had invited Trump and his wife to visit China. The US president reciprocated the invitation, though no dates have been set.

The officials told CNN that the Trump administration is viewing the trip as an opportunity for the president to secure additional economic investments in the US.

Donald Trump says the US may need to "unwind" trade deals. He mentioned the EU, Japan, South Korea, and others. This comes as a tariffs case heads to the Supreme Court. He warned the country could "suffer greatly" if he loses. #donaldtrump #ustariffs #supremecourt pic.twitter.com/fM2bzVkfWU  THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) September 4, 2025

Trumps potential meeting with his Chinese counterpart would come at a time when Washington and Beijing have been repeatedly engaged over tariffs.

The APEC summit may also witness Trump sitting down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though whether Kim attends is still a question.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, during his recent visit to the US, had suggested that the summit could provide Trump with an opportunity to meet with Kim.

In response, Trump said, "I will do that, and we'll have talks. He'd like to meet with me. "We look forward to meeting with him, and we'll make relations better."

Trumps trip to South Korea and his likely meeting with Xi comes weeks after the SCO Summit in Tianjin, where the display of bonhomie between XI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin had ruffled feathers in Washington.

Mocking the meetings, Trump wrote on social media: "Looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!"
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday said only the collapse of Russian economy and its trade partners could bring an end to ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Bessent said only the collapse of Russian trade would bring Russian President Vladimir Putin back to the table for peace talks.

In a recent interview with NBC News, Treasury Secretary Bessent said only an economic collapse will bring Russia's Vladimir Putin back to the table and have peace talks with Ukraine. We are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up versus how long can the Russian economy can hold up?" said Bessent.

"If the US and the European Union can come in with more sanctions, more secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse and that will bring President Putin to the table, Bessent said in the interview.

Bessent's comments come as a team from the European Union is set to visit the United States to discuss sanctions on Russia. According to reports, a team led by EU sanctions envoy David O'Sullivan will visit the US Treasury on Monday, to discuss various forms of economic pressure to exert on Russia. It is likely to include new sanctions on Russia.

Bessent said the US is ready to partner with the EU to impose more economic sanctions on Russia. The meeting comes as President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated by his inability to end the 3 1/2-year Russian war in Ukraine, prompted by Moscow's invasion.

The US has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariffs on India, accusing Delhi of fueling Russia's war against Ukraine by purchasing its cheap oil.
THE LAST FEW years have seen a resurgence in the manufacturing sector in our country. We have been successful in manufacturing a wide range of products, from pharmaceuticals to cellphones to cars, rockets and satellites. In the defence sector, we were known to be one of the biggest importers of equipment and technologies with hardly any defence equipment to call our own. However, the tides are turning with the governments Make in India initiative and the national requirement to be self-sufficient in defence. We have realised that dependence on foreign sources can be disastrous during war. The present push for indigenously developed defence systems has yielded results and now we have our own designed aircraft, helicopters, missile systems, naval and land-based systems.

While we were able to develop and produce aircraft, we are still dependent on foreign suppliers for advanced avionics and engines. In case of avionics, we are fast closing the gap through a renewed push by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), defence public sector undertakings and the private sector. However, having an aero engine to power our aircraft and helicopters is still a dream. Our attempts at development of fighter aircraft engine by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (a DRDO lab) have not achieved the targeted thrust and is still some way from fruition. Two projects by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)one for helicopters and another a medium thrust jet engineare undergoing development testing.

To the uninitiated, an engine for aircraft applications falls broadly in three categories:

a) Commercial aircraft application: These high bypass engines are required to be fuel efficient and less polluting to the environment. The engine could be turbofan or turboprop with matched propellers. Compared to the military aircraft, the usage is sedate and is characterised by long service life between overhauls.

b) Fighter jet application: These engines are required to be power dense. To increase the power output for a given air intake, these engines are fitted with an afterburner. They operate under severe conditions with varying power requirement and have relatively shorter service life between overhauls.

c) Helicopter applications: These are turboshaft engines and draw power from the main turbine shaft through a gearbox which, in turn, powers the rotors of the helicopter.

As a layman, one would ask why is it so difficult to develop an aircraft engine when we can send satellites to space and land on the moon. Well, an aircraft engine is one of the most complicated pieces of engineering, with only a handful of companies in the world having the technology to design and manufacture them. An aero engine has to operate under severe temperature conditions and varying atmospheric conditions, both on ground and at high altitudes. The engines have to be designed to get a very high power-to-weight ratio, leading to materials being subjected to extreme stresses and high temperatures. This has led to the development of state-of-the-art high temperature alloys, surface treatment technologies and cooling systems. Developing an engine is more an art than science, as it involves a careful balance of airflow and combustion under varying environmental conditions while also achieving the desired stability and reliability. Developing an engine requires a huge investment in R&D and some 10 to 12 years.

Against this backdrop, India needs to invest in development of engines for our future fixed-wing aircraft programmes like Light Combat Aircraft-Mk2, twin engine aircraft and the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. We also need a large turboshaft engine of the order of 2000KW, two of which will power the 10-tonne Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH), which is slated to replace the ageing Mi-17 helicopters.

To cut the development time and to not waste resources in reinventing the wheel, the DRDO is in the process of developing a 110kN to 125kN engine in partnership with a foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM). And, HAL has already inked a joint venture with Safran of France to co-develop an engine for IMRH within the country. This engine has a huge potential for export to other helicopter OEMs.

A development programme of this size not only brings in self-reliance in defence needs of the country while saving lakhs of crores in foreign exchange, it also galvanises the Indian defence industry that will be part of the supply chain. There will be a huge requirement for precision casting and forgings specifically in areas of investment castings, blisks (integral blades and disc), single crystal blades and thin-walled castings. The industry will also be called upon to supply casting and forgings of titanium, aluminium and high temperature alloys. Indian entities will be involved in development of special coating technologies, which could lead to companies setting up common facilities for surface treatments and heat treatment that can later be used for servicing other foreign and domestic OEMs.

On the manufacturing front, we will need sheet metal components like combustion chamber and casings shrouds. There are more than 3,000 MSMEs in the aerospace sector that will get a shot in the arm, especially since many are presently facing an order crunch owing to the closure of ongoing projects. Other areas like composites, electrical accessories, engine control systems, sensors, gauging and fuel systems will require involvement of the private sector in the R&D of these systems, which will mean a quantum jump in technology absorption of the indigenous defence industry.

The writer is former CMD of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Of medium height and wiry build, Vikram (name changed), all of 50 summers, looks young for his age. He leads a core team of 15 engineers and technicians on the Kaveri programme. Mostly confined to the high-security 64-acre campus of the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bengaluruhome to 240 scientists and 400 technicians, working 24/7Vikram has spent the last 27 years on this machine and its derivatives.

[Earlier,] appreciation of challenges faced by hi-tech R&D projects were lacking in government and finance authorities. They tended to equate progress measurement like that of road constructions.  C.P. Ramanarayanan, Former GTRE director The unmanned combat aerial vehicle project is nearly complete, with 75 per cent commonality with Kaveri. A stealth platform, the UCAV has also demonstrated unrestricted throttle response.

When a baby cries, the mother understands, he says. Till a few years ago, we did not understand the language, now we understand it perfectly. I talk to the machine and she talks to me.

This man-machine talk is natural after two decades of daily tinkering with the 3.92-metre-long, 0.75-metre-broad structure inside GTREs main assembly hall. It has become Vikrams life, his mission.

The basic principle of a jet engine is simple: air is sucked in, compressed, passed into rotors, multiplied (21 times in the Kaveris case) and released, creating thrust. But the biggest challenges lie in rotor design and in cooling turbines that run at more than 1,400 degrees Celsius.

Asked about a working day, Vikram explains: A day begins at 8am when we assemble and plan. At 10am the teams disperse and begin work on prototypes. All conversations are technical. From 2pm-4pm we meet again to take stock. Sometimes the engine performs as per expectations or even beyond and sometimes it doesnt as we keep on trying things. At 4:30pm we plan for the next day. But from about 4pm to 8pm, how long we stretch our time is an individual choice.

A lady scientist chips in: There can be no research if we keep looking at the clock.

At first sight, the Kaveri resembles the trunk of a banyan tree that has been crudely cut at both ends. But with its mechanical contraptions and wires, it is one of the most complex machines India has attempted, holding 20,000 components including 3,000 varieties of parts.

Originally meant for the indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA), the Kaveri now lives on in the Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE) and related programmes. On it rest the hopes of 146 crore Indianstales of joy and dismay, success and failure.

Decades of effort: Work on the Kaveri engine in 2011 | Bhanu Prakash Chandra

One such tale is how lessons from Kaveri are being used for Indias stealth aerial combat platform. Its prime role: deep-strike, precision-guided, high-risk missions. Unlike the LCAs afterburner engine (85 kilonewton thrust), the unmanned aerial vehicle is like a subsonic aircraft and needs no afterburner, operating with 49kN thrust and advanced digital controls. The unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) aims for Mach 0.9 speed, altitudes up to 13,000m and two-hour endurance. GTRE director S.V. Ramana Murthy told THE WEEK that the afterburner not being required, among other capabilities, gave it the stealth dimension. That is one of the fundamental differences with the fighter aircraft engine, he said. That is why we call it a derivative engine or a dry engine.

Sanctioned in 2018, the UCAV project is nearly complete, with 75 per cent commonality with Kaveri. Being a stealth platform, it has serpentine air intake (curved to conceal the fan face) and the resultant inlet distortion is tackled by a distortion-tolerant fan. The UCAV has also demonstrated unrestricted throttle response.

Other derivatives of the Kaveri programme include the Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine for naval propulsion, with high acceleration rate, high speed and low preparation time, and a turbocharger for armoured fighting vehicles being developed at the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment in Chennai.

A tough lesson: The Kaveri project was delinked from the LCA in 2008 for failing to meet weight and thrust conditions | PTI

The multiple derivative technologies of the Kaveri have demonstrated the value of sustained R&D investment in core engine technology, points out Air Marshal Ajay Kumar Arora (retd), former air officer-in-charge maintenance, the Indian Air Force. R&D invested in aero engines can boost civil aviation, energy, materials science and manufacturing technologies, he says. The aerospace engine industry can create high-value manufacturing jobs, drive innovation in metallurgy and advanced materials and develop precision manufacturing capabilities.

The supply chain can create multiple order effects through several industries, from specialised alloys to sophisticated electronics and control systems.

An indigenous engine also cuts dependence on foreign suppliers who can choke the supply chain and maintenance lines during conflicts or diplomatic tensions. For instance, the delay in the supply of General Electric F-404 engine is one of the main reasons for delays in LCA production, impacting the IAFs operational preparedness.

Forging a phantom: A technology demonstrator platform of the remotely piloted stealth strike aircraft (unmanned combat aerial vehicle) being developed with the Kaveri derivative engine | PIB

So, even as the KDE and the lessons from the Kaveri programme are being put to good use, India is also on the hunt for an engine to power fifth-generation fighters.

Ramana Murthy said that they are working on a 120kN thrust engine for fifth-gen fighters. The technologies are several notches above the fourth generation in thrust-to-weight ratio, turbine temperature and life2,000 hours and all, he said. We want to collaborate with an international engine house (IEH).

Aero engines are the heart of a fighter, requiring high thrust, small size and low weight, low fuel consumption, long life, high reliability and safety margins. This knowledge base (the technology needed to meet such requirements) is developed over the decades with huge investments and become the intellectual property of a few IEHs, said Ramana Murthy. Military engine technologies are strategic in nature. Hence the IPs are closely guarded and there are entry barriers for others.

Since 1983, when the Kaveri project was first sanctioned, it has cost the exchequer around $239 million. At present rate, that converts to nearly 2,000 crorea pittance compared with what Americans, Russians, Europeans and Chinese have invested in aero engine technology.

For instance, the development of the Eurofighter Typhoons Eurojet EJ200 engine cost $1.6 billion from 1985 to 1995. The Dassault Rafales Snecma M88 cost $1.6 billion till the initial testing phase in 1989. The Pratt & Whitney F135, used in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, was developed at a cost of $6.7 billion. And, China has invested a staggering $42 billion on developing aero engines.

Former GTRE director C.P. Ramanarayanan said that compared with the 1980s the economic growth had increased affordability and spending capacity for funding for R&D projects. He added that appreciation of the scale of progress and challenges faced by hi-tech R&D projects were lacking in the higher echelons of government and by finance authorities. They tended to equate progress measurement like that of road construction, he said.

Indias dream since 1983 has been a supersonic fighter flying with a home-made engine. India had earlier built the HF-24 Marut at the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, under the watch of German aeronautical engineer Kurt Tank. It was first flown in 1961 and inducted into the IAF in 1967. But under-powered by the British Orpheus 703 engine, it never crossed Mach 1 despite being intended for Mach 2. About 147 were operated, including 18 two-seater trainers. It saw action during the India-Pakistan war of 1971 with the most notable being in the Battle of Longewala in a ground attack role. But it was clear that the aircraft was already becoming archaic and, by the 1980s, it was phased out.

The Marut airframe was capable of supersonic performance, but the engine limitation meant that the aircraft never reached full potential and retired early, said Arora. Other IAF fighter fleets like Hunter, Jaguar, MiG-27, MiG-21, Su-30, Hawk and Mirage-2000 all have faced challenges in their life cycle due to not having indigenous aero engines.

While the home-grown fighter LCA Tejas has made it to the skies, India had to ink a deal worth 5,375 crore in 2021 for 99 GE F-404 aero engines to power the Tejas Mk-1As. That dependency was a point in Prime Minister Narendra Modis Independence Day speech this year. Should the jet engine for our Made in India fighter jets be ours or not? he asked from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The nations answer would have been a clear yes. After all, the air force scenario in the neighbourhood is changing at breakneck speed. With the last two MiG-21 squadrons (comprising 16-18 aircraft) slated to be phased out in September, the IAF fighter squadron strength will plummet to just 29, much lower than the mandated 43.

Meanwhile, China fields over 83 fighter squadrons and has deployed fifth-gen J-20s near Indian borders, while also flight-testing a sixth-gen J-36 believed to be loaded with AI, advanced stealth features, networked warfare capabilities and cutting-edge weapons. Pakistan has 20 squadrons and reportedly awaits 40 Chinese J-35s. The J-35 is Chinas second fifth-generation fighter.

Developing a fully indigenous fighter engine takes 15-20 years. IAF does not have that kind of time, said Arora. Alternatives need to be adopted. So, while developing indigenous capabilities, India is also pursuing technology-transfer deals. HAL and GE Aerospace are going ahead for a technology transfer (up to 80 per cent) agreement to produce F-414 engines in India, which will help build local manufacturing capabilities and expertise, he said. India and France have agreed to jointly develop a fighter jet engine based on the Rafale M88 engine for the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme.

Indias strategic autonomy demands technological autonomy; but, no IEH will share its core technology. The only answer is indigenous development. So, the effort continues, though sights are now set on sixth-generation fighter technology more than fifth-generation.

The Kaveris worst moment came in September 2008 when it was delinked from the LCA and funding stopped, for failing to meet weight and thrust conditions. But, in a way the project was doomed from the beginning. It had suffered from flawed planning, lack of a final design and no early provision for altitude or flight-test bed trials. All this, added to subsystem and component shortages and lack of technical knowledge and trained manpower, led to inevitable delays. As a result, the initial probable date of completion (PDC) of December 1996 was missed. Crippled by lack of domain knowledge, beset by failures and stonewalled by bureaucracy, the PDC kept on being pushed backto December 2004 and then to December 2009.

In recent years, the massive changes in warfare have led to greater focus on UAVsboth armed and unarmed. This has been evident in the US drone strikes since 2015 to take out individual targets, in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict in 2020 and in the prolific use of UAVs in Ukraine and Israel.

This renewed focus has been a shot in the arm for GTREs KDE. On the way forward, Arora said: What India needs urgently is an apex leadership driven, government-funded, consortium-based, time-bound programme that brings together an existing aeroengine OEM (original equipment manufacturer) like Safran, GE or Rolls Royce; DRDO R&D labs like GTRE; DPSUs; the private sector; enthusiastic startups and academia together. The consortium could start with an existing baseline aero engine like F-404 or M88.

This, says Arora, is probably the best way to cut short the development time and make the dream of indigenous aero engines come true in a reasonable time frame of five to 10 years.

A key issue is also the capability of the country to absorb foreign technology. Says K. Rajalakshmi Menon, director general of aeronautical systems at the DRDO: In any collaboration, it is only equal partners or people with equal capability who can partner. Today, she says, India is in such a position that people are coming to us with respect. Because, she said, there are engine houses who have evaluated and assessed our capabilities, and have proclaimed, yes, India has got a maturity level to take up higher engine capabilities, design and development.
Interview/ S.V. Ramana Murty, director, Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE)

WE HAVE BEEN churning out fighters in India, including the Sukhoi-30 at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, yet have been unable to make an aero engine.

As of now, the aero engines are imported with platforms like M88 for Rafale fighter, or made under licence for engines like AL-31FP for Su-30 aircraft or imported for indigenous fighter aircraft like GE F404-IN20 for Light Combat Aircraft Mk1.

Kaveri is the first indigenous engine programme started in 1990. However, it is delinked from the LCA programme due to enhanced thrust requirement of the aircraft, marginal shortfall in performance and non-availability of a certified Kaveri engine to meet LCA timelines.

Q/ Why has India not been able to make an aero engine till date? Despite several prototypes, Kaveri is seen as a failed project.

A/ Let me start with positives. The small turbofan engine has been designed and developed by the GTRE and flight-tested in cruise vehicles that have met all mission requirements. The GTRE has also developed the Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE) and demonstrated performance and operability.

Generally it takes about two decades for development of technologies, engine and certification even for international engine houses (IEH). The engine development is taken up after the technology development with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6, whereas in the Kaveri engine project, the engine development started with TRL levels of 2 to 3.

The reasons for delay were that we encountered developmental issues.... While the outside perspective may be that Kaveri is a failed project but achieving a TRL of 6 from a TRL of 2 itself is a success. An IEH carried out an in-depth technical audit and concluded that the Kaveri engine has attained a high level of maturity and could be airworthy for a limited flight envelope of LCA. Under this project, many aerospace alloys were type certified, component test facilities were established in the country, a Full Authority Digital Engine Controller (FADEC) was developed indigenously, Indian industries participated in the project and became part of the global supply chain, and academic institutes were involved in development of design and analysis tools and produced high quality manpower.

Q/ What is the status of the Kaveri project now?

A/ The KDE is being developed for Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) application. KDE has 75 per cent commonality with the Kaveri engine and UCAV specific technology insertions.... The KDE has demonstrated its full performance, operability and structural integrity.

Q/ It is understood that there have been a lot of spin-offs from the Kaveri project.

A/ The KDE being developed for UCAV with three critical technology insertions is the important spin-off.... The Kaveri engine project has also led to the development of the Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine, which demonstrated 12MW of shaft power at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. The GTRE also delivered a military class turbocharger for the armoured weapon platform of 1,500HP diesel engine. A few small engine programmes are also on the anvil.

Q/ Are any international partners being drawn in for the development of aero engines?

A/ The GTRE has achieved competency and self-reliance in design, development and realisation of aero gas turbine engines for 4th generation combat aircraft applications. In the case of advanced high thrust class engines for 5th and 6th generation fighters, they encompass advanced technologies like high speed, high efficiency turbo machines with reduced number of stages, high-strength and high-temperature materials, innovative turbine blade cooling design, advanced manufacturing processes, damage tolerant component design with higher life and reduced weight. It is proposed to design and develop advanced high thrust class engine in collaboration with IEH to bridge the technology gaps.

Q/ What is the timeline for the 120kN engine development for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft with Safran?

A/ The GTRE will design and develop advanced high thrust class indigenous engine in collaboration with an IEH. The collaborative model and timelines are being worked out. The engines will be manufactured in India through development cum production partner. This programme will culminate in generating competency, capacity and capability to design, develop, manufacture, produce and deploy aero engines for future 5th and 6th generation of fighter aircraft.... The foreground intellectual property rights will be owned by the Indian government. With the technology building blocks developed, it will facilitate the design and development of other thrust class engines on our own and will help to establish an aero engine design and development ecosystem in the country.
Lieutenant General A.B. Shivane (retd)

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the biggest-ever Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit yet in the Chinese city of Tianjina gathering of world leaders including Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putinthe world watched Indias deft balancing act. The meeting saw a churn taking shape in the geopolitical canvas, sending a clear message of Indias strategic autonomy. It was a test of posture: how to remain engaged in Eurasias politics without being consumed by them, how to signal strength without being cornered, and how to extract value from a forum that is increasingly contested.

Talk of reviving the old RussiaIndiaChina (RIC) framework surfaced yet again at the summit. Russia now champions its revival, buoyed by the promise of the Eurasian clout: together, RICs GDP stands at nearly $54 trillion, with $5 trillion in exports and 38 per cent of humanity under its demographic umbrella. Moscow, increasingly isolated by the west, finds it convenient to pitch RIC as an alternative platform where it can remain relevant. Beijing, too, likes the idea of a trilateral that can project anti-western optics, especially when its own global image is under stress. But nostalgia does not substitute strategy. The RIC experiment faltered in the past for reasons that have not gone away: mismatched power equations, conflicting ambitions and Indias unresolved boundary dispute with China. To believe that RIC can become a strategic triangle in the present climate is more diplomatic theatre than political reality.

India must balance its Russia policy carefully, ensuring that short-term bargains do not compromise long-term options. Energy corridors, defence production partnerships and space cooperation with Russia must be balanced against diversification with western and indigenous sources.

Yet, dismissing these gatherings outright would be a mistake. The SCO, despite its contradictions, is an instrument India can wield. Its agenda, emerging as counterterrorism, connectivity, energy, economics and digital linkages, aligns with several Indian priorities. The organisation gives India a stage to insert itself into Central Asia, a region often spoken about in Delhi but rarely engaged with beyond rhetoric. It also provides a platform to engage both Russia and China simultaneously, on Indias own terms, without succumbing to binaries dictated by Washington or Brussels.

But let us not pretend the SCO is friction-free. Pakistans membership means Islamabad has a seat at the table, which Beijing often leverages to needle India. China also uses the SCO to spread its Belt and Road agenda, most of which India has opposed on grounds of sovereignty. The crises in the SCO are institutional, a combination of divergent ambitions, unequal power and discrepant security perceptions. In the case of India, the art lies in turning contradictions into opportunities.

United we stand: World leaders at the SCO summit | PTI

That begins with presence. Indias Central Asia policy has been heavy on speeches and memoranda but light on hard outcomes. India needs to present credible capital, technology and infrastructure projects if the SCO is to count. Energy collaboration, pipeline connections, railway routes and digital connectivity should not be just summit discussions but signed contracts. Only then does Indias membership mean more than optics.

Twos company: Prime Minister Modi and President Putin leave together for their bilateral meeting after attending the SCO summit | AFP

The second step is to convert multilateralism into a multi-engagement advantage. India does not rely on the entire SCO bloc to move forward. Instead, it can build issue-specific coalitions within the grouping: targeted counterterrorism frameworks, connectivity pilots with Central Asian states, energy swaps or digital finance collaborations. Multi-engagement nested within multilaterals often delivers more than grand declarations that go nowhere.

The third is deterrence blended with diplomacy. For all the talk of cooperation, Eurasia is a competitive theatre. India cannot afford to be a passive partner. Its diplomatic engagement must be backed by credible defence preparedness and logistics capacity to secure its interests in the extended neighbourhood. Presence without power invites pressure. A smart mix of deterrence and dialogue allows India to remain relevant without overextending.

The broader context here is the churn in world order itself. We are not moving from American unipolarity to neat multipolarity. We are sliding into a fractured mosaic of overlapping blocs, multi-engagements and ad hoc coalitions. Some align on trade, others on defence and still others on digital or energy issues. The future global system will not look like a clean chessboard but like a messy web. For India, this is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Strategic autonomy in this age cannot be the old-style non-alignment of standing apart. Nor can it be the illusion of perfect equidistance. Strategic autonomy now means active positioning and engaging where it serves interest, hedging where risk is high and investing in resilience that allows India to resist coercion. In forums like the SCO, this means trading where it reduces vulnerability, investing where it builds capacity, and cooperating where it secures gains without political compromise.

It is also the ability to take a savagely honest view of China. The SCO stage can put Delhi and Beijing under the same roof, yet not erase Doklam, Galwan, Chinese help to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor or the infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control. Participation in the SCO cannot imply unfreezing of hard security facts. In any case, it highlights the need to balance hardening the border and regional deterrence with astute diplomacy.

Russia, meanwhile, remains a partner India cannot ignore. Moscows dependence on Beijing has grown, but it still looks at Delhi as a trusted interlocutor that does not parrot western lines. This gives India leverage, particularly in defence and energy. But India must balance its Russia policy carefully, ensuring that short-term bargains do not compromise long-term options. Energy corridors, defence production partnerships and space cooperation with Russia must be balanced against diversification with western and indigenous sources.

At home, the SCO moment should serve as a policy nudge. To be taken seriously in Eurasia, India must fix its own economic and industrial limitations. It must accelerate reforms that make it a competitive partner for Central Asia, build scalable defence-industrial capacity and create financial instruments that allow it to fund infrastructure abroad. Too often, India arrives at the table with ideas but no chequebook. China arrives with both. If India wants to tilt the balance, it needs not only diplomatic capital, but financial muscle.

In prospect, the SCO and the RIC concept are not so much a question of euphoria but a question of direction. The world has entered a global churn: the west is much more divided, China is aggressive but fragile in its economy, and Russia is hunted but still dangerous. The middle powers of the world, from Turkey to Brazil, are carving their own way. India is at the centre of this flux. Its task is not to declare allegiance but to build leverage. Every forum, be it SCO, BRICS, G20 or the Quad, is a tool, not a destiny.

The SCO summit in Tianjin showed both the limits and the possibilities of Eurasian multilateralism. For India, the way forward is clear. Use the SCO as a bridge to Central Asia. Exploit the Russia connection without becoming hostage to it. Engage China but never on Beijings terms. Build multi-engagements inside multilaterals. And above all, treat diplomacy not as theatre but as an extension of domestic capacity-building.

The future will not be kind to those who mistake nostalgia for strategy. RIC may return as a headline, but it will never return as a coherent bloc. Indias future lies in something sharper, a strategic posture that turns churn into opportunity, forums into instruments and multipolar chaos into national advantage. That is how a rising India must navigate the world on the move: with eyes open, tools in hand and clarity of purpose.

The author is a strategic affairs expert.
ON AUGUST 29, Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil marched into Mumbai with tens of thousands of supporters and began a fast-unto-death at Azad Maidan. It was his eighth such fast for Maratha reservation, and this time he declared that he would not return without it.

If the OBCs mobilise, Fadnavis would face a far tougher challenge. The OBCs have been a core BJP constituency, and antagonising them could prove costly in the municipal and district polls.

Within days, the city ground to a halt. Nearly 30,000 protesters poured into South Mumbai in thousands of vehicles, choking traffic, occupying public spaces, and even spilling into the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. The Bombay High Court rebuked the agitation for violating conditions and paralysing the city, calling Jarange Patils earlier assurances lip service. Judges complained that even their cars had been blocked. By the fifth day, Jarange Patil had stopped drinking water, vowing not to leave Mumbai even if I die.

The government, caught between a restless Maratha community and its core OBC vote bank that was against ceding to the protesters demands, scrambled for a solution. On September 3, the sixth day of the agitation, a cabinet subcommittee formed to look into the issue decided to accept six of Jarange Patils eight demands, prompting him to end his fast. The accepted demands included recognition of the Hyderabad Gazetteer as the primary historical document for Marathas in Marathwada region to claim OBC status, withdrawal of all cases against Maratha activists, compensation and government jobs for the kin of those who died during the protests, and cancellation of fines imposed on vehicles used by the protesters.

Two demands remain pending: implementation of Satara, Pune and Aundh gazetteerson which the government has sought a months timeand recognition of Marathas and Kunbis as the same caste, for which the government has asked two months to study the legal aspects.

Jarange Patil declared victory before a huge crowd soon after the decisions were conveyed to him by Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, BJP leader and minister. Jinklo re, raje ho (We have won thanks to your support), he said, urging supporters to disperse peacefully.

Throughout this episode, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis projected a message: Where there is a will, there is a way. Soon after the protest ended, posters reading Thank You Deva Bhau were put up across the state by his supporters as well as many Marathas.

Fadnaviss approach was marked by calm and patience, even when he was facing personal attacks and relentless trolling from sections of the Maratha community. Jarange Patil himself once branded him the biggest liar, but Fadnavis did not respond. Instead, he made sure that the initiative of solving the issue remained with the BJP rather than slipping into the hands of his alliesthe Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party, led by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, respectively. He gave the reins of the negotiations to Vikhe Patil, a trusted ally and member of an influential Maratha family from Ahilyanagar, and included Shivendra Raje Bhosalethe 14th descendent of Shivajion the cabinet subcommittee. Other members included Manikrao Kokate (NCP) and Uday Samant (Shiv Sena).

Fadnavis, Shinde and Pawar held two meetings with the subcommittee. Vikhe Patil was told to explain to Jarange Patil that OBC status could not be granted to the entire Maratha community, and that the word sarsakat (all at once) would have to be dropped. When Jarange Patil relented on this point on September 2, the door to a settlement opened. From then on, Vikhe Patils official residence, Royal Stone bungalow, became the hub of government action to end the agitation. Vikhe Patil held around five meetings with the subcommittee and legal experts, scrutinising each demand to find a legally tenable solution.

Taking a stand: Protesters outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus | Amey Mansabdar

It was agreed that the Hyderabad Gazetteer would be accepted as a valid base document, since Marathwada was a part of the Nizams state before independence. To speed up verification and the scrutiny of claims, a three-member, village-level panelcomprising revenue officer, gram panchayat officer, and assistant agriculture officerwould assess applications. (Earlier, such cases were handled by the tehsil office.) Thus, a Maratha farmer from Marathwada can submit an affidavit citing an ancestors name as Kunbi in the Hyderabad Gazetteer, or use a relatives Kunbi certificate to secure OBC status.

Once Fadnavis gave the go-ahead, a government resolution was issued and kept ready. Other resolutions, too, were readied after Fadnavis held four meetings with Advocate General Birendra Saraf and Vikhe Patil to ensure that the solution that the subcommittee discussed with Jarange Patil were all legally acceptable. He also made sure that Jarange Patil alone held a series of discussions with the subcommittee. Fadnavis maintained a facade of normalcy throughout the processattending Ganesh pandals, signing investment agreements, and quietly micromanaging negotiations through Vikhe Patil.

Fadnavis also asked Shivendra Raje Bhosale, being from the Satara royal family, to personally assure Jarange Patil of a months timeline to look into the issue of whether the Satara Gazetteerwhich classifies Marathas as Kunbi-Marathascan be considered a valid base document. When Raje delivered the message, Jarange Patil said, Raje, we trust you.

Notably, Shinde and Pawar kept a distance all through the crisis. Shinde went to his native Dare, while Pawar went to Pune. They came only when Fadnavis called a top-level meeting with Vikhe Patils subcommittee.

The government decision has made OBC groups unhappy. They view it as a backdoor entry for Marathas into the OBC quota. Chhagan Bhujbal, senior OBC leader and minister, said they would study all government resolutions before holding a meeting for launching a statewide agitation.

Fadnavis may have emerged a hero for now, but if the OBCs mobilise, he would face a far tougher challenge. The OBCs have been a core BJP constituency, and antagonising them could prove costly in the upcoming municipal and district polls. Perhaps that is why Fadnavis is insisting that giving blanket reservation to Marathas is impossible. There are High Court and Supreme Court decisions against it, he said. Also reservation cannot be applied to an entire community; one has to apply for it.

THE MARATHA reservation issue has a long history.

The Marathas have traditionally been ruling elites in Maharashtras society, constituting nearly 30 per cent of the states population. Even before Shivajis ascent to power, all nobles employed by the Mughals and the sultanates that preceded them were Marathas. Before independence, Patils and Deshmukhsclans that were a part of the Maratha foldheaded thousands of villages. Even now, the community continues to dominate the social ladder in rural Maharashtra.

Unrest in the community began as population growth resulted in shrunken farm holdings. Unresolved problems in the agriculture sector added to their woes.

The demand for Maratha reservation in jobs and education was first raised four decades ago. But successive chief ministers, all of them upper-class Marathas, continued to ignore ituntil Prithviraj Chavan, in 2012, appointed a committee headed by minister Narayan Rane of the Congress to look into the issue. The Rane committees report recommended a 16 per cent quota for the Marathas in jobs and education.

Chavans government was defeated in the assembly polls two years later. The BJP came to power and Fadnavis became chief minister. He granted reservation to the community, and the decision was upheld by the Bombay High Court. The Supreme Court, however, struck it down, saying quotas cannot breach the 50 per cent cap it had set earlier. At the time of the Supreme Court judgment, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena was in power. The current Fadnavis government blames the MVA government for failing to take adequate steps to protect Maratha reservation.

Throughout Jarange Patils agitation, Fadnavis had been insisting on a solution within the legal framework. Just to make someone happy, the government cannot take decisions that will not stand legally, he said.

A section of BJP leaders felt that Jarange Patil was targeting Fadnavis because he was a Brahmin. Also, Fadnavis was deputy chief minister handling the home portfolio when Jarange Patils first big rally in Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district in 2023 was crushed by the police. A section in the BJP had then criticised Shinde, then chief minister, for pampering Jarange Patil instead of dealing with him firmly. We dont know for sure how much of the agitation is for reservation, and how much of it is against Fadnavis, said a BJP leader. Jarange Patil is not saying a word against Shinde or Pawar. He is only targeting the CM, when the fact is that whatever reservation the Marathas have had was given by Fadnavis.

A senior BJP leader said the party did not want the OBC quota of 27 per cent to be affected by its Maratha reservation decision. This means Fadnavis will have to do another fine balancing act to find a solution that would keep both the OBCs and the Marathas happy. This cannot be done overnight, said the BJP leader. Bhujbal has already warned that lakhs of OBC group members would march to Mumbai if Marathas are included in the OBC quota.

Fadnavis, perhaps, can take a cue from a statement he made when he was opposition leader: Where there is will, there is a way. Where there is no will, there are committees, commissions and reports.
Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor has sent a love-filled birthday wish for his wife, Mira Rajput. Taking to his Instagram handle, Shahid shared a string of pictures with Mira as he expressed his love for her. Calling himself lucky about being with her, the actor wrote, "Happy birthday my love. You complete me. God wrapped you up in a little bundle of joy and saved you for me. And I am lucky to have you for the rest of my life. Be happy, be healthy, express yourself every chance you get .... In every way you like... may your radiance fill everything you touch." https://www.instagram.com/p/DOS_jB4DRrO/?img_index=1 The post featured a few unseen pictures of Mira Rajput, with the first one showing her relaxing in the lawn, soaking in the sunshine. It was followed by other pictures of her at different outdoor locations. Shahid wrapped the carousel with a romantic snap of himself with Mira, with a beautiful background. Fans, along with many other Bollywood celebrities, also took to the comment section and reacted to the post, including the likes of Dia Mirza and Hrithik Roshan. Mira Rajput's birthday came on the heels of her son, Zain's 7th birthday. Taking to her Instagram handle, Mira wrote an adorable note, "Cool beans, blue jeans and everything sweet if you please. Happy 7th to our Zain, you make every day, a noisy seventh heaven. Time to kick up another storm!" https://www.instagram.com/p/DONBlMpCHfX/ Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput got married on July 7, 2015, in an intimate wedding in Delhi. The duo had an arranged marriage. They welcomed their first child, daughter Misha, in 2016 and son Zain in 2018. Besides sharing a strong relationship as husband and wife, the couple has also collaborated professionally, with the recent launch of Athletifreak's first physical store in Asia. Shahid and Mira arrived at the Select Citywalk Mall in New Delhi for a fun game of pickleball, bringing their A-game at the launch. (ANI)
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

B.N. writes: My wife and I booked BA tickets from Gatwick to Trinidad through agents Travel Unravel.

We reluctantly agreed to a total price of 1,938 after being assured this was the cheapest flight available.

Within an hour, our daughter and her friend told us they had booked direct with BA for 1,502.

We asked Travel Unravel to cancel or give us a refund, but were told that 'flight prices are dynamic'.

Watching brief: Travel Unravel refused to cancel or give a refund for the booking, but said that 'flight prices are dynamic'

Tony Hetherington replies: Travel Unravel Holidays Private Limited  to give the company its official name  is registered to an address in Harrow in north-west London, but I could not actually find it there.

It told Companies House that it has three employees, which includes its directors.

However, in a separate filing, it says it has three directors, all living in India. So, no UK employees, which might explain why some Travel Unravel customers believe they have really been dealing with a call centre in India, and not a travel agent in Harrow.

I did think that BA would be concerned about the idea that a travel agent might act like a ticket tout, but it shrugged its corporate shoulders and told me that the price charged for its tickets is set by the travel agent, not by BA.

At least this explains the online complaints from people who, like you, have been charged hundreds of pounds over the odds by Travel Unravel.

Naturally, I invited Travel Unravel to comment. I also asked where it was genuinely based. There was no comment, and no reply.

However, two days after I told the company we were publishing your complaint, out of the blue you received an email from someone who gave his name simply as Colin. He wrote: 'After reviewing the details of your case, I would like to offer a refund of 575, along with an additional 200 as compensation for the inconvenience caused.' You have told me the money has reached your bank account, which is great news.

Colin has also offered a 100 discount on your next flight, but I suspect you will find it easy to resist this.

Is my 11,000 for grave sites dead and buried?

C.S. writes: I purchased six burial plots for 11,100 from Regent Memorial Ltd as an investment.

The company has gone into administration and the administrators are treating investors as having invested in the company itself. We all purchased exclusive rights of burial in designated plots.

If the cemetery is sold to someone else, our right of burial would need to be transferred.

Rest in peace: Regent Memorial has gone into administration and the administrators are treating investors as having invested in the company itself

Tony Hetherington replies: Regent Memorial has been an investment catastrophe waiting to happen. When an investor first asked me to look into the company eight years ago, I warned that the 3,000 plots at its cemetery in Farnham in Surrey were marketed at questionable prices and with dubious claims.

One sales firm acting for Regent Memorial advertised a 40 per cent return on investment in just 18 months or so.

Another claimed: 'You will receive within 24 to 36 months a minimum contracted return on investment of 37.50 per cent.' They were all lying, of course.

When I contacted Regent Memorial director Kamran Saleem, he told me his sales agents used their own predictions, and promotional material warned that salesmen's claims were not binding. Saying, in short, that nobody should rely on anything his own sales agents claimed.

Despite this, he was confident that a national shortage of cemetery plots would work in his favour. And he had inside influence too, as his father headed the biggest Muslim funeral service in Birmingham.

In fact, in 2023 Saleem scrapped the original plan for a multi-religion burial ground, and decided to reserve the cemetery exclusively for Muslims. But guess what  not a single burial has ever taken place!

And now Regent Memorial has fallen into administration. Normally, administrators issue a Statement of Affairs, setting out a company's assets and liabilities, but no statement has been issued, apparently because the administrators have had trouble getting information from Saleem.

Their estimated figures show that the company owes over 6 million. The really bad news, as you found, is that the administrators have been advised by their lawyers that investors have no rights.

The lawyers say the wording of your agreement simply allows you to sell on to a new buyer the right to be buried at the cemetery, but you have no title to your slice of the land.

This is not what Saleem's salesmen told plot buyers, of course. And the sales agreement assured buyers that their money would be held in a special account. I asked Saleem to say what happened to this money. He failed to respond.

All you can do is wait for the administrators to issue clearer figures. They told me: 'This is an incredibly complex case that requires significant investigative work to fully understand the affairs of the company and the nature of the agreements that creditors entered into.'

I hope the investigative work reveals where the money went, because right now Saleem's silence makes it seem you paid over 11,000 and got nothing, not even a hole in the ground.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Investment fund managers Clive Beagles and James Lowen are flag wavers for the UK stock market  and they've been waving for the past quarter of the century, first at Newton and now at JO Hambro.

Despite the stream of listed companies leaving the market, either being bought or going private, and the undervaluation of the UK stock market compared to overseas rivals, they continue to find ways to make money for investors.

Since late 2004, they have jointly run fund JOHCM UK Equity Income: JOHCM standing for JO Hambro Capital Management, an investment house which oversees assets of 18 billion.

The 1.8 billion fund, providing investors with a mix of long-term capital and income growth, has been an outstanding success.

Over its near 21-year life, it has delivered annual dividend growth averaging 9 per cent, with the only hiccups being in 2008 and 2020 when many UK companies were impacted by the global financial crisis and lockdown, respectively.

In terms of overall returns, it has outperformed both the FTSE All-Share Index and the average UK equity income fund over the past five years, registering a return of 117.4 per cent.

The respective gains made by the index and the UK equity income sector are 82.8 and 70.7 per cent. Over the last year, the fund has achieved an attractive return of 14.5 per cent.

'There are lots of ways to make money from UK equities,' says Beagles. 'Our forte is spotting companies whose shares have above average dividend yields and where we think businesses have the ability to grow their dividends. It often means fishing in a pond comprising companies whose shares are currently out of favour.'

The fund's dividend yield of 4.6 per cent compares with a 3.4 per cent yield on the FTSE All-Share.

This approach means the managers trawl the length and breadth of the UK market in search of suitable stocks. The resulting 60-stock fund portfolio comprises a number of FTSE 100 dividend friendly stocks such as Barclays, BP, and Lloyds.

It also includes less familiar names such as FTSE 250 listed brick manufacturer Ibstock and FTSE All-Share stock Norcros, owner of numerous kitchen and bathroom brands (the likes of Triton and Merlyn).

'Norcros is an excellent business,' says Beagles. 'It is a market leader, pays decent dividends and offers shareholders an attractive income [dividend yield] just short of 4 per cent.

'But with a market capitalisation of less than 250 million, it's too small a stock to attract widespread attention from investors. As a result, its shares are undervalued. Sadly, there is a possibility that at some stage it will be bought by a rival or private equity, and not at full value.'

Beagles believes many of the companies in the fund  including Norcros  will see their fortunes improve if the domestic economy starts growing.

Although he admits rising UK gilt yields are a cause for concern, he says there are some positive signs in the form of strong household balance sheets.

When people have the confidence to draw down on these savings and start spending, he says it should bode well for retailers such as Currys and DFS (both fund holdings).

'Some see Currys as yesterday's child,' says Beagles. 'But it has a thriving mobile phone division in iD Mobile  and as consumer confidence increases, it will benefit from people replacing big ticket items such as computers. The same goes for DFS.'

Annual fund charges total 0.79 per cent and both Beagles and Lowen are personal investors in the fund  putting their money where their mouths are.
The accounting scandal that has engulfed WHSmith deepened this weekend after The Mail on Sunday revealed the retailer is relying heavily on promotional income from suppliers to hit sales targets.

The revelation highlights fears that issues with the firm's books could be more entrenched than previously thought.

Shares in WHSmith plunged more than 40 per cent last month after the firm, which around 1,200 stores globally in airports, train stations and hospitals, warned that profits from its North American unit would be 30 million less than expected at about 25 million.

It was the second-worst one-day drop ever among large and medium-sized retailers currently listed on the stock market, according to broker AJ Bell.

Accountancy firm Deloitte is investigating the blunder, which WHSmith blamed on the 'accelerated recognition of supplier income' in its US arm.

When retailers such as WHSmith buy products to sell in stores, suppliers may agree to pay the firm a fee for their goods to be prominently displayed or discounted to boost sales. Such promotions can run for years. The payments are recorded as income for the retailer to correspond with when the products are sold.

Well paid: WH Smith boss Carl Cowling (pictured) and former finance director Robert Moorhead received 2.7 million and 1.9 million respectively last year

While these deals are not unusual, experts said in the case of WHSmith it appears this income was booked too early, leading to the overstated profits.

They added that relying too heavily on income from suppliers to meet profit targets was a potential red flag.

'When sales are struggling, you bill everything for anything,' said Ged Futter of consultancy The Retail Mind. 'So if you've got a significant proportion of your profit coming [from supplier income] then you will look to book it as soon as possible. That's when the alarm bells would ring.'

An analysis of WHSmith's accounts, conducted by The Mail on Sunday, shows the level of supplier income more than tripled from 10 million in 2022 to 33 million in 2024. The 30 million profit overstatement in its US unit suggests the supplier income figure will be even greater this year.

Futter said that WHSmith's accounting scandal had echoes of Tesco.

In 2014, Britain's biggest supermarket was found to have delayed payments to suppliers to boost profits as it struggled to counter the rise of no-frills rivals Aldi and Lidl. Tesco was forced to pay 214 million in fines and compensation after an investigation found it had breached rules on how grocery suppliers are treated. WHSmith is not covered by these.

Despite being a staple of the British retail scene since 1792, WHSmith is now a travel retailer after selling its High Street stores, which have been renamed TG Jones by their new owner.

Retail analyst Jonathan de Mello said WHSmith had expanded fast in the US, which may account for its increased use of promotions to drive sales.

'If so, it's poor cost management if they over-ordered from suppliers and had to sell at lower prices,' he said. 'It doesn't look like they've got a good handle on things out there.'

WH Smith boss Carl Cowling and former finance director Robert Moorhead were paid 2.7 million and 1.9 million respectively last year  mostly in performance-related bonuses.

A WHSmith insider said 'it shouldn't be a surprise' that supplier income had increased as the company expanded. They pointed out that group sales have almost doubled since 2019, when supplier income was 10 million.

The findings of Deloitte's investigation may be published when WHSmith releases its results in November. Profits for the year to August are now expected to be 110 million, the company said, down from previous estimates of 160 million.

WHSmith, its auditors PwC and Deloitte declined to comment.
Rachel Reeves has been warned that hopes of a revival in UK stock market flotations this autumn could be derailed by Budget tax increases.

A bumper summer for the FTSE 100 index  which has enjoyed its best gains since 2016  has lifted expectations of a raft of initial public offerings (IPOs).

That would cheer UK markets and the armies of lawyers and advisers in the Square Mile who have been starved of lucrative fees in recent years due to the dearth of public flotations.

Hope: A bumper summer for the FTSE 100 index  which has enjoyed its best gains since 2016  has lifted expectations of a raft of initial public offerings

Julian Morse, co-chief executive of City broker Cavendish, is predicting an upturn over the coming months. But he said the Chancellor's Budget could still wreck it if there was a tax raid on businesses.

He told The Mail on Sunday: 'That's the big unknown. If taxes rise substantially it will slow or stop growth. Any economy in a high-tax environment doesn't do well. The IPO market is dependent on the economy. So if growth stalls and we go into recession that would be pretty negative.'

It comes as optimism grows that the UK stock market will see a resumption of listings in a revival of its fortunes after a dismal recent period.

Stock market debuts have been scarce in London and other financial centres while the value of UK firms has lagged foreign peers, especially in America.

Yet with US policy-making increasingly erratic under Donald Trump, UK and European markets now seem more attractive for investors. The FTSE 100 is up by more than 11 per cent this year and is outpacing Wall Street, though recent falls have seen it slip back from record highs.

London's blue-chip index has been helped by a bumper performance over the summer when it defied the traditional adage of 'sell in May and go away', denoting a summer lull. Instead, the FTSE rose 4.7 per cent between the end of May and end of August, marking the best summer in nine years.

Morse said that around the time of Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs in April, markets 'suddenly realised the US is just not this really lovely, benign place to invest in' after a long period which saw the American market 'pulling money away from the rest of the world'.

He added: 'That's really fuelled the rise of the FTSE but also other global indices.'

Cavendish has launched four IPOs since December last year and is working on more.

Morse said: 'We are actively working on four and are in conversation with another handful of firms that want to IPO. So it's definitely a lot busier on the IPO front than for a long time, probably three or four years.'

Morse added: 'It's great news for the market. Because the markets are performing at the moment, people are getting decent returns  that fuels more investment into IPOs. I think we're going to see a few high-profile ones this autumn. I'm quietly confident the market is going to be pretty strong, especially going into the new year.'

The bullish comments will add to the positive mood around the FTSE going into the autumn.

London has suffered a series of blows as companies such as fintech Wise up sticks for New York and others are taken over by foreign predators. And hopes that a bumper IPO from fast-fashion giant Shein have faded as it looks likely to head for Hong Kong.

But reports suggest other floats are heading to the City  with challenger bank Shawbrook, food giant New Princes and Norwegian software firm Visma among them.

City law firms are said to be stepping up efforts to hire staff with capital markets experience to prepare for an IPO bounce-back.
Actor Sharvari turned muse for fashion designer Amit Aggarwal and walked the ramp at the second edition of 'Cocktail Couture with Exon: The Code of Light'. Speaking to ANI on Sunday, a visibly delighted Sharvari shared her excitement about collaborating with Aggarwal for the first time. She also spoke about her upcoming projects, including the much-awaited 'Alpha'. "My film will release on December 25, and I am really looking forward to it. Keeping my fingers crossed," she said. Sharvari also opened up about her preparations for the film, stating that she has been undergoing training for action scenes. "It has been quite an experience, and I am keeping my cards close to my chest," she subtly teased. Directed by Shiv Rawail, 'Alpha' boasts a female-centric narrative, with Alia Bhatt and Sharvari taking up the lead roles. Actor Bobby Deol is also expected to be a part of the film, as suggested through the post-credits scenes of Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's 'War 2'. Another addition to Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe, 'Alpha' will hit theatres on Christmas 2025. The 'Munjya' star shared her feelings about walking on the ramp for Amit Aggarwal and said, "It feels incredible. This is my first collaboration with Amit sir, and I am beyond excited to have walked the ramp in this outfit that made me look really, really pretty." Mentioning that she believes in finding stories, Sharvari spoke highly about the collection that firmly preserves the Indian heritage. "Amit sir told me how they brought these banarasi sarees and textiles, upcycled them and transformed them into gowns. It is such an incredible story and something I really resonated with," she added. Sharvari, who shared the ramp with Ibrahim Ali Khan, described their equation to be full of fun. "It was my first collaboration with Ibrahim. He is full of high spirits, and he is always fun to be around," she said, further hoping to work with the 'Sarzameen' star. (ANI)
Late evening gunfire claims another victim in what has been one of the most violent weeks in KCMO history . . . Here's the aftermath report that police are sharing with local media:

Homicide 8200 Block of E Bannister Rd

Tonight (9/6/25) just before 11:30pm officers were dispatched to the 8200 block of Bannister Rd. on a shooting call



On arrival officers were directed inside the business there where they located an adult male shooting victim unresponsive on the ground.



Officers rendered aid to the victim and summoned EMS to the scene who declared the victim deceased at the scene



Homicide detectives are at the scene investigating and canvassing for witnesses. Crime scene investigators are processing the scene for evidence.



Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim entered the business shortly before the shooting and had an interaction with one or more additional patrons that were also inside the business. That interaction escalated to gunfire and the victim was struck.



There is no known suspect information at this time and no one is in custody.



If anyone heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.



We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency.



We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents.

##############

Read more via TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

KCTV5: Man shot to death inside south Kansas City business; no suspects arrested

Fox4: Man shot, killed inside business near Bannister Road in Kansas City

Developing . . .
In the aftermath of a violence week, for close readers, we share this latest look at local police work, court cases, investigations &, as always, community outreach.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Man charged in April deadly shooting in Kansas City, Kansas The Wyandotte County District Attorney has charged a 19-year-old Guatemalan man in the April shooting death of 20-year-old Diego Segura-Barbazo.

Community group works to combat crime amongst youth amid recent spike Ossco Bolton, founder and CEO of P.O.S.S.E. (Peers Organized to Support Students' Excellence), said addressing violence requires work from the ground up.

Police searching for woman after child ingested fentanyl, cocaine, meth Police are searching for a woman after a child in her care ingested narcotics multiple times.

Johnson County DA says officer's use of deadly force against suspect was 'justified' Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe will not be pursuing charges against a Shawnee police officer who shot at a suspect earlier this summer.

Man who fled United States after being charged with murder back in Johnson County Jail A man who fled the U.S. after being charged with murder in a fatal Overland Park traffic crash that killed a 75-year-old woman is back in Johnson County and is scheduled to be in court Monday.

FBI searches for wanted gang enforcer believed to be in Kansas City The FBI is searching for a wanted gang enforcer.

A New York Times reporter in Kansas was secretly tracked. He's suing the FBI for more information Nearly four years after a New York Times reporter found a tracking device on his car in Lawrence, Kansas, authorities have yet to tell him what happened.

Secret meetings of parole study group may violate Missouri Sunshine Law The Jefferson City Correctional Center. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent) The panel established by Gov. Mike Kehoe to write rules for how long people who break the law must stay in prison may be violating the law itself by meeting in secret. As one of his first acts as governor in January, Kehoe ordered the Department of Corrections and the Division of...

Feds charge pair in scheme to steal $900,000 from Wyandotte County District Court A federal grand jury has indicted two former Wyandotte County District Court bookkeepers in connection with an alleged scheme to steal $900,000 from the court.

Police identify teen boy shot, killed two days before 16th birthday in Kansas City Authorities have identified a teenage boy who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in south Kansas City.

2 arrested after pursuit across multiple Cass County cities Two men were arrested Friday after starting a pursuit that spanned multiple cities in Cass County.

Car enthusiasts unite at Cody Allen Memorial Show Hundreds of car enthusiasts came with hot rods, low riders, muscle cars and exotic supercars for the first Annual Cody Allen Memorial Car Show on Saturday.

Developing . . .
We wanted to share what's kind of a big deal for so many locals who often search in vain for news about local faith communities and life . . . Longtime journalist and scribe Bill Tammeus is currently overcoming some tech issues . . . And we wanted to help redirect fans to his new online hangout.

Here's more context . . .

"As many of you know, Im moving my Faith Matters blog to Substack full time as of Oct. 1 because my blog host company, Typepad, is going out of business Sept. 30."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Faith Matters Substack: A note about a pause in my blog

Related and kinda more important for Internet deniznes . . . Here's a really interesting report about the tech shut down . . .

Ars Techina: Blogging service TypePad is shutting down and taking all blog content with it
We allow ourselves to get a bit nostalgic on the weekend and right now we celebrate fashionista, actress and enduring 60-year-old Insta hottie Liz as we check pop culture, community reporting and top headlines again.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

First Responder Double Take

KCFD investigate pair of Saturday night fires No injuries were reported.

No Accounting For Bad Taste

Crowds turn out for Lenexa's 42nd Annual Spinach Festival Lenexa rolled out the green carpet this weekend for its 42nd annual Spinach Festival, a celebration of the city's unique claim to fame as the former Spinach Capital of the World.

Celebrating Suburban Roots

More Deets On Flyover Cuisine

New Pitmasters in Town: Competition BBQ team takes over themed restaurant at KCI A competition barbecue team has taken over a themed restaurant in the Kansas City International Airport.

Kansas City Regroups

Coach Reid, Chiefs talk Week 1 loss in Brazil: 'Wasn't good enough' KANSAS CITY, Mo. - While expectations were high among Kansas City Chiefs fans heading into Friday night's Week 1 game in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the Chiefs would end up falling flat. While w...

Celeb Hookup Life Lesson

Elizabeth Hurley Talks 'Good Year' Thanks to Boyfriend Billy Ray Cyrus Elizabeth Hurley gushes about her boyfriend Billy Ray Cyrus, sharing how love and career success have made 2025 unforgettable

MAGA Threatens Chicago

Trump threatens Chicago with apocalyptic force and Pritzker calls him a 'wannabe dictator' President Donald Trump is amplifying his promises to dispatch the National Guard to Chicago by posting a parody image from "Apocalypse Now" featuring a ball of flames as helicopters zoom overhead.

Capital City Against Guard?!?

Washington, DC, residents protest against Trump's troop deployment to the city More than 2,000 troops, including from six Republican-led states, are patrolling the city. It is unclear when their mission will end.

La Migra Flexes On Far East Cars

Inside the raid: How a monthslong federal immigration operation lead to 475 arrests at a Hyundai plant in Georgia | CNN A sprawling Hyundai manufacturing plant in a quiet southeast Georgia community became ground zero on Thursday for one of the most extensive immigration raids in recent US history. The operation, months in the making, ended with 475 arrests, most of them Korean nationals.

Holy Land Urban Fight Cont'd

Israel destroys second high-rise as assault on Gaza City intensifies Israel says it gave warnings in advance of the strike on the Sussi Tower, but Palestinians say displaced people were sheltering in the building.

American Violence In Round World

Haunting video shows homeless ex-con allegedly kill Ukrainian refugee on North Carolina train Chilling new video shows the moment homeless ex-con Decarlos Brown fatally stabbed 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train in what police called a random attack. Officials...

Never Giving Up On Good Times

Study: Gen X, Baby Boomers Want Romance Older adults still believe in true love and demand more than "vanilla' sex, according to a new Kinsey-Match survey on sex and dating trends.

Home Team Blast Back

Royals blow past Twins 11-2: Will Kansas City see October baseball? The Kansas City Royals are now 73-69 after a massive 11-2 win against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night.

Grigs Graciously Shares Pumpkin Spice Preview

Taste of Fall for two more days Heat returns beginning Wednesday

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Actor Kalki Koechlin reflected on her French roots, basking in the couture showcase by Amit Aggarwal. The 'Nesippaya' star took over the narrator's duty at the fashion show, where she raised a bilingual toast in both French and English. "It's great to be in union with the show's theme that follows an Indo-French connection. I feel wonderful to have this unique heritage in common," Kalki told ANI. She also opened up about her love for celebrating Christmas, something which she makes her feel connected to her origins. The actor was full of praise for designer Amit Aggarwal, as she added, "I have always loved his work, especially the fact that he uses these very interesting textures like metal in his work. I think he always has a very magical quality to his outfits, which looks like princesses from the future." Describing fashion as a "form of art", Kalki went on to share her own style mantra and said, "Express yourself through your clothes. Let yourself be free and comfortable at the same time." During the conversation, Kalki shared details about her upcoming project titled 'Bhay - The Gaurav Tiwari Mystery'. The project was announced earlier this year, with a mysterious trailer. https://www.instagram.com/p/DFc8tdGzXZR/ The series is based on the true story of India's first paranormal investigator, Gaurav Tiwari. When he dies under mysterious circumstances, sceptical author Ankita embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind his life and death, delving into the world of the supernatural and questioning her own beliefs along the way, Amazon stated. Besides Kalki Koechlin, the show also features Karan Tacker, Danish Sood, and Saloni Batra. "We are hoping it will come up very soon. Actually we have finished shooting," she said. Release details about 'Bhay - The Gaurav Tiwari Mystery' are yet to be revealed. (ANI)
Corporate reps want to argue percentages . . . The reality that the cost for consumers will continue to rise.

Check the basics . . .

The Missouri Public Service Commission did not approve an initial 15% per month Spire increase request in November 2024. The commission instead approved a different, smaller hike expected to increase monthly bills by 10% on average, or $8 to $10.



Despite the increase, Spire says that a substantial drop in gas prices means customers can still expect to pay less overall than they did in 2024.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Subscription to paid content

Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. Trade operations between Azerbaijan and Georgia have grown significantly in the first seven months of the year, reaching $464.8 million.

Data obtained by Trend from the State Customs Committee indicates that this is a $102.7 million, or 28.4 percent, increase compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, trade with Georgia during this period accounted for 1.61 percent of Azerbaijans total foreign trade, placing the country tenth among Azerbaijans main trading partners. Exports from Azerbaijan to Georgia amounted to $382.2 million, up $75.4 million, or 24.6 percent, year-on-year, while imports from Georgia reached $82.6 million, marking a $27.3 million, or 49.5 percent increase.

Non-oil exports from Azerbaijan to Georgia totaled $183.5 million, a $48 million, or 35.4 percent, rise compared to the first seven months of last year. Non-oil goods accounted for 8.79 percent of Azerbaijans total exports, making Georgia the fourth-largest non-oil export destination for the country.

Azerbaijan's foreign trade with foreign countries amounted to $28.8 billion from January through July 2025. This is 7.25 percent more than the same period last year.

Of the foreign trade turnover, exports amounted to $15.2 billion and imports to $13.6 billion. Thus, in annual terms, exports decreased by 5.4 percent, while imports increased by 26.1 percent.

Consequently, foreign trade resulted in a positive balance of $1.6 billion, which is 3.3 times less than the previous year's figure.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. The Araz Free Economic Zone in East Azerbaijan Province in northwestern Iran is of particular importance because it is located on the border with Azerbaijan, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Armenia, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said this during a visit to the pavilion of the Araz Economic Zone at an exhibition organized within the framework of the conference "Opportunities and Investment Prospects of Free and Trade Zones of Iran", Trend reports.

Araghchi said that the Araz zone is one of Iran's important and strategic trade zones and requires more attention.

To note, Iran's Araz Free Trade Zone is located on the banks of the Araz River. This zone covers an area of 51,000 ha. A total of 150 production and industrial enterprises operate in this zone. At the same time, the largest greenhouse in the country (7,000 square meters) is located in this zone.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. On September 7, Director of Baku International Sea Trade Port LLC Eldar Salahov met with Executive Director of the US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) Natig Bakhyshov, Trend reports with reference to the Port of Baku.

During the meeting, the guests were provided with detailed information about the strategic position of the port, modern infrastructure capabilities, cargo handling indicators, as well as the process of transporting various types of cargo.

It was noted that the Port of Baku is a reliable partner for expanding international cooperation and developing sustainable logistics solutions along the Middle Corridor.

USACC representatives stated that the Baku port plays an important role in cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor and that they are interested in mutual cooperation.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Saturday slammed Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for "justifying" the act of defacing the national emblem inscribed on the foundation stone of the renovated Hazratbal Shrine. He called CM Abdullah's remarks questioning the use of the national emblem on the plaque of the shrine "utter disrespect" of a national symbol. Trivedi said, "Utter disrespect to the national emblem by the leader of the INDI Alliance and CM of J-K. Omar Abdullah, rather than condemning the dastardly attack, tried to justify it." He also slammed Congress and called it an insult to the Constitution. "It shows the real face of Congress and its allies that they are ready to hit the identity and symbol of India's national pride. India's national emblem, considered as Ashok Stambh, has been adopted as the symbol of India by our founding fathers. Disrespect to it is an utter disrespect to the Constitution, integrity and identity of India," he said. The BJP MP questioned Congress for not criticising the vandalism and accused the party of having a "nefarious mindset" to divide the country. "In 1993, when terrorists captured the holy shrine, nobody said that it was an utter disrespect. On this utter disrespect of the national emblem, if the Congress and its alliance are keeping mum, it shows their nefarious mindset, which is ready to divide the country on every possible line to dilute, divert and subvert nationalism," Trivedi said. This comes after Omar Abdullah questioned the use of the national emblem at the shrine and said, "The first question is whether the emblem should have been etched on the foundation stone. I have never seen the emblem being used in any religious place. So, what was the compulsion to have the emblem on the stone at Hazratbal Shrine? What was the need to put up the stone? Was work not enough?" Meanwhile, linking the incident to Bihar, Ashoka's birthplace, Sudhanshu Trivedi took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. "Samrat Ashok was born in Bihar... It seems that Congress and its allies have taken a contract to insult the symbols associated with Bihar, from Kerala to Kashmir. I want to ask Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi that this attack on the symbol of the country's identity and your silence on it are raising very deep questions," he said. He demanded an apology from the leaders of the INDIA bloc for "defending" the miscreants behind the incident. Trivedi added, "Such thoughts towards the symbols associated with Bihar and Emperor Ashoka, and the National Emblem, which is also inscribed on the Constitution of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, show that by keeping the Constitution aside, they want to put their politics above it. They leave no stone unturned in insulting the symbols associated with Bihar. We want a clear and unambiguous answer from both these leaders and from all the parties of the INDIA alliance. They should apologise to the country for attempting to defend this attack on the identity of India." The row sparked after a viral video had surfaced showing a mob defacing the national emblem inscribed on the foundation stone of the shrine, which is undergoing reconstruction and redevelopment under the Waqf Board. (ANI)
The immersion was carried out with traditional Mardani Khel, performances showcasing the valour and martial traditions of Maharashtra.

Pune Joint Commissioner Ranjan Kumar Sharma also performed aarti at the Alka Talkies Chowk on the occasion.

Devotees also gathered in large numbers to witness the procession of Shrimant Dagduseth Halwai Ganpati Mandal in Pune.

Earlier, the final journey of Lord Ganesh from the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja pandal also witnessed a grand celebration on the last day of the festival.

At the procession, hundreds of devotees gathered to watch the immersion, while paying a final goodbye to the Lord. In videos, the idol could be seen being taken for a public visual, showered with water and sindoor (vermillion), creating a visual spectacle.

Lalbaugcha Raja, which has been famously drawing visitors throughout the 10-day period, also saw several Bollywood celebrities and prominent personalities, including Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, along with his wife, Reliance Foundation Founder-Chairperson Nita Ambani, offering prayers at the pandal.

The procession for the immersion of Nagpur Cha Raja began in the afternoon, with devotees gathered in large numbers to send Bappa home.

Preparations were made for a massive vehicle as many climbed on in the front before bringing the idol out from the pandal. Prior to the immersion, a mangal aarti was performed at the pandal.

People also came in large numbers to witness the grand celebrations at the Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak Chowk in Maharashtra.

The 10-day festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi culminated on Saturday, with 'visarjan processions' across the country. The 'visarjan' is observed on the 10th day of the festival, ending on Anant Chaturdashi. Visuals from various pandals have surfaced, showing devotees taking part in processions as they prepare to bid farewell to Lord Ganesh. (ANI)
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met with affected people in the flood-hit areas of Kurukshetra. Sharing an X post on Saturday, the Chief Minister said that he met affected families in Jharauli Khurd and Tangor villages. He wrote, "I visited the affected areas today to assess the situation caused by heavy rainfall in Kurukshetra district. I met with the families of Jharauli Khurd and Tangor villages in Shahabad to gather information about the condition of their areas and the damage to their crops." He added that the state government is providing all necessary assistance and compensation. "To the residents and farmer brothers in the areas of the state struggling with waterlogging, I assure you that the state government stands firmly with you and is ensuring that all necessary assistance, from compensation to other forms of support, is being provided to those affected," the X post read. In another social media post, he wrote, "Upon reaching the villages of Jhansaa, Thol, and Shanti Nagar in Kurukshetra district, I assessed the situation of waterlogging and directed the officials to expedite relief operations further. Our government remains continuously committed to providing all possible assistance to the affected people." "Today, upon reaching the new grain market in Babain (Kurukshetra), I met with the farmer brothers and the families of the area and gathered information about the problems arising due to the heavy rains that have been continuously occurring for several days. I assured them that the state government is steadfastly and unwaveringly standing with them, and the administration is continuously engaged in relief efforts," the CM wrote on X. CM Saini also extended support to the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government amid floods in the state. He said that the flood relief arrangements in Punjab are being overseen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister JP Nadda. Speaking to reporters in Kurukshetra, he said, "I had written a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in which we stated that if you need any kind of help, we will make every possible effort to assist you. We are providing them with help. This entire arrangement is being personally overseen by Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, and Prime Minister Modi. I want to tell all parties to rise above this petty politics and work for the welfare of society." Meanwhile, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, quoting media reports, claimed that at least 28 people have died in the Haryana floods and 15 lakh acres of farming land have been destroyed. "Today, there is a deluge of floods everywhere in Haryana, and the government is missing. According to newspapers and government figures in Haryana, 28-29 people have lost their lives. Fifteen lakh acres of farming in Haryana have been destroyed. Thousands of livestock have been swept away in the water," Surjewala said during a media interaction in Hisar. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Haryana-Chandigarh received 7-11 cm of rainfall till 8:30 AM on Saturday. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely to continue in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi till September 9. (ANI)
Stamps released on day of saints' canonisation.

Italy and the Vatican will issue special commemorative stamps to mark the canonisation of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati who will become saints on Sunday morning.

The postage stamps feature the faces of Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991-2006) and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925) whose canonisation ceremony will be presided over by Pope Leo XIV in St Peters Square.

The stamps, which are priced at 1.35 each, will be issued together with special postmarks created to mark the occasion.

The Acutis stamp features the new saint wearing a red shirt and carrying a backpack, taken during a school trip to Mount Subasio, near Assisi, shortly before his death aged 15 from leukemia.

The Frassati stamp depicts a portrait of the Italian Catholic activist, painted by his relation, artist Alberto Falchetti (18781951).

Acutis, who was born in London, is known as "God's influencer" for creating a website dedicated to Eucharistic miracles and for using his computer skills to spread the faith.

Acutis was beatified in 2020 by Pope Francis while Frassati was beatified in 1990 by Pope John Paul II.

Their double canonisation in St Peter's Square was originally scheduled for 27 April but was postponed due to the death of Pope Francis.

The ceremony will be held as part of the Vatican's Jubilee Year calendar of events, with large crowds expected in St Peter's Square to witness the first saints proclaimed during the pontificate of Leo XIV.
The Portlaw Heritage Centre Committee expressed delight recently and gratitude to all those who supported it events over the course of Heritage Week.

"Both our walks were a success and we welcomed visitors every day we were open," said a spokesperson for the centre.

The Heritage Centre welcomed former tannery workers and visitors from near and far, and even some from Australia

"Over the course of the week we had the pleasure of talking with former tannery workers, visitors from near and far, and even some from Australia," he added.

"We also had descendants of Kennedy OBrien, first Managing Director of Irish Tanners, join us on Saturday, August 23, as we focused on the 40th anniversary of the closure of the tannery."

The Heritage Centre welcomed former tannery workers and visitors from near and far, and even some from Australia

Those involved with the local centre staff were also delighted to meet with their colleagues from Knockanore Heritage & Historical Society as well as members of the Clonmel Historical & Archaeological Society.

The Heritage Centre welcomed former tannery workers and visitors from near and far, and even some from Australia and the walks were a great success

"We will be continuing with our work recording the story of tannery workers over the next year and building our website and heritage trail," said the spokesperson.

"Again thank you to all who supported our activities."
Revenue officers seized 109,000 in cash, and tobacco worth over 26,000, in Waterford.

The seizure was made on Friday, September 5, when Revenue Officers in Waterford, assisted by the Kilkenny and Rosslare teams, seized 29.65 kilograms of tobacco and the sum of cash.

A spokesperson for the Revenue said the operation, which was assisted by An Gardai Siochana, occurred during a search of a residential property in Waterford.

The tobacco, branded Amber Leaf, represented a retail value of 26,216 and a potential loss to the exchequer of 19,801.

A woman was questioned and investigations are ongoing.

Revenue officers were granted detention orders on Saturday, September 6, in respect of the cash seized by Judge Geraldine Carthy at Kilkenny District Court.

These routine operations are part of Revenue's ongoing work targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity.

If businesses, or members of the public have any information, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295295.
Advertisement

LifestyleLife & relationshipsSex & relationships This was published 3 months ago Opinion Bad Romance: Women are becoming more like men, but men are not becoming more like women Maureen Dowd New York Times columnist September 7, 2025  5:35pm

September 7, 2025  5:35pm 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 46 View all comments

When I wrote Are Men Necessary? two decades ago, the books title was meant to be mischievous. Sure, men and women seemed in a muddle at the dawn of the millennium. As women climbed up, poking their heads into spaces long dominated by men, the shift in power affected romance. Social media promised to make us more connected. But in love, its only driving us further apart. iStock There was an assumption that courtship rituals, where women trapped, landed and bagged a man, waiting to be chased and expecting to have their restaurant tab picked up, would fade as equality grew. No more games, like the ones recommended by The Rules, the 1995 bible that told women to play hard to get. (Always end phone calls first. Let him take the lead. Dont stare at men or talk too much.)

Advertisement

When I wrote my book, women were in a tangle of independence and dependence. But I figured wed get through it and the battle of the sexes would simmer down. Boy, was I wrong. I joked in the book that men were evolving slowly, if at all. But now many men do seem rudderless in an era when they are doing worse than women, by many metrics. More women are enrolled in college than men are. And a worrying number of men say they have no close friends. Some women still want men to take care of them. And some men are anxious about being a provider if they cant even afford a starter home. Social media and media are bristling with women  and sometimes men  expressing resentment, irritation, frustration and exhaustion about the opposite sex. As one post circulating on Instagram grumbled, The fact that men think they can spend all their good years whoring about & can come back to you in the sunset of their life with their erectile dysfunction, Michael Jordan jeans, & receding hairlines is really just crazy to me.

Advertisement

Related Article Opinion

Dating Dating apps are sheer hell. But Im not ready to go boy sober, either Carly Sophia Contributor Literature is filled with womens keening about the less voluble and less emotional way that men communicate  and their tendency to pull back. Dorothy Parker expressed it best in her story about a woman staring at the phone, waiting for her promised call from him. Dear God, let him call me now ... He couldnt have minded my calling him up. I know you shouldnt keep telephoning them  I know they dont like that. When you do that they know you are thinking about them and wanting them, and that makes them hate you  Couldnt you ring? Now the tension rages in a digital derecho, with oh so many ways beyond a rotary phone to make and drop connections. To excite interest and to dismiss interest.

Advertisement

Dating apps, once a godsend, now bedevil people. And all complicated by the fact that younger generations have less and less in-person communication. Social media, hailed as an innovation that would knit us together, is driving us apart once more. A whole vocabulary has sprung up around digital trysting  and a whole cottage industry of experts, including ChatGPT  to help you fathom the mind of a love interest. The lexicon includes situationships and ghosting, of course. And submarining, which is ghosting, then returning, then ghosting again. Breadcrumbing, sending sporadic messages of interest that keep you on the hook. Limerence, a romantic obsession that develops when youre love-bombed. The response, many say, to impulsive dumpers should be no contact. Its uncomfortably close to The Rules. Sometimes its men complaining about being ghosted, and of women deciding they dont need a man. But usually women are the ones on Instagram obsessing about men who are Dismissive Avoidants skittering away from Anxious Attachers. Women get frustrated by men when they grow absent. Women are advised to absent themselves in response to mens absence to lure the men into being more present. Its a vicious cycle.

Advertisement

Another perspective Opinion

Dating I dated a dozen guys last year. It didnt work out but I have no complaints Lucia Frazzetto Contributor As Rachel Drucker wrote in a Modern Love piece for The New York Times, many younger men have been rewired to prefer frictionless stimulation. The more time they spend online, she contended, the more men drift away from intimacy and vulnerability toward indifference. They werent sitting across from someone on a Saturday night, trying to connect, Drucker wrote. They were scrolling. Dabbling. Disappearing behind firewalls, filters and curated personas. And, God help us, uncannily beautiful AI girlfriends who are never too much. In Times Magazine, Jean Garnett explored heterofatalism, lamenting mens growing anxiety about desire. Garnett said she has been bruised by the ambivalence of men, how they can first want me and then become confused about what they want

Advertisement

Editor's pick Opinion

Gender Calling men toxic may feel good, but it wont save a single boy from the manosphere Ahona Guha Psychologist At a vegan restaurant in downtown Manhattan, she and her girlfriends wondered: Where were the men who could handle hard stuff? Like leaving the house for sex? Both sexes seem trapped. There are still reverberations from the #MeToo quake. Men are more tentative about approaching women in public and chary that their texts will be circulated. In a look at dating in New York Magazine, E.J. Dickson found that many single men think that women inherently believe all men want to hurt and embarrass them. Women are ever more equal but are advised to adhere to hoary dating rules that are older than they are: Dont chase. Dont text or DM if he doesnt. Dont smother him. Lean into the feminine. Corinne Low, a Wharton professor of gender economics who wrote a book called Having It All, told New York Magazine that she realised having it all would be easier if she started dating a woman.

Advertisement

Women are becoming more like men, but men are not becoming more like women. And humans are becoming less human. Men are necessary and so are women. But they need to get it together. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.
Advertisement

LifestyleLife & relationshipsSunday Life This was published 3 months ago Eight years ago, I called off my engagement. Were back together, with one big change Jane Rocca September 7, 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 2 View all comments

This story is part of the September 7 edition of Sunday Life. See all stories .

Zan Rowe is best known for her work as one of the countrys leading music journalists, and host of the ABCs Take 5. Here, the 47-year-old explains how her grandfather inspired her career choice, and how, after breaking off her engagement eight years ago, she and her partner found their way back to one another. Zan Rowe had her first relationship at 18, with a man who cold-emailed her from the US. Peter Tarasiuk My paternal grandfather George died when my father was three. He was tragically killed by a car while delivering milk in a horse and cart in the 1940s. I was very close to my maternal grandfather, Alan, who died aged 98. He was involved in community radio in his 70s  we had that common ground. Hed play concerts and classical music on a show he hosted with my grandmother, Muriel, called Pot-Pourri. My dad Malcolm was an electrical engineer, a TAFE teacher and also worked for RMIT. I loved hanging with him in the shed, dressed in overalls like Kylie Minogue did in Neighbours. Dad used to give me the oil can to oil the bike. He trusted my curiosity to get around the shed, and I had the same access as my brothers did.

Advertisement

My brother Joel is five years older than me and Josh is four years older. They would gang up on me as a kid. As a 12-year-old girl, I appreciated them bringing their mates over as I would perve at the cute boys who came to skate the half-pipe in our backyard. In year 7, a guy called Paul asked me out. I didnt like him, but I obliged due to peer pressure. We dated for a week, and were almost going to kiss near the portables with the entire year 7 watching from behind the trees. He broke up with me because I was frigid. He is now my gay bestie and lives two streets away  we do everything together. I didnt really fall in love or have a proper relationship until I was 18. Zan Rowe My first kiss happened at a house party when I was 15. I grabbed some guy and made him kiss me, so I could get it over and done with. He had just eaten a steamed dim sim; it was disgusting. I gave him a chewy, told him to chew and spit it out and kiss me again. It could not have been more directed. I didnt really fall in love or have a proper relationship until I was 18. One day, I got an email from an American guy in Alaska  Damien  saying hed found my website. Six months later, I flew to America to meet him. I was mentally in love, and we went on a road trip for 2 months around the States in VW 1978 pop-top. I lived in the USA on and off for 3 years.

Advertisement

Damien was seven years older than me and I kept deferring my university course because I was in limbo. I broke it off and applied for the RMIT Media Studies course and solidified my connections to community radio  the rest is history. Related Article Sunday Life I fell in love with Stans mind: Tracey Holmes on being in a media power couple I met Dave, a filmmaker, through a friend and felt a spark with him straight away. I was 26. He lived in Sydney, and we did long distance for a year. I moved to Sydney and stayed for 14 years. We were together for four. After we broke up, I tried dating some guys in the music biz, but they were flakes. I went on rsvp.com and found Geoff  a school teacher. When we met, I immediately felt comfortable. He had been living in London and didnt know who I was. We found out quickly we lived a few streets away from each other in Darlinghurst. Our first date was a Monday night movie; when I drove him home, we sat in the car talking and kissing. We complement each other well. He is supportive and a good balancer and takes me down a notch if I am getting too big for my boots.

Advertisement

Geoff proposed to me at the 3 year mark. Because I wanted to be with him, I said yes, even though I didnt really want to get married. Then we broke up seven years in. We loved each but it wasnt working. We went our separate ways. A year after doing some work on ourselves, we started dating again. It was a weird thing to do  especially with someone you were once engaged to, but it was magical. One of the first things I said is that we arent re-engaged, and were not getting married. Weve now been together for 15 years. Season 4 of Take 5 premieres on ABC TV on September 9. Get the best of Sunday Life magazine delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. Sign up here for our free newsletter.
Liberal powerbroker Alex Hawke has refused to be drawn on whether he referenced frontbencher Jane Hume during a phone call with senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Prices office, following the latters comments about Indian immigration.

In a tense exchange on ABC Afternoon Briefing, host Patricia Karvelas grilled Hawke about whether he referred to Hume during the phone call.

Opposition spokesperson for industry and innovation Alex Hawke. Alex Ellinghausen

Karvelas asked: The staffer has reported to the senator who she works for that you directly mention Jane Hume in a way that was menacing, because you were basically insinuating that, like Jane Hume was dumped from the front bench, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price would be too.

Hawke said, No, I didnt make any threat or reference to Jane in any way about her dumping.

When pressed on whether he mentioned Hume at all, Hawke said: Im not going to go into the conversation we had. I am going to say I didnt make any reference to any dumping, and Im going to say perfectly clearly, I wouldnt draw the staffer into it.

Hawke rejected Karvelas suggestion that his call to Prices office was more than five minutes long, rather than the two minutes he claimed it was. Karvelas cited several conservative Liberals as telling her about the length of the phone call.

I dont know how any several conservative Liberals would know that, Hawke said.

Im on one end, and theres someone on the other end. It was an unplanned and unexpected call, and theres only two people that know how long it went for. Everybody else is speculating. Im not going to get into that realm of gossip and stupidity.
Everyone in this church is subject to the whims of its all-powerful leader, multimillionaire Sydney businessman Bruce D. Hales  known internally as BDH, the Lords Servant, the Elect Vessel or, when talking business, the CEO. Criticising him or his sons, known as the Royal family, is unthinkable.

Staying in, though, is becoming untenable. Having critical thoughts and expressing them, particularly as a woman, would make her an outcast in the organisation now known as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.

Bruce Hales (front left), the global leader of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, preaches in the US.

Despite that revelation, four years later, Rebecca remains a member of the church. Since birth, shes been taught the world outside is a terrifying place. And leaving would mean confronting that terror alone  she would lose access to her family and friends, everyone she knows.

A series of events had opened what she calls her critical thinking box for the first time. Suddenly, she saw what she now says is the dishonesty, injustice and lack of free choice built into the only community shes known.

It was 2021 when she woke up at 3am with one thought in her head: I dont want to do this any more.

Rebecca* can pinpoint the moment she lost faith in the Exclusive Brethren  the church she was born into, married in, had children in and which controls virtually every aspect of her life.

Members of the Brethren spent millions of dollars and weeks of their time in a highly co-ordinated attempt to help Peter Dutton become prime minister at the last federal election. Even the women stepped out, though they were requested to wear non-Brethren attire to fly under the radar.

The exception is unpaid work in church-run enterprises, such as the school, the Brethren-only grocery shop, Campus and Co, and the public-facing charity the Rapid Relief Team.

In his ministry, Bruce Hales lists the divine ordering as God first, then Christ, man, woman. Women should be attached to their husbands, attached to their children, discreet, chaste, diligent in home work. If they behave like that, it will greatly help and improve the state amongst us.

So her role is to follow the rules, remain quiet, raise her children and look after her house and husband.

Also like all women, she sits at the back of the church and cannot speak, except to call out the numbers of the hymns. The unspoken belief among the Brethren, she says, is that nothing a woman could say is important enough to be heard in church.

But for women, the strictures are even tighter. Church doctrine means Rebecca was subject to her father, and then, when she married, to her husband. Like most women, she married young, had children and has never been permitted to occupy a position of authority over a man, in business or in life.

I grew up among one of the most misogynistic groups in Australia, and it shaped who I am, says Lavinia Richardson, 23, who left two years ago on the verge of marriage. You are put into a mould from the day youre born and youre just turned into this submissive, quiet person.

Lavinia Richardson, 23, left the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (formerly known as the Exclusive Brethren) two years ago.

But women inside the church, and those who have left, say this is simply wrong.

The church denies there is anything to see here. Its spokesman, Lloyd Grimshaw, insists: Our church very much values the role of women, and it is offensive to suggest that we treat them as second class citizens.

Former senator Linda Reynolds told this masthead that it was unacceptable that we were associated with a group whose treatment of women, to me, is reprehensible and misogynistic.

The intervention has caused enormous division in the Liberal Party, and it was the churchs treatment of women that most offended many.

Insiders says women are seated at the back of the church, underlining their place in its hierachy.

At the centre of Plymouth Brethren Christian Church philosophy sits one core belief, the doctrine of separation. It teaches that the saints are separate and better than the rest of us, and that the world is a place of defilement and contamination. Church members are prohibited from eating and socialising with, or befriending their non-Brethren neighbours  people known as worldlies.

Rebecca says, as difficult as all this is to bear, she still cannot see a way out.

This is a strictly hierarchical society  where the wealthy, the powerful and the priestly sit in the front rows of the assembly and the poorer and less socially acceptable sit up the back. But the lowliest man is further forward than the most respected woman.

From birth youre going to church and the women sit behind, and youre silent  the men do all the talking. The men are the priests, theyre in control. Youre visibly seeing that youre segregated and pushed to the back.

Rebecca has lived by the Brethrens prescriptions. In her words, she did everything right. She married a man at 21 who was approved for her by Hales.

Asked why women cannot speak in the assembly except to announce the hymns, he replies: The question doesnt make sense.

In answer to questions, its spokesman, Grimshaw, cited the Bible to justify womens secondary role: As the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing, he quotes.

The Brethren church presents itself to politicians and society as a normal, strict, denomination that adheres to conservative but mainstream Christian values.

And so she endures, and hopes that, someday, an answer to her dilemma will become clear.

If Rebecca left, she would be making herself an outcast. She would probably lose access to her children, her husband, her parents  her whole extended family. They shouldnt be made to pay for the way I feel, she tells me, on condition of strict anonymity. I still want to be a mum and a grandma.

In her wedding vows, as all Brethren do, she pledged allegiance to the church  to uphold in our household, scriptural principles, including those  set out and established in the ministries of these great [Brethren] leaders, with which I am in complete agreement.

Then Rebecca had children. They go to Brethren-only schools and are destined, as they grow up, to work in Brethren businesses. The typical Brethren family is big because the church does not recruit from outside.

Children and adults are encouraged to use Brethren-endorsed phones and laptops that are loaded with proprietary Brethren software to track their physical movements and interactions online.

Some time after Rebeccas children turn 21, they are to marry a Brethren spouse  if the world leader of the day approves the match. (Rebecca told me last week there was a slew of engagements now being announced, adding, BDH has obviously attacked his stack of letters asking for marriage permission.) Once married, divorce is virtually impossible.

An old photo of church leader Bruce Hales.

If a young person is approaching an age at which they are considered on the shelf  about 25 for women and 27 for men  and cannot find an acceptable partner, help is at hand. Theres a spreadsheet that, for a fee, will show young people eligible potential spouses in their age group, where they live and, crucially, if they are related.

Contraception is banned, so the newlyweds will quickly start having Brethren children. And that, says Rebecca, will trap them, as she is trapped, by the fear of losing those children if they leave.

The control is both structural and social. Critical thinking is dismissed. Its often said by the Brethren leadership, according to Rebecca, We do the thinking, you do the doing. She says women are judged harshly if they are seen to have opinions and express them.

Women are scared by the implied threat that our thinking is wrong  that youre insubject. That youre out of place, Rebecca tells me. Im shaming my husband by speaking out about things, because he is supposed to keep me under control.

Isnt this an intense level of control, I say? Your words made me think, Rebecca replies. Most [Brethren] wouldnt see it that way.

Grimshaw dismisses the idea that women are prevented from speaking their minds. Clearly you havent met many (possibly any) of the women in our church. If you had, you would know how absurd this question is.

In middle age, these questions are very real for Rebecca. She is now asking what the next half of her life holds. Under Brethren doctrine, she feels she has never been seen or taken seriously.

The conditioning is hard to lose. Is Hales really the Lords servant? Is he, as the Brethren are told, so close to the Lord Jesus that he can feel his heartbeat?

And what if the talk among the Brethren is true  that Hales has prophesied in private that the Rapture will come in 2029, give or take six months? Grimshaw denies Hales has said this.

So Rebecca stays in the church, living with a deep divide in her mind  the critical side telling her what shes been taught is wrong and unhealthy and the other, the indoctrinated part, cowering in fear.

Lavinia Richardson knew by year 9 that, if she was going to leave the Brethren, it had to be before she was married. In year 11, though, she grew so desperate waiting that she tried to take her own life.

I thought, I just feel like I have no way out. I cant leave  and I cant stay for two more years.

It was a serious suicide attempt. But as she slipped out of consciousness, the thought struck her: F---, theres got to be more life than this  surely theres a world where I can be more than a wife and baby maker?

What saved her, specifically, was the thought of the children she could have outside the church  girls, one day, that I can raise to be strong, independent women who will have a voice and can actually speak for themselves.

And just thinking, I dont want to die. Im excited about life  but I also dont want to raise children and grandchildren in this environment.

Lavinia Richardson when she was a Brethren member.

At 21, Richardson left, despite the fear drilled into her about the outside world.

Youre constantly told by your parents, the priests, that youll be broke, homeless, penniless, in the gutter, pregnant, if you leave as a woman  Im not sure why they always say youll end up pregnant.

Now, two years later, she is living far from the Victorian home of her Brethren parents. Putting the final nail in the coffin of their relationship was her revealing she was bisexual.

They said, Well if thats the way you feel, then youve lost us for good, Richardson says. Those words will probably stick with me until the day I die. It was like Id been physically stabbed in the stomach.

Grimshaw denies the church reviles homosexuality, saying sexual relationships should be between a man and a woman but that we also acknowledge that others can have different views.

Richardson says she was also told after leaving: It would have been easier if youd died. Its a common saying, she says.

Grimshaw denies that too. The Church would not and does not say that.

Richardson says now of the religion she was raised in: Its a system. Its not a church, its a cult. She confirmed Rebeccas view that outspoken women were shameful to their husbands.

It doesnt even have to be anything opposing. Even just being a loud, outgoing, sunny person  all forms of self-expression just get trampled out.

Richardson in what she describes as her girl boss photo shoot. Olive McTaggart

She says there is virtually no sex education  certainly none at school  and relationships before marriage are heavily discouraged. Her family had never talked to her about sex except in the context of talking about being submissive.

And this was the one arena, says Richardson, where she was told she could stand up to her husband if she wasnt in the mood.

Church spokesman Grimshaw said a question about sex education was strange and wrong.

The types of conversations we have [about sex] would be instantly recognisable to any other Christian parents and children, he said. As for relationships prior to marriage, he said, millions of Christians around the world believe the same thing we do.

Asked about domestic violence, Grimshaw said: The church abhors violence in all forms.

But with no option of divorce, Richardson says, I saw women in relationships that were quite obviously abusive and they had absolutely no way out.

She says Brethren doctrine is therefore 1000 per cent more conducive to violence.

Cassie Davies saw a high level of control in her own family. Her mother was outspoken and was persecuted throughout our lives.

She was told she was mental. She got medicated, theyd take her off to see their doctors. So any sort of self-will, that was just beat out of you. And you learned very quickly that you dont push against the rules.

Davies left at 20, and has been 21 years out of the Brethren.

Cassie Davies, who is happily out of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.

She says the system is terrible for men, too.

The pressure on the men builds bullies, basically, because they have to be. They are responsible for the household, so everything that happens is their responsibility and the fear of failing in that creates bullies.

She agreed with Richardson that, in many cases, that led to violence.

But its a very covert  it would never be an overt violence. Because of the community and the way its structured.

In social situations  primarily the Sunday large group gathering known as break, she says, everyone was pretending to be shiny happy people. Kids are all well behaved. They want to talk about how well behaved their children are in public.

Behind the scenes, though, both men and women are encouraged to drink, and do so lavishly. Its a way to cope.

Its perfectly acceptable until you cross the invisible line into visible drunkenness  then youre heavily shamed and belittled for it, Davies says.

Men drink under the immense pressure of being responsible for controlling their household, women drink to manage the constant pressure to perform under oppression, and teenagers often drink in rebellion.

Most are simply trying to numb the pain and pressure of keeping up appearances. The cognitive dissonance is difficult for anyone to manage, especially for those who still hold on to remnants of critical thinking through the moulding process.

Rebecca agrees that alcohol is a big part of life. She says it also helps reinforce the hierarchy: the wealthier you are, the more expensive the bottle you bring as a gift. Hales drinks Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky at $400 a bottle, she says.

I know many, many women wholl start drinking mid-afternoon, Rebecca says. Lunches out, theres drink. Young girls going out for breakfast, theres a drink  Mimosa.

The more she thinks critically about the Brethren, the more its almost impossible to reconcile this double life. Its eating her inside.

Its an existential crisis of mid-life, Rebecca says. I am just so sick of being the underdog and for no reasons.

But leaving is still too hard. For a woman, whose only role has been to serve the church and her family, finding a way out is a challenge that seems insurmountable.

So, for now, she stays.

Not her real name

Lifeline: 131 114
The red-roofed farmhouse, once an off-grid oasis for Rebecca and Andrew Swift, is now the centre of a crime scene.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share

In early autumn, Dezi Freemans landlord, Rebecca Swift, sat smiling under a banner that pictured her rural alpine valley property, dubbed Four Gully Farm. Swift, an anti-government conspiracy theorist, was running a stall at the Off-Grid Living Festival, selling organic produce harvested from the Porepunkah farm. Illustrated on the banner is the propertys red-roofed farmhouse, its chestnut and feijoa trees, and happy farmers, all set against the towering backdrop of Mount Buffalo. Andrew and Rebecca Swift pictured in a documentary produced by Andrew, an alpine region expert. It was impossible for Swift  who is actively involved in the anti-government movement and deeply mistrusts authorities  to even imagine that just months later, that very scene would be projected across the country as the centre of the biggest manhunt in Victorias recent history. Her tenant, Freeman, is alleged to have murdered Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart with a home-made shotgun at the bus he was living in not far from the farms main red-roofed residence. Another detective wounded in the attack hid under the bus for up to an hour until paramedics arrived, police sources say.

Advertisement

Related Article Porepunkah shooting Oh my god, its Uncle Des: The spiralling descent of an alleged police killer The Swifts, well-liked greenies in the alpine community, are said to have run an off-grid type of community on their farmland, which they bought in 2016, though little is known about who else was living on the property at the time of the alleged ambush. Theres a lot of people living there. Its like a little community. You see a lot of cars driving in and out, one neighbour said. Bruce Evans, a friend of Freeman who visited the Porepunkah property several times, said Dezi had built the bus himself while his family was living in a house in Porepunkah, before they moved to the Swifts property. Dezi was actually building the bus and making it off-grid. He did it all himself, Evans said. It was a great little farm and very well laid out and very well looked after. One visitor who camped under the propertys chestnut trees described her time on the 20-hectare farm as magical. Love what the Swift family have created and the community they have built, she shared on social media. The Swifts and the other tenants were forced from their gated community after Freeman  who is said to be heavily armed  fled into dense bushland shortly after the August 26 shooting, and police launched the massive manhunt that is in its second week.

Advertisement

Crime Command Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly has confirmed that Freemans wife, Mali, and at least one of his children, were home when the officers arrived to execute a warrant. Its not clear whether other tenants or the Swifts were also on the property at the time of the shooting. The Swifts have gone even further off the grid since the incident, and locals say they havent seen the couple. Freeman, a self-proclaimed sovereign citizen with a history of police hatred, moved onto Four Gully Farm with his family after a string of bad fallings-out with former landlords, who have made claims about his violent temper and disturbing obsession with guns. Loading But the trio shared some common interests  the Swifts and Freeman have a deep knowledge and love for the land they lived on; Freeman moved up from Melbourne to the nearby Victorian border town of Wodonga when he was a young boy, while the Swifts grew up in the alpine valley. As Rebeccas online activity would suggest, she and Freeman were both believers in COVID-19 conspiracies, and were aligned in their view that the government was corrupt and could not be trusted. There is no suggestion, however, that Rebecca or anyone else living on Four Gully Farm held any of the extremist or violent behaviour allegedly displayed by Freeman.

Advertisement

In fact, locals in Porepunkah and Bright speak highly of the Swifts, dubbing them highly intelligent people who are known for organic farming. Their chestnut hummus and feijoa cordial are favourites at the Myrtleford and Bright farmers markets. They would have had nothing to do with what happened. They are very nice, friendly people, and Im not really aware of any of their political views, said an employee of a Porepunkah business, who insisted she not be identified. Bruce Evans, a friend of Freeman, says no one else living on the property had anything to do with Freemans alleged crimes. Jason South Evans said no one else living on the property had anything to do with Freemans alleged crimes. Ive met a tonne of people there during various times. Id like to point out that the people living there are now having a real hard time because of whats happening at the moment [police searching the area], he said. Ive been told that theyre suffering big time because of this, they cant get on with their lives. This masthead spoke to more than 20 people and conducted extensive research on the online profiles of the Swifts to paint a picture of their life in Porepunkah. Those interviewed asked not to be identified while a double murder probe was under way and Freeman is on the run.

Advertisement

This masthead made several attempts to contact the Swifts, who did not respond to phone calls or text messages. Political predator class Rebecca has always been active in the alpine valley community; before the COVID-19 lockdowns, she was organising climate action strikes and helped raise money for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. But as the spread of COVID-19 and resulting lockdowns spurred an anti-government ideology underscored by conspiracy theories and a deep mistrust of authorities, Rebecca turned her activism efforts to the freedom movement. She helped organise anti-government rallies and urged people to get involved with various events, fielding volunteers for an anti-vaxxer group and posting event links into community noticeboards. Rebecca Swift (second from right) has long been politically active. In May, in an online discussion about the state governments highly criticised fire levy tax hike, Rebecca wrote: It was a tough job trying to raise awareness of the corruption and lawlessness being perpetrated by the government and their mouthpieces, while being portrayed as selfish, stupid conspiracy theorist, far-right granny killers.

Advertisement
Advertisement

NationalNSWSkin cancer This was published 3 months ago With summer on the way, Generation Zs tanning habits continue to concern The Herald's View September 7, 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

For years, Australians have been told there is no such thing as a safe tan or urged to follow the mantra slip, slop, slap. Yet skin cancer experts are increasingly concerned by Generation Z attitudes towards sun safety. Pro-tanning content is rife on social media, with young people  mostly women  comparing tan lines and trading tips. Despite TikTok purporting to have banned such material from its platform, a quick search reveals this is not the case. As Mary Ward reports in todays Sun-Herald, dangerous sunbeds are still being rented out a decade after NSWs tan ban on commercial solariums, with social media platforms facilitating the industry. While commercial solariums were outlawed in 2014, the devices themselves  regular use of which has been attributable to a high proportion of young melanoma cases  are not banned. It is still legal  though any skin cancer expert would tell you: inadvisable  to have a sunbed in ones home for personal use.

Advertisement

This loophole has created an enforcement minefield for the NSW Environment Protection Authority, which oversees the commercial solarium ban as part of its role in regulating radiation in the state: it is not an offence to have a sunbed, only to make money from it. And a cottage industry of at-home solariums has become pretty good at managing that second bit in secret. Related Article Skin cancer DM to book: The secret solariums operating inside suburban homes Suburban solariums solicit clients through social media platforms, particularly Instagram, where dozens in Sydney operate as private accounts, advertising their services and location in their  publicly viewable  account bio, urging prospective clients to message the page to book. Renting out access to sunbeds set up in garages and spare rooms  and trading in cash only  these covert solariums have easily flouted the ban on such businesses, due in part to outdated rules about what soliciting a client may look like. It will now be an offence to publish an image, audio or text that solicits, invites or promotes inquiries about the use of a tanning unit, leaving covert businesses that operate through private Instagram accounts undeniably falling foul of the law.

Advertisement

The reforms introduced last month are a sensible step to give more teeth to the EPAs efforts to crack down on a concerning trend. However, while stronger enforcement is good, questions must also be asked as to why solariums still have customers. The mantras of sun safety campaigns of years gone by are clearly not reaching the next generation. While organisations such as the Cancer Council have strong social media presences, it is difficult to cut through the tidal wave of pro-tanning content viewed by young Australians, created locally and abroad. Australia is now asking social media companies to enforce an age ban for their platforms. Perhaps, as occurs with smoking in media and advertising, a request could also be made to crack down on depictions of unsafe health practices. Bevan Shields sends an exclusive newsletter to subscribers each week. Sign up to receive his Note from the Editor.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Skin cancer

Editorial

For subscribers The Herald's View  Since the Herald was first published in 1831, the editorial team has believed it important to express a considered view on the issues of the day for readers, always putting the public interest first.
The She Teams of Gujarat Police provided self-defence training to women at garba classes ahead of the Navratri celebrations across Gujarat, CID Crime, Women's Cell, Additional Director General (ADG) Ajay Kumar said. ADG Ajay Kumar told ANI on Saturday that the She Teams of the police will also be present at the Navratri programs. "There are 733 She teams across Gujarat. Each team has a vehicle, three female police staff and one male staff. This is a community outreach program...She teams will be present in all the Navratri programs. Their charter of duties includes spreading awareness regarding good-touch and bad-touch, providing self-defence training to women and children, counselling them, and raising awareness among them," he said. The She Teams of the police patrol the Garba events annually. A student who received the training said that the Police shared information regarding keeping oneself safe during the events, and have extended full support for security. Student Karishma Parmar said, "The Police have given us a lot of information on how to protect ourselves during Navratri... They told us that we can dial 112 and the police will help us. If our vehicle is not working, the police will help us reach home. They have given us full support and said that they will protect us." Navratri, which means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine avatars, known as Navdurga. The festival is celebrated with great devotion across India, with rituals and prayers honouring the goddess in her various forms. Each day is dedicated to a different form of the goddess, symbolising various aspects of strength, compassion, and wisdom. Devotees engage in fasting, singing devotional songs, and participating in traditional dances like Garba and Dandiya, creating a joyful atmosphere. (ANI)
Advertisement

NationalFriendship This was published 3 months ago Opinion The emotional torture of recommending something you love to someone you like Thomas Mitchell Culture reporter September 6, 2025  5:00pm

September 6, 2025  5:00pm 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 24 View all comments

My friend Cameron is not dramatic by nature, so I was right to be alarmed when he texted me a close-up photo of his frowning face, accompanied by the words: Hey, just wondering why you hate me? Im not sure what it says about the state of my conscience, but rather than thinking, Oh, no, whats he on about? I instead jumped to Oh dear, whats he heard? My first thought concerned a recent joke Id made at his expense about a shirt hed worn being from Gorman (it was loud and covered in patterns). Id felt bad afterwards and even worse now, so the time had come to apologise via text. Is this about the Gorman thing? Sorry, man! Almost immediately, the reply came: What Gorman thing? No, its because you refuse to watch the show Dave despite the fact I know you will LOVE it. If sharing is caring, why wont you watch, read or listen to the thing I specifically mentioned to you, hoping our shared appreciation of it would bond us for eternity? Michael Howard For the last year, he had been consistently recommending I watch Dave, a comedy about a neurotic, mid-20s suburbanite convinced that hes destined to be one of the greatest rappers of all time.

Advertisement

Ostensibly, the recommendation was based on Camerons (probably correct) assumption that the series hits many of my specific interest points (delusional man with issues seeks greatness) and therefore I would definitely enjoy it. View post on X But as with all recommendations to friends, it also served as a reflection of deeper, universal desires: validation, acceptance, and the feeling of being seen by seeing others. In a world where algorithms have hijacked control of the cultural conversation, a personalised recommendation is proof that we are still capable of genuine connection based on individual tastes and preferences. I know this because recommending something I like to someone I like is also one of my favourite pastimes, a well-received recommendation bringing with it a joy that is difficult to replicate. Unfortunately, one of my (few) character flaws is that when I recommend any piece of culture to people, its advice they need to heed immediately. When others suggest to me, I always agree to check it out, but rarely get around to following through.

Advertisement

This isnt something to be proud of, behaviour deserving of a sad face selfie, but its especially crushing because I now know how it feels to be on the other side. Me encouraging two small children to enjoy my recommendations. Getty Images You see, I recently made a new friend, something that can be awkward and confronting as an adult because once youve reached a particular stage in life, youve established your core group of people. Outsiders are treated with a degree of suspicion. However, according to almost every article on the internet, men are at most risk of feeling lonely, which is probably why I took up pickleball at the age of 35, an activity where you are constantly thrown together with new people and forced to make conversation. It was at pickleball that I met Tyler, a guy my age who made a strong first impression by complimenting my volley game but, most importantly, seemed like A Normal Person. A few games turned into a few more, and before long, we were playing together weekly, Tyler slowly transitioning from a random guy I saw at Tuesday night pickleball to my friend Tyler from pickleball.

Advertisement

In addition to liking ball sports, Tyler and I soon established other shared interests. We both enjoyed films set in New York, British (but not American) sitcoms, Japanese food and books about love triangles (but not Twilight, obviously). Things really took off when he mentioned Adam Sandler being an underrated actor (hard agree), which naturally led to a discussion about Uncut Gems, objectively Sandlers best film, but one Tyler had never seen. Desperate to prove how well I knew this relative strangers tastes, I ordered Tyler to go home that same night and watch it immediately, confident he would love it just as much as I did. View post on X Later that night, Tyler sent a text saying he was preparing to watch the film, proof that he had taken my recommendation on board, and then  he never mentioned it again. Never discussed it in passing, never offered judgment; its as if the viewing never took place at all. Initially, I tried to brush it off, but as time passed, it bothered me more, causing what can only be described as a recommendation-induced spiral. How can I be friends with this person if they dont like the film I like and specifically thought theyd also like? If we dont share similar feelings on this, do we share similar feelings on anything? Wait, what if Im wrong and the film is actually awful? Uncut Gems is a stressful and anxious watch. Tyler likes Happy Gilmore, and this is sad Sandler, with sex, drugs and incredibly graphic violence.

Advertisement

After a month of biting my tongue, I mentioned it one pickleball evening, doing my best not to ask the obvious question: Hey, just wondering why you hate me? and instead casually inquiring what he thought of Uncut Gems? Man, I never ended up getting around to it, he said, lacing up his shoes. But I definitely plan to check it out. 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

NationalVictoriaVictoria Police This was published 3 months ago High Country hideouts: Old gold mines complicate search for Dezi Freeman Noel Towell and Angus Delaney September 6, 2025  3:07pm 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

The manhunt for alleged High Country police killer Dezi Freeman is being complicated by the unknown number of potential hiding places dotting the landscape around Porepunkah, a legacy of the small alpine towns mining history. As police posted a $1 million reward on Saturday for the capture of the fugitive, who is believed to be heavily armed, a former friend of Freemans said that nobody knew how many abandoned mine shafts, known as adits, had been left in the area after the 1850s gold rush. Inside one of the many abandoned mine shafts that dot the countryside around Porepunkah. Jason South Ray Kompe, who said he taught Freeman bushcraft decades ago, said on Friday that it was possible the fugitive was hiding down a mineshaft, presenting the hundreds of police officers hunting the self-styled sovereign citizen with a serious problem. Detective Inspector Dean Thomas, announcing the reward on Saturday, said armed police scouring the area around Freemans last known whereabouts were searching potential hideouts.

Advertisement

They are being searched, we continue to clear the mineshafts and caves with our experts, he said. But Thomas, who heads the homicide squad, said that there had been no confirmed sightings of Freeman since he allegedly gunned down three police officers, killing two and injuring a third, after they arrived to search a property where he was staying outside Porepunkah on August 26. Loading More than 450 officers are searching Victorias High Country for Freeman, who allegedly blasted Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, with a home-made shotgun through the door of a bus he was living in near Porepunkah. The father of three then allegedly opened a window of the bus and shot Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 34, who also died at the scene.

Advertisement

Another detective wounded in the attack is understood to have hidden under the bus for up to an hour, until paramedics arrived. Thomas said police did not know whether Freeman was dead as a result of self harm, hiding in thick bushland near Mount Buffalo, being sheltered by sympathisers, or had fled the area altogether. Kompe suggested that Freeman might be holed up in one of the old mines. If you look up at night here [in the High Country], youll see a million stars but equally, thats not enough in number of all the old mines around here  the old adits, he said. And its quite possible that Dezis maybe down an adit.

Advertisement

Heavily armed police with sniffer dogs searched Kompes house in the Buckland Valley on Thursday looking for Freeman, but left without any obvious progress. Police believe Freeman may have stockpiled provisions in the bush before the alleged shooting. Bruce Evans, a friend of fugitive Dezi Freeman. Jason South But Freemans close friend, Bruce Evans, who bonded with the accused gunman over their shared opposition to public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, said he doubted that the alleged police-killer had a cache of supplies hidden in the mountains. Hes never really discussed that sort of thing with me, like hidden bunkers and all that sort of crap, Evans said. I dont believe hes got any because to do that sort of thing, you gotta have a bit of a bit of money, and he was on welfare for the last couple of years.

Advertisement

Jim Whitehead, a former search and rescue specialist with the Queensland Police, said officers may choose to wait for Freeman to emerge from the bush to seek food or shelter, but it really depends on how much forethought Mr Freeman gave into this sort of situation. If Freeman was still hiding in bushland, Whitehead said the already difficult search was compounded when you have an unresponsive target who is armed. The potential danger posed by Freeman prompted police to warn would-be bounty hunters not to join the search in the hope of claiming the $1 million reward. The force denied on Saturday that the reward, the largest ever offered by the state for an arrest, was an act of desperation as the massive manhunt entered its 12th day. Thomas said the reward, unusually, would be paid for information leading to the arrest of Freeman  also known as Desmond Filby  rather than helping secure his conviction, as is normally the case with police rewards.

Advertisement

But Thomas warned the public against trying to join the search. I strongly oppose anybody doing that, Thomas said. He has already killed two police members and seriously wounded a third, his propensity for using violence has been shown. We have highly skilled specialist police officers out there in the bushland. They are armed, and we dont want people being out there in that area for our police officers to perhaps mistake them for being Freeman and finding themselves in a situation where they have been confronted by our officers.

Advertisement

The detective said the reward could potentially be claimed without the informant having to give evidence against Freeman in a trial. There is no doubt that $1 million is a significant amount of money for anybody, and it will have lifelong changes to peoples circumstances, Thomas said. We are hoping that this reward will be enough for those that may have information that have decided not to come forward before, to now come forward. Anyone with any information about Freemans whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au. Get alerts on breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.
Advertisement

PoliticsFederalLiberal Party This was published 3 months ago Liberal divisions spill into public view as Price accuses Hawke of inappropriate conduct Natassia Chrysanthos and Anthony Segaert Updated September 7, 2025  10:21am ,first published September 7, 2025  10:12am 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 71 View all comments

A Liberal Party rupture over immigration has spilled into public allegations of gendered mistreatment, after Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price accused colleague Alex Hawke of berating staff and the party of failing to stand up for women. Her claims came as the dominant business group in Sydneys Little India refused to meet Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on Sunday, unless Price apologised or was sacked over her comments on Indian immigration, in a sign of how the firebrand senators remarks imperilled the partys reputation among Indian Australians. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price in parliament last week. Alex Ellinghausen Price has been under pressure since she told the ABC last Wednesday that the federal government was bringing in migrants from particular countries over others to win votes, naming the Indian community as an example. The fallout has compromised Leys attempts to unite her party while rebuilding the Liberal Partys brand in multicultural communities after a historic election defeat.

Advertisement

Ley declined three times to apologise on Prices behalf during an interview on the ABCs Insiders, but said Prices comments were wrong and would not be repeated. Others will make their own remarks. I know that as leader, the most important message that I can send is that appreciation of our Indian community heard directly from me as leader, she said on Sunday. Related Article Analysis

Immigration Ley promised a new Coalition with a new tone. She was sabotaged by her own side Asked later about Prices claims of gendered mistreatment, Ley said: Im not getting into those details ... Issues between colleagues will be resolved in the normal way, I am sure. Price made the allegations against Hawke, a Liberal powerbroker and crucial backer of Ley, after Sky News reported on Sunday morning that Hawke had told Price to rectify her claim in a social media video. Price later clarified that Australias migration policy was non-discriminatory and suggestions otherwise are a mistake, but said she had nothing to apologise for. In a rare public allegation against a shadow ministry colleague, Price made a social media statement saying Hawke had not communicated directly with her, but chose to berate one of my staff.

Advertisement

He even pressed my staff that if I did not comply with his requests, I may end up like another female member of the Coalition  who I wont name, she wrote. Sources familiar with the conversation, but not authorised to speak publicly, said it referred to former opposition frontbencher Jane Humes Chinese spy comments spreading quickly on social media during the election campaign. Price says she sent Hawke a WhatsApp message to call out his cowardly and inappropriate conduct. Only after that message did Alex Hawke and I speak on Thursday evening, she wrote. If people want to talk about a so-called woman problem in the Liberal Party, then its this: we dont stand up for women when they are mistreated by our own colleagues. Prices office did not respond to a question asking whether her complaints were reported to the party or the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.

Advertisement

Editor's pick Political leadership Labor factions 2025: How the Left took charge, NSW runs the cabinet and Victoria was dudded The public stoush comes months after Price defected from the Nationals so that she could run for the Liberal Partys deputy leadership on Angus Taylors ticket. Ley, supported by Hawke, won against Taylor by three votes. Hawke did not directly engage with Prices claims as he issued a statement later on Sunday. Any reasonable person must reject the targeting of Indian Australians. The extremist and hate literature that was recently circulated prior to anti-immigration rallies is abhorrent. That behaviour must be condemned by anyone who supports a free, fair and tolerant society, he said. I have spoken with Senator Price and accepted her explanation of how her comments have been misinterpreted and subsequently weaponised by Labor.

Advertisement

Nitin Setia, the president of Little India Businesses Inc, which is the largest business group in western Sydneys Harris Park, said his group wasnt satisfied with the response. Ley, immigration spokesman Paul Scarr, shadow attorney-general Julian Leeser and NSW senator Maria Kovacic visited the suburbs Indian business strip on Sunday night in an attempt to repair relations. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Liberal colleagues visited Harris Park on Sunday night as they seek to repair relations with Indian Australians. Sitthixay Ditthavong Straight away, we told them [organisers] that unless Ms Price issues an apology to the Indian community for the comments that she has made, we are not entertaining her [Ley] or talking to anyone in the Liberal Party, Setia said. I will not accept the queens apology for the fault of a soldier. Is the queen telling me that that soldier is not in control? And does not follow the party lines? Then Im sorry, you need to expel that soldier.

Advertisement

I dont think she [Price] is a person suitable for a public office, and if shes a part of the Liberal Party, then Im sorry to say, Liberals are not welcome. Editor's pick Exclusive

Investigations Im glad we didnt win: Liberal campaigners feared Brethren-fuelled Dutton victory But two other smaller business associations said Leys move was a positive step. We are looking for a healthy business relationship with either party, without being judgmental ... Whoever comes to Little India, they are welcome, said Gurmeet Tuli from Little India Australia. Another, Sanjay Deshwal of the Little India Harris Park Business Precinct, said the Liberals were seeking to reinforce that they valued Indian migrants. We are happy to host her and her team, he said. Price, in her statement, labelled media reporting about her remarks on Wednesday as agenda-driven and out of context.

Advertisement

Of course, I regret not being clearer in my comments on the ABC last Wednesday. I know that many Australians of Indian ancestry  and Indian migrants living in Australia  are distressed, she wrote. Not only by my comments, but also in reading associated newspaper coverage. I sought to correct and clarify my comments after the ABC interview. But Ive also been disappointed by some media reporting which has been agenda-driven and wrenched my comments from context. Price gave an interview to Indian diaspora website The Australia Today and said her comments were never intended to be disparaging towards our Indian community. Asked why she would not apologise, Price said: Where I wrongly mis-stepped in terms of the comments that I made, I made sure that I corrected, clarified those comments more broadly. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
Advertisement

PoliticsFederalImmigration This was published 3 months ago Opinion What our politicians wont admit about immigration Jacqueline Maley Columnist and senior journalist September 7, 2025  3:00am

September 7, 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 336 View all comments

With apologies to Rudyard Kipling: If, as a neo-Nazi, you attend an anti-immigration rally, which you insist provides an opportunity to show common cause with middle Australians who hold valid concerns about the level of overseas migration, and then you follow it up with a violent attack on a peaceful gathering of Aboriginal people, who are about as far removed from the title of immigrant as its possible to be, then you are saying the quiet part out loud. Uncle Robbie Thorpe speaks with police at Camp Sovereignty on Monday after Sundays attack by neo-Nazis. Justin McManus Your problem is not with immigration, in general, its with brown and black people, specifically, and any culture which you designate as too different from whatever you claim yours to be. The same goes if you say you are highlighting the fact that there is a huge concern for Labors mass migration agenda, which is placing pressure on housing, infrastructure and services, but you end up singling out a particular nationality  Indian people  as a concern. So was the claim made by Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price on the ABC this week, when she said that there is a concern with the Indian community  and only because theres been large numbers and we can see that reflected in the way that the community votes for Labor at the same time.

Advertisement

Advertisement

As evidenced by the Coalitions colossal loss, it didnt work for him, but Labor was sure to match the promise, if not in numbers, then in intention  Anthony Albanese also pledged to cut migration levels. It is rare that you will find a politician stating the obvious  that population growth in Australia is propped up by immigration (as it is in most OECD countries), and that successive Australian governments of both stripes have relied on immigration to power economic growth, while neglecting Australias profound productivity slump. It is unheard of that a politician will say out loud what demographers and economists know  that most rational governments have given up on trying to make the women of OECD countries have more kids. Instead, they are importing people (and their delightful children) from other countries to help bolster the tax base and man the service industries we all rely on. In an essay for The New York Times published this week, Boston University philosophy professor Victor Kumar writes that population growth isnt a progressive issue. But it should be, he argues.

Advertisement

Pro-natalism (advocacy for increased birth rates) has been captured by the political right, particularly in the United States, where Vice President JD Vance has repeatedly lamented Americas low birth rate, and castigated childless cat ladies as selfish and, essentially, socially useless. Related Article Opinion

US Votes 2024 So Kamala is the childless cat lady? White male power plays its hateful gender card Julia Baird Journalist, broadcaster, historian and author The nationalist government of Hungary has a strong pro-natalist agenda, which it has backed up with family-friendly policies. They havent worked to lift the birth rate. In the nationalist context, pro-natalism is strongly linked to the belief that if white Christians dont have enough progeny, they will eventually be replaced by the progeny of non-whites. This paranoia was central to Nazism, and one of the reasons why the control of female fertility is inextricably linked to fascism.

Advertisement

Pro-natalism has been co-opted by the right, who are able, with varying degrees of success, to use it to paint progressives as anti-family or even anti-baby, in the same way that Ronald Reagan weaponised family values for the Republicans in the 1980s. (Democrat candidate Bill Clinton fought back against this depiction in his 1992 run for president, by asking where are [Republicans] when there is no healthcare for pregnant women? When too many children are born with low birth weights?) Across every society on Earth, the more highly educated women become, the fewer children they have. And highly educated women are more likely, overall, to vote for progressive political parties (perhaps its women, not Indian nationals, that Senator Price should have her eye on). But there is also research, including from Australia, showing that women would like to have more children than they do. There is a gap between what they want and what they think they can manage. In that gap lies a choice, which they can now exercise in ways they couldnt in previous historical eras. Immigration Minister Tony Burke said this week of the Indian community: We are lucky they have chosen us. Alex Ellinghausen

Advertisement

In that gap, there also lies a political opportunity for any party that seeks to uphold family values. This week we have seen what happens when the immigration debate is overtaken by bad-faith actors who use it as a Trojan horse for voicing prejudice against particular communities. Its imperative that good-faith politicians, on all sides, reclaim the debate and remind Australians of how indebted we are, culturally and economically, to immigrants. As Immigration Minister Tony Burke said this week of the Indian community: We are lucky they have chosen us. NSW Liberal Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the Indian diaspora is a blessing. But as politicians express these sentiments, they probably need also to be honest about the economic reality that any cut in immigration will be likely to involve a cut in economic growth. And that if we dont transform our economy and society to make it easier for women (and their partners) to have more babies, we will continue to rely on overseas arrivals, hopefully with a spirit of gratitude.

Advertisement

Jacqueline Maley is a senior writer, columnist and author. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.
The rise in popularity of lab-grown diamonds has caused an economic crisis in Botswana.

The increasing popularity of lab-grown gems is creating the biggest disruption in the diamond market since early last century.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share 4 View all comments

Across Botswana, the lines of patients outside government clinics are lengthening, construction companies dependent on state jobs are firing workers, and university students are threatening to boycott lectures after not getting the allowance increases they were promised. The economic slowdown is a sharp reversal from just a few years ago, when the worlds richest diamond deposits allowed the sparsely populated desert nation of 2.5 million people to invest in free and efficient healthcare and plough money into funding tertiary education for students at home and abroad. Its robust finances allowed it to provide for its citizens in a way that made it the envy of southern Africa. The discovery of gems in 1967 transformed what was a rural backwater, with only a few kilometres of tarred road at the time of independence from the United Kingdom a year earlier, into the richest nation per capita on the sub-Saharan African mainland. Six decades later, a diamond-market crisis has turned that find into an affliction and a cautionary tale of what can happen to an economy that becomes overly reliant on one commodity. The market for natural diamonds (right) is in crisis, with cut-price lab-grown equivalents (left) hitting demand. Dominic Lorrimer/Bloomberg For decades, we have leaned and relied heavily on diamonds. While they served us well, we know painfully today that this model has reached its limits, President Duma Boko, 55, said in an August speech. This is no longer an economic challenge alone; it is a national social existential threat. The market for natural diamonds is in crisis, with cut-price lab-grown equivalents hitting demand particularly hard in the United States, the biggest market for the gems. They accounted for almost half of engagement ring purchases last year compared with 5 per cent in 2019, according to jewellery insurer BriteCo. The collapse of the luxury retail sector in China and the impact US tariffs have had on trade have also hurt the industry. While lab gems can be produced in weeks or months, the formation of natural diamonds, made of crystallised carbon formed under extreme pressure and heat deep beneath the earths surface, can take billions of years before volcanic eruptions propel them upwards to depths where they can be mined or found on ocean or river beds. They also cost many times as much as their synthetic rivals, whose increasing popularity is creating the biggest disruption in the market since abundant alluvial diamonds were discovered on Namibias beaches early last century. This is causing prices to plunge, says mining historian Duncan Money.

Advertisement

Its choking off the revenue that accounts for 80 per cent of Botswanas exports and a third of government income. After repeated write-downs of its value, Anglo American is looking to sell De Beers, the worlds biggest diamond company that mines almost all of Botswanas gems in a venture with the government. Bokos administration, which in October displaced a political party that had ruled since independence, is scrambling. Former Botswanan president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, last year holds a 2492-carat diamond found in the country. AP In July, the government engaged Malaysias PEMANDU Associates to advise on accelerating economic diversification and, on August 21, Boko took to Facebook to announce a plan for a little-known Qatari group, Al Mansour Holdings, to invest $US12 billion ($18 billion). There was scant information about how the capital would be deployed and the same group has in recent weeks promised more than $US100 billion in investment across six African countries, raising questions about the credibility of the pledge. The president on August 25 declared a public health emergency and implored pension funds and insurers to help fund the response. The government has frozen recruitment and there are shortages of medication, medical supplies and equipment, says Botswana Doctors Union president Kefilwe Selema. The situation is very bad, said Galeemiswe Mosheti, a 42-year-old diabetes sufferer who arrives at a government clinic in the capital, Gaborone, at 8am and can wait as long as eight hours for his medicine compared with just an hour a year ago.

Advertisement

Were spending long periods in the queue and our jobs suffer, said the taxi driver, who loses income every time he waits to be attended to. For construction companies dependent on government work, the situation is no better. A mining truck carries diamond-bearing kimberlite rock away from the pit floor at the Jwaneng mine, operated by Debswana Diamond, a joint venture between De Beers and Botswanas government. Bloomberg Most of our members have had to retrench workers, said Tshotlego Kagiso, chairman of the Tshipidi Badiri Builders Association, the countrys largest building contractors organisation, which, before the current downturn, had more than 800 members, some of whom can no longer afford their membership fees. The majority have suspended operations and many have closed altogether due to slower government spending, he added, saying, without being able to be more specific, that thousands of workers had lost their jobs. The countrys economic statistics tell a story of rapid decline and belie De Beers marketing catchphrase, A diamond is forever.

Advertisement

The International Monetary Fund forecast Botswanas 2025 fiscal deficit climbing to 11 per cent of gross domestic product. Thats the largest budget gap since the global financial crisis in 2009, and the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa this year. Government debt will rocket to 43 per cent of GDP in 2025, about doubling the ratio in just two years, according to data from the Washington-based lender, and exceeding a legislative limit. In June, the finance ministry abandoned a forecast of 3.3 per cent growth in 2025 and instead said the economy might contract 0.4 per cent. Foreign reserves have slumped 27 per cent over the past year, and Citigroup in July forecast Botswana would need to keep devaluing its managed currency, the pula. A first-ever midterm budget review is planned for as early as next month, and Debswana, the countrys joint venture with De Beers, is operating at about 60 per cent of capacity. Lab-grown diamonds accounted for almost half of engagement ring purchases last year compared with 5 per cent in 2019, according to jewellery insurer BriteCo. Getty Images Botswana was experiencing a significant decline in revenue inflows resulting in massive liquidity challenges that threaten financial stability and sustainability of government business operations, Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Tshokologo Kganetsano told a parliamentary committee in June. Related Article Shopping Natural or lab-grown? Shine on a divided diamond industry as Taylor Swifts vintage ring sets trend Already, after years of limited borrowing, the country is turning to debt. It secured $US304 million from the African Development Bank in May and $US200 million from the OPEC fund in July, and plans a domestic bond roadshow for investors on Tuesday. Its investment-grade credit rating, the highest in Africa, is under threat, with both Moodys and S&P Global Ratings this year cutting its outlook to negative. The diamond sector is under severe pressure  both prices and volumes, Ravi Bhatia, director and lead analyst at S&P Global Ratings, said in an interview. Theyre doing a combination of trying to diversify, fiscal consolidation and also austerity.

Advertisement

While Botswanas governments have been talking about economic diversification since the countrys first president, Seretse Khama, set up the Botswana Development Corp in 1970 to develop copper mining and beef production, little progress has been made. Tourism, focused on luxury safaris in the countrys Okavango Delta wetlands and a wilderness that boasts the worlds largest elephant population, is the second-biggest contributor after diamonds, accounting for just 12 per cent of GDP. Some copper mines are being developed, while huge coal deposits, barely exploited, can no longer attract the funding needed for extraction. Thats left more than two-fifths of the population under the age of 24 unemployed, according to the International Labour Organisation, with the diamond mines only employing a few thousand people, and reliant on government largesse. Thats a situation Boko described as a huge risk, in a January interview with Bloomberg. We must now focus on job creation, Boko said as he laid out ambitious plans for investment in renewable energy, technology and agriculture. Tourism, focused on luxury safaris in the countrys Okavango Delta wetlands and a wilderness that boasts the worlds largest elephant population, is the second-biggest contributor to the countrys economy after diamonds. Getty Images/iStockphoto What he hadnt bargained for was that there would be no money to pay for it.

Advertisement
Advertisement

WorldAsiaWorld politics This was published 3 months ago Japans PM resigns after series of bruising election losses Yuka Obayashi and Nobuhiro Kubo Updated September 7, 2025  5:47pm ,first published September 7, 2025  2:43pm 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

Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Sunday he had decided to resign, ushering in a potentially lengthy period of policy paralysis at a shaky moment for the worlds fourth-largest economy. Ishiba, 68, instructed his Liberal Democratic Party  which has governed Japan for almost all of the post-war era  to hold an emergency leadership race, he told a press conference, adding he would continue his duties until his successor was elected. Since coming to power less than a year ago, Ishiba has seen his ruling coalition lose its majorities in elections for both houses of parliament amid voter anger over rising living costs. Shigeru Ishiba has announced he will step down. Bloomberg Until Sunday, he had refused calls to step down following the latest of those losses in Julys upper house vote. Instead, he had focused on trying to iron out the final details of a deal with the United States on trade tariffs that have roiled Japans critical automotive industry and cast a shadow over weak growth.

Advertisement

With Japan having signed the trade agreement and the president having signed the executive order, we have passed a key hurdle, Ishiba said, his voice seeming to catch with emotion. I would like to pass the baton to the next generation. Concern over political uncertainty led to a sell-off in Japans yen currency and its government bonds last week, with the yield on the 30-year bond hitting a record high on Wednesday. Related Article Opinion

Trade wars Lost in translation: Trump doesnt seem to understand the massive deal he just made Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist Speculation over Ishibas fate had been stoked by the LDPs decision to schedule a vote for Monday on whether to hold an extraordinary leadership election  in what would have been a virtual no-confidence motion against him if approved. While a fresh leadership race could add pain for an economy hit by US tariffs, markets are focusing more on the chance of Ishiba being replaced by an advocate of looser fiscal and monetary policy, such as Sanae Takaichi, who has criticised the Bank of Japans interest rate hikes.

Advertisement

Ishiba narrowly defeated Takaichi in last years LDP leadership run-off. Shinjiro Koizumi, the telegenic political scion who has gained prominence as Ishibas farm minister tasked with trying to cap soaring prices, is another possible successor. Given the political pressure mounting on Ishiba after the LDPs repeated election losses, his resignation was inevitable, said Kazutaka Maeda, an economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute. Sanae Takaichi is considered a possible successor. Bloomberg As for potential successors, Koizumi and Takaichi are seen as the most likely candidates. While Koizumi is not expected to bring major changes, Takaichis stance on expansionary fiscal policy and her cautious approach to interest rate hikes could draw scrutiny from financial markets. Since the party does not have a majority in either house, it is not guaranteed that the LDP president will become prime minister.

Advertisement

Related Article Updated

Defence Stupid games: Government keeps cost secret after Japan wins lucrative warships deal Whoever became the next leader might choose to call a snap election to seek a mandate, analysts said. While Japans opposition remains fractured, the far-right, anti-immigration Sanseito party made big gains in Julys upper house election, bringing once-fringe ideas into the political mainstream. Nearly 55 per cent of respondents to a poll by Kyodo news agency published on Sunday said there was no need to hold an early election. Ishibas last act as premier will have been to finalise details of a trade deal with the United States last week, under which Japan pledged $US550 billion ($830 billion) of investments in return for lower tariffs from US President Donald Trump on Japans key vehicle sector. Reuters, with AP 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.
Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share 9 View all comments

Rob Phillips is bullish on China. At his small med-tech company Uscoms headquarters in an office tower in Sydneys CBD, boxes of circuit boards, LCD screens and pieces of hardware congregate in a corner, ready to be assembled by engineers into patented ultrasound and blood pressure-monitoring devices. Many of them are destined for China, where they are already used in 600 hospitals across the mainland. Uscom, a publicly listed outfit, counts China as its biggest market. And its chasing an ever-bigger slice of the opportunity pie. Were expanding, says Phillips, Uscoms chief executive and a professor at the University of Queenslands Institute for Molecular Bioscience. Uscoms Rob Phillips: China is the worlds biggest medical market. You cannot afford not to have a good relationship and not to be there. James Brickwood The China market is 1.4 billion [people]. Australias is 27 million. There are a lot of Australians in China. Phillips is not worried by Chinas economic downturn, believing a rebound is inevitable. Nor is he too concerned about a return to the bad old days of frozen diplomatic relations, when China slapped trade bans on a dozen Australian industries  including coal, wine, barley, lobster, cotton and beef  in 2020 in retaliation for the Morrison governments call for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 after years of ratcheting tensions between the two countries. The med-tech industry wasnt directly targeted by Chinas sanctions, but Uscom was, in effect, shadow-banned. Purchasing tenders were delayed, hospitals were suddenly uninterested in buying devices and revenue plummeted 50 per cent.

Advertisement

If, for some reason, the government changed and we ended up as we were before, with politicians head-to-head fighting, my business could go to zero. I need to have risk management now, Phillips says. But he adds: China is the worlds biggest medical market. You cannot afford not to have a good relationship and not to be there. After the trade war It has been almost a year since China dismantled the last of its $20 billion in economic sanctions on Australian exports, with the final restrictions on the lobster and beef industries lifted in December. The business community and its lobby groups are ebullient that the economic relationship  Australias most important, with China its largest trading partner  is back on track after years in the doldrums. They point to Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses trip to China in July as having injected another much-needed shot of confidence. Two-way trade hit almost $311.6 billion in 2024, with China accounting for nearly a third of Australias exports. Many of the sanctioned industries are bouncing back as exports resume, though total goods exports  the engine driver of the trade relationship  have slipped by about 13 per cent from 2023 to $179.2 billion, buffeted by falling iron ore prices.

Advertisement

Other data points suggest a sluggish return to form. Australian direct investment in China slumped to just $1.5 billion in 2024, down from more than $2 billion the year before, and $15.5 billion in 2019. Related Article China relations Daniel Andrews defends China visit as deputy premier rebukes him for photo with dictators But the lag in the data, and the fact that Australian companies operating in China often dont have extensive footprints but rather small representative offices, coupled with Chinas own economic slowdown, adds to the difficulty in getting a full picture of the recovery of business ties. This includes how the scars of the trade ban era continue to shape companies risk assessments about re-engaging with China, and whether theres been a chilling effect on new entrants seeking a foothold in the country. Many businesses are reluctant to draw attention to their China operations beyond positive PR. Vinarchy, which produces Australian brands Jacobs Creek, Hardys and St Hallet, is still looking at growth opportunities for China. For the Australian wine industry, which was crippled by tariffs of up to 212 per cent for three years, returning to the Chinese market has been complicated by a worldwide downturn in wine consumption and a government-led crackdown on banquet culture among officials, which had been a key source of demand for high-end red wine. Nonetheless, the Chinese market cannot be ignored, says Swenson Su, general manager of global wine company Vinarchy, which produces Australian brands Jacobs Creek, Hardys and St Hallet.

Advertisement

Were still looking at growth opportunities for China, he says. If theres a trade issue with China again, it wouldnt shake the foundation of Vinarchys exports to Asia  we are diversified enough. Theres risk everywhere, right? Look at Europe. Theres risk of declining wine consumption. Look at the US. [President Donald] Trump has a new trade policy every month. Those are just factors that business needs to navigate in todays environment. Michael Wadley, a Shanghai-based lawyer and consultant who has advised businesses on China strategy for 25 years, says that before 2019, there was a gold rush of companies scrambling to get a foot in Chinas door. Today, the recovery is more of a slow burn. But it is gathering momentum, he says, adding that the pandemic added another layer to the political storm that drained business confidence. Before that, you had people piling in. Now companies want to be here, but the question is whether their board or owners have the appetite to be here, and they will make the final decision or veto. I have not seen a huge uptick in the inquiry or actual transactions.

Advertisement

Those that are coming to China are much better prepared, he says, and have done risk assessments, due diligence and strategic planning. Australian firms are leaning in, not stepping back, says Vaughn Barber, the Beijing-based chair of business chamber, AustCham China, where Phillips is also a director. I wouldnt describe it as a rush ... but Id say a steady flow. Barber points to the chambers survey in January of more than 800 executives from both Chinese and foreign companies directly involved in Australia-China business activities, including almost 300 Australian-controlled companies. Three-quarters of the foreign firms said doing business had become easier since the improvement in Australia-China relations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing in July. Dominic Lorrimer Albaneses three-city visit, which included meeting with Australias mining chiefs in Shanghai and lunching with Australian and Chinese leaders of the medical tech industry in Chengdu, sent all the right signals, Barber says. Security element

Advertisement
Advertisement

WorldEuropeIsraeli-Palestinian conflict This was published 3 months ago Almost 900 arrested at London Palestine Action protest, police say September 8, 2025  3:53am 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: British police said on Sunday they had arrested almost 900 people at a demonstration the previous day in support of Palestine Action, and the UK government appealed for people to stop demonstrating in support of the banned campaign group. Britain designated Palestine Action a terrorist group under anti-terrorism legislation in July after some of its members broke into a Royal Air Force base and caused an estimated $14 million of damage to military planes. Police arrest a woman carrying a placard expressing support for Palestine Action outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Saturday. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images That followed vandalism and incidents targeting defence firms in Britain with links to Israel. The group accuses Prime Minister Keir Starmers government of complicity in what it says are Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Hundreds of Palestine Action supporters have since been arrested at demonstrations, many of them over the age of 60.

Advertisement

In the latest arrests, police said 890 people had been held following a protest near parliament in central London on Saturday (Sunday AEST), the highest number of detentions from a single such protest to date. Of those, 857 were detained for showing support for a banned group, while 17 were arrested for assaults on officers after police said the protest turned violent. Defend Our Juries, the campaign group organising the protest, said 1500 people took part in the demonstration, sitting down and holding signs reading I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action. Loading Within minutes, police began arresting the demonstrators, as bystanders chanted Shame on you and Met Police, pick a side, justice or genocide. There were some scuffles and angry exchanges as officers dragged away demonstrators who went limp as they were removed from the crowd.

Advertisement

Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart said officers had encountered violence that was co-ordinated and carried out by a group of people ... intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Protesters gathered outside the Houses of Parliament on Saturday. Getty Images Defend Our Juries, however, said that among those arrested were priests, war veterans and healthcare workers, and that they included many elderly and some disabled people. Many of those arrested in recent weeks are released on police bail, and it was unclear how many were still in detention. These mass acts of defiance will continue until the ban is lifted, a spokesperson said.

Advertisement

Mike Higgins, 62, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, was arrested last month but returned to demonstrate on Saturday. And Im a terrorist? Thats the joke of it, he said. Ive already been arrested under the Terrorism Act, and I suspect I will be today. Of course Ill keep coming back. What choice do I have? Posting on X, Labour MP Richard Burgon described the arrests as a total disgrace. Its exactly why I voted against banning Palestine Action in Parliament  and why this ban must be overturned. Burgon was one of nine Labour MPs to oppose the ban in a House of Commons vote in June.

Advertisement

Ban criticised The ban on Palestine Action puts it alongside al-Qaeda and Islamic State, making it a crime to support or belong to the organisation, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Related Article Updated

Israeli-Palestinian conflict A fight at the opera as performer unfurls Palestine flag on stage Human rights groups and the United Nations have criticised the ban as disproportionate and say it limits the freedom of expression of peaceful protesters. The move raises serious concerns that counter-terrorism laws are being applied to conduct that is not terrorist in nature, and risks hindering the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms across the UK, UN human rights chief Volker Turk warned.

Advertisement

He added that according to international standards, terrorist acts should be confined to crimes such as those intended to cause death or serious injury or the taking of hostages. Huda Ammori, Palestine Actions co-founder, has condemned the ban as catastrophic for civil liberties, leading to a much wider chilling effect on freedom of speech. Related Article Israeli-Palestinian conflict Novelist vows to use TV royalties to fund Palestine Action The group has been supported by prominent cultural figures, including bestselling Irish author Sally Rooney, who said she planned to use the proceeds of her work to keep backing Palestine Action and direct action against genocide. But British Defence Minister John Healey said firm action was needed to counter-accusations by right-wing critics of a two-tier policing and justice system.

Advertisement

Almost everyone shares the agony when we see the images from Gaza ... and for people who want to voice their concern and protest, I applaud them, he told Sky News. But that does not require them to link it to support for Palestine Action, a proscribed group. Palestine Action has won approval from the High Court to challenge the ban, a ruling the government is seeking to overturn. The case is ongoing, with a hearing scheduled for September 25. AP, Reuters 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.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Israeli-Palestinian conflict

UK

Keir Starmer

Israel
Advertisement

WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America This was published 3 months ago Opinion Dark woke: Have Democrats finally found a way to torment Trump? Julia Baird Journalist, broadcaster, historian and author September 6, 2025  3:00am

September 6, 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 168 View all comments

Look, I realise the word weird is overused when it comes to American politics, but it really is gobsmacking when you see the president and the governor of California, the countrys most populous state, exchanging barbs and memes on social media, likening each other to stupid, nappy-clad babies, immobile old women and weak men who cant box properly. When, for example, Donald Trump says he might get into shorts when the US hosts the football, as he looks fantastic in shorts, Gavin Newsom says, please dont! Illustration by Simon Letch Much of it is actually pretty entertaining, providing relief in a barrage of negative stories, and it highlights how adolescent some of the Trump administrations publicity has been. In recent months, the White House press office has put out AI images of Trump as a jacked-up Jedi, Superman, the pope and even a crown-wearing king. Newsoms office  and now his fan base  have responded with images of the governor on Mount Rushmore, bare-chested and buff, riding a bald eagle, straddling a shark, cradling a kitten in front of the American flag, posing in Calvin Klein underwear, being prayed over by Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan and Tucker Carlson, and drinking MAGA tears.

Advertisement

Its a parody  but also, its working. Now Democrats are beginning to wonder  should they have been doing this all along? Been brash and ebullient, not grave and glum? Clambered the ropes and got in the ring? View post on X The Hill reckons Democrats beyond California are now obsessed with Newsom, and that they are seriously weighing his potential as a presidential candidate. His stance as a happy warrior, they report, is winning hearts. On social media, Newsom  and his office  satirise Trumps style, posting in caps, revelling in personal insults and revving his own credentials. Like this: FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICAS FAVORITE GOVERNOR (RATINGS KING) SAVING AMERICA  WHILE TRUMP CANT EVEN CONQUER THE BIG STAIRS ON AIR FORCE ONE ANY MORE!!!  FOX IS LOSING IT BECAUSE WHEN I TYPE, AMERICA NOW WINS!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

Advertisement

He calls himself THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GOVERNOR IN AMERICAN HISTORY, and asks Canada to gift him a plane he can keep after leaving office. After Trump met with Vladimir Putin, Newsoms office posted: THE MAN LOOKED LIKE HED JUST EATEN 3 BUCKETS OF KFC WITH VLAD. MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING HE BEGGED PUTIN TO HOLD HIS HANDS (TINY) ON THE WAY OUT. Is the most effective way to counter Trumps excesses to troll him? To ape his narcissism, mock his small hands and call him a loser? For years probably, Democrats have prided themselves on a refusal to fight dirty  as Michelle Obama memorably put it, when they go low, we go high. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump at Los Angeles International Airport in January. AP But Newsom has decided to go low, and hard, in an attempt to derail and out-troll Trump, becoming the first Democrat to really, aggressively, openly take fire at the president. And, if we are to measure success by the metrics of attention driving the news cycle (algorithmic dominance) it appears to be working. He has gained 3 million followers across platforms in 2025, amassing more than a billion views.

Advertisement

This is being heralded as a sign of a new era  dark woke. Newsom decided to fully unleash his press office, he says, because he believes there is too much at stake. America, he says, needs to wake up. Newsom has won many new fans by aping Trump on social media, calling himself THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GOVERNOR IN AMERICAN HISTORY. AP The governor, for example, posts photos of Trump saying: A lot of people are saying maybe wed like a dictator, and I love Black people, while writing Super normal stuff, everyone!  above them. Newsom and Trump have long had a fraught relationship. Trump calls his West Coast nemesis Newscum, and he has blasted his management of the state. He claims Newsom intended to give undocumented migrants free education, free medical, free everything. In June, Trump sent National Guard Troops to Los Angeles ostensibly to quell protests; Newsom responded by suing the federal government.

Advertisement

But things have escalated in recent days because of a dispute over gerrymandering. This is what happens when partisans manipulate the redrawing of electoral boundaries, a practice that occurs once a decade after a census is held, to favour their party instead of just adjusting for population changes. Trump has called on loyal GOP states to redraw boundaries now  mid-decade  to give Republicans more seats after the midterms in November 2026. When Texas passed a redraw giving, nominally, five more seats to the GOP, California announced it would design new maps to give Democrats five more seats. Even former president Barack Obama called this a smart, measured response, while maintaining that, over the long term, we shouldnt have political gerrymandering in America, just a fair fight between Republicans and Democrats based on whos got better ideas. Or, perhaps, better memes. Illustration: Matt Davidson Newsom on social media said his mid-cycle redistricting proposal had led MANY people to call him GAVIN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS NEWSOM (BECAUSE OF THE MAPS!). THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. He is about to launch his own meme coin, called the Trump Corruption Coin, to add to other merch: shirts and red caps saying: Newsom Was Right About Everything, Trump is Not Hot and Make America Gavin Again.

Advertisement

Related Article Analysis

Trump's White House Gavin Newsom began his speech as a state governor. He ended it as a potential president This isnt about left and right, or GOP versus Democrats. Traditional alignments have been blown apart as we have seen norms of decency and respect erode. Its about the way Trump has changed the way we talk to one another, about his incredible ability to manipulate and capture attention and the struggle of his opponents to respond. My Not Stupid cohost Jeremy Fernandez reckons this is how the midterms will be fought now. But the challenge is how to fight hard without permanently debasing politics or junking decency. Communications specialist Annie Wu, a former staffer for Democrat congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, thinks its possible, telling The New York Times earlier this year: You dont have to be cruel to be sharp. We can be bold, we can be petty, we can be punchy and still have a moral compass. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Columnist and author Julia Baird is cohost of the ABCs Not Stupid podcast. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai inaugurated 'Deva Hasta,' a government robotic surgical system, at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur. Addressing the session, he said that the inauguration of the government's robotic surgical system in Raipur marks a new age of development in the history of Chhattisgarh. CM Sai highlighted that the Robotic Surgery system at AIIMS, Raipur, is the first of its kind in India. "This Robotic surgery system at AIIMS is the first of its kind in Central India. This advancement is expected to ensure safer and more successful surgeries for patients. Additionally, provisions have been made to construct accommodations for the families of patients at major hospitals like AIIMS and Mekahara," CM told reporters. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai added that robotic surgery will add a new dimension to the development of healthcare facilities in Chhattisgarh. He called the moment historic and said that this new technology will prove to be a milestone in providing advanced and quality treatment to the people of Chhattisgarh. Earlier, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai highlighted the growing concern of cancer, linking it to "changes in lifestyle, eating habits, and environment". While speaking to the media, the CM added that a two-day seminar, AROCON-2025, is being organised in Raipur, bringing together doctors from across the state to discuss effective ways to prevent cancer. CM Sai expressed confidence that the seminar will be beneficial. CM Sai said, "...Earlier, there were very few cancer patients, but now it is increasing due to changes in lifestyle, eating habits and environment. Keeping this concern in mind, a two-day seminar of doctors from across the state is being organised on ways to prevent cancer. All these will be discussed for two days. We are confident that this seminar will be beneficial." (ANI)
A flood-affected child suffering from kidney disease has received free treatment under the Punjab government's healthcare initiative at Bebe Nanki Mother and Child Care Centre Hospital in Amritsar. Dr. Simranjit Kaur confirmed that the child, who has been battling kidney issues for three years, will continue treatment without any financial burden and was being treated at PGI, Chandigarh. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has approved free treatment for the child, ensuring access to necessary medical care without financial strain. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Dr. Simranjit Kaur said, "The kid has been suffering from kidney issues for three years... He was being treated in PGI Chandigarh... We will continue his treatment... Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann decided to provide free treatment for the child... He has come from a flood-affected area...". Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's health is improving, but the doctors have suggested that he should take rest, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said. Earlier on Saturday, Minister Cheema met CM Bhagwant Mann, who had been admitted to a private hospital in Mohali after his health condition worsened a day earlier. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Punjab Minister Cheema said, "The CM is admitted to a hospital in Mohali. We went to ask about his well-being this morning. His health is improving, but the doctors have suggested that he rest for one or two more days." Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia also met with the Punjab CM and stated that Bhagwant Mann's health condition is stable but will continue to be under medical supervision for the next few days. Speaking to the reporters, Manish Sisodia said, "Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been unwell for the past few days due to an electrolyte imbalance. Initially, he was receiving treatment at home. But yesterday his condition worsened when his pulse rate dropped significantly, due to which he had to get hospitalised. Currently, he is under doctors' care, and though his health is improving, he is expected to remain in the hospital for a couple more days as advised by the medical team." Meanwhile, Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Saturday said that floods continue to affect large parts of the state, with 48 more villages, 2,691 people and 2,131 hectares of standing crops coming under the impact during the last 24 hours. Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian also pointed out that the floods claimed three more lives in the last 24 hours, with fatalities reported from Amritsar and Rupnagar. "This has taken the overall death toll in the state to 46 across 14 districts. In addition, three people are still missing in Pathankot district," he said. Expressing gratitude to the armed forces and disaster response teams for their support, Minister Mundian said that 23 teams of the NDRF were actively engaged in relief and rescue operations in Amritsar, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Ludhiana, Pathankot and Rupnagar, while two teams of the SDRF were deployed in Kapurthala. Meanwhile, the Indian Army, along with other disaster response forces, continued to carry out rescue and relief operations on Saturday. Officials said that the Army has deployed 27 columns along with seven Engineer Task Forces in flood-hit areas. Rescue operations are also being supported by nine helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Army, in addition to one state government helicopter and 158 boats. The Border Security Force (NSF) is extending critical assistance in the Ferozepur sector. According to officials, 139 relief camps are currently operational in Punjab, accommodating 6,121 individuals affected by the disaster. Since the beginning of the floods, a total of 219 relief camps have been set up across the state. Fazilka district alone is providing shelter to 2,588 people in 14 camps. Barnala has accommodated 527 persons in 49 camps, while 921 are staying in four camps in Hoshiarpur, 250 in five camps in Rupnagar, 155 in three camps in Moga, and 89 in two camps in Mansa. (ANI)
There are too many state bodies overseeing the management of roads in Ireland, making the procurement process time-consuming and frustrating, a senior council official has stated.

Mayo County Council Director of Services Tom Gilligan made his comments at last Tuesday's meeting of the local authority's strategic policy committee (SPC) for roads after his colleague, Acting Head of Roads Conrad Harley, had referenced the difficulties in obtaining funding for projects.

Presenting the council's programme of roadworks for the coming year, Mr Harley said the council had to deal with the Department of Rural and Community Development for projects under the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), the National Transport Authority (NTA) for Active Travel projects, as well as Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for most other schemes.

"Each have their own separate guidelines and rules and processes to follow," Mr Harley explained.

Mr Gilligan said there was a lot of "duplication" in dealing with these various bodies.

"It's bonkers really," he remarked. It would be much handier if you were dealing with one organisation in terms of roads. This is one thing the Government needs to look at. This fragmentation means we are missing out on synergies, it is all totally inefficient. You have to attend so many meetings and prepare for so many, you are not maximising the output."

Mr Gilligan picked up on the theme again at the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District meeting the next day during a discussion on Active Travel.

We work with the NTA on Active Travel, but within our roads section we talk to TII, the Department of Transport, the Department of Rural and Community Development, the Road Safety Authority, Local Link, Healthy Ireland and more, all of which have different funding streams and procurement processes. So there is a substantial amount of work trying to deal with all of these departments and link it all together with synergies and joined-up thinking. It can be frustrating in relation to their various timelines, funding streams and processes to follow as well.

SPC cathaoirleach Cllr Annie May Reape said the whole system was "very frustrating".

You go to the Department with an issue and they tell you it is not their responsibility, then you go to TII and they say the same. There are too many staff involved in it all. Somebody really should look at it. I remember back in the day when there was just the Director General and the Manager you had to deal with, two people, and it all worked much more efficiently.

Referring to a request from SPC members for representatives of the TII and the Department of Transport to attend a future meeting of the committee, Cllr Reape it was highly unlikely both would attend together, meaning separate meetings will have to be arranged.

- Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
The Dooagh Folk Festival takes place on Achill Island next weekend.

Stockton's Wing are the headline at for this annual Irish folk and traditional music festival, which this year is held from September 12th to 14th. The festival features a weekend of live music, community spirit, and cultural celebration.

Achill Folk Festival has once again launched its much-anticipated charity raffle, with an ambitious target of raising 15,000 in support of two exceptional causes - local charity Gearoids Smile and the Dillon Quirke Foundation. Both charities work tirelessly to support families and communities, making every raffle ticket purchased a contribution that truly matters.

This years raffle prizes promise to strike a chord with music lovers everywhere. The first prize is an unforgettable trip for two to Nashville, Tennessee  the music capital of the USA. The package includes return flights with Aer Lingus, four-star accommodation, and the chance to soak up the citys legendary live music, iconic honky-tonks and historic recording studios. The perfect getaway for those who live and breathe great music.

The second prize offers something closer to home but no less magical - two exclusive VIP passes to Dooagh Folk Festival 2026. Winners will enjoy accommodation courtesy of the Achill Cliff House, access to every concert and event across the weekend, and a festival merchandise pack to take the memories home.

Festival director Sean Lynch said: The Dooagh Folk Festival is built on community spirit, and this raffle is one of the most important ways we can give back. By supporting these two brilliant charities, every ticket bought makes a real difference - and with prizes like a trip to Nashville or a VIP weekend in Achill for next year's festival, theres every reason to get involved.

For more information, terms and conditions and to purchase tickets, visit www.dooaghfolkfest.ie.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami unveiled the beautification, grand transformation, and automated lighting system of the historic Clock Tower, considered the central landmark of Dehradun. The Chief Minister also launched four state-of-the-art "Hilans-cum-Kitchen Outlets" in the Clock Tower area, developed for women self-help groups (SHGs). This initiative aims to empower women, promote self-employment, and strengthen the marketing of local hill products, according to a release on Saturday. During the programme, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "The Clock Tower is the identity of Dehradun. Its new and attractive form will not only attract tourists but also instil a sense of pride among local citizens. With automated lighting, this landmark will remain vibrant even at night, adding new life to the city's nightlife." He added that such initiatives not only enhance the city's beauty but also inspire cleanliness, conservation, and civic responsibility among citizens. At a cost of about Rs 1.5 crore, this heritage site has been given a grand and modern makeover. The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the new look of this heritage monument would enhance the glory of Dehradun and become a centre of attraction for tourists visiting the state's winter capital, the release said. He further announced the inauguration of four Hilans canteens across Dehradun--at the Collectorate, Coronation Hospital, Guchhupani, and ISBT. These canteens will provide affordable and quality products to the public, while also creating avenues of self-employment and self-reliance for women associated with SHGs. The initiative not only promotes women's empowerment but also gives a boost to local, traditional, and organic products of Uttarakhand. Highlighting another major initiative, the Chief Minister said a special campaign has been launched in Dehradun to eradicate child begging and connect children with their right to education. Under this programme, three rescue vehicles and an inter-departmental team have been formed, including Home Guards, Child Helpline, the Education Department, Labor Department, Police, and several NGOs. In the first phase, 51 children were rescued and enrolled in various schools. In the second phase, 31 more children have been admitted to the Government Primary School at Parade Ground and Sadhuram Inter College. Additionally, an intensive care centre is being built at Sadhuram Inter College with an investment of over Rs 1.5 crore for the rescued children, the release added. He emphasised, "We will continue this mission until every child in our state is enrolled in school." Guided and supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Uttarakhand government is working tirelessly for holistic development--whether it is improving infrastructure, education, healthcare, or creating new employment opportunities for the youth. Nearly Rs 1,400 crore worth of development projects are currently underway in Dehradun alone. The Chief Minister further highlighted the government's efforts towards sustainable urban development:30 electric buses have been introduced to encourage environmental conservation, and 11 charging stations are being set up for private electric vehicles. To address the city's traffic and parking issues, underground parking facilities are being constructed at multiple locations, while plans are underway to build elevated roads over the Rispana and Bindal rivers to reduce traffic congestion. (ANI)
The 140 meter tall stacks and 70 meter tall Coke Ovens at Arcelor Mittal Newcastle. [Photo by Viresh Mahabeer / CC BY-SA 4.0

ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA), one of the continents largest steel producers and a subsidiary of the global steel giant, ArcelorMittal, the worlds second-largest steel producer, has announced over 4,000 job cuts, surpassing the prior announcement of 3,500 layoffs earlier this year.

The company plans to close its long steel plants in Newcastle and Vereeniging and restructure operations at Vanderbijlpark, wiping out tens of thousands of indirect jobs in mining, transport, logistics, and countless small businesses that rely on the wages of steelworkers, unleashing a social disaster across entire communities.

AMSAs origins lie in the state-owned Iron and Steel Corporation of South Africa (Iscor), founded in 1928. For decades, Iscor was the backbone of South African industrialisation, producing the bulk of the steel used in construction, mining, rail, and manufacturing. Its growth rested on the brutal exploitation of black labour under the Apartheid regime. In 1989, amid mass working-class struggles that were shaking the Western-backed Apartheid regime, Iscor was privatised in a fire sale by the white Afrikaner ruling class, eager to strip state assets before handing political power to Nelson Mandelas African National Congress.

Iscors privatisation was followed by a restructuring in 2001, when its mining assets were spun off into Kumba Resources, leaving steel as its main operation. Three years later, in 2004, the global conglomerate Mittal Steel, controlled by Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, once ranked by Forbes as the sixth richest man in the world, acquired a controlling stake in Iscor. The merger of Mittal Steel and Arcelor in 2006 then produced AMSA.

Claims that privatisation would revitalise the steel industry proved a fraud. Through the 2010s, AMSA repeatedly posted losses even as it sacked thousands of workers and shut down capacity, only earning a profit in 2019. Between 2014 and 2020 alone, the workforce was slashed from 15,000 to just 7,000. Each round of cuts was justified with the mantra of efficiency and restructuring.

AMSAs plant closures, first announced in November 2023, were postponed three times before the company made its final announcement in September 2025. The company blamed spiralling electricity costs, worsened by rolling blackouts imposed by Eskom, the state-owned electricity company that generates 90 percent of South Africas power, and the breakdown of rail transport under Transnet, the state-owned ports and rail monopoly.

AMSA is heavily reliant on Transnet Freight Rail, which moves 91 percent of its iron ore and all its coking coal to its plants. The collapse of rail has forced the company to use far costlier road haulage. Eskoms blackouts further crippled production, at times compelling Vanderbijlpark to shut down for up to eight hours a day.

These crises are the product of decades of ANC capitalist rule, in which state-owned enterprises like Eskom and Transnet have been systematically looted by a corrupt elite that cloaks its plunder in the language of black empowerment, a cynical cover for anti-working-class politics aimed at creating a thin layer of black capitalists, of whom President Cyril Ramaphosa, one of South Africas richest men, has been a prime beneficiary.

These problems, however, cannot be simply reduced to corruption. They are inseparable from the global capitalist crisis. Across the world, steel capacity has vastly outstripped demand, with 113,000 jobs destroyed between 2013 and 2021 in OECD economies alone. In Europe, entire regions have been devastated by steel closures, such as the Redcar plant in Teesside, UK, where 1,700 jobs were wiped out.

Governments have only intervened where steel is deemed essential for war production, as in Britain, where loss-making steel plants are being taken over on the grounds of maintaining capacity for the military economy.

South Africas steel consumption has collapsed by 20 percent over the past seven years, reflecting the combined impact of contracting auto industry and construction sectors, the collapse of public infrastructure spending, and the global oversupply of steel.

South Africas manufacturing capacity for crude steel stands at 8-9 million tonnes a year, but demand was only five million tonnes in 2023. Of this, AMSA supplied 2.8 million tonnes. With China dominating global production using more advanced and cost-efficient methods, AMSAs losses ballooned from about $100 million in 2023 to $270 million in 2024. This despite the ANC pouring in $180 million in bailouts with no binding requirements to protect jobs.

The collapse is not confined to steel. Workers across South Africa are facing a jobs bloodbath. In 2025 alone, Daybreak Foods, one of the countrys largest poultry producers, cut 2,200 jobs. Goodyear, the US tyre manufacturer, shut down operations and destroyed 900 jobs. Ford slashed nearly 500 jobs, adding to the 4,000 jobs already wiped out in the past two years. Glencore, the Swiss-based commodities conglomerate, is threatening thousands more job cuts. The South African Post Office has axed 4,000 workers.

Manufacturing employment has already plunged from 1.4 million in 2005 to just over a million in 2021, a loss of more than 300,000 jobs in a decade and a half. This crisis is set to deepen, with the Reserve Bank warning that US tariffs could wipe out a further 100,000 jobs in the auto and agriculture sectors.

Workers must not accept this destruction of jobs and livelihoods. Steelworkers, auto workers, miners, postal employees and the broader working class face a common assault and must draw political lessons from their experiences. Three stand out.

The first is the role of the trade unions. For decades they have not been instruments of struggle but mechanisms for enforcing defeats. At every stage in the dismantling of South Africas steel industry, they have acted to suppress opposition, tie workers to the ANC government, and protect their own positions and privileges.

When AMSA announced its first closure plans in November 2023, the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) representing roughly 800,000 workers across 24 affiliate unionsacknowledged that tens of thousands of jobs had already been wiped out since privatisation. Yet SAFTU refused to mobilise workers against the closures.

Instead it issued appeals to the ANC to re-nationalise steel and increase spending on an extensive infrastructure rollout, so as to create a market for state-owned, worker-controlled steel industry revitalisation, not for capitalists. SAFTU knows that the ANC government has no intention of renationalising AMSA, let alone creating a worker-controlled steel industry.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), the countrys largest metalworkers union with over 338,000 members, has also intervened to prevent strike action. In November 2024, NUMSA called off a wage strike after General Secretary Irvin Jim was briefed by AMSA CEO Kobus Verster, and issued a joint statement with the company, recognising the need to settle the strike promptly. The strike, which had the potential to rally wider layers of workers against job cuts and wage suppression, was then shut down as NUMSAs appealed to the ANC to convene social partners in the steel and auto sectors.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) limited its response to calling on the government to intervene to save jobs at Assmangs Beeshoek iron ore mine, which has already lost nearly 700 jobs after AMSA terminated contracts. The Solidarity trade union postured about fiercely resisting AMSA layoffs, but confined its activity to legal manoeuvres and press statements.

The essential role of the unions is as industrial policemen, ensuring that opposition does not break out into a direct struggle against the corporations and the state.

The second lesson is the role of the rival nationalist movements, above all the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). When AMSA confirmed the closures, the EFF declared: The government cannot continue to wash its hands while South Africas industrial backbone is dismantled. We reiterate that the state must pursue a programme of industrial recovery through nationalisation, investment in infrastructure and decisive support for domestic production.

The EFF does not call on workers to fight the closures, strike, or build independent organisations of struggle. Instead, it appeals to the ANC, the instrument of capitalist rule that has overseen privatisation, looting, and mass job destruction. Its call is not for socialist nationalisation under workers control, but for nationalist restructuring under the corrupt state apparatus that has already plundered Eskom, Transnet, and other state assets.

The perspective advanced by the EFF is that post-apartheid capitalism can be reformed if only the state acts decisively. As EFF leader Julius Malema told Business Day on Friday, The parties that can work together is the EFF, MK and the ANC and then it can bring stability but also the political will to change the lives of our people.

This is a fraud. Three decades after 1994, the working class faces mass unemployment, collapsing infrastructure, and deepening poverty, while a thin layer of black capitalists, Ramaphosa among them, has enriched itself alongside international finance. EFFs nationalist programme of industrial recovery offers nothing to the working class.

The third lesson emerging from the first two is the need to build independent organisations of struggle and a new political leadership. Workers must form rank-and-file committees in every factory, mine, and workplace to unite across industries, break free from the unions suffocating grip, and prepare common action against closures, wage cuts, and privatisation.

Above all, what is required is the building of a Trotskyist party in South Africa, a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). Such a party would arm workers with an internationalist and socialist programme: the expropriation of the corporations, the placing of industry under workers control, and the reorganisation of the economy to meet human needs, not private profit.

Only through this struggle, linked with workers across the world, can the South African working class put an end to the devastation wrought by post-apartheid capitalism and open the road to genuine equality and socialism.
The sleuths of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption of Assam police caught a government employee red-handed while he accepted a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a person in his office in Guwahati, officials said. The arrested government employee was identified as Nabajyoti Deka, Senior Assistant, Office of the Directorate of Health Service, Hengrabari, Kamrup (M). Rajib Saikia, CPRO of Assam police, said that a complaint was received at the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam, alleging that Nabajyoti Deka, Senior Assistant of the Directorate of Health Service, Hengrabari, Kamrup (M), Assam, had demanded Rs 10,000 as a bribe from the complainant (a doctor) for processing his unpaid arrear salary bill work. "The initial bribe demand was Rs 20,000, which was reduced to Rs 10,000 after negotiation. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to take necessary legal action against the public servant. Accordingly, a trap was laid on Sunday by a team from the Directorate at the Office of the Directorate of Health Service, Hengrabari, Kamrup (M), Assam and Nabajyoti Deka, Senior Assistant, was apprehended red-handed immediately after he had accepted Rs 5,000 as a part of the demanded bribe in his office room. The tainted bribe money has been recovered from his possession and has been seized accordingly in the presence of independent witnesses," Rajib Saikia said. The CPRO of Assam police further said that, on finding sufficient evidence against the accused public servant, he was arrested by the team of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam. "In this connection, a case has been registered in ACB Police Station on 06/09/2025 vide ACB P.S. Case No. 49/2025 under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018)," the CPRO of Assam police said. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
"Blondes do it better!" That was probably Julie Chrisley's tune after her parole was announced.

The Chrisley family matriarch was beyond excited to go back to being the golden-haired after spending months in jail and forced to embrace a darker, brunette look.

Julie Chrisley was sentenced alongside her husband, Todd Chrisley, to a joint time of 19 years in prison back in November 2022 for bank fraud and tax evasion before they were granted a presidential pardon in May 2025.

Julie Chrisley Had A Standby Plan For Her Signature Blonde Look

Nutrisystem/ MEGA

The reality star got candid about embracing change in an essential part of her look, which became an identity for her before going to prison. Julie noted that as soon as she heard that she had been granted a presidential pardon, the first mission on her mind was to get back to being blonde.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She told PEOPLE that her hairstylist, Tyler Bishop, knew that as soon as she was released, he would be ready to dye her hair blonde.

Todd weighed in on the discussion, noting that it took him some time to get used to seeing his wife without her blonde hair, and he almost considered going back to jail. Well, that dream was not actualized as Julie's hair transformation happened weeks after the gates of prison flung open to welcome her home.

Julie Reminisced About Her Hair Maintenance Routine In Jail

Nutrisystem/ MEGA

Julie shared during an episode of their family show that she managed to maintain her blonde hair in prison with the help of a fellow inmate.

However, things changed when the inmate got released, bringing an end to her beauty routine and giving the brunette strands a chance to have their field day. She initially relied on box dye to keep things in place, but eventually allowed nature to take its course with the hair.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Julie affirmed that she really looked unrecognizable for a while, and her husband agreed, adding that it felt jarring seeing her without her usual look after they were pardoned.

The duo were served their miracle on a platter after President Donald Trump decided to acquit them of all charges and declare them free in May 2025.

Donald Trump Described Julie And Todd's Sentence As Harsh

When the President decided to heed Savannah Chrisleys petitions and pleas for a pardon for her parents, he gleefully informed the media personality and her brother via a phone call.

"Your parents are going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow," Trump explained. He added that upon learning about the case and the manner of punishment the couple received, he concluded it was harsh, which led to the pardon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After their conviction in 2022, the couple began serving their sentences in January 2023 at different correctional facilities. Todd was sent to spend his 12-year prison sentence (later reduced to 10) in the Federal Prison Camp, Pensacola, Florida.

As for Julie, she was serving her 7-year sentence (of which 14 months were removed) at the Federal Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky.

The Mother-Of-Four Got By In Prison Through Working

Curtis Hilbun / AFF-USA.COM / MEGA

Julie lived several lives in jail, gathering several experiences along the way, including taking up jobs to get by and attend to her personal needs.

"I adhered to the rules. Keep in mind, I was in a place where there was no air conditioning," Julie revealed about life in Kentucky prison. She admitted to her friend Kandi Burruss that she took a job to be able to buy some self-care needs, such as body wash, shampoo, and makeup.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As stated by The Blast, Julie shared that she worked at the commissary department, where she had access to purchase items fellow inmates had no access to.

While they were not luxury items, they did fit into the lavish lifestyle maintained by some inmates, who would fix faux lashes, install weaves, and basically clean up nice.

As for her husband, he had a different approach, revealing that he avoided doing any form of chores and strictly focused on serving out his sentence.

Todd And Julie Chrisley Eyeing A New Destination

Nutrisystem/ MEGA

Since their release from jail, the couple has embraced changes in their lives, including considering making a move to South Carolina- their home state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the desire burns brightly in their hearts, Todd noted that their professional commitments remain a stumbling block to that plan. "I think that's going to depend on how things fall with production and other projects that we're working on right now," Todd added.

Julie noted that despite these plans, she has chosen to see the good in Nashville and embrace life there. The couple moved into their Brentwood mansion in Nashville after previously living in Atlanta.

"This is just a new start and a new beginning that I'm so excited about and grateful that I'm able to live," the family matriarch expressed about life in Nashville after her freedom from incarceration.

It seems it is blonde or nothing for Julie Chrisley!
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Humble tributes to Sree Narayana Guru on his jayanthi. A great spiritual leader and fearless social reformer, he challenged discrimination and worked for a just, equal, and inclusive society."

https://x.com/RahulGandhi/status/1964565511749898503

"His vision continues to guide us and strengthen our resolve for social justice," the post read.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid tribute to Sree Narayana Guru, the Kerala saint and social reformer. She said his teachings on equality, justice and compassion continue to inspire society today.

Sri Narayana Jayanthi is a state festival of Kerala. It is celebrated on Chathayam day during the Onam season in the Chingam month of the Malayalam calendar.

Sree Narayana Guru (20 August 1856 - 20 September 1928) was a saint, philosopher, spiritual leader, and a social reformer from Kerala, India.

The Guru actively promoted education, cleanliness, devotion to God, organisation, and agriculture. He encouraged industries as a means for economic independence. He believed that with skills, hard work, knowledge, education, and a clean-living environment, subjugated people could transform themselves into self-confident, self-respecting, fearless, and morally and financially strong communities. (ANI)
NEED TO KNOW

Dr. Michael Mosley's wife, Clare Bailey Mosley, is reflecting on one year since his disappearance and death at age 67

In a new interview, the BBC and ITV doctor and presenter's widow shared that she and her family traveled to Greece, the same place where Michael was reported missing and died, to mark the one-year anniversary of his death

Officials said Michael slipped and fell on a rocky path, and died of suspected heatstroke

Michael Mosley's wife, Clare Bailey Mosley, is reflecting on one year since his disappearance and death at age 67.

In a new interview with The Times, published on Saturday, Sept. 6, Clare opened up on her grieving process in the year since her TV doctor husband's body was found on the Greek island of Symi in June 2024, days after he was reported missing amid a family vacation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I don't think one can make sense of it. The shock is so profound, I dont know how to," Clare told the outlet, adding that she doesn't know if she's still in shock from the incident.

Clare shared that she and her children  Alex, 35, Jack, 33, Dan, 31, and Kate, 26  returned to Greece, one year after her husband's death, though the family decided not to stay on Symi.

"We all felt that was just going to be too much, because we had climbed and searched and scratched our way through so much of the strange parts of the island, so it was very, very fraught," she said. "But we did go back on the day, to the lovely, beautiful monastery at the far end of Symi. I've not grown up religious at all, but I find it comforting to sit on a pew."

Maureen McLean/Shutterstock Michael Mosely and Clare Bailey Mosely in 2013. Michael Mosely and Clare Bailey Mosely in 2013.

Michael  best known for appearing in BBC shows including Trust Me, Im a Doctor and ITVs This Morning  was first reported missing on June 5, 2024, after he did not return from a hike.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After four days of search parties and police scouring the island, Michael's body was spotted by the mayor of Symi. Officials said he slipped and fell on a rocky path, and died of suspected heatstroke, per The Times.

The TV presenter's wife told the outlet she considered it a blessing that his death was an accident, and that there was no one to blame.

Related: https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf

"It was so random. There was nothing to be angry about. And how lucky is that? Isnt that incredible?" she told The Times. "If somebody was to blame, it would have been very different."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Some people I've said it to were surprised. But it's the difference between night and day," she continued. "The worst has happened, but there are so many permutations in which it could have been so much worse. He could not have been found. Or one of the boys could have found him, and that would have been devastating."

Soon after Michael's body was discovered in 2024, Clare told PEOPLE: "It's devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband. We had an incredibly lucky life together. We loved each other very much and were so happy together."

Noting that she was "incredibly proud" of the pair's children for "their resilience and support over the past days," Clare added, "My family and I have been hugely comforted by the outpouring of love from people from around the world. It's clear that Michael meant a huge amount to so many of you."

In her statement to PEOPLE, Clare also said that she and her loved ones are currently "taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldnt be easily seen by the extensive search team," she continued.

Brook Mitchell/Getty Michael Mosley in 2019. Michael Mosley in 2019.

In the wake of her husband's death, Clare is now working to establish a foundation in her husband's name  the Michael Mosley Memorial Research Fund, which will establish a new clinical research fellowship at King's College London for work to improve metabolic health  and is still navigating her own grieving process.

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.

"I decided it felt too early [to see a counselor]," she told The Times. "I'm going to trundle along until I have something I need to talk about and get some handle on. So I am planning to get some support."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said she grapples with the phrase "processing grief."

"It is a strange thing. I dont know if Ive got a hard heart," Clare said. "We're still standing. It is what it is, and thats what you just have to work with, and you just get on with it."

Read the original article on People
My dad died when I was 30.

I was only 15 minutes away, but taking care of my kids stopped me from being there with him.

We moved my mom in with us to help care for her and have the kids enjoy their grandma.

"Marion, Dad's died," my mom told me over the phone.

I was 15 minutes away in Washington State, but my children raced circles around me, needing endless tasks before bed, so I couldn't get to her for a few hours.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At 30, thinking about never seeing my dad again was unbearable. My white British parents had adopted me from Bangladesh as a baby.

The author was adopted by her parents from Bangladesh as a baby. Courtesy of the author

After my dad passed, we had weekly visits at Granny's house, trips to get coffee and pastries, and Sunday night dinners. It seemed like we were physically close enough until my 80-year-old Mom called me one morning at 6 a.m.

I sent my husband to help her

"It's my heart," she said. I knew she'd had atrial fibrillation, but hadn't suffered recently.

"Tim's on the way," I assured her. He went so that I could breastfeed our baby. I worried she might not make it. My phone rang minutes later. "She's not here," my husband said. It turned out she'd driven herself to the ER. I prayed for the best and promised myself that if she survived, we would find a big house for all of us (my husband, me, kids, and Granny). Thankfully, her heart rate was back to normal when Tim found her in the emergency room.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our home, with eight kids, lacked enough space to add another person. In 2019, we sold our unit and my mom also sold hers for a total of $600,000. We then bought a 3,500 square-foot home with six bedrooms and four bathrooms for $510,000. We realized that a larger property came with higher taxes. However, we all saved money and simplified expenses.

My kids love spending time with their Granny

Set on a hill, we could see the Blue Mountains from the top floor. My mom moved into the daylight basement with a walkout patio where she hung baskets of flowers in each corner. We carved out time to spend together through shared activities. Granny and the kids often sat around a small table with her drinking peppermint tea and feasting on biscuits.

The author moved her mom in once her dad died. Courtesy of the author

For four years, we walked together every morning after breakfast. It let my kids' energy out before school, and it motivated Tim, my mom, and me to exercise. Neighbors smiled at the youngest of ten kids leading what looked like a parade passing by their homes. Mom and I made sure everyone was safe at the end of the group.

This daily ritual didn't last as long as I'd hoped. One day on a walk, I heard a loud thump  Mom had fallen. Tim noticed her on the ground first. She'd managed to avoid the sidewalk and roll into the grass. He offered to help her. She pulled herself to her feet. The kids watched in shock. After a week, it was as if this fall hadn't happened. Then she tripped on the same crack in the sidewalk one month later.

Living together meant we could help her

As a result of intergenerational living, my family and I could check on Mom and provide assurance that she was not alone. It took months for her to regain her confidence in walking. I watched her grip furniture nearby when she moved around the house. She quit singing in a choir because she didn't want to walk in the parking lot at night. Grocery shopping, something she used to enjoy, was exhausting. Her doctor encouraged her to go to physical therapy. This helped with her confidence, but even after a year, she hasn't walked with us. Despite this, she continued to be strong and independent.

The author's mom cooks dinner for the family every Sunday Courtesy of the author

One reason we moved into the same house was to be able to help her. Despite a few medical scares, she helped us as well. The kids visit and work on puzzles or games in Granny's living room. She spends hours going over letter sounds and reading books with the younger kids. With endless driving needs to get the kids to ballet or school, she joined the constant juggle of how to get each kid to the right destination. She continues to cook Sunday night dinner for all 13 of us every week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I didn't grow up near my relatives. My adopted parents' families lived in England and Scotland. I only saw them a few times throughout my childhood. My husband's grandparents lived five hours away from him. He spent every holiday with them, and they attended all the important milestones, but he wished they were closer. I'm so grateful that Mom wanted to give multigenerational living a try. Now, she's only a few steps away.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The airport in the Maldives presents a funny contrast. Bleary-eyed arrivals fresh off their third flight grin with anticipation as those on their way out, sporting a tan, look on in envy. Travelers already fortunate enough to spend a few days in the epitome of paradise know what these excited resort-goers are in forthe trip of a lifetime.

Most visitors to this tropical island nation, especially Americans on the other side of the globe, will only venture here once. Distance, exorbitant cost, time off workall these factors make it a special occasion spot reserved for honeymoons and milestone birthdays or anniversaries. But Im one of the really lucky ones. As a travel writer, I spend roughly a month per year in the Maldives, and this is my main piece of advice: Go big or dont go.

Splurge on that resortthe one you daydream about from your desk, suspended overwater with rainbow-colored fish flitting across the glass-bottom floor. The private island oasis that comes with a 24-hour ice cream room stocked with freshly made cones and buffets beside the beach, where Champagne is on free-flow and omelets come with a dollop of caviar. White-sand retreats that have butler service so warm that you tear up as they wave goodbye to you from the wooden jetty.

With roughly 180 resorts spread across its atolls, there are dozens of worthy five-star escapes to choose from. After visiting more than a quarter of the countrys resorts, a few of my favorites are: Patina Maldives, Six Senses Laamu, Joali Maldives, Soneva, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, Kudadoo Maldives, and Gili Lankanfushi. Yes, youll need to seriously save up, but you can book a few of these with points.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Once you arrive at the idyllic island of your choosing, you start to see in technicolor. Shades of blue you didnt know existed, sand so white you need sunglasses to look at it, and sunsets that shift from pink to red to purple, like the insides of a ripe plum.

And while R&R are the destinations lifeblood, there is also an encyclopedia of activities to fill your days. Many of the resorts operate on island time, giving guests an hour of extra sunlight per day. So, whatever you do, dont sleep in. Wake up with the distinct call of the Asian koel and walk the silica shores as hermit crabs scuttle by and baby blacktip reef sharks play in the lapping waves.

Days here are designed to do as little or as much as you want. But in a place you may never set foot in again, I suggest the latter. Every resort has a weekly calendar of scheduled activitiessome free, some chargeablethat guests can join in on. Complimentary activities range from morning stretching with a sea breeze to late-afternoon volleyball in the sand to learning about local culture through a Boduberu drum session.

One to two of these selections per day pair perfectly with feet-in-the-sand beach reads and laps in the infinity pool. But since this may be a one-time-only experience, booking a few chargeable experiences is well worth the price tag. If your pockets are only deep enough for one, make it a snorkeling or diving session. At resorts like Six Senses Laamu, guests can book a guided snorkeling excursion with the resorts marine biologist to see turtles and manta rays. Id recommend staying in the Baa Atoll at resorts like Soneva Fushi or Anantara Kihavah Maldives, where you can snorkel with hundreds of manta rays feeding on plankton from May to November.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If muscle-melting massages are more your style, the Maldives has some of the best in the world. Schedule in for a heavenly hammam treatment at Joali Maldives, one of just a few in the country with this traditional treatment. Or, try a lava shell massage at The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort's overwater spa, where heated clam shells gently work out the knots from your flight. If youre staying at the all-inclusive Kudadoo Maldives, endless massages, facials, and scrubs are included.

And when you find yourself back at the airport, nursing a sunburn and dodging the latest flight full of smiling arrivals, try to smile back.

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
If you think you cant afford to summer in Europe, think again.

An American woman says she spent 55 days traveling across the continent in July and August  and her total spend was lower than what shed pay for rent back in Los Angeles.

Monae Hendrickson, 29, revealed in a viral TikTok video that she visited 14 countries for a total cost of $4,170, equating to just $76 per day.

In comparison, the content creator pays $2600 a month for her LA lodgings, equating to $86 per day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The United States that is no longer economical, Hendrickson told The Post, adding in her TikTok caption that travel in almost every part of the world is less than the cost of living in major US cities.

The numbers prove that, in some cases, travel to Europe is no longer an indulgence, but a savings hack.

Monae Hendrickson, 29, revealed in a viral TikTok video that she visited 14 countries for a total cost of $4,170, equating to just $76 per day. @more.monaee / TikTok

Hendrickson admitted she was thrifty when it came to her travels, spending a majority of her time in low-cost Eastern European countries where her money stretched further.

Still, the intrepid explorer managed to treat herself in places such as Poland, Latvia and Albania, with quality Airbnbs, tasty food, and the best ice cream she has ever had in her entire life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An average cappuccino in Albania was $2, she told The Post. While a private room in a hotel was an average of $30 per night.

The United States that is no longer economical, Hendrickson told The Post, adding in her TikTok caption that travel in almost every part of the world is less than the cost of living in major US cities. Hendrickson is seen in Italy. @more.monaee / TikTok

The stunning coast of Albania is pictured. Hendrickson says the nation offered her the best bang for her buck. Leonid Andronov  stock.adobe.com

In the latter part of her travels, Hendrickson ventured to more expensive Nordic nations, including Finland.

However, because of the low cost of the earlier part of her trip, the higher prices were largely offset.

Dollar for dollar, its pretty close to the US, Hendrickson said. But you get safe public transportation, beautiful, publicly funded, affordable activities, astonishing nature, and truly, dont get me started on the cardamom buns.

You can never go back to pretending that life in America is the best it gets, she added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Like many young college grads, Hendrickson says she was already feeling burned out by Americas corporate culture, and shes now a full-time travel content creator.

I was in the rat race of working dead-end jobs I was definitely overqualified for with my two business degrees, she said, saying she now loves the freedom, flexibility  and the financial savings  that overseas travel awards her.
A humble confection, born of devotion and celestial symbolism, lies at the root of a tradition we now take for granted. Though its form may seem simple  round, unassuming, perhaps modest in flavor  its origins are profound, and woven into ancient religious rites. The early iteration of what would become a celebratory sweet was far more than a treat  it had meaning.

We're referring to the earliest known birthday cake. In Ancient Greece, circular cakes were offered to honor Artemis, the goddess of the moon and childbirth. These cakes  crafted from dough, honey, and sesame seeds  were lit with candles to illuminate them like the moon itself, serving as votive offerings in devotional ceremonies. These sweet, luminous offerings were known as ammilos, and they symbolized not birthday indulgence but worship, the candles symbolizing stars, and the smoke carrying prayers skyward.

Beyond this, Ancient Greeks more broadly created sacred cakes used in rituals across centuries. These were often sweetened with honey, baked with cheese, nuts, herbs, and fruits, and offered in religious contexts such as festivals or shrines. While these weren't birthday cakes per se, they laid the foundation for sweet ritual offerings in Greek society.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: 14 Once-Popular Desserts From The 1970s

From Ritual To Celebration

Painting of 19th century family celebrating baby's first birthday with a cake - Wave: The Museums, Galleries And Archives Of Wolverhampton/Getty Images

As time passed, the role of cake shifted from sacred devotion to personal celebration. In ancient Rome, celebratory cakes marked significant events, such as weddings or the 50th birthdays of prominent citizens. These cakes were made with flour, nuts, yeast, and honey, carrying forward the sweetness of Greek traditions into daily life.

Centuries later, Germany transformed these rituals into a form recognizable today. In the 18th century, children's birthdays were marked with Kinderfeste, where a cake was topped with a candle for each year of life  and one extra to symbolize the year ahead. The candles were lit in the morning, left to burn, and only blown out at day's end, often accompanied by a silent wish  precursors to our modern customs.

Finally, the Industrial Revolution democratized birthday cake. Technologies and mass production made sugar, baking supplies, and prepared cakes widely affordable. Lavish, frosted, multi-layered cakes once reserved for the elite became accessible to the masses, cementing the birthday cake as a beloved centerpiece of celebration across social classes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This journey  from sacred, candle-lit offerings to Artemis, through Roman milestones, German children's rites, and industrial-era accessibility  reveals how the concept of the birthday cake blossomed across cultures and centuries. Each stage contributed a layer: spirituality, symbolism, personal commemoration, and accessibility. The modern birthday cake, glowing with candles, carries echoes of ancient devotion, a sweet reminder of our shared human history.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
The number of migrants crossing the Channel this year has topped 30,000 in record time, Home Office figures show.

As many as 1,097 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 dinghies on Saturday, the highest daily number for four months and bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100.

In her first public statement on the crisis since becoming Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood said the numbers were utterly unacceptable, adding that she expected the first deportations of Channel migrants under the new one-in, one-out deal with France to take place imminently.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These small-boat crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people-smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders, she said.

Thanks to our deal with France, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France and I expect the first returns to take place imminently.

Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.

The 30,100 crossings are up 37 per cent on this point last year (22,028) and 37 per cent higher than at this stage in 2023 (21,918).

It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since the first arrivals were recorded in 2018. Last year, the figure was not passed until Oct 30 and in 2023 it was never reached as crossings totalled 29,437 for the whole year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2022, the previous record year with a total of 45,755 crossings by the end of December, the number was reached on Sept 21.

It was confirmed on Sunday that Ms Mahmood will shortly unveil plans to move asylum seekers from hotels into prefabricated buildings on military and industrial sites as Sir Keir Starmer seeks to toughen the Governments approach to illegal migration.

Ms Mahmood will this week also host the so-called five eyes security alliance for talks on tackling people smuggling in her first major engagement as Home Secretary. She said the intelligence-sharing group would agree new measures to protect our border.

She will meet Kristi Noem, US homeland security secretary; Gary Anandasangaree, Canadian public safety minister; Tony Burke, Australian home affairs minister; and Judith Collins, New Zealand attorney-general.

Shabana Mahmood is set to announce the use of Ministry of Defence sites for migrant accommodation - James Manning/PA

The group will also discuss new measures to tackle child sexual abuse online, as well as the spread of deadly synthetic opioids, the Home Office said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We have already reset our relationship with the EU, struck a people-smuggling deal with the G7 and operationalised a first-of its-kind returns agreement with France. We will agree new measures to protect our borders with our five eyes partners, hitting people-smugglers hard, she said.

It comes as a policing chief admitted Frances efforts to stop the migrant boats are dysfunctional in face of extreme violence orchestrated by people-smuggling gangs.

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.
NEW MARKET, Ala. (WHNT)  The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has identified the man who was killed in a crash on Walker Lane near Hubert Road Saturday night.

ALEA identified the man as 30-year-old Matthew S. Williamson. The agency said Williamson died when the truck he was driving went off the road, hit a utility pole and caught fire.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Madison County Sheriffs Office said the crash resulted in a power outage across portions of the New Market area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

ALEA is investigating the cause of the crash.

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.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A 19-year-old young woman was airlifted from a single-vehicle crash in Darke County late Saturday night. Both she and her passenger were hospitalized after the crash.

According to the Darke County Sheriffs Office, the crash happened in the 3700 Block of McNutt Road at approximately 11:50 p.m.

The initial investigation found a Blue 2013 Ford Taurus, driven by a 19-year-old woman from Arcanum, was traveling northwest on McNutt Road. Officials said she drove left of center and overcorrected, then slid into a bean field. The vehicle rolled and flipped, stopping on its top.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to officials, her 19-year-old passenger from Pitsburg, Ohio, was ejected.

Crash photo via Jarod Thrush, WDTN.

The driver was taken by medics to Wayne Hospital. The passenger was Miami Valley Hospital by CareFlight.

Officials said both young women have non-life-threatening injuries.

This crash is under active investigation.

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.
In a post on X, Kharge shared a media report on the alleged EC's decision to withhold details in a probe related to voter fraud in Karnataka's Aland Constituency.

Kharge shared the chronological details of what he believed was the "massive deletion" of voters in the Aland constituency ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections in 2023.

"Is the Election Commission of India (ECI) now the BJP's back office for vote chori? Understand the chronology. Ahead of the May 2023 Karnataka elections, Congress had exposed a massive deletion of voters in the Aland Constituency. Thousands of voters were stripped of their rights through a very sophisticated operation of forging Form 7 applications," Kharge said.

"In Feb 2023, a case was filed. The probe revealed 5,994 forged applications - clear evidence of a massive attempt at voter fraud. The Congress government then ordered a CID probe to catch the culprits," he added.

https://x.com/kharge/status/1964570718118826352?s=08

The Congress President then accused ECI of "stonewalling" the crucial information required for the probe, alleging that the poll body is "shielding" those behind the "Vote Chori."

"But here's the twist: while ECI had earlier shared part of the documents needed to trace the forgery, it has now stonewalled the crucial information--effectively shielding those behind Vote Chori !" Kharge alleged.

He further questioned EC's intention for allegedly blocking the evidence required for the probe, emphasising the need to protect the Indian democracy.

"Why has the ECI suddenly BLOCKED vital evidence? Who is it protecting? BJP's Vote Chori department? Is the ECI bending under BJP pressure to derail the CID probe?" Individual's right to vote needs to be protected. INDIAN Democracy needs to be protected." Kharge said.

Congress candidate Bhojaraj won from the Aland constituency in the Karnataka Assembly election in 2023 with a margin of nearly 10,000 votes against the BJP's Subhash Guttedar. (ANI)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  One person was hospitalized and a suspect was charged after a shooting Saturday afternoon, Columbus police said.

The shooting happened just before 2 p.m. in the 500 block of North Ohio Avenue, just south of Interstate 670.

Map shows approximate location

A female was found with a gunshot wound in the lower torso, police said. She was taken to a hospital and is expected to be OK.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The incident report lists three victims, including a juvenile, but only provides details about one females injuries.

Davarious Wilkerson, 19, was identified as the suspect and charged with three counts of felony assault, according to police.

No other details were 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV.
In 2024, North America accounted for over 40% of the global salmon market (via Cognitive Market Research). That's a sizable percentage, and there are a few good reasons for this impressive consumer demand. Not only is salmon loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and selenium, it's also delicious and very versatile. Whether baked in a creamy sauce, savored with eggs, or turned into a smoked salmon dip, salmon is one of those ingredients that can be easily incorporated into a huge range of dishes.

Despite its reputation as a healthy and versatile protein, salmon has experienced its share of controversy. In fact, salmon has been at the center of some of America's biggest food recalls, sparking concerns among consumers. From can defects and mislabeling to fears over contamination with listeria and salmonella, the flaky fish has repeatedly made headlines, highlighting the importance of strict food safety standards. Let's dive deep into some of the biggest salmon recalls in U.S. history.

Read more: 6 Canned Meats You Should Be Eating And 6 To Avoid

Santa Monica Seafood Recalls Stuffed Salmon Due To An Undeclared Ingredient (2025)

Santa Monica Seafood Atlantic salmon with seafood stuffing - Saddako/Getty Images

Undeclared ingredients are one of the main causes of food recalls. After all, it's crucial that consumers who are allergic to a certain product are able to ensure that what they are eating won't trigger a dangerous reaction. This risk became a reality in May 2025 when Santa Monica Seafood recalled 16-ounce packages of fresh Atlantic salmon portions with seafood stuffing due to a labeling oversight. More specifically, the product could have contained soy, which is one of the nine major allergens listed by the FDA, alongside eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and sesame.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The labeling problem was identified by a supplier while carrying out a standard quality check on a completed production run. Unfortunately, the batches of the product had already been shipped to Aldi stores in California, Nevada, and Arizona. Underscoring the potentially devastating consequences of the labeling error, the FDA gave the recall a Class I grade, which applies to "a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death."

Acme Smoked Fish Corporation Recalls Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon Due To Potential Contamination With Listeria Monocytogenes (2024 And 2025)

Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon - Costco

The Acme Smoked Fish Corporation first raised the alarm that Costco's Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes in October 2024. The fish had been vacuum-sealed in twin 12-ounce plastic packages, which were shipped to the Southeast Costco Distribution Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, plus Costco Warehouse stores in Florida.

The recall was announced after the dangerous pathogen was found in some of the products. In January 2025, the FDA upgraded the recall to Class I, reserved for situations where the product can cause serious illness or death.

While no reports linked Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon to consumer illnesses at the time, Listeria monocytogenes can be extremely dangerous. In healthy adults, the bacteria can lead to listeriosis, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, fever, and headaches. In addition, it can be especially hazardous for young children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, even resulting in death.

Foppen Seafood Recalls Smoked Norwegian Salmon Slices Due To Possible Listeria Contamination (2024)

Foppen Smoked Norwegian Salmon Slices - Instacart

The delicate melt-in-the-mouth texture of smoked salmon can add a gourmet touch to everyday meals. Velvety smoked salmon pairs beautifully with bagels, eggs, salads, and sandwiches, and shines on charcuterie boards. Unfortunately, in 2024, Foppen Seafood found itself in the spotlight when the company recalled its smoked salmon due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Foppen Seafood is a Netherlands-based company that specializes in the production of cold-smoked and hot-smoked salmon, distributing them worldwide. The recall involved toast-sized Foppen Smoked Norwegian Salmon Slices with honey mustard dill sauce. The presence of bacteria was discovered during routine product testing, triggering the withdrawal of the tainted product from the stores. The 8.1-ounce packages of the smoked salmon slices were sold in Kroger and Pay Less Supermarkets across 15 states, making this recall relatively widespread.

Seven Seas International USA Recalls Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon Over Fears Of Contamination (2023)

Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon - Instacart

Also called red or blueback salmon, sockeye salmon is known for its firm, red flesh and rich salmon flavor. Native to the Pacific Ocean, sockeye salmon is often drycured and coldsmoked. In 2023, the fish made headlines in the worst possible way when Seven Seas International USA recalled 295 cases of Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen that can cause severe illness in healthy adults and pose an even higher risk to those with weak immune systems.

The 4-ounce packages of Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon had been shipped to Publix stores. The fish was sold in clear, vacuum-sealed bags packaged in black carton sleeves. The safety alert was triggered after the Florida Department of Agriculture found the pathogen in some of the products during routine testing. While no illnesses were linked to the smoked fish at the time, Seven Seas International USA recalled the product as a precautionary move.

Mariscos Bahia Recalls Fresh Salmon Following Salmonella Outbreak (2022)

Fresh salmon fillets - Stocky boi/Shutterstock

In 2022, Mariscos Bahia recalled fresh salmon and other fish types after 39 people contracted salmonella infections from eating the product, 15 of whom had to be hospitalized. The illnesses spanned four states: California, Arizona, Illinois, and Texas. The raw fish included fresh salmon fillets, fresh deep skin salmon fillets, and fresh salmon portions. Other fish -- such as Chilean sea bass, halibut, tuna, and swordfish -- were also impacted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The California Department of Public Health discovered contamination after taking environmental samples at the Mariscos Bahia facility in Pico Rivera, California, thus linking the fish to the outbreak. In total, the company recalled around 150 tons of raw fish, which had been supplied to restaurants in California and Arizona.

Salmonella is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness around the world. Most people who come into contact with the bacteria experience symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. These typically start within 8 to 72 hours of exposure. While most people recover, severe cases can become life-threatening, particularly in young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.

Banner Smoked Fish Recalls Smoked Salmon Because Of Possible Contamination With Listeria Monocytogenes (2021)

Banner Smoked Fish - Banner Smoked Fish / Facebook

Founded in 1988 in Brooklyn, New York, as a family-run operation, Banner Smoked Fish was acquired by Acme Smoked Fish Corporation in 2024. The company hasn't changed its core focus, producing smoked and cured fish such as salmon, tuna, whitefish, sable, trout, herring, and whiting.

Three years before the acquisition, in 2021, Banner Smoked Fish faced a food safety crisis after the FDA discovered that the company's smoked fish products -- including salmon -- were not processed in sanitary conditions. The discovery raised serious concerns about potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination and triggered a recall.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The recall involved over 40 different fish products, including salmon offerings such as Norwegian Style Smoked Salmon, Naturally Smoked Nova Salmon, and Presliced Scotch Style Smoked Salmon. Packaged in either air-pack or vacuum-sealed form, the products came in a range of sizes and weights. The affected fish had been shipped to retailers in 17 states and was also sold online.

Sullivan Harbor Farm Smokehouse Recalls Cold-Smoked Salmon Amid Botulism Fears (2019)

Sullivan Harbor Farm Smokehouse smoked salmon - Sullivan Harbor Farm Smokehouse / Facebook

Smoked salmon enthusiasts got unsettling news in 2019 when Sullivan Harbor Farm Smokehouse issued a recall of its cold-smoked salmon due to potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the fish didn't contain enough salt to prevent the growth of the dangerous pathogen. More specifically, the salmon's water phase salt content was lower than 3.5%, which means that it should have been eaten immediately after defrosting. This wasn't in line with the product's label, which stated that it could be refrigerated  a storage method that would have left it susceptible to contamination.

The affected smoked salmon was sold in vacuum-sealed packaging in a range of sizes, including whole salmon sides, 1 pound, 2 pounds, 4 ounces, and 8 ounces. The salmon was sold in 23 states and online, making the recall particularly tricky. While the fish was sold frozen, the concern was that consumers could have already thawed it and stored it in the refrigerator rather than the freezer.

Clostridium botulinum is a dangerous bacterium that can cause symptoms such as dizziness, weakness, double vision, and difficulty breathing and swallowing. In the worst-case scenario, botulism can even be fatal. Luckily, no infections were linked to the smoked salmon at the time of the recall.

Springfield Smoked Fish Recalls Smoked Salmon And Other Products Due To Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination (2017)

Smoked salmon on bagels - Carlo A/Getty Images

Established in 1934 in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Springfield Smoked Fish Company produced a long list of fish products, smoking many in traditional, antique block ovens over wood fire. In 2017, the company faced a significant challenge when its products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On December 13, 2017, Springfield Smoked Fish recalled its 1-pound, clear plastic packages of pre-sliced Nova salmon after the FDA found that some of the products were potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Just six days later, the company expanded the recall to other Springfield Smoked Fish and Rachael's Springfield Smoked Fish products. This included hot smoked salmon steaks, smoked whole whitefish, and smoked trout. Non-fish products impacted by the recall included a variety of cream cheese spreads. The products were shipped to Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Colorado, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and were also available online.

Vita Food Products Recalls Sliced Smoked Atlantic Salmon Due To Possible Contamination With Listeria Monocytogenes (2014)

Vita Classic Premium Sliced Smoked Atlantic Salmon - Fairway Market

Smoked salmon is especially prone to contamination. The fish is typically cold-smoked, which means that it's cured at low temperatures rather than cooked. Cold-smoking doesn't kill Listeria monocytogenes, which is a problem if the facility where the fish is cured is contaminated with the pathogen. In 2014, Vita Food Products found itself in precisely this predicament when it recalled 1,878 pounds of Vita Classic Premium Sliced Smoked Atlantic Salmon. The safety alert was announced after the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services detected traces of Listeria monocytogenes during random testing of the product.

The 4-ounce packages of Vita Classic Premium Sliced Smoked Atlantic Salmon were sold at three grocery store chains. These included Hannaford stores in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire, H-E-B stores in Texas, and Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. It's unclear how the bacteria ended up in the product. Interestingly, a very similar recall took place in 2011 that saw the company also pull Vita Classic Premium Sliced Smoked Atlantic Salmon from supermarket shelves due to contamination.

Salmolux Recalls Smoked Salmon Due To Possible Contamination (2013)

Smoked salmon slices - dr.Barmely/Shutterstock

Founded in 1988 and acquired by the Pacific Seafood Group in 2009, Salmolux specializes in the manufacture of hot- and cold-smoked seafood using traditional European smoking techniques. The company sources most of its seafood from the Pacific Northwest. Just four years after the acquisition, Salmolux suffered a setback after its smoked salmon products were found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Highlighting the severity of the issue, the FDA classified it as a Class I recall, indicating that consuming the salmon could lead to serious illness and even be fatal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2013, Salmolux announced that it was recalling nearly 5,000 pounds of cold-smoked salmon produced at its Washington facility. The fish was sold under three different brands, including Sea Passion, Jensen's Old Fashion Smokehouse, and Raley's. The smoked salmon was sold in a range of package sizes in either fresh or frozen form. The products had been shipped to retailers across 10 states. Fortunately, no adverse health effects were linked to the salmon when the recall was announced.

Vita Food Products Recalls Smoked Salmon Over Contamination Fears (2011)

Smoked salmon on a wooden board - Istetiana/Getty Images

Vita Food Products has been around for quite some time. Founded in 1898, the seafood processing plant is still recognized for its premium smoked salmon and pickled herring varieties over a century later. Today, these are sold under the Vita, ELF, and Grand Isle brands.

Years before its 2014 recall, Vita Food Products found itself under the microscope after its Vita Classic Premium Sliced Smoked Atlantic Nova Salmon tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Graded as a Class I voluntary recall by the FDA, Vita Food Products' 2011 recall involved over 8,000 4-ounce packages of smoked salmon.

The affected retailers included Publix, Meijer, Vons, Genuardi's, and Winn-Dixie stores in multiple states, plus the Edgewater Produce store in Chicago. No confirmed illnesses were reported after consumption of the product at the time it was pulled off the shelves.

Alaskan Canneries Recall Canned Salmon Due To Concerns Over Fatal Case Of Botulism (1982)

Canned salmon - Etiennevoss/Getty Images

The 1982 Alaskan canneries recall was triggered after a man in Belgium died of botulism after eating contaminated canned salmon produced in a U.S. facility. An FDA investigation of a plant in Alaska revealed that the equipment at the facility was to blame for damaging the cans and creating the conditions for the growth of the botulinum toxin. More specifically, it was determined that the defective machinery that shaped the cans punctured the metal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The incident triggered one of the largest food recalls in FDA history, with nine canneries in Alaska removing close to 23 million cans of salmon from supermarket shelves. This made up a large share of the 1980 and 1981 production, which amounted to 60 million cans. The recalled cans were sold under a range of brand names. All in all, the FDA ended up inspecting around 300,000 7-ounce cans that had been formed using the questionable equipment as part of its investigation, with 22 of the tins proving defective.

For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more!

Read the original article on The Takeout.
SHIELDS, Wis. (WFRV)  An 18-year-old from central Wisconsin was pronounced dead at the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Saturday evening.

According to the Dodge County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to County Road Q and Pit Road in the Town of Shields around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 6.

Based on an initial investigation, deputies say a car northbound on County Road Q left the road and crashed into several trees before stopping roughly 50 yards from the road in a heavily wooded area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Suspected drunken driver going wrong way on I-41 in Kaukauna crashes into SUV with family, pregnant woman

The 18-year-old driver from Watertown was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash remains under investigation by the Dodge County Sheriffs Office. No additional details were provided.

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.
OAKVILLE, Conn. (WTNH)  Police arrested a 19-year-old man after an incident at Ordinary Joes Bar in Oakville Saturday.

Officers say Jaidan Dozier of Oakville worked at the bar and had a disagreement with a coworker. Dozier then walked outside for a while, came back and pointed a firearm at the same coworker.

Jaidan Dozier

Courtesy of the Watertown Police Department

As officers arrived to the scene, Dozier fled. Crews then engaged in a foot pursuit and set up a perimeter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A State Police K-9 unit helped in the investigation by looking through the woods and found Dozier near Morin Street.

Officers say the firearm carried by Dozier was an unserialized handgun and had a high capacity magazine.

PHOTOS: Car catches fire on Rt. 25 in Trumbull

Watertown Police arrested Dozier and charged him with:

breach of peace in the second degree

threatening in the first degree

reckless endangerment in the first degree

carrying a pistol without a permit

interfering with an officer

possession of an unserialized firearm

possession of a high capacity magazine

Police say Dozier was held on a $500,000 bond and is expected to appear at the Waterbury Superior Court on Monday.

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 WTNH.com.
Police in Southern California say they have arrested two men in connection with the theft of thousands of dollars in cash and checks from a wedding reception last week.

In a news release, Glendale police said they used video surveillance and other resources to identify Armean Shirehjini as the primary suspect in the theft, which took place at a Glendale, California, banquet hall on Aug. 31.

Shirehjini was arrested Thursday at his home in Sherman Oaks alongside another man, Andranik Avetisyan, who police said acted as the getaway driver.

Glendale Police Department - PHOTO: Police are searching for a California wedding crasher who stole about $60,000 in cash and checks gifted to a bride and groom at a wedding.

Wedding crasher steals $60,000 in gifts to bride and groom

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police said they carried out searches of both men's homes and recovered a large amount of cash and dozens of checks made out to the couple whose wedding was being celebrated when the theft occurred.

In addition, several firearms and drugs were seized from other residences, according to police.

Witnesses told Los Angeles ABC station KABC the suspect in the theft was at the reception for about 90 minutes, watching the dance floor. Shortly before midnight, witnesses told police the man entered the banquet hall, grabbed a gift box that contained the cash and checks and then exited the building.

Surveillance footage captured the man getting into the passenger side of a black Mercedes SUV, which then fled the area, according to police.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The victims estimated the box contained about $60,000 in cash and checks.

"As soon as we found out what happened, you know, the music shut down, everything immediately stopped," the bride, Nadeen Farahat, told KABC. "I ended up sitting on the dance floor sobbing with my friends and cousins around me."

Police haven't said what charges the men face and said they are continuing to investigate.
NEED TO KNOW

Two people have died following a drive-by shooting outside the Royal Palace Banquet Hall in Fremont, California, on Friday, Sept. 5

According to the Fremont Police Department, the suspect "fired multiple shots" in a parking lot at the banquet hall before fleeing

At least 100 guests were inside the banquet hall at the time of the incident

Two people have died following a drive-by shooting in California, authorities said.

At around 11:12 p.m. local time on Friday, Sept. 5, police responded to reports of a drive-by shooting in a parking lot outside the Royal Palace Banquet Hall on Stevenson Boulevard in Fremont, the Fremont Police Department (FPD) said in a news release shared on Facebook.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Preliminary investigation indicates a suspect vehicle drove up to the victims in the parking lot and fired multiple shots, said police. This remains a very active and fluid investigation. The suspects in this incident are currently outstanding.

One person died at the scene and another died in the hospital. There were initially reports by police of a third victim, but they clarified just two victims in an update on Saturday, per ABC7 Los Angeles.

In audio between a 911 dispatcher and responding officers that accompanied the police news release, an officer said they could "hear people screaming" and confirmed two people were down on the floor in front of the hall.

Another officer said there were about 100 people inside the building, with no reported injuries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A wedding reception is believed to have been taking place at the time of the shooting, CBS News reported, citing local business owners. Witnesses told the outlet that the parking lot was full with many guests at the time of the incident.

The identities of the victims have not yet been released. No arrests have been made at this time.

"On behalf of the Royal Palace team, we wanted to give our deepest condolences to the families affected," the Royal Palace said in a statement posted on their Instagram Stories. "We also want to clarify that the incident has nothing to do with the Royal Palace.

Royal Palace Banquet Hall/Facebook Royal Palace Banquet Hall Royal Palace Banquet Hall

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.

The Fremont Police Department is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the shooting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones," The Fremont Police said in a statement, per the news release. "We also want to acknowledge the life-saving efforts attempted by our FPA members and the members of Fremont Fire Local 1689 who responded to this tragic incident.

Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact the Fremont Police Department Investigations Unit at (510) 790-6900.



PEOPLE has reached out to the Fremont Police Department for further comment.



Read the original article on People
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  A 20-year-old man was killed in a shooting in Sugar House early Saturday morning, according to Salt Lake City Police.

Shortly before 12:20 a.m. on Sept. 6, SLCPD officers responded to reports of a shooting at 1300 South Wilson Ave. Police arrived on scene and found a 20-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds.

Gold Cross Ambulance and Salt Lake City Fire responded to the scene. Gold Cross transported the man to a local hospital, but despite life-saving efforts, the man died from his injuries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Detectives conducted a preliminary investigation and found that two groups got into an argument that escalated into a physical fight. During the fight, Cesar Gonzalez Juarez, 24, pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots at the victim, police said.

Juarez was arrested shortly after the shooting. He has been booked into Salt Lake County Jail on homicide charges.

The SLCPD Homicide Squad will work with the medical examiners office to confirm the victims name, age, and cause of death, as well as notify next-of-kin.

No further information on this case is being released.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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.
Three people were killed and one other was injured in a head-on crash on Friday night.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Around 10:10 p.m., Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) Troopers were dispatched to reports of a crash on Hoskins Road in Delaware County, our news partners WBNS-10 TV reported.

TRENDING STORIES:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A Honda Civic was traveling eastbound on Hoskins Road at the same time that a Dodge Dart was traveling westbound on Hoskins.

The two vehicles collided head-on in the middle of the roadway, WBNS-10 TV reported.

The driver of the Civic, 19-year-old Olivia Kroft, and two occupants, 23-year-old Breyden Floyd and 19-year-old Michael Pinkerton, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Dart was taken to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center with serious injuries, WBNS-10 TV reported.

None of the occupants of the Civic were wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash, while the driver of the Dart wore theirs, according to OSHP troopers.

It is unclear at this time whether any impairment or other distractions played a role in the crash.

The crash remains under investigation.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
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.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A 71-year-old woman was injured in a two-vehicle crash in Darke County on Sunday morning.

According to the Darke County Sheriffs Office, the crash happened at the intersection of US Route 127 and Kruckeberg Road at approximately 10:30 a.m.

The initial investigation found a blue 2014 Toyota Camry was driven by a 71-year-old woman from Arcanum. She was stopped in traffic northbound on US Route 127 and attempted to turn west onto Kruckeberg Road.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

1 hospitalized, 1 airlifted after car overturns in Darke County field

Officials said she failed to yield to a southbound 2017 GMC 1500 driven by a 58-year-old man from Greenville and crashed.

Medics took the 71-year-old woman to Wayne HealthCare for minor injuries. The 58-year-old and his passenger were treated and released from the scene.

2 NEWS will update this article 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 WDTN.com.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has concluded his 'TN Rising Europe investment drive' in London, which started in Germany and expressed his gratitude and love to the Tamil Diaspora. The tour began in Germany and concluded in the United Kingdom with the Tamil Diaspora's blessings and farewells. The Chief Minister said that he returned with countless memories from the Diaspora that poured boundless love on him. In a post on X, Stalin said, "The #TNRising journey, which began with the enthusiastic welcome from Tamils in #Germany, concludes in the city of London with their blessings and farewells! I return to my homeland with countless memories from hearts that poured boundless love. I express my gratitude as love to the #TamilDiaspora, who cared for me as their brother all these days!" https://x.com/mkstalin/status/1964497596929470732 CM Stalin met Catherine West, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Indo-Pacific) at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to discuss opportunities for enhanced collaboration between Tamil Nadu and the United Kingdom. The meeting focused on exploring deeper cooperation across a range of strategic areas, as part of efforts to strengthen ties and promote mutual growth between the Indian state and the UK. During his London visit, CM Stalin also signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), including with Wilson Power (Rs 300 crore investment) and Britannia RFID (Rs 520 crore investment).On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister signed four more agreements with the University of Exeter, French design school Ecole Intuit Lab, Lloyd's List, and Rolls-Royce. Sharing updates on X, Stalin called them "six strategic wins" for Tamil Nadu. He wrote, "Six strategic wins for Tamil Nadu in London today, powering growth, innovation and future readiness. Our agreements with Wilson Power and Britannia RFID will boost our renewable energy industry and improve the competitiveness of exporters from Western Tamil Nadu." According to a statement by Tamil Nadu government's nodal agency 'Guidance', Rolls-Royce has confirmed expansion plans for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO), research and development (R&D), and expansion of International Aerospace Manufacturing Pvt Ltd (IAMPL) in Hosur. Lloyd's List will expand its Global Capability Centre in Chennai, creating 200 new jobs, and reinforcing Tamil Nadu's critical role in maritime analytics and the Blue Economy. Wilson Power will invest Rs 300 crore in a transformer unit for renewables, creating 543 jobs, while Britannia RFID will invest Rs 520 crore in Tiruppur and Namakkal for RFID manufacturing, enabling supply chain traceability and 550 jobs, the statement said. Ecole Intuit Lab and Sakthi Excellence Academy will establish a design institution in Coimbatore, and the University of Exeter will foster research, faculty exchange, and knowledge partnerships. Earlier on Tuesday, MK Stalin, during his visit to Germany, described Tamil Nadu and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany's economic powerhouse, as two regions united by a shared vision for the future. Stalin announced that 26 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 7,020 crore were signed, which will aim to create over 15,000 new jobs in the state. (ANI)
As an evangelical pastor in the Nashville area, the ICE enforcement operations conducted in early June and since have caused grave concern. My typical approach to refugee and immigration issues has been to advocate for the churchs obedience to the twin imperatives of Scripture: to be subject to the governing authorities (Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2) and to show compassion and hospitality to the foreigner, stranger and refugee in our midst (Leviticus 19, Matthew 25 and many other passages).

But the startling current dynamics require me  and the majority of Tennesseans who share my evangelical faith  to speak against what our governing authorities are doing.

Opinion: Instead of improving access to health care, insurance restricts it. Here's how

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The current administrations immigration enforcement policies  the arresting and deporting of non-violent undocumented immigrants, the targeting of those showing up to court dates in the midst of legal processes to meet arrest quotas, the revoking of the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people who entered the country legally, and the separation of children and parents  make it difficult to reconcile these two scriptural mandates.

My Christian faith compels me to speak up regarding the dehumanizing language and inhumane treatment applied to vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities.

The Bible is clear about how we should treat immigrants

For those who hold the Bible as an inspired text, the very first pages of Genesis demand that we see every other human being as made in the image of God. This declaration forms the basis of all biblical ethics  from prohibition of the murder of image bearers (Genesis 9) to slanderous speech against them (James 3).

According to biblical logic, how you treat the image is how you treat the Creator. Thus, all are to be treated with respect, dignity, justice and compassion, simply because they are human.

Sage Beardsley holds a sign reading Jesus told us to love our neighbor not to deport them during the Voices of the Faithful: A Rally for Immigrant Dignity event at Richland Park in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. Nashville Organized for Action and Hope, the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition and ReMix Way organized the rally.

The Torah (the first five books of the Jewish Bible) pays particular attention to ensure that this treatment is extended to the most vulnerable of populations  the foreigner, the orphan and the widow. Illustrative is Leviticus 19:33-34: When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Opinion: Tennessee could authorize a state property tax at any time. That's a problem

There are over 30 such commands found in the Torah, something totally unique among ancient law codes. I understand that these biblical commands are for ancient Israel and do not necessarily imply specific immigration policy for 21st-century America. However, thats not stopped evangelical Christians who use the Jewish texts to affirm the value of unborn human life and oppose abortion, and its hypocritical to not likewise consider these texts instructions related to immigrants.

This concern for the stranger and foreigner in your midst is repeated in both the example and teaching of Jesus, and it is reinforced in the rest of the Christian Scriptures.

We can have sensible immigration laws and treat immigrants with dignity

To advocate for more compassionate immigration policies doesn't mean I advocate for open borders. I believe in sensible immigration law and practice, the removal of dangerous criminals from within our borders and the respect due to law enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But I also believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every human person, and that the most socially vulnerable populations should not be demonized and scapegoated with intentionally fearful and hyperbolic rhetoric.

I believe in compassion and hospitality for those who are already here seeking a better life, and I am strongly against the targeting of marginalized groups through fear, intimidation and violence. Im not alone: Scores of evangelical pastors and leaders have recently signed a Tennessee Evangelical Statement on Refugees & Immigrants, reflecting these biblical commitments.

I would invite the church in Tennessee, and throughout America, to stand in solidarity with immigrant and refugee communities. We should advocate for just laws and practices, such as the recently reintroduced, bipartisan Dignity Act. According to Lifeway Research, the Dignity Act's combination of improved border security and a restitution-based legalization process for undocumented immigrants is supported by more than three-quarters of evangelical Christians across America.

Our elected officials should know that an entirely one-sided approach to immigration policy that dehumanizes immigrants could actually turn off the Christian voters upon whom they depend.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mike Erre is a teaching pastor at Journey Church in Brentwood and the host of the Voxology podcast.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Most Christians disagree with ICE. It's time to speak up | Opinion
A tragic car crash resulted in the death of an 8-year-old girl, Dunwoody police said.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Dunwoody officials stated that the incident occurred on Saturday at 9:25 p.m. on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

According to police, the collision involved a Toyota Tacoma and a Honda Civic, occurring in front of the LaCota Apartments.

Police said the Honda Civic pulled out of the apartment complex and onto Peachtree Industrial Blvd, where the Toyota Tacoma rear-ended it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dunwoody police said after the collision, the driver of the Tacoma, Jose Alejandro Cuahuizo-Varela, attempted to run away but was caught by Doraville officers.

TRENDING STORIES:

The young girl, a passenger in the Honda Civic, was taken to the Childrens Hospital of Atlanta, where she later died from her injuries. Her identity was not released.

The driver of the Honda Civic was hospitalized. Their age, identity, and current condition were not released.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cuahuizo-Varela was taken to Northside Hospital for treatment and medical clearance before being transported to DeKalb County Jail.

He was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, hit and run, DUI, and reckless driving.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
They stood in the blinding sunshine, facing cameras without shade in front of the Capitol for almost an hour and a half on Wednesday morning.

These dozen or so women had the absolute worst thing in common  all had been groomed and sexually abused by financier Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend and procurer Ghislaine Maxwell. Most were young teenagers when the abuse began.

Now as adults, wearing butterfly pins to symbolize their resilience, Epstein survivors came together as a group to demand that Congress stop playing games, stop protecting the rich and powerful and pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act. They are not happy with the slow pace of the House Oversight Committee's investigation, which has trumpeted its production of thousands of documents, almost all of which are already in the public domain.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Written by California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, the act would require the Justice Department, the FBI, the Treasury Department and the national security agencies to unseal and release everything they have on Epstein, regardless of who might suffer embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary. It is entirely possible that prosecutions could ensue.

The days of sweeping this under the rug are over, said Anouska De Georgiou, who was a budding model in London when she was drawn into Epstein hell and abused in his homes around the world. Make no mistake: My polished exterior is a shield hiding a wound that still bleeds. I am no longer weak, no longer powerless. I am no longer alone.

Speaking publicly for the first time Wednesday, Marina Lacerda, identified as Victim No. 1 in Epsteins 2019 indictment for the sex trafficking of minors, said she still didnt fully understand the crimes that were committed against her during three years of abuse and exploitation. There are people out there who know more about my abuse than I do, she said. The documents could help me put the pieces of my life back together. (After Lacerda turned 17, she said, Epstein told her she was too old.)

President Trump, a one-time friend of Epstein whose name reportedly appears numerous times in the files (but who has not been implicated in this particular scandal) promised his base during the 2024 campaign that he would not oppose releasing the files. In fact, in 2009, when survivors attorney Brad Edwards was building a case against Epstein, Trump was not just the first of the financiers high-profile associates to answer a subpoena but one of the few who did not try to dodge it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr. Trump called me at exactly the time he was supposed to, said that hed heard I had questions about Jeffrey Epstein, and asked me how he could help, wrote Edwards in his 2020 book Relentless Pursuit. Trump, wrote Edwards, was not as close to Epstein as people assumed. When Edwards reminded Trump that hed called Epstein a terrific guy in a 2002 New York magazine article, Trump claimed he was only doing a favor for Epstein and that Epstein had written the quote himself. Trump seems to have forgotten all that.

So, this is a Democrat hoax that never ends, Trump said Wednesday, resorting to his favorite insult. Friday, he blamed the "radical left" for keeping the issue alive.

Haley Robson told reporters Wednesday that she was 16 and making good grades and high aspirations for college when she was recruited by a classmate who asked her if she wanted to earn some money by giving an old rich guy a massage. Hearing Trump call the Epstein scandal a hoax, she said, is like being gutted from the inside out. A registered Republican, Robson offered to meet with the president, pleading, Humanize us. There is no hoax.

While the White House has said that Trump would consider it "a very hostile act" should any Republican sign onto the discharge petition that allows the legislation to bypass committee approval and be put to a vote by the entire House, three of his most fervent supporters have admirably defied him: Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert and South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, a survivor of sexual abuse who emerged Tuesday from a closed-door session with the survivors with tears running down her cheeks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All 212 Democrats are expected to endorse the petition, and two more Republican signatures are needed. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he does not believe the Republican support will materialize, but Khanna told me Thursday he is confident it will by the end of the month. The speaker isnt counting correctly, Khanna said. I really dont get it. This is about protecting Americas children. This is about restoring trust in our government. This is about standing with survivors. This should be beyond politics. Its a moral issue, and the survivors actually are the first people I see who are bringing this country together. I mean, Marjorie Taylor Greene gave me a hug at the press conference. (Unfortunately, global warming has made it impossible for hell to freeze over, but still )

Lisa Phillips, who hosts From Now On, a podcast about survivors of sexual abuse, was blunt about what she and her fellow Epstein survivors are capable of now that they are no longer afraid to speak out.

Us Epstein survivors have been discussing creating our own list, Phillips said. Stay tuned for more details.

The conspiracy-minded MAGA world is obsessed with the belief that a global network of pedophiles is protected by the highest levels of government. The release of the Epstein files would supposedly incriminate a host of liberal elites complicit in child sex-trafficking and, as the Guardian once put it, expose the moral rot at the heart of the Democratic establishment. God only knows why these folks think Democrats have cornered the market on pedophilia and sexual assault.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is true that in Epsteins case, a rich, well-connected pedophile was protected for years. He was given a virtual slap on the wrist after pleading guilty to solicitation of prostitution with a minor in 2008.

His world crumbled in 2019, after dogged pursuit by survivors attorneys and investigative reporting by the Miami Herald led to new criminal charges. Epstein killed himself in jail while awaiting trial, depriving his numerous victims the opportunity to face him in court.

But they are not willing to wait anymore, and they have no patience for Republican foot dragging on the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

We know who was involved, Robson said. We know the players, and we are sitting here for 20 years waiting for you to get up and do something. Well, guess what? Your time is up and now were doing it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

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.
More Americans are missing their full-time jobs due to military or civic duties this year than they have in nearly two decades  coinciding with President Donald Trumps deployment of the National Guard and other military branches.

So far this year, there have been 90,000 instances of full-time employees calling out of their full-time jobs to report for military or other civic duties  such as jury duty and voting, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While not all of those absences can be attributed to military deployment, especially specific to the National Guard, at least some of the data can be explained by comparing it to months when the National Guard was being used more.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, approximately 22,000 absences were recorded  the highest number so far this year. That same month, the National Guard was deployed to California during the wildfires and Washington, D.C., to assist in the peaceful transfer of power between former president Joe Biden and Trump.

There were approximately 10,000 absence incidents in June when Trump ordered the National Guard and some Marines into Los Angeles to help control anti-immigration protests.

President Donald Trump has threatened Democratic-run cities with the prospect of deploying the National Guard to help control crime and assist in immigration raids (Getty Images)

Military-related work absences fluctuate throughout the year. They often spike during certain disaster seasons, for example, during hurricane season, the Washington Post reported.

But 2025 has already surpassed the number of military or civic-duty-related work absences in any year after 2006.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The last time the U.S. saw a high number of this type of absence was in 2006, when former president George W. Bush deployed a large number of National Guard troops to the U.S.Mexico border, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Trump has threatened to use the National Guard in other cities to help immigration enforcement agents conduct large-scale raids without interruptions and to help local law enforcement curb violent crime.

2025 has already surpassed the number of military or civic-duty-related work absences in any year after 2006

Deploying the National Guard into a city without the state governors consent is a controversial move that has already landed Trump in some legal snafus. A federal judge in California said the presidents decision to federalize the California National Guard this past year was unlawful and violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents the government from using the military to conduct domestic law enforcement.

The attorney general of Washington, D.C., has used a similar argument to claim Trump violated laws when he deployed the National Guard into the nations capital last month to help control crime. However, unlike individual states, the National Guard of D.C. does fall under federal authority.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, Trump has vowed to appeal Californias ruling and will likely fight D.C.s lawsuit. The president has continued to threaten cities, mainly run by Democrats, with National Guard deployment.

In a statement to the Washington Post, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the president has rightfully deployed the National Guard to cities like Los Angeles, which was ravaged by violent riots while strengthening small businesses and revitalizing our economy,

There are more than 430,000 people in the U.S. Army and Air National Guard. Recruitment to the National Guard also increased this past year after Trump signed an executive order that made it easier for individuals to apply to join the National Guard.
A new dispute over another missing document has arisen in the increasingly contentious disagreement over regulatory policy between the states utilities and the Public Utility Regulatory Authority.

Eversource insists in a complaint filed with the state Freedom of Information Commission  and three witnesses agree  that PURA chair Marissa Gilletts chief of staff wrote an internal email last year that limited the ability of two other, nominally co-equal authority commissioners to consult staff experts on regulatory questions.

Such a restriction would support the broader utility argument that Gillett has taken personal control of much of PURAs regulatory apparatus by reducing the role of the other commissioners. The result, the utilities argue, has been unfair and legally suspect rate decisions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

PURA flatly rejects the assertion and its general counsel, among others, has questioned the very existence of an email delivering such a message, saying exhaustive searches for an email have turned up empty. Even the two commissioners whose access to staff would have been restricted by the mail cannot produce it, PURA said. The authority said all commissioners have access to staff experts, while pointing out that coordination with supervisory personnel is necessary for operational efficiency.

PURA is aware of the unsubstantiated allegation that commissioners have been denied access to staff or required Chair Gilletts permission to access staff, authority spokeswoman Taren OConnor said.

This allegation is patently false as all commissioners continue to be free to communicate with staff and are encouraged to do so in coordination with the staffs supervisor or director to ensure the complex work in each docket remains coordinated. Given that PURA actively manages a case load of between 80 and 100 dockets at a time, coordination and communication with and between staff and commissioners is essential to avoid confusion and facilitate efficient operations.

The new document dispute  another involving text messages deleted from Gilletts cell phone is playing out in court  became public after Eversource complained to the Freedom on Information Commission that it believes there is a restriction on staff access, the email exists and PURAs failure to produce it violates government public records law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To support its claim, Eversource called PURA employee Sheena McElrath as a witness at a Freedom of Information hearing in August. McElrath is, or was, an assistant to Commissioner Michael Caron and recently retired Commissioner John Betkoski.

McElrath testified under oath that she has no doubt the email existed because she opened it, read it and discussed it with Caron. In interviews over recent weeks, Caron and Betkoski said they too recall the email.

And are you certain that Commissioner Caron saw it? Eversource lawyer Thomas Murphy asked McElrath at the FOI hearing.

Yes, she said.

And you discussed it with Commissioner Caron?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yes, she replied.

When PURA general counsel Scott Muska followed McElrath as a witness, he took the opposite position.

Youve never seen any emails related to that topic, sir?, Eversource lawyer James Healy asked Muska.

No, Muska replied. And I can state emphatically that theres never been a policy requiring Commissioner Betkoski or Commissioner Caron to seek permission from Chairman Gillett. So I would be surprised if there was an email to that extent.

The one thing both sides agree on is that no one can find the disputed email. PURA says it probably never existed. McElrath has said it no longer exists. And Caron and Betkoski said they cannot find it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Still, questions about the mystery email have become particularly pointed after Gilletts belated admission that an automatic delete program on her personal cell phone erased another record that has become a flashpoint in her disagreement with the utilities: A text message exchange that critics believe suggests she collaborated on a news opinion column or op ed that excoriated the utility industry.

Gillett acknowledged in June, months after the utilities went to court in an unsuccessful effort to access to her text records, that the exchange had been deleted not long after it occurred in December 2024. Although the texts were erased from Gilletts phone, the Courant obtained the exchange from the personal cellphone of the legislator with whom she was corresponding.

In the exchange, the legislator discusses an op ed, Gillett mentions a draft she has completed and both worry about being FOIAd.

Gillett has said she was referring to draft legislation not an anti-utility opinion piece the legislator co-authored and published shortly after the exchange.. It was never her intention, she said, to circumvent public record laws.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Superior Court Judge Matthew Budzik, who is hearing the text message case, has scheduled a hearing later this month to examine why PURA initially told him it had no record of the exchange and then, months later, acknowledged its deletion.

The text messages and now the missing email have become hot spots in what has turned into a years-long fight between Gillett and the utility industry over regulatory policy and rates.

Gillett supporters claim the utilities are using their substantial political influence to undermine her because she is reshaping and modernizing regulatory policy in ways that will hold the utilities to account and better guard customer interests. The supporters argue that customers suffered under years of lax regulation before her appointment by Lamont. She has Lamonts support, but narrowly survived a renomination hearing at the Legislature last winter.

The utilities contend Gillett effectively has taken unilateral control of rate making by improperly establishing herself as sole decider on important questions and pushing fellow commissioners out of the process by, among other things, restricting their access to staff experts. The utilities also argue that Gillett has made public statements that demonstrate bias against the industry.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Eversource, Avangrid and their gas and water subsidiaries have undergone a succession of credit downgrades following recent PURA recent rate decisions making it more difficult for them to borrow the hundred of millions of dollars they need to maintain their networks and pay for an expansion needed to meet an explosion in artificial intelligence.

United Illuminating said last week its second quarter return on equity, a measure of profitability, slipped to 3.13 percent. If PURA were to permit the utility to write-off deferred assets, as is the case under normal account principles, the company said ROE would be zero, meaning it has been spending everything it earns.

Gilletts supporters, including Lamont, Attorney General William Tong and state Sen. Norm Needleman, a Democrat from Essex, argue the utilities problems are of their own making. They say the companies are suffering from unwise spending decisions, including investment in offshore wind.

Eversource laid out its grievance against PURA to the Freedom of Information Commission in a complaint that accuses the regulators of improperly withholding public records, not only the email restricting staff access, but policy directives that demonstrate the scope and intentional nature of Chairman Gilletts unlawful usurpation of decision-making authority in circumvention of state law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Upon information and belief, PURAs withholding of this documentation is knowing and intentional, the complaint says. Eversource and other utilities have objected to actions and positions taken by PURA and Chairman Gillett that failed to adhere to PURAs statutory obligation to discharge its quasi-judicial oversight of utilities in a fair and impartial manner.

McElrath said during her sworn testimony that the email she opened and read for Caron arrived around June 2024. She said it required him to get advance approval from Gillett chief of staff Theresa Govert before seeking assistance from staff experts.

There has been concern about staff access at PURA in the months since McElrath said she received the email. House Republican leader Vincent Candelora of North Branford proposed legislation early this year that would guarantee staff access and he pursued the subject at a hearing on Gilletts renomination in February.

And to follow-up with that as well, one of our proposals we looked at is making sure that commissioners have access to staff, Candlora said while questioning Gillett. How does that process work? If a fellow commissioner wants to have access to staff, its been rumored that they need to go through you in order to get that access. Is that how the internal procedures work?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gillett denied limiting staff consultation. She said even Caron and Betkoski had assured her in writing that they were unaware of such a restriction.

No, sir, Gillett told Candelora. In fact, the other commissioners themselves disputed that. We received an FOI from the utilities, I believe at the end of last year, and have publicly released that information, where they specifically sought documentation that they claimed had that procedure. We were not able to find any, and the other commissioners went so far as to provide an attestation in writing that they have never been told that and are not in possession of that material.

Candelora said he has since tried without success to obtain copies of attestations by Caron and Betkoski. PURA did not respond to a request last week by the Courant for the attestations.

But PURA did provide copies of emails from Caron and Betkoski in which they said they did not have in their possession a copy of the disputed email directive requiring them to obtain advance approval from Gillett before approaching staff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Caron and Betkoski emails were part of PURAs response in December to a request by Eversource for multiple records, including anything indicating that Vice Chairman Betkoski and/or Commissioner Caron should obtain the permission of Chairman Gillett in order to confer, make inquiries or obtain assistance from PURA personnel

Caron and Betkoski wrote, in identical replies to PURAs general counsel, I do not believe I have any documents for Category 3&4. They copied McElrath, asking Sheena, will you please double check and let those individuals on this email chain know what you find? ( If anything) Thank you!

McElrath replied that she couldnt find anything either.

In a statement responding to questions from the Courant, PURA spokeswoman OConnor was critical of Caron, Betkoski and McElrath and questioned their credibility for saying recently that they recalled the disputed email after replying in December they didnt believe they had, or could not find it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Importantly, there is no qualification expressed in any of the above-referenced written confirmations dated in December 2024  no indication that Commissioner Caron, former Commissioner Betkoski, nor Ms. McElrath recall discussing [an email] or that an email existed but could not now be located, OConnor said.

PURA is not able to comment as to why any individual involved might, eight months later, suddenly recall a specific email after being prompted by Eversources and Avangrids attorney, particularly after acknowledging that they could not locate such an email after multiple searches of their personal Outlook folders OConnor said. Given the December 2024 emails authored by Commissioner Caron, former Commissioner Betkoski, and Sheena McElrath, the credibility of any statement contradicting those written confirmations would need to be assessed.

Missing or disputed records are now parts of two utility lawsuits against PURA, which could be litigated for years. The Freedom of Information Commission has not indicated when it may rule on the Eversource complaint that PURA is withholding an email about staff access.
Electronic sign displayed at the Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg on Sept. 6, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix)

ST PETERSBURG  A crowd of around 75 people gathered here on Saturday to strategize ways to persuade the police chiefs of Tampa and St. Petersburg to void partnership agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that they entered into earlier this year.

Legislation signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis requires that sheriffs or chief correctional officers operating a county detention facility must enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE. That means that every county sheriff in the state needed to sign such an agreement this year, which they all have.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is no requirement for municipalities to do the same, yet hundreds of police departments throughout the state have done so anyway. In the cases of Tampa and St. Petersburg, two of the largest cities in the state, those agreements were reached quietly earlier this year, without fanfare.

Now activists in the area say that they intend to persuade Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw and St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway to cancel such agreements.

In order to foster public trust and a positive relationship with the community, we ask you to cancel this heartless, inefficient 287(g) agreement before further harm is done, read the form letters that attendees at the Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg were asked to send on Saturday to Bercaw and Holloway, as well as Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch. The letters were accessed through a QR code listed on pamphlets distributed by organizers at the event.

Threats to be removed from office

Addressing the crowd, activist Karla Correa showed a picture of Florida Attorney James Uthmeier, who has threatened to remove city council members who have shown inclination not to sign such agreements.

Activist Karla Correa at the Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg on Sept. 6, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix)

Hes saying, no, you have to do it or else Im going to remove you from office, said Correa, with the Tampa Bay area chapter of the Party of Socialism and Liberation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He is the attorney general for the state of Florida. He has a lot of power. And hes going along with Ron DeSantis agenda, and we see whenever anyone tries to fight against it, again, they threaten to remove them from office. Thats what happened in Orlando. Thats what happened in Key West. Thats what happened in Fort Myers.

The Key West City Commission voided its police departments 287(g) after learning that their police chief had signed such an agreement without commissioners knowledge. After they did that, Uthmeier publicly declared that the action had made Key West a sanctuary city, which is banned in Florida law. Shortly thereafter, the commission reconvened and approved a new 287(g) agreement on a 4-2 vote.

A similar situation happened with the Pinellas County School District earlier this year, with the school superintendent and the school board apparently unaware that their chief of police had signed an agreement. Once that news was made public, the district backed away from the agreement.

Did anyone know that Pinellas County schools signed a 287(g) agreement for a second? Correa asked members of the crowd. Because ICE shouldnt be in schools. But you know what happened right after? There was a huge public outcry, right? Parents came out. Teachers came out. Community members who dont even have kids came out to fight against this and to oppose it. And you know what they did? And you wont hear DeSantis talk about this. They voided that agreement, she said to cheers in the audience.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to asking the mayors and police chiefs of the two cities to use their authority to cancel the agreements, the activists are calling on the St. Petersburg and Tampa city councils to pass resolutions condemning the 287(g) agreements. And they want the Tampa Human Rights Board to begin an immediate and thorough investigation of Tampa PDs 287(g) partnership.

SPPD responds

St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway provided a written statement to the Phoenix later on Saturday.

To clarify, our department is not part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), he said. We assist ICE only when, during the course of a lawful encounter, an individual is identified as a suspect or subject in a criminal investigation. If it is determined that the individual has an active warrant, we are legally obligated to execute that warrant, whether its ICE-related or not, fairly and consistently. We are not seeking, nor do we receive, funding to support ICE operations.

Attorneys representing the state have informed a judge in a lawsuit filed by the city of South Miami regarding the confusion about the law that, in fact, municipalities in Florida are not required to sign such an agreement.

The Tampa Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella says the Granite State is heading up a group of states aiming to take Massachusetts before the U.S. Supreme Court in a fight over gun laws.

Formella filed an amicus brief Sept. 4 urging the countrys highest court to review the constitutionality of Massachusetts firearm licensing requirements for nonresidents, citing situations where Granite Staters could be charged with a felony for visiting the Buffalo Wild Wings in Nashuas Pheasant Lane Mall with a handgun without a permit  even if they would be allowed to do so just a few feet away in the New Hampshire portion of the mall.

The Bay States highest court ruled in March the commonwealth can require out-of-staters to obtain a temporary license to travel there with a weapon, even if they are coming from a state like New Hampshire that allows them to possess a handgun without a permit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Associate Justice Frank Gaziano overturned a Lowell District Court judges ruling dismissing charges against two New Hampshire residents. The court upheld the dismissal of the charges against Dean Donnell, who had been arrested in November 2021 following an accident on Interstate 495 in Lowell.

But the justices reversed the lower court and revived the charges against Phillip Marquis. After his arrest following a crash on the same highway in September 2022, Marquis told Massachusetts State Police that he was on his way to work from his home in Rochester and had a Sturm Ruger pistol in the car.

The brief supports a petition challenging the ruling, citing law-abiding out-of-state travelers who cannot reasonably comply with the states permitting process.

The Second Amendment does not end at the Massachusetts border, said Formella. Citizens should not face criminal charges simply for exercising their constitutional rights while traveling. Massachusettss approach treats nonresidents as second-class citizens, imposes arbitrary and excessive restrictions, and contradicts both historical tradition and Supreme Court precedent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the brief, Formella wrote that Massachusettss militantly enforced criminal laws transform the briefest or most inadvertent crossing of its border with a firearm into a potential felony, arguing residents risk prison time for simply exercising a fundamental, constitutionally protected right.

The brief points out the border between Massachusetts and New Hampshire runs directly through the parking lot of the Pheasant Lane Mall (as well as the mall itself) in Nashua.

The geography of the mall is such that a New Hampshire resident might find themselves in Massachusetts if she parks on the south side of the parking lot or visits Buffalo Wild Wings, the brief says. If that person is carrying a firearm without a Massachusetts license  which would be constitutionally protected activity in most of the mall  that person risks being charged as a felon and facing mandatory incarceration in Massachusetts.

The brief also uses an example of someone living on West Hollis Road in Hollis, who can cross into Pepperell, Mass., simply by crossing the street to visit a neighbor or backing out of her driveway in a southerly direction.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As another example, the nature of sharing a border creates circumstances such that sometimes the grocery store nearest to a New Hampshire resident is in Massachusetts, or the most direct route to a job in New Hampshire takes a New Hampshire resident briefly on a Massachusetts road, the brief says. The activity protected by the Second Amendment is the only activity protected by the Bill of Rights that can become a felony offense with nothing more than slight geographic movement.

The brief also cites Massachusettss permitting process for nonresidents, claiming it involves lengthy delays (ranging from 40 to 170 days), high fees, and broad discretionary denial standards based on vague suitability criteria.

A New Hampshire citizen planning a vacation to Cape Cod with his family might apply for a license-to-carry 90-days before his vacation and still not have a decision on his permit when it is time to leave, the brief says. Processing applications with such apathy and complacency is characteristic of a state that views the Second Amendment as a second-class right.

The multistate brief outlines other key concerns:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 Unconstitutional burdens: Massachusettss permitting process for nonresidents involves lengthy delays (ranging from 40 to 170 days), high fees, and broad discretionary denial standards based on vague suitability criteria.

 Lack of historical precedent: There is no well-established historical tradition of barring nonresidents from transporting or possessing firearms while traveling.

 Federalism and individual rights: The Constitution guarantees certain rights, especially those protected by the Second and Fourteenth Amendments  that cannot be subject to differing standards based solely on geography.

Joining New Hampshire in the effort are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

The coalition urges the United States Supreme Court to grant review and reverse the decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

pfeely@unionleader.com
One could hardly be unimpressed by last weeks parade in Beijing showcasing the military hardware of the Chinese Communist party (CCP) for the benefit of friend and foe alike. But we can look on, safe in the knowledge we are not actually fighting the Chinese. Or are we? Potentially we are  and losing  on the battlefield of influence and psychological operations. And its not just the CCP.

Where subversion was once conducted in smoky cellars or via pamphlets distributed hand to hand, now the war is fought at cocaine-fuelled dinner parties in North London and the information moves digitally. The three main players in the assault  Russia, China and Iran  have slightly different agendas but can, on occasion, combine forces.

Russia has been supporting far-right extremist groups across Europe, including indirect support through disinformation and ideological alignment. The UK Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee has described Russian influence as the new normal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russian actors have historically worked, to undermine democratic institutions and promote a pro-Russia agenda in the UK. The FSB, SVR and GRU  the three main Russian intelligence agencies  and their proxies are now more active than they have ever been.

Meanwhile a 2025 report by the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) revealed a sophisticated network of Iranian-linked institutions in the UK, including cultural centres, schools, and charities that promote Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) propaganda.

Irans influence spans cultural, political, and educational domains, with lobbying efforts targeting British lawmakers and educational programs aimed at radicalizing youth. Ironically The IRGC  obviously a hardline Shiite organisation  has found an unlikely ally in the Muslim Brotherhood, an organisation of the strict Sunni Muslim faith.

Meanwhile Chinese entities have donated 50 million to UK universities over four years, with Oxford and Cambridge receiving the largest shares. Some of this funding comes from institutions linked to Chinas military and intelligence apparatus, including Huawei and Sichuan University.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While not directly tied to radical groups, such funding may stifle academic freedom, promote pro-China narratives, and facilitate technology transfers with potential military applications.

The UK government and universities have acknowledged the risks and implemented due diligence protocols, but concerns remain about covert influence and ideological pressure. The main focus of the CCP effort is based on a strict matrix. The United Front liaises with the military and Chinese universities and industry to identify gaps and shortcomings in their capabilities or research areas. The Chinese diplomatic corps is tasked with sifting through any exhibitions or open invitations to universities etc to seek solutions.

Once targets are identified there are two pathways for action. Any relevant members of the Chinese diaspora (the CCP regards them all as theirs) will be pressured by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security for disclosure and/or cooperation. Additionally, the MPS are tasked with cyber warfare and disinformation operations known as spamouflage or dragonbridge. In February 2024, files from I- Soon, an MPS contractor used for hacking, were leaked publicly. Alongside MPS, the Ministry of State Security (MSS)  another Chinese intelligence service  identifies potential non-diaspora traitors who will cooperate, usually for money, to obtain and provide the required information.

Government response to all this has been feeble, both from the previous Conservative administration and now by Labour. To be fair, the National Security Act 2023 and Domestic Counter-Terrorism Regulations have expanded powers to counter foreign influence and freeze assets linked to extremist activity. The UK is also considering designating the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, which would further restrict Iranian-linked entities operating in the UK. However, despite the urgings of our closest Middle East allies in the Gulf and Egypt, the government has not seen fit to ban the Muslim Brotherhood.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What it has done however  driven by a narrative that the far right is the most prescient threat to the UK and societal cohesion  is to impose a full asset freeze on the far-right group Blood and Honour by HM Treasury in January 2025. That is perfectly reasonable but the fact is that very few people had ever even heard of Blood and Honour, and sanctioning it while leaving Chinese, Iranian and Russian backed organisations alone serves to promote the false narrative suggesting that the far right is a real threat and the actual real threats are not serious enough to take action against.

China did not choose to march battalions of cyber criminals and British subversives with variously dyed hair across Tiananmen Square in Beijing, but if it wanted to show its real strength it would have done so. Such people are at least as important to Chinas plans for world domination as its legions of soldiers and its massive military arsenals. The actions of useful idiots, the thinly disguised subversion of our nation  whether it be in distorted news reports or the deliberate burying of news that would embarrass the enemy  have delivered modern day successes that our foes could only have dreamed of in the past.

As the ancient Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu wrote: to subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill. He was quite right of course.

Colonel Tim Collins is a former British Army officer. He served with the SAS and as commander of the Royal Irish for the invasion of Iraq

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.
Sep. 7The Alaska Division of Public Assistance is set to rely on out-of-state contractors to process food assistance applications amid a yearslong staffing shortage, Department of Health officials confirmed this week.

Under a longstanding federal statute, applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program must be reviewed by state employees. That is because "outsourcing functions of the SNAP intake and application process has resulted in more complex and cumbersome enrollment procedures," federal officials wrote in 2009.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday approved the state's request to use existing contract staff, who until now operated a virtual call center for the Division of Public Assistance, to also conduct SNAP eligibility interviews and perform other tasks they were previously barred from doing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since 2022, Alaska has struggled with a persistent SNAP backlog that has left thousands of Alaskans waiting months for benefits that should be delivered in a matter of days or weeks. The backlog coincided with a roughly 20% cut to staffing at the Division of Public Assistance.

While the division has struggled to perform its assigned tasks, including determining eligibility for food, cash, heating and medical assistance, staffing at the division remains far below pre-2022 levels.

According to a report submitted to state and federal courts earlier this week, Alaska had a backlog of 3,067 SNAP applications as of last month. That is far below the peak of a 15,000-case backlog in 2023, but despite ongoing court oversight, the pileup has not been cleared altogether, and thousands of Alaskans are waiting months for assistance.

Department of Health spokesperson Shirley Sakaye said Friday that the goal of using contracted workers to process SNAP applications is "to deliver benefits to Alaskans sooner and reach compliance faster, while we continue the process of recruiting and hiring state employees."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The division has struggled to keep positions filled amid what union leaders say is inadequate pay that has not been sufficiently raised. The state had 192 filled eligibility technician posts as of August, up from 155 in March. Dozens of funded positions remain unfilled.

"Our goal remains to manage this work with State of Alaska employees," Sakaye wrote in an email.

Since 2023, the Division of Public Assistance has relied on a contract with the Public Consulting Group, a Boston, Massachusetts-based firm, to run a virtual call center that fields questions from Alaskans. As of last month, the call center was staffed by 128 workers who reside in the Lower 48.

Those same workers will be tasked with handling SNAP interviews that until now were handled exclusively by division staff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Division of Public Assistance Director Deb Etheridge said in a July interview that her goal is to eventually end the division's reliance on contracted workers altogether.

"There is no part of me that wants to continue that contract perpetually," Etheridge said in July. "What I want is to be able to manage the work with state employees in the State of Alaska. That's my goal, but I can't stop that (contract) right now, because what we would see is a slide backwards."

Etheridge said in July that "ideally" she would end the contract with the Public Consulting Group within a year, but "what matters most to me is, are we processing the cases timely?"

In a statement Friday, Etheridge said the project "is a short-term bridge to compliance and faster service, not a shift toward employing more contractors. This project does not add contractor positions. We remain committed to continue hiring Alaskans as State of Alaska employees to support this work for the long-term."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Under the draft plan, the state will begin by asking contract staff to review SNAP recertifications for elderly and disabled Alaskans. As of last month, only one in five recertification applications were approved on time, according to the court report. Eventually, contractor duties will be expanded to include recertifications for the entire SNAP caseload.

Nearly 70,000 Alaskans rely on SNAP for food assistance each year.

Union challenge

In a Sept. 2 letter from Acting Associate Administrator of SNAP Ronald Ward, Ward told state officials that he was waiving both federal statute and federal regulations to allow contracted staff to review SNAP applications.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The distinctive geographic characteristics of Alaska have resulted in persistent difficulties with improving customer service, timeliness, and payment accuracy," Ward wrote.

The Food and Nutrition Service in the USDA "is approving this project as a temporary measure," Ward wrote, for a period of five years from the time of implementation. The state is expected to begin using contract workers to conduct interviews and other tasks within two to three months, according to the Tuesday letter.

But the change could face opposition from the Alaska State Employees Association, a union representing the employees who have until now been exclusively tasked with overseeing SNAP eligibility determinations.

Under the union's collective bargaining agreement, if the state seeks to outsource work to contractors it must first reach out to union leadership and conduct a feasibility study to "determine the potential costs and benefits that would result from contracting out the work in question."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2023, after the state first pursued a contract with the Public Consulting Group for the call center, the union filed a grievance on behalf of impacted division workers, alleging that the state did not follow the required steps to pursue the contract.

An arbitrator eventually found that the state violated the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and ordered the state to pay $4.2 million to division employees for lost earnings.

Heidi Drygas, executive director of the union, said there are several reasons why the state should rely on its own staff to determine eligibility for benefits, and the state has yet to indicate it has conducted a study proving otherwise.

"This would be taking away Alaskan jobs for out-of-state contractors," said Drygas. "It will move money out of state."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Also, she said, when you "bring in a for-profit organization, it changes the motivation for the work that they do."

"These businesses have a different motivation in mind," Drygas said. "You have a higher level of professionalism when you have merit staff."
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Sunday took a dig at Congress, and said the party behaves like a student who does not study, fails exams, and then blames EVMs instead of accepting defeat. Bhatia said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the leader working to fulfil the dreams of the Constitution, highlighting his role in abrogating Article 370 and pushing for change and development in the country. Speaking to the reporters, Gaurav Bhatia said, "Dr. BR Ambedkar gave the constitution to the nation, and if there is a leader who is ensuring that the dreams of the constitution are being fulfilled, it is PM Modi. The people of the country, as well as those in Karnataka, want change and development. No one can stop the One Nation, One Election. Everyone is aware that Article 370, which had the word 'temporary' in its name, was not abrogated by the Congress; however, PM Modi did so." "The BJP, like a good student, performs well in the exam, and later we thank the people, whereas the Congress is like a student that doesn't study, and after they fail, they blame the EVMs; they say that SIR should not be implemented in various states. It shows that the petty politics of the corrupt Congress party and its ideologies have been rejected all over the country," Bhatia said. Earlier in the day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Election Commission of India, questioning whether the poll body has become "BJP's back-office for vote theft". In a post on X, Kharge shared a media report on the alleged EC's decision to withhold details in a probe related to voter fraud in Karnataka's Aland Constituency. Kharge shared the chronological details of what he believed was the "massive deletion" of voters in the Aland constituency ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections in 2023. "Is the Election Commission of India (ECI) now the BJP's back office for vote chori? Understand the chronology. Ahead of the May 2023 Karnataka elections, Congress had exposed a massive deletion of voters in the Aland Constituency. Thousands of voters were stripped of their rights through a very sophisticated operation of forging Form 7 applications," Kharge said. (ANI)
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  Deputies in Laurel County arrested an alleged armed and dangerous federal fugitive in the early hours of Saturday morning.

It happened around 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, nearly 10 miles south of London, near Tom Town Hollow Road, according to the Laurel County Sheriffs Office (LCSO). The London-Laurel County 911 Communication Center dispatched deputies in response to a prowler complaint there.

While searching, deputies found Joseph Money, 66, who was allegedly wanted by the US Marshal Service on federal escape charges.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Law enforcement officials said Money was reported to be armed and dangerous.

He was arrested and lodged in the Laurel County Correction Center without bond as a fugitive from another state. Authorities said his full extradition has been authorized.

Corbin police reportedly helped LCSO deputies at the scene. The fugitive investigation remains 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 FOX 56 News.
The poll found that 46% believe that the IDF op. in Gaza City has a low chance of defeating Hamas, 38% are confident it will succeed in this goal, and 16% are unsure.

Almost half of Israelis polled believe that the IDF's expansion of operations into Gaza City has a low chance of defeating the Hamas terror organization, according to a poll published on Saturday.

The poll found that 46% of Israelis feel this way, while 38% of those polled believe that the expanded operations will succeed in achieving this goal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Approximately one-sixth of those polled, at 16%, were unsure.

Division over Oct. 7 investigation commission members

The poll also found that over half of Israelis, at 52%, believe that a state commission of inquiry is the proper tool to investigate the failures of October 7, 2023, as opposed to a commission with members appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The poll also found that 30% support Netanyahu's proposal that the commission of inquiry should consist of members appointed by him, while 18% said they were unsure.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem on August 11, 2025. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

The poll was conducted by Lazar Research under Dr. Menachem Lazar together with the online response panel Panel4All. It surveyed 500 respondents, both Jewish and Arab, with a maximum margin of error of 4.4%.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  As Missouri moves closer to adopting a new mid-decade congressional map, we take a deep dive into the numbers.

How does it change the political make up and will it add a GOP seat in Congress? Political Science Professor Michael Smith put together his own map using a common application and shares what the numbers look like.

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Then to Washington, D.C. where The Hills Julia Manchester explains the impact of the Epstein files controversy, national redistricting, and whether HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. survives given the anger over vaccines and the CDC shake-up.

Plus, Fox 4 Jefferson City Bureau Reporter Mark Zinn sits down with Missouris incoming attorney general, Catherine Hanaway.

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.
Recent reports suggest that a "frankenfish" was found last month in Bensalem, Pennsylvania  about 10 miles off the New Jersey border and oceans away from the species' natural habitat.

What's happening?

Northern snakehead fish, sometimes dubbed "frankenfish" for their strange hybrid features, are a freshwater species that possess long fins, a large torpedo-shaped body, and distinctively sharp teeth, according to the Cherry Hill Courier-Post.

"When I looked in its mouth, I saw rows and rows of very sharp teeth," noted angler Josh Tees. "I wouldn't want to be bit by one."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While snakeheads are native to Asia, according to the Courier-Post, the seafood trade and other human activities have introduced them to the Northeast as a rather dangerous invasive species, prohibited from ownership and typically killed upon capture.

In July, Tees spotted and caught an 18-inch frankenfish at the Neshaminy Creek in Bensalem. Somehow, this particular snakehead was discovered above the dam  surprising, but not impossible, seeing as these fish can replicate "walking" with their fins and can survive breathing air for several days.

Why are frankenfish a concern?

While native to China, Russia, and other waters in Asia, it's not uncommon to discover frankenfish in and around the Delaware River in the U.S.

With their terrifying teeth and insatiable, aggressive appetite, these freshwater predators can quickly damage ecosystems and overconsume the smaller fish and amphibians they hunt. According to Business Insider, they can lay around 50,000 eggs at a time, swiftly overtaking their environment and outcompeting native species for resources.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, by devouring many of the other species in the area, frankenfish can pose a threat to nearby fishing communities that rely on a variety of local fish for their livelihoods.

What's being done about invasive species?

In the U.S., possession of live frankenfish is illegal, as is releasing them back into the water. When enforced by the proper wildlife authorities, regulations like these can help keep snakehead populations under control.

Meanwhile, the Courier-Post encouraged New Jersey residents to report all sightings of frankenfish to the state's fish and wildlife department.

You can take action against invasive species wherever you are, whether by contacting your regional authorities or by getting in touch with your local lawmakers to push for more thorough invasive species monitoring and removal.

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.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  The annual Bosnian Festival was held on Saturday at the Bosnia & Herzegovina Cultural Center in Rochester.

Attendees celebrated Bosnian culture with music, traditional foods, and desserts, including Cevapi, Tulumba, and Hurmasnice.

Organizers told News 8 that the festival is usually held toward the end of August; however, due to a lot of community members traveling back to the country during that time, the decision was made to push the event back.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bosnians, just like any other community, are just trying to teach our kids what our culture is about, and to not let them forget about it. Said Enis Jusic, a spokesperson for the center.

Jusic added that the center is a place where kids can go to learn Bosnian, learn about the culture, and even meet others in the community who are their own age.

Its just so important, for them to know where they come from, where their parents come from, he said.

No date has been set just yet for next years festival, but you can keep an eye out on their Facebook page for any 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 RochesterFirst.
Music and the smell of food filled the air on West National Avenue between 32nd and 35th Streets as members of Milwaukees south side communities celebrated the progress of their neighborhoods.

At VIA Community Development Corporations (VIA CDC) 14th annual Silver City Fest on Saturday, Sept. 6, community members, local business owners and elected officials gathered to celebrate the diversity and culture of Milwaukee's south side and commemorate VIA CDC's 30th anniversary.

The free festival brought out an estimated 2,000 attendees according to VIA CDC staff and featured dozens of vendors, art displays, children's activities, and live performances from acts like Ometochtli Mexican Folk Dance, the Milwaukee Flyers Tumbling Team and De La Buena.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We couldnt think of a better way to celebrate, said JoAnna Bautch, the organizations executive director.

The festival, presented by the Forest County Potawatomi community, AARP Wisconsin and JPMorgan Chase, among others, also marked VIA CDC's expansion into the Clarke Square neighborhood, according to Victor Amaya, the events emcee and executive director of Data You Can Use.

VIA CDC will now serve Clark Square in addition to Silver City, Layton Park and Burnham Park neighborhoods.

VIA is a partner in building strong, healthy neighborhoods where all of us can thrive. Im so grateful weve been doing that for 30 years, and Im looking forward to the next 30 years," Bautch said.

Neighbors celebrate together at Silver City Fest

Amanda Aguilera, 7, plays with bubbles during Silver City Fest on Sept. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The festival celebrated VIA CDCs 30th anniversary and included live music, dancing, and food and merchandise from local vendors.

Each year, Silver City Fest provides neighbors with a space to gather and immerse themselves in the communitys culture while celebrating VIA CDCs efforts to connect neighbors to each other and to critical resources.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mark Miskimen, 70, lives in Silver City and has attended every Silver City Fest since VIA CDC started hosting the event over 14 years ago.

Miskimen said he enjoys the music and food offered at the festival each year, and over the years, he has seen the festivals growth.

It seems to be enthusiastic. I like seeing people from outside the community come here, Miskimen said.

This year, he brought along his friend, Kitty OMeara, 70, to celebrate with him.

OMeara, who lives in Walkers Point, said she enjoyed the festival. She was able to get a sense of the communitys culture and visited several vendors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I love all the variety. I love all the life. I love the way people are supporting each other, OMeara said.

Fanta Guindo, 22, said she enjoys the community and unity at Silver City Fest, adding that she also enjoys connecting with the local vendors to see their handmade goods or taste their food.

Just going around and seeing what everybody has to offer has been amazing, Guindo said.

Karen Garcia, 28, is a resident of Silver City and has been attending Silver City Fest with her four brothers for over five years.

She said this year, the event had more attractions, and she appreciated VIA CDCs efforts to make the event family-friendly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Garcia's four brothers most enjoyed meeting the local firefighters and sitting in a fire truck, she said.

However, connecting with local vendors and greeting her neighbors at the festival is what makes Garcia look forward to this event every year, she said.

Tyrone Grant, 5, gets tiger stripes painted onto his face during Silver City Fest on Sept. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Flyers Tumbling Team performs at Silver City Fest on Sept. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The festival celebrated VIA CDCs 30th anniversary and included live music, dancing, and food and merchandise from local vendors.

Elected officials support VIA CDC at Silver City Fest

To add to the festivities, state and local officials welcomed attendees and praised VIA CDC's 30 years of accomplishments.

Wisconsin State Rep. Priscilla A. Prado, a Democrat representing Assembly District 9, recognized VIA CDC by offering a citation from the State Assembly.

The citation commends the organization for its support of over 31,000 neighbors in Silver City, Layton Park, and Burnham Park, creating over 150 job opportunities for neighbors and investing $2.7 million in public improvements, according to Prado.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and District 8 Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa issued a proclamation that Sept. 6 is officially VIA CDC Day in Milwaukee to celebrate the organizations impact.

Im so pleased to partner with VIA, Johnson said to the crowd. Theyre doing such incredible work on the nearest south side of the city.

Ald. Zamarripa said she feels grateful that neighbors in Silver City, Layton Park, Burnham Park and Clarke Square, can lean on the non-profit for support.

Theyre so rooted in community, and even more so, theyre rooted in neighborhoods. Thats so vitally important to have a non-profit that has that commitment, because it means the neighbors succeed," Zamarripa said.

(From left) District 8 Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa, VIA CDC Executive Director Joanna Bautch, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and Rep. Priscilla Prado pose with a framed proclamation proclaiming Saturday, Sept. 6., 2025, as VIA CDC Day during the Silver City Fest on Sept. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Zamarripa recently announced she will be running for secretary of state. She said she will continue to support VIA CDC if elected to the statewide office and looks forward to the organizations continued growth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im hoping to be a voice for all, Zamarripa said. But, as the first Latina in city council here in Milwaukee, I do want to be a voice for Latinos at the statewide level. Especially now, when our families are under attack by the federal government.

Vendors promote their small businesses at Silver City Fest

In addition to bringing the community together in celebration, Silver City Fest provides local vendors with the opportunity to grow their businesses.

This year's festival welcomed more than 70 vendors, including small businesses, food trucks, community resources and more.

Rosa Sibaja, owner of Unforgettable Delights by Rosa, sells Mexican American sweets and baked goods. She started her business five years ago after earning a degree in pastry arts from Milwaukee Area Technical College, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This year marked Sibaja's third year as a vendor at Silver City Fest. Events like Silver City Fest make a large financial impact on her business, and she is grateful for the impact, while she works to put her son through college, Sibaja said.

I connect with this neighborhood, and I love doing these events to be able to be closer to the community, Sibaja said.

VIA does a great job, and you find a lot of people. Theres a lot of sales traffic  were just trying to put ourselves out there as local vendors.

(From left) Southside Sippers co-owners and sisters Melissa Diaz and Patty Diaz serve a customer a dirty soda during Silver City Fest on Sept. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The festival celebrated VIA CDCs 30th anniversary and included live music, dancing, and food and merchandise from local vendors.

Melissa Diaz, who teaches at Carmen High School on Milwaukees south side, said she started her small business, Southside Sippers, in January 2025 with her sister, Patty Diaz, who is a social worker for Milwaukee Public Schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The two sisters were looking for a project to focus on during their summers off, and started selling dirty sodas, or mocktails, made with soda, energy drinks and coffee. They brought their recipes to Silver City Fest for the first time this year, Melissa said.

Participating in Silver City Fest as Latina business owners fills them with pride, Patty said. Running into their students, family and neighbors at the festival made it more special for the sisters.

Just putting a smile on their face makes a difference, Melissa said.

Alyssa N. Salcedo covers Layton Boulevard West for the Journal Sentinel's Neighborhood Dispatch. Reach her at asalcedo@gannett.com. As part of the newsroom, all Alyssas work and coverage decisions are overseen solely by Journal Sentinel editors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Support for this effort comes from the Zilber Family Foundation, Journal Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation and individual contributions to the Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project . The project is administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #364427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association.

Learn more about our community-funded journalism and how to make a tax-deductible gift at jsonline.com/support . Checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation with JS Community Journalism in the memo, then mailed to: Local Media Foundation, P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Silver City Fest brings together Milwaukee's south side
The principal of Annunciation School sent a letter to Vice President Vance pleading for intervention after a deadly shooting occurred on the church grounds last week.

Matthew DeBoers three children were on school grounds during the active shooter situation and knelt as gunshots pierced the windows in the sanctuary and surrounding areas.

His letter addressed both the vice president second lady Usha Vance, whom he told, we ARE in a war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This does not have to keep happening  It shouldnt be easier for this shooter to get a gun  or anyone  than it is for my child to see their pediatrician, DeBoer wrote in his letter to the vice president, as reported by The Minneapolis Star.

It shouldnt be easier for this shooter to get a gun  or anyone  to walk up to a church, to shoot 116 shots into stained glass windows with children feet away from them for 2 and a half minutes than it is to order  dinner on Door Dash, but it is, he added.

Three different weapons were used by the 23-year-old suspected shooter, Robin Westman. Two children were killed, and 18 others were injured during the active shooter situation.

DeBoer urged the Vances to help promote unity and acknowledge that gun violence is not a partisan issue but a crisis in which human lives are at risk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Join us in our humility. Join us in our love. Join us in refusing to participate in the divisive rhetoric about all the topics. We are all human, shooter and victims alike, DeBoer said.

Politicians and parents. Prisoners and Saints. We are all made in Gods image and likeness. Join us in believing this, and acting like it.

Amid concerns for the future of the school, DeBoer said he has forgiven the shooter and tried to reconcile with the incident through scripture and urged others to do the same.

Let us move forward to build our future filled with hope. Blue and red, American and not American, male and female, slave and free, Gentile and Jew, Vances and Walz(es), DeBoer concluded.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Let us all move forward and let us build our future filled with hope  hand in hand, rooted in love, together.

The vice presidents office did not respond to requests for comment regarding the letter. Vance visited the site of the shooting on Wednesday and paid respect to the lives lost due to the violent attack.

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.
In a major joint operation, a top Naxal commander, Amit Hansda, alias Apatan, alias Chandramohan Hansda, carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakh, was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Chaibasa area of West Singhbhum district on Sunday morning. The operation was carried out jointly by the district police and the COBRA battalion following specific intelligence about the movement of senior CPI (Maoist) leaders in the region. According to Jharkhand Police spokesperson and IG Operations Michaelraj S, "A hardcore naxal identified as Zonal Commander Amit Hansda was killed in an encounter with security forces comprising the district police and COBRA battalion in Chaibasa. Weapons, including an SLR rifle, have been recovered. He was carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh declared against him." The encounter began around 5:45 am on September 7 in the Panchaltaburu forest and hilly area of Rela Paral under the Goilkera police station. Officials said that the Maoists opened fire on the security forces, who retaliated in self-defence. Several Maoists managed to escape using the cover of dense forests and mountains. During the search operation after the encounter, the body of a Naxalite along with an SLR rifle, cartridges, and other materials was recovered. The deceased was later identified as Hansda, a zonal committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist). Police said the operation was launched after intelligence on September 6 indicated that top Maoists, including Mochhu, Ashwin, Ravi Sardar, Jaikat, Uptan, Sanat, Amit Munda, and Bhuneshwar alias Saluka Kayam, were roaming in the Kolhan area under the Goilkera police station. They were reportedly planning major attacks, including planting IEDs to target security forces and recruiting new cadres. The joint team was led by Paras Rana, IPS, Additional Superintendent of Police (Operation), Chaibasa, and Deepak Kumar, Assistant Commandant, Cobra 209 BN. Police records revealed that Hansda, also known as Apatan, was involved in multiple brutal killings and attacks in the Kolhan region. He was accused of the murder of Pratap Hembram in January 2023, the shooting of Charo Purti in May 2023, and the killing of Rodo Surin, alias Dryber, in August 2023 by slitting his throat and the murder of Vaich Supaya Mutkan in August 2023. He was also reported to have been involved in planning multiple attacks under the guidance of senior Maoist leaders like Misir Basas, alias Sagar Da. Further operation is still underway to track down other Maoists who fled after the encounter. (ANI)
Gov. Wes Moore on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, when he talked about the economy, the president's threat to send federal troops into Baltimore and -- again -- his electoral plans. (Screengrab of NBC video)

For a man whos not running for president, Gov. Wes Moore sure has been making the rounds of the national Sunday talk shows recently. But theres also been plenty to talk about, from vaccines to federal troop deployments.

Moore, appearing Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press, would not say he would completely rule it out, when asked about a presidential bit, but he did repeat his oft-stated assertion that he is not running for president in 2028, and is focused instead on seeking reelection next year as governor of Maryland.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ill be serving a full term. Im excited about reelection. Im excited about what Im going to be able to do for the people of Maryland, he said in response to a question from moderator Kristen Welker, before reciting a list of his administrations accomplishments..

It was similar to the discussion he had two weeks earlier on CBS Face the Nation, when he volunteered that he is not running for president during a discussion of President Donald Trump saying Moore is not presidential timber. Moores residential aspirations did not come up on last weeks This Week on ABC  but he wasnt directly asked about it.

What Moore has been asked about in each appearance was the presidents threat to send troops into Baltimore, among other cities, to respond to crime there.

Moore  who on Friday announced a surge of Maryland State Police into the city to help further bring down crime rates  repeated his charge that Trumps proposal would be performative and ineffective. He said Guard members are not trained for law enforcement and noted that those deployed last month to Washington, D.C., have been reduced in some instances to raking mulch and picking up trash, at what he said is an estimated cost of $1 million a day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You know, the presidents proposed budget actually cuts supports for the FBI and ATF [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] bureaus, which are things we actually could use, Moore said. When youre looking at the Big Beautiful Bill, it actually cuts $30 million of funding for violence prevention programs that are happening in the city of Baltimore and across the state of Maryland.

Trump has said that the presence of federal troops has led to a drop in crimes that have made the District a safe zone. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has said that crime was already at historic lows already, but she recently credited the presence of federal troops with a further drop in crimes.

Moore acknowledged that crime is down in D.C., but said it has fallen just as fast, or faster, in Baltimore during the same time frame without federal intervention.

If youre looking at the same time period of this D.C. occupation  if you look at assaults with a deadly weapon, theyve actually increased in D.C. by 8%; in Baltimore, have decreased by 10%, he said. And on every other major indicator, from homicide, to carjacking, you could say that Baltimore has actually had the same type of drop as Washington D.C. has had during this period. And we didnt mobilize the National Guard for it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What Moore did do was announce plans Friday for a renewed collaboration between the Baltimore City Police Department and the Maryland State Police.

We are proud of the progress that weve been able to make, and were all very, very concerned about how much work still needs to happen, Moore said at the time, flanked by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and city and state police officials. If one person does not feel safe in their neighborhood, that is one too many.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
BANGKOK (AP)  Anutin Charnvirakul, a veteran politician best known for successfully lobbying to decriminalize cannabis in Thailand, became the country's prime minister after receiving a royal endorsement Sunday.

Anutin, 58, succeeds Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party, who was dismissed last week after being found guilty of ethics violations over a politically compromising phone call with neighboring Cambodias Senate President Hun Sen.

The phone call took place before a border dispute between the two nations turned into a deadly five-day armed conflict in July that raised fears of a full-blown war in the region.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thailands new prime minister served in Paetongtarns Cabinet as a deputy prime minister and an interior minister, but resigned from his positions and withdrew his party from her coalition government after news of the leaked phone call caused public uproar.

Letter of appointment

Anutin received a letter of appointment in a ceremony at his Bhumjaithai Partys headquarters in Bangkok, attended by senior members of parties expected to join his coalition government. They wore white civil servants uniforms used for royal and state ceremonies.

Id like to take an oath that I determine to perform my duties to my fullest capabilities, with honesty and virtue, he read out a statement after receiving the endorsement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Anutin said his government will seek to address the countrys urgent problems, including the economy, the border conflict with Cambodia, natural disasters and crimes.

He also said he will commit to an earlier promise he made to rewrite the constitution and call an early election to return power to the people to decide on the future of the country.

A conditional win

He won the vote in Parliament on Friday with support from the main opposition Peoples Party. In exchange for their votes, Anutin has promised to dissolve Parliament within four months and organize a referendum on the drafting of a new constitution by an elected constituent assembly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Peoples Party said it would remain part of the opposition, leaving the new government potentially a minority one. The party, which runs on progressive platforms, has long sought changes to the constitution, imposed during a military government, saying they want to make it more democratic.

Pheu Thai said after Anutin won the vote that it would become an opposition party.

An experienced policymaker

Anutin successfully petitioned for the decriminalization of cannabis, which happened in 2022. There was a backlash against the policy and cannabis is now being more strictly regulated. He was also a health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was accused of tardiness in obtaining vaccine supplies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the Pheu Thai-led government, he has been embroiled in scandals, including suspected collusion in last years Senate election to give an unfair advantage to some candidates, and a land dispute involving property claimed by the state that has belonged to the family of his Bhumjaithai mentor, Newin Chidchob.

Anutin became the third prime minister of Thailand in two years after the 2023 general elections. The Peoples Party, then named the Move Forward Party, won the most seats but was kept from power when military-appointed senators, who were strong supporters of Thailands royalist conservative establishment, voted against the party's candidate because they opposed its policy seeking reforms to the monarchy.

The Senate no longer holds the right to take part in the vote to elect a prime minister.

The Pheu Thai Party, which at the time came second in the elections, later had one of its candidates, real estate executive Srettha Thavisin, approved as prime minister to lead a coalition government. But he served just a year before the Constitutional Court dismissed him from office for ethical violations.

Sretthas replacement, Paetongtarn, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, also lasted just a year in office. Her government was already greatly weakened when the Bhumjaithai Party abandoned her coalition in June.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  The Appalachian American Indians of West Virginia welcomed the public to their annual Pow Wow this weekend at Camp Mountaineer, drawing families from across the region to celebrate Native culture, tradition, and community.

The two-day gathering was family-oriented and offered an immersive experience into the sights and sounds of Native heritage. Attendees enjoyed traditional drumming, singing and dancing in the pow wow circle, where dancers in regalia moved to the beat of the drum often called the heartbeat of Mother Earth.

Chief of Appalachian American Indians of West Virginia Melissa Charlton-Smith was happy to participate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its about sharing, sharing our culture, sharing our songs, sharing our dance, and our arts and our crafts. We have crafting goods and people can really see how we live our lives to a certain extent.

Sport and Pokemon card show brings in hundreds to Bridgeport

Organizers said the event was designed not only as a social celebration but also as an opportunity for education and cultural preservation. Visitors had the chance to learn about Native traditions through demonstrations, storytelling and conversations with tribal members.

When the public comes, they will see our dance, some of our ceremony, some of our, definitely some of our food, Chief Charlton-Smith said. Normally you might have fried bread, which is a very native thing and talking to the people you learn a lot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alongside the dancing and music, the pow wow grounds featured vendors offering Native inspired crafts, beadwork, jewelry and traditional foods. Many families also took advantage of Camp Mountaineers wooded setting, with tent camping available for guests who wanted to spend the weekend fully immersed in the event.

Pow Wows and gatherings are open to the public, so the public can learn. And you know, Native American people living in the hills or wherever, they find out theres a pow wow, they can come out and support as well, Chief Charlton-Smith added.

In West Virginia, gatherings such as this provide a chance for residents to connect directly with Native traditions that are deeply rooted in the Appalachian region. The Appalachian American Indians of West Virginia emphasized that everyone is welcome at the Pow Wow, whether Native or non-Native, and encouraged families to return in future Pow Wows to take part in the celebration.

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.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD)  The Office of the State Fire Marshal announced that applications are open for the Small Equipment Grant Program.

A total of $6 million will be awarded to eligible fire departments and ambulance services to purchase small firefighting and ambulance equipment, according to spokesman JC Fultz.

Departments that wish to apply online must do so by Friday, Nov. 14.

The Small Equipment Grant Program was made to provide grants of up to $26,000 to eligible departments.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fultz said that applicants must meet certain pre-qualification requirements to be considered for a grant. These include:

For more information or to apply for the Small Equipment Grant Program, 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 CIProud.com.
Heres what youll learn when you read this story:

Gold coins buried in a small pot and dated to the fifth century B.C. were discovered in modern-day Turkey.

Archaeologists believe that the coinsbased on their location underneath a Helensitic housewere meant to pay off mercenaries.

Fighting between the Persian and Athenian armies in the ancient Greek city of Notion could explain the existence of these coins and the fact that they were still buried.

Mercenary armies werent cheap in the Greek city of Notion during the fifth century B.C.especially with the Persian and Athenian fighters waging a front-line battle in the area. Getting a little extra muscle in the conflict likely required having a bit of spare cash on hand, and archaeologists recently uncovered some of that loot in the form of a hoard of gold coins, which they found buried in a small pot in western Turkey.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to researchers led by the University of Michigan, the gold coinswhich were originally discovered in 2023, but only recently okayed for publication by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourismdepict a kneeling archer. The archer was a key signature of the Persian daric, issued by the Persian Empire and potentially minted during the fifth century B.C. about 60 miles northeast of Notion in the ancient city of Sardis.

The fact that this literal pot of gold was even found shows that an unlikely scenario befell the owner.

The discovery of such a valuable find in a controlled archaeological excavation is very rare, said Christopher Ratte, professor of ancient Mediterranean art and archaeology and director of the Notion Archaeological Survey, the project that discovered the coins, in a statement. No one ever buries a hoard of coins, especially precious metal coins, without intending to retrieve it. So only the gravest misfortune can explain the preservation of such a treasure.

That grave misfortune could have come in the form of the very thing that experts believe the coins were intended for: war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the Greek historian Xenophon, a single daric was equivalent to a soldiers pay for one month. Finding a hoard of the coins indicates the possibility that it may have been part of the payment to mercenary troops around Notion.



While Ratte admitted that the evidence for the mercenary theory is circumstantial, he believes the timing adds up. Notionalong with other Greek cities on the west coast of present-day Turkeybecame part of the Persian Empire in the mid-sixth century B.C. Then, come the early fifth century B.C., it came under Greek control. That didnt last too long, however, as the early fourth century B.C. saw it return to Persian command until the conquest of Alexander the Great in 334 B.C.

All this back-and-forth rule made Notion the front lines of conflict, with Greek historians chronicling the use of barbarian mercenaries during Athenian vs. Persian skirmishes. It is battles like these that could have warranted an army collecting enough daric to pay for additional assistance, but any sort of defeat could have meant that the owners of the coins werent able to retrieve them, leaving... say... a pot of coins to be found centuries later.

Of course, the mercenary idea isnt the only theory in play. As Notion was an important military harbor, the coins could have been part of payment to help build out the waterfront. If a tragedy befell the owner of the hoard, the coins would have simply remained secretly buried.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The history of the daric started in the sixth century and lasted until Alexander the Greats control began around 330 B.C. The design of the coins remained relatively similar, with only minor stylistic differences in play. Using the new coinsand the independent dating of the coins, thanks to additional artifacts found nearbyto help highlight those style shifts should help set up a distinct timeline for the daric.

This hoard, Ratte said, will provide a firm date that can serve as an anchor to help fix the chronology of the [entire sequence of coins].

If it can be established accurately by other means, to allow us to fine-tune the chronology of the Achaemenid gold coinage, said Andrew Meadows, former curator of coins at the British Museum and the American Numismatic Society and now at Oxford University, in a statement. This is a spectacular find [] of the highest importance.

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
The Atlanta Braves hosted the annual Patriot Day 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Truist Park on Saturday, honoring first responders and people affected by the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The event, organized by the Atlanta Braves Foundation, The Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund of Georgia, and the Georgia Fraternal Order of Leatherheads Society, saw over 530 participants, including first responders, community members, and supporters.

Opening ceremonies featured a National Anthem performance by Captain Ben Holley of Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services, a moment of silence for the lives lost on 9/11, and a flyover by an SBD-5 Dauntless Dive Bomber, in collaboration with the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Georgia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Participants climbed over 2,000 steps at Truist Park, symbolizing the 110 flights of stairs that FDNY firefighters ascended during rescue efforts on 9/11. Each climber wore a lanyard with a photo and name of a 9/11 victim in remembrance.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Special guests included Brian Farrell, Chairman and Founder of The Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund, John Gaine, Bobby Galione, and Ryan Knowles, all of whom have ties to the FDNY or firefighting community.

Participants were greeted with a cooling station and received a boxed lunch from Firehouse Subs. A piece of Trade Center steel was displayed onsite.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Proceeds from the event benefit The Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund of Georgia, supporting first responders and their families across the state.

The Atlanta Braves Foundation provided the first 200 participants who registered for the 2025 event with two tickets to the September 7 Braves game against the Seattle Mariners.

TRENDING STORIES:

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday flagged off vehicles carrying relief material to flood-affected areas in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab from the State BJP Office amid the continuous rainfall across the state. The Chief Minister sent 15 trucks carrying relief material from Panchkula for Punjab today and 10 trucks to Himachal Pradesh. Speaking to mediapersons in Panchkula, the Chief Minister said, "15 trucks carrying relief material will be flagged off from Panchkula for Punjab today, and 10 trucks will go to Himachal Pradesh... Such situations of natural calamities should not be politicised. It is our duty to help people..." Reacting to the flood situation in Haryana, CM Saini said that Rs 4 lakh was sent to those whose houses were destroyed or whose families have suffered casualties. "There is a lot of flooding in the low-lying areas of Haryana. I am meeting people and assuring them that we will face this natural calamity together... We have sent Rs 4 lakh to those whose houses were destroyed or whose families have suffered casualties. Those who have been injured have also been provided compensation..." the Chief Minister said. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian said that floods continue to affect large parts of the state, with 48 more villages, 2,691 people and 2,131 hectares of standing crops coming under the impact during the last 24 hours. Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian also pointed out that the floods claimed three more lives in the last 24 hours, with fatalities reported from Amritsar and Rupnagar. "This has taken the overall death toll in the state to 46 across 14 districts. In addition, three people are still missing in Pathankot district," he said. Expressing gratitude to the armed forces and disaster response teams for their support, Minister Mundian said that 23 teams of the NDRF were actively engaged in relief and rescue operations in Amritsar, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Ludhiana, Pathankot and Rupnagar, while two teams of the SDRF were deployed in Kapurthala. Meanwhile, the Indian Army, along with other disaster response forces, continued to carry out rescue and relief operations on Saturday. (ANI)
AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL)  Auburn Police confirm a person of interest is in custody as of 8:45 a.m. Sunday in connection with the homicide investigation at Kiesel Park.

The victim has been identified as Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle, 59, of Auburn, a retired professor of Large Animal and Food Animal Medicine at Auburn Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators believe Schnuelle was attacked and killed while walking her dog at Kiesel Park Saturday morning. Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton tells WRBL her injuries appear to have been caused by a sharp object, possibly in a knife attack. Her dog was unharmed.

Officers were called to the park in the 500 block of Chadwick Lane around 2:07 p.m. on September 6, after a caller reported a womans body in a wooded area. Schnuelle was pronounced dead at the scene and later transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for postmortem examination.

Police say Schnuelles red Ford F-150 pickup truck was taken from the crime scene and may have been driven away by the suspect. Sunday morning, reports are the vehicle was found in the woods along Wire Road near the Farmer in the Dell pumpkin patch. A helicopter was seen lifting off from the area as police remained on scene.

Kiesel Park, Auburns largest park at 124 acres, is normally filled with families, joggers, and dog walkers. The attack, which happened in broad daylight at one of the citys most popular green spaces, has left the community shaken. Residents say they never imagined such violence occurring in a place long considered safe and peaceful.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dr. Schnuelle was a distinguished veterinarian, researcher, and mentor who earned both a PhD and board certification in theriogenology (animal reproduction). Schnuelle was well respected in the bovine veterinary community and remembered for her scholarship and compassion.

Detectives say the case remains an active homicide investigation. More details about the person of interest in custody are expected to be released later Sunday. Kiesel Park has been closed since Saturday afternoon and will remain closed through the weekend as investigators continue processing the scene.

Auburn Police are urging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious persons or activity. Anyone with information is asked to call the Auburn Police Division at 334-501-3140, the tip line at 334-246-1391, or dial 911.

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.
AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL)  Auburn Police have confirmed foul play is suspected in the death of a woman whose body was discovered Saturday afternoon at Kiesel Park. Its believed the victim was exercising at the park when she was attacked.



Authorities say a red Ford F-150 pickup truck, believed to have been taken from an area near the crime scene, is missing. Police released a photo of the truck and are asking anyone who sees it to immediately contact the Auburn Police Department.

Investigators remained on scene into the evening. Around 7:30 p.m., the Lee County Coroners Office removed the victim. She will be taken to get a postmortem examination.

Officers were called around 2:00 p.m. after a 911 call led them to an area of the park, where they located her body in the woods. At this time, no suspect or person of interest is in custody. The womans identity and cause of death have not yet been released. This investigation is not related to any missing persons case.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kiesel Park has been temporarily closed during the early stages of the investigation and will remain closed through the weekend.

Community members are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious persons or activities to Auburn Police.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Auburn Police at (334) 501-3100, text the tip line at (334) 246-1391, or email police@auburnalabama.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 WRBL.
Austrias government wants to ban the headscarf for girls under 14 in all schools.

The legislation is in the final stage of negotiations among the government coalition, with planned fines ranging from at least several hundred euros to more than 1,000 euros (870) for repeat offenders.

The ban will apply to both state and private schools, including Islamic faith schools, with teachers having to report violations in classes, the Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported. The police will then have to enforce administrative fines against the parents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Claudia Plakholm, the integration minister, called the headscarf a symbol of oppression and an expression of extremist tendencies linked with the rise of radical Islam.

Estimating between 9,000 and 12,000 girls in Vienna alone would be affected by the ban, this is not a marginal phenomenon, the ministry of family and integration said.

Ban protects against oppression

A third of Austrias school children have migrant descent, rising to over half in the capital.

The candy coalition of centre-Right Peoples Party, Social Democrats and technocratic Neos, which banded together in February to keep out the far-Right Freedom Party, promised in their coalition agreement to develop a constitutionally compliant legal headscarf ban to protect against segregation and oppression of underage girls.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Freedom Party (FPO) came first in the last election with a hard line on migration, with observers seeing the ban as a signal to FPO voters.

But this will be the second time Austria has attempted to ban the headscarf in recent years, with the legislation brought in by then-chancellor Sebastian Kurzs controversial coalition with the Freedom Party overturned by the constitutional court in 2020 as going against freedom of religion before any fines were issued.

Infringement on religious freedom

Last time, the ban was for girls under 11 and only applied to state schools, with a maximum fine of 440, meaning that the new legislation is both stricter and more punitive.

But Heinz Meyer, a constitutional expert, doubts the legality of the new law, telling public radio ORF that the court drew very narrow boundaries in its 2020 ruling, and I dont see how these can be overcome.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ban would be an infringement on religious freedom, even if the federal government argues that it is part of the fight against political Islam said Mr Meyer.

Umit Vural, the Austrian Muslim leader, warned against instrumentalising child welfare with blanket measures.

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.
Officials are investigating a fatal helicopter crash near a Lakeville airport on Saturday afternoon, saying that it was too early to release information about the number of victims or specifics about the aircraft, including how it crashed.

Lakeville police were called to the crash scene west of Airlake Airport about 2:45 p.m., according to a post on the citys website that provided the following details about the crash.

Police and fire personnel who responded to the crash west of Highway Avenue near 219th Street West determined there were no survivors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

City officials said the crash was in a non-residential and non-commercial area and they believe that the occupant or occupants of the helicopter are the only victims.

Related Articles
Balkan crime groups are working with Brazilian cartels to turn West Africa into a gateway for Europes cocaine market, a new report warns  saying the trade is driving corruption, local drug use and instability across the region.

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) says Balkan networks are embedding across West Africa to move large quantities of cocaine to Europe, forging alliances with Latin American cartels and local intermediaries.

On Monday, the French Navy seized nearly six tonnes of cocaine from a fishing vessel in international waters off the West African coast. GI-TOC says such seizures only hint at the scale of trafficking through the region.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A third of Europes cocaine now transits through West Africa, and that share could rise to half by 2030, Lucia Bird Ruiz, director of GI-TOCs Observatory of Illicit Economies in West Africa, told RFI.

Groups from Montenegro, Serbia and Albania are today among the most significant actors in the global cocaine trade, and their presence in the region is increasingly entrenched.

Balkan mafia meet Brazilian cartels

The report says Montenegrin clans such as Kavac and Skaljari  rivals with ties to Italys Ndrangheta mafia group  have forged close partnerships with Latin American cartels.

It names Brazils Primeiro Comando da Capital, the countrys most powerful criminal organisation formed in Sao Paulos prisons, as one of their main partners. GI-TOC says this collaboration has allowed Balkan groups to control the supply chain from production in South America to retail markets in Europe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cocaine and synthetic drugs power new era of global trafficking

The report says West Africa offers traffickers expanding port facilities, weak oversight and a location that makes it ideal as a transit point.

As controls on direct routes from Latin America to Europe have tightened, traffickers are increasingly using coastal states such as Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde.

The cocaine market in Europe grows larger every day, while controls on direct routes from Latin America have intensified. That is why West Africa has become so important for traffickers, Bird Ruiz said.

Brokers in the middle

GI-TOC says a key feature of this phase is the role of brokers. Often Balkan nationals sent to West Africa for months at a time, they act as fixers, managing shipments, cultivating ties with local partners and ensuring discretion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One such network, the report says, operated out of Freetown, Sierra Leone, where a broker set up a company to handle imports and repackage cocaine into containers bound for Belgium.

Intermediaries are absolutely central to the way these groups operate, Bird Ruiz said to RFI. They provide flexibility, build relationships on the ground, and increasingly serve as the nexus point between different criminal networks.

How the Caribbean became a front line in France's fight against the cocaine trade

GI-TOC warns that while the main aim is moving cocaine northwards, the trade is also fuelling problems within West Africa.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Payments to brokers are sometimes made in drugs instead of cash, driving up local consumption. Crack cocaine in particular is spreading, while real prices in Ghana and elsewhere have fallen since 2019.

Bird Ruiz said the impact is already clear, with rising addiction rates, fragile health systems under strain and corruption at state level. Some of these groups have already corrupted senior political figures in Europe, she said. We should expect them to deploy the same strategies in West Africa.

Stronger cooperation

The report stresses that tackling the trade will require more than occasional high-profile seizures. It calls for stronger intelligence systems, better data collection and above all closer cooperation between African and European law enforcement agencies, port authorities and private companies.

GI-TOC warns that without such measures, West Africa risks becoming even more entrenched in the global cocaine economy.

Its not just a question of organised crime, Bird Ruiz told RFI. Its a public health issue, a governance issue, and potentially, a security issue for the entire region.
Sign up for Chalkbeat Colorados free daily newsletter to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox.

The little boy clung to his mother as she carried him through the wooden half-door of the preschool classroom on Tuesday morning. Tears streamed down his face. It was going to be a tough drop-off.

While other children finished bananas, raisin bagels, and milk, Vraja Johnson, the lead teacher, ushered the mother and son toward a cozy corner in the back of the classroom. She spoke softly in English and Spanish to the nervous preschooler. Several minutes later, when his mother had slipped away, the boy nestled into a large blue beanbag clutching Tucker the Turtle, a stuffed animal that helps preschoolers understand that its OK to retreat into your shell  and to come back out when youre ready.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was the first day of preschool in the Otters classroom at El Nidito, a bilingual child care program at The Family Center in Fort Collins. The little boy and his 11 classmates are among 40,000 children enrolled in Colorados universal preschool program this year. The $349 million program offers tuition-free preschool  typically a half day  to all children in the year before kindergarten.

Now entering its third year, Colorados preschool for all program has smoothed out since its rocky rollout in 2023. At the time, application system errors, glitches in the states preschool matching algorithm, and last-minute reductions in preschool hours for some children caused widespread confusion and frustration.

A national early childhood group recently ranked Colorado third in the country for the share of children served by state-funded preschool. Around 70% of the states 4-year-olds are enrolled in the program, which generally covers about $6,000 a year in preschool costs per child.

But wrinkles remain. The state is still fighting two lawsuits brought by religious preschools that objected to non-discrimination rules protecting LGBTQ children, families, and employees. Both suits are pending in federal appeals court. And the national early childhood group found that Colorado meets only two of 10 benchmarks meant to ensure that preschool classrooms are high quality.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Currently, the universal preschool label doesnt indicate anything about the caliber of classroom a child will join. Rather, it simply indicates the state is paying for 10 to 30 hours of class time. Of about 2,000 preschools participating in the program, some have the states lowest rating and meet only basic health and safety standards.

Others, including El Nidito, which has been around for 25 years, have the states highest rating.

A morning in Johnsons classroom makes it easy to see why. She and her co-teacher, an experienced sub named Maria Chavira, are warm, cheerful, and organized. Their young charges are curious, silly, and always in motion.

Maria Chavira, a substitute teacher at the El Nidito child care program in Fort Collins, puts sunscreen on a preschool student before they go outside. (Rachel Woolf for Chalkbeat)

During breakfast, two boys held bananas up to their ears like phones.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ring, ring, ring. Hi, Henry, one said as the other burst out laughing.

Nearby at the sensory table, as one little boy poured dried pinto beans through a cardboard tube, he said, Did you ever watch Boss Baby? The baby is a bossssss. Babies cant be bosses!

Meanwhile, the little boy whod struggled to leave his mother was getting braver, slowly testing the waters of group play. One minute he crouched next to a little girl in front of a tree house play set. Later, he tried out bear and leopard hand puppets as the Boss Baby skeptic threw Tucker the Turtle up in the air next to him.

Johnson, who switched from a sales and marketing career to early childhood education in 2007, seems to have a sixth sense for detecting imminent meltdowns, skirmishes, and rule-bending.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She quickly peeled away from a conversation with a visitor when a little girl dressed in head-to-toe pink accidentally got a squiggle of red marker on her new cowboy boots.

Your mom can get that out. The markers are washable, Johnson said as tears welled in the preschoolers eyes.

Then she averted the crisis with five words: Do you want a hug?

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
Bavarian Premier Markus Soder renewed his call to scrap the EU-wide ban on new combustion-engine cars scheduled for 2035, arguing that the move threatens jobs and the German auto industry.

"The internal combustion engine has a future with e-fuels and new technologies. The EU's 2035 ban endangers hundreds of thousands of jobs," Soder told the Sunday edition of the Bild newspaper.

He called the car sector "the heart of our economy" and warned that Germany faces an industrial collapse without it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Soder's appeal is reportedly part of his 10-point plan ahead of the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich, which also calls for reduced CO2 targets, expanded charging infrastructure, stronger supplier networks, development of autonomous driving, and reduced costs for driving licences.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he plans to invite German automakers and suppliers to a summit on the future of the industry, which faces declining sales, competition from China, the shift to electric vehicles, and a US tariff dispute.

Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Blume welcomed Merz's initiative, emphasizing flexibility in drive system development but underscoring that electric mobility represents the future. Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Kallenius said the industry stands at a decisive point for its future and jobs, and for Germany and Europe's competitiveness.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday condemned the viral video of a mob tarnishing the national emblem at Hazratbal Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasised that the Ashok Stambh and Ashok Chakra are symbols of a united India and that attacking them is an attack on the nation. The Bihar Dy CM also criticised J-K CM Omar Abdullah's statement on the incident, calling it "shameful." "Incident from J&K has angered people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari... The person who dreamed of a united India built the entire nation, constructed the Bharat Stambh and the Ashok Chakra. The Ashok Stambh was attacked in Kashmir, and the statement given by the J&K Chief Minister is shameful. This is an attack on India... Attacking the pillar of Emperor Ashoka of Bihar and Magadh is an attack on India...," said Choudhary. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday questioned the use of the national emblem on the plaque of the renovated Hazratbal Shrine, adding that he has never seen it used at any religious places. He emphasised that government emblems are only used at government functions, not in religious places such as mosques, Dargahs, Temples, or Gurdwaras. "The first question is whether the symbol should have been etched on the foundation stone. I have never seen the emblem being used in any religious place. So, what was the compulsion to have the symbol on the stone at Hazratbal Shrine? What was the need to put up the stone? Was just work not enough?" Omar Abdullah said. A controversy erupted at the revered Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar when a mob vandalised the Ashoka Emblem on the foundation stone, sparking a heated debate about national symbols and religious sentiments. A viral video had surfaced showing a mob defacing the national emblem inscribed on the foundation stone of the shrine, which is undergoing reconstruction and redevelopment under the Waqf Board. Choudhary also targeted the Congress party and Mahagathbandhan, accusing them of insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and disrespecting Bihar. He asserted that the Congress party, the National Conference, and the RJD's existence depends on India's unity and integrity. "There are ongoing insults to PM Modi's mother by the Congress party and the Mahagathbandhan. Then, Kerala Congress called Bihar 'beedi,' and today, an incident from J&K has angered people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Congress Party, National Conference, and RJD only exist if India survives... " said Samrat Choudhary. This comes after the Kerala unit of the Congress party shared a controversial 'X' post, captioned, "Bidis and Bihar start with B". However, after facing backlash, the post was deleted. The 'X' post from the Kerala Congress targeted the recent GST reforms brought by the Union Government, where the tax rates on Cigar, Cigarettes and Tobacco were increased to 40 per cent. In contrast, the rates on Bidis were brought down from 28 to 18 per cent. Moreover, derogatory remarks were made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late mother during the Voter Adhikar Yatra event in Darbhanga. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) observed a five-hour Bihar Bandh in protest of the remarks, with workers protesting in Patna. The bandh was a show of solidarity with PM Modi and a strong message against the opposition's alleged disrespect. The controversy arises ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, which are expected to be held in October or November. The polls are likely to be a crucial test for both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan alliance, with each side vying for power and seeking to win over voters. (ANI)
Bavarian Premier Markus Soder renewed his call to scrap the EU-wide ban on new combustion-engine cars scheduled for 2035, arguing that the move threatens jobs and the German automotive industry.

"The internal combustion engine has a future with e-fuels and new technologies. The EU's 2035 ban endangers hundreds of thousands of jobs," Soder told the Sunday edition of the mass-circulation Bild newspaper.

The car would become the fate of the German industry, he said: "It is the heart of our economy  without cars, a collapse threatens."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Soder's appeal is reportedly part of his 10-point plan ahead of the IAA Mobility automotive industry show in Munich, which also calls for reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) targets, expanded charging infrastructure including for buses, stronger supplier networks, the development of autonomous driving, and reduced costs for driving licences.

Industry expert finds Soder's plan contradictory

Industry expert Ferdinand Dudenhoffer described Soder's demands as "more of a hodgepodge" than an action plan.

"Anyone who talks about a combustion engine ban now unsettles car buyers. Unsettled car buyers are bad buyers," warned Dudenhoffer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said he believes that those who are unsure whether the combustion engine or the electric car is more future-proof would prefer not to buy a car at all initially.

This harms manufacturers who are currently investing billions in the development of electric cars the most, he said. "So, not buying electric cars now? Very contradictory, what the Bavarian premier is demanding."

However, Dudenhoffer supported Soder's demand for a cheaper driving licence, but asked: "How does that work exactly?"

According to the expert, more charging stations, especially for buses, are also a sensible demand: "The municipal utilities will then build the charging stations. The suppliers have something to do, and for the German car manufacturers, it would be a pleasure to build the electric buses."

Merz plans meeting with automotive industry

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he plans to invite German carmakers and suppliers to a summit on the future of the industry, which faces declining sales, competition from China, the shift to electric vehicles and a US tariff dispute.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Blume welcomed Merz's initiative, emphasizing flexibility in drive system development but underscoring that electric mobility represents the future.

Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Kallenius said the industry stands at a decisive point regarding its future and jobs, and for Germany and Europe's competitiveness.
DNA testing and advanced genealogy allowed investigators to identify the last known victim of the Bear Brook murders, resolving a 40-year-old mystery that the DNA Doe Project called one of the most well-known (Jane) Doe cases in the United States.

The New Hampshire attorney general announced on Sunday that the body of a young girl discovered in 1985 was that of Rea Rasmussen.

Rea was the biological daughter of Terry Peder Rasmussen, who killed three other people in the late 1970s or early 1980s and placed their remains in Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown. Terry Rasmussen died in prison in 2010.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This case has weighed on New Hampshire and the nation for decades. With Rea Rasmussens identification, all four victims now have their names back, Attorney General John Formella said in a news release. Our commitment to uncovering the truth, no matter how long it takes, remains unwavering.

Formella added that a search for Rea Rasmussens mother, Pepper Reed, is continuing. Reed gave birth to Rae in 1976 and was last seen in the late 1970s. Authorities believe she may have been another one of Terry Rasmussens victims.

According to the DNA Doe Project, whose volunteers partnered with the New Hampshire State Police Cold Case Unit in the investigation, the groups identified Reed as the mother by tracing the victims likely ancestors to a couple from the 1780s and following the branches of the family tree to the present.

This was verified through the discovery of Rea Rasmussens birth certificate, which listed Reed and Terry Rasmussen as her parents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reas remains were found in a barrel in 1985. She went unidentified for many years, along with the adult woman whom she was interred with. A second barrel containing the remains of two more girls was found nearby in 2000.

In 2019, three of the victims were identified through genetic genealogy as Marlyse Honeychurch and her daughters Marie Vaughn and Sarah McWaters. Honeychurch and her daughters were last seen in California in 1978.

The fourth victim remained unidentified, however. On Sunday, the New Hampshire State Police Cold Case Unit officially identified Rea through documentary records and DNA testing.

This marked the end of a renewed investigation to identify the remains that started in early 2024 as a partnership between the Cold Case Unit and the DNA Doe Project.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Bear Brook case was one of the first major cases to demonstrate the potential of genetic genealogy in identifying victims and solving crimes. We hope this final identification provides a measure of closure, even as the investigation into Rasmussens full scope of crimes continues, said Senior Assistant Attorney General R. Christopher Knowles.

In addition to still seeking information on the whereabouts and fate of Reed, agencies are still investigating Terry Rasmussens movements between 1974 and 1985, particularly in New Hampshire, California, Arizona, Texas, Oregon, and Virginia.

Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the Cold Case Unit at 800-525-5555 or coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

zmarano@unionleader.com
The argument happened on social media as Israelis gathered across the country calling for the release of the remaining hostages in Hamas captivity amid the IDF's invasion of Gaza City.

A confrontation broke out between MK Gilad Kariv (Democrats) and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) during protests demanding a ceasefire in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Saturday night.

The situation began after Kariv was filmed arguing with a police officer, accusing them of disrespecting an MK during a lawful protest.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What a shame and disgrace that MK Gilad Kariv is breaking the law, lashing out at an esteemed and professional police officer, Ben-Gvir wrote in a social media post, adding a warning that he would ask Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana (Likud) to reprimand Kariv.

The police are not the punching bag of frustrated politicians, Ben-Gvir added in his post.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir speaks during a rally in support of the current Israeli government, outside the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, on June 5, 2025. (credit: Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90)

To this, Kariv responded that, There is no doubt that there is much to learn about morality from an expert in pogroms, a convicted criminal, and a minister under whose watch the streets of Israel are washed with blood.

He also added a video from a couple of years ago where Ben-Gvir appears physically and verbally confronting a police officer during a protest.

Hostage families, Israelis call for the release of all hostages

Israelis gathered across the country that night, joining hostage families in calling for the release of the remaining hostages in Hamas captivity amid the IDF's invasion of Gaza City.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum announced its intention to protest outside of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Jerusalem residence, alongside the protests at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. The Forum also stated that protests across the country on Saturday night drew tens of thousands of attendees.

Anat Angrest, the mother of hostage Matan Angrest, played a recording of the phone call between the family and an IDF representative during a demonstration on Saturday evening, who said that the hostages are increasingly at risk due to the military's planned invasion of Gaza City.

"The risk has already increased, and it is a trend of rising risk that comes alongside the intensification of the [ground] maneuver."

Earlier on Saturday, Anat Angrest wrote on social media that her son was in immediate danger. My Matan is in immediate life-threatening danger. Thats what I was told yesterday on the phone."
Eisenkot and Bennett shared that they had discussed the deterioration of Israels international standing, and actions toward creating a new and better leadership for Israel."

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett met with former MK Gadi Eisenkot on Sunday to discuss creating a new leadership in Israel, among other topics related to the country, the two announced after the meeting.

The meeting was part of a coordinated preparation plan for replacing the government, the joint statement said, adding that it follows several meetings the two have held in recent weeks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The meeting also marks another one-on-one meeting to discuss the creation of a new government with Zionist opposition heads before the elections, which are currently scheduled for October 2026.

Discussing Israel's national standing

Eisenkot and Bennett shared that they had discussed the deterioration of Israels international standing, and actions toward creating a new and better leadership for Israel, one that will unite the people, strengthen security, and rebuild the country.

They also said that they had discussed the ongoing war and the urgency of bringing back the hostages.

Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrives to testify at the commission of inquiry into Nahal Tzafit disaster in Tel Aviv, August 1, 2022 (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

In further one-on-one meetings between opposition party leaders ahead of the elections, Eisenkot met with Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman on Thursday evening.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Eisenkot and Liberman said they had discussed further coordination between the Zionist opposition parties, along with the formation of shared guiding principles that would serve as a cohesive, responsible, and values-driven governing alternative, one that would lead Israel and replace the 'October 7 government.'"

Liberman also met with Bennett at the end of August, where the two discussed replacing the government "as soon as possible in order to fix Israel.

Liberman requested a meeting to formulate guiding principles for the next government with heads of Zionist opposition parties, along with former Eisenkot and Bennett, at the end of August.

His request was sent to Opposition Leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) in an official letter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Liberman requested that the meeting be held as soon as possible to allow for the formulation of the guiding principles, which must reflect broad agreements on the central issues on the national agenda.

Among the issues listed by Liberman to be discussed were security, economy, the establishment of a constitution, military service in the country, and the separation of religion and state.

It is up to us to work together and create a shared foundation for action, he wrote in the letter.

Lapid held a press conference last week where he said that if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition were to win the elections again, it would be the end of Zionism.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The opposition leader went on to say that the coming elections would not be easy this time either. Everyone will be involved  Bennett, Liberman, and Eisenkot. Each of them has already declared that he will be prime minister, or at the very least defense minister.

That is legitimate, I have no problem with people having ambitions, but someone also needs to know how to take all those forces and build a government out of them, Lapid continued, saying that only his party would be able to form a government successfully.

Before the current Netanyahu government, Bennett and Lapid had formed a national unity government in June 2021.

During that time, and as per a coalition agreement, Bennett served as Prime Minister from June 2021 until July 2022, with Lapid succeeding him until the government was dissolved in December 2022.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States would have to refund half of the tariffs if has collected if it loses its case on President Trumps trade agenda at the Supreme Court.

Bessent said he feels confident the Trump administration will win the fight to rescue President Trumps tariffs, but acknowledged it will be costly if there is a loss in the conservative-leaning High Court.

During an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press, Bessent was asked by host Kristen Welker whether the administration was prepared to offer rebates on the tariffs if the Supreme Court ruled against them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I am confident that we will win at the Supreme Court, he said.

Pushed as to whether the administration would be prepared to offer rebates, Bessent said the U.S. would have to give a refund on about half the tariffs, adding that it would be terrible for the Treasury.

Theres no be prepared,' he said. If the court says it, wed have to do it.

Trump is pushing for the Supreme Court to greenlight his tariffs after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit struck down the bulk of Trumps tariffs, ruling the president cant use emergency powers to justify levies imposed on dozens of trading partners.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump said the country would be on the brink of economic catastrophe unless the Supreme Court rules the tariffs are legal.

The President and his Cabinet officials have determined that the tariffs are promoting peace and unprecedented economic prosperity, and that the denial of tariff authority would expose our nation to trade retaliation without effective defenses and thrust America back to the brink of economic catastrophe, Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.

This story was first posted at 12:25 p.m. and was updated at 6:08 p.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 The Hill.
ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. (WGNO)  A bicyclist was struck by a car and killed in St. Tammany Parish on Sunday, Sept. 7.

According to the Louisiana State Police, 33-year-old James Bowie of Covington was killed in the crash.

Man killed in UTV crash in Lafourche Parish

LSP officials said a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer was traveling northbound on Highway 1081. At the same time, Bowie was riding a bicycle in the northbound lane near the center dashed line. The Chevrolet struck Bowie in the northbound lane.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bowie sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. The driver of the Chevrolet was uninjured.

The crash remains under investigation.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

Latest Posts

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 WGNO.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  When Jarvis McKenzie locked eyes with the man in the car, he couldn't understand the hate he saw. When the man picked up a rifle, fired over his head and yelled you better get running, boy! as he scrambled behind a brick wall, McKenzie knew it was because he is Black.

McKenzie told his story a month after the shooting because South Carolina is one of two states along with Wyoming that don't have their own hate crime laws.

About two dozen local governments in South Carolina have passed their own hate crime ordinances as the latest attempt to put pressure on the South Carolina Senate to take a vote on a bill proposing stiffer penalties for crimes driven by hatred of the victims because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender or ethnicity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A decade of pressure from businesses, the survivors of a racist Charleston church massacre that left nine dead, and a few of their own Republicans hasn't been enough to sway senators.

Local governments pass hate crime laws but with very light penalties

Richland County, where McKenzie lives, has a hate crime ordinance and the white man seen on security camera footage grabbing the rifle and firing through his open car window before driving into his neighborhood on July 24 is the first to face the charge.

But local laws are restricted to misdemeanors with sentences capped at a month in jail. The state hate crimes proposal backed by business leaders could add years on to convictions for assault and other violent crimes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

McKenzie sat in the same spot at the edge of his neighborhood for a year at 5:30 a.m. waiting for his supervisor to pick him up for work. For him and his family, every trip outside now is met with uneasiness if not fear.

Its heartbreaking to know that I get up every morning. I stand there not knowing if he had seen me before, McKenzie said.

Hate crime law efforts have stalled since 2015 racist Charleston church massacre

The lack of a statewide hate crime law rapidly became a sore spot in South Carolina after the 2015 shooting deaths of nine Black worshippers at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. After a summer of racial strife in 2020, business leaders made it a priority and the South Carolina House passed its version in 2021.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But in 2021 and again in the next session in 2023, the proposal stalled in the South Carolina Senate without a vote. Supporters say Republican Senate leadership knows it will pass as more moderate members of their own party support it but they keep it buried on the calendar with procedural moves.

The opposition is done mostly in silence and the bill gets only mentioned in passing as the Senate takes up other items, like in May 2023 when a debate on guidelines for history curriculum on subjects like slavery and segregation briefly had a longtime Democratic lawmaker ask Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey why hate crimes couldn't get a vote.

The problem right now is there is a number of people who think that not only is it feel good legislation, but it is bad legislation. It is bad policy not because people support hate but because it furthers division, Massey responded on the Senate floor.

Supporters say federal hate crime laws aren't enough

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Opponents of a state hate crimes law point out there is a federal hate crimes law and the Charleston church shooter is on federal death row because of it.

But federal officials can't prosecute cases involving juveniles, they have limited time and resources compared to the state and those decisions get made in Washington, D.C., instead of locally, said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott who pushed for the hate crime ordinance in his county.

Its common sense. Were making something very simple complicated, and its not complicated. If you commit a crime against somebody just because of the hate for them, because of who they are, the religion, etcetera, we know what that is, Lott said.

Democrats in the Senate were especially frustrated in this year's session because while senators debated harsher sentences for attacking health care workers or police dogs, hate crimes again got nowhere.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Supporters of a state hate-crime law say South Carolina's resistance to enact one emboldens white supremacists.

"The subliminal message that says if youre racist and you want to commit a crime and target somebody for their race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or whatever it is you can do it here, said McKenzie's attorney, Tyler Bailey.

Governor says South Carolina laws provide punishment without new hate crime bill

Republican Gov. Henry McMaster understands why local governments are passing their own hate crime laws, but he said South Carolina's laws against assaults and other violent crimes have harsh enough sentences that judges can give maximum punishments if they think the main motivation of a crime is hate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Theres no such thing as a love crime. There is always an element of hatred or disrespect or something like that, said the former prosecutor who added he fears the danger that happens when investigators try to enter someone's mind or police their speech.

But some crimes scream to give people more support in our society, Lott said.

I think its very important that we protect everybody. My race, your race, everybodys race, your religion, there needs to be some protection for that. Thats what our Constitution gives us, the sheriff said.

And while the man charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for shooting at McKenzie faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the man who was just waiting to go to work feels like the state where he lives doesn't care about the terror he felt just because of his race.

I feel like somebody is watching me. I feel like I'm being followed, McKenzie said. "It spooked me.
Jammu and Kashmir Congress unit President Tariq Hameed Karra demanded a comprehensive package for the flood hit areas of Union Territory and said that administration must prepare as "Flash floods and landslides may not happen every day" Continuous heavy rainfall has been witnessed in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, with rivers swelling and flash flood-like conditions reported across multiple districts. Speaking at the press conference held in Jammu, Karra said, "Everywhere there's destruction, whether it is private property, public infrastructure, crops, cars, or livestock. This is a natural calamity that has been wreaking havoc every day," Karra said. "We are not here for a blame game, but we cannot ignore the insensitivity shown at certain levels of administration. The Home Minister's (Amit Shah) visit was casual. He tried to show his presence by visiting one or two places, but unfortunately, the hope that the Jammu people had was not fulfilled," Karra said. Earlier, Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister, Amit Shah, visited Jammu and inspected the rain, flood, and landslide affected areas of Jammu division and took stock of the damages caused by the natural calamity. The Union Home Minister also met the flood-affected people in Mangu Chak village, Jammu. Amit Shah inspected the Tawi Bridge at Bikram Chowk, the Shiv Temple, and homes damaged by floods in Jammu, an official statement said earlier. "With such massive losses, what we get is just Rs 209 crore. People deserve a comprehensive package covering reconstruction, resettlement, crop and reclaiming of land," he said. Karra further called for revisions in the guidelines under SDRF and NDRF. "If a house has cracks, it is categorised as half-damaged, which denies families full compensation. These rules need relaxation. Lakhs of vehicles have been damaged, yet insurance companies are offering only scrap value. This too requires relaxation, just like during the 2014 floods...Farmers also need fair compensation, Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 for crop loss is a cruel joke," he said. "We want to know who allowed the Machail Mata and Vaishno Devi yatras to continue when there were clear weather warnings...We demand an independent probe by a retired judge," Karra pointed out. "Flash floods and landslides may not happen every day, but the administration must anticipate and prepare," he added. (ANI)
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is asking the Federal Aviation Administration for an exemption that would allow its tour aircraft to fly as low as 700 feet above ground level in parts of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii Island.

What do you see on a Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tour

Under current federal rules, air tours in Hawaii must stay at least 1,500 feet above the surface. The company says that lowering the altitude would actually improve safety because clouds in Hawaii often form at or near 1,500 feet, forcing helicopters into potentially dangerous weather conditions. The company says a lower altitude would keep aircraft below cloud layers, with better visibility and safer flying conditions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The company points to its Safety Management System, instrument-rated pilots, terrain awareness systems, and more than 700,000 tour flight hours since 2000 without a weather-related accident as proof it can operate safely below the current ceiling.

But community leaders say the public was left out of the discussion.

It shocked me to find out the proposal is not only covering lower minimum altitudes over Maui, Molokai, Hawaii but its covering my own area where I live in Central Oahu, said Danielle Bass, chair of the Mililani Neighborhood Board. In the FAA documents, Blue Hawaiian states, All exemption areas are over unpopulated areas. Those areas include: (AGL stands for above ground level). Maui/Molokai Maui Area 1  Waihee Valley to Honokohau Valley to Nakalele Point: 700ft AGL minimum. Molokai Area 2  Moku Hooniki Island shoreline to Pelekunu Valley : 700ft AGL minimum. Molokai Area 3  Pelekunu Valley to the back of Wailau Valley : 700ft AGL minimum. Depicted Razorback Ridges can be crossed at 500ft AGL minimum. Maui Area 4  Mauka of Kapalua Airport to Launiopoko Valley to Olowalu Valley to Iao Valley to Waikapu Valley : 700ft AGL minimum. Depicted Razorback Ridges can be crossed at 500ft AGL minimum. Maui Area 5  Makawao Forest to Hana Rainforest to Waihoi Valley : 700ft AGL minimum. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Oahu Oahu Area 1  Hanauma Bay shoreline to Kailua : 700ft AGL minimum.

Oahu Area 2  Mokoili Island back valleys to Turtle Bay : 700ft AGL minimum. Depicted Razorback Ridges can be crossed at 500ft AGL minimum.

Oahu Area 3  Waimea Bay to Dole Plantation : 700ft AGL minimum.

Oahu Area 4  Southern Wheeler AAF airspace to KoOlina resort to H1 Highway back to Middle Lock of Pearl Harbor : 700ft AGL minimum. Depicted Razorback Ridges can be crossed at 500ft AGL minimum. Hawaii Island Area 1  Waikoloa Heliport to Kilauea Summit : 700ft AGL minimum.

Area 2  Kulani Cone to Eucalyptus Tree Area : 700ft AGL minimum.

Area 3  Makuu Point to Puu Oo Vent: 700ft AGL minimum.

Area 4  ITO, shoreline to Cape Kumukahi, shoreline to Kalapana to Puu Oo vent : 700ft AGL minimum.

Area 5  ITO, Shoreline to Pololu Valley : 700ft AGL minimum.

Area 6  Waimanu Valley to Waimea : 700ft AGL minimum. Depicted Razorback Ridges can be crossed at 500ft AGL minimum.

Area 7  Honokane Nui or Pololu Valley to either Watertank or Riders areas : 700ft AGL minimum. Depicted Razorback ridges can be crossed at 500ft AGL minimum.

Bass says she first learned of the proposal through social media posts from neighbor island residents.

As the chair of the Mililani Neighborhood Board I found this to be surprising to say the least that Blue Hawaiian Helicopters didnt approach, or communicate this proposal to anyone in our community, Bass added. The vice-chair for the North Shore Neighborhood Board also said she wasnt aware of the proposal either.

Residents are also worried about the impact of doubling noise levels by cutting the altitude in half.

If you do start proposing the minimum altitude level to be a mere 700 feet above our homes, that will be very concerning to residents in terms of safety, and their own acceptability of noise level. This is a health and safety issue too, Bass said. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

State Representative Darius Kila, who is the House Transportation Chair, also expressed concern about the broader precedent.

Theyre asking pretty much for the expansion of the primitive operation that exists now currently when you go to a lower threshold of what you usually fly in these routes, youre posing a threat not just to wildlife, but to the neighbors and the community alike, Kila said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He added that if the FAA grants Blue Hawaiians request, it could open the door for other operators to seek similar exemptions.

If Blue Hawaiian was granted the exemption you cannot do for one and not do for all. This could have an impact on the future of helicopter tours in Hawaii alike, Kila said.

Blue Hawaiians proposal says the lower altitudes would be limited to specific routes over largely unpopulated areas, though opponents dispute that  pointing out that Central Oahu alone has more than 85,000 residents.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

The FAA is reviewing the petition. For now, the 1,500-foot minimum altitude rule for Hawaii tour flights remains in place. The deadline to submit comments for or against the change is 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 KHON2.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Tens of thousands of supporters of Brazils former President Jair Bolsonaro took to the streets on Sunday, the country's Independence Day, to rally against the Supreme Court ahead of its verdict this week in their leader's alleged coup trial.

On Saturday evening, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Brazil will not accept foreign influence in its domestic affairs, in yet another reference to persistent criticism and sanctions imposed on his country by his American counterpart Donald Trump.

In recent years, Bolsonaros allies have turned Sept. 7 into an annual show of political force. Lula sought to turn the focus of this years Independence Day to sovereignty.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crowds dressed in yellow and green once again gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and the capital Brasilia to back Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest ahead of his verdict. Their favorite target was Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the rapporteur of the case.

Bolsonaro is standing trial for allegedly leading a coup to stay in power despite his 2022 election defeat to Lula. He denies the charges and says he is being politically persecuted.

A research group of Sao Paulo University said about 40,000 Bolsonaro supporters attended the protest in the metropolis, a similar figure to other demonstrations earlier this year. At the peak of his influence, Bolsonaro drew hundreds of thousands of people to the same streets.

Still, the enthusiasm of his diehard right-wing voters ran strong on Sunday, with many professing his innocence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If he (Bolsonaro) had wanted to stay in power, he would have been successful. Brazilians need to wake up, former military officer Suieton Souza, who had a sarong mingling the American and Brazilian flags wrapped around his shoulders, said on Copacabana Beach in Rio.

Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of the president, wore a shirt that read Bolsonaro 2026," though his father is barred from running. Flavio once again called de Moraes a dictator. In 2023, Brazil's top electoral court ruled Jair Bolsonaro ineligible until 2030 for abuse of power.

In Sao Paulo, a giant U.S. flag was carried by supporters of the ex-leader, who was represented by Gov. Tarcisio de Freitas, a presidential hopeful, and Bolsonaro's wife Michelle Bolsonaro, who delivered a tearful speech on the city's main artery.

He loves his nation and his people, but he is suffering. I tell him everyday that he will win. I believe and I trust in God's answer to our nation, Michelle Bolsonaro said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fewer Bolsonaro supporters were seen at the traditional Independence Day military parade in Brasilia, which Lula and his supporters attended.

It is amazing that they have the guts to come out to defend Bolsonaro and ask Congress to pardon him when Trump imposes tariffs to hurt us just because they are friends, said Maria do Socorro Santos, 62, who was wearing a red shirt with the leftist leaders face.

Trump directly tied a 50% tariff on Brazilian imported goods to Bolsonaros trial, which he called a witch hunt. The U.S. president also sanctioned de Moraes.

Saturday night, Lula delivered a national message ahead of Independence Day celebrations and said Brazil will not be anyone's colony, in yet another reference to Trump.

A few thousand of Lula's supporters also demonstrated in major cities - but in defense of the proceedings at the Supreme Court.

___

Savarese reported from Brasilia.
By Luciana Magalhaes

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Thousands of supporters of former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro staged protests across several cities on Sunday, days ahead of the conclusion of his trial for allegedly plotting a coup after losing the 2022 presidential election.

Demonstrators in Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo waved Brazilian flags alongside some U.S. flags, in what appeared to be a nod to President Donald Trump, who has called the legal proceedings against Bolsonaro a "witch hunt." Trump also has imposed high tariffs on Brazilian products as well as sanctions on the justices presiding over Bolsonaro's trial.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest, is facing criminal charges for attempting to cling to power after losing his reelection bid to leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. If convicted, the 70-year-old former army captain, who denies all accusations, could face years in prison.

Brazil's Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling by Friday.

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the former president's eldest son, told supporters who gathered at Copacabana Beach, in Rio de Janeiro, that his father will face the situation head-on "to demonstrate yet again that he will not give up on Brazil".

"What we call justice today is actually injustice," said 80-year-old Delorges Pavoni, who attended the demonstration in Brasilia, the country's capital, wearing a shirt that read "In 2026, I would only vote for Bolsonaro."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some critics of Bolsonaro, however, met in a different part of Brasilia, demanding his conviction. "I want to see Bolsonaro in jail," said 59-year-old Laura Lima, who carried a flag bearing messages against the former leader.

The country is also watching leaders of centrist and opposition parties work in Congress on a broad amnesty project for all those involved in the alleged coup plot, including Bolsonaro himself.

"History has already shown that amnesty and forgiveness are the best remedies to pacify the country," said Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, one of the champions of the amnesty movement, in a recent social media post.

The governor's efforts to advance the amnesty project are widely viewed as a strategic move to secure the former leader's endorsement for a potential run as a right-wing candidate in the 2026 presidential election, a prospect Freitas has so far denied.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On January 8, 2023, supporters of Bolsonaro who refused to accept his election defeat stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace, an action that mimicked the attack on the U.S. Capitol two years earlier.

Bolsonaro has been barred from running for office again until 2030. The former president, however, has consistently expressed his desire to run in the 2026 presidential election.

(Reporting by Luciana Magalhaes; editing by Diane Craft)
Boris Johnson and Evangelos Marinakis appeared on stage together to discuss the logistics of sanctions on the Russian oil industry

Evangelos Marinakis, the Nottingham Forest owner, argued with Boris Johnson about whether Russia should keep some of Ukraines territory.

The Greek shipping magnate delivered his controversial vision to stop the war during a debate hosted by Economist Impact. Britains former prime minister reacted with dismay as Marinakis suggested Europe-led sanctions were futile while Russia was still selling oil to China and India.

What I would prefer is not to see any more children be killed, and let Russia keep some of this territory and stop the war, Marinakis then said. Thats a fair compromise. Lets stop the war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Johnson said such a position would be the equivalent to having struck a deal with Adolf Hitler to hand over parts of Czechoslovakia or Poland.

Marinakis had initially been questioned about Greek tankers involvement in transporting Russian oil, often operating within European Union (EU) price cap rules, for permitted trade.

Marinakis had said the tankers were operating within the law, before he then took issue with India and China importing oil at massive discounts to Russia.

We penalise ourselves, we penalise the economy, Marinakis said.

Comments risk anger of new Ukrainian signing

Marinakiss views on the Russia-Ukraine war risk upsetting Nottingham Forests new Ukrainian signing Oleksandr Zinchenko, who joined from Arsenal on a season-long loan deal only last week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Ukraine international, 28, had expressed concerns in a Guardian interview last year that the world was becoming fatigued by a conflict that has raged for more than three years. I cant be grateful enough for everything that people around the world are doing for us, he said.

This help could be in different ways. Some people can donate, some people can take refugees. Even seeing a sticker with a Ukrainian flag on a car gives me a boost and belief that we are not alone. At the same time I understand there is some fatigue with this war. But listen, if you put yourself in our position, we cannot give up, right? Thats why we need to stick together as this is the only way to show justice and to bring peace.

At the summit last Thursday, Johnson, who was one of Ukraines biggest international allies during his time as PM, fired back at Marinakis: How much of Ukraine would you hand over? How much of Ukraine would be fair to hand over to the aggressor to stop the war? How much of Czechoslovakia would you have given to Hitler?

When Marinakis said it is not the same, Johnson replied: It is the same. It is exactly the same. It is identical. If we are weak now, we will pay for it later on.

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.
Matvii from Kryvyi Rih, who, together with his mother, came under a Russian attack at a playground in spring, has now gone to school with a prosthesis. His mother was killed in the attack, while Matvii survived but lost his arm.

Source: Superhumans Center for War Trauma on Facebook

Quote: "Today, Matvii already has a prosthesis and has started studying in the third grade. His classmates welcomed him with hugs, and the teachers prepared professionally for his arrival to ensure his adaptation went smoothly. We thank METRO UA for their support, thanks to which Matvii received a prosthesis, recovered and returned to normal school life."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Details: When Matvii lost his arm, his father said it was better to say goodbye to an arm than to a son. He was pleased with how his son was accepted at school with the prosthesis:

"I was very worried about how it would go. Everything went well, calmly. They welcomed him warmly, as always," Matviis father told Superhumans.

The Superhumans team also came to support the schoolboy on his first day back at school.

"He is so positive. He saw his classmates. He talked to them and is already running around. For this, our Equal to Equal unit works, supporting not only soldiers but also civilians and children who suffered such injuries as a result of the war," Superhumans added.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Ten years ago, the Zika virus shook Brazil. Thousands of babies were born with severe birth defects. Pregnant women faced constant fear, and public health systems scrambled for answers. While the headlines faded, Zika never truly disappeared. The virus still lingers, and so does the risk.

But now, a major step forward has been taken. Scientists at the University of Sao Paulos Medical School, at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, have developed a vaccine that protects against the Zika virusand it has passed a key safety and effectiveness test in mice.

The results, published in NPJ Vaccines, showed that the vaccine does more than stop infection. It also guards against brain swelling and damage to the testiclestwo serious effects of the virus in laboratory studies. Although testicular damage hasnt yet been widely seen in human cases, its a growing concern in the scientific community.

VLPs vaccine design and antigen expression. (CREDIT: NPJ)

We were able to design a formulation that can neutralize the pathogen and protect rodents from both brain inflammation, one of the most worrying consequences of infection, and testicular damage, said Gustavo Cabral de Miranda, the lead researcher on the project.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The research was funded by FAPESP, a public foundation in Brazil that supports science and innovation.

Built Without Live Virus: A Safer, Smarter Vaccine Design

Unlike some older vaccines, which rely on injecting weakened or dead viruses, this new vaccine avoids using any genetic material from the Zika virus. Instead, the team used a modern and safer method: virus-like particles, or VLPs.

These VLPs look like viruses but dont contain any of the genetic material that allows viruses to multiply. That makes them unable to cause infection, while still triggering a strong response from the immune system. Its like showing the immune system a mugshot of a criminal instead of letting the criminal loose in the body.

Related Stories

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This approach has several advantages. It reduces the risk of side effects, lowers production costs, and removes the need for added substances called adjuvants, which are often used to boost immune responses.

Unlike more traditional strategies we dont use the pathogens genetic material, which makes its development much safer and more economical, Miranda explained.

The vaccine has two key parts. First is the VLP, which acts as a decoy virus to alert the immune system. The second part is the viral antigen, specifically a protein segment from the virus called EDIII. This portion helps the body create specific antibodies to block the virus from attaching to human cells.

The team used a platform known as QVLP, which has already been tested in other vaccines. This platform was produced in a laboratory using E. coli bacteria and chemically bonded to the EDIII protein. When injected, this combined structure mimics a real virus, helping the body mount a full immune defense.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When the formulation is injected into the body, this combination activates a strong immune response, including antibodies and Th1 cells, explained Nelson Cortes, the first author of the study. Th1 cells are a type of white blood cell that play an important role in fighting infections.

The preclinical design for evaluating the EDIII-Q vaccine. (CREDIT: NPJ)

Organ Protection and Reproductive Health

The researchers didnt stop at checking whether the vaccine blocked infection. They also studied its effects on several organs, especially those known to suffer damage from the Zika virus in animal studies.

Genetically modified mice that are more sensitive to Zika were used for this part of the research. After being vaccinated, these mice produced antibodies that were able to neutralize the virus. The vaccinated animals did not experience brain inflammation or testicular damagetwo known dangers of the infection in laboratory models.

The damage to testicles caused by Zika can lead to problems with sperm production and long-term fertility. This hasnt been confirmed in humans yet, but early lab studies suggest it may be possible. Because Zika can be spread through sex, protecting reproductive organs is critical.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The vaccine demonstrated the ability to protect male mice against testicular damage, said Cortes. This is important, given the known risks of sexual transmission and its potential to negatively affect spermatogenesis and reproductive health as a whole.

The vaccines protective effects were also seen in other organs, including the kidneys, liver, and ovaries. While brain and reproductive damage get the most attention, the virus can impact the whole body in various ways. The new vaccine helps defend against these effects.

Candidate vaccine stimulates antigen-specific binding, neutralizing antibody responses, and B cell induction in mice. (CREDIT: NPJ)

A Carefully Calibrated Approach to Avoid Dengue Confusion

One of the trickiest challenges in making a Zika vaccine is its similarity to another virus: dengue. Dengue has four serotypesthink of them as cousins of the same virusand all are common in the same places where Zika spreads.

This closeness confuses the immune system. Antibodies made to fight one virus might partially recognize another. While that might sound like a good thing, it can actually backfire.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If the immune system recognizes a related virus but cant stop it completely, it might actually help the second virus get into cells more easily. This is called antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), and it has been seen with dengue infections. In the worst cases, this can lead to more severe illness than the first infection.

Fortunately, the researchers took that into account. The EDIII protein used in the vaccine is very specific to Zika and doesnt create this kind of cross-reaction.

The vaccine doesnt cause a cross-reaction, which is very positive, said Miranda. Using the EDIII antigen allows the immune system to produce antibodies that are more specific to the Zika virus.

This careful design helps avoid the risk of ADE and makes the vaccine safer in regions where both Zika and dengue are present.

G129-vaccinated mice elicit a specific T cell immune response in the 20 and 50 g groups when compared to the control group (EDIII-only). (CREDIT: NPJ)

Moving Toward Human Trials

Although this study was done in mice, it lays the groundwork for possible human trials in the future. The researchers are optimistic but cautious.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Zika remains a threat, especially in countries where the virus is endemic and mosquito populations are high. Pregnant women are most at risk, as the virus can pass to the unborn child and cause birth defects like microcephaly. But men are also at risk due to the possibility of sexual transmission and long-term effects on fertility.

Vaccine development for viruses like Zika is slow, in part because outbreaks are unpredictable. When infections decrease, fewer people are available for vaccine testing. Thats why laboratory studies like this one are so valuablethey allow scientists to test new ideas even when public attention fades.

This study represents a meaningful step forward. It proves that a virus-like particle vaccine can produce a powerful immune response without using live virus or creating risky side effects. It also shows that protection can extend beyond basic immunity, offering organ-level defense.

While more work is needed, including safety tests in larger animals and, eventually, humans, the early signs are promising. A future where Zika no longer threatens pregnancies, public health, or reproductive health might be closer than many thought.

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.
Brookhaven Police have released surveillance video and photos of a suspect wanted in connection with a series of mailroom burglaries at local apartment complexes.

The woman is believed to have targeted apartment mailrooms on August 5 and August 23, stealing packages during both incidents. In the August 23 burglary alone, nearly 100 packages intended for residents were taken.

Our residents rely on the security of their homes and neighborhoods, and stealing mail and packages undermines that sense of safety, said Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley. We are asking for the communitys help. If you recognize this suspect or the vehicle, please contact us immediately.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

She was seen leaving the scene in a white Ford Transit-style van, possibly a 2017 model. Police have released photos of the suspects van along with reference images of similar vehicles to assist the public in recognition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police believe the same woman may be connected to additional thefts in the surrounding area.

Police are urging residents and members of the public to carefully watch the surveillance videos and review the released photos to see if they can help identify the suspect.

This case remains under investigation, and anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477). Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.

TRENDING STORIES:

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammad Saud, two brothers from Delhi, India, have spent the last 20 years saving thousands of birds from entanglement in kite strings, which can cause severe injuries and even death. The animal-loving duo has saved over 23,000 birds so far, and their work is far from over, per The Better India.

Their mission began in the 1990s when they were just teenagers, after coming across a kite that had suffered injuries from being trapped in a glass-coated kite string. These kites, called Chinese manjhas, are commonly used in competitive kite fighting in India, but unfortunately, they pose a significant danger to birds, causing them to lose their wings or die from their injuries.

But Shehzad told the Better India that many of the birds that manage to live still end up dying eventually from either being run over by vehicles, bleeding to death, or losing the ability to fly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After finding the kite, the brothers immediately rushed it to a hospital, but each veterinarian they spoke to said they couldn't treat carnivorous birds. They unfortunately had to return the bird to the side of the road, but the duo makes up for it now by treating every bird that comes to their doorstep. They own a home-based veterinary clinic for injured birds out of their basement, and the operation has helped save thousands of birds so far.

But the path to owning a veterinary business wasn't an overnight success. The brothers spent several years after initially finding the kite picking up other birds and putting them in safe areas to keep them from being run over or choking. However, they still weren't able to find a veterinarian to help.

In 2003, the duo came across another kite and took it to a vet that their uncle had used, which finally turned into a success story. After that, they started taking every bird to the same vet.

"Over time, the number of birds increased to the extent that we needed to buy a cage. We released the birds on the rooftop during the day and put them in the cage after dark. Our neighbours appreciated our efforts and started pitching in to help," Nadeem said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Between 2003 and 2010, the team rescued almost 400 birds, including egrets, hens, hawks, and owls. In 2010, they set up a non-governmental organization called Wildlife Rescue to better support their efforts. And their work is clearly needed, as they've now rescued nearly six times as many birds across 100 species.

"We cater to at least 40 species each year, and have 100 healing birds at our rooftop on any given day," Nadeem added.

In addition to scouring streets for injured kites, the pair also picks up birds from local hospitals in the area that were brought in by the fire department, police, and other officials.

While the siblings don't have formal education in wildlife rescue, they have employed a part-time veterinarian and often visit the U.S. to learn more about their mission.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Wildlife rescue is entirely different from biology, and there is no formal course in India that addresses it. The US is one of the most advanced places and is known for its commendable work in bird rescue. We learn new techniques and train ourselves with help from experts at various wildlife centres across the country," Saud explained.

Their reputation is such that they were the subject of a 2022 documentary produced by HBO:

Donations have poured in over the last five years to help with the brothers' expenses, but they say more financial help is needed to better serve all the birds that need rescuing. Their next plan is to build a full-service hospital for birds.

And while they are grateful to be in a position to rescue the feathered friends, they would rather more birds live out their lives without severe injuries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Injuries from the manjha cause immeasurable damage to birds. I hope people reduce kite flying and help bring down the number of incidents," Nadeem told the Better India.

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.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday expressed deep condolences over the devastating floods in Himachal Pradesh and announced a contribution of Rs 5 crore from the people of Assam to the state's Chief Minister's Relief Fund to aid relief and rehabilitation efforts. In a post on X, Sarma said, "The devastating floods in Himachal Pradesh have caused immense loss of lives and property. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the affected. On behalf of the people of Assam, we are contributing 5 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund of Himachal Pradesh to support relief and rehabilitation efforts." Himachal Pradesh, grappling with the relentless monsoon, continues to face significant disruptions to public utilities, with hundreds of roads, power transformers, and water schemes affected. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) of the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) reported a high number of disruptions as of 10:00 a.m. on September 7, 2025. The cumulative death toll, since the start of the monsoon season, has reached 366, with fatalities from rain-related incidents and road accidents reported separately. Of the total deaths, 203 were due to rain-related incidents, while 163 were a result of road accidents. According to the latest status report from the SEOC, a total of 866 roads were blocked across the state as of the morning of September 7, 2025. This includes three National Highways: NH-03, NH-05, and NH-305. Kullu is the worst-hit district of the state in terms of roads blocked, followed by Mandi and Shimla. The maximum number of road blockages was reported in the Kullu district, with 225 roads affected, followed by Mandi with 191 and Shimla with 154. The primary cause for these blockages is heavy rainfall. The number of road blockages in other districts was reported as: Chamba (116), Sirmaur (45), Kangra (42), Una (33), Solan (22), Bilaspur (18), Lahaul & Spiti (11), Kinnaur (6) and Hamirpur (3). Power supply has also been severely affected, with 1,572 Distribution Transformers (DTRs) out of order. The Kullu district was the worst-hit, with 873 disrupted DTRS, followed by Mandi with 259 disruptions and Lahaul & Spiti (L&S) with 142. (ANI)
In Technology Director Mike Arsenaults office at the Yarmouth School Department, papers and boxes sat on his desk  some of it swag from the tech company MagicSchool, one of several artificial intelligence programs the district is now using.

The AI platform, which was designed for educators, offers tools like a lesson planner, letter of recommendation producer, Individualized Education Plan drafter and even a classroom joke writer. The district pays about $10,000 a year for a MagicSchool enterprise package, and Arsenault said that his favorite element is the Make it Relevant tool, which prompts teachers to describe their class and what theyre studying and then generates activities that tie student interests to the subject.

"Because the question that students have asked forever is 'why are we learning this," Arsenault said, explaining that students should have clear examples of how lessons are useful outside of the classroom. "That's something that AI is really good at."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The district is one of many across Maine that is increasingly using AI in its classrooms. Some, like Yarmouth, have established formal AI guidelines. Others have not. MagicSchool told The Monitor that it has around 8,500 educator accounts active in Maine. This would equate to more than half of the states public school teachers, though anyone can sign up for a free educator account.

The state Department of Education does not yet have data on how many teachers or school districts are using AI, but said that based on the level of interest schools have for AI professional development, its use is widespread. The department is conducting a study to better understand how schools are integrating the new technology and hopes to release data next spring, according to a spokesperson.

The use of generative AI  a type of artificial intelligence that generates new text, images or other content, such as the technology used in ChatGPT  is prompting a growing debate in education. Critics see it as a tool that decreases critical thinking and helps students cheat, while advocates see it as a fixture that students must learn how to use ethically.

A majority of teachers across the country are growing familiar with AI for either personal or school use, and suspect that their students are using it widely as well, according to a 2024 study by the Center for Democracy and Technology.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As AI changes come at breakneck speed, leaders are pushing for its controlled use in schools. Roughly half of states have some form of AI guidance in place, according to the Sutherland Institute.

Maine introduced an interactive AI guidance toolkit earlier this year, which walks educators through ways they can integrate AI in the classroom from pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade and the questions to consider when doing so. Students in pre-Kindergarten through second grade could use AI to generate art and have students collboarate to create a shared image, according to the guidance, or high school students could explore cybersecurity principles through ethical hacking simulations.

The guidance encourages teachers to keep the human in AI by stopping to ask if its use is appropriate for the task, monitoring for accuracy and noting how AI was used.

The governors office launched a state AI Task Force last year to prepare Maine for the opportunities and risks likely to result from advances in AI in private industries, education and government. The task forces education subgroup has met three times this year, and plans to release a report on AI use in Maine this fall.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For Yarmouth Superintendent Andrew Dolloff, it is important to help students tackle the increasingly popular technology in a safe environment. The district adopted its first set of AI guidelines last year, which emphasize that staff should be transparent and cite any use of generative AI, ensure student data privacy is protected, be cautious of bias and misinformation and understand the technology as an evolving tool, not an infallible source.

AI is here to stay. Its part of our lives. Were all using it as adults on a daily basis. Sometimes without even knowing it or realizing that its AI, Dolloff said. So we changed our stance pretty quickly to understand that rather than trying to ban AI, we needed to find ways to effectively use it, and allow students to use it appropriately to expand their learning.

Maine School Administrative District 75  which serves Harpswell, Topsham, Bowdoin and Bowdoinham  adopted an AI policy earlier this year, though some school board members were hesitant to approve the policy over concerns that generative AI can help students cheat and produce misinformation, The Harpswell Anchor reported.

Some school districts, such as Regional School Unit 22, which serves Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport and Frankfort, have launched internal committees to guide AI use, while others, such as MSAD 15 in Gray and New Gloucester, are pursuing policies in the wake of controversy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier this year, a student at MSAD 15 alleged that a teacher graded a paper using AI, WGME reported. Superintendent Chanda Turner told The Maine Monitor that teachers are piloting programs that use AI to give feedback on papers, but are not using it to issue grades. The school board will be working on an AI policy for the district this school year, she said.

Nicole Davis, an AI and emerging technology specialist with the DOE who helped write the state guidelines, estimates that over 40 school districts in Maine have requested professional development for AI, and expects that interest will grow. She noted that guiding AI use can be a challenge, as the technology changes so quickly.

Were building the plane as were flying it, Davis said.

I was stunned

Julie York, a computer science teacher at South Portland High School, has long incorporated new technology into her teaching, and has found generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini to be incredibly useful. She has used it to create voiceovers for presentations when she was tired, to help make rubrics and lesson plans and to build a chatbot that can answer questions during class, which she says helps her balance the amount of time she spends with each student.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I dont think theres any educator who wakes up in the morning, and is like, oh my god, I hope I can make a rubric today. I just dont think youre going to find any, she said. And theres no teacher who isnt tired.

She vets all the AI resources she uses before integrating them into her work, and has discussions with her students about when using AI is appropriate. Student use is guided by the traffic light model: if an assignment is green, students can use AI under the guidance of a teacher, if its yellow that means limited use with teacher permission, and red means no AI. She makes these determinations depending on the type of assessment. If she wants them to be able to read code and understand what it does, for instance, then AI cannot be used. But if a student is coding a computer program, she said, then AI can be a useful tool.

AI can also help teachers accommodate diverse needs, York said, explaining that students who have trouble speaking in front of a class could use text-to-voice software to produce voiced-over videos. The districts students speak several different languages, and she used AI to help her create an app that translates her speech into multiple languages while shes teaching. It took her about an hour to make.

I just sat there stunned at my computer. Just stunned, York recalled.

MagicSchool, a generative AI platform designed by teachers for educators, told The Maine Monitor it has around 8,500 active educator accounts registered in Maine. Screenshot from MagicSchool.

Maine Education Association President Jesse Hargrove said that teachers are exploring the evolving AI landscape alongside their students, noting that AI can help create steps for science projects, or detect whether students cheated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its being used as a partner in the learning, but not a replacement for the thinking, he said.

MEAs approach to AI is guided by the National Education Association's policy, which emphasizes putting educators at the center of education. However, Hargrove said that MEA does not have a stance on whether or not districts should adopt AI.

We believe that AI should be enhancing the educational experience rather than replacing educators, he said.

Click. Boom. Done.

Maines AI guidance emphasizes that teachers should have clear expectations for AI use in the classroom. It recommends being specific about grade levels, lesson times, content and general student needs when prompting services like ChatGPT to generate lesson plans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The state told The Monitor it does not recommend any AI tools in particular. Instead, the DOE said it encourages schools to research tools and consider data security, privacy and use.

But its guidance toolkit references a handful of specific programs. MagicSchool and Diffit are listed as tools that can help with accessibility in the classroom. Almanack, MagicSchool and Canva are noted as tools that can help boost student engagement.

The types of AI tools that educators use vary depending on their needs, Davis said, but there seem to be five tools that can assess papers, create study materials and help build curriculums that schools are turning to the most: Diffit, Brisk, Canva, MagicSchool and School AI.

That batch of essays that's looming? Brisk will help you grade them before the bell rings, Brisks website reads. Need a lesson plan for tomorrow? Click. Boom. Done.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Use of these platforms is regulated by legal parameters for student data safety, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Maines Student Information Privacy Act. Technology companies must sign a data privacy agreement for the states in which they plan to operate. Maines data privacy agreement with MagicSchool, for instance, covers nine other states and sets guardrails for student data collection such as leaving ownership and control of data to local education agencies.

Some education-based AI companies also have their own parameters in place. MagicSchool, which was founded by former educator Adeel Khan, requires teachers to sign a best practices agreement, reminds them not to enter personal student information into AI prompts like an Individual Education Plan generator, and claims it erases any student information that gets entered into its system.

Were always iterating and trying to make things safer as we go, Khan said, citing MagicSchools favorable rating for privacy on Common Sense Media, an organization that rates technology and digital media for children.

Maines AI guidance toolkit emphasizes that teachers should set clear expectations for AI use in the classroom. Screenshot from the Maine Department of Educations AI Guidance Toolkit.

The federal government has also pushed for the use of AI in schools. In the spring, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to promote AI in education, and the federal Department of Education has since published a letter encouraging the use of grant funding to support improved outcomes for learners through responsible integration of artificial intelligence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In late August, First Lady Melania Trump launched the Presidential AI Challenge: asking students to create AI-based innovative solutions to community challenges.

The White House is also running a pledge campaign, Investing in AI Education, asking technology companies to commit resources like funding, education materials, technology, professional development programs and access to technical expertise to K-12 students, teachers and families for the next four years. More than 100 entities have signed on, including MagicSchool.

In Maine, the DOE is working on broader AI professional development for teachers, with plans to launch a pilot course based on the states AI guidance toolkit, potentially as soon as this fall.

As Yarmouth starts the new school year, Arsenault said that AI should be integrated with the goal of preparing students for a future that will be filled with AI.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We can do what many schools do and ignore it, or we can address it, Arsenault said. And if we address it with our students, we have the ability to frame the discussion on how its used, and have discussions with our students about how we want to see it used in our classrooms.

The Maine Monitor is interested in hearing from people about how AI is being integrated into K-12 classrooms across the state. If you have thoughts on how AI is being used in your local schools, please fill out our survey.
By Mike Stone

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A Canadian Armed Forces member who went missing in Latvia earlier this week has been found dead, the Canadian military said on Saturday.

Warrant Officer George Hohl, 20-year military veteran deployed on NATO's Operation REASSURANCE, was found dead on Friday after disappearing Tuesday in the Baltic nation where Canada maintains troops as part of a multinational brigade.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hohl was a Vehicle Technician from 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron based in Edmonton, Alberta. He had been serving with the Aviation Battalion under NATO's Multinational Brigade-Latvia when he went missing near the Adazi military base.

Canadian Forces Military Police are assisting Latvian authorities in investigating the circumstances surrounding Hohl's death, though officials said "there is no indication this incident poses an increased threat to our deployed members' safety and security."

Chief of Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan called the loss devastating for the entire Canadian Armed Forces, saying Hohl would be remembered for his dedicated service.

The warrant officer had multiple deployments including domestic disaster relief operations and previous tours on Operation REASSURANCE, Canada's contribution to NATO's enhanced forward presence in Eastern Europe established following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Operation REASSURANCE involves approximately 2,200 Canadian personnel rotating through the Baltic state.

An investigation into Hohl's death is ongoing, according to the Canadian military's statement.

(Reporting by Mike Stone in WashingtonEditing by Nick Zieminski)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Recess is over for Congress, but there is plenty on the agenda to work on in Washington, D.C.

Capitol View host Roby Brock met Arkansas 2nd District Congressman French Hill to discuss his work in the House Financial Services Committee and the redistricting battles that have escalated across the country, among other topics.

Roby then talks with Kathy Webb and Salama Eid from Get Loud Arkansas to talk about solutions for getting younger voters involved in the voting process.

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.
Three people were taken to the hospital after a car crashed into Baru restaurant in downtown Cincinnati, according to District Fire Chief Mathew Rotert.

Rotert says they were called to the restaurant on Fifth and Race streets around 3:45 a.m on Sept. 7.

All three were taken to the University of Cincinnait Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, Rotert said.

Rotert says one person had to be extricated from the vehicle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There was another vehicle at the scene with heavy damage to the front.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 provided this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 3 injured after car crashes into Baru sushi restaurant in Cincinnati
DES MOINES, Iowa  Car enthusiasts were at the Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown enjoying the Des Moines Concours dElegance.

The exhibit features a mix of antique, unique and modern cars that applied to be a part of the show. The show is part of a weekend series of events raising money for Childrens Cancer Connection, helping kids with the cost of their cancer treatments.

March to the Capitol walk honoring 9/11 victims 24 years later

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some kids with the cancer foundation were special judges of the car exhibit. Walking around with their clipboards and choosing which cars were the top of their categories.

The event is from 10 a.m.  4 p.m. with kids judging around 2 p.m. Donations are welcome by scanning QR codes at the event, or you can visit the organizations webpage.

John Bolen of Runnells, Iowa, was one of the exhibitors showcasing his 1940 Chrysler Traveler. Bolen worked on restoring the car for roughly 12 years. Now, he uses his 85-year-old restored car as a limousine for weddings and other various events.

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.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Hundreds of car enthusiasts came with hot rods, low riders, muscle cars and exotic supercars for the first Annual Cody Allen Memorial Car Show on Saturday.

The show brought the car community from all over the Kansas City area to show support for law enforcement, and late Independence Police Officer Cody Allen, who was killed in the line of duty last year.

Man charged in April deadly shooting in Kansas City, Kansas

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The amount of people here today for the first annual car show, thats just a reflection of the support that the citizens, business owners, everybody in Independence gives to the Independence Police Department every day, Officer Bryan Conley with IPD said.

We do events like this in honor of Cody. Hes always in our minds every day. We miss him dearly.

The idea for the show came from Allens uncle, who suggested the show could benefit Allens family. The family instead chose to donate the money to support Answering the Call, a nonprofit organization that assists first responders in times of crisis.

Theyre just supportive, thats what I love about the car groups in Kansas City, said Ronnie Doumitt, founder of Answering the Call.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Theyre here, obviously, to see the beautiful cars and sit and talk with their neighbors. But honestly, theyre here to reflect on Cody, the impact he had on our community, the work these guys and gals do day in and day out.

Foreign car enthusiasts Josh Steinberger and Jeff Powell parked their Japanese cars side by side.

We both got cars that are a little bit different than the other ones here, Powell said.

To come out for something like this where theres a common cause and just to appreciate our law enforcement and the memory of Cody, thats where the walls of differentiators come down, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

FOX4 Forecast: Summer temps return next week

They say that the car community is about supporting one another, and while the focus is on the machines, the community thats created is what they appreciate the most.

Whether youre running a Pontiac or a Chevy or, you know, a foreign car, all of us just appreciate cars and the horsepower and the brotherhood and sisterhood, Powell said.

Cars are about community, said Steinberger.

Its why, you know, when you refer to car shows or the car community and things like that, you know, bringing people together is what its all about.

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.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday attended the Jain Community Conference at Shri Digambar Jain Panchayati Temple, where he also received blessings from the Jain spiritual leaders. He said that Acharya Saurabh Sagar Muni Ji Maharaj's life is a true embodiment of discipline, renunciation, and non-violence. He highlighted that Saurabhanchal Teerth and Jeevan Asha Hospital stand as examples of his visionary leadership and compassion, guiding society on the path of faith and service. The Chief Minister stated that Jainism has given the world the profound message that non-violence is the true essence of valour. He added that the Jain community has set an extraordinary example not only of non-violence but also of unity and social cohesion. He further said that the state government is committed to holistic development. In this direction, Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country to implement the Uniform Civil Code. Additionally, after the enactment of the anti-cheating law, more than 25,000 young people have successfully secured government jobs. The Chief Minister emphasised that preserving the demography of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is a key priority of the government. To this end, anti-conversion and anti-riot laws have been enforced. He also informed that more than 9,000 acres of government land have been freed from illegal encroachments. The Chief Minister added that the government will seriously consider the suggestion of establishing a Jain Welfare Board. Expressing confidence, he said that the Jain community will continue to contribute to the comprehensive development of Uttarakhand. Earlier, Dhami unveiled the beautification, grand transformation, and automated lighting system of the historic Clock Tower, considered the central landmark of Dehradun. The Chief Minister also launched four state-of-the-art "Hilans-cum-Kitchen Outlets" in the Clock Tower area, developed for women self-help groups (SHGs). This initiative aims to empower women, promote self-employment, and strengthen the marketing of local hill products, according to a release on Saturday. During the programme, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "The Clock Tower is the identity of Dehradun. Its new and attractive form will not only attract tourists but also instil a sense of pride among local citizens. With automated lighting, this landmark will remain vibrant even at night, adding new life to the city's nightlife." He added that such initiatives not only enhance the city's beauty but also inspire cleanliness, conservation, and civic responsibility among citizens. At a cost of about Rs 1.5 crore, this heritage site has been given a grand and modern makeover. The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the new look of this heritage monument would enhance the glory of Dehradun and become a centre of attraction for tourists visiting the state's winter capital, the release said. (ANI)
LEWISTOWN, Pa. (WHTM)  Police and the U.S. Secret Service interviewed a Lewistown resident earlier this week over apparent, alleged threatening comments made regarding President Donald Trump.

According to Lewistown Police, officers were requested to assist the Secret Service around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to interview a resident.

The resident, police said, made alleged threatening comments, including kill the orange Nazi and other references police said related to the President.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Though police said the resident admitted to making the statements, they were not arrested, and Lewistown Police were not requested to assist any further.

Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices

In a statement to abc27 News, a Secret Service spokesperson said, We take all threats against our protectees seriously. As a matter of practice, we do not comment on matters involving protective intelligence.

This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more 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 ABC27.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)  The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce is hosting an Uncommon Life Leadership Event to introduce the community to new local leaders.

The event will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Parkway Distillery located at 415 N. 13th St.

With recent changes in leadership within the City of St. Joseph, Missouri Western State University and the St. Joseph School District, the event serves as a chance for residents to meet new leaders and have conversations with them about issues that are important to individuals and their businesses.

Registration is requested, but not required and the event is free to attend.

Those interested can register by going to the Chamber of Commerce's website at saintjoseph.com.
Britains most senior police officer is to present the new Home Secretary with proposed law changes within weeks aimed at stopping officers from policing tweets, the Telegraph can disclose.

Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Met Police, is proposing a shake-up of legislation that would give officers greater discretion to use common sense when deciding whether to record and investigate complaints about comments on social media.

He wants Shabana Mahmood, the new Home Secretary, to change the rules so police officers are not required to record or investigate complaints when there is no evidence the suspect intended real-world harm.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The changes could also significantly reduce the requirement for police to record and attend non-crime hate incidents, which have included cases such as a nine-year-old calling a primary school classmate a retard.

Sir Marks proposals to protect free speech are being drawn up with other senior officers and follow the row last week over the arrest at Heathrow of comedy writer Graham Linehan, after a complaint about his tweet threatening to kick a trans-identified male in the balls if they were in a female-only space.

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan was arrested on arrival at Heathrow airport on Sept 2 over three tweets - Lucy North/PA

It was the latest in a raft of free speech scandals involving forces across Britain. Allison Pearson, the Telegraph columnist, was previously threatened with prosecution over a post on X, while a former policeman arrested for a comment about Palestine was forced to endure a search during which officers discussed his taste in Brexity books.

Reform UK has seized on the issue, with party leader Nigel Farage raising it in a speech to the US Congress last week. Addressing his own party conference in the UK, Mr Farage vowed to fight Labour on the issue and vowed that Reform would police the streets and not the tweets.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ms Mahmood indicated last week she wanted a more common sense approach when she told a Lords Committee that police should guard against over-reach and needed to focus on the day job of tackling crime in our communities.

A source close to Sir Mark said: Regulations that were understandably intended to improve policing and laws that were intended to protect the vulnerable, are now tying officers hands, removing appropriate professional discretion  which some call common sense  and risk losing public confidence.

The Met is working with wider policing to rapidly develop solid proposals for where reform is possible  either in policy and guidance or the law  which could be ready within weeks. For instance, one of the areas where Sir Mark has been very clear previously is the need to bring more common sense to how police record and handle non-crime hate incidents.

Were grateful for the willingness being shown by Government to help us bring about genuine reform and conversations are already underway about how this can be achieved. Working out how to balance free speech with a safer online world is not like investigating crime on the streets. We wont achieve everything overnight but theres a collective desire not to lose time on this.

Mahmood: Police need to focus on the day job and maintaining public confidence for crime in our communities - Dan Kitwood/Getty

Concerns have been raised about non-crime hate incidents, which are defined as incidents that fall short of being criminal but are perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person with a particular characteristic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They are intended to provide forces with an intelligence picture of community tensions and help them understand where problems might suddenly arise, but have often resulted in police intervening in social media spats, with critics claiming they have a chilling effect on free speech.

More than 13,200 non-crime hate incidents were recorded by police in the 12 months to June 2024, a similar number to the previous year, despite new guidelines requiring police to investigate only when it is absolutely necessary and proportionate and not simply because someone is offended.

A senior police source said that officers were being dragged into taking action on culture war issues because they were obliged by the law to record and investigate such complaints. The source argued that the threshold needed to be raised either in law or in guidance or both.

More than 13,200 non-crime hate incidents were recorded by police in the 12 months to June 2024, a similar number to the previous year, despite new guidelines requiring police to investigate only when it is absolutely necessary and proportionate and not simply because someone is offended.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Asked about the concerns about officers policing tweets rather than the streets, Ms Mahmood told the Lords constitution committee: The police need to focus on the day job and maintaining public confidence for crime in our communities.

That isnt to take away from the fact that you cant commit an offence online, she said, referring to the difference between inciting violence compared to cases in the more humour sense end of the spectrum.

She added: There is an obvious line there which it shouldnt, in my personal view, be hard to uphold, and it is important that that is upheld.

We should be clear that you know, social media is not a sort of a free hit when it comes to breaking the laws of our land, but we have to be absolutely sure that what we do is in accordance with the laws of our land is and is not over-reach either, and that the line is held in the right place and I think thats what, in the end, maintains public confidence.

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.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  A Porter-Gaud graduate has been named Miss Americas Teen 2026 during a special competition held over the weekend.

Tess Ferm, an 18-year-old from Charleston, was previously crowned Miss South Carolinas Teen for 2025 and went on to compete on the national stage in Saturdays 2026 Miss Americas Teen Competition.

Ferm, who is a rising freshman at Furman University, will receive $30,000 in scholarships and will serve as a brand ambassador for the Miss Americas Team program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ferm is also the winner of the national Teens in Action award for her extensive work to support those with food allergies.

Ferm launched a platform, Fear to Freedom, out of her own life-threatening allergies, where she has educated more than 2,500 students and teachers, and has helped install epinephrine auto-injectors in over 10 locations across her school.

Ahead of Saturdays competition, Ferm appeared on Get 2 Know, a weekly WCBD+ podcast with Storm Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Rob Fowler, where she discussed her experience with food allergies and the work she is doing with schools and restaurants to raise awareness and action.

I am an advocate for Food Allergy Research Education, which is one of the largest non-profits for food allergy awareness  They have a lot of resources available, and its truly impacted so many lives across America. Thats what I want to continue to do, hopefully as Miss Americas Teen; I really want to take this nationally because its not going to go away, unfortunately, but we can focus on inclusion and empathy, she said on the program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ferm has filmed public service announcements and designed thousands of food allergy placemats for local restaurants. She also hopes to work with state lawmakers to introduce laws that focus on allergy safety and preparedness in every school.

The competition was held at Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Florida.

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.
Charlie Kirk chuckled as he looked up from his phone, his face reflecting the glow of a half dozen cable news channels, each flashing silent White House headlines from across the dimly lit room.

Kirk sat at a V-shaped desk stamped with his personal logo, surrounded by his lifes work: a sprawling Phoenix campus housing the nations preeminent conservative student group, Turning Point USA, and its increasingly influential campaign arm, Turning Point Action. At 31, the GOP juggernaut couldnt help but grin  it had been a good summer.

Fresh off a week co-hosting Fox & Friends, where he had made his national debut more than a decade before, Kirk was riding high. A recent cameo on South Park only added to his swagger. The irreverent satire had mimicked his debate tactics almost word-for-word, which Kirk took as proof his college tours had reached complete cultural saturation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After years of rapid growth on the coattails of President Donald Trump, and now as one of the self-appointed stewards of Trumps America First movement, Kirk had, he told me, become too big to ignore.

He has a point.

During the 2024 presidential race, Kirks bare-knuckle approach to campus polemics was everywhere. In 2024 alone his content garnered more than 15 billion views across social media platforms, according to a Turning Point spokesperson. Judging by what drew the most cheers and clicks, Kirks appeal to young voters owed as much to his willingness to break liberal taboos as to his social-media-savvy style.

Since coming of age as an anti-Obama libertarian, Kirk has developed a populist nationalist worldview on issues like immigration, gender and the political process, all while amplifying provocative figures on his popular podcast.

Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder and president, talks with employees at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Despite his proclivity for sparking controversy, Kirks real interest lies in changing his followers behavior. Just outside his studio, a pack of well-dressed Gen Z employees of Turning Point offered a glimpse into the demographic Kirk hopes to convert. Their buttoned-up professionalism contrasted with the anti-establishment energy of a conservative movement that has become countercultural.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chatting with Kirk between meetings, the team of 20-somethings  half of them members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kirk said  reclined before large monitors, crafting their bosss next viral clip.

But Kirks massive online footprint is just the beginning. His aspirations have always been much bigger. Clicking his pen for emphasis, Kirk explained how his $100 million-a-year Turning Point empire intends to win more than social media clout. Its the institutions of power they want.

To save Western civilization, they are willing to upset the entrenched elite  in universities, the media and government  by whatever means necessary even as they build alternatives from scratch.

We want to be an institution in this country that is as well-known and as powerful as The New York Times, Harvard and tech companies, Kirk said. And we believe were creating that.

Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder and president, poses for a portrait at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Kirks national vision has found an opportune home in the American West. Since relocating his headquarters from his native Illinois in 2018, Kirk has gone all-in on remaking Arizona politics. Under the direction of COO Tyler Bowyer, a Latter-day Saint, Turning Point Action has overhauled the states electoral landscape, galvanizing the grassroots and targeting incumbents in primaries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Skeptics and supporters alike agree the duo have transformed Arizona into a blueprint for their national ambitions and, in turn, initiated an experiment: Can adopting the lefts tactics of voter mobilization shift the state to the right? Or will it relegate the GOP to an angry minority?

The recent struggle to win statewide races in Arizona has fueled criticism that elevating outrage over nuance, and prizing allegiance to the president over independence, has alienated voters. But Kirk insists his aim is higher than partisan pit fighting.

He sees no tension between his Christian calling to be a peacemaker and his role as one of the countrys most recognizable culture warriors. His scheduled visit to Utah this week has already prompted a burst of backlash from students that consider him too inflammatory for campus.

Unlike some of his fellow pundits, however, Kirk says he plans to build a positive foundation that outlives his digital fame. For Kirk, the true test of Turning Point is whether it can extend MAGAs mission well beyond the political career of its founder in the White House.

Can Kirk keep Trumps coalition together?

Bergen Shogren, Turning Point USA events manager, works at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

In July, Kirk gathered more than 7,000 Turning Point proteges to Florida, for the largest-ever Student Action Summit. Over the previous decade, Kirk and Bowyer have made semiannual events a cornerstone of their organization. But this time was different.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The weekend marked exactly one year since Trump evaded death by an assassins bullet, 10 years to-the-day since Bowyer hosted Trumps first major campaign rally in Phoenix and 13 years since Kirk met his first donor across the street at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa.

Amid what felt like an ascendent moment for the movement he helped to mainstream, Kirk stepped out onto the convention stage. Emerging from behind a jet of sparks, Kirk joined a chant of USA, USA, USA, barely audible over the electronic battle cry blasting from the speakers.

Kirk touted the unprecedented rightward shift among young voters during the 2024 election and declared this the time for the Republican base to unite around zero-tolerance deportation policies, subsidies to Americans for family formation and primary challenges for anyone who failed to toe the line.

But Kirks focus on bringing together the disparate elements of MAGA quickly faded. Influencers like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly challenged the Trump administration on Iran and Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting to the crowd that the president had not done enough to end foreign entanglements or destroy the deep state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, Trump appointees, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan, hyped Trumps historically productive first 100 days. The students in attendance were left to wonder whether the man in the Oval Office had succeeded beyond all expectation  or sold out.

Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder and president, shows where Donald Trump signed a copy of the Constitution that has signatures from every Turning Point conference and summit speaker from around 2018-2022. The signed Constitution is on display on the set of The Charlie Kirk Show at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

A month later, standing on the set of his show, Kirk pointed to Trumps autograph on a copy of the U.S. Constitution. The glass-paned parchment was scrawled with the signatures of every Turning Point speaker from 2018 to 2022.

Maybe more so than any of his conservative media contemporaries, Kirk has staked his reputation on real-life political outcomes. During the lead up to November, Kirk worked tirelessly to secure Trumps reelection. In the months since, Kirk has spent hours defending Trumps air strikes on Iran, lobbying lawmakers on the Big Beautiful Bill and downplaying the administrations puzzling stance on Epstein.

We have an aim and a destination towards our commentary, Kirk told me. We want to win, and so were not just talking to talk  we want to try to build a narrative, build a show, towards victory.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To that end, Kirk dreams of creating an activist infrastructure that rivals anything on the left side of the aisle.

From 4 to 84, you could be involved with some Turning Point project, Kirk said. We are creating a full life cycle of involvement and engagement for someone that wants to save their country.

Beneath the umbrella of Turning Point USA there is now Turning Point Academy, which provides pro-American curricula to more than 250 K-12 partners; and Turning Point Faith, which collaborates with more than 3,700 congregations to encourage bold biblical citizenship.

Matthew Hay, Turning Point USA Faith creative director, talks about the work he does at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Turning Point also supports student body president races, recruits precinct leadership teams and keeps school teacher watchlists. But the lifeblood of Turning Point USA remains its national field program, according to Kirk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In recent semesters, Turning Points chapter model has appeared at more than 900 college campuses and 1,100 high schools, registering voters and providing civics education for approximately 850,000 members.

Turning Points 2026 goal is to renew or begin 1,000 college chapters and 1,650 high school chapters, under the name Club America  with the promise of reaching 10,000 over the next five years.

Kirks grassroots involvement has given him a closer look at the conservative movement than perhaps any other person over the past half-decade, he wrote in his 2024 book Right Wing Revolution. Last year, Kirk dedicated around 200 hours at more than 60 colleges for his Prove Me Wrong crusade  which he plans to bring to two Utah universities this month.

The events follow an open-mic format: Kirk sets up a chair and students line up to question him surrounded by boisterous onlookers, with the encounters quickly uploaded to social media. When he isnt shutting down college students, Kirk said he is actively trying to understand where people are coming from, contributing to his credibility as a MAGA mouthpiece for the next generation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His hold on the youth Republican vote has also made Kirk the occasional kingmaker in the current Trump administration  playing a key role in several cabinet member nominations  and potentially over what succeeds it.

Kirk was one of the earliest advocates for then-Sen. JD Vance, a 41-year-old millennial, to serve as Trumps running mate. Vance has lived MAGA, Kirk said, by growing up in a forgotten part of the country with the whole world rigged against him.

If Kirk has his way, Vance will take Trumps place at the helm of wherever the GOP heads next. Im going to put my power behind JD for whatever I can, Kirk said. That is a very good chapter two to the MAGA story that were writing.

But first the movement Turning Point was designed to mobilize must survive Trumps second term.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kirks full-time vocation has become trying to keep coalitions together, he told me, as the pressures of national politics and social media erode the shared interests that put Trump in office. This has renewed the spotlight on Turning Point, according to Kirk, because amid an onslaught of voices, what is most needed is an infrastructure that turns opinions into measurable products.

Kirks full time job of avoiding a revolution

Tyler Bowyer, Turning Point Action chief operating officer, shows a map that displays the number of low-propensity Republican voters in Maricopa County at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. Tracking this shows where they can focus their attention to increase conservative voter turnout. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Just before 8 a.m. one August morning, Bowyer, the architect behind Kirks Arizona operation, stopped in front of a color-coded map, one of dozens lining the walls of the Turning Point Action Victory Center.

Behind him, rows of cubicles formed the nucleus of Turning Points expensive effort to update the GOPs get-out-the-vote strategy, representing the realization that their goal of influencing politics by changing culture would also require re-engineering the Republican political machine.

Bowyer explained with a satisfied smile how the chart of disengaged voters validated his wager that the secret to electing conservatives in the Trump era has little to do with persuading moderates, and everything to do with getting GOP-disposed voters off the couch.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2024, Turning Point Action more than doubled their full-time staff of 400 to around 1,000 to chase the vote in swing states. The approach centered on building relationships, with multiple visits to those who hadnt participated in more than one of the previous three elections.

It appears to have moved the needle. In Arizona, where Trump won by 187,000 votes, Republicans activated 95,000 more infrequent and first-time voters than Democrats. Bowyer believes the impact was even greater. Turning Point turned out 86% of the 400,000 low-propensity voters they targeted in Arizona, he said.

These tactics worked because Turning Point was able to tap into young peoples grievances like pandemic lockdowns and home unaffordability, Bowyer said, while offering the Republican Party as a vehicle for better solutions.

The Turning Point brand has really done a good job at saying, Hey, we understand you, because we are you, Bowyer, 39, said in an interview with the Deseret News. Were talking about a multigenerational youth movement of people who just feel like they were kind of lied to by the left, and now theyre expecting answers from the right.

Tyler Bowyer, Turning Point Action chief operating officer, answers interview questions in his office at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Turning Points efforts coincided with a remarkable shift among young voters. Overall, 18-35-year-olds moved more than 10 percentage points toward the Republican presidential candidate in 2024 compared to 2020, with a more pronounced jump in states like Arizona and Georgia, and among black and Latino men.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Kirk has been careful to credit Trump with this success, Turning Point Action has claimed the group engineered the 2024 victory by boosting the youth vote by more than Trumps winning margin in key states.

A Cygnal poll commissioned by Turning Point found that more than two-thirds of young voters recalled seeing Turning Point content during the election cycle, with more than one-third of those saying it made them more likely to vote for Trump.

Another poll by the GOP polling firm found that Turning Point USA was the second-most viewed conservative news source among GOP primary voters. And according to TikTok, where Kirk arguably has the greatest reach with more than 7.3 million followers, young Trump supporters trusted Kirk more than anyone else.

Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder and president, answers interview questions on the set of The Charlie Kirk Show at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Kirks insistence on speaking directly with the nations youngest voters is what first convinced one of Turning Points biggest donors, Ed Zeman, to invest in the 19-year-old Kirk he encountered in Chicago circa 2013.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time, the Republican Party lacked personal engagement with the next generation, Zeman said. Zeman, the board chairman of a mobile home company, is so convinced Turning Point can save the republic that he helped purchase Turning Points second Phoenix facility, named after him, in 2020.

Theyre figuring out what the kids want and giving it to them, Zeman told the Deseret News. Theres no money in it. Charlies not about the money. Hes about the movement. Always has been.

Kirk sees a paradoxical relationship between his mission and the platforms that drive it. Kirk previously supported the ban of TikTok and criticized social media for making you more liberal. Last year, Kirk reversed course after TikTok executives confirmed he wouldnt be discriminated against by their algorithm.

And a couple billion views later, here we are, Kirk said. However, Kirk still sees his presence on TikTok as a purely mechanical move to reach young people through a very flawed and very addictive means.

Anthony Halturin, Turning Point USA senior video editor, works on a promotional video at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Kirk said he hopes his calls for young adults to lead a more meaningful life will actually result in them spending less time on social media. He has cautioned his young fans against becoming enamored by deep-internet theories taking the form of white supremacy, misogyny and antisemitism.

In recent Q&As Kirk has condemned those who want to point and blame Jews for all their problems, which he characterized as hyper-online brain rot that is becoming increasingly common, especially among young white men.

Kirks antidote is to channel young peoples frustration toward the transcendent instead of tearing everything down. More often than not transgressive conspiracies directly contradict scripture, according to Kirk.

In the face of women-hating, for example, Kirk reminds listeners that the New Testament teaches men to love their wife like Christ loved the church. Kirk is confident that much of the internets fringe rightwing commentary can be easily debunked or dismissed. But he feels a personal responsibility to provide a positive alternative.

My job every single day is actively trying to stop a revolution, Kirk said. This is where you have to try to point them toward ultimate purposes and toward getting back to the church, getting back to faith, getting married, having children. That is the type of conservatism that I represent, and Im trying to paint a picture of virtue, of lifting people up, not just staying angry.

Overturning the Copper State

Noah Druecker, Turning Point USA College Field Program data analytics administrator, works at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

The kind of revolution Kirk fears is a jump to radicalism  whether the white nationalism of Nick Fuentes or the antisemitic socialism of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani  if the Republican Party fails to address the countrys biggest problems. But Kirk is not shy about his desire to inaugurate a political revolution in the state of Arizona.

The transition from college campuses to campaign contests started when Trumps inner circle asked Turning Point to coordinate youth outreach for 2020, according to Bowyer. Operating amid COVID-19, Bowyer said he quickly realized the Republican Party apparatus had nowhere near enough boots on the ground.

After a disappointing election outcome  which Turning Point representatives claimed at the time was fraudulent  Bowyer launched into research only to learn the lefts sophisticated network of nonprofit groups directing fundraising and ballot-chasing had no parallel on the right.

Turning Point Action began building its ground-game in earnest, seeking to complement the Republican National Committee while criticizing its chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel  Mitt Romneys niece  who Turning Point pushed to remove for what they saw as a lack of investment in MAGA nominees.

When several of Turning Points endorsed candidates lost, including Blake Masters and Kari Lake in Arizona, Kirk and Bowyer concluded they had not gone far enough to replace a GOP system that had proven inadequate to contend with its competition.

We said, OK, enough is enough, were gonna have to do this for 2024 ourselves, Bowyer recounted. And in Arizona, we have enough influence where no ones going to stop us or get in our way.

In 2024, Turning Point threw the kitchen sink at Arizona, Bowyer said, providing nearly 7,000 volunteers with training sessions on how to target disengaged voters, assigning two-to-three Turning Point representatives to each voting precinct in the state.

The effort bore fruit, according to Bowyer: Arizona handed Trump his biggest winning margin of any swing state. The takeaway for Turning Point was that to win elections they needed to increase turnout in favorable areas, not waste time battling over a slice of independent voters.

Tyler Bowyer, Turning Point Action chief operating officer, talks about memorabilia on display in his office at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Now Bowyer hopes to apply this lesson to Arizonas 2026 gubernatorial race. Turning Point has pulled out all the stops for U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, a BYU graduate and former House Freedom Caucus chair. His firmly conservative positions and loyalty to Trump make Biggs a clear choice for Turning Point.

Biggs background as Arizona Senate president makes him the best qualified for the job, Bowyer argues. But elsewhere Bowyer frames the race as part of Turning Points project of routing out the garbage across Arizona government.

Bowyers most immediate priority is to oust Mesa city council member Julie Spilsbury. Bowyer initiated the citys first ever recall earlier this year after Spilsbury joined former Mesa Mayor John Giles as the face of Republicans for Kamala Harris and Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego.

Turning Point PAC paid for fliers criticizing Spilsbury for votes on taxes and homelessness while Turning Point Action organized the signature-gathering effort to force Spilsbury into an election this November.

Spilsbury, a lifelong Republican, does not believe the recall election is about the votes she took  two of which were unanimous. She believes Turning Point Action is making her an example of what happens to Arizona Republicans who cross Trump.

Bowyer confirmed this motivation in a statement to a local news outlet in July, saying the recall was a direct result of Spilsbury publicly endorsing Harris, contrary to the will of her constituents who overwhelmingly went for Trump.

It just really bothers them that Im standing up for what I believe is right, and  put principle over party, Spilsbury said in an interview with the Deseret News. They want everyone to agree with them.

Turning Point has intervened in local races more frequently in recent years, including elections to control state agencies overseeing utility rates. As Turning Point has gotten more involved, there has been an undeniable shift in the tone of Arizona politics, Giles told the Deseret News.

In 2022, Giles friend Clint Smith  a Latter-day Saint like Giles, Spilsbury and Biggs  mounted an unsuccessful effort to unseat Biggs. Smith ran as an anti-MAGA independent, with more liberal views on immigration, abortion and other social issues. But under Bowyers direction, Turning Point took campaign messaging beyond policy disagreements to more personal attacks, Giles said.

That same year, Bowyer spearheaded a successful effort to primary former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, also a Latter-day Saint, for taking the wrong track on transgender policy and election security, Bowyer said.

Months earlier, Bowers had received blowback for his congressional testimony explaining why he refused Trumps request to appoint an alternate slate of electors after the 2020 election.

Latter-day Saints find themselves on all sides of the Arizona political spectrum. The church is neutral on matters of politics and does not seek to elect government officials, support or oppose political parties.

The Turning Point treatment received by Bowers, Spilsbury and others suggest the group wants to become the godfather of Arizona politics, according to Giles, and they are willing to cast aside common decency to do so.

Civility is nowhere on their agenda, Giles said. Showing respect for people in your own party, let alone people in other parties, totally absent from their agenda; having a good faith discussion of the pros and cons of the other sides point of view, totally not on their agenda. Its just salute the great leader and anyone who disagrees is an enemy.

One Republican state lawmaker, speaking with the Deseret News on the condition of anonymity, said Turning Point unsuccessfully tried to oust them in 2024.

Driving wedges within the party is essential to the groups ethos, according to the lawmaker. The lawmaker said they may not run for reelection next year because they dont know if its worth facing a daily influence campaign from Turning Point.

Since Kirks migration to Arizona in 2018, the Republican Party in the state has grown, Giles acknowledged. And Turning Point has proven its popularity by dominating GOP primary races. But he argued the cost of the groups mean-spirited approach has outweighed any benefit by degrading the political discourse and dooming general election outcomes.

To Charlie Kirks credit, hes a gifted communicator, Giles said. But it just seems like it has not had a positive impact on our state or our country.

Did Turning Point turn Arizona blue?

Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder and president, answers interview questions on the set of The Charlie Kirk Show at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Turning Point entered Arizona politics just as the passing of former Sen. John McCain opened a power vacuum in the state GOP, according to longtime Arizona consultant Kevin DeMenna. This serendipity allowed Turning Point to rapidly gain enormous influence in the state.

But Turning Points takeover has not been all smooth sailing. The group is currently embroiled in a verbal battle with GOP chairwoman Gina Swoboda, who accused Bowyer last week of demonstrating clear intent to weaken our Republican party.

Since Turning Point planted its flag in Arizona, all five major statewide offices  governor, attorney general, secretary of state and two U.S. Senate seats  have flipped from red to blue for the first time in decades. In 2022, Turning Points slate of candidates for these positions lost across the board.

In 2024, Kari Lakes bid for Senate  which followed a refusal to concede her prior gubernatorial loss  also failed, underperforming Trump by 4.5 percentage points.

While Turning Point has been able to control the mechanism of Arizona GOP primaries by steering Trumps endorsement, they are unable to win statewide races because they dont know how to speak to swing voters, said Tyler Montague, another Arizona-based GOP operative.

In addition to hurting the Republican Party electorally, Montague contends that Turning Point has worked against the GOP by withholding voter data and scaring away the business community.

All of this has come as welcome news to Copper State Democrats. Eric Chalmers, a Democratic strategist who helped direct Gallegos 2024 victory over Lake, said there is no question Turning Point has transformed the Republican Party in Arizona.

But by overstepping the limits of traditional mudslinging and doubling down on claims of election fraud, Chalmers said Turning Point appears to be creating the largest, most well-funded minority party they can.

In April 2024, Bowyer, and 17 others, were indicted by a grand jury after the Democratic Arizona attorney general brought a case against the Republican officials for their involvement in trying to put forward alternate electors to challenge the 2020 election.

At the time, Bowyer claimed to be a duly elected presidential elector and said Vice President Mike Pence had the authority to recognize competing electoral votes. The case has returned to square one after defense attorneys pointed out problems with the instructions to the grand jury.

Arizona state Sen. Jake Hoffman, who was also indicted for his role in the plan, said criticisms of Turning Point reveal more about the critics than anything else.

Republican naysayers are just angry the group is finally holding both sides to account for abandoning conservative principles, Hoffman said. As the head of the Arizona Freedom Caucus and Turning Points go-to PR agency, Hoffman said the group has given the Arizona grassroots the strongest reinforcement in the country to act as a check on members of their own party.

And despite what detractors say, it is working, Hoffman said. In addition to Trumps 2024 victory, Turning Point has helped replace Maricopa Countys Republican recorder, Stephen Richer, who opposed attempts to question the election process in the nations second largest voting jurisdiction.

Hoffman rejects the notion that Turning Point has made Arizona politics more vitriolic, saying that he and Bowyer have simply brought Kirks honest, raw approach to commentary into the political sphere, which has highlighted conservative faultlines.

The two fundamental differences are those who compromise to gain power and those who refuse to compromise to return power to the people, Hoffman told the Deseret News. And I see that as being the fundamental divide within the Republican Party.

In an interview with the Deseret News, Utah Sen. Mike Lee  who Kirk said he texts with every day  echoed Bowyer and Hoffmans political philosophy. A candidate increases their impact if they resist pressures to water down their beliefs to win statewide, Lee said.

Voters want a firm commitment that the person they see on the campaign trail will act predictably once in office, according to Lee, and Turning Points fusion of turnout initiatives and media dominance appears made for this moment to push candidates in that direction.

Biggs, as one of the most conservative members of Congress, is counting on Turning Points claim that by expanding the voter base he will not need to moderate his message to win.

Politics has always been rough and tumble, Biggs told the Deseret News. And he takes umbrage with people who complain about Kirk and Bowyer playing hardball when they are really just telling the truth. Tactics aside, the final measure of Turning Point is whether it is able to get the most conservative leaders elected, the lawmaker said.

Kirk bristled at the suggestion his organization had turned Arizona blue. Turning Point Action was barely operational in 2022 and only involved peripherally, Kirk said.

Republican candidates in the state lagged behind Trump not because of their extreme views, according to Kirk, but because of problems created by the McCain Mafia after the McCain-aligned Martha McSally lost to Kyrsten Sinema in 2018 and to Mark Kelly in 2020 despite being appointed by the governor.

But Im not that interested in the finger pointing, Kirk said. Time will tell. As election cycles go on, were going to find out if the Turning Point influence is good, or not so good.

What Kirk thinks it means to be a peacemaker

A Campus Victory Project sign is pictured at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

In the meantime, Kirk plans to continue his American Comeback Tour. Kirk will visit college campuses around the country this fall, with his first and last stops for September in Utah.

On Wednesday, Kirk is scheduled to bring his Prove Me Wrong table to Utah Valley University. And his future appearance at Utah State University on Sep. 30 has already caused a stir.

USU students created a petition on Aug. 29 asking administrators to reconsider allowing Charlie Kirks event to proceed because he did not align with the core values of the university. The petition has since received more than 3,900 signatures, and counting, with dozens of comments calling on USU to cancel the event.

On his podcast last week, Kirk said this was a greater response than he typically receives, even at liberal schools like University of California, Berkeley.

The most common complaint of petition-signers was their perception that Kirk propagates hate, misinformation and fascism. Kirk believes his message does the opposite and that universities should be a place to debate hot-button issues.

However, Kirk has given his opponents plenty to react to, from calling Martin Luther King Jr. an awful person, to arguing that while ending segregation was good the Civil Rights Act was a mistake, to telling young women to prioritize starting a family over their careers and questioning whether certain Muslim elected officials are real Americans.

In his 2024 book, Kirk wrote, To quote Christ, I come not to bring peace, but a sword.

Kirk told me this statement does not conflict with Christs command to be a peacemaker because the division Kirk causes comes from speaking truth. And while he admitted he does not always pair that truth with sufficient grace, he said both are necessary to establish peace in the city.

Where things got less clear is who should be included in this community, and who should receive different treatment as a foreigner.

Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder and president, answers interview questions on the set of The Charlie Kirk Show at Turning Point headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Christs injunction to love our enemy applies to neighborly feuds, Kirk said, but not to invaders. This selective bridge-building requires prudence in its application, according to Kirk.

He told me he did not think his city, with higher moral expectations for dialogue and diplomacy, encompassed those who support the medieval butchery of children, late-term abortion and the continuous stream of third-world immigrants that hate the country and dont share our values and dont assimilate.

Nowhere in Christs teaching would He want you to accept or tolerate disorder, chaos, or a system of laws that are an affront to his teachings or to the natural law which he created as God, Kirk said. And so the means of how we establish that kind of peace in a city is very important.

Bowyer shared Kirks certainty; he has never felt ethically divided about his work as an activist because it reflects his most deeply held beliefs, he said. Like Kirk, Bowyer sees politics as downstream from culture. But if a community is not vigilant in protecting what makes it unique, then its culture will dissipate, he said.

Increasingly Kirk, who identifies as an evangelical Christian, has described his project in spiritual terms  using technology and talking-points to trigger a cultural Great Awakening. But the next American revival wont happen on TikTok, and it wont be spurred by political triumphs alone, Kirk says. It will show up in rising church attendance, marriage rates and childbirths.

An activist lifestyle, according to Kirk, is most effective when it translates into a virtuous next generation. Latter-day Saints do this well, Kirk said. I love Mormons, he told me. Theyre some of the sweetest people on the planet.

Kirk knows the spiritual and political are not always complementary. To stay grounded in the tumultuous world of grassroots engagement, Kirk tells his Gen Z and millennial acolytes to follow his example: Kirk got married in 2021, has had two children with his wife and puts family time first.

On his desk sat a recently played-with stuffed animal and action figure beside his white and gold Trump 47 hat. Kirk has also made a phone-free Sabbath and scripture study core parts of his routine in an effort to pull back from the internet warfare he lives, breathes and magnifies.

But politics is a blood sport, man, Kirk said. I mean, its tough. And so you have to have those kind of anchoring tools to keep you steady.
Some doctors are now advising their pregnant patients to avoid plastic itself, which contains harmful chemicals that can hurt some mothers and babies alike.

Marya Zlatnik, a University of California at San Francisco fetal medicine specialist, told the Washington Post that when giving some of her early-pregnancy patients the rundown of what they should and shouldn't consume or be exposed to, she's begun adding plastic products to her no-no list.

Her concern: the chemicals known as phthalates, which make plastics stronger and more flexible but also act as a hormone disruptor that has been linked to everything from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and asthma to obesity and premature birth, among countless other health issues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Unlike per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, another widespread and terrifying class of contaminants referred to as "forever chemicals" due to their longevity, some scientists have taken to calling phthalates "everywhere chemicals," because they dissipate quickly but are nonetheless constantly contaminating basically everyone on the planet thanks to massive plastic overconsumption.

Phthalates are believed to be inside basically every human body on Earth, and it's not hard to see why: the Food and Drug Administration has approved nine different types of these compounds for food packaging, and they invariably rub off onto what we eat and then are ingested into our bodies.

While these chemicals are, as WaPo notes, detrimental to everyone's health, gynecologists and obstetricians are becoming increasingly worried about how they specifically affect prenatal health as a growing body of evidence suggests they're unduly dangerous for pregnant women and babies. Other scientists are also growing concerned about phthalate exposure in utero affecting fertility down the line, especially in men.

"If any of these chemicals get into a woman while she's pregnant, the chemicals will go right across into the baby," explained Boston College pediatrician Philip Landrigan in an interview with the newspaper. "The placenta provides no protection at all."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The results of prenatal phthalate exposure can be immediate and dramatic.

In 2022, the National Institutes of Health found, based on a large systemic review involving more than 6,000 participants over more than three decades, that women with higher levels of phthalate byproducts in their urine were more between 12 to 16 percent likely to deliver their babies preterm, defined as least three weeks before their due dates.

Speaking to WaPo, senior NIH investigator Kelly Ferguson said that even those initial findings, which were published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics and led to subsequent research about related racial disparities in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, were a pretty big deal.

"Having an increase of 15 percent in preterm birth is huge for the overall population," Ferguson, who was also a senior author on the 2022 study, told WaPo. "Theres health consequences for children and moms, financial costs."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More recently, public health researchers from Emory, Columbia, and the University of North Carolina established a link between higher phthalate levels in mothers' blood and metabolism issues that were detectable at birth in their babies.

As with other massive and avoidable environmental health issues, industry advocates and naysaying researchers aren't convinced that phthalates are all that bad for us, in or outside the womb.

To explain away the well-documented health defects of these hormone disrupting chemicals, pediatric endocrinologist and testicle obsessive Rod Mitchell of Scotland's University of Edinburgh  who was quoted by WaPo being very concerned about testosterone development during gestation  said he thinks phthalates might not be to blame for any prenatal problems.

"Were just constantly exposed to a soup of chemicals," he told the newspaper.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A paid plastic industry shill, meanwhile, had a more entertaining form of obfuscation.

Speaking on behalf of the Flexible Vinyl Alliance, representative Kevin Ott pointed to the phthalate content of things like blood bags and other medical devices as reaffirming use cases for the chemicals.

"Those benefits should be weighed against the concerns with phthalates," Ott told WaPo in an email.

More on chemicals: How Did Walmart Frozen Shrimp Become Contaminated With Radioactive Material?
White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed on Sunday that federal immigration agents will absolutely descend on Chicago this week, as leaders at the local, state and national levels condemn the Trump administrations threats and lies while preparing to protect the citys vulnerable communities.

President Donald Trump and his allies have increasingly threatened to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and National Guard troops to the city under the guise of increasing public safety, using dehumanizing rhetoric to describe undocumented immigrants and spewing lies about Chicagos crime levels.

Politics: This Is The Hyperbolic Line Trump Cant Stop Using. And Here's What It Really Means.

Despite a California judge ruling that it would be illegal for Trump to send federal troops to allegedly fight crime in cities, Chicago officials anticipate that efforts to occupy the city would begin any day now  a rumor that Homan confirmed while speaking to Jake Tapper on CNNs State of the Union.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Absolutely, you can expect action in most sanctuary cities across the country, the Trump ally said. President Trump has prioritized sanctuary cities because sanctuary cities knowingly release illegal alien public safety threats to the streets every day. Thats where the problem is.

Trumps efforts have faced extreme Democratic backlash from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, as well as Illinois lawmakers like Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, and Reps. Chuy Garcia and Delia Ramirez. Despite Homans claims otherwise, the politicians maintain that the administration has not contacted them or answered their many questions about the operation.

Police watch as peaceful protesters march against President Donald Trump's plan to send federal immigration agents and National Guard troops to Chicago on Saturday. Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images

In response, Trump posted an AI-generated image to Truth Socialon Saturday showing helicopters flying over a burning Chicago as the president poses next to text reading, Chipocalypse Now.

I love the smell of deportations in the morning, the president wrote above the image. Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR.

Politics: Karoline Leavitts Gushing 'Coolest' Trump Tennis Post Serves Up Mockery Online

Duckworth told CBS Face the Nation on Sunday that Trump essentially just declared war on a major city in his own nation with his Saturday post. Johnson called the presidents threats beneath the honor of our nation, and said the city must protect each other and Chicago from autocratic efforts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal, Pritzker posted on X. Donald Trump isnt a strongman, hes a scared man. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

Asked about his post, Trump said on Sunday that hes not going to war, were going to clean up our cities.

Both Trump and Homan have repeatedly painted Chicago as crime-ridden and its Democratic leaders as incapable of handling threats to public safety. But data from both the FBI and Chicago police show that 22 major cities had higher homicide rates than Chicago last year. According to a WBEZ analysis, the city in fact recorded the fewest murders during the summer this year since 1965, with a major decrease in homicides and overall violent crime staying near its lowest point in at least four decades.

Despite anxiety in Chicagos large Latino community and neighborhoods  and as the city gears up for its Mexican Independence Day celebrations  thousands of peaceful protesters marched on Saturday against Trumps threats of federal occupation. Community leaders have also worked to educate immigrants on their rights, and allies on how to protect their neighbors.

Read Next

Read the original on HuffPost
A Mark S. Zuckerberg is now suing Meta's CEO and co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, not for identity fraud but for facing account suspensions on Facebook.

The Indiana-based bankruptcy lawyer shares the name as Zuck, and this has caused him to be wrongly accused of account impersonation.

Lawyer Mark Zuckerberg Sues Mark Zuckerberg

Bankruptcy lawyer Mark S. Zuckerberg has filed a lawsuit against the Meta's Mark Zuckerberg due to his Facebook account being suspending due to supposed impersonation, TechCrunch reported. Mark S. Zuckerberg really is the lawyer's legal name and only wants to use Facebook to improve the visibility of his practice.

According to the plaintiff, his full name is "Mark Steven" while the tech CEO's name is "Mark Elliot."

Lawyer Zuckerberg said that he spent over $11,000 to boost his accounts on Meta's platforms, but had his accounts suspended by the company. Despite this, Meta is still charging him for the advertisements he purchased.

The lawyer shared with 13WTHR that "it is not funny," and further said, "Not when they take my money. This really pissed me off."

It has been a long battle for Mark S. Zuckerberg, and in his complaint, he shared a copy of an email thread from 2020 about his account being wrongly suspended, with this also showing the conversations he had with the platform since 2017.

Same Name, Two Different People and Lives

The lawyer's Facebook page, "Bankruptcy Law Office of Mark S. Zuckerberg," has been recently suspended by Facebook's content moderation team for its alleged violation of the platform's "Community Standards on impersonation."

Despite this claim by Facebook, lawyer Zuckerberg claims that he is not impersonating anyone, and goes on to say that he has been practicing law and is a professional since Meta's founder was only three years old.

Mark S. Zuckerberg went as far as to create his own website, iammarkzuckerberg.com, which contains his various write-ups about how having the same name as the billionaire tech executive shaped his life.

Several accounts of his life story shared how he cannot use his name for making reservations or doing business as people immediately assume that he is a prank caller and end up hanging up on him.

Identity Fraud Cases in Social Media

For a long time, Facebook has adopted security measures that help users fight against impersonations on the platform, with the company even going as far as to tell users if their identities are subject to copycats.

Additionally, Meta adopted a subscription-based verification system in 2023, similar to Elon Musk's X, where users would have to pay to join the program and get a blue check.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "On the birth anniversary of Sree Narayana Guru, we recall his vision and impact on our social as well as spiritual landscape. His teachings of equality, compassion and universal brotherhood resonate widely. His call for social reform and furthering education continues to inspire generations."

Earlier today, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra paid tribute to Sree Narayana Guru, a saint and social reformer from Kerala.

Priyanka Gandhi, who represents Wayanad Constituency in the Lok Sabha, wrote on X, "I pay my sincere tribute to Sree Narayana Guru, a revered saint and social reformer from Kerala."

"His teachings on equality, justice, and compassion continue to inspire and guide us towards a more progressive society," the post read.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also paid tribute to Sree Narayana Guru on his jayanthi, calling him a great spiritual leader who fought discrimination and dedicated his life to building an equal society.

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Humble tributes to Sree Narayana Guru on his jayanthi. A great spiritual leader and fearless social reformer, he challenged discrimination and worked for a just, equal, and inclusive society."

Sri Narayana Jayanthi is a state festival of Kerala. It is celebrated on Chathayam day during the Onam season in the Chingam month of the Malayalam calendar.

Sree Narayana Guru (20 August 1856 - 20 September 1928) was a saint, philosopher, spiritual leader, and social reformer from Kerala, India.

The Guru actively promoted education, cleanliness, devotion to God, organisation, and agriculture. He encouraged industries as a means for economic independence. He believed that with the right skills, hard work, knowledge, education, and a clean living environment, people could transform themselves into self-confident, self-respecting, fearless, and morally and financially strong communities. (ANI)
CHICAGO (WGN)  Throughout history, Chicago has been at the center of the American Labor Movement.

On Saturday, union members celebrated their rich legacies on the Far South Side in Pullman.

Saturdays Labor Day Parade celebrated unions from across all industries, from the service industry, teachers, nurses, plumbers to brick layers.

Chicago is a town of working class folks. Its the hometown of the American Labor Movement, President of the Chicago Federation of Labor Bob Reiter said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SEE ALSO: Chicagos historic role in the creation of Labor Day

Union workers and their families proudly gathered in the heart of Pullman where they recognized their camaraderie and collective power during the parade.

Weve been a carpentry family for a long time, so were excited to be here all the time supporting them, parade attendee Daisy Chavez said.

The festivities traveled south down Cottage Grove and through the historic Pullman neighborhood, where the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum is located.

This is the 100-year anniversary of the brotherhood of sleeping car porters and maids, which was Americas first and only Black labor union, to receive a charter under the American Federation of Labor, Dr. David Peterson, president of the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the fight for higher pay and better benefits persists throughout many sector, people representing Plumbers Local 130 said days like Saturday are meant to honor the men and women who paved the way.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Were not celebrating what we have today, were celebrating the people who brought us here from yesterday, Patrick McCarthy of Plumbers Local 130 said. Theres a lot of people that put a lot of effort, gave their lives to give us a five-day work week. Thats what Labor Day means to me.

After the parade, the celebration continued. A festival honoring the life of Edward Sadlowski, a former union activist, was held.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chicago is so lucky to have such a diverse labor movement, you know, not only in the things that we do where we represent workers in the workplace, but also in the people who are members of the labor movement, Reiter 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 WGN-TV.
NEED TO KNOW

Lori Vallow, the Idaho woman convicted of killing two of her children, sent a message to her sole surviving child, Colby Ryan

Vallow sent the message from prison to a journalist to deliver to her adult son during a panel at CrimeCon on Sept. 5

Vallow killed two of her kids and conspired to kill again in 2019 as part of what she claimed was a religious prophecy

Lori Vallow, the Idaho woman convicted of killing two of her children and conspiring to kill several others as part of what she claimed was a grand religious prophecy, sent a message to her only surviving child.

Colby Ryan, an adult, appeared on a panel at CrimeCon 2025 in Denver on Friday, Sept. 5. The panel was hosted by journalist Nate Eaton, and during the conversation, Eaton said that Vallow had found out about the panel and sent him a message to share with her son.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you talk to Colby, please tell him that I love you very much, no matter what,  Vallow said in her message read by Eaton, per a clip he shared on X and Instagram.

Lori Vallow Daybell found out I would be talking to Colby and sent me a message for him. pic.twitter.com/dXD3UBeMvZ  Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) September 6, 2025

She continued, You can ask him about [Bible verse] Matthew 25.

Eaton then said he had looked up the verse and told the audience that it was in reference to the parable of the wheat and the tares, and the parable of the 10 virgins, I believe.

Any idea what that scripture reference means? he asked Ryan.

Ryan replied that he believed the message was simply an attempt for his mother to appear godly.

Its her trying to talk about the wicked and the good being sifted apart, basically. So its her way of trying to say she is still good and, basically, godly, Ryan explained.

Kyle Green/AP Lori Vallow listens as jury verdict is read in 2023 Lori Vallow listens as jury verdict is read in 2023

Eaton then asked Ryan if he had a desire to talk to his mother again, to which Ryan replied, No.

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.

In 2023, Vallow was convicted of the 2019 murders of her other two children, 7-year-old Joshua Jaxon "J.J." Vallow, and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan. She was sentenced to life in prison. Her then husband, Chad Daybell, was also convicted of murder in relation to their deaths.



Rexburg Police Department (2) Joshua Jaxon "J.J." Vallow; Tylee Ryan

At one point, Vallow allegedly told a friend that Tylee and J.J. were "zombies" and that she and Daybell were on a mission to eradicate zombies before the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"[T]he term 'zombie' refers to an individual whose mortal spirit has left their body and that their body is now the host of another spirit," Rexburg Police Department Lt. Ron Ball wrote in an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. "The new spirit in a 'zombie' is always considered a 'dark spirit.' "



Vallow has also been convicted of conspiracy to kill Chads previous wife, Tammy Daybell. In June, she was additionally found guilty of conspiring to kill Brandon Boudreaux, the ex-husband of her niece, according to the Associated Press. Both incidents took place in 2019.

Vallow is serving multiple consecutive life sentences, per CNN.

Read the original article on People
China is carrying out large-scale development of air and naval sites along its eastern coast, which experts say could be used to launch an invasion of Taiwan.

In satellite images analysed by the Wall Street Journal, new berths for amphibious warships, as well as mega-airports, can be seen taking form.

While the facilities could have multiple uses, Chinas primary military focus is on Taiwan.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its own, which the democratically elected government in Taipei strongly rejects, and has not ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All of it goes to supporting Chinas one military planning scenario, which is a Taiwan scenario, Michael Dahm, a retired US navy intelligence officer, told the Wall Street Journal.

The US and the UK have both turned their attention to the Indo-Pacific in recent years as China increases its aggression towards Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea.

Both John Healey, the UK Defence Secretary, and Pete Hegseth, his US counterpart, have warned about Beijings rising threat, with Mr Hegseth claiming in May that an attack against Taiwan could be imminent.

One new development that has caught analysts eyes is a new pier at the naval facility in Yueqing Bay, which is located north of Taiwan, off of Chinas coastal city of Wenzhou.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The berth now measures over a mile long and could be used to dock several large ships.

Approximately 20 vessels were seen docked at the pier recently, including tank transports, ship-to-shore landing craft, tankers and coast-guard cutters.

Experts say that all of this hardware could be deployed in the event of an attack on Taiwan.

A new helicopter base has also been built in Fujian province, which sits directly across the Taiwan Strait, which could be used to deploy troops to the countrys main island, as well as outlying islands, which are located even closer to China.

Taiwan has focused its past military drills on several of these beaches, including Guanyin, Jiben, Beipu and Penghu, which are believed to be potential landing sites for an invasion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Satellite images also show the expansion of mega-airports in eastern China, with at least two in key locations for a possible attack against Taiwan  one near Xiamen and another near Fuzhou.

The Xiamen Xiangan International Airport, which is spread across Dadeng island, has been under development for years.

Dadeng is located less than 5km from one of Taiwans outlying islands, Kinmen, which is often referred to as a potential front line in any future assault.

Images taken between 2014 and 2022 show the size of the airport nearly doubling after dredging was able to create more land.

At the Fuzhou Changle International Airport, which is also strategically located across the Strait from Taiwan, a new runway has been built right on the water.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While these are currently civilian airports, experts say that if a war broke out, Beijing could suspend commercial flights and use them instead for military purposes, including aircraft refuelling and resupply of ammunition.

Given their optimal location so close to Taiwan, they could also be used as a hub to bring in troops or aircraft from other locations across China before their deployment.

The airports were also built to support huge quantities of passengers, meaning they are well connected by rail and road, which would be helpful when bringing in equipment.

Today, China has one of the largest and strongest militaries in the world, with a strength of over two-million troops.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has been rapidly expanding and developing its hardware over the last two decades, with the latest technology on display at Chinas massive military parade last week, its not a tested force.

Unlike the US military, Chinas military has never fought on a real battlefield and experts have previously told The Telegraph that the PLA tends to progress through imitation rather than innovation, which inherently holds its development back.

Although the US provides Taiwan with weapons, the current US administration refuses to comment on whether it would come to the countrys defence in the event of an attack

However, most experts predict that the conflict could turn into a face-off between Beijing and Washington.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

US support could take many different forms, ranging from underwater assaults with submarines to missile strikes against Chinese forces.

Experts say that the extent of involvement would likely come down to how the conflict came about, how well Taiwan is able to resist and what else is going on in the world at the time.

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.
Chris Philp has revealed that his Jewish friends have asked him if Britain is safe to visit.

The shadow home secretary told a demonstration in London against anti-Semitism that it was disgusting to hear such a question.

He said: The fact that my friend had to ask that question, the fact that 70,000 people have to come out today in defence of that safety and security [of Jewish people] shows that something has gone deeply, deeply wrong, and we are here today to say no.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The protest, organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, saw protesters march through central London waving British and Israeli flags.

Michael Gove, Richard Tice and chief rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis were part of the march against anti-Semitism - Carlos Jasso/AFP via Getty

Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, said Jews in Britain were suffering through awful times.

He said: We have seen an explosion of anti-Semitism across the UK. A government-backed report recently told us that anti-Semitism has now become normalised within middle-class Britain.

You will see it, you will hear it. You will feel it. In the arts, in the media, on university campuses, in schools, in industry, in trade unions and in sports.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His comments come after a report, commissioned by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and co-authored by Lord Mann, the Governments anti-Semitism adviser, warned earlier this year that Jewish people in the UK were suffering increasing prejudice.

It found British Jews were often held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government.

Meanwhile, a survey published this week found more than one in five Britons hold or agree with anti-Semitic views.

The YouGov survey, commissioned by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, found that 45 per cent of the British public  almost half of the population  believes that Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is a record figure and a marked increase from last years prior record of 33 per cent. Some 60 per cent of young people believe this, along with 48 per cent of people living in London.

The Chief Rabbi added: These are very challenging times. We are expecting that soon, our government will recognise the Palestinian state, and this will happen while Hamas is still ruling Gaza, and while Hamas is still holding and torturing so many hostages.

The recognition of the state of Palestine at this time is a reward to terror, and such a step only achieves one thing here in the UK. It strengthens the hands of the extremists in our midst.

Ester David, a 67-year-old nurse, said she had experienced anti-Semitism only a week ago when a patient asked her if all Jews were rich.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said: I was working in a hospital and a patient asked my name. He said, Ester, thats a Jewish name. I said, I am Jewish. He said, All Jews are rich. I said, What am I doing here then?

She said that similar anti-Semitism was a regular occurrence but added: I help everyone, Im a professional.

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.
Ive never understood the idiom have your cake and eat it too.

In the abstract the phrase means that you cant enjoy two desirable but mutually exclusive outcomes simultaneously  but what does cake have to do with it? Who the hell wants a cake you cant eat? Does this ridiculous phrase date back to a time when humans purchased pastries for purely decorative reasons?

As a society weve collectively decided to employ this dusty old proverb when someone is being greedy or trying to avoid the consequences of their actions, and frankly it doesnt make any sense. I wish there was a more apt commonly used phrase I could use to characterize what Jack Ciattarelli is trying to pull off in his run for governor, but theres not.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When it comes to Trump, Jack Ciattarelli is trying to have his cake and eat it too.

Ciattarelli spent months on end courting Trump and his merry band of voters. He reversed previously held convictions to more closely align with the president. He spent hours sparing with former talk-radio host and current Trump acolyte Bill Spadea over who was more MAGA-tastic.

When he was finally summoned to meet the Don, Ciattarelli dutifully scurried off to kiss the ring, a move that ultimately won him the Trump Houskeeping Seal of Approval.

Ciattarelli is 0-2 in his previous attempts to win the states highest office  and as a Republican running for office in the year 2025 Im not sure he had much of a choice but to cozy up to Trump and hope that the third times the charm.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a candidate who came close-ish to unseating an incumbent Democrat last election cycle, tacking to the right during a crowded GOP primary made sense. Now that the general election is heating up, not so much.

A strategic shift away from Trump was always going to be necessary, and fraught with peril. How do you put distance between yourself and a petty, belligerent president with an approval rating hovering between spider eggs and paper cuts? Very carefully.

Rather than try to distance himself from Trump ideologically, Ciattarellis new ads go right at his opponent, Mikie Sherrill, trying to portray her efforts to highlight his links to Trump and the MAGA movement as obsessive.

The new spots have an air of Gosh, why is she so obsessed with the guy whose backside I polished to a high shine in order to secure the nomination? Its not like Ill do his bidding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is the part where he tries to eat the cake too. Trumps repeated attacks on Democracy -and the party members who enable those attacks - are fair game for any political campaign.

Sherrill would be silly if she didnt take every opportunity available to point out to the voters of New Jersey that Jack Ciattarelli isnt just a guy worried about your electric bill, hes a candidate that enthusiastically aligned himself with a president and party actively trying to dismantle our institutions.

Drew Sheneman has drawn political cartoons for The Star-Ledger since 1998. His work is syndicated nationally through Tribune Content Agency. Find him at Drew Shenemans Cartoon Cavalcade.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Read the original article on NJ.com.
U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., speaks during the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee meeting at the U.S. Capitol on March 25, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

For at least a moment earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins was willing to depart from his typical far-right, far-fetched stances to take a position most would label liberal  on a criminal justice matter, of all things.

Yet just months later, the Lafayette Republican is back to his extremist ways. Whats different now is that he appears rudderless, permanently veering to the right to the point where it could be argued hes merely spinning in political circles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Heads turned during the spring session of the Louisiana Legislature when Higgins, a former policeman, gave his support to a proposal that would have let people put in Louisiana prisons by non-unanimous juries seek reviews of their cases. The lawman-turned-lawmaker urged the swift passage of the bill by state Sen. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, arguing it preserved the U.S. Constitutions rights to due process and a fair trial.

You could not have told me in my 42 years on this earth that I would have a letter from Congressman Clay Higgins supporting a bill that I brought, Duplessis told colleagues on the Senate floor before they resoundingly rejected the measure. Opponents in the Republican supermajority said the policy change would overload prosecutors and court staff.

In recent days, Higgins has come out firing on all cylinders but with no clear direction ascertainable.

On Aug. 29, he sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson saying that he was stepping down from the House Homeland Security Committee after Rep. Andrew Garabino, R-N.Y., was named its new chairman. Higgins, a candidate for the post, appeared dejected after the vote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

My Republican colleagues have chosen an alternate path for the Committee that I helped to build, he wrote to Johnson, a path more in alignment with the less conservative factions of our Conference, factions whose core principles are quite variant from my own conservative perspective on key issues like amnesty, ICE operations, and opposition to the surveillance state.

Thats the Higgins weve come to know  bitter, self-righteous and steered by conspiracy theories. As he still sits on the House Armed Services and the Oversight and Government Reform committees (chairing the latters law enforcement subcommittee), there will be ample chances for him to make blusters last stand.

And by no means will Higgins limit himself to those matters. A week ago, he urged the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services to withhold federal funding from organizations that push COVID vaccines on young children.

It followed his pledge on social media to defund the New Orleans Health Department for promoting the American Academy of Pediatrics guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for children from 6 months to 2 years old.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

State sponsored weakening of the citizenry, absolute injury to our children and calculated decline of fertility, Higgins wrote in an Aug. 20 X post.

Call me a skeptic, but if theres a group out there thats least likely to be anti-fertility, its probably pediatricians. Its not good for their business model.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

Higgins latest play for political relevance came Thursday when he joined forces with Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., Oversight and Government Reform chairman, to investigate allegations that pharmacy chain CVS Health used confidential patient information to lobby the Louisiana Legislature.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Caremark, a CVS subsidiary, is the prescription benefit manager for the health insurance plan that covers state employees in Louisiana. Attorney General Liz Murrill is suing the company, saying it used information gained through that contract to send text messages to state employees asking them to oppose proposed legislation. The bill in question would have prohibited prescription benefit managers from co-owning pharmacies. Ultimately, lawmakers opted for a less aggressive, transparency measure with the support of independent pharmacies.

Critics consider the co-ownership arrangement self-serving, as the management entities have a direct say in how their affiliated pharmacies price  and profit from  prescription drugs.

Comer and Higgins have requested CVS Health president and CEO David Joyner provide a slate of records to aid in their investigation.

David Whitrap, who handles external relations for CVS, said in an email the company plans to respond to Comer and Higgins. With regards to the text messages, its communication with customers, patients and the community was consistent with the law, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As much as he wants to position himself to the far right, Higgins involvement in accountability efforts such as this makes him a centrist  at least on this issue. The battle against pharmacy benefit managers is a bipartisan one, with both sides looking to claim the win for bringing down prescription drug and health insurance costs.

Regardless, its a welcome moment of lucidity from Higgins, much like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes demand for the U.S. Department of Justice to produce all its files on Jeffrey Epstein.

No one expects it, but its certainly welcomed.

For Higgins, more frequent stances like this could help him emerge from the shadow of Louisianas more prominent Republicans in the House  Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Julia Letlow, a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

But if history portends what lies ahead from Higgins, expect him to once again find his comfort zone on the fringes.

Let us know what you think...
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  Behind the vibrant outfits, rainbow flags, and jubilant celebrations at the 13th annual Colorado West Pride Week Festival of Grand Junction, are stories of LGBT folks who say they have found safety and acceptance in one another, where there hasnt always been in the past.

For lesbians like Kim Williams, loving her wife of 21 years has come at a cost.



I was told by my stepdad that my family could always come and visit, but we would never be welcome to stay there. So even on holidays, if we go home, we cant stay at familys house.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

From the street, the festival looks like any typical farmers market, with perhaps funkier, more creative attire. But instead of fresh produce and goods, booths at Colorado West Pride advertise free gender-affirming clothes, hugs from supportive moms, and even blessings from local pastors like Reverend Cheryl Hoffman of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church.

Ive been in tears a couple of times today, says Rev. Hoffman, because there have been people where they havent been accepted even by their own family. But they see that theres the name of a church here, they know that they could be welcome at if they want to. Its just been very heartfelt to be here and to be so supportive.

Xavier and Leslie Saenz are parents to queer children and are known as the founders of Delta Pride. They came from Delta not just to celebrate, but to foster a supportive upbringing for their kids. Support that Xavier, as a trans man, wishes he and other trans people had more of growing up.



Xavier tells WesternSlopeNow he wanted to be the adult that I needed as a childI had a young transgender male come up to me and say you have shown me that we can transition and stay here. Being able to transition and to live in the community youve always lived in, thats a beautiful thing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pride Fest will end Sunday, Sept. 7, with a parade down Main Street in Grand Junction and festivities until 6 p.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 WesternSlopeNow.com.
Acclaimed saxophonist, composer and educator Steven Banks has announced the launch of Come As You Are, an innovative community engagement initiative designed to make classical music concerts more inclusive, accessible and representative of the diverse communities they aim to serve.

Anchored by performances of Billy Childs concerto for saxophone and orchestra Diaspora- a deeply moving exploration of race, identity and the Black experience in America- Come As You Are aims to shift the concert experience beyond its traditional audience base, ensuring that Black and other marginalized communities are not only represented on stage but also feel welcomed in the hall.

The initiative takes its name from Come As You Are, the celebrated work for piano and saxophone by Banks, underscoring his commitment to artistry that speaks to diverse stories and lived experiences.

Key objectives of the initiative include:

Delivering high-quality classical music experiences directly to Black and marginalised communities.

Encouraging and facilitating concert attendance from underrepresented communities

Building lasting relationships between orchestras and local communities.

Advocating for equity, accessibility, and cultural resonance in the classical music sector.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Come As You Are initiative will take place across the 2025/26 season in collaboration with KDSchmid and world-class partners including:

Orchestre symphonique de Montreal

Oregon Symphony

Quad City Symphony Orchestra

Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra

Schubert Club

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin

Plus, more to be announced.

Banks will present community performances in a range of welcoming and accessible settings, from schools and churches to community centres. Together with discounted tickets and targeted marketing campaigns in diverse local media, the aim is to reach and engage new audiences.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Working in partnership with orchestras is at the heart of Come As You Are. By building on their existing infrastructure, the program aims to strengthen and broaden each orchestras impact in the communities they serveextending beyond the initiative itself.

Classical music offers us a vital opportunity to express ourselves, connect with others, and grapple with the complexities that life inevitably brings. The Come As You Are (CAYA) initiative is anchored in the notion that these capacities are available to all of us, not just a select few, Banks 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 WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  First responders climbed 110 flights of stairs up the World Trade Towers to save lives during the attacks on September 11th, 2001. 441 first responders lives were lost.

I realized I had lost 30 close friends and 343 firefighters. We dug, we searched, and we tried to do well. We put the uniform on, so we tried to save lives we could. We tried to find bodies for closure. We could try to find something that these families could have closure on. We did, in some cases, do that, but knowing why we do what we do, its really hard to accept that we couldnt save more people, Retired New York City Firefighter Andy Isolano said.

This Saturday, first responders and community members paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They put on the name tags of those who died and suited up in fire gear. Then walked up 10 flights of stairs in the Edgewater Beach Resort tower 11 times.

Make-A-Wish alumni from Northwest Florida meet at Topgolf

I got a name tag on my chest right now. Its one of the men that passed away on that day. And so the idea is that were going to climb 110 flights of stairs, and thats the equivalent of the one tower. And so symbolically, we get to put this on, we get to climb, and we get to symbolically finish the mission that they set out to do that day, 850 Heroes 4 Heroes President Abel Albritton said.

It takes about two to three hours for them to complete. Over 130 people participated in the climb.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its important to carry on this tradition of never forgetting and honoring the ultimate sacrifice that was made on that day, Albritton said.

It cost $45 to register. 850 Heroes 4 Heroes said they nearly reached their goal of $10,000. All of the proceeds go to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

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.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday flaged off trucks carrying relief material for the flood victims of Punjab from the Delhi BJP state office. Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa who was present at the event told ANI, "Today, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has sent 52 trucks from Delhi to Punjab. These include utensils, bed sheets, blankets, medicines, and other essential items" He also lashed out at Aam Admi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. "I am saying this with great pain that Punjab's farmers are posting videos saying that if Arvind Kejriwal comes to Delhi asking for money, it should not be given to them because these people will use this money in elections... This shows how much Arvind Kejriwal has deceived Punjab." Minister for Water of Delhi Parvesh Verma and Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva were also present. Earlier on Saturday, Delhi CM announced that the Delhi government will contribute Rs 5 crore to the Punjab Chief Minister's Relief Fund to support the state in its ongoing crisis. She also prayed for the swift recovery of the affected families. "The Delhi government has decided to contribute Rs 5 crore to the Punjab Chief Minister's Relief Fund. In this difficult time, the pain of the brothers and sisters of Punjab is a shared pain of all of us. The people and government of Delhi stand with affection and sympathy with the people struggling with this disaster," CM Gupta posted on X. As of Saturday, 46 people have lost their lives due to floods in Punjab, according to the officials. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that nearly 2,000 villages and over four lakh people have been affected. He said that 24 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are on the ground, supported by 144 boats and a state government helicopter. He added that the Revenue Department has released Rs 71 crore for relief efforts. (ANI)
After years of overhunting led to a rapidly declining wildlife population, one small Canadian community has taken drastic measures to ensure healthy biodiversity and a sufficient food supply.

As reported by CBC, members of Bloodvein First Nation in Manitoba have decided to ban non-Indigenous hunters on their land. The decision comes after years of alleged "moose overhunting and meat wastage" across Bloodvein territory.

Chief Lisa Young noted the measures that the community was willing to take to see a healthy recovery of the local moose population.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We'd like to stop people from driving into our First Nation and taking over this area and hunting off of our river," Chief Young said.

She indicated that all non-Indigenous hunters will be turned away at their community checkpoint. This move will help the community improve its sustainability and aid in the stability of its food supply.

"We sustain ourselves with our hunting and our fishing in our area and we've had some unsuccessful hunts over the years because of the overhunting in our area," added Chief Young.

For many in the community, the sharp rise of non-Indigenous hunters in the area has created too much competition within the Bloodvein First Nation. In fact, many community members have said that they resorted to traveling away from their traditional hunting lands to effectively hunt.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bloodvein First Nation member Frank Young explained that the hunting ban will do wonders for everyone in the entire community who is simply trying to survive the way that they were taught.

"It's good now that it's going to be closed," Young revealed. "It's going to be better for the people around here that live off the land."

Despite the sense of relief for the Bloodvein First Nation, many non-Indigenous hunters feel that the ban appears to be overkill. Chris Heald, a senior policy adviser at the Manitoba Wildlife Federation, noted that the move could have been avoided if Manitoba officials had released data explaining that the moose population was on the decline.

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.

"We're upset to see this and we don't feel it had to come to this," Heald said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Heald, licensed non-Indigenous hunters being prohibited from participating in legal hunts is simply not fair.

"Those hunters have all legally purchased their licence and they should be legally allowed to go," added Heald. "Whether it be fish, moose, deer, forestry  we all share the responsibility to protect them, but we also should share in the harvest of them."

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.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Carlo Acutis, a deceased 15-year-old Italian teen who used his technological talents to spread the Catholic faith, is set to become the first millennial saint this Sunday.

Alongside Acutis, Pier Giorgio Frassanti will also be canonized. Frassanti, who died in 1925, was an Italian Catholic activist who dedicated himself to serving the less fortunate.

The canonization ceremony will take place at 9:45 a.m. Rome time  thats 12:45 a.m. in San Diego.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With the ceremony taking place over 6,000 miles away at the Vatican, Acutis canonization Mass is seemingly far removed from San Diegans. But, in a recent Facebook post, the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego shared how believers in Americas Finest City can join in on the festivities.

The Mass will be livestreamed starting at 9:45 a.m. Rome time (3:45 a.m. EDT) on EWTNs YouTube channel and the OSV News website, the Diocese of San Diego explained in the caption of their post.

For local Catholics, the celebration is an opportunity to witness history in real 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 FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Around a dozen students and some parents protested the elimination of class rank at Connellsville Area Senior High School on Saturday.

Student organizers got honks of support from passers-by in their cars, and some even stopped to help sign their petition.

RELATED COVERAGE >>> Connellsville high school students start petition urging school board to reinstate class rank system

The students hoped to raise more awareness of the class rank removal, enough to sway five board members to vote for its return.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Its clearly something that matters to the community and the students who are trying to make a difference and get the attention of the school board who took away this decision," Emma Hull said.

The change is going into effect with this years graduating class. The district moved to a cum laude system to honor more than just the top 10 graduates.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Back in March, mixed martial arts legend Conor McGregor announced his intention to run for president of his native Ireland.

The general election is set for October 24, with McGregor having until September 24 to obtain the required support to be on the ballot. In order to secure a nomination, he needs the requisite support.

"In order to be considered a candidate, a person over the age of 35 must be nominated by at least 20 members of Dail or Seanad Eireann, or no less than four administrative counties (County Councils)," say Ireland's formal election laws. "Former or retiring Presidents may become candidates on their own nomination."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With less than three weeks until that deadline, McGregor is urgently asking fellow citizens for support.

On Thursday, McGregor posted a video of himself in front of major Irish government buildings in Dublin, asking for help.

"Our councillors are the backbone of our communities. They work harder and deliver more for the people than those in the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), who continue to fail this country time and again," McGregor wrote "If you are a councillor who feels your voice is ignored, your hands tied, and your community overlooked, then I ask you to stand with me. Nominate me, and I will give you the platform and power to be truly heard."

McGregor viewed as 'far-right, anti-immigration'

In his previous public political messages, McGregor has preached against immigration and espoused other populist viewpoints, representing what some have deemed a "far-right" Irish nationalism.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness, McGregor said during an appearance at the White House with President Donald Trump back in March, during which he voiced his opposition to a new European Union migration proposal.

In his video today, McGregor again spoke against "mass migration" and said the current government of Ireland has cost citizens their peace of mind, security, and hope for the future."

"The general well-being of Irish citizens nationwide has decreased dramatically," McGregor added.

'Close to zero' chance of winning

Despite McGregor's accomplishments in the octagon and his popularity among some of his fellow countrymen and women, at least one expert is not giving him much of a chance of getting elected, if he even makes the ballot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Close to zero," Gail McElroy, a professor of political science at Trinity College Dublin, told Sky News after McGregor announced his campaign.

In addition to concerns about being able to drum up enough support for his policies, McElroy said she thought McGregor's checkered past would cost him.

Last November, McGregor, 37, lost a civil rape case to Nikita Hand, who accused him of raping her, and also has other accusations of assault and sexual assault on his resume.

"His reputation in Ireland has always been less glowing and the [civil] case certainly hasn't helped. The general view is that Nikita Hand was very brave and very impressive and very strong," McElroy said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I can imagine him being a bit of a joke candidate for some people, you know, young men thinking we're going to have a bit of fun but there just really isn't a sufficient constituency for him there, especially in light of that civil case."

This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Sep 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
ATLANTA, Ga. (WSAV)  The Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta released an update on the ICE operation at the Hyundai facility that apprehended 475 people Thursday morning.

According to the Consulate, only 23 people apprehended are confirmed to be Mexican nationals. The individuals have been transported to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center in Folkston, which has plans to become the largest immigration detention center in the South.

Consulate General personnel have met with Mexican workers from the Hyundai facility who requested individual interviews and have maintained contact with their families to assist them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Legal advice was provided to the workers detained at the ICE Processing Center by consulate personnel, who verified their physical condition and the conditions of the detention center.

According to the update, the majority of detainees decided to sign their voluntary departure and will be expected to return to Mexico in the upcoming days. However, the exact number of voluntary departures was not released.

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.
(FOX40.COM)  No one has won the massive jackpot in the past Powerball drawings, and on Saturday night, the drawing is for $1.8 billion, according to the California Lottery.

Video above: Sacramento area residents rush to get their last-minute ticket ahead of the Powerball 1.1 billion drawing

After nobody won the six numbers on Wednesday, the $1.8 billion is still up for grabs. However, the California Lottery website said the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

If you purchased a ticket and your numbers are 61, 23, 62, 44, 11 and a Powerball of 17, you could be the winner and take home the win.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The California Lottery website states that if you did win the $1.8 billion drawing, then you would take home the estimated cash value $826.4 million.

The most recent Jackpot winner was in California after winning $204.5 million on May 31, choosing either an annuitized prize or a lump sum payment of $91.6 million, the California Lottery said in a statement.

This year so far, three people have been able to take home the jackpot after playing the Powerball, California Lottery officials said.

You win the lottery in California, heres whats next

January 18  $328.5 million in Oregon

March 29  $526.5 million in California

April 26  $167.3 million in Kentucky

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The largest jackpot on record was $2.04 billion, which was taken home by a California ticket buyer in 2022.

The California Lottery website said the results are usually announced two hours after the time of the drawing.

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.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  A man has died following a single-car crash Sunday afternoon, according to the Greensboro Police Department.

According to a press release, on Sunday at around 10:07 a.m., officers responded to a crash in the 4400 block of Burlington Road.

According to police, Jamauri Miller, 19, of Greensboro, was traveling west on Burlington Road in a Dodge Challenger when he drove left of center, went off the road to the left and struck a utility pole.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Miller died due to his injuries. His next of kin have been notified.

The GPDs Crash Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate.

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.
Emergency crews rescued a man who fell about 15 feet into a manhole in Boyle Heights on Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said the man, described as about 30 years old, became trapped underground near 1172 S. Boyle Avenue around 1:20 p.m.

Because of the mans location, firefighters upgraded the call to a confined space rescue, a specialized operation that required hazardous materials teams to monitor the air and Urban Search and Rescue crews to hoist him out.

LAFD crews are seen preparing to rescue a man trapped in a Boyle Heights manhole. September 2025. (KTLA) LAFD crews are seen preparing to rescue a man trapped in a Boyle Heights manhole. September 2025. (KTLA) LAFD crews are seen preparing to rescue a man trapped in a Boyle Heights manhole. September 2025. (KTLA) LAFD crews are seen preparing to rescue a man trapped in a Boyle Heights manhole. September 2025. (KTLA)

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power workers cut power to underground lines before the rescue, and Los Angeles Department of Transportation officials closed nearby streets to keep the area clear, fire officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After carefully securing the patient, rescuers pulled him to safety without further injury. He was taken by paramedics to a local hospital in serious condition, according to LAFD.

Evacuations ordered for new Crump Fire growing in Riverside County

Police and fire investigators also responded to the scene.

Sofia Pop Perez and Phil Ige 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.
Amid severe flood situation in Punjab, the situation remains under control in Ludhiana, district administration on Sunday. According to an update issued at 2:30 PM, the water has not entered the villages in Ludhiana district. However, officials noted that the speed of the water is very high, causing soil erosion along its path. The administration appealed to residents to remain calm, stressing the need not to panic. It also cautioned that spectators were not allowed at the flooded sites for safety reasons. As of Saturday, 46 people have lost their lives due to floods in Punjab, according to the officials. Earlier in the day, Punjab Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that 40 villages in the Fazilka district of the state were affected by floods and relief operations were underway with rescue teams, administration and volunteers on the ground. Speaking to ANI, Sond said, "Our rescue teams have been deployed. Our entire administration, ministers, and organisations are among the people. A total of 40 villages are affected. We have arranged food for the animals and medical facilities for both humans and animals in those villages. About 23 of our camps are operating here." Relief operations continued in flood-hit areas with rations, animal fodder, and tents delivered in two rounds, Sond said, adding that the "third round of supplies began on Sunday." "We delivered rations, including animal fodder and tents, in two rounds. Our third round begins today. This morning, we saw the news that the water was 2,70,000 cusec, which is somewhat less... Based on this, it will take 8-10 days to drain the water from Fazilka. So, the situation is under control," he said. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday said that nearly 2,000 villages and over four lakh people have been affected. He said that 24 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are on the ground, supported by 144 boats and a state government helicopter. He added that the Revenue Department has released Rs 71 crore for relief efforts. (ANI)
LENEXA, Kan.  Lenexa rolled out the green carpet this weekend for its 42nd annual Spinach Festival, a celebration of the citys unique claim to fame as the former Spinach Capital of the World.

The free, family-friendly event drew a big crowd thanks to the beautiful fall weather and plenty of activities for all ages.

Visitors browsed more than 80 craft and art vendors, enjoyed live music and contests and sampled plenty of spinach-inspired treatsincluding the festivals famous giant spinach salad.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Car enthusiasts unite at Cody Allen Memorial Show

Lenexa celebrates its claim to fame as the spinach capital of the world back in the 1930s, said Susanne Neely, recreation supervisor for Lenexa Parks and Recreation.

The farmers here grew some amazing spinach and it kinda carried them through the depression years and so now we just celebrate that wonderful heritage.

For community groups like the Shawnee Mission Northwest Interact Club, the festival is also a chance to give back.

We get to go one-on-one with our community and kind of just see how we impact lives just having the worlds biggest spinach salad and seeing how people are so amazed by spinach just being all in one place, said Valentina Maslovaric, the clubs president.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Families also took advantage of the sunny day to check out the festival for the first time.

We live really close, just across 87th, and weve never been before, and the weather is amazing, so we just wanted to come check it out, said attendee Rachel Collins.

Her husband, Isaac Lee Collins, said the festival is a perfect example of why they love their new neighborhood.

We used to live in the city and coming down to the burbs, we didnt know how it was gonna be and honestly, we love it. Whether its spinach fest or something else, theres always something super fun for us to do, Collins said.

From its Depression-era farming roots to todays family traditions, Spinach Fest continues to showcase the history, community spirit, and leafy green pride that make Lenexa unique.

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.
A Connecticut woman is facing multiple charges including allegedly driving under the influence following a crash on Sunday morning in Old Lyme, according to Connecticut State Police.

Connecticut State Police responded to a crash shortly after 2 a.m. in the area of 156 Four Mile River Road. Police found a black 2019 Ram pickup truck in the southbound lane of Four Mile River Road in an embankment.

According to State Police, Kelsey Velez, 30, of Derby, went off the roadway while negotiating a curve. The truck crashed into a utility pole and ended up in an embankment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A 23-year-old passenger in the truck sustained serious injuries in the crash. He was transported to Middlesex Health Shoreline Medical Center and later transferred to Yale New Haven Hospital, according to Connecticut State Police.

Connecticut State Police said Velez allegedly showed signs of impairment after failing Standard Field Sobriety Tests and was placed under arrest. In addition to being charged with a DUI, Velez is also facing charges of failure to maintain lane and interfering with an officer. She was issued a $100,000 bond. She was transported to York Correctional Facility, and is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on Monday at 9 a.m.

Police said the investigation remains active and anyone with information or witnessed the crash are asked to contact Trooper Gabriella Alberino at Gabriella.Alberino@ct.gov or at Troop F in Westbrook at (860) 399-2100.
Granby resident Josh Ballard and his 5-year-old dog Evan are an inseparable pair, but after a surprise bear attack last month, he said he is grateful that they are both alive.

The attack occurred on Aug. 25, after Ballard let Evan outside in the backyard of his Granby home.

I let him out the back deck where he usually runs around the pool before coming back in, Ballard said. When he went out, I noticed this giant bear right in the path where he normally runs and her cubs were up in my pear tree. Unfortunately, I dont think he saw the bear until it was too late. The sounds were just horrifying. I had about a second to react.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ballard said quick thinking took over and he grabbed the bells on his door and began making loud noises.

By some luck, I happened to be right next to her cubs when I opened the door on the other side, and the bear turned to look at me and began to charge at me, which was absolutely terrifying. The bear was massive, probably at least 600 pounds. So to see the bear going from 30 feet to 3 feet felt like an eye blink, she was right in front of me. She was clearly trying to defend her cubs.

Ballard said that he was able to shut the gate that surrounds his deck just in time for the bear to crash into it. Evan, a Vizsla and Pharaoh Hound mix, was able to run back inside the house despite his extensive injuries.

Hes an amazing dog, were kindred spirits, Ballard said. Hes my best friend and were together all the time. We go hiking a lot and take walks a lot and its been tough on both of us to not be able to do that right now. It was a real blow to hear I might have had to say goodbye to him. So Im just so grateful that hes alive and recovering.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ballard said that Evan had to have emergency surgery on several puncture wounds to his throat, windpipe, legs and chest.

Thankfully the bear missed his heart by an inch, despite the puncture wounds being deep in his chest, Ballard said.

He did need tubes for draining after the surgery in his neck and one tube next to his heart. He cant really bark still because his windpipes are damaged. But hes healing really well and its a miracle that he has no broken bones or more serious injuries. Hes projected to make a full recovery, but it will be a long road ahead.

Bear sightings and interactions are becoming more frequent in Connecticut, such as recently when a black bear and her three cubs entered a Granby home, took some food items and departed, according to the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Those bears left the home on their own, but after a black bear slashed a Connecticut mans chest as he was walking his dog in North Canaan recently, the debate over bear hunting in the state once again heated up.

Officials with the states Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said they responded to a report of a bear attack that occurred in North Canaan last month when a man came between the bear and his dog with cubs present on his property.

In June, a woman named Kayleigh Roy said she used her water bottle to fend off a bear from attacking her dog Phoenix on a trail near Talcott Mountain.

The number of bear sightings reached 159 out of the states 169 towns and cities last year, according to the 2025 The State of the Bears, a DEEP publication that tracks their growth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A GoFundMe page has been launched for Evan to help raise money for the veterinary bills.

This is more about letting other people know to be extra careful when putting their pets outside or letting their kids play in the backyard. I am super vigilant now about it, Ballard said. There are so many bears in the state now. Its always a good idea to be cautious.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
Animal smuggling is a pervasive problem in our world. And with climate change and warming temperatures already threatening biodiversity, the illegal trade of animals makes the threat even greater.

What's happening?

As the Associated Press reported, customs officials in Nigeria announced in August that they had seized more than 1,600 parrots and canaries that were being transported from Lagos to Kuwait without proper permits.

Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, better known as CITES.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Despite this, the country is known for being a hub for the illegal trade of species. Mark Ofua, the West Africa spokesperson for the conservation nonprofit Wild Africa, told the Associated Press that's because of loose borders, corruption, and lax enforcement of existing laws.

But it's big business. Ofua observed that the illegal trade of animals is valued at $8 billion to $10 billion annually.

With that kind of revenue, it is no surprise to hear that this is not an isolated incident.

In another outrageous example, customs officials in Bangkok arrested a group trying to smuggle 87 exotic animals out of the country. Elsewhere in Nigeria, customs officials found a 40-foot shipping container filled with donkey genitals.

Why is stopping illegal animal smuggling important?

Animal smuggling is extremely dangerous for many reasons. First and foremost, it endangers the animals and could put them at risk of injury, illness, or even death. Since many of the animals being illegally traded are already endangered, the threat is even greater.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Smuggling endangers native populations by removing creatures that are valuable to the balance of their local ecosystems.

Meanwhile, introducing a foreign species to an unprepared population can lead to bad outcomes. If an invasive species establishes itself in a local area, it can threaten biodiversity and disrupt the food chain, potentially affecting human food supplies.

What's being done about animal smuggling?

There are many ways to combat this ongoing problem. Taking local action can help laws and regulations get passed that support conservation efforts and punish those who break the law.

It's essential to elect government officials who acknowledge this is a significant issue. Then, it's important to ensure authorities have the resources and wherewithal to dutifully enforce these laws.

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.




Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky has strongly reacted to a large-scale Russian strike on Ukraine, saying that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin only pretends to want peace while in reality aiming to kill as many Ukrainians as possible.

Source: Jan Lipavsky on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Lipavsky stressed that last night Russia launched over 800 drones and missiles, which resulted in civilian fatalities, including a mother and her two-month-old baby.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote: "A coward who attacks women and children. To talk today about stopping aid to Ukraine means siding with the aggressor."

Background:

On the night of 6-7 September, Russia carried out a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine using strike UAVs and ground-launched missiles. Ukrainian air defence intercepted 751 out of 823 aerial assets, though 9 missiles and 54 drones hit 33 locations.

As of 13:00, three people had been reported killed and 20 injured in Kyiv. The Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv also caught fire as a result of the Russian strike.

EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova has called for an end to Russian terror in the wake of a large-scale Russian strike against Ukraine on the night of 6-7 September.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) True crime fans continued to pack the Gaylord of the Rockies this weekend, and on Saturday, CrimeCon attendees took a deeper dive into a Colorado case.

CrimeCon highlighted the investigation and trial of James Craig, the former Aurora dentist who was found guilty in July of poisoning his wife to death and sentenced to life in prison.

23rd District Attorney George Brauchler, who was not a part of the trial but knows the case well, sat down with podcasters to talk about the case.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox

This guy has to be the top, most evil, calculating killer Ive ever come across for what he did and to who he did it, Brauchler said.

He joined the 48 Hours podcast hosted by Natalie Morales and Anne Marie Green, who previously covered the case on their show.

Brauchler says he was there to shed light on things others may have missed.

All of the other details. Things that flowed in and out of the decision making, the planning, the preparation, execution and frankly what took place after the execution of the plan, he said.

Brauchler said the huge crowds at CrimeCon have shown him just how much people are invested in the work he and so many others are involved in.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Free on Your TV  New FOX31+ App for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV

What you dont really appreciate until you come to an event like this is how invested these fans are in wanting to become part of that real crime sort of discussion thats going on, Brauchler said.

He said hes been surprised to learn the extent of peoples interest in crime, specifically cases hes worked on.

I mean, there are things they bring up to me I didnt even remember, Brauchler said.

Regarding the James Craig case, Brauchler said, he is not surprised that its drawn so much interest.

For him to have engaged in this the way that he did, I think thats why its so fascinating, Brauchler said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Brauchler says hes thankful that people are engaging in discussions around true crime and uses it as motivation in his daily work.

The fact that there are so many people invested in that process and the facts surrounding it, its humbling but its also inspirational, Brauchler said. You want to make sure that you do a good job.

CrimeCon is happening again on Sunday, and for attendees going, they can see FOX31s Vicente Arenas there, moderating a panel about the case of Gabby Petito, who authorities said was strangled by Brian Laundrie during a cross-country trip in 2021.

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.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux announced the conclusion of Operation Justice Trail on August 31, marking the end of a four-month crackdown on violent felons.

The initiative netted 349 arrests of offenders with nearly 2,000 prior arrests combined.

August alone saw 56 violent felons arrested, each averaging five prior arrests. Since launching on May 1, the operation targeted individuals with extensive criminal histories.

The success of this operation is credited to the relentless efforts of the Dallas Police Department, the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force, and North Texas Crime Stoppers, said Chief Comeaux. As the most proactive police department in the country, this operation reflects the discipline of our teams, the strength of our intelligence, and the value of every person who supported the mission  from the officers to the tipsters.

Crime Stoppers guaranteed $1,000 rewards for tips leading to arrests. Six tipsters collected payments during the operations run.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The arrested individuals collectively had 1,928 prior arrests before this operation. That averages to more than five previous arrests per person taken into custody.

Full details of the August arrests are available in the departments monthly report.
Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad on Sunday alleged that the Election Commission is working as an "extension of the Bharatiya Janata Party". "It is for the first time after Independence that the Election Commission is working as an extension of the BJP... Small social workers cannot understand how we can save the democracy..." Prasad told ANI. Meanwhile, Congress has augmented its campaign to call out the alleged discrepancies in the previously held assembly elections and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has launched a newsletter, standing firm on his revelations of alleged "vote theft" against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Centre. "The opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's campaign against 'vote theft' is exposing how the Election Commission and BJP are colluding to steal your vote and rigging the elections," Congress posted on X while informing about the release of a newsletter that entails Gandhi's "atom bomb" presser. In his press conference held on August 7, Gandhi alleged over one lakh fake voters in the Mahadevapura assembly constituency in Karnataka's Bengaluru Central. The newsletter also highlights Gandhi's 'Vote Adhikaar Yatra' in Bihar, where he was joined by his allies in the INDIA bloc, including Bihar LoP and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. Earlier in the day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the ECI, questioning whether the poll body has become "BJP's back-office for vote theft" In a post on X, Kharge shared a media report on the alleged EC's decision to withhold details in a probe related to voter fraud in Karnataka's Aland Constituency. Kharge shared the chronological details of what he believed was the "massive deletion" of voters in the Aland constituency ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections in 2023. "Is the Election Commission of India (ECI) now the BJP's back office for vote chori? Understand the chronology. Ahead of the May 2023 Karnataka elections, Congress had exposed a massive deletion of voters in the Aland Constituency. Thousands of voters were stripped of their rights through a very sophisticated operation of forging Form 7 applications," Kharge said. "In Feb 2023, a case was filed. The probe revealed 5,994 forged applications - clear evidence of a massive attempt at voter fraud. The Congress government then ordered a CID probe to catch the culprits," he added. (ANI)
I was doing some genealogical research the other day.

And I saw Grandma Campbell there.

Her name was really Mary Lee Campbell.

She was my great-grandmother.

She was born four years after the Civil War ended.

At 16, she married a sharecropper down in what we now call Far Western Kentucky.

A houseful of kids came later.

One of them would be my grandmother.

My earliest memory of Grandma Campbell is an old woman who smelled of snuff, playing piggies with my little brothers toes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I assume she had done that with mine too.

Mostly I remember her as a very old woman, lying in a bed in a very depressing nursing home in Southern Illinois.

She had outlived a couple of husbands and all of her children  even several grandchildren.

She was nearly blind and could barely hear.

She was separated from what few friends remained and her life had no quality, as we say.

I remember how she used to cry and pray for Jesus to come get her.

She was tired of living and wanted to go home, she said.

She was praying to die and I was praying for her to live.

But finally, one night in 1962, I prayed for her to die too.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And I felt so guilty.

A couple of days later, the phone rang early.

Telephone calls that wake you are never good news.

Grandma Campbell was dead.

I felt like I had pulled the plug on her.

I knew, as only a 15-year-old can, that my prayer had killed her.

I tell you that to tell you this: I dont want to die like that.

Right now, Im in perfect health as far as I know.

But that wont last forever.

If my body is going to outlast my mind, I want the right to let my body go too.

If I am to the point that real life has ended and Im merely existing, I want the right to choose the time and manner of my passing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I have a living will, but I want more.

If you dont, thats fine with me.

I like to think that this is still a free America.

And I believe I should have the right to choose.

Oregon gave its citizens that right in 1997.

Washington followed in 2008.

Im a Kentuckian.

I dont want to move.

I want the right to choose when its time to go and go peacefully.

Not lingering for days or weeks in terrible pain.

A lot of people I talk to feel the same way.

But I realize that most people dont.

Thats fine.

But its an idea I wish we would consider.
20 years of planning, building, demolition, and hope came to fruition Saturday as the celebration of the Grand Opening of the Seattle Waterfront.

What started as a crack on the old State Route 99 Viaduct after the Nisqually Earthquake has transformed into a gathering space that connects the heart of Seattle with the waters of Elliot Bay.

Gregoire was in office when the ideas first began more than two decades ago.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We chose a transformational vision. We tore down that barrier and we connected our great city with the sea, Gregoire said.

Its not just a piece of infrastructure, its not just a road, its proof of whats possible when we lead with vision and determination. Gregoire continued in a speech leading up to the ribbon-cutting.

Visitors from around Seattle, the Puget Sound Region, around Washington, and around the globe were on hand for the celebration of the years of work it took to transform the area.

The accessibility, how family-friendly it is to bring my nieces and mom down, its just remarkable. Angie said, Its a part of history.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Angies mother, Lynn, said it was enough to draw her to the city from Shoreline for the first time since COVID.

I was a little concerned when we brought tourists down here 10 years ago, and I wasnt impressed. Lynn said, " But now Im like, Okay, we can do this. Its really changed."

Angie remarked on the free activities, like the playground featuring a 25-foot jellyfish that can create fun for everyone.

Vivian Wong, her husband Greg, and daughter Emma came to Seattle to celebrate Vivians Birthday, surprised by the size of the Waterfront and its celebration.

We didnt even know this existed. There was so much done to revamp this place, Vivian said, We feel safe here, so this has been great.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Community leaders hope the Waterfront will become a symbol recognizable around the globe, just like the Pike Place Market and the Space Needle.

There were several hurdles and delays in the path of the project that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to replace the viaduct with a thriving community attraction. Gregoire sees it as a representation of the payoff to see a vision through to the end.

The one lesson I learned is you have to be determined because there were hiccups, there were challenges, and you cannot give up, you just have to keep pushing forward, and when you do, this is what you get.
Hundreds of apartments, parking spaces and retail space are in the plans.

And, as another regular season of the Yard Goats draws to a close at Dunkin Park, the 1960s data center just beyond center field is still standing  vacant and an eyesore  but a new view from the citys minor league ballpark is expected at the start of next season.

We are all working hard on a schedule that should have the center field view at Yard Goats stadium clear by opening day next year, Jeff Auker, Hartfords director of development services, said. On opening day, there will be a nice clear view.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Demolition, which could take up to six months, is expected to begin this fall, Auker said.

The state is wrapping up its review of the redevelopment plans for the site that include a $90 million applied artificial intelligence center, a $30 million, 120-room boutique hotel and a 200-space parking garage. In addition to the hotel, with a possible rooftop lounge overlooking the ballpark, and the AI center, the garage could provide parking for Dunkin Park.

The review by the state Department of Economic and Community Development  known as scoping  kicked in after the state awarded $6 million toward the redevelopment of the data center, part of the larger North Crossing development around the ballpark.

The $6 million in state brownfields funds will be used to demolish and rid the nearly 3-acre property just east of Dunkin Park of contamination. Because there are redevelopment plans, the scoping was launched to give the public  and other state agencies  the opportunity to weigh in.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Just one comment was submitted by last weeks deadline, from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. DEEP raised no major concerns, except to point out that the need for attention to managing storm water flowing from the site, given the closeness to the Connecticut River.

Leveling the data center is expected to cost $9.4 million including other state and city funds.

Matthew J. Pugliese, DECDs deputy commissioner and chief investment officer, said scoping helps identify environmental, social and economic impacts of projects qualifying for state funding under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act. DECD regularly scopes projects that are approved for brownfields clean-up funding, Pugliese said.

The agency is excited to award funding to the City of Hartford for the remediation and demolition of the vacant data center at 150 Windsor Street, which will pave the way for future development, Pugliese said. At this time, DECD does not anticipate any issues that would negatively impact the project from moving forward.

Hotel may come first

So far, North Crossing  often still referred to by its former name, DoNo, short for Downtown North  has focused on apartments and storefronts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The first phase, known as The Pennant, added 228 apartments in 2022 and has an occupancy of 95%, according to state statistics from June. The apartments cost $56 million to build and financing included a $12 million, state-taxpayer backed loan from the Capital Region Development Authority.

The first half of a second phase will soon add another 237 apartments, plus a 541-space parking garage at a cost of $63 million, partly financed with a $13.5 million CRDA loan. The parking garage will provide spaces for both halves of the phase.

Stamford-based RMS Cos., the developer of North Crossing, said the first of the apartments now under construction should be ready for leasing early next year, likely February or March. And as the heavy construction starts to wind down in the next two or three months, RMS will be looking to begin building the second half of the residential rentals, according to RMS founder and chief executive Randy Salvatore.

We going to get right into getting going on the site work next door, Salvatore said. Our intention is to flow right into the second building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All together, the second phase will have 532 apartments, plus 10,000 square feet of storefront space, at an estimated cost of $120 million.

RMS also would be the developer of the data center site. Once the building is demolished, Salvatore expects construction on the hotel and parking garage to start first. Planning for the Connecticut Center for Applied AI also is expected to require a longer timeline.

Construction of the AI center also heavily depends on a roughly $50 million for the states Innovation Clusters program. The program seeks to promote the expansion of next-generation technology such as AI and quantum computing that are expected to drive future economic development and job growth.

Hartford also is competing with New Haven and Stamford as finalists for funding from the states program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A DECD spokesman said Friday there is not an expected timeframe for an announcement on the grants.

Consequential technology

If it is successful, the city said it is confident it will be able to line up the balance for the AI Center not covered by the Innovation Clusters grant. Online giant Google already has expressed interest in helping an applied AI center in Hartford outfit itself with crucial, rapidly-evolving technology.

Auker acknowledged that some might question pursuing new construction when there is a glut of empty office space downtown.

Its an area that incredibly important to the look and the flow of people around the city, Auker said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The area around the ballpark was listed in 2020 in the citys 15-year plan of development as one of the top 10 spots that could transform Hartford by 2035. In 2035, Hartford will mark its 400th anniversary.

Its a key point of why we want to develop there, Auker said. It will inspire and activate redevelopment around there. Not just the hotel but hopefully makes the (former Rensselaer Polytechnic} campus more attractive and we already have folks that own the lots across (Market Street) looking for development opportunities.

City officials have said the AI center would be separate from what the corporations are spending on AI  estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. But collaborations with them  especially in insurance and health care  are absolutely foreseen, they said.

The city also isnt focusing on the incubator space for start-ups that could too easily relocate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hartfords sweet spot is the area between the large companies and the start-ups. This is where new ideas  some developed at colleges and universities  are tested and worked on in a lab using digital tools that are commercially available.

But a key part of the vision also targets training to prepare a workforce for using AI, which many believe will be the most consequential technology in the future, its impact even deeper than the development of the internet.

A survey released last week by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association found that many small businesses in the state are unsure of how to use AI.

In the urban centers, we certainly have not provided on-ramps, points of access for our residents and some of our small businesses who dont have the capital to invest in some of these technologies, Auker told the Courant in June. So, the essence of this is really to create a center and then make the declaration that Hartford is here to unlock the value of AI.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That means also collaborating with institutions of higher learning and nonprofits focused on technology to really funnel that into ways that our residents and our small businesses can get access to those skills and capabilities that AI is transforming all around us, Auker said.

Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com.
"Establishment of a Palestinian state would put Israel's security in jeopardy," FM Gideon Sa'ar told his Danish counterpart in Jerusalem.

Danish foreign ministerLars Lokke Rasmussen said during a Jerusalem press conference with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Sunday, "We are not ready to recognize a Palestinian state." However, he continued, "Israel does not have a veto over any Danish recognition of a Palestinian state."

This was said in response to Sa'ar's statement that the establishment of a Palestinian state would put Israel's security in jeopardy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Danish foreign minister went on to say, "Israel must stop military offensive in Gaza, Copenhagen is concerned about settlement expansionism in the West Bank."

He continued, "Israel should allow injured Gazans to be transported to East Jerusalem, the West Bank for medical treatment."

Sa'ar said that the war in Gaza could end if hostages were released and Hamas laid down its weapons.

Denmarks Foreign Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen and EU High Representative of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas during a Press conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday August 30, 2025 (credit: EMIL HELMS/RITZAU SCANPIX/VIA REUTERS)

His statements during a press conference with his Danish counterpart in Jerusalem come a day after Hamas reiterated its long-standing position that it would free all hostages if Israel agreed to an end to the war and withdraw its forces from Gaza City.

A two-state solution?

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had said in mid-August that while her country condemned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, she did not support recognizing a Palestinian state at this time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a Facebook post, the Danish leader stated that recognizing Palestine here and now will not help the thousands of children currently fighting for their survival, no matter how much one might wish it.

However, at the end of the month, Denmark's foreign minister said at the end of the month that Israel is undermining a two-state solution to the Middle East crisis through its actions in Gaza.

"Israel is right now undermining the two-state solution," Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen.
Editors note: This story was originally published on Sept. 7, 2024.

A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.

On Sept. 7, 1940, Nazi Germany began an intense bombing campaign of Britain during World War II with an air attack on London; known as the Blitz, the eight-month campaign resulted in more than 40,000 civilian deaths.

And it was a difficult time for the stoic British people. The cultural and popular center of Western Europe endured attack after nightly attack from the German air force. Many had to take shelter in Underground stations around the city.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Per historical accounts, notable barrages included a large daylight attack against London on Sept. 15, a large raid on Dec. 29 that caused a devastating fire in London, and a significant attack on May 10-11, 1941.

In reality, other major cities like Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and Hull were also targeted, along with U.K. port cities like Bristol, Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow and Southampton.

But about half of the deaths came in the area around London, where a reported million homes were destroyed on damaged. The attacks went on for 57 days, with one day of reprieve.

Newspapers of the day covered the carnage from a distance and through the use of war correspondents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And there were many heroes, part of Englands civilian army: nurses, laborers, farmers, etc. One was Thomas Peirson Frank.

According to AP reports, after each days attack, Frank led a secret squad of engineers and laborers who worked night after night during World War II to repair flood defenses along the Thames River hit in German air raids.

The men used rubble, sandbags and finally concrete to mend breaches in the Thames wall that threatened the inundation of thousands of businesses and homes.

London burned during the war, but it never flooded, due in large measure to Frank, chief engineer for London County Council, and his crews.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Researchers found files revealing the truth that had been hidden from Londoners during the war and later forgotten  the river wall was hit 121 times between 1940 and 1945, 84 of them during the Blitz of September 1940 to May 1941.

Frank was knighted in 1942 for his work  though details of his job were kept under wraps  and later became president of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He died in 1951.

The front page of the Deseret News on Sept. 9, 1940, showing the devastating effects of German bombing of London.

Here are a selection of stories on the Blitz and how Londoners survived from Deseret News archives:

New releases cover London during WWII and essays on nature

U.K. museum looks at epic, intimate sides of World War I

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Honor for hero who saved London from WWII flooding

Joyous memories of London and light at the end of WWII

Long-secret operations room under castle opens to public

British phlegm is once again being challenged

Defusing WWII shells is huge job in Germany

Suspected WWII bomb found in River Thames in London
Why are there no protests in Gaza against Hamas, who is threatening it on the ground, and what will happen without the human shield?

Israel's security establishment has assessed that the public in Gaza rarely demonstrates against Hamas due to deep fear and tightening control, but noted that the organization is not immune to internal threats.

A senior security source explained that the Palestinian public is not revolting and is not taking to the streets, but emphasized that local clans are beginning to challenge Hamas rule. The source warned that when hundreds of thousands of residents relocate from the southern Gaza Strip, Hamas will remain exposed without the human shield that has so far protected it in the heart of Gaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An official and authorized security source said that "the Hamas leadership is not really interested in the Palestinian public" and that they have expressed this several times. From their perspective, "100,000, 200,000, 300,000 will die  it doesn't interest them."

According to the source, this is a direct quote from senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayyah, adding that "the population doesn't interest Hamas as long as it controls the Strip and as long as the population does not challenge it enough."

Regarding why Gaza's population does not challenge Hamas, the source said: "We saw the public demonstrations in a very limited way in February 2024. These demonstrations stopped for a very long period of time. They hardly happened, and then on May 25, the demonstrations started again in the north of the Gaza Strip, in Beit Lahiya, and they spread to other areas in the Gaza Strip, both in Gaza City and in Khan Yunis and in general.

Palestinians from clans hold guns and melee weapons to secure aid trucks in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip, June 25, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa)

These demonstrations comprised thousands of people, said the source, but at some point they "faded and even disappeared."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Here and there you see protests against the war, and here and there some protests about some event or another."

The security source added, "The Palestinian public in Gaza, for the most part, is not revolting, not taking to the streets, and not expressing it openly. In behind-the-scenes conversations, they address it  they say they would be very happy for Hamas to leave, but they are not expressing any public protest. I think it is based mainly on fear and challenge and the fact that Hamas holds the territory."

Hamas has two challenges

Nevertheless, the senior source said Hamas faces two challenges that will intensify as the fighting in Gaza continues. There are clans that challenge Hamas. Some of them were in the headlines, such as Abu al-Shabab, and some were not in the headlines, but they exist and pose a challenge. They challenge Hamas mostly in their living area without having a broad impact on the Strip. Then this does not spread into a major governance challenge.

Hamass big challenge will be when they see that hundreds of thousands of people will move from north to south, and I estimate that they will move. I estimate that this will challenge them in the context of their ability to deal with the IDF when they are not under human control.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The security official dismissed criticism that Israel is bringing products into Gaza that do not meet the threshold for humanitarian aid while the hostages are starving in the tunnels.

"The policy of bringing in aid is clear. We bring in things that are within the basic humanitarian threshold, according to a very clear definition."
It appears that this latest attack employed complex diversion and surprise tactics to achieve the Houthis' goals.

The air force still has not explained how the Yemen-based Houthis hit Ramon Airport midday on Sunday.

But theories are already abound about how the Yemen-based terror group pulled off one of its first serious hits in over a year.

In May, the Houthis managed to strike with one ballistic missile near Ben Gurion Airport, but the missile still missed the airport itself.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In any event, it got through Israels missile shield due to a rare technical failure of the Jewish states normally highly reliable missile technology.

The Houthis did kill an Israeli civilian in Tel Aviv in July 2024 with a sophisticated surprise attack strategy that caught Israel with its guard down.

Scenes from the damage at Eilat's Ramon Airport after a direct impact from a drone from Yemen, September 7, 2025. (credit: SCREENSHOT/X, SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT)

It appears that this latest attack used complex diversion and surprise as well to achieve the Houthis goals.

Three other drones intercepted that day, IDF spokesman confirms

An IDF spokesman said the air force intercepted three drones during the day, mostly coming from the Egyptian border side, two of which were destroyed before entering Israel. Alerts were activated according to policy, the spokesman said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sirens sounded shortly after 2:00 p.m. in several communities near the Egyptian border, including Nitzana, Kadesh Barnea, Khemin, and Beer Milka. The IDF Home Front Command declared the incident over less than 10 minutes later.

But this declaration of the security event being over may have been the moment where Israel's air defense let its guard down and Yemen slipped additional drones through, one of which struck Ramon Airport.

It is possible that it was a later drone from the Egyptian side also which crisscrossed Israels south. Or it would be possible that it came from the Jordan border side of Israel, while attention was all focused on the Egyptian side.

Many of the same air defense units work on those borders simultaneously.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some southern Israeli officials said that they noticed a major drop in Israeli air defense security infrastructure after the 12-Day War with Iran.

In other words, the strike on Ramon Airport could also have come from a loss of resources and attention from Yemen, given that the "head of the snake," Iran, had been defeated.

In general, Ramon Airport would not have as many defenses as Ben-Gurion since it is a much smaller local airport, and not Israels major strategic international hub.

Whatever the reason, if Israel does not take the Houthis seriously and realize that the Yemen terror group can adjust and try to surprise Jerusalem, there could be more similar incidents in the future, and some might even end in a deadlier fashion.
A disabled Vietnam vet is fighting a new war against his small town government.

Leonard Amicola, who has lived in the Westchester County village of Croton-on-Hudson for 67 years, said hell battle local officials to keep his Trump is my President banner flying, claiming he has a Constitutional right to express support for the commander-in-chief, he told News12 Westchester.

Amicola, who said hes had a Trump flag or banner up since 2021, said hes already had to deal with a backlash from local residents, who have hurled rocks and even stolen his flags and banners.

Vietnam vet Leonard Amicola is in a fight to keep his Trump banner flying at his Croton-on-Hudson home. News 12 Long Island

I did at one time have it on the pole, and one night somebody came and took it and it was gone, he told the outlet. So thats I think when I decided to put it up there  which is, they cant get to it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At issue is a longstanding prohibition on banners that village Mayor Brian Pugh said makes Amicolas display a straight forward code enforcement matter, not a free speech issue.

Pugh told News12 that law has at least 17 other local properties have been cited for violations  not just the veteran and Trump supporter.

Vietman vet Leonard Amicola said his earlier Trump flags and banners were stolen or had stones thrown at them. News 12 Long Island

Amicola disagrees, and has even hired a lawyer to keep his banner flying.

We believe that the villages enforcement action is unfair, that it targets the content of his speech than simply the display, his attorney, Roseann Schuyler, told the outlet.

We feel that his actions are protected under the First Amendment, Schuyler said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said Amicola will plead not guilty and continue to fight the citation  and said it may be a matter we need to bring to federal court.

Ironically, the village backed the vet with a different kind of banner in the past.

In a twist of irony Leonard Amicola was hailed as a hometown hero on a banner endorsed by the village in 2023. News 12 Long Island

In 2023, Amicola was among a host of Croton residents tapped by the local government to take part in the Veterans Banner Program, which was designed to honor village residents who have served in the armed forces.

The banner will serve as a reminder throughout the year of their courage and sacrifice for all residents of our village, state and country, officials said at the time.

That banner hails Amicola as a Hometown Hero.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national media incharge Anurag Dhanda on Sunday took a jibe alleged that Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was "touring Malaysia" at a time when Punjab was reeling under floods. In a post on X, Anurag Dhanda shared, "If there are elections in Punjab, this person will show up asking for votes, but today when Punjab is struggling with floods, this gentleman is touring Malaysia?" https://x.com/anuragdhanda/status/1964631325715079579 As of Saturday, 46 people have lost their lives due to floods in Punjab, according to the officials. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that nearly 2,000 villages and over four lakh people have been affected. He said that 24 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are on the ground, supported by 144 boats and a state government helicopter. Earlier BJP IT Department in-charge Amit Malviya launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of going on a "clandestine vacation" to Langkawi, Malaysia, amidst the Bihar Assembly elections. Malviya took to the social media platform X to share a picture of Gandhi, questioning the timing and purpose of his trip. In a post on X, Amit Malviya shared, "Rahul Gandhi has slipped away yet again--this time on a clandestine vacation in Langkawi, Malaysia. Looks like the heat and dust of Bihar's politics was too much for the Congress Yuvraj, who had to rush off for a break. Or is it another one of those secret meetings that no one is supposed to know about? Either way, while people struggle with real issues, Rahul Gandhi is busy perfecting the art of disappearing and vacationing." https://x.com/amitmalviya/status/1964337397170127190 Earlier, Rahul Gandhi launched a newsletter, standing firm on his revelations of alleged "vote theft" against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Centre. "The opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's campaign against 'vote theft' is exposing how the Election Commission and BJP are colluding to steal your vote and rigging the elections," Congress posted on X while informing about the release of a newsletter that entails Gandhi's "atom bomb" presser. In his press conference held on August 7, Gandhi alleged over one lakh fake voters in the Mahadevapura assembly constituency in Karnataka's Bengaluru Central. The newsletter also highlights Gandhi's 'Vote Adhikaar Yatra' in Bihar, where he was joined by his allies in the INDIA bloc, including Bihar LoP and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. (ANI)
CLINTON, Miss. (WJTV)  Learning to identify trees might not sound exciting to everyone, but at the Clinton Community Nature Center, its helping people of all ages understand why conservation matters.

Before stepping onto the trail, participants gathered inside the center for a crash course in tree identification.

Brady Scott Dunaway, Natural Heritage Program Ecologist at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MMNS), led the lesson and introduced the group to tree species they would soon encounter in the woods.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Weve gotten a little out of touch with nature. And even if we dont have the subsistence lifestyle today, the that our ancestors had, it still is a good way to get in touch with our natural roots, with our natural heritage. And just knowing your trees can tell you a lot about the landscape, he said.

Dunaway led the group along one of the centers wooded trails, stopping to examine trees. The hands-on hike welcomes nature lovers of all ages. Organizers said this kinds of accessibility is key to getting people to care about conservation.

We always encourage people to get in nature, but we are a conservation group. And the more you know about nature, the more you want to, we find that people want to, like, protect nature. Because we see that all living things in a habitat work together. And if we dont have these habitats, then it does affect us as humans, said Claire Floyd, co-director of Administration & Grand Development at the Clinton Community Nature Center.

Close

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

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.
ALPENA, Mich. (WOOD)  An officer for the Grant Police Department died while running a 5K on Saturday in Alpena, according to Newaygo County Dispatch.

Don Morsaw was running in the Tunnel to Towers Foundation 5K race when he died, dispatch said.

The Grant Police Department announced the death in a social media post and extended its condolences to Morsaws family, friends and colleagues.

It is with deep sadness that we share the off-duty passing of Officer Don Morsaw, the department said in the post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officer Morsaw joined the Grant Police Department in 2018 and served our community with dedication, integrity, and compassion. Over the past seven years, he became a trusted colleague and a respected presence in our community, always committed to keeping others safe, Grant PD said.

The department says that it will be wearing mourning bands in honor of Morsaw in the coming days.

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.
By Katherine Hempstead

On July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law. This bill makes historic cuts to the Medicaid program.

Nationally, there is a projected $1 trillion cut in federal funding over the next 10 years, with millions projected to lose their coverage and hundreds of hospitals at risk of closure.

The law introduces work requirements in Medicaid for the first time and creates new restrictions on how states can fund their Medicaid program. It will have major consequences for Medicaid enrollees in New Jersey and the health care providers who serve them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What will the impact be for New Jersey residents with disabilities who depend on Medicaid (NJ Familycare) for services? Here is a breakdown in Q&A format:

Q: What is NJ FamilyCare and who does it cover?

A: NJ Familycare is New Jerseys Medicaid program. NJ Familycare covers 1.8 million residents, about one in five New Jerseyans.

Most people in NJ FamilyCare are eligible based on their income. This includes children, pregnant women, and adults who became eligible under the expansion of Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act.

There are about 500,000 expansion adults. The rest of the Medicaid population, about 300,000 people, are eligible under the Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD) category. This includes older adults and people with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Q: What services does Medicaid provide to people with disabilities?

A: Medicaid is the primary source of health care for people with disabilities of all ages. It plays a particularly important role for people with disabilities as the primary payer of long-term care.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Medicare generally does not cover long-term care, so people who cannot privately pay receive these services through Medicaid. These services include nursing-home care as well as home- and community-based services (HCBS), such as home health care, adult day programs, and transportation services.

While nursing-home services are mandatory, HCBS are optional, meaning that states have the discretion to expand or reduce these services as their budgets change.

Q: How will work requirements affect people enrolled in Medicaid?

A: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act established work requirements in the Medicaid program. They apply to adults who are part of the Medicaid expansion population. These enrollees will have to provide evidence that they are engaged in 80 hours of work, school, or other acceptable activity each month, or else show that they cant meet these requirements due to health reasons or family caregiving responsibilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The work requirements go into effect in January 2027, and specific information about what enrollees need to do to comply with work requirements has not been released yet. The new law also requires that adults in the Medicaid expansion population must redetermine their eligibility for Medicaid every six months, instead of annually.

Q: Will New Jerseyans with disabilities need to comply with Medicaid work requirements?

A: Work requirements only apply to adults in the Medicaid expansion population, so adults who are eligible for Medicaid through the Aged, Blind and Disabled pathway will not be subject to work requirements and will not have to redetermine their eligibility every six months.

Q: So, does that mean that Medicaid enrollees with disabilities eligible wont be affected by the one big bill?

A: Unfortunately, no. There are adults enrolled in the Medicaid expansion population who have mental and/or physical health conditions that interfere with their ability to work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These could include, for example, mental health issues, chronic pain, or a serious illness like cancer. Enrollees who meet the definition of medically frail will be exempt from work requirements, but the specific standards and process for getting an exemption have not been determined yet.

Also, some caregivers for older adults or adults with disabilities may be subject to work requirements, so this could have an impact on people with disabilities.

Q: Are there any other impacts on the disabled population?

A: Mostly likely, yes. The other major feature of the new law are some significant new restrictions on how states can finance their Medicaid programs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The New Jersey Medicaid agency estimates these restrictions will cause an annual reduction in funding for hospitals of $2.8 billion. A funding cut of this magnitude creates a budget hole that is very hard for any state to fill.

Since many of the home- and community-based services received by enrollees with disabilities are discretionary for states, there may be cuts to the budget that affect these services.

Enrollees with disabilities may find themselves on longer waiting lists, receiving less assistance, or coping with the impacts of worker shortages that come from reduced payment to providers.

This may also affect family members, who may need to take on a larger caregiving role to make up for reduced services. The burden of implementing work requirements, along with the other cuts, will strain the Medicaid program for all enrollees and introduce added administrative costs and confusion into the whole system.

Q: What can you do?

A: Stay informed. If you or a family member is enrolled in NJ FamilyCare, make sure you understand your enrollment category and how you may be affected by the the one big bill. At the same time, stay active. The more that people learn about this bill and the impact it will have on access to care for the most vulnerable, the more concerns they have.

Katherine Hempstead, PhD, is senior policy officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Read the original article on NJ.com.
DISCLAIMER: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

DESOTO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  A team of DeSoto Parish beagles were all paws on deck helping the DeSoto Parish Sheriffs Office (DPSO) find a man who allegedly caused a crash and escaped into a wooded area.

The incident occurred on September 3, 2025, around 1:45 p.m. DPSO notified residents via Facebook to use caution when driving as there was a heavy police presence on I-49.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the post, the driver of a car ran into the back of a semi truck and then fled on foot into the woods.

The missing driver was reported to deputies to be a possible Hispanic male wearing a black shirt and dark shorts.

The Sheriffs Office, along with the beagle team and drone assistance, pursued the man in the woods.

It only took K-9 Clyde seven minutes to sniff out the culprit, and the individual was taken into custody.

Man caught in woods by DPSO officers in woods after foot pursuit Shreveport Bossier News Crime

The suspect was determined to have an active warrant from another parish.

According to the Texarkana Texas Inmate Roster was booked on September 4, 2025, under the following charges

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hit and Run Driving

Operating A Vehicle Under Suspicion Of Certain Prior Offenses

Fugitive Warrant Arrest

No Proof of Insurance

Operating while intoxicated; third offense; penalties

No major injuries have currently been reported.

The community celebrated the quick capture with the posts from the department, gathering thousands of likes and over 300 shares.

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 KTALnews.com.
The Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to withhold the names of two Jeffrey Epstein associates who received a combined $350,000 from him in 2018.

NBC News said that it filed a motion to unseal the names of the associates but is facing pushback from the DOJ, which has requested that the names remain confidential.

The mystery associates reportedly received the paymentsone for $100,000, the other for $250,000days after a Miami Herald investigation renewed scrutiny of a plea deal the convicted pedophile received a decade earlier, in 2008.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

NBC News reports that the associates were described as co-conspirators in his arrest for soliciting sex from a teenager. The network reported that their names were sealed as part of the plea agreement and included a promise that the duo would not be prosecuted.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump loyalist, has been among those calling for more details to be released about the federal probe into Jeffrey Epstein. / REUTERS

Epstein was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges at the time of his death, which was ruled a suicide in 2019. His second arrest renewed attention on the mystery associates as prosecutors argued against Epstein being released on bail because they feared he might tamper with witnesses.

The associates are reportedly named repeatedly in stories by the Herald, but it remains unclear who they are. Prosecutors wrote in a filing that the payments may be evidence of efforts to influence witnesses.

NBC News reports that it requested that the names be unsealed in July. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman set a deadline of Sept. 5 for the DOJ to respond, which it met with a letter from Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York. Clayton was formerly the chair of the SEC during President Donald Trumps first term and was later appointed as a U.S. attorney by the president.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Clayton wrote in his letter, Individual-1 and Individual-2 are uncharged third parties who have not waived their privacy interests; indeed, both Individual-1 and Individual-2 have expressly objected to the unsealing of their names and personal identifying information in the July 2019 Letter.

President Donald Trump has said that he cut ties with Epstein after the pedophile stole female workers from his exclusive Florida members club. Their relationship has been under intense scrutiny this summer. / Davidoff Studios Photography / Getty Images

The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has faced increased pressure to release details about Epstein, his alleged associates, and the circumstances of his death. Trump campaigned on releasing the so-called Epstein files last year, but has so far done little to reveal new information to the public.

In the absence of new details, the public, including his own diehard supporters, has seized on his longtime relationship with the disgraced financier, with whom he was photographed on several occasions.
President Donald Trump has threatened Chicago with WAR in an unhinged Truth Social post on Saturday.

Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR, Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social. Trump renamed the Department of Defense the Department of War via an executive order on Friday.

The threat featured an AI-generated image of the president as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgoreplayed by Robert Duvall in Francis Ford Coppolas classic 1979 Vietnam War film, Apocalypse Nowwith helicopters flying over the city and fire raging behind him accompanied by the title, Chipopalypse Now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I love the smell of deportations in the morning, Trump wrotea riff on Kilgores line, I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

Just a totally normal Saturday morning in the United States. / Truth Social/Donald Trump

His comments come as the president continues to threaten to send National Guard troops into Illinois largest city, which he called the most dangerous city in the world on Saturday. Trump told reporters at an Oval Office conference on Tuesday, Were going in, adding that I didnt say when.

According to statistics released by the Chicago Mayors Office, the last 12 months have in fact seen a 22 percent reduction in overall violent crime, including a 32 percent reduction in homicides, a 32 percent reduction in robberies, a 49 percent reduction in vehicular hijackings, and an 18 percent reduction in aggravated assaults. Murders in the city over the summer were at their lowest rate since 1965.

On Saturday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded to Trumps muddled Apocalypse Now references by lamenting that, if taken at surface value, The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is not a joke. This is not normal, he wrote in a post on X. Donald Trump isnt a strongman, hes a scared man. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city.



This is not a joke. This is not normal.



Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator. pic.twitter.com/f87Zek7Cqb  Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) September 6, 2025

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment on Trumps post.
NEED TO KNOW

Donald Trump used an AI image to seemingly threaten "war" on the city of Chicago on Sept. 6; the image depicted him as Robert Duvalls character in Apocalypse Now

JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson were quick to fire back against the president

"We're not going to war. We're going to clean up our cities," Trump told reporters while addressing the Truth Social post on Sept. 7

Donald Trump is once again using an AI likeness to share a strong message.

On Saturday, Sept. 6, the president, 79, posted an AI-generated image of himself on Truth Social, along with a threatening message directed toward the city of Chicago. The image is inspired by Apocalypse Now, showing Trump as Robert Duvalls character in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed film, Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Coppolas 1979 movie takes place in South Vietnam and Cambodia in the Vietnam War era, Trumps AI parody depicts Chicago, with the citys skyline peppered with helicopters. In the image, the president is also backdropped by a city beach covered with fire and smoke, seemingly imitating an active war zone.

Trump accompanied the AI image, which also parodies the title of the war movie (Chipocalypse Now), with a threatening message, a nod to his plan to bring the National Guard to Chicago, a move that comes amid his ongoing militarization of Washington, D.C.

Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR    , the image caption reads in part, a reference to Trumps plan to rebrand the Department of Defense. The caption also nods to Trumps aggressive, ongoing immigration enforcement campaign, using an altered version of the most famous quote from Apocalypse Now.

I love the smell of deportations in the morning, the post said. (The original quote is, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning, delivered by Duvall.)

Donald J. Trump/Truth Donald Trump's Sept. 6 Truth Social post with an AI image inspired by the 'Apocalypse Now' film Donald Trump's Sept. 6 Truth Social post with an AI image inspired by the 'Apocalypse Now' film

The apparent threats come as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker warns Chicago residents of a surge in ICE agents in the city, according to ABC 7 Chicago. The governor, a vocal opponent of Trump, said there could be up to 300 ICE agents in Chicago this weekend, the outlet reported, citing local officials.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It didnt take long after Trump shared the post for Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson  who have both opposed the presidents plans for militarization in Chicago  to fire back.

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal, Pritzker wrote on X. Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

Meanwhile, Johnson wrote: The Presidents threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution. We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump.

UNITED ARTISTS/Moviestore/Shutterstock Robert Duvall in the still from 'Apocalypse Now' that inspired Donald Trump's AI image Robert Duvall in the still from 'Apocalypse Now' that inspired Donald Trump's AI image

Since sharing the AI photo and message, Trump has claimed that he was not threatening war. We're not going to war. We're going to clean up our cities, the president told reporters on Sunday, Sept. 7, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We're going to clear them up so they don't kill every five people every weekend, Trump added. "That's not war. That's common sense."

Trump first announced his takeover of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department on Aug. 11, telling reporters that he was seizing control of the police and deploying the National Guard to fight crime and target the city's homeless population. He has since touted D.C. arrest numbers and shared plans to expand the program to other blue-state U.S. cities such as Chicago, Baltimore and New York City.

"The people of Chicago... are screaming for us to come, Trump told reporters on Aug. 22. "African-American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, 'Please President Trump, come to Chicago, please,' " he said. "I did great with the Black vote, as you know. They want something to happen... So I think Chicago will be our next, then we're gonna help with New York."

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Donald Trump on Sept. 5 Donald Trump on Sept. 5

Though Trump said on Sept. 2 that there was not yet a concrete plan to send troops into Chicago, he told reporters, "Well, were going. I didnt say when. Were going in." He also took shots at Pritzker, saying the governor should call him for help after gun violence in Chicago left several dead over Labor Day weekend.

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.

Hours later, Pritzker fired back at Trump in a press conference. When did we become a country where its OK for the U.S. president to insist on national television that a state should call him to beg for anything  especially something we dont want? the Illinois governor said. Have we truly lost all sense of sanity in this nation, that we treat this as normal?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is no emergency that warrants deployment of troops. He is insulting the people of Chicago by calling our home a hellhole, and anyone who takes his word at face value is insulting Chicagoans, too, Pritzker said.

Read the original article on People
Unlike the Ukraine-Russia war, in the Gaza war, not only are regional countries refusing to take in any refugees, but they argue that even considering the idea endangers their national interests.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, triggering the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, neighboring countries -- and even states farther afield -- opened their doors. Ukrainians seeking shelter were welcomed by the millions.

It was the right and moral thing to do: give refuge to those fleeing a war zone. Who wants to remain trapped in a battlefield?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One European country that was not enthusiastic about taking in refugees was Hungary. While it did not fully close its border, it imposed significant restrictions on entry and support in certain circumstances. In August 2024, Hungary went a step further, passing a law limiting state support only to refugees from active war zones in Ukraine.

Human rights organizations, the European Commission, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) slammed the Hungarian position, calling it inhumane and a violation of EU law. Human Rights Watch called these measures cruel and a new low in refugee policy. The European Commission was urged to initiate legal proceedings and impose penalties.

But what was true for refugees from the Russian-Ukrainian war is not true in the Gaza-Israel war. Here, not only are regional countries refusing to take in any refugees, but they argue that even considering the idea endangers their national interests.

Ukrainian refugees rest in the ticket hall at Przemysl Glowny train station, after fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Poland, March 26, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/HANNAH MCKAY)

And the world -- including the moralizing human rights organizations -- is largely silent. Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf states are not called out for their adamant refusal to absorb a significant number of Gazans; instead, Israel is castigated for even suggesting that those seeking to flee Gaza should be allowed to leave.

Highlighting this double standard

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted this double standard in an interview last week with the Abu Ali Express Telegraph channel. He noted that, according to a variety of polls -- Western surveys, Arab polls, and Israeli studies -- at least 50% of Gazas population would like to leave, even if some hope to return later.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Everyone, including Western countries and human rights organizations scream: What, dont leave -- all those who are supposedly concerned about the Palestinians, Netanyahu said.

Instead of allowing people who want to leave to do so, the world wants to imprison them in a war zone, just like Hamas, he said. What are we saying: that they should have free choice. He stressed that it is a fundamental human right to be able to choose whether to stay or leave, yet in this case, the champions of human rights are silent.

At the end of the interview, Netanyahu remarked that Israel could open the Rafah Crossing to allow Gazans to go to Egypt, but they will be stopped immediately in Egypt.

This comment infuriated the Egyptians. Foreign Minister Madgy Abdelatty shot back in Nicosia on Friday: Displacement is not an option and it is a red line for Egypt and we will not allow it to happen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In other words, Egypt -- consistent with the policy it has pursued throughout the war -- will not allow Palestinians fleeing a war zone to enter its territory in search of safety. As Abdelatty told reporters: Displacement means liquidation and the end of the Palestinian cause, and there is no legal or moral or ethical ground to evict people from their homeland.

So while Gazans are saying they want to leave, the Egyptians are saying: No, you must stay, for the sake of the Palestinian cause.

Abdelatty then escalated further: What is happening on the ground is far beyond imagination. There is a genocide in motion there, mass killing of civilians, artificial starvation created by the Israelis.

Interesting. A genocide, mass killing of civilians, Israeli-induced starvation -- yet Egypt will not allow Gazan refugees across the border, not even temporarily to alleviate that genocide.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Netanyahu, however, did not remain silent. In a rare instance of Israel publicly responding to anti-Israel rhetoric from Egypt, the Prime Ministers Office issued a rebuttal Saturday night.

Contrary to the Egyptian Foreign Ministrys claim [that Israel was evicting Gazans], Prime Minister Netanyahu was referring to every persons basic right to choose where they live  a right that holds true at all times, and especially in wartime, the statement read. Instead, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry prefers to confine in Gaza -- against their will -- residents who wish to leave the war zone.

And the world lets Egypts closed-door policy pass.

Imagine the global uproar if Moldova, Poland, and Romania had built higher walls and thicker barbed wire to keep out Ukrainian refugees in 2022. Imagine if the Romanians had said to the Ukrainians, Stay, so the Russians dont take over your homeland, and slammed the doors in their faces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It wouldnt have happened; it didnt happen.

Nor is this contrast limited to Ukraine. Look at another Middle East conflict: Syria.

The Syrian civil war created an estimated seven million refugees, many of whom found safety in Europe. Germany alone took in just under 650,000, according to the UNHCRs 2022 data. Sweden accepted about 120,000, Austria 65,000, the Netherlands and Greece around 40,000 each. Muslim Turkey took in more than three million.

Yet these same countries will not take in Gazans, even temporarily, and then slam Israeli officials for daring to suggest they give shelter to Gazans fleeing war. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and France, all outspoken in their condemnation of Israels war against Hamas, have not exactly opened their gates to Gazans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speak with senior European diplomats, and they will tell you bluntly: it will never happen. Ask why Syrian refugees, yes, but not Gazans, and the answer is that the Syrian wave hardened public opinion against immigration. For domestic political reasons, they say, European governments cannot afford to let in Gazans.

Reasons why European countries won't take in more refugees

Germany, for instance, has 5.5 million Muslims in a population of 83 million. The main reason given now to explain why Berlin will not open its gates to Gazans, as it did to Syrians, is that doing so could hand electoral victory to the far-right anti-immigrant AfD.

And Germany is not alone. Throughout Europe, previous waves of Muslim immigrants have led to a backlash against allowing in any more refugees -- even from Gaza.

Tellingly, in many of these countries where there are frequent, large, and loud demonstrations against Israels war in Gaza, few of them feature signs calling on the local governments to let in Gazan refugees.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When it comes to refugees, therefore, it seems that lofty principles shift depending on who is fleeing and from where.

The Ukrainians were welcomed. The Syrians, to a point, were accepted. But the Gazans? They are told to stay put while regional and some European countries lock their doors and accuse Israel of genocide  a genocide that could be eased in an instant by simply opening those doors. Yet they refuse, and that refusal makes their accusations not just hollow, but cynical  exposing the uncomfortable truth that their outrage is less about saving Gazans, and more about demonizing Israel.
Shiv Sena parliamentary group leader Dr. Shrikant Shinde has convened a crucial meeting of the party's Members of Parliament in Delhi on Monday, a day before the Vice-Presidential election. The meeting will be held at his residence on September 8 at 12:30 pm. Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the Vice-Presidential post. Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde had already announced support for Dr. Radhakrishnan. Shrikant Shinde has directed all Shiv Sena MPs to be present in Delhi by Sunday night itself. The meeting aims to ensure the victory of Dr. Radhakrishnan with maximum votes. Dr. Shrikant Shinde is closely monitoring the election and has already briefed Shiv Sena MPs on the voting process and necessary precautions. The election, scheduled for September 9, will witness a direct contest between Justice (Retd.) B Sudershan Reddy, backed by the INDIA bloc, and the NDA's nominee, CP Radhakrishnan. Earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying SP Singh Baghel on Sunday said that a mock drill should be held ahead of the upcoming Vice-Presidential election to familiarise first-time Members of Parliament with the voting process and minimise the chances of invalid ballots. Speaking to ANI, SP Singh Baghel said, "Before the Vice-Presidential election, a mock drill should be conducted to understand the entire process. Many people who have become MPs for the first time do not know whether the election will be held through a ballot, a machine, or other means. Therefore, this should be known, as it reduces the possibility of votes being invalidated." The Vice Presidential post fell vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 21, citing health reasons. The VP is elected through an electoral college, which consists of MPs from both houses of Parliament. The election of the Vice President is governed by the provisions under Articles 64 and 68 of the Constitution. The Election Commission notifies the VP polls by the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952. As per Article 66(1) of the Constitution of India, the election of the Vice President shall be held by the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote, and the voting at such election shall be by secret ballot. (ANI)
Plans to demolish seven structures within the Downtown St. Petersburg National Register Historic District to build a 21-story, $134 million luxury apartment tower will have to wait until November.

However, the Development Review Commissions concerns focused more on the proposed buildings height and compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood. Attorney Don Mastry, who represents Stadler Development, agreed to defer Wednesdays vote rather than face a potential denial.

The St. Petersburg-based development firm proposed a 370-unit tower with 3,819 square feet of ground-floor retail area and a 485-space parking garage on a 1.3-acre site bordered by Fifth Avenue and Fourth and Fifth Street North. The 10 parcels currently feature seven occupied multifamily buildings ranging in age from 95 to 105 years old.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is a difficult one, said Commissioner Sarah Jane Vatelot. I think the scale of it is just hard to stomach, although the zoning allows it. This is going to be a new normal. Its the first of many.

The Development Review Commission already postponed an initial hearing scheduled for July 9, as Stadler was working to address concerns from the citys engineering department. A July 2 memo from the Planning and Historic Preservation Division flagged the proposal for not meeting one of 16 mandates.

Criterion No. 14 requires sensitivity of the development to on-site and adjacent (within 200 feet) historical or archaeological resources related to scale, mass, building materials and other impacts. The 103-year-old Trinity Lutheran Church, which received a local historic designation in August, sits 75 feet south of the site.

Previous renderings didnt include the surrounding area. Multiple commissioners criticized Tampa-based Baker Barrios for a new image that highlights the church and the surrounding historic district.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think the design professional didnt do the owner any favors by putting that unrendered model in the cityscape, Vatelot said. I think that makes it even more offensive.  It doesnt allow us to imagine it blending into the city.

Michael Andoniades owns the adjacent Hollander Hotel and roughly century-old buildings. While the city considers those contributing resources to the historic district, the designation offers no protection from demolition.

Most commissioners agreed with Mastrys assertion that the structures are in poor condition, have been extensively altered over the years and contain no historically important elements. However, many disagreed with his claims that providing 85 more parking spaces than what the city requires would benefit the neighborhood.

Stadlers contract with Andoniades grants the Hollander sole use of the those 85 spaces. Mastry said that would leave 1.08 spaces for each of the unnamed projects 370 units.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Commissioner Michael Kiernan welcomes a project on that site, desperately, he was also a bit bothered that were going to brag about having so many spaces over the requirement for parking.

But 85 of them are dedicated already  Im not sure that even qualifies, Kiernan added. Andoniades said the 85 spots will free up street parking, which is often used by hotel and Tap Room guests. The Tap Room is the Hollanders on-site restaurant.

Several neighboring residents expressed similar concerns. They and some commissioners also bemoaned a lack of community outreach, and the city received several emails opposing the project.

Manny Leto, executive director of Preserve the Burg, believes the existing structures provide unsubsidized affordable housing. Mastry said about 30 people occupy the buildings, and Andoniades will relocate them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Most of them, I am told, work for him at the Hollander Hotel, he continued. So, hes certainly not going to fire them or cause them to lose their place of residence.

Former City Council member Robert Blackmon, who currently serves on the Pinellas County Historic Preservation Board, stated that Andoniades has partnered with Stadler to continue reinvesting in more prominent historical properties around the site and throughout St. Petersburg.

Blackmon noted that project approval requires a $50,000 contribution to the citys public art trust fund and a $1.5 million contribution to the citys affordable housing trust fund. Development Review Commission staff recommended approving the site plan and requested density and height bonuses if Stadler met 20 conditions.

Commissioners unanimously agreed that the developer should also screen the six-story parking garages south facade. Vatelot said the entirety of downtown would see back-of-house conditions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I could not agree more on screening the south side of the garage, Kiernan said. Mastry agreed with the additional condition for approval.

The impetus for suggesting a deferral stemmed from the 221-foot-tall towers height and ambiguous language in the city code, which states that buildings should taper down away from the downtown core. City zoning official Corey Malyszka presented a color-coded map showing the project is in an unlimited height area, but the building would still need to taper down in height from the Central Avenue corridor.

Commission chairperson Kevin Reali did not share the same height concerns as some of his colleagues, and cautioned against artificially denying a site plan that checks all the boxes. Commissioner Joseph Griner III countered that we wouldnt even be here without the height and density request.

I would think this would be a great project if it was lower, Griner said. I would be very enthusiastic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The development team has 60 days to decide whether to incorporate the commissions feedback. Commissioners will discuss the project again in November.

This content provided in partnership with stpetecatalyst.com.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  Dozens of families and high school students filled The Citadel this weekend for the annual Service Academy Day an event designed to guide young people on the path toward serving their country.

The event brought together representatives from top military academies including West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy to share insights about the application process, campus life, and what it takes to succeed as a future officer.

High school senior Marco Acevedo said he originally came just to visit friends at The Citadel, but the event quickly opened his eyes to new possibilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We were also interested in the various military academies and thought it was a great opportunity to learn more about them, Acevedo said.

Midshipman Victoria Crofford, a junior at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, encouraged students to explore all branches and not focus solely on status.

A lot of people feel pressure to go to certain academies because of status. But if you go to any of these academies, its good youre serving your country, earning a degree, and guaranteed a career upon graduation, Crofford said.

Students said hearing directly from alumni and current cadets made the information more relatable and motivating. Organizers emphasized that the most important part of the application process is authenticity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you genuinely care and bring something forward, the service academies will take you, Crofford added.

Applications are now open, and officials are urging students to apply early.

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.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A five-year-old child is fighting for her life in the hospital after being hit by a car that drove onto a path. A 21-year-old woman was arrested at the scene.

Police are investigating after a 21-year-old woman drove onto a closed path in the area of 2500 Laning Road in San Diegos Midway neighborhood at 4:39 p.m. Saturday and hit a steel bench, then hit a 5-year-old girl on a scooter and a tree, San Diego Police report.

Homicide probe launched after body found in burned car in Fallbrook

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The child was taken to the hospital with life-threatening head injuries, according to police.

A 21-year-old woman was arrested at the scene, and police report alcohol is believed to be a factor.

The collision is under investigation by the San Diego Police Traffic Division.

Anyone with more information is asked to call San Diego Police or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

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.
A two-car crash on I-95 in Attleboro early Sunday morning left one of the drivers involved in critical condition, according to the citys fire department.

Firefighters responded to the crash on the northbound side of the highway shortly after 1:15 a.m., the fire department said in a press release. At the scene, they found a debris field that stretched across nearly a quarter-mile of the highway.

A man who was driving one of the cars at the time of the crash was trapped inside his vehicle, the fire department said. Firefighters freed him from the vehicle, and he was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence in critical condition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The second car came to rest about 400 yards away from the first after rolling over and hitting an overpass bridge support, the fire department said. Firefighters found the car underneath the overpass fully engulfed in flames and quickly extinguished the fire.

A woman who was driving the second car at the time of the crash had freed herself from her vehicle before first-responders arrived, the fire department said. She was taken to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro with minor injuries.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was called to inspect the structural integrity of the overpass bridge following the crash, the fire department said. The bridge was evaluated and ultimately cleared for continued use.

Several bystanders tried to help the drivers before firefighters arrival, the fire department said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While well-intentioned, the large number of people on scene created challenges for first-responders in quickly identifying who needed medical attention, the release reads.

With so many people present, the first few moments required careful coordination to determine who was injured and who was assisting, Fire District Chief Mark Renker said in the release.

Massachusetts State Police are still investigating the crash, the fire department said.

More News

Read the original article on MassLive.
This takes road rage to a whole new level. A dashcam clip shared on Reddit has sparked quite the conversation in the r/drivingUK community.

The footage shows a red van weaving in and out of lanes before a separate white car enters the frame. Suddenly, the back window of the white vehicle rolls down, and a passenger hurls what appears to be a vape directly at the driver's car.

"Incompetent lane hogger meets erratic van driver with short temper," one Redditor described.

Several people mentioned that between the dangerous driving and the tossing of the vape, a serious accident was narrowly avoided. "Make sure you send that to the police," one commenter told the OP.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This incident also highlights a broader issue: the growing problem of disposable vape litter. These devices, often brightly colored and marketed as convenient, have become one of the fastest-rising forms of waste on U.K. streets. An estimated 5 million single-use vapes were being discarded weekly in the U.K. in 2023, which led to a ban in England, Scotland, and Wales in June of this year.

Other countries are following suit with bans of their own; Malaysia is seeking to ban vaping products entirely come 2026.

According to the U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, discarded vapes have a huge impact on our environment and wildlife. Birds, fish, and marine mammals often mistake vapes for food, causing them to ingest poisonous chemicals. Whether vapes are littered or actually make their way to a landfill, they can release heavy metals into our soil and waterways, disrupting our local ecosystems.

Further, disposable vapes have also been linked to sparking fires in landfills, which can lead to toxic fumes polluting the air, according to The Guardian. Vapes contain lithium-ion batteries, which easily catch fire if broken. If they don't cause the user permanent injury, they might just become a problem for the local waste plant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Marine Conservation Society says outside of quitting, the "best thing you can do" is to switch from a single-use vape to a reusable alternative.

While this reckless toss could have ended in a crash, the real fallout is the waste left behind. Choosing reusable alternatives, or avoiding vaping altogether, can help protect both our roads and our planet.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Russia carried out a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine using strike UAVs and ground-launched missiles on the night of 6-7 September. Ukrainian air defence intercepted 751 out of 823 aerial assets, though 9 missiles and 54 drones hit 33 locations.

Source: Ukrainian Air Force on Facebook

Details: According to updated information, as of 09:30 and since 17:00 on 6 September, Russian forces have launched:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

810 Shahed-type attack UAVs and decoy drones of various types from Kursk, Bryansk, Millerovo, Oryol, Shatalovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia, and Hvardiiske and Chauda in occupied Crimea;

9 Iskander-K cruise missiles from Russias Kursk Oblast;

4 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles from temporarily occupied Crimea.

Air defence forces have shot down or jammed 751 aerial assets:

747 Shahed-type UAVs and decoy drones of various types;

4 Iskander-K cruise missiles.

Hits from 9 missiles and 54 attack drones were recorded in 33 locations, and debris from intercepted assets fell on 8 sites.

Quote: "The attack is ongoing, with several enemy UAVs still in Ukrainian airspace. Follow safety rules and stay in shelters!"

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Background: The previous drone record was set on the night of 8-9 July 2025: Russia conducted an attack using 741 aerial assets. Ukraine's air defence managed to down 718 drones and missiles, but 4 hits were recorded and debris fell in 14 locations.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
A preliminary investigation indicated that the drone was detected by IAF systems but was not identified as hostile.

A drone launched from Yemen struck the passenger hall at Ramon Airport near Eilat on Sunday, injuring five people with shrapnel and causing another three to experience a panic attack, according to Israeli authorities.

The IDF confirmed the strike and announced that airspace over the airport had been temporarily closed. Airspace has since reopened, a few hours later.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An IDF spokesman said the Israel Air Force intercepted three drones during the day, two of which were destroyed before entering Israeli territory. Alerts were activated according to policy, the spokesman said.

Sirens sounded shortly after 2 p.m. in several communities near the Egyptian border, including Nitzana, Kadesh Barnea, Khemin, and Beer Milka. The Home Front Command declared the incident over less than 10 minutes later, allowing residents to leave shelters.

Hours later, the IAF launched a formal investigation following an initial review of the incident.

Preliminary findings indicated that the drone was detected by IAF systems but was not identified as hostile. As a result, interception and alert systems were not activated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is no current indication of any malfunction in the existing detection infrastructure.

Local leaders call for stronger support

Regional officials expressed frustration over the persistent threat to border communities. Eran Doron, head of the Ramat Negev Regional Council, said drone attacks and smuggling attempts have become an unacceptable reality.

View of the Ramon Airport near Eilat, after a drone launched from Yemen struck the airport, September 7, 2025. (credit: Yehuda Ben Itach/Flash90)

I expect the heads of state to understand that the Nitzana area is threatened on a daily basis, and to work to strengthen the settlement in this region of the country. I thank the security forces for their precise action, Doron said.

The incident marked a rare strike on Ramon Airport, officially the Ilana and Assaf Ramon International Airport, Israels second international gateway after Ben-Gurion Airport. Located north of Eilat in the southern Negev Desert, the facility has remained operational throughout much of the conflict despite repeated threats from Iran-backed groups in Yemen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The airport, which opened in 2019, replaced Eilat Airport and Ovda Airport for domestic and international flights. Designed to handle around 2 million passengers annually, with future capacity of up to 4 million, it serves domestic flights from Tel Aviv and Haifa, as well as European charter and low-cost airlines.

Houthis intensify aerial and maritime attacks

Since March 18, when Israel resumed its military campaign against Hamas following a temporary ceasefire, Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched more than 70 ballistic missiles and more than 23 drones toward Israel. Most of the projectiles were intercepted or failed to reach Israeli territory.

The Houthis, operating from bases along Yemens coast, have also targeted or harassed more than 100 vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. These attacks have brought activity at the Port of Eilat to a near standstill.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed in Hamass October 7 assault on Israeli communities near the Gaza border, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage. Of the 48 hostages still in captivity, about 20 are believed to be alive.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said federal officials disappeared from a Navy base near Chicago on Friday after Democrats announced they would tour the facility ahead of the arrival of immigration officers.

In an interview with host Margaret Brennan on CBS' "Face the Nation," Duckworth said when she joined fellow Illinois Democrats Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Brad Schneider for a tour of the Naval Station Great Lakes, Department of Homeland Security officials had given staff the day off, locked the doors and left the base.

Basically, they fled the base, Duckworth said. Naval Station Great Lakes, which opened in 1911, is the site for boot camp for Naval trainees.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials last week said that up to 300 ICE agents would be operating out of the Great Lakes Naval Base as President Donald Trump ramps up his efforts against Democratic-controlled sanctuary cities. Trump also said the administration will deploy the National Guard to the city, drawing outrage from Democrats including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Ahead of the lawmakers trip to the base, Duckworth said, she and her colleagues asked DHS if they could come tour the facility to have a better understanding of what your operations are.

DHS officials, she said, replied no.

This is not the action of someone that's doing something legal or that they're- that they're proud of, said Duckworth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We certainly have sent the administration multiple inquiries about what they are planning on doing. Who are they bringing into Chicago? Are they planning to bring the National Guard in? They've none of that. They've not even reached out to local law enforcement to try to coordinate, she added. And we've not gotten any communications or feedback from the administration, whatsoever.

Navy officials that were on the base during the Democrats' tour told them that the assistance they've been requested to provide so far is only office space for ICE, Duckworth added.

While it is unclear when ICE officials or the National Guard will be sent to Chicago, Trump on Saturday said his administration will go to WAR with the city of Chicago.

Chicago [is] about to find out why its called the Department of WAR, Trump said in a post on Truth Social, referring to the Department of Defenses planned name change.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Illinois officials quickly responded to the post, calling the president a tyrant and a declaration of war.

I take what the President of the United States says very seriously, because that is the respect you have to give to the office, Duckworth said on Sunday. And if that's what he's declaring, then let me make it clear, it would be an illegal order to declare war on a major city, any city within the United States, by the President of the United States.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, said Sunday that President Trump "essentially just declared war on a major city in his own nation" referring to his recent remarks about Chicago. But she outlined that "we don't have any indications" that the administration is getting ready to send troops into the nation's third-largest city, despite signals in recent weeks that he is preparing to do so.

"This is not normal," Duckworth said of Mr. Trump's statements on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." "This is not acceptable behavior."

In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Mr. Trump shared a screenshot that read "Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR," alongside an AI-generated image that appeared to be inspired by the movie "Apocalypse Now." On Friday, Mr. Trump signed an executive order to rename the Department of Defense the Department of War, though a formal name change would have to go through Congress. He is expected to seek congressional approval.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The post marked the latest in a series of threats Mr. Trump has made to send troops to Chicago as part of a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration and crime, following his decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles in June. California Gov. Gavin Newsom challenged the legality of that deployment, and a judge ruled last week that it violated federal law, although the ruling appeared to only apply to California.

Despite Mr. Trump's rhetoric, Vice President JD Vance said in recent days that the administration has "no immediate plans" to send National Guard forces to Chicago. The comments came one day after Mr. Trump again suggested he would send federal forces to Chicago, saying "we're going in."

Still, Duckworth said she takes what the president says seriously.

"I take what the president of the United States says very seriously, because that is the respect you have to give to the office," Duckworth said. "And if that's what he's declaring, then let me make it clear: it would be an illegal order to declare war on a major city, any city within the United States, by the President of the United States."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Duckworth was among a group of Illinois leaders who visited the Naval Station Great Lakes Saturday, following news that some federal immigration enforcement agents will be based there. She said military leadership confirmed that the only assistance they've been requested to provide to the federal government is for office space for ICE.

"No barracks, no detention facilities, none of that is being requested or prepared in order to support troops into Chicago," Duckworth said.

The Illinois Democrat said "we certainly have sent the administration multiple inquiries about what they are planning on doing," adding that the administration hasn't reached out to local law enforcement to try to coordinate.

"If they were truly, truly interested in fighting crime, then they would work with local law enforcement and ask them, 'What do you need? What help do you need?'" Duckworth said. "And we've not gotten any, any communications or feedback from the administration whatsoever."



The developments come after Mr. Trump deployed the National Guard in Washington, D.C. last month as part of an anti-crime initiative, while vowing to intervene in cities like Chicago and Baltimore next.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Local leaders have pushed back on the federal government's threats to intervene on crime in Chicago, which could draw legal challenges.

A CBS News poll released Sunday found that a majority of Americans, 58%, are opposed to the president deploying National Guard troops to other cities beyond Washington, D.C. But a large majority, 85%, of his Republican base support these deployments.

Former CDC physicians speak out against new vaccine policies

Face the Nation: Sens. Marshall, Duckworth, Salvanto

Top word Americans use to describe economy is "uncertain," CBS News poll finds
MEDELLIN, Colombia (AP)  Luz Elena Galeano intently watches as the earth is sifted for clothing, documents and bone fragments, hoping for a sign of her husband, who disappeared two decades ago during the urban conflict that tore apart the Colombian city of Medellin.

It has been a daily ritual for Galeano and 40 other women who take turns monitoring the soil excavated from La Escombrera, a debris landfill on Medellins outskirts, where the remains of six people were found in the last eight months.

The effort is part of an ambitious forensic project by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, a tribunal established in 2018 to investigate and prosecute crimes that happened during Colombia's armed conflict, often by rebel groups who kept hostages for ransom.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Associated Press was granted access to La Escombrera, where excavations that began in July 2024 have confirmed the site is a mass grave, as families had claimed for decades.

You could still see the ropes they were tied with and how they were all in a fetal position, said Galeano, 61, who has been searching for her husband since he vanished in 2008.

No one knows how many more bodies could be there, but nearly 500 people have been reported missing in that part of the city since the 1970s.

The discovery of human remains was very important in letting the country know that we are not crazy, that we are not liars, said Galeano, a spokesperson for Women Walking for Truth, an organization for victims of forced disappearances in Medellin founded in 2022.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These families have come to symbolize the search for the more than 120,000 people who disappeared in Colombia between 1985 and 2016.

Galeano is searching for her husband, Luis Javier Laverde Salazar, whom she last saw on Dec. 9, 2008. Their last contact was a phone call in which he told her he would be home for dinner. She believes he is buried in La Escombrera and was disappeared by paramilitaries.

The shadow of military operations

La Escombrera sits on a steep hillside in the Comuna 13 district, a once strategic location for moving drugs and weapons. At the end of the 1990s and into the early 2000s, it was fought over by guerrillas and paramilitaries  groups that emerged to combat the leftist insurgents with the latter eventually gaining control in the early 2000s.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Between 2001 and 2004, Colombian security forces carried out 34 military operations in Comuna 13 in an attempt to take control. Some of these operations have come under scrutiny due to alleged human rights violations against the civilian population, which have been denounced by victims and are now being investigated by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace.

La Escombrera was a paramilitary base since at least mid-2002, said Justice Gustavo Salazar, who is leading the investigation with the special tribunal. "People detained by these groups were taken there to be interrogated, tortured, or simply killed and buried, under the belief that their bodies would never be found.

According to Salazar, the peak period of disappearances in 2002 aligns with the paramilitaries dominance in the area. At the same time, construction waste was being dumped at La Escombrera, a site once used to extract sand before being filled with rubble. While he believes the paramilitaries are the likely perpetrators, he doesn't rule out the possibility that other illegal groups also concealed bodies there.

Former paramilitaries, who have taken part in the peace process since 2003, have admitted to killing and burying people in La Escombrera. They were later convicted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The court used these testimonies, alongside investigations by the Attorney Generals Office and satellite images, to define the excavation area in early 2020  a significant milestone after a failed excavation attempt by the Attorney Generals Office in 2015.

Salazar said the tribunal is investigating the alleged involvement of security force members with paramilitary groups, but no charges have been filed to date in the Escombrera case.

A pain to be captured

Margarita Restrepo, 62, lives in fear that her 17-year-old daughter, Carol, is buried in La Escombrera, a site she can see from her home every day. The thought that her daughter could be buried so close to her after 23 years of searching is agonizing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Carol disappeared on Oct. 25, 2002, during Operacion Orion, a military operation in Comuna 13 carried out by police, soldiers and aerial support at the start of the administration of then- President Alvaro Uribe.

The discovery of human remains in La Escombrera ignited a debate in Colombia. The conservative party Centro Democratico defended Uribes security policy and Operation Orion, arguing the disappearances didnt happen then and accusing the peace tribunal of political opportunism. In contrast, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the countrys first left-wing leader, saw it as confirmation of the state and paramilitary violence he has long condemned.

Restrepo's fear was reignited in July when two bodies were discovered in La Escombrera. One, she was told, belonged to a young woman between 16 and 18 years old who had perfect teeth, a detail that matches her memory of her daughter. Now, she waits for the forensic and DNA results.

Authorities have found graves as shallow as 50 centimeters, but with highly preserved skeletal structures. That has allowed them to be identified and returned to their families.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the future, when the excavations at La Escombrera are finished, the searching families want a memorial to be built in honor of all the disappeared.

We want all this pain to be captured there ... and for the story to be told truthfully and respectfully to the country, said Restrepo.

Despite the ongoing search efforts, the women are not satisfied.

Since 2001, weve been reporting that there may be more than 350 bodies, but we havent been heard," said Galeano as she looked down from the top of the landfill to a neighboring mountain where she believes there are mass graves that have never been excavated.

___

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to US President Donald Trump on India-US relationship, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday stated that while the PM Modi was very quick to respond, there was some serious repair work that was needed to be done by the governments and diplomats of both the countries. Welcoming this "new tone" with a spirit of caution, Tharoor stated one could not forgive the hurt and offence caused by Trump so quickly, keeping in mind the consequences Indians faced. "The Prime Minister was very quick to respond, and the Foreign Minister has also underscored the importance of the basic relationship that is a comprehensive global strategic partnership, which is still there. And that message is an important message for us to give... I think there's some serious repair work that needs to be done by governments and diplomats on both sides. I would welcome this new tone with a spirit of caution. One can't just forget and forgive so quickly because there are real consequences that Indians are facing on the ground and those consequences need to be overcome...," Tharoor told ANI. He further stated that the tariffs imposed by Trump had consequences on the people, which could not be completely forgotten. "I don't think we can just completely forget either the 50 per cent tariffs or the insults that have accompanied it from both the President and his staff.... Mr Trump has a fairly mercurial temperament, and what he has been saying has caused some hurt and offence in our country. The 50 per cent tariffs have actually had consequences already..." he further added. Earlier on Friday (local time), President Trump called the India-US ties a "very special relationship" and affirmed that he and PM Modi would always be friends, asserting that there is "nothing to worry about". PM Modi responded warmly to Trump's remarks and his positive assessment of the bilateral relations. "Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trump's sentiments and positive assessment of our ties. India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership," the Prime Minister said in a post on X. Responding to the US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's comments concerning India's trade ties with Russia, Tharoor stated that India behaved with a great deal of maturity. "I don't think we have anything to say sorry about at all. India has behaved with a great deal of maturity on all of this," Tharoor said. Further, the Congress MP stated that India had been encouraged to purchase Russian oil to stabilise oil prices. "Also, don't forget that trade with Russia and oil was actually blessed by previous American administrations; they requested us to buy some Russian oil in order to stabilise global oil prices. Secondly, China buys more Russian oil and gas than we do. Turkey buys more Russian oil and gas than we do. Europe doesn't buy oil and gas, but they buy other Russian items, so they're putting more billions of dollars into Russia's kitty than we do," Tharoor stated. Tharoor stated that while there had been an error in the American policies against India, which was not "warranted or justified," he stated that Lutnick has to understand that India is also a sovereign nation, and could take their own decisions. "It seems bizarre that we are alone being singled out for allegedly financing the Russian war effort when others are doing far more than we are. So I think there has been a certain mistake made in American policy against India, which is not warranted or justified. I do not think India has anything to say sorry for. I think Mr Lutnick has to understand that we are a sovereign nation, just as they are. They can take their own sovereign decisions, we will take our own sovereign decisions," he added. This comes after Lutnick stated that despite India maintaining a firm position on continuing oil trade with Russia, New Delhi would eventually return to the table to strike a deal with Washington in the coming months. (ANI)
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office says deputies were called to the 1500 block of Crystal Drive after 25-year-old Nicholas Smith reported shooting his grandfather.

According to an affidavit, Smith and his 79-year-old grandfather got into an argument over dinner that escalated into the bedroom. EBRSO said Smith grabbed a gun and fired multiple shots, killing his grandfather. The victim was found in the doorway between the bedroom and the living room.

Smith, who had been living with his grandfather since July 2025, admitted to deputies that he armed himself and shot his grandfather without provocation. He later called relatives after dialing 911.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Smith was arrested and booked on charges of first-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.

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.
The Rotary Club of East Jordan is welcoming a new international exchange student for the 2025-26 school year.

Sacha Biecher Lahaye from France will attend East Jordan High School, according to a community announcement. He will participate in community life and share his culture with local students and families.

Sacha Biecher Lahaye from France will attend East Jordan High School for the 2025-26 school year. Pictured are Clif Porter, youth exchange officer for the Rotary Club of East Jordan; Sacha Biecher Lahaye; and host father Jim Malpass.

Two East Jordan High School students, Elke Knauf and Emmalynn Poli, are spending the year abroad as part of the Rotary International Youth Exchange program. Knauf is in Bolivia, while Poli is in Taiwan.

East Jordan High School student Elke Knauf is spending the year abroad in Bolivia, as part of the Rotary International Youth Exchange program. Pictured is Elke Knauf with her new host family.

These exchanges are life-changing experiences, Clif Porter, youth exchange officer for the Rotary Club of East Jordan, said in the announcement. Students not only gain language skills and cultural understanding but also form friendships that last a lifetime. Its a joy to see our youth become true global citizens.

East Jordan High School student Emmalynn Poli is spending the year abroad in Taiwan, as part of the Rotary International Youth Exchange program. Pictured is Emmalynn Poli with her new host family.

Rotary Club bids farewell to last year's exchange student

The club also bid farewell to last years inbound student, Alejandro Isaza Toro from Colombia. He excelled academically and socially during the 2024-25 school year at East Jordan High School.

The Rotary Club of East Jordan bid farewell to last years inbound student, Alejandro Isaza Toro from Colombia. Pictured are Alejandro Isaza Toro and Clif Porter, youth exchange officer for the Rotary Club of East Jordan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Rotary Youth Exchange program is dedicated to fostering peace and understanding through person-to-person connections. The Rotary Club of East Jordan has a tradition of supporting student exchanges, helping participants develop leadership skills, independence and a deep appreciation for global diversity.

For more information on the Rotary Youth Exchange and the Rotary Club of East Jordan, visit ejrotary.com.

This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Rotary Club of East Jordan welcomes exchange student from France
By John Kruzel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that additional economic pressure by the United States and Europe could prompt Russian President Vladimir Putin to enter peace talks with Ukraine.

"If the U.S. and the (European Union) can come in, do more sanctions, secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil, the Russian economy will be in full collapse, and that will bring President Putin to the table," Bessent said on NBC's Meet the Press.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bessent said President Donald Trump's administration is "prepared to increase pressure on Russia."

But, he added, "we need our European partners to follow us, because if the U.S. and the EU do this together, we are in a race now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up versus how long can the Russian economy hold up?"

Trump has been frustrated at his inability to bring a halt to the fighting in Ukraine after he initially predicted he would be able to end the war swiftly when he took office in January.

He has withheld new sanctions on Russia and China, a top Russian oil buyer. But he has ramped up tariffs on U.S. imports from India, another top Russian energy consumer.

(Reporting by John Kruzel; Editing by Ross Colvin and Andrea Ricci)
Pretty soon now, Chicagoans are going to see just how much the post-COVID real estate value gyrations have affected what they will begin paying in property taxes.

For most households, the evidence we have so far suggests, bills will rise significantly. As we wrote in May, the pain many commercial property owners experienced with companies shedding office space as more employees worked remotely and consumers learned to rely even more on online purchases rather than bricks-and-mortar stores will, in and of itself, hike bills for Chicago households.

Now, were getting an idea of where the property tax sticker shock will be most acute as bills reflect the triennial property reassessment completed earlier this year for Chicago. And it likely wont be in many of the well-to-do neighborhoods you might expect.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Of course, as weve also noted, property owners already ought to know the damage. But Cook County is weeks late  and likely will end up being months late  delivering tax bills because of some world-class snafus with the problematic vendor hired a decade ago to update the countys computer systems. But eventually the bills will arrive, and when they do, dont be surprised if the areas that face the steepest increases surprise you.

Residential property values increased most over the three-year period between reassessments in lower- and lower-middle-income neighborhoods. While the assessment increases that inevitably followed wont necessarily correlate precisely with how much tax bills will rise, there surely will be some correlation.

Between 2020 (the year the Cook County assessors office previously used for Chicago assessments) and 2023 (the year used for the current assessments), median single-family home prices rose the most in West Englewood, which saw median single-family home values soar nearly 74% to $113,000 in 2023 from $65,000 in 2020, according to information the assessors office supplied. This is a mainly Black neighborhood with a median household income of just $34,376, according to data from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Were not in the prediction business, but West Englewood homeowners perhaps are going to need to sit down and brace themselves before opening their tax bills, when they finally arrive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Among Chicagos 76 other neighborhoods, the next four steepest median-price increases were in Hegewisch (40%), the East Side (31%), Greater Grand Crossing (30%) and Brighton Park (28%). Hegewisch and the East Side are on the Far Southeast Side, and both are majority Hispanic with median household incomes above $50,000. Brighton Park on the Southwest Side has similar demographic characteristics.

Greater Grand Crossing on the South Side is mainly Black, and the median household income is just $40,338, a little over half of the median household income for Chicago as a whole.

Meanwhile, Chicagos most well-to-do neighborhoods experienced healthy home-price appreciation in that period but at levels roughly half that seen in these poorer and middle-class areas. Lakeview median home values rose 14% in that period; Lincoln Parks 17%; Lincoln Squares just 12%.

In the zero-sum world of property taxes, municipal taxing bodies get the levies they approve regardless of who pays what and the bills are apportioned based on assessment valuations. So levies can stay relatively flat, and yet residential bills will rise substantially if they rise faster than commercial values do.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats precisely whats happened in the latest round of assessments. After the Cook County Board of Review, which makes final rulings on the assessors work based on appeals made by individual property owners, got done with its work this year, residential owners are assuming 54% of the overall share of Chicago property taxes, up from 51%. As we wrote a few months ago, that shift alone could easily mean average residential property tax increases in the high single digits or low to mid-double digits.

But those are just averages. In neighborhoods where values have risen most sharply, those bills could rise much more.

Of course, the silver lining for homeowners in these lower-income neighborhoods is that many of them have seen their wealth increase along with their home values. But thats on paper. For those who have no interest in cashing in  at least right now  on that higher home equity and havent seen their incomes go up much, the relentless pressure from property taxes will be a major stressor along with other rising costs of basic living like electricity bills and insurance premiums.

Small wonder Mayor Brandon Johnson has taken hiking property taxes off the table as an option for balancing a city budget with a deficit exceeding $1 billion. Well see if that pledge holds as we move into budget season.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The difficult reality for the mayor and aldermen who must tackle Chicagos toughest budget in decades is that voters are going to feel overtaxed no matter how they balance the citys books. And municipal elections are less than 18 months away.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
(WJET/WFXP)  Erie has its fair share of legends and paranormal stories.

Whether youre looking for ghosts, witches, vampires or cursed objects, Erie will not disappoint.

Take a haunted tour around the city with eight of its eerie locations.

Mercyhurst University

Legend has it that a nun haunts Old Main Tower at Mercyhurst University.

After she was told that her fiance was killed in action during the Second World War while they were both in college in 1941, she took vows as a Sister of Mercy, being such a devout Catholic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Turns out he lived, and when he came to find her and renew his proposal, she refused to forsake her vows, but also couldnt let him go. She was frantic with her decision and ultimately committed suicide in the Tower of Old Main. She left her engagement ring on the statue of baby Jesus in the campuss chapel, where it is said to reappear on certain nights.

According to legend, if someone touches the ring, they will meet a tragic end within five years. Students claim to have seen the ghostly sister wandering Old Main and parts of the campus. Some claim to have seen her at the window on the top floor of Old Main or have felt a presence when walking through that hallway.

Another nun has also been seen around campus, smoking a cigarette beneath the large magnolia tree outside of the chapel.

The campus has a ghost tour in October, showcasing its haunted history.

Cathedral of Saint Pauls

Originally built in 1883, members of the Cathedral of St. Paul believe a young girl named Katie haunts the space. She was part of the congregation and often assisted in the nursery. In 1994, she was killed coming back from church camp when the van hit a tree. Members of the church have reported hearing her laughter and footsteps coming to and from the nursery.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Security officers claim to find open doors that they had just locked. Paranormal investigators recorded activity, such as one group hearing the organ playing, while the group in the sanctuary where the organ is didnt hear any music.

Gannon University

One story of Gannons ghost centers on Halloween. It is said that, while at a Halloween costume party in one of the Fraternity Houses, a dark figure wearing a cowboy hat appeared. A student followed the figure, watching as it tipped its hat before disappearing. Soon after, many students reported unexplained noises, windows randomly opening and closing, and hearing footsteps with no one there. The figure appeared again a short time later, warning everyone to leave immediately, and was not seen again.

Another ghost is said to haunt Gannons Schuster Theater.

Before it was a university, Gannons Old Main was part of the Strong familys mansion. The Strongs were a prominent, respected and wealthy family. It is said that one of the Strongs footmen, George, fell in love with the familys maid. When it was found out, George was fired and shortly after, took his own life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Students report strange activities around the Schuster Theater, attributing it to George. Those in the Schuster Theater notice the smell of cigar smoke, the movement of props and things moving in a breeze thats not there.

These stories have inspired ghost tours on campus.

Old Crowley Estate

Built by two wealthy Irish immigrants, the Crowley Estate was believed to be part of the Underground Railroad.

Thomas Crowley Sr., along with his wife and children, emigrated to Erie from Ireland around 1821, with his brother Michael following in 1826. The brothers were among the wealthiest landowners in Erie. They acquired 399 acres of land, building homes and using some for farming. Michael built the stone Crowley House to serve as the homestead.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tragedy hung over the brothers.

Michael and his wife, Mary, of New York, had two children, Thomas and Mary. The latter died in an accident that occurred while she was riding to school in a wagon. Thomass oldest son, Bartholomew, lost his daughter during a home invasion in 1893. A group broke into the house, poured oil on Bartholomew, and set him on fire. His daughter tried to escape by jumping out of a second-story window, which killed her. Bartholomew, who was 80 years old at the time, died several days later.

Another story that locals told at the time was that, soon after building and moving into the house, Michael and his wife would fight often and soon began to hate one another. After Michael survived a bout of typhoid, the doctor warned Mary that feeding him rich meals high in salt would hinder his recovery. Allegedly, his wife fed him heavily seasoned meals before he finally died. Since then, it is said that his ghost haunted the house, appearing every night at midnight. The manifestations were violent, shaking the China cabinet that was near his seat in the dining room so hard that the dishes inside smashed.

A tunnel starting in the basement of the house and leading to the shore of Lake Erie was recently found and suggests that it was part of the Underground Railroad, leading escaped slaves to the shores of Lake Erie on their way to Canada.

Watson-Curtze Mansion

Located on Millionaires Row, the Watson-Curtze Mansion was built for the family of Harrison Watson, founder of the Watson Paper Company and GAF Manufacturing. Watsons daughter sold the mansion to Frederick Curtze after her parents death. Now the mansion is used as a museum, run by the Historical Society of Erie County.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is said that the ghost of General Anthony Wayne, a Revolutionary War Hero, haunts the building. The story goes that, after he died in battle in Erie and was buried locally, Waynes son wanted the body to be relocated to another cemetery closer to the family several years later. Finding it easier to move bones rather than a decomposing body, those who exhumed the body placed it in an iron cauldron to melt the flesh.

The cauldron is on display at the museum and is believed to be the reason the spirit is tied there. It is said that the cauldron will rattle loudly at night and some have even reported seeing the ghost of Wayne in the kitchen where the cauldron is displayed.

The Brewerie at Union

Originally, Eries Union Station, opened in 1927, was built to replace the Union Depot as a modern marvel in travel. The Brewerie opened in 2006, revitalizing the space and inheriting its history. As noted on the restaurants website, there have been dozens of tragic deaths at the station. However, patrons know one of the travelers who died possibly stuck around.

The story is that Clara, a young girl who was traveling with her family, fell down a flight of stairs and died. Staff have reported feeling strange sensations when near the stairwell, as if theyre about to trip or as if someone is sticking out their foot to cause someone to trip. Others have mentioned hearing giggling when alone. Paranormal investigative groups collected evidence that Claras spirit still lingers in the hallways.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The luggage tunnels underneath the old station hold pieces of the original furnishings from the station, such as benches, safes, ticket windows and luggage carts. The Brewerie offers haunted tours throughout April and October.

Erie Cemetery

According to legend, there is a mysterious vampire crypt in Erie Cemetery, marked only with an engraved V above the doors.

The mausoleum is set into a hillside, with weathered, blackened stone covered in moss. The lore is that the crypt is the resting place of a vampire from Romania who arrived in the 1880s. Shortly after the vampire was interred, desiccated bodies with puncture wounds started turning up in the area. The cemetery caretaker sealed the crypt and burned it to stop the vampire from killing again, but the vampires ghost is said to remain.

Death surrounds the crypt, with one boy falling from the roof when he attempted to set it on fire. Another story has a boy sneaking in and stealing a ring from the corpse to prove that he had made it inside. He was later found dead, with his ring finger ripped from his hand.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to records, seven bodies have been housed in the crypt while the owner of the crypt, Gertrude Brown, has never been interred there. The mausoleum has been sealed, and it is said that anyone who tries to break in to find the vampire has met untimely deaths.

Another well-known haunted spot in the cemetery is called the Witches Circle, a series of headstones arranged in a circle. Some of the headstones even have scorch marks said to be burned by the devil when he came to take the witches souls.

The cemetery hosts several tours, historical and ghostly, throughout the year.

Wintergreen Gorge

People have reported seeing the ghost of a boy and his dog walking through Wintergreen Gorge in the early morning or late at night.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tim and his dog, Dutch, were said to hike the trails daily at Wintergreen Gorge, up until Dutch died. Tim died in an accident a few years later. While Tim was an adult when he died, the people who claim to see him say he looks to be around 12 years old.

It seems the boy and his dog have been reunited, forever hiking their favorite trails. Those who come across the pair state that they dont feel afraid.

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.
An elderly Arkansas man was left seriously injured after he was mauled by a black bear in the states first attack in decades.

The victim, 72-year-old Vernon Patton, was riding a tractor near Mulberry Mountain in Ozark at the time of the attack on Wednesday afternoon, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesperson Keith Stephens told USA Today.

Patton was found suffering from major injuries, including severe cuts and puncture wounds to his head and arms, Stephens said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bear was in the process of attacking him when Pattons son showed up and started throwing rocks at the bear, the Arkansas Times reported.

It actually kind of charged at [Pattons son] one time before running away, Stephens said.

An Arkansas man was left seriously injured after he was mauled by a black bear in the states first attack in decades, officials said. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

By the time wildlife officials arrived, Patton had been airlifted to a nearby medical center, where he underwent surgery before he was taken to a hospital, officials said.

It was a pretty severe attack, Stephens said. It attacked him on his face, his arms, his upper body.

Wildlife officials stated that the young male bear, weighing approximately 70 pounds, remained nearby after the attack.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

[Officers] saw the bear in the area and it wasnt very far from where the attack had taken place, Stephens said. So they went over, the bear climbed a tree, and they put it down.

Stephens said the bear had to be shot and killed due to the nature of the attack.

If we have an animal that attacked a human being, youve got to put it down, he said. You cant have that happening again.

Bear attacks are exceptionally rare in Arkansas  the last bear attack Stephens said he was aware of happened in the 19th century.

We dont have records back that far, he said, noting, there are some news articles that talk about bear attacks in the 1850s. Ive been here 25 years and we havent had one.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials have sent samples collected from the bear to the Arkansas Department of Agricultures Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Arkansas Department of Health to test for distemper and rabies, both highly contagious.

Authorities have not been able to piece together what may have caused the attack. Game wardens are investigating.

There was nobody there to see this, so were trying to put the pieces together, he said. Thats the million-dollar question.
Election officials report positive voter turnout on last day of early voting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The University City Regional Library had one of the biggest turnouts for early voting this election cycle. Mecklenburg County Board of Elections Director Michael Dickerson says the numbers reflect it.

We look at history. What did we do two years ago to compare this election to the last two years ago? I think we only did about 8,700. I think were already over 12,000 voters early right now, Dickerson said.

He says its about a 45 to 50 percent increase in turnout. Voters across Charlotte are hoping to shape what the next leaders of the city look like as they choose who will finalize the ballot for mayor, districts 1, 3-6, and 4 at large seats.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In districts 1, 4, and 5, there are no Republican challengers; whoever wins the primary, wins the race for Charlotte City Council.

2025 ELECTIONS | Early voting locations open for Charlottes 2025 Primary Election

Im looking for the voice of the people to be heard more, said Jonathan Laugand, who lives in District 4.

He wants a candidate who cares about public transit and affordable housing for both renters and homeowners.

Im an Uber driver, and Ive driven all over, and I see how things have been changing here. Some good things and some bad things, said Anthony George Eubanks

It was important to him to make sure the best candidate would be selected for the general election in November to ease concerns about the direction of the city.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The problem I see thats going on here is the rent is out of control, Eubanks said. I need new blood in me that cares about the people, not the rich people, but the black, the white and the people that here on the ground thats working. You got people thats working here in Charlotte. They cant live in Charlotte. They have to move out.

Dickerson believes the number of voters should go up because this is only the primary.

You generally feel like the more people that vote, the better choices are made. And so hopefully you get some great candidates coming out of this primary for everybody and we have a great general election, Dickerson said.

Early voting ends Saturday afternoon; voters still have an opportunity to cast their ballots on Tuesday. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 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 Queen City News.
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova has called for an end to Russian terror in the wake of a large-scale Russian strike against Ukraine on the night of 6-7 September.

Source: Mathernova on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Mathernova pointed out that during the night Russia launched a record number of aerial weapons against Ukraine: "over 800 drones, cruise and ballistic missiles".

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She also noted that Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa and other cities came under attack and that a government building in the Ukrainian capital was damaged.

"Russian terror continues. Just gets more brazen Russian terror must be stopped," Mathernova stressed.

Background:

On the night of 6-7 September, Russia carried out a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine using strike UAVs and ground-launched missiles. Ukrainian air defence intercepted 751 out of 823 aerial assets, though 9 missiles and 54 drones hit 33 locations.

In particular, Russia attacked Kyiv with drones and missiles. Two people were reported killed and 20 injured. The Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv also caught fire as a result of the Russian strike.

Against the backdrop of the Russian attack on Ukraine, Poland scrambled its aircraft, while ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems were put on high alert.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
The top representatives of the European Union have condemned the latest Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, interpreting them as evidence of President Vladimir Putin's lack of willingness to negotiate.

"Once again, the Kremlin is mocking diplomacy, trampling international law and killing indiscriminately," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X on Sunday.

"Talking about peace while escalating bombings and targeting government buildings and homes - this is Putin's version of 'peace,'" European Council President Antonio Costa wrote on the platform.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both EU representatives also pointed to the continued planning over the weekend for a 19th package of sanctions targeting Russia over the war in Ukraine. These are expected to culminate in a proposal for legal acts in the coming days, which would then need to be approved by the governments of the 27 EU member states.

Possible options for new punitive measures recently included further tariff increases and import bans on Russian products, as well as additional sanctions on actors from other countries benefiting from Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Additionally, a more determined approach against the so-called Russian shadow fleet which circumvents energy sanctions and Russia's financial sector is planned. This also aims to prevent transactions from increasingly being conducted via cryptocurrencies.

Ideally, the new EU sanctions should be complemented by new punitive measures from the United States.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, whether this will happen remains unclear. One reason is that the government of US President Donald Trump is demanding that the Europeans completely halt all Russian energy imports, which countries like Hungary have so far refused to do.

Also controversial within the EU is the US demand to target China much more strongly due to its support for Russia.
As life gradually returns to normalcy after the recent devastating floods and heavy rains in the state, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Sunday announced the reopening of all the educational institutions, including schools, colleges, universities, polytechnic institutes and ITIs from September 8. He authorised Deputy Commissioners to decide on the closure of such institutions in the areas which are severely affected. Elaborating on the reopening plan, Harjot Singh Bains informed that private schools can reopen on September 8 for both teachers and students, contingent on ensuring building and classroom safety by the School Management. Government schools, however, will have a different schedule: teachers and staff will report on September 8 for inspections, cleaning and damage assessment, while students will resume classes from September 9. He directed the school heads to ensure the cleaning of government school premises with the help of SMCs, panchayats, MCs, and to immediately report to the Deputy Commissioner, SDM, or the Engineering department if they found any damage to the building or classroom, to ensure the safety of students and staff. He further added that colleges, universities, ITIs and polytechnic institutes will resume regular operations for both teachers and students from September 8. Emphasising the safety of students and staff, the Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains directed the administration to take necessary measures to ensure educational institutions are functional and safe. School heads and management committees have been tasked with ensuring water drainage and thorough cleaning of premises. Amid a severe flood situation in Punjab, the situation remains under control in Ludhiana, the district administration said on Sunday. According to an update issued at 2:30 PM, the water has not entered the villages in Ludhiana district. However, officials noted that the speed of the water is very high, causing soil erosion along its path. The administration appealed to residents to remain calm, stressing the need not to panic. It also cautioned that spectators were not allowed at the flooded sites for safety reasons. As of Saturday, 46 people have lost their lives due to floods in Punjab, according to the officials. (ANI)
European Council President Antonio Costa has said that Kyiv's partners must "stay the course" after Russia launched a record number of drones and missiles against Ukraine on the night of 6-7 September.

Source: Costa on X (Twitter) on Sunday 7 September, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "Talking about peace while escalating bombings and targeting government buildings and homes  this is Putins version of 'peace'.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia started this war, and Russia is choosing to continue it.

We must stay the course: strengthen Ukraines defences and step up pressure on Russia through additional sanctions, in close coordination with our allies and partners. My thoughts are with the victims, the injured, and their families. The strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people continue to inspire us all."

Background:

Following Russias large-scale attack, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that "the Kremlin is mocking diplomacy, trampling international law and killing indiscriminately".

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Russia's attack on the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv demonstrates the futility of any delays and attempts to appease the Kremlin.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky called Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin "a coward who attacks women and children".

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Students at the La Center School District and Evergreen Public Schools will not be returning to class on Monday.

Both school districts have been in negotiations with teachers and support staff, but have failed to come up with a contract they can agree on.

Evergreens board of directors voted unanimously Friday to approve a resolution that would allow the district to pursue legal action against striking workers. The district continued negotiations Saturday, but so far no agreement has been reached.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, teachers and staff at the La Center School District have also not been able to agree upon a contract. The district said theyve been in negotiations since March, but have yet to reach an agreement.

School is canceled again for students in La Center district

We are pretty disappointed that the district chose to close schools for three days next week, said La Center High School Teacher Minna Thayer.

It seems, the district has said that they want us back in classes quickly. We agree. But closing schools for three days, assuming that bargaining is not going to go anywhere. Seems like not the quickest way to do it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Union members reject districts final offer as Evergreen Public Schools cancels Friday classes

La Center students have been out of class since Wednesday, when the teachers went on strike.

In an update posted Saturday to its website, La Center announced that classes would be cancelled from Sept. 8 to Sept. 10. If no agreement is reached by Sept. 9, they said classes will be cancelled for the remainder of the week.

Meanwhile, classes at Evergreen Public Schools were set to start Monday, but the final call was officially made Sunday afternoon that school would be cancelled.

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.
When U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, several senators criticized him for restricting the COVID-19 vaccine after promising in November he wouldnt take away anybodys vaccines.

Did you hold up a big sign saying that you were lying when you said that? Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., asked Kennedy.

On Aug. 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidance, limiting the groups of people approved to get the updated shot to anyone age 65 and older and any person 6 months and older who has at least one underlying health condition that increases their risk of severe COVID-19 infection.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kennedy pushed back, Anybody can get the booster, he said, later adding that its not recommended for healthy people.

Warren said, If you dont recommend, then the consequence of that in many states is that you cant walk into a pharmacy and get one. It means insurance companies dont have to cover the $200 or so cost.

Warren and Kennedy continued to speak over each other debating the vaccines availability.

It depends on the states, Kennedy said. But they can still get it. Everybody can get it. Everybody can get it, senator.

Asked for evidence, the Health and Human Services Department pointed us to an Aug. 27 X post from Kennedy that said, These vaccines are available for all patients who choose them after consulting with their doctors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kennedys blanket statement to senators is misleading and premature.

Under current guidance, healthy people under 65 years old might need a doctors prescription to get the shot. If they successfully get a prescription, they may need to pay out of pocket.

Further, whether the vaccine is available at pharmacies and covered by insurance is largely dependent on a vaccine panel that has so far issued no recommendations.

What was the status quo for years  that the majority of Americans, regardless of age, could easily make an appointment at their local pharmacy for the vaccine at little to no out-of-pocket cost  is no longer guaranteed in the 2025-26 season.

FDA limited COVID-19 vaccine approval, CDC has yet to issue guidance

The FDAs approval is not the only step in the process of making vaccines available to the public.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a panel of independent experts that guides vaccine policy, has not voted on or issued current guidance. Typically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccines based on the panels guidance.

And that guidance affects insurance coverage and vaccine access. Federal law requires that most health insurance plans fully cover vaccines recommended by the CDC. Some states also require these recommendations before they allow vaccines to be offered over-the-counter at pharmacies.

On June 9, Kennedy fired all 17 members of the CDCs immunization advisory committee and replaced some with new members, many of whom have expressed anti-vaccine views. CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired Aug. 27 over what Monarez described as a dispute about vaccine policy.

According to the CDCs website, the advisory panel is scheduled to meet Sept. 18 to 19.

Whether people in FDA-approved groups can get the vaccine over the counter depends on the state

People in the FDA-approved groups should be able to schedule vaccinations as soon as authorized health care providers receive it, likely in the next few weeks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Even if you are in these approved groups, where you can get the COVID-19 vaccine varies by state. By law, pharmacies in certain states wont be able to offer the vaccine or will only administer it with a doctors prescription until the CDCs vaccine advisory panel issues its recommendations.

That means even though the FDA has issued its approval for some groups, in 18 states and Washington, D.C., pharmacists cannot administer it because it isnt on the CDC immunization schedule yet, Brigid Groves, American Pharmacists Association vice president of professional affairs, previously told PolitiFact.

As of Sept. 4, the scheduling apps for Walgreens and CVS notified patients in some locations that they could not schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment because of state restrictions, inventory or the need for a prescription.

People not in FDA-approved categories may require off-label prescriptions

People who are not in the FDAs approved group are not banned from getting the COVID-19 vaccine, per se. But accessing the vaccine will likely require navigating some barriers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Doctors can legally prescribe a COVID-19 vaccine for people who fall outside the FDA categories.

Thats true for adults and children  and the practice of prescribing medications and vaccines for off-label use is fairly common in pediatrics, Dr. William Schaffner, Vanderbilt University Medical Center professor of infectious diseases, previously told PolitiFact.

That requires making and paying for a doctors appointment, and finding a doctor willing to prescribe it off-label.

Depending on ACIPs guidance, pharmacists might be able to vaccinate people not in an FDA-approved group through a process called "shared clinical decision-making."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That means, for example, If you were 52 years old and otherwise healthy, but you nonetheless wanted to get the vaccine, you could discuss that with your doctor  shared clinical decision making  and you could receive the vaccine, Schaffner said.

Pharmacists are considered clinicians who can conduct that shared decision-making, Groves said.

But again, without CDC recommendations, We dont know if that provision is still there, Schaffner said.

Vaccine insurance coverage is dependent on CDC guidance that is not yet available

Insurance coverage for the vaccine is still up in the air, too, and will largely depend on what the CDC recommends.

Insurance coverage is more probable for people in an FDA-approved category. But, if the CDC recommendations include giving vaccines to healthy people through the shared clinical decision-making process, insurance companies will generally honor that, Schaffner said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

COVID-19 vaccines cost about $142, according to the CDCs price lists. Its unclear whether that would be the out-of-pocket cost for patients receiving a COVID-19 vaccine not covered by insurance.

Our ruling

Kennedy said everybody can get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The FDA limited the groups of people who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, which has already diminished the shots drugstore availability in some states. People who are not in those groups arent banned from getting the shot, but are likely to face additional barriers. For example, people may need a doctor to prescribe the vaccine off-label, making the process more challenging and potentially more costly.

Kennedys blanket statement also is premature.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A CDC vaccine panel has not issued recommendations for the vaccine. The groups guidance might affect insurance coverage and over-the-counter access.

The statement contains an element of truth  the vaccine has not been banned and some people are approved to get it. But it ignores critical facts about the barriers others could face accessing and paying for it. We rate it Mostly False.

PolitiFact staff writer Madison Czopek contributed to this report.
A former Atlantic County school district employee accused of inappropriately touching a student is facing additional charges after two more victims, ages 11 and 12, were identified, authorities said.

Darnell Williams, 34, of the Whiting section of Manchester Township, was recently charged with two counts each of second-degree sexual assault, official misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct, the Hamilton Township Police Department said.

Williams, a former employee of the Hamilton Township School District, was charged last month with second-degree sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13, official misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said at the time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In that case, investigators said he touched a student in a sexual manner on Feb. 21 while working for the school district.

His title with the district was listed as supervisor of special projects, according to board of education minutes from a 2023 meeting.

Williams was paid nearly $97,000, according to state pension records.

At the time of his arrest in August, Williams was seeking employment with the Central Regional Public School District, Michelle Carney Ray-Yoder, superintendent, previously told NJ Advance Media.

A resolution to hire Williams as director of pupil services went before the school board on Aug. 13, but his offer of employment was rescinded after the district learned of his arrest.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Williams is currently held in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a detention hearing, police said. The investigation remains ongoing.

Kerlin Hyppolite, Williams attorney, did not return a request for comment from NJ Advance Media on Sunday.

Stories by Rebecca Heath

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Rebecca Heath may be reached at RHeath@njadvancemedia.com.

Read the original article on NJ.com.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  On Saturday, Intermountain Health will host an open house in celebration of the remodel and expansion of its Cancer Centers of Colorado at Intermountain Health St. Marys Regional Hospital, located at 750 Wellington Ave.

The event will feature a health fair from 9 a.m. to noon, in which caregivers will offer education on topics from clinical trials to palliative care. Additionally, attendees can schedule appointments for preventative screenings.

Completed to accommodate the 40% growth in patient volume for cancer-related services over the past few years, the expansion and remodel increased infusion space by 30% and the medical oncology exam rooms by 20%. The expansion will allow for more appointment options and times for patients.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our patients receive the very best care at St. Marys, and we are proud and excited to give them this beautiful space that reflects the quality, compassion, and love behind the excellent care we provide, said Alicia Swink, MD, the Intermountain Health medical oncologist and regional service line medical director. This remodel is designed specifically for patients on the Western Slope  for their comfort, healing, and safety. We feel the cancer center now better visually represents the heart of the care we give each patient.

Since the early 1940s, St. Marys Regional Hospital Cancer Centers of Colorado has offered treatments, supportive programs and partnerships throughout the Western Slope and in Utah. As a regional leader in cancer care, the hospitals center sees over 1,500 new patients each year.

For more information about the center, visit Intermountain Health St. Marys 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 WesternSlopeNow.com.
Joe Rogan's podcast is no stranger to controversy, but a recent clip downplaying the changing climate has people turning up the heat.

In a clip that's been circulating online, Rogan references a Washington Post article while suggesting that concerns about the warming planet are overblown.

Rogan uses the article to support the idea that Earth's shifting climate is simply part of natural cycles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Scientists have captured the Earth's climate change of the last 485 million years. Here's a surprising place we stand now, so look at the far end of that graph and you see we're in a cooling period," he states.

That's where TikToker Evan James (@evanjmez) steps in, calling out Rogan for cherry-picking information and misleading audiences.

The creator points out that the article, which you can read for yourself here, actually states the opposite.

"At the tail end of the graph you will see a major spike in global temperatures during recent human history. The article literally says human-caused emissions in recent centuries have pushed the rate of warming into unprecedented territory," James said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Earth has experienced glacial and interglacial cycles in its history and the Earth had been in a cooling trend until recently, those shifts unfolded over tens of thousands of years. By contrast, the dramatic warming observed since the Industrial Revolution has happened in less than two centuries.

This distinction is critical: Natural cycles explain long-term ice ages, but they cannot account for the unprecedented pace and scale of warming seen today. When dirty fuels burn, they release carbon dioxide, a harmful gas that traps heat in Earth's atmosphere and accelerates warming far beyond natural rates.

"Joe Rogan does not read articles; he only reads headlines. And, this is a perfect example of him spreading misinformation. You just take a few minutes to read this article, you would know that the researchers findings actually support the existence of man made climate change," James emphasizes.

Commenters were quick to push back against the podcast's framing, too.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Y'all humans have extracted over 135 BILLION TONS of petroleum (carbon) from the earth and COMBUSTED most of it. (creates carbon dioxide) releasing it into our atmosphere. how can u think that that would not do anything to the earth!!!!!!???" said one commenter.

To that point, the "natural" climate cycles that dismissers of modern science often point to are what happens with natural cycles of environmental processes, such as trees growing, trees burning, volcanoes erupting, and so on, but only humans in the entire Earth's history have been able to extract "fossil" plant matter from often millions of years ago and burn it all into the air in a short period of time.

Some of the same can be said for battery materials, but at least with batteries, they can be reused many times and then recycled to reclaim around 95% of those materials; they require some fossil fuels during extraction, but it's a more sustainable and valuable result of that pollution, as the battery materials are not burned into the air.

Another pointed out the contradiction in the host's approach: "He says I think it's a very complicated topic, then proceeds to interpret something he knows absolutely nothing about."

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.
For the first time in more than 200 years, a red-billed chough chick has taken flight in Kent in Southeast England  a "remarkable milestone," according to Wildwood Trust, for a species that had long vanished from the county.

The chick, which fledged last month from a nest discovered earlier this spring at Dover Castle, represents the first successful wild birth and flight in the region since the birds disappeared in the 18th century, according to the BBC.

"This is a moment we've all been hoping for," Liz Corry, supervisor of the chough's release at Wildwood Trust, said in the announcement. "To see a wild chick not only hatch but fledge and take to the sky is a major step forward to the species re-establishing itself naturally in the region."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Once a thriving presence across Kent, the red-billed chough was driven out by habitat loss and harassment. Their return is thanks to a carefully managed reintroduction program led by Wildwood Trust and Paradise Park, launched just three years ago. The initiative is part of a five-year plan to release up to 50 choughs in southeast England, with support from conservation partners across the U.K.

A chick also hatched in the summer of 2024, but the trust said it "unfortunately went missing during strong winds and hasn't been seen since early July," according to separate reporting from the BBC.

Similar conservation efforts have seen success with the South African population of the white-winged flufftail, the nightjar in the U.K., and the piping plover in the United States, to name a few.

The program in Kent is also helping revive chalk grassland habitats  rare ecosystems that benefit local communities by preventing soil erosion, protecting water supplies, and supporting pollinators essential for food production.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As Paul Hadaway of the Kent Wildlife Trust explained to the BBC, "A thriving chough population in Kent not only revives a lost species but it proves the value of restoring rare and vital habitats like chalk grassland."

The bird's return also holds cultural importance, according to the publication. The chough is featured on Canterbury's coat of arms, and Kentish legend links its vivid red legs and beak to the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket. For residents, the sight of the bird soaring again above the White Cliffs is a reminder of the region's deep history  and a hopeful sign for its ecological future.

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.
AI is starting to make experts on nuclear deterrence very nervous.

Specifically, they say that a widespread push to integrate AI into virtually every level of military decision-making is creating a "slippery slope" in which AI will either be given the power to launch nuclear weapons itself, or the humans with that power will become so reliant on its guidance that they'll do so if it tells them to.

Worst of all, they say, is that this is still happening while we still don't quite understand how AI works  and as testing shows that in wargaming exercises, it tends to escalate conflicts to apocalyptic levels that humans would have cooled down.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Its almost like the AI understands escalation, but not de-escalation," Stanford's Jacquelyn Schneider, the director of the university's Hoover Wargaming and Crisis Simulation Initiative who has tested AI systems' response to military wargaming, told Politico in a sobering new story. "We dont really know why that is."

This is all coming as the Trump administration seeks to push AI into many aspects of government, while stripping down safety regulations on the tech.

"There is no standing guidance, as far as we can tell, inside the Pentagon on whether and how AI should or should not be integrated into nuclear command and control and communications," Federation of American Scientists director of global risk Jon Wolfsthal told Politico.

For now, the Pentagon insists that there will always be a human in the loop.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The administration supports the need to maintain human control over nuclear weapons," a senior official tersely told the outlet.

The fear of experts like Schneider, though, is that either that commitment will get eaten away as adversaries like Russia and China incorporate AI into their own high-stakes military command structures  or that Pentagon officials will stumble into a nuclear conflict because a flawed AI system tells them that it's unavoidable.

"Ive heard combatant commanders say, 'Hey, I want someone who can take all the results from a war game and, when Im in a [crisis] scenario, tell me what the solution is based on what the AI interpretation is,'" Schneider fretted.

In a sense, these are all new versions of old problems. Russia is believed to still be maintaining a Cold War-era "dead hand" system that would automatically retaliate against a detected nuclear strike, though the system may not currently be activated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And sure, as Politico makes clear, the whole problem sounds like a fictional backstory for an apocalyptic sci-fi movie. But as it turns out, even after watching all those movies, we can't seem to avoid sliding into that exact reality.

"Admittedly, such a suggestion will generate comparisons to Dr. Strangelove's doomsday machine, WarGames' War Operation Plan Response, and the Terminator's Skynet," a pair of nuclear deterrence experts wrote in a 2019 blog post calling for the United States to develop its own dead hand system, "but the prophetic imagery of these science fiction films is quickly becoming reality."

More on military AI: Pentagon Signs Deal to "Deploy AI Agents for Military Use"
Invasive fish species can drive out native species, upsetting the balance of the ecosystems in which they appear. One of the ways that ecologists have been encouraging people to deal with these invasive species is by eating them. For one invasive fish, the Asian carp, that has proved to be a bit of an uphill battle, Wired reported.

Asian carp were introduced in the United States in the 1970s and have since spread around the waterways of the South and Midwest. They are adaptable and hardy, and they eat up so much plankton and algae that they starve out native fish species that also rely on those food sources.

Experts fear that if they reach the Great Lakes, the results could be catastrophic.

Advertisement Advertisement

The growing movement to encourage people to fish and eat the carp has had one major obstacle: To many Americans, the fish does not look particularly appetizing. Wired described it as "ugly" in its headline. (A bit pejorative, maybe, but fortunately, fish can't read.)

Another issue was the association between carp and bottom feeders. "The name was a barrier," said ecologist Kevin Irons of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

To combat that problem, the freshwater fishing industry has made a concerted effort to rebrand the Asian carp as "copi." Past attempts at rebranding underappreciated fish have been wildly successful  most notably with the Patagonian toothfish, which was renamed Chilean sea bass in the 1990s and is now a popular restaurant item.

The people behind the movement to rebrand the Asian carp are hoping for a similar level of success. Several chefs are already leading the way, including Top Chef mainstay Sara Bradley, who is now featuring copi  which she calls Kentucky silver carp  on the menu at her Kentucky restaurant Freight House.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Buying fish caught about 20 miles away from me and brought fresh every single day  I feel better about that than buying Scottish salmon, farm-raised," Bradley said, "Plus, it's delicious."

Louisiana chef Philippe Parola is also at the forefront of the movement and has even written a cookbook titled "Can't Beat 'Em, Eat 'Em!: 40 Invasive Species With Recipes."

Which sustainable cooking change are you most interested in trying?

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

Other invasive species that experts are encouraging people to eat include blue crabs in Italy, green crabs in New England, and many more.

Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held an intensive interaction with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of Parliament during a special training session organised ahead of the Vice Presidential elections. PM Modi spent the entire day with BJP MPs at the workshop, blending candid advice focused on strengthening parliamentary effectiveness, enhancing constituency engagement and upholding ethical standards in public life. It is pertinent to note that, unlike formal gatherings, PM Modi chose to sit among MPs as one of them, setting a tone of inclusivity and open dialogue. The daylong meeting, which was divided into many sessions, was led by a mix of young and experienced parliamentarians, reflecting the BJP's model of collective leadership. As per sources, one of the key themes of the workshop was the law banning online gaming, which the Prime Minister highlighted as a pressing social issue. He called on MPs to spread awareness about the recent ban, particularly in rural areas, where a lack of information is creating serious family-level challenges. PM Modi called upon MPs to take the lead in educating communities about the dangers of addiction and the intent of the new legislation. The post-lunch session featured smaller group discussions on parliamentary standing committees. Sources informed that the Prime Minister said that he had never served on a standing committee, having transitioned directly into the Prime Minister's role. PM Modi stressed the critical role of standing committees in policy formulation and governance oversight. He urged MPs to study committee reports carefully, take the committee's work seriously, calling it a "treasure house for policymaking." Sources said that he also emphasised the importance of meeting ministers before and after standing committee discussions to avoid misunderstandings and improve coordination. At the same time, he advised them to maintain professional respect towards officers, reminding them that bureaucrats are facilitators of MPs' work. Encouraging MPs to think out of the box, PM Modi asked them to prepare thoroughly for discussions by studying documents and reports in detail. "New ideas and well-researched interventions strengthen democracy," he said. Sources informed that PM Modi issued a clear caution against corporate lobbying and influence, advising MPs not to frame questions in Parliament that indirectly advance corporate interests. He underscored the need to protect parliamentary debates from undue external pressures, keeping people's welfare at the center. Reinforcing the message of Swachhta (cleanliness), PM Modi said that it was not a matter of resources but of effort and mindset. He acknowledged the differing challenges in rural and urban areas but stressed that MPs must lead by example in maintaining cleanliness. Citing Singapore's transformation as an example, PM Modi said that collective effort and discipline can bring about remarkable change in a nation. He urged MPs to adopt a similar spirit in their work. Sources informed that the Prime Minister suggested that the MPs hold monthly "tiffin meetings" with people in each constituency segment to strengthen grassroots connections. He said that such informal interactions would not only keep MPs connected with local sentiments but also help them address the frequent perception of elected representatives being "missing" from public life. PM Modi reiterated that MPs must remain grounded in their constituencies, identifying beneficiaries of government schemes, understanding people's needs and ensuring last-mile delivery of welfare measures. He said that staying connected locally is key to effective representation in Parliament. The training session will continue on Monday from 02:45 PM to 6:30 PM, concluding with another round of guidance from the Prime Minister. All NDA MPs will participate in tomorrow's meeting. Giving information about the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that tomorrow, MPs from NDA parties will also join us, and the Prime Minister will also make the concluding remarks at the valedictory event. He further stated that the training program for BJP MPs is ongoing. It is very organised and, as always, the culture of the BJP is extremely professional. Our MPs attended the training sessions throughout the day. The Prime Minister was present in all the training sessions from morning to night. (ANI)
Climbing season on Mount Everest was delayed 12 days this year due to treacherous conditions on the section of the climb known as the Khumbu Icefall, Business Insider reported. The reason for the unsafe conditions was higher-than-normal temperatures that could lead to deadly avalanches, which is a consequence of the continued overheating of our planet.

What's happening?

Forty-five people were killed on the Khumbu Icefall between 1953 and 2019, and that number could rise in the coming years if current trends continue. The 1.6-mile stretch is particularly susceptible to avalanches that experts warn could continue to get worse as the planet continues to heat up.

"Going up there one part of the day and coming down the next day could look very different. And the probability of that getting worse with a warmer climate increases," Paul Mayewski, a Mount Everest researcher and climatologist at the University of Maine, told Business Insider.

Why is this concerning?

Dangerous conditions aren't the only things plaguing Mount Everest these days. In many ways, the tourists who arrive every year to make the dangerous and arduous climb are as much of a threat to the mountain as the mountain is to them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 1,000 paying tourists reached the summit last year  each one accompanied by two to three sherpas who carried their gear (including heated tents), cooked for them, and staked out their route up the mountain.

Most of those tourists then left their trash  including discarded oxygen containers, food containers, abandoned tents, and feces  all over the mountain.

As much of Nepal's economy now relies on Everest tourism, the government has responded with confusing rules around trash and littering that may or may not be enforced.

What's being done about the problems with Everest?

Despite these issues, Mount Everest is seeing more tourists attempt the famous climb every year. Though the overheating of our planet may make that climb more difficult in the future, people with virtually unlimited funds will likely find a way to say they climbed Everest one way or another  including by transporting their gear ahead of them via helicopter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Will people still be able to do it? Yeah, I think they will," Mayewski told Business Insider. "Will it be more dangerous? Arguably yes  it's already pretty dangerous."

Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
TOKYO (Reuters) - With Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announcing his resignation, attention turns to who will next steer the world's fourth-largest economy.

The process to pick Japan's next leader is more complicated than before as Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled Japan for most of the post-war period, and its junior coalition partner lost their majorities in both houses of parliament during his tenure.

PARTY LEADERSHIP RACE

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

First, the LDP must pick a new president to replace Ishiba. The date has not been set yet.

In the last party leadership race in September 2024, candidates needed to secure 20 nominations from the party's lawmakers to be eligible to run.

The party plans to hold the vote on October 4, broadcaster TBS reported, citing an unnamed senior party official.

Candidates will embark on a period of debates and campaigns across Japan, culminating in a vote by lawmakers and rank-and-file party members. In the last race, there were nine contenders, and Ishiba won in a run-off.

LDP VOTE

The party can choose its next leader through two formats: a "full-spec" election or a quicker, simplified vote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a full-scale contest, used during the last leadership race, each lawmaker casts a vote, with rank-and-file members also receiving an equal number of votes in the first round.

A candidate securing a simple majority in that poll becomes party leader. If no one secures a majority, a run-off follows between the two candidates with the most votes.

In that second round, each lawmaker again gets one vote, but the share of the rank-and-file drops to 47 votes, one for each of Japan's prefectures.

A simplified election is a smaller contest typically employed after a sudden resignation. It limits voting to LDP legislators and three representatives from the party's prefectural chapters, bypassing a vote by the broader membership.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The party last used this 'simplified' method in 2020 to select Yoshihide Suga as its new leader following the resignation of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

In the unlikely event of a tie, the winner will be decided by lot. That has never happened in a leadership contest, but was used in 2010 to decide who would chair the LDP's upper house caucus.

PARLIAMENT VOTES

Since the ruling coalition has lost its parliamentary majority, the next LDP president is not guaranteed to become prime minister, although that is likely as the party remains by far the largest in the lower house.

In 1994, the LDP formed a three-way alliance with its arch-rival, the Japan Socialist Party and a smaller startup party to regain power, having socialist leader Tomiichi Murayama elected as prime minister.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Based on precedent, the more-powerful lower house will first vote on its choice for prime minister. Lawmakers can nominate any candidates from the chamber, and historically the leaders of opposition parties have been put forward for the vote.

Any candidate who secures a simple majority in the first round wins approval. If no one secures a majority, a run-off poll follows, between the two candidates with the most votes.

Voting then passes to the upper house, where a similar process begins, although only members of the lower house are eligible to be prime minister.

If there is a disagreement between the houses, the choice of the lower house prevails. This happened in 2008 when the lower house chose the LDP candidate and the upper house picked an opposition candidate.

The new prime minister may also call a snap general election to seek a national mandate.

(Reporting by John Geddie, Tim Kelly and the Tokyo Newsroom; Editing by Saad Sayeed)
Claim:

Thieves operating in public places use drug-filled perfume bottles to render their victims unconscious.

Rating:

Rating: False

A persistent internet urban legend continues to be widely shared across social media in which users claimed strangers are approaching women in retail store parking areas and asking them to smell drugged perfume samples in an effort to knock them out and rob them.

This rumor was first debunked by Snopes in June 2000 but has persisted nonetheless. In late August and early September 2025, concerned users on Facebook posted (archived, archived, archived, archived) about the alleged "scam" at length with comments like, "People is going around with bottles of perfume and cologne 'having you smell it' and it will knock you out... then they will rob you. Please be careful people."

The popularity of the claim prompted Snopes readers to reach out via email for us to investigate the veracity of the rumor. In fact, Snopes received nearly 1,300 emails about this same rumor since 2015.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Indeed, this claim mirrors the one Snopes debunked in 2000, except the drug of choice has changed from "ether" to "Axter." Even small details like the alleged perpetrators "waiting between parked cars" for another victim are similar to the original rumor that began circulating as far back as 1999, according to Snopes' previous reporting.

Snopes' research suggests "Axter" might be intended to refer to a brand name for hydroxyzine, an antihistamine the Mayo Clinic describes as a doctor-prescribed drug "used to help control anxiety and tension caused by nervous and emotional conditions. It can also be used to help control anxiety and produce sleep before surgery."

However, in our research we found only one pharmacy, Frank Ross Pharmacy in India, carries a drug called Axter, which the pharmacy lists as containing hydroxyzine. However, Atarax is a more widely recognized brand name for the drug that is easy to find information about across the web.

We've reached out to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clarification on whether Axter is a legitimate brand of hydroxyzine, as well as for information about the possibilities that a person could even be subdued using hydroxyzine through the methodology described in the claim. We will update this article when we receive a response.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The National Library of Medicine lists one hazard of hydroxyzine as, "May cause drowsiness or dizziness [Warning Specific target organ toxicity, single exposure; Narcotic effects]."

Whether drugging-via-hydroxyzine is technically possible, this claim is still false, simply an evolution of the same urban legend that's been circulating nearly as long as the internet has been mainstream. This claim is what's known as a copypasta, an internet phenomenon Snopes previously described as:

A portmanteau of "copy" and "paste" (and a wink), copypasta is copied-and-pasted text shared online. Often its content pleads with readers to pass along some warning or advice to help others, or an offer of free cash or merchandise from some big company, when in fact it's just a bit of fiction meant to trick or embarrass the person who shares it. Some examples of shockingly effective copypasta fact-checked by Snopes years ago still pop up in our inbox almost every day.

Most instances of this particular copypasta insist these are secondhand stories heard from a friend or someone they know. No reputable news outlets have reported on this claim. Further, we could not find any legitimate evidence or reports that these sorts of attacks have taken place, and certainly not at the frequency with which the claim would have you believe.

An undated memo from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Police Department hosted on the UCSD website addressed this same claim. Though the page is undated, Snopes found archives of this page hosted on the Internet Archive dating back to Jan. 26, 2003.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The UCSD memo reads:

A number of people on campus have reported receiving an email regarding males asking females to sniff a bottle of perfume. The email claims that the perfume is really ether and anyone who sniffs it will pass out. This is an urban legend which began in late 1999 from an incident reported to the Mobile Police Department. Emails regarding this incident and several variations have been widely circulated. The details in the emails has changed over time. The emails showing up today contain the basics of the original but instead of cologne the knock out product is now perfume. Instead of an unknown, undetectable substance, the agent is identified as being ether. Most interesting of all, the moral of the story is no longer simply "beware of parking lot scammers." It has become "if not for these email warnings, I might have been a victim too."

Snopes' previous reporting contributed to this article.

Sources:

CDC Health-Related Hoaxes & Rumors. https://webharvest.gov/peth04/20041119232407/http://www.cdc.gov/hoax_rumors.htm. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=011459. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

---. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=010392. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Frank Ross Health. https://frankrosspharmacy.com/Axter%2025%20mg%20Tablet%2010'S?varientId=35153. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Hydroxyzine (Oral Route)." Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/hydroxyzine-oral-route/description/drg-20311434. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Knockout Perfume Scam. https://www.police.ucsd.edu/docs/perfumescam.htm. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Mikkelson, Barbara. "Have Women Been Killed by Poisoned Perfume Samples?" Snopes, 3 Nov. 2001, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/poison-perfume-samples/.

Mikkelson, David. "Are Robbers Subduing Victims with Perfume Samples?" Snopes, 12 June 2000, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/perfume-robbers/.

PubChem. Hydroxyzine. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/3658. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

"Viral Warning about Women Dying from Inhaling Poisonous Perfume Is False." 13newsnow.Com, 6 Oct. 2023, https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/verify/social-media/viral-warning-about-women-dying-from-inhaling-poisonous-perfume-is-false/536-84a2a494-730a-4fad-b2ba-43c8398a5b62.


In a quiet Maryland town, a trusted local company is now at the center of a painful discovery, according to the Washington Post. What seemed like an ordinary part of daily life has left residents asking hard questions about what they've been drinking for decades.

What's happening?

In Elkton, Maryland, longtime resident Debbie Blankenship has battled cancer for years while mourning a string of pets lost to the same disease. For decades, she chalked it up to bad luck. That was, until 2023, when a local company, W.L. Gore & Associates, asked to test her private well water for PFOA, a toxic PFAS or "forever chemical" used in manufacturing.

"That's when the light went off," Blankenship said, according to the Washington Post. She realized she and her dogs  unlike her husband and children, who drank bottled water  had been the only ones in the family consuming well water.



Tests revealed concentrations of PFOA, one of thousands of chemicals in the PFAS family, known to persist indefinitely in the environment and human body, as the American Cancer Society explained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Other nearby wells showed far higher levels: up to 1,800 parts per trillion, far above the Environmental Protection Agency's new maximum contaminant level of four parts per trillion. The lawsuits that followed alleged Gore knew of the risks for decades but concealed them, though the company denies wrongdoing.

Why is PFAS contamination concerning?

PFAS exposure has been linked to cancers, high cholesterol, infertility, cardiovascular disease, and developmental delays.

Do you feel safe drinking the tap water where you live? Always Most of the time Not usually Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

According to the EPA, more than 158 million Americans may be exposed to PFAS in their drinking water. Even low levels can carry health risks, with former federal health official Linda Birnbaum warning that "many of the nearby wells should be capped and closed because it would be very difficult to clean them up," per the Post.

For residents like Blankenship, the impact is devastating. She described waking up each day with pain "only comparable to childbirth."



Another former Gore worker recalled headaches, numbness, and chemical odors on the job, saying, "I'm disappointed in the company for polluting, when I thought they were more concerned about the culture of the company," per the Post.

What's being done about PFAS?

W.L. Gore says it cut PFOA out of its supply chain more than a decade ago, and in Elkton, the company has paid to install dozens of filtration systems and hook some homes up to public water.



Still, Maryland has taken Gore to court, part of a growing wave of lawsuits that argue chemical makers should be held responsible for what's in the ground and in people's bodies.



Across the country, other manufacturers have already settled for billions, and the EPA has tightened its rules on what can safely flow from the tap. Yet families who rely on private wells remain outside federal protections. For them, safety often comes down to bottled jugs stacked on a porch or filters humming under the sink.



Stories like Debbie Blankenship's are not unique. From factory towns in Michigan to farm country in North Carolina, entire communities are living with the same uneasy question: What happens when the water you trusted turns against you?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The answers, still unfolding, will shape whether families in places like Elkton can one day drink without fear.

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.
For more than 60 years, tourists and locals alike have flocked to Olvera Street for one particular photo: posing with Jorge, the sarape-wearing stuffed donkey. The Mexican donkey cart, known as La Carreta, has become part of the citys cultural fabric, a stop so well-loved that some Angelenos call Jorge the unofficial mascot of Los Angeles.

The business dates back to the late 1960s, when it was founded by Richard Hernandezs parents, Jesus Don Chuy Hernandez and Maria Trancito Hernandez. Originally featuring a live donkey named Cirila, the stand later introduced Jorge, the stuffed burro that has appeared in movies, magazines and countless vacation albums.

But the family behind the stand is now locked in a legal battle with the city of Los Angeles over its future. Richard Hernandez, who helps run the booth, says he should have been added to the vendor lease at his mothers request in 2019. However, after she died last year, he discovered his name was not on the paperwork. Soon after, he received an eviction notice.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is unjust. Its not right, Hernandez told KTLA. Other than the contract reason, he said he was never given a reason. Somebody must want this spot, or somebody might want to run the same donkey business without me. Theyre spending all this money Its not right. It doesnt make any sense.

Jorge is a sarape-wearing stuffed donkey at Olvera Street, beloved by generations of visitors. (KTLA) Jorge is a sarape-wearing stuffed donkey at Olvera Street, beloved by generations of visitors. (KTLA) Jorge is a sarape-wearing stuffed donkey at Olvera Street, beloved by generations of visitors. (KTLA)

The dispute has left Hernandez juggling his day-to-day work of snapping photos for visitors while preparing for a jury trial. He insists he is willing to pay rent and keep the tradition alive, but says the process has left his family in limbo.

For many Angelenos, the stand is more than a business. Families have returned for generations to take photos with Jorge, sometimes recreating childhood pictures with their own children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We really hope that he can stay open, and I can bring my other daughter, and we can take a picture, because she wasnt able to come today, one customer said. Another added, This is such an important historical place. I wish him the best that he can keep this place open.

Hernandez gets emotional when talking about what the business means to his family. It means the world to my family, he said. Sorry, I get choked up.

He has pleaded publicly for Mayor Karen Bass to step in and help stop the eviction. KTLA has reached out to both the mayors office and the Los Angeles City Attorneys Office for comment and is awaiting a response.

In the meantime, community support for the Hernandez family has grown. Reporting from L.A. TACO earlier this year noted that the family won a round in court when a judge ruled in their favor against the citys initial eviction effort, though the legal fight continues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For Hernandez, the fight is about more than just a booth. Its my livelihood, he said. Its our family legacy.

Sara Welch provided reporting for this article.

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.
Sep. 7Sitting at her dining room table, JoLynn Yenne sifts through over a century of family history. Family portraits, wedding photos, school report cards and handwritten notes are piled up with adoration.

A third-generation member of the Siderius family, Yenne is passionate about remembering her family's legacy and sharing it amongst relatives and the local community.

This summer, like every third summer, the Siderius family reunion brought in 172 people, ages 7 weeks old to 94 years old, to the Flathead Valley. It's a time to celebrate the homestead, perseverance and future of the family. And the journey that Gertrude and Evert Siderius, Yenne's grandparents, took when they moved to Montana over 100 years ago.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jolynn Yenne is the daughter of Henry Siderius, one of Gertrude and Evert's sons who eventually took over the family farm.

Inheriting the job from her mother, Yenne is the historic bookkeeper who has expanded the collection to include scrapbooks, posters and family timelines. She takes the intricate pages of the family's past to the reunions, allowing members to learn about their shared history.

The reunions are a testament to the family's togetherness, she said.

Mitchell, a brother of Henry's and the ninth born to Gertrude and Evert, put his estate into a trust fund so the family could fund reunions in perpetuity. The first was in 1985.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's just so important," Yenne said. "Just discovering what they did and realizing we have so much to be grateful for. The reunions are a time to do that."

The family immigrated from the Netherlands to Michigan and then to Kalispell in 1908. In 1911, Gertrude and Evert purchased 75 acres south of Kalispell, along with their six children at the time, marking the beginning of a legacy of raising cattle by the Siderius family.

At the time, the family members lived in a tiny house on that piece of land still owned by the family today. Gertrude and Evert had 14 children, 12 of whom lived under that roof together.

In 1917, the family purchased what was referred to as the "forever farm," Yenne said, pulling out custom paintings of the property. The property was 240 acres south of Kalispell, used for dairy farming, and was where Yenne grew up. It cost $10,000.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This year, Yenne prepared a game of trivia to play at the reunion. Who were Gerturde and Evert? Answer: the homesteaders and original patriarch and matriarch. How did Evert pass away? Answer: sickness he contracted in the Netherlands in the early 1920s. What was one of the hardest moments of the family's history? Answer: the death of 6-year-old Edward at the forever farm.

"The lives of this family are important," Yenne said through tears. "[Edward's] life has filtered through the generations with many heartfelt stories. We're lucky for that."

As the family continues to expand and grow, more Sideriuses are making donations to the reunion fund to keep it going. Mitchell's contribution funded the first few decades of reunions, but the family plans to continue by bringing fun, knowledge and sharing the beauty of the property the ancestors of the family loved to the forefront.

"At these reunions, we get to see all these cousins you don't see for years, talk to them, interact together," said Greg Sanders, a nephew of Yenne's. He was in attendance for the latest reunion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reflecting on years growing up on the farm, Yenne said that all family members played a part in the work that had to be done. After the death of Yenne's grandma in 1950, Yenne's father, Henry, bought the farm and made the switch to raising beef cattle rather than dairy cows.

Henry served as one of the Flathead County delegates to the Montana Constitutional Convention in 1972. It is one of the things Yenne is most proud of when talking about her family. His signature is cemented in state history.

She also reflected on a recent advancement in cementing the family legacy, memorializing a section of the Rail to Trails path where it crosses onto the "forever farm." While the family no longer owns the property, it is still a testament to over 100 years of life, struggle, victory and memories for Sideriuses.

Today, Siderius family members live in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Wisconsin and Colorado. Others moved away and came back. Of the 14 original children, 10 lineages were represented at the reunion this year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sanders said that no matter who attends, there is always a new birth to hear about, a new death to reflect on and new people to meet.

"That's what's nice about the reunions," Yenne said. "It's all of us."

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or kheston@dailyinterlake.com.

Chuck Siderius and JoLynn Yenne reminisce as they page through binders full of family history at Yenne's residence in Kalispell on Wednesday, Aug. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne points out a photo from the first Siderius family reunion held in 1936. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne holds a photo of her cousin Chuck, center, the oldest Siderius, with his great-grandson, Liam, the youngest Siderius at seven-weeks-old, his son Doug, right, and grandson KC, left. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne points out a photo of Grandma Dolly's Great Grandchildren gathered for a Siderius family reunion at Double Arrow Resort in Seeley Lake in July 1998. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne points to newspaper clippings from her uncle George Siderius' second term in the Montana State Senate, right, and her father Henry Siderius' run for State Senator in 1967. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne shows a Hungry Horse News article from June 5, 1964, detailing the time Chuck Siderius, her brother, and his D-8 dozer plummeted 350 feet off a cliff at Logan Pass after a snow slab gave way while clearing the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

Chuck Siderius and JoLynn Yenne reminisce as they page through binders full of family history at Yenne's residence in Kalispell on Wednesday, Aug. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne's poster of the children born to Gertrude and Evert Siderius on Wednesday, Aug. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Casey Kreider

Past shirts from previous Siderius family reunions on JoLynn Yenne's table in Kalispell on Wednesday, Aug. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne pages through one of several binders full of Siderius family history detailing a 50th anniversary party in 1986 and the Siderius family barn built in 1940. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

A photo of Chuck Siderius, his two brothers and a friend from 1938 that was featured in The Missoulian in 2009. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

The Siderius family crest is shown in a binder full of family history at JoLynn Yenne's residence in Kalispell on Wednesday, Aug. 27. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne points to a photo of Siderius siblings Hank, George, Edward and Pete referred to as "The Boys by the Family Car." (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider

JoLynn Yenne points to a family photo of Siderius siblings who attended Demersville School in Kalispell. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

Casey Kreider
A hardworking immigrant grandfather stabbed to death during his shift at a Brooklyn IHOP was slain by a former coworker he had always been friendly with, the victims family told the Daily News Sunday.

Hector Reinoso Perezs relatives cried out in Spanish for justice as they mourned the 67-year-old victim, who was stabbed just before 10:40 p.m. Friday inside the IHOP on Flatlands Ave. near Louisiana Ave. in East New York.

They had a good friendship, said his granddaughter, who didnt give her name. They never had any arguments. They were good.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police took a person of interest in custody though charges are still pending, cops said Sunday. The killer used to work at the IHOP and knew Reinoso Perez, police sources confirmed.

A 41-year-old coworker suffered a slash wound to his hand trying to fight off the attacker who killed Reinoso Perez.

But when the killer first showed up at the eatery Friday, claiming he was there to meet a friend, there were no signs of trouble, the victims family said.

They were all talking casually, Danelis Reinoso, 43, the victims daughter, told The News Saturday, speaking in Spanish as his granddaughter translated. (Reinoso Perez) went to the bathroom. He got up to go to the bathroom and the guy, he chased after him and he stabbed him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The killer stabbed him only once but the long blade tore through his kidneys, liver and other organs, Reinoso said.

The doctors couldnt do anything, she said. He stabbed him so hard. He wanted him to die.

Reinoso described her father as the caring patriarch of the family who never lost his innocence, like a little kid in his old body. He and his wife had been together for 50 years.

The victim immigrated from the Dominican Republic about five years ago in search of a better life.

It was just better for him here, the granddaughter recounted. He found a job here (at IHOP) and he actually really loved his job  Hes worked at that job ever since he came.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An IHOP spokesman expressed condolences.

Our thoughts are with the loved ones of our team member, as well as with the entire team at this location, he said. We are cooperating fully with the local law enforcement investigation.

Reinoso Perez worked in the front of the restaurant on Fridays and as a dishwasher other days. When he lived in the Dominican Republic, he used to work for the mayor of the city where he lived, near Santo Domingo, his family said.

He was a very caring, sweet person and he never had any problems with anyone, his daughter said. He never got into any trouble.

With Rebecca White
Farmers have warned that Britains 5G rollout could be at risk as they mount a revolt over rent cuts for mobile masts.

Rural landowners across the country are threatening to walk away from deals to host mobile infrastructure amid complaints about rent cuts of as much as 90pc.

One farmer in Cornwall was threatened with a rent cut from 8,500 to 750, while another in Dorset saw his rent collapse from 5,000 to 1,600.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A survey of over 500 site owners found that one in three is now considering withdrawing completely.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) and Country Land and Business Association (CLA) warned that landowners  which also include schools, NHS trusts, councils and small businesses  may instead turn to other options such as holiday lets, solar farms or residential development, which they argued offered higher returns and fewer legal complications.

Any move to ditch mobile mast agreements would risk slowing the rollout of 5G across the UK, which is already lagging behind many European rivals for coverage.

Landowners have pointed the finger at the Labour Government, which they accused of doubling down on a broken model for mast rental.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It comes amid wider criticism of Labours treatment of farmers. A record number of farms have shut this year in the wake of the Chancellors inheritance tax raid which cut the amount of relief available to rural family landowners.

The 5G row is centred on the Electronic Communications Code (ECC), a set of laws introduced in 2017 to regulate how mobile network operators install and maintain equipment on public land. The legislation aims to speed up deployment of 5G by bringing rents in line with those paid by utility companies.

However, critics argue that the code has given the UKs mobile operators  EE, VodafoneThree and O2  the power to rewrite contracts and slash rents.

They warned that ministers were now planning to expand the regime through new legislation that will cover a further 15,000 sites.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is despite Lucy Powell, the former digital secretary, warning when she was a shadow minister that the new laws would slow down, rather than speed up the rollout of 5G and full-fibre broadband.

Rachel Hallos, NFU vice-president, said: Its concerning that a significant number of site providers are considering walking away from hosting telecommunications infrastructure.

Members do not feel listened to by operators or government when it comes to having a say over what is happening on their land.

Mobile companies argue that planning reforms have been crucial to speeding up network upgrades and that landowners who host mobile masts benefit from improved coverage in their area.

The survey was carried out by AP Wireless, a private equity-owned company that buys up mast leases from landowners before charging a premium to mobile operators to use the sites.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

AP Wirelesss business model, dubbed land aggregation, has come under direct threat from the ECC, while mobile companies have accused the company of driving up costs through unfair practices.

A spokesman for industry group Mobile UK said: Since reforms in 2017, the UK has made significant progress in mobile infrastructure. Over 33,500 4G and 5G service upgrades have been completed, a testament to the effective collaboration between the industry and landowners.

This success is clear as the vast majority of agreements are being reached consensually, demonstrating the active participation of landowners in the rapid expansion of critical national mobile networks.

Furthermore, the ECC was instrumental in securing the landmark agreement for the Shared Rural Network, which has helped ensure that 95pc of the UKs landmass is now covered by 4G.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A spokesman for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said: Our priority is to continue delivering high-quality 5G networks across the UK, which is critical to boosting growth and improving public services for the British people.

We want to ensure the measures to deliver the infrastructure the country needs to grow work for landowners, operators and communities, which is why we are now carefully considering the findings of a consultation we ran earlier this year on this issue.

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.
Ammon Bundy, a far-right activist who left Idaho in 2023 after a contentious court case ordering him to pay millions to St. Lukes Health System, has taken issue with the FBIs decision to award agents who were involved in the shooting death of a man who occupied an eastern Oregon wildlife refuge alongside Bundy in 2016.

In a statement to the media, Bundys family contended that the narrative shared in an apparent FBI document included mostly false information about the fatal shooting of Arizona rancher Robert LaVoy Finicum by Oregon State Police on Jan. 26, 2016.

Heres what we know about what happened that day.

Bundys account of Finicum shooting aligns with reports

The Bundy familys statement included a photo of FBI Director Kash Patel standing with four men with an FBI Shield of Bravery award displayed in front of them. Those men included FBI agents Joseph Astarita and John Neidert. The photo was published in the Oregonian, which said a source shared it from an internal FBI document. The image includes a caption attributed to the FBI, describing the agencys version of the shooting and its justification for honoring the agents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The caption states that the FBIs hostage team responded to the militia groups armed takeover by staging a traffic stop to arrest the groups leader and key members outside the refuge, where the members planned to meet clandestinely.

The caption continued to say that the militia leader trapped Neidert under the leaders vehicle, and that other FBI agents freed Neidert as the leader attempted to fire at Oregon State Police officers and was fatally shot.

The Bundys rebuttal more closely matches news reporting and a Department of Justice investigation of the shooting.

The Bundys statement said Finicum did not ram a law enforcement vehicle, pin a special agent or attempt to shoot Oregon State Police. Aerial FBI footage of the incident and a Department of Justice investigation concluded that Finicums truck swerved into a snowbank and did not hit law enforcement vehicles that were blocking the road.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to reporting from the Oregonian, Neidert was thrown from a ladder he was using to see over one of the FBIs trucks and ended up in the snow near one of the rear tires of Finicums truck. Reports didnt show that he was hit by or pinned under the vehicle.

The final claim has been the most contentious piece of Finicums death  whether he intended to harm law enforcement. Officers said  and video showed  the rancher moved his hands into his jacket after exiting his truck immediately following the crash. Oregon State Police officers said they shot at Finicum when he refused to comply with orders to get on the ground, according to the DOJ investigation.

Investigators later found a loaded handgun in the left interior pocket of his jacket, according to the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office. He was reportedly known to law enforcement to wear a shoulder holster on the left side of his body.

The OSP admitted shooting him three times when he lowered his arms, but there is absolutely no evidence he aimed or fired a weapon at officers, the Bundy family statement said, and reports appear to align with that.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials said they believed Finicum could have planned to draw a weapon.

How Ammon Bundys standoff began

The Bundys, Finicum and numerous others started their occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon, on Jan. 2, 2016, following a demonstration in support of local ranchers who were convicted of arson for setting fires on federally managed land.

The occupiers tore down fences, carved new roads on the reserve and posted armed guards during their 41-day occupation, former Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker wrote at the time. Bundy at the time told reporters the activists were there to re-establish the Constitution, and some of those involved, including the Bundys, had histories of advocating against federal management of public land.

Three weeks into the occupation, the Bundys and Finicum headed to John Day, Oregon, to meet with Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer. The Bundy familys statement noted this and said their destination was not clandestine, as the FBI document alleged.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Bundys and several others in the vehicles were arrested and charged with multiple federal crimes, including conspiracy to impede federal officers. Ultimately, the Bundys and five others were acquitted of all charges after jurors said prosecutors failed to prove their intent.

More than a dozen others involved in the standoff were convicted or pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Bundy statement raises question of rogue FBI round

Ammon Bundys brother, Ryan Bundy, was also injured in the incident. The Bundy family statement said Ryan Bundy, who was in Finicums truck during the shooting, plans to undergo surgery to remove what theyre claiming is a bullet that has remained in his arm since the incident.

The statement said the government has never accounted for this round.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Indeed, there has been confusion over how many shots were fired when Finicum was killed and who fired them. Two Oregon State Police officers fired six shots, three of which hit Finicum. The agencys ballistics investigators also found a bullet strike inside Finicums truck that could not be attributed to the officers, according to the DOJ investigation.

After the shooting, investigators were unable to find ammunition casings or attribute the source of two additional gunshots that could be heard in videos from the scene.

FBI agents initially denied firing shots or picking up casings at the scene, despite video that showed agents with flashlights searching areas where casings had been seen. The Office of the Inspector General launched a criminal investigation and determined the shots had been fired from where two FBI agents and an Oregon State Police officer had been standing.

Astarita, whom Patel awarded the Shield of Bravery, was one of those agents. He maintained that he hadnt fired his weapon, and was tried and acquitted of charges that involved making false statements and obstruction of justice in 2018. Officials still have not attributed the shots to a source.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Prosecutors in Astaritas case had asked to have the object in Ryan Bundys shoulder  which they said could be a bullet fragment, a piece of Finicums truck or something else  removed and analyzed as evidence during the agents case, according to reporting from Oregon Public Broadcasting.

The Bundy family said information about the object removed from Ryan Bundys arm could raise more questions in the incident. They demanded the agency and Oregon State Police comply with ballistics comparisons when the object is removed to determine its source.

That bullet may prove not only that the FBI agent fired shots that they did not admit  but that one of those hidden rounds struck Ryan himself, the statement said.
The Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, completed his first visit to Israel for talks with Israeli military leaders, as reported by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). The IDF shared the details of his visit in a post on X. IDF noted that Admiral Cooper was received with an honour guard upon his arrival, after which he held an operational situational assessment chaired by the Chief of the General Staff, and toured the communities surrounding Gaza. According to the IDF, the visit focused on operational cooperation between the IDF and the U.S. military, strengthening joint efforts to address the challenges and threats in the region. It wrote on X, "The Commander of @CENTCOM, Admiral Brad Cooper, concluded today his first visit to Israel in his position, as the guest of the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Eyal Zamir." https://x.com/IDF/status/1964382072849780938 According to a report by the Times of Israel, Admiral Cooper was received with an honour guard at the IDF's Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv before joining Zamir and members of the General Staff for an operational assessment so as to review the current security situation and plans for the coming period. In an official statement by the IDF on Telegram, it was noted that during the situational assessment, they discussed the current operational picture and the plans going forward. Times of Israel further reported that Admiral Cooper also toured Israeli communities along the Gaza border affected by the October 7, 2023, massacre. Earlier in another post on X, the IDF reminded how 48 people were still being held hostage. https://x.com/IDF/status/1964373429588807964 It wrote on X, "This is your reminder that we're still fighting a war against a terrorist organisation holding 48 of our people hostage". The official statement by the IDF highlighted that Admiral Cooper's visit was focused on operational cooperation between the US and Israel. It said, "The visit focused on the operational cooperation between the IDF and the U.S. military, maintaining regional stability in both nearby and distant arenas, and strengthening joint efforts to address the challenges and threats in the region." (ANI)
The silence at the kick off of the Pilsen Mexican Independence Day Parade Saturday morning broke as soon as someone shouted Viva, Mexico!

A second woman then chimed in, yelling Dont be afraid, viva, Mexico! as men on horses decorated in green and red, folk dancers with colorful skirts and a caravan of vintage cars made their way down 18th Street. Others proudly waved Mexican flags and carried signs that said No ICE and Stop Illegal Deportation.

While the crowd at the 24th annual parade was noticeably thinner and more subdued than in previous years, the hundreds who showed up said they were excited to celebrate their culture despite threats from the White House.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

President Donald Trump posted on social media earlier Saturday morning an AI-created image of military helicopters flying over Chicagos lakefront with the title Chipocalypse Now, seemingly setting the stage for heightened immigration enforcement actions. Over the past two weeks, his administration has repeatedly threatened to send in federal agents to Chicago for an immigration crackdown.

Agents were expected to arrive by the end of the week and some local officials were told the campaign may continue for about 45 days nonstop. Trump also said he considered deploying National Guard troops to focus on crime, even though crime numbers have declined in recent years.

At the intersection of 18th Street and South Blue Island Avenue, Sam Herrera, 28, waited with his family for the parade to start. They were decked out with a half-Mexican, half-American flag. For Herrera, who is from Little Village but has family in Pilsen, the hourlong parade had a dual focus  celebrate heritage and make sure the Hispanic community stays safe.

We celebrate it  and make sure we know were good. If stuff goes down, were here, weve got our phones ready to record and make sure everythings above the law, Herrera said. Thats the biggest thing.

Protests across Chicago

Others across the Chicago area spent the day protesting any imminent action. Downtown, hundreds listened to speeches decrying federal agents and carried signs that said ICE out of Chi and No troops in our streets.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump has spent billions on federal guards and the militarization of our communities, pouring money into weapons and intimidation, and instead of investing in schools, hospitals, jobs and housing, he has stripped us of vital resources meant to help us live, only to use them to try to break our spirits, said the Rev. Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, the executive director of Live Free Illinois.

But somebody tell him, like Beyonce say, You wont break my soul, she added to loud applause.

Meanwhile, hundreds more gathered outside a Jewel-Osco store in west suburban Wheaton and at Naval Station Great Lakes, the North Chicago naval base where roughly 300 federal immigration agents will be sent, according to suburban officials.

Steven DelVecchio, a Gurnee resident who said hes a U.S. Navy veteran who served from 1989 to 1993, showed up to the North Chicago protest with his wife. He said hes incensed about ICE using the naval base.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I dont like what ICE is doing, but I especially dont like them being on the base, DelVecchio said.

There was one woman wearing a red MAGA hat and carrying a sign that said, Thank You ICE, outside the naval base, however.

I support what they are doing, Kristin Strom said. I am here to support ICE and President Donald Trump. I like what he is doing and his approach.

A lot of support

The day had started fairly quietly in Pilsen. Streets that usually have people clamoring for parade-watching spots by 7 a.m. were nearly empty at 11 a.m., an hour before the parade was set to start. Herrera doesnt think this will be a permanent change, however.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Right now, tensions a little bit high. People are probably celebrating at home. People are just trying to be safe out here, Herrera said, adding that he hopes if Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity does happen this year, next years parade crowd will return to normal.

Gov. JB Pritzker had said he was deeply concerned ICE would target Chicagos Mexican Independence Day celebrations, which kicked off this weekend with the Pilsen parade, suggesting that the administration may have chosen to target the city because of the prominent events. Pritzker and other mostly Democratic officials have vehemently voiced their opposition to Trumps plan.

El Grito Chicago, a downtown Mexican Independence Day festival scheduled for next weekend, was postponed in response, as were other festivities in the Chicago area. German Gonzalez, the events lead organizer, told the Tribune he didnt want the festival to be used as a pawn in political games meant to divide our city and our nation. The Little Village parade scheduled for next week will go on as planned, organizers said Friday.

Organizers of Saturdays Pilsen parade doubled down on their decision to continue, saying they wouldnt be stopped from celebrating our heritage, our culture despite deportation fears. Vicky Lugo, secretary of the United Merchants of Pilsen Chamber of Commerce, said Saturday that nobody rained on our parade. She said there were no incidents or reports of federal immigration agents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lugo didnt have a specific turnout number, but acknowledged it was lower than usual. She previously estimated about 3,000 spectators would attend. People were being extra cautious, and others watched from windows in their homes, according to Lugo. However, there was a lot of support from all over the city and local businesses, she said.

(There was) a lot of support, and willingness to come out and celebrate with us, celebrate with those who fear being deported or those that wish to stay in the shadows, she said.

Lugo hopes elected officials continue to show up to protect immigrants in any way they can, she said. There were a few extra precautions in place at the parade, Lugo previously noted. Volunteers placed along the parade route watched for immigration agents and handed out Know Your Rights cards. Mayor Brandon Johnson also said he was working with organizers of various Mexican Independence Day events to support and promote safe celebrations.

Little Village Community Council President Baltazar Enriquez was at the parade handing out whistles people could blow if ICE agents showed up. It was very sad to see fewer people at the parade, he said, adding, usually the neighborhood is filled with vendors and people from all over the U.S.  Iowa, Michigan, Indiana and more.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Today, the tourists didnt come, and the residents are definitely frightened, and its lonely, Enriquez said. But we hope to keep the resistance and show this (Trump) administration that were not scared and were going to continue our lives, but hopefully things get better.

Even with the fear present, Mexican pride doesnt disappear, Enriquez said. If anything, it grows, he added.

Were out here saying, Viva, Mexico! and thats something that were going to continue doing, he said.
CHICAGO  The silence at the kick off of the Pilsen Mexican Independence Day Parade Saturday morning broke as soon as someone shouted Viva, Mexico!

A second woman then chimed in, yelling Dont be afraid, viva, Mexico! as men on horses decorated in green and red, folk dancers with colorful skirts and a caravan of vintage cars made their way down 18th Street. Others proudly waved Mexican flags and carried signs that said No ICE and Stop Illegal Deportation.

While the crowd at the 24th annual parade was noticeably thinner and more subdued than in previous years, the hundreds who showed up said they were excited to celebrate their culture despite threats from the White House.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Others across the Chicago area spent the day protesting any imminent action.

President Donald Trump posted on social media earlier Saturday morning an AI-created image of military helicopters flying over Chicagos lakefront with the title Chipocalypse Now, seemingly setting the stage for heightened immigration enforcement actions. Over the past two weeks, his administration has repeatedly threatened to send in federal agents to Chicago for an immigration crackdown.

Agents were expected to arrive by the end of the week and some local officials were told the campaign may continue for about 45 days nonstop. Trump also said he considered deploying National Guard troops to focus on crime, even though crime numbers have declined in recent years.

At the intersection of 18th Street and South Blue Island Avenue, Sam Herrera, 28, waited with his family for the parade to start. They were decked out with a half-Mexican, half-American flag. For Herrera, who is from Little Village but has family in Pilsen, the hourlong parade had a dual focus  celebrate heritage and make sure the Hispanic community stays safe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We celebrate it  and make sure we know were good. If stuff goes down, were here, weve got our phones ready to record and make sure everythings above the law, Herrera said. Thats the biggest thing.

The day had started fairly quietly in the neighborhood. Streets that usually have people clamoring for parade watching spots by 7 a.m. were nearly empty at 11 a.m., an hour before the parade was set to start. Herrera doesnt think this will be a permanent change, however.

Right now, tensions a little bit high. People are probably celebrating at home. People are just trying to be safe out here, Herrera said, adding that he hopes if Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity does happen this year, next years parade crowd will return to normal.

Gov. JB Pritzker had said he was deeply concerned ICE would target Chicagos Mexican Independence Day celebrations, which kicked off this weekend with the Pilsen parade, suggesting that the administration may have chosen to target the city because of the prominent events. Pritzker and other mostly Democratic officials have vehemently voiced their opposition to Trumps plan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

El Grito Chicago, a downtown Mexican Independence Day festival scheduled for next weekend, was postponed in response, as were other festivities in the Chicago area. German Gonzalez, the events lead organizer, told The Chicago Tribune he didnt want the festival to be used as a pawn in political games meant to divide our city and our nation. The Little Village parade scheduled for next week will go on as planned, organizers said Friday.

Organizers of Saturdays Pilsen parade doubled down on their decision to continue, saying they wouldnt be stopped from celebrating our heritage, our culture despite deportation fears. Vicky Lugo, secretary of the United Merchants of Pilsen Chamber of Commerce, said Saturday that nobody rained on our parade. She said there were no incidents or reports of federal immigration agents.

Lugo didnt have a specific turnout number, but acknowledged it was lower than usual. She previously estimated about 3,000 spectators would attend. People were being extra cautious, and others watched from windows in their homes, according to Lugo, however, there was a lot of support from all over the city and local businesses, she said.

(There was) a lot of support, and willingness to come out and celebrate with us, celebrate with those who fear being deported or those that wish to stay in the shadows, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lugo hopes elected officials continue to show up to protect immigrants in any way they can, she said. There were a few extra precautions in place at the parade, Lugo previously noted. Volunteers placed along the parade route monitored for immigration agents and handed out Know Your Rights cards. Mayor Brandon Johnson also said he was working with organizers of various Mexican Independence Day events to support and promote safe celebrations.

Little Village Community Council President Baltazar Enriquez was at the parade handing out whistles people could blow if ICE agents showed up. It was very sad to see fewer people at the parade, he said, adding, usually the neighborhood is filled with vendors and people from all over the U.S.  Iowa, Michigan, Indiana and more.

Today, the tourists didnt come, and the residents are definitely frightened, and its lonely, Enriquez said. But we hope to keep the resistance and show this (Trump) administration that were not scared and were going to continue our lives, but hopefully things get better.

Even with the fear present, Mexican pride doesnt disappear, Enriquez said. If anything, it grows, he added.

Were out here saying, Viva Mexico, and thats something that were going to continue doing, he said.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Lets get a check on the latest in news and weather with KELOLAND On The Go.

Three people are hurt following a fiery plane crash this weekend at the Brookings airport.

3 people injured in Brookings plane crash

First responders in the Black Hills hope new signage at a popular hiking and swimming area south of Rapid City will result in fewer emergencies in the future.

Trail markers installed at Hippie Hole

Powerball tickets sold in Missouri and Texas have won the estimated 1-point-eight billion dollar jackpot from last nights drawing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Winning Powerball tickets sold in Missouri & Texas

If you were a fan of the October preview that weve seen over the last few days, youre not going to be a fan of whats to come. Then again, this IS September in KELOLANDand just about everything is on the table.

Storm Center AM Update: Warmth Returns This Week

The sidewalk arts festival in Sioux Falls welcomed vendors more than 200 vendors from across the region on Saturday.

62nd Sidewalk Arts Festival hits downtown Sioux Falls

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.
Final victim of NHs Bear Brook murders identified, closing 40-year search for answers

The New Hampshire Cold Case Unit has identified the final victim in the Bear Brook murders, closing a 40-year search for answers in the notorious case.

New England's Unsolved: The Allenstown Murders

New England's Unsolved: FBI profiler paints haunting picture of Allenstown murder suspect

Rea Rasmussen, born in 1976 in Orange County, California, was the biological daughter of Terry Peder Rasmussen, the man responsible for the murders, and Pepper Reed, who has been missing since the late 1970s, New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella announced Sunday.

This case has weighed on New Hampshire and the nation for decades. With Rea Rasmussens identification, all four victims now have their names back, Formella said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Bear Brook murders involved the discovery of four victims in barrels in Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, New Hampshire. The first barrel was found in 1985, containing the remains of an adult woman and a young girl. A second barrel was discovered in 2000, with the remains of two more girls.

In 2017, investigators linked one of the children to Terry Rasmussen, who was a known serial offender who died in prison in 2010.

Terry Rasmussen is pictured in a 1985 mugshot. The suspected serial killer, who died in a California prison in 2010, is accused of having killed at least six people, including his toddler daughter.

Pictured are the metal drums in which four suspected serial killer victims were found in 1985 and 2000 in the woods near Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, N. H. Three of the victims have been identified as Marlyse Honeychurch and her two daughters.

By 2019, three victims were identified as Marlyse Honeychurch and her daughters, Marie Vaughn and Sarah McWaters. The fourth victim, Rasmussens biological daughter, remained unidentified until now.

Initially, the identification of Rea Rasmussen was confirmed through DNA testing and documentary records on Friday, September 5.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We never forgot Rea. We never stopped looking, said New Hampshire State Police Detective Sergeant Christopher N. Elphick. Naming her brings a sense of justice but also reminds us of the unanswered questions that remain.

The investigation into the disappearance of Pepper Reed, Reas mother, remains active, and authorities continue to seek information about her whereabouts, alongside Terry Rasmussens movements during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
A new public committee, led by senior medical experts, will oversee an expanded national response for wounded IDF soldiers, with a focus on psychological care and integration.

Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Sunday the establishment of a joint public committee to expand the national response for the care and rehabilitation of wounded IDF soldiers.

The move comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented rise in the number of wounded from the Israel-Hamas War.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The committee will be headed by Prof. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, alongside representatives from the Rehabilitation Department, the chairman of the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization, the IDF, the Finance Ministry, and experts in rehabilitation and psychiatry.

Prof. Yitzhak Shapira, deputy director of Ichilov Hospital, will serve as deputy chairman.

According to estimates by the Defense Ministrys Rehabilitation Department, by 2028, the department will have treated 100,000 wounded, including about 50,000 psychological wounds. This marks thefastest increase in wounded cases in the history of Israels wars.

IDF operates in Gaza, August 29, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT)

Expanding national support

The committee is tasked with forming a comprehensive national response to the needs of wounded IDF soldiers and members of the security forces. It will focus on rehabilitation processes, personal and community support, therapeutic and emotional care, and integration into society and employment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The committee will also examine the expansion of existing services in light of the growing number of wounded, their changing characteristics, new needs, and the constraints of resources and manpower. It will look at the allocation of resources required for this effort.

According to the Defense and Finance ministries, the committee reflects a national obligation to ensure the welfare of wounded soldiers and guarantee them the best rehabilitation and integration into society. They described it as a moral and ethical anchor for strengthening unity and trust between those who serve and the state.

The committee will examine and streamline the recognition process for disabled veterans, addressing medical treatment and rehabilitation, with an emphasis on employment integration. It will review the structure of benefits and work to simplify the system. The committee will also develop support for families, including spouses, children, and parents of the wounded.

Additionally, it will establish a shared responsibility with government bodies, the business sector, and the third sector. Finally, it will identify and determine the resources required, including budget, manpower, organizational structure, and partnerships.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The decision to establish the public committee stems from a deep understanding of the price of war and the growing need. It is intended to expand the services and provide a real response  medical, emotional, and occupational  out of moral and social responsibility for the entire nation. We will leave no one behind, Defense Minister Israel Katz commented.

We will ensure that the necessary budgets and resources are allocated so that every soldier, man or woman, who was wounded in body or soul for all of us, can recover, return to full lives, and reintegrate into society and employment in the best possible way," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich added.
VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Multiple electric vehicles caught on fire at an EV charging station in a northern San Diego Target parking lot Saturday night.

Firefighters with the Vista Fire Department were dispatched to a vehicle fire at a Target parking lot in the 3100 block of Business Park Drive in Vista around 7 p.m. Saturday.

The fire department said the fire appeared to have started when an EV was hooked up to a charging port, and the fire spread to at least one to two nearby vehicles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hazmat also responded to the electric vehicle fire to deal with the lithium-ion battery cleanup and disposal.

Check back for updates on this breaking 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 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
GRAND COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  A new measles case has been confirmed in Grand County, marking the 20th measles case in Utah this year.

According to a press release from the Southeast Utah Health Department, this is the first case of the disease in Grand County this year. The department says it is an unvaccinated individual under the age of 18, who was exposed to a positive case outside of Grand County. The department adds there are no exposures in Grand County School from the affected person.

The department says that public health officials are conducting contact tracing to notify any individuals who may have been exposed. Anyone experiencing symptoms or who may have been in contact with the affected person should contact their health care provider.

What is measles?

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily through the air through coughing and sneezing. The CDC said those infected wont see symptoms appear until about a week after infection, and common symptoms include high fever, cough, and a rash.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin.

Measles can cause serious health complications, especially for those who are not protected through the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The measles rash appears 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline. They then spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.

Latest headlines:

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.
There's a treasure chest somewhere in Canada filled with gold worth just under $1 million. It's yours, if you can find it. Need a clue on where to begin? You're in luck.

What is The Great Canadian Treasure Hunt?

In a nutshell, The Great Canadian Treasure Hunt is a marketing stunt. But a valuable marketing stunt.

A mining publication, The Northern Miner, organized the coast-to-coast treasure hunt to promote Canada's mining industry.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The treasure chest is filled with almost "$1 million in gold coins minted from Agnico Eagles Mines' Detour Lake mine." The treasure chest is buried somewhere between British Columbia and Newfoundland.

The massive treasure chest is not all that's up for grabs. The Northern Miner says that "an additional 12 monthly $25,000 rewards started in August, and it's open to all Canadians."

This Treasure Hunt acknowledges the pivotal role mining has played in the history of Canada and how the mining industry is very well positioned to make major contributions to community building and nation building now and in the future, said Sean Boyd, chairman of Agnico Eagle.

How to get started

The Northern Minerdropped the first clue on Sept. 4.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The Hunt begins with an online clue release, the first of many that will lead participants down a path of knowledge exercises, puzzles, and riddles."

According to The Northern Miner, "no special equipment, qualifications or connections are needed to participate. All the prizes are located on publicly-accessible land. Canadian residents from all walks of life are welcome to join, whether theyre just curious or stalwart puzzle solvers who never miss a night at their local pub quiz."

The first clue

It's a 13-stanza poem:

Though crystal clear and calm it seems,

This mirror hides more than it gleams.

A single step may seal your fate,

Best not disturb the waters state.

The contest rules

You can find a detailed list of rules here, but here's the gist of it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The grand prize consists of 217 one-ounce gold coins. The 12 monthly bonus prizes each include 72 one-ounce gold coins.

The contest began in August and will continue until midnight on Dec. 31, meaning all claims must be made by then. If a claim is not made by Dec. 31, the claim will be forfeited and the prize will not be awarded.

As far as eligibility requirements, the contest is open to individuals who reside in Canada and who are 18 years of age or older.

This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Sep 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
MINEOLA, Texas (KETK)  Mineola police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel met with East Texas children and adults on Saturday for the communitys First Responders Train.

North Hopkins ISD field house burned in suspected electrical fire

The First Responders Train event was a free family friendly opportunity for Mineola residents to meet with their first responders while riding the Union Pacific Mini Train at Iron Horse Square.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mineola Main Street manager Doris Newman said the event was a great opportunity for all ages of people to meet these folks, who are on the front lines, in a non-stressful, non traumatic situation when theres not something bad going on, the lights and sirens and noise.

The event was held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and featured members of the Mineola Police Department, UT Health EMS, the Mineola Fire Department and other agencies.

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.
LONDON (Reuters) - Homeland ministers from Britain, the United States and the other "Five Eyes" alliance will announce new measures this week to increase border security and target people smugglers, British interior minister Shabana Mahmood said on Sunday.

The ministers from the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network - the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - will meet in London on Monday and Tuesday, Britain's Home Office said, with measures to "smash criminal smuggling gangs" the focus of the talks.

"We will agree new measures to protect our borders with our Five Eyes partners, hitting people smugglers hard," Mahmood, who was only appointed to her job on Friday after Prime Minister Keir Starmer reshuffled his ministers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Countries across the world are wrestling with how to deal with the issue of migration, with the U.S. President Donald Trump making a crackdown on legal and illegal immigration a central plank of his second White House term.

In Britain, it has become the dominant political topic, with the government under great pressure from rivals over how to deal with a record number of asylum claims and arrivals by migrants in small boats across the Channel.

Joining Mahmood for the talks will be U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Canada's Gary Anandasangaree, Tony Burke, Australia's Home Affairs Minister, and Judith Collins from New Zealand.

As well as people smuggling, the group will discuss new measures to tackle those behind child sexual abuse online and how to stop the spread of deadly synthetic opioids, the Home Office said.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Alex Richardson)
by Dwight Furrow

Wine tasting is a great seducer for those with an analytic cast of mind. No other beverage has attracted such elaborate taxonomies: geographical classifications, wine variety classifications, quality classifications, aroma wheels, mouthfeel wheels, and numerical scores. To taste wine, in this dominant model, is to decodeto fix a varietal essence, to pin down terroir as if it were a stable identity, to judge typicity (i.e. its conformity to a norm) as though it were the highest aesthetic ideal. The rhetoric of mastery in wine culture depends on this illusion of stability: Cabernet must show cassis and graphite, Riesling must taste of petrol and lime, terroir speaks in a singular tongue waiting to be translated.

But I think this way of representing wine is misleading. Wine is not a stable object to be deciphered but a field of shifting relations into which the taster steps (like Heraclituss river.) What if its aesthetic force lies not in measuring a wine against its ideal type but in staging tensions, oscillations, and fleeting harmonies that refuse to hold still?

The claim I will develop is that wine is not a fixed bundle of flavors but a dynamic system, always in motion, whose meaning arises through modulationthe way its elements shift and inflect one another; through differential relationsthe contrasts that give each element its character; and through synthetic experiencethe way these relations come together as a whole unfolding across time. To taste wine well is not to solve a puzzle, but to follow its movement as it reveals itself.

If wine is an unstable object, nowhere is that instability more apparent than in aroma. Aroma is the paradigm of volatility, and yet much of wine discourse insists on treating it as a set of stable propertiesas if blackberry, violet, or smoke could be pinned down like specimens on a chart. But volatile aroma compounds are restless: they evaporate, bind with others, oxidize in the glass, and degrade over time. And they rarely act alone. The same molecule can smell radically different depending on the company it keeps. Isoamyl acetate, for instance, can smell like banana candy in one matrix but is muted or transformed when paired with higher alcohols. Thiols may register as gooseberry in Sauvignon Blanc, but a subtle shift in concentration, or the presence of esters, can push them toward passionfruit or even boxwood. Vanillin, which smells straightforwardly like vanilla, deepens dark fruit in Cabernet yet reads creamy and sweet when supported by ripe Chardonnay fruit. Subtle shifts in proportion, temperature, or oxidation can ripple outward with outsized effects, tipping a wine from perfumed to cloying, savory to medicinal, inviting to dissonant.

Even more destabilizing is the promiscuity of olfactory receptors. Each aroma molecule does not map neatly onto a single receptor-type. Instead, a single aromatic molecule may stimulate many receptor types and each receptor type can be stimulated by many aromatic molecules. Each aroma emerges only from the combined effect of many compounds. Blackberry in a Syrah might be traced to a set of volatile terpenesbut which ones? Is the note a property of the grape itself, the yeast strain chosen for fermentation, the soil in which the vine grew, the glass in which it is served, or even the precise moment of the sniff when the balance of compounds has shifted due to oxygen exposure? The answer, of course, is all and none of the above.

Thus, to treat aroma as a stable property is to misrepresent its ontology. Aroma is relational and temporal, co-conditioned by chemistry, environment, and perception. To taste wine aromatically is not to decode a fixed message but to trace a constellationa moving topography of fleeting signals, some bright, some shadowed, all interacting. The aesthetic challenge, then, is not accuracy of identification but sensitivity to emergence, to how the wine becomes itself through these volatile shifts. Wine does not have aromas; it performs them.

Modulation and Expressive Polarity

If aroma reveals wines volatility, mouthfeel and flavor structure show how that volatility is organized. The language of wine often emphasizes balance, as though a wine were an equation to be solved: acidity neutralizing ripeness, tannins checked by fruit, oak integrated into the whole. But balance is a static metaphor. It implies stasis, a beam held level. What wine actually gives us is movementmodulationand what gives that movement character are the expressive polarities that shape it.

Every wine is articulated by tensions: acid against sweetness, fruit against earth, tannin against aromatic lift. These are the dynamics that make a wine expressive. And the way they modulateoscillating, blooming, collapsing, taperingdetermines a wines identity.

Consider a Mosel Riesling. It begins in sweetness, ripe peach and honey, but almost instantly acid cuts through, converting plushness into crystalline light. That oscillationsweet to sharp, lush to tautis the wines drama, a modulation across the polarity of acid and sugar. By contrast, a Napa Cabernet might place fruit and oak in tension: blackcurrant and plum rising with force, then contracting into graphite and cedar, tannin framing the body. The wine does not merely contain these oppositionsit stages their interplay as a temporal event.

Sometimes modulation is subtle. Pinot Noir from Volnay, red fruit rises as silk, only to be shadowed by sous-bois and mineral depth; the polarity of fruit and earth never resolves but instead hovers as an unresolved chord. At other times, modulation is more forceful: a young Barolo opens with perfumerose, tar, violetsbefore tannin clamps down, reconfiguring beauty into structure, light into mass. Here modulation dramatizes the vertical axis of lift and weight.

Such shifts show why tasting is not recognition but tracing: following how the wine leans, yields, resists, or carries itself. Expressive polarities provide coordinates; modulation gives them life. What matters is not whether a wine is balanced, but how it moves within its tensionshow it dramatizes its own instability, how it performs the dance of fruit and structure, gravity and lift.

Temporality and the Architecture of Flavor

Wine unfolds in time. It begins with an attack, swells into a mid-palate, and recedes into its finish. These stages are the wines temporal architecture, the structure of its expression. To taste wine is to taste its exquisite timing. But this temporal unfolding is rarely smooth. Some wines surge, others falter, others echo themselves in surprising ways. A young Chablis, might open with a sharp saline bite, almost austere, before broadening briefly into green apple and citrus zest, then collapsing back into chalk and steel. Each phase feels different not just in flavor but in texture and energy. Contrast that with a fine Rioja Reserva where the movement is more layered: bright cherry and spice at the attack, a mid-palate where leather, tobacco, and vanilla emerge like secondary voices in a fugue, and a finish where dried fruit lingers against a faint bitterness of oak. The temporal sequence generates resonance. Flavors return, altered, as if echoing themselves. The wine is not a line but a spiral.

Some wines dramatize temporality with sudden swerves. An orange wine from Friuli may begin deceptively floral, lulling the drinker, before tannins crash in mid-palate, changing the entire register. Others achieve intensity through persistence: a Sauternes finish that seems endless, honey and saffron extending long after the liquid is gone, leaving the drinker suspended in aftertaste.

This temporal architecture shows that what a wine tastes like depends on how it changes. Does it bloom gradually, or snap from one register to another? Does it linger with subtle tapering, or cut off abruptly? These are aesthetic questions, not merely technical ones. The pleasure of wine is inseparable from how it stages its own developmentits arcs, its echoes, its dissolves. To taste a wine, then, is not to capture a flavor profile but to track a performance across time: the attack, the bloom, the fade. Its meaning lies not in the notes it contains but in the rhythm of their unfolding.

Expressive Polarities and Character

If temporality is wines architecture, then expressive polarities are its grammarthe tensions that make its sentences intelligible and its moods perceptible. Every wine speaks through the push and pull of opposed forces: acid against ripeness, fruit against earth, tannin against aromatic lift, sweetness against bitterness. To call a wine balanced is to name the resolution of these tensions. But resolution is not always the point. Sometimes it is the unresolved polarity that gives a wine its voice, its singular character. Take German Riesling again. Its drama comes not from erasing the contradiction between searing acidity and residual sugar but from sustaining it. Sweetness expands, acidity cuts, and the two together create a crystalline brightness, a shimmering play that is neither resolved nor stable. Without that polarity, Riesling would be pleasant; with it, Riesling becomes electric. Or consider Nebbiolo again. Perfumed with roses and violets, almost fragile in aromatic lift, yet undergirded by tannins that are famously unyielding. The wines haunting power lies precisely in this contradiction: delicacy pulled downward by austerity, fragrance caught in the grip of structure. The polarity is never overcome; it defines the wines identity.

Even Chardonnay, the worlds chameleon grape, depends on how its polarities are staged. In Chablis, bright citrus fruit is juxtaposed with stony minerality, yielding tension and linearity. In a barrel-fermented Napa example, tropical ripeness collides with the toast of oak; the wine becomes lush, even theatrical. Both are Chardonnay, but each dramatizes a different opposition and, through it, a different character. These expressive polarities are the material through which wine achieves personality. A Pinot Noir can be brooding or playful depending on whether earth restrains fruit or fruit lightens earth. A natural Beaujolais can feel wild or carefree depending on whether volatility tips toward funk or toward aromatic lift.

Thus, the identity of a wine lies not in its varietal or geographic markers alone, but in how it inhabits its polarities. To taste is to sense which tensions a wine chooses to sustain, which to soften, which to dramatize. Character is not harmony but attitude: the manner in which a wine holds itself between opposing poles.

Context, Coherence, and the Myth of Objectivity

Wine, we are told, should be judged objectively. Blind tasting protocols strip away contextno label, no story, no foodso the wine may be encountered in its pure form. But this pursuit of neutrality is itself a fiction. Wine is never experienced in a vacuum. Contextglass shape, food pairing, company, even the time of dayinflects how its expressive polarities and modulations are perceived. What counts as the wine itself is always mediated by circumstance.

Take a rustic Chianti drunk alone. Its acidity might seem abrasive, its tannins coarse. Yet at a Tuscan table alongside pecorino, olives, and charred meat, those very traits become virtues: acidity slices through fat, tannins echo the bitterness of green olives, rusticity resonates with the earthiness of the meal. The wines coherence emerges with its context, not against it. Coherence, then, is not an intrinsic property of wine but a relational one. A wine makes sense when its expressive polarities, textures, and aromas resonate with their environmentwhen the setting, food, and mood complete its arc. To insist on tasting wines as if they were independent substances is to miss their ecological nature.

This does not reduce tasting to subjectivism. The dispositions of a wineits acidity, tannin, and aromatic registerare real and enduring. But their manifestation depends on relation. To taste a wine well is to perceive how its tendencies can be amplified or softened by circumstance, how its character is co-authored by context. The best tasters are not neutral judges but sensitive cartographers of these shifting contexts, tracing how a wine inhabits not just the glass but the world around it.

Wine as a Site of Perceptual Training

If wine resists stability, if it modulates through polarities and shifts with context, then tasting becomes a form of trainingan education of the senses. To attend to wine is to cultivate the ability to notice difference, to follow subtle variations, to track emergence and dissolution. Each glass is an invitation to refine perception itself.

The novice drinker may say of Pinot Noir: It tastes of cherries. And indeed it might. But repeated encounters reveal that the cherry note is sometimes tart, sometimes ripe, sometimes shadowed by earth, sometimes lifted by florals. With time, what once seemed a simple flavor becomes a shifting spectrum of possibilities. The point is not to fix the real cherry but to learn to perceive variation and follow relations. An experienced palate begins to sense how tannins anchor fruit, how acidity pulls aromas upward, how bitterness restrains sweetness. One does not merely detect components but perceives the choreography of their interaction. In this sense, wine teaches synthetic perceptionthe grasp of wholes as dynamic fields rather than sums of parts.

Such training reshapes attention itself. A glass of Champagne might first register as bright and festive. But attentive tasting teaches one to hear its layers: the mineral base note, the citrus midrange, the floral top notes flickering in and out. What was once a simple sparkle becomes a polyphonic structure. With practice, the ear for this polyphony sharpensnot just in wine, but in perception more broadly. Wine disciplines us into noticing the ephemeral, the emergent, the relational. The reward is not only a richer experience of wine but a more refined aesthetic sensibilityone capable of discerning nuance in art, in food, in life.

If wine eludes stability, if it speaks through volatility, modulation, and polarity, then tasting becomes something other than an act of classification. It becomes a way of knowing that is provisional, relational, and embodieda Dionysian epistemology. To taste well is not to secure a fixed truth about a wine but to inhabit its flux, to surrender to the shifting play of its forces while still tracing their contours.

The Dionysian has always unsettled philosophy. Where Apollo offered clarity, form, and measure, Dionysus offered dissolution, transformation, and ecstatic relation. Wine enacts this tension directly. Its aromas evaporate, its flavors oscillate, its texture unfolds in time and fades. Nothing in it remains fixed. Yet precisely through this instability, wine discloses new modes of orderan order of resonance, tension, and affect.

To approach wine analyticallyas typicity, varietal essence, terroir reduced to a set of markersis to insist on the Apollonian alone. But to understand wine aesthetically is to embrace its Dionysian character as well: the way sweetness and acid sing against each other, the way tannins grip only to release, the way a finish lingers like memory half-effaced. Wine knowledge is not the accumulation of facts but the cultivation of attentiveness, sensitivity, and flexibility. It is knowing how to ride with difference, how to feel coherence emerge from relation, how to let a wine reveal itself without forcing it into preordained categories.

To taste, then, is to think otherwise: to know with the body as much as with the mind, to accept instability not as defect but as aesthetic resource. Wine teaches us that meaning can reside in movement, that character can arise from tension, that beauty can be fleeting and still profound. To taste the Dionysian is not to lose oneself in chaos but to find a different kind of orderthe order of transformation.
Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) seized a nameless Chinese fishing boat after it crossed into restricted waters off outlying Penghu County on Saturday, as reported by Focus Taiwan, citing the agency. According to the report by Focus Taiwan citing the agency, the fishing boat refused inspection and tried to flee. It was detected on Friday about 26 nautical miles northwest of Xiaomen, inside Taiwan's restricted zone, the CGA's Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch said in a press release. A patrol boat was dispatched and found the Chinese vessel had its name painted over. Focus Taiwan said that when ordered to halt, the boat accelerated in an attempt to escape. Citing CGA, it said that the officers pursued, issued radio warnings, and eventually boarded the vessel with reinforcements before escorting it to Magong Harbour. The boat carried 15 crew members, including a captain surnamed Zhuang, according to the CGA, adding that about one metric ton of fish was dumped overboard during the chase. As per Focus Taiwan, the case is being investigated under the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. The CGA noted that patrols have been stepped up since the end of China's summer fishing moratorium, which has brought more Chinese vessels into the area. Previously, Focus Taiwan noted that Chinese coast guard intrusions have become more frequent in recent years, especially around Dongsha and Kinmen. The CGA described these incursions as part of China's broader campaign to destabilise the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific region, undermining international cooperation and trust-building efforts. To counter such threats, the CGA said it will continue deploying large patrol ships to the Dongsha area to uphold Taiwan's sovereignty and safeguard maritime rights. The administration also urged democratic allies to stand together in defending peace, freedom, and stability in the Taiwan Strait and broader Indo-Pacific region, Focus Taiwan reported. (ANI)
Ukraine's defence forces lost five sq km on the Pokrovsk front in August, but were able to regain control of 26 sq km of Ukrainian territory, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said.

Source: Syrskyi on Facebook

Quote from Syrskyi: "I worked in active combat zones on the Pokrovsk, Dobropillia and Siversk fronts, carrying out tasks at the command posts of units engaged in operations in these frontline areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Pokrovsk front remains one of the most challenging. Our units have repelled about 350 enemy attacks over the past week. It is here that the Russians have concentrated their main efforts and created the largest offensive group, which is trying to break through our defences.

Ukrainian soldiers are holding their positions, wiping out enemy personnel and equipment and conducting effective assault operations. Although the defence forces lost five sq km on the Pokrovsk front in August, they regained control of 26 sq km of Ukrainian territory. A similar ratio in our favour is also being observed on the Dobropillia front.

Details: Syrskyi also heard reports from commanders, issued orders and decorated soldiers.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW)  Kansas health officials are warning doctors and the public about the human risk from New World screwworm, a parasite spreading through Central America and Mexico.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) says the flys larvae feed on living tissue, causing painful wounds that can be deadly if untreated. While the parasite was eliminated in the U.S. in 1966, outbreaks have been reported in Mexico and several Central American countries.

First US human case of flesh-eating parasite confirmed in Maryland

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 111,000 animal cases and 680 human infections have been reported so far, according to the CDC. A recent U.S. case involved a Maryland traveler returning from El Salvador.

Kansas officials say the parasite is not a threat here unless residents travel to outbreak areas. Travelers are urged to cover open wounds, use insect repellent, and sleep indoors.

Doctors are being told to report any suspected cases to KDHE immediately.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click 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 KSN-TV.
EDITORS NOTE: This is an outdated article. There are no current road closures due to flooding as of Monday, Sept. 8, at 8 a.m. Please check counton2.com for any additional road closure information.



CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  Flooding prompted multiple Charleston street closures Sunday afternoon.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Charleston County, which primarily included the peninsula and surrounding area until 6:45 p.m.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Charleston Police Department closed some downtown roads because of the rising water associated with heavy rainfall, including:

Ashley Avenue

Barre Street

Bennet Street

Fishburne Street

Hagood Street

Huger Street

King Street

Meeting Street

Morrison Drive

N Nassau Avenue

Ogier Street

Romney Street

Rutledge Avenue

Simons Street

Click or tap here for a full look at closure locations and any updates.

Meanwhile, the North Charleston Police Department warned that Meeting Street Road and Little Avenue were impassable because of flooding.

Drivers should never travel through flood water, nor move or drive around barricades.

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 WCBD News 2.
Before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed James Uthmeier, his former chief of staff, as attorney general, Uthmeier worked in the first Trump administration in the Department of Commerce, which oversees the U.S. Census Bureau.

Now Uthmeiers past is present after President Donald Trump called for a rare, mid-decade census to exclude immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

During my time working in the first Trump Admin, the Supreme Ct (5-4 decision) blocked us from asking in the Census whether someone is a U.S. citizen (though it was asked for over 150 years, prior to Obama admin), Uthmeier posted Aug. 24 on X. Illegals shouldnt be included in apportionment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Apportionment is how the federal government determines how many seats each state receives in the U.S. House of Representatives. Its based on population figures reported in the census, including people who are not U.S. citizens.

Uthmeier is right that the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trumps 2019 attempt to add a citizenship question in the 2020 census. But hes wrong that the census asked the question for 150 years before President Barack Obama came along.

The 2010 census broke from tradition, but the change was in the works before Obama took office, and the Census Bureau continues to ask about citizenship in an annual survey.

The Obama administration did not change the census question related to citizenship, said Terri Lowenthal, a former congressional staffer and census expert. Instead, the question was included in the annual American Community Survey, which replaced a long-form census questionnaire. Not everyone who received a census form received the question.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Joining other states jockeying for congressional seats ahead of the 2026 midterms, Florida Republican legislators convened a select committee on congressional redistricting to look at the states map.

We know about Texas. Whats going on with redistricting in Florida?

PolitiFact contacted Uthmeiers office for comment but did not hear back by publication.

Whats the history of census citizenship questions?

Uthmeier said a citizenship question was asked in the census for over 150 years, but it has not been part of the decennial census for all U.S. households that entire time.

The earliest U.S. census in 1790 asked for the head of the familys name and number of people in the household, including enslaved people.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The first version of a census citizenship question appearedin 1820, asking each household the number of foreigners not naturalized. Until 1920, it was asked only of adult men  women and children automatically had the same citizenship status as their husbands or fathers.

Some form of the citizenship question has been included as a general question every decade since 1890 (but not asked of all households), with the exception of 1960, which focused on place of birth.

The last time the Census Bureau came close to asking every household about citizenship status was in 1950, when census workers knocked on doors and interviewed residents. They asked where each person was born and, in a follow-up question for those born outside the U.S., asked if they were a naturalized citizen.

In 1970, the Census Bureau started distributing two different questionnaires: a short form sent to most households and a long form sent to about 1 in 6 households. Only the long version asked about citizenship.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2000, for example, the long-form questionnaire asked respondents, Is this person a CITIZEN of the United States?

The short form asked for the basics, such as name, date of birth, sex and race. It continued not to ask about citizenship in 1980, 1990 and 2000.

What happened under Obama?

In 2010, the census eliminated the long-form questionnaire in favor of a 10-question short-form questionnaire that didnt ask about citizenship.

The census bureau had started collecting demographic and socioeconomic information through an alternative questionnaire  the American Community Survey, or ACS, in 2005. The annual survey is sent to about 3.5 million households and continues to ask about citizenship, among other topics.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Plans to stop using the long-form census started years before Obama took office, during former President George W. Bushs administration.

To deal with some of these challenges at the beginning of the decade, the 2010 census was re-engineered to build a better, faster and simpler census. The plan was to leverage technology, eliminate the long form and conduct a short-form-only decennial census, Carlos Gutierrez, the commerce secretary under Bush, testified to Congress in 2008, according to The New York Times.

Several government reports from the early 2000s concluded that the American Community Survey produced the same estimates as the long-form census.

The ACS includes a question on citizenship, as the long-form did. Therefore, President Obama did not change the content of the 2010 Census, Lowenthal said. Besides, Obama did not take office until 2009  too late to change the content of the census without risking significant adverse consequences for census operations and, therefore, accuracy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The questions on the decennial census have never been political until now, said Misty Lee Heggeness, a University of Kansas associate professor and former U.S. Census Bureau economist. Changes made to previous census forms had to do with innovations related to survey implementation and data collection and costs.

Census directors appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents have previously agreed that a question on citizenship would discourage responses and undermine census accuracy. Heggeness co-authored a March 2025 peer-reviewed study that supports that perspective.

Heggeness said the point of the census is to get an accurate count of all the people in the United States borders, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution.

Its about getting as many people as possible to respond because an undercount can cause a lot of complications in the following decade, she said.

Our ruling

Uthmeier said citizenship status was asked in the U.S. Census for over 150 years prior to the Obama administration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The last time the decennial census came close to asking every household about citizenship status was in 1950, when it was a follow-up question for foreign-born respondents. Subsequent censuses have asked the question only of a sample of households.

In 2010, the Census Bureau took the citizenship question out of the long-form questionnaire as part of changes planned under the Bush administration. The Census Bureau still asks the question of 3.5 million households each year through the American Community Survey.

We rate this claim False.

PolitiFact staff researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
Live in a home governed by a condominium, co-op or homeowner's association? Have questions about what they can and cannot do? Ryan Poliakoff, an attorney and author based in Boca Raton, has answers.

First this week, and as Ive discussed in prior columns, the Corporate Transparency Act is a federal law that was passed to fight illegal activity such as tax fraud and money laundering. The law requires most corporations (including community associations) to register beneficial ownership information  personal information about the directors and officers of the corporation, or anyone else that has substantial control over the company.

A few weeks ago, a court in Texas put the law on hold, and now the Court of Appeals has affirmed the injunction prohibiting the enforcement of the law. Pending a final ruling, companies are no longer required to file beneficial ownership information with the government. I suspect this injunction will continue for some time, and that the Court of Appeals is very likely to affirm the lower courts ruling that the law is unconstitutional. Now to some reader questions!

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Question: I am a director for a small residential community governed by an HOA in search of direction for making changes to association common areas. Chapter 720 [the HOA Act] does not mention requirements for common area changes. Our covenants are also silent on this matter.

The Condominium Act calls for approval of 75% of members for changes, but we understand that Chapter 718 does not apply to residential HOAs. All references I can find online imply that 75% approval is the commonly accepted practice, but we anticipate a challenge from a member in favor of a simple majority. The issue at hand is an effort to remove existing community streetlights to save the expense. Our documents include the streetlights as common elements. Signed, H.H.

Dear H.H.,

The concept of a material alteration requiring membership approval is limited to condominiums and cooperatives not HOAs. Whether or not your board has the authority to remove the streetlights is going to depend on the boards powers under the governing documents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You say that your documents are silent with respect to material alterations, but you need to look at how they describe the boards general authority and responsibility with respect to the common areas. Usually, boards have very broad authority to improve and alter the common properties, subject to alteration approval provisions or sometimes limitations on spending. You may need an attorney to evaluate your governing documents for you and to advise the board on whether they would have such authority.

As an attorney, I would have two additional concerns.

First, if you remove the streetlights, any accident or crime that occurs in the future and that arguably could have been prevented if the streets were lit is going to come right back on the board as either a negligence claim or even as a breach of fiduciary duty claim, arguing that the boards actions were reckless as to the health and safety of owners (I dont know what other lighting exists in your community and how lit the roads would be without these lights).

Second, you very well may have city or county requirements to have your streets lit, and removal of the lights could either violate language in the plat when the community was created, or instead violates your local codes. These are important issues to investigate as well.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Question: As with many HOAs, maintaining good resident communications has become complicated. Email is far and away the most efficient, timely, and cost-effective means of communicating. HOA law requires an opt-in for financial, legal, voting, meeting notifications, and other communications sent by email. But what about everyday communications such as road closures, severe weather warnings, gate closures, newsletters, or security bulletins?

Can an HOA automatically place member-resident email addresses on that file as long as they give the resident the right to opt out at a later date? This assumes that there will be two different email options  one for Chapter 720-compliant messaging, and a second option for non-covered transactions such as listed above. Signed, E.E.

Dear E.E.,

You have exactly described how this works. The various acts do not care about any communications other than the legally required communications described in the statutes. Everyday communications, such as you describe, are entirely outside of the statutory governance. You can send your owners these kinds of messages, and that does not make their email addresses an inspectable association record.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In contrast, if owners opt-in to receiving formal statutory notices (or other notices that must be mailed pursuant to your governing documents) by email in lieu of mail, those email addresses become inspectable association records. So, they are really two separate issues, and you cant mail someone a formal notice by email in lieu of mail just because you happen to have their email address.

Ryan Poliakoff, a partner at Poliakoff Backer, LLP, is a Board Certified specialist in condominium and planned development law. This column is dedicated to the memory of Gary Poliakoff. Ryan Poliakoff and Gary Poliakoff are co-authors of "New Neighborhoods  The Consumers Guide to Condominium, Co-Op and HOA Living." Email your questions to condocolumn@gmail.com. Please be sure to include your location.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida HOA wants to remove streetlights to save cash. Is that legal?
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Sunday acknowledged his team had not conducted any studies on the effects of removing state vaccine mandates before he made his public appeal this week.

"What I'm saying is that it's an issue of right and wrong in terms of whether parents should be able to control, have ultimate authority over what happens to their kids' bodies," he told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union." "And in terms of outbreaks, we do have outbreaks in Florida, just like every state, and we manage those. So there are no new special, you know, special procedures that need to be made."

Ladapo announced the push, backed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, at a news conference last Wednesday during which he said all vaccine requirements drip "with disdain and slavery." Rolling back the mandates still needs assent from the state Department of Health and the Republican-controlled state legislature in Tallahassee.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

President Donald Trump, whose own health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has come under fire on vaccine access, declined to support Florida's push during an Oval Office event Friday, touting in particular the Covid-19 vaccine that was developed during his first term.

You have vaccines that work," he told reporters. "They just pure and simple work. Theyre not controversial at all. And I think those vaccines should be used. Otherwise some people are going to catch it and they endanger other people.

Ladapo on Sunday insisted that his position was a principled defense of parents' rights to decide their children's care. And foreign countries without a vaccine mandate are doing just fine, he told Tapper.

"It's really about ethics," he said. "Is it appropriate for a government to or any other entity to dictate to you what you should put in your body? No, it's absolutely not appropriate. You have sovereignty over your body."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician who was in recent days blocked from participating in the FDAs Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, told Tapper that Ladapo risked "eliminating one of the two most important weapons he has during an outbreak" by promoting a mandate ban.

"He has just seriously crippled his ability to get on top of epidemics should they occur," Offit said. "And given that attitude, I have no doubt they will occur."
Floridas Surgeon General says his team did not study what impact ending vaccine mandates in the state would have on the spread of diseases.

Joseph Ladapo, an appointee of Governor Ron DeSantis, announced this week that Florida would look to end all vaccine mandates for schoolchildren and others.

Ladapo has said that required vaccinations are equivalent to government-imposed slavery, and that ending them is a question of parental rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He admitted to news anchor Jake Tapper on CNNs Sunday show, State of the Union, that studying the impact of such a move was not necessary.

Absolutely not, Ladapo told Tapper. Its an issue of right and wrong.

Jake Tapper interviews Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo. Floridas Surgeon General says his team did not study what impact ending vaccine mandates in the state would have on the spread of diseases. (CNN)

Florida has not yet rolled back any mandates and such a move will likely face legal challenges.

Under Florida state law, children planning to attend public school are required to receive immunizations for polio, diphtheria (a bacterial infection), rubeola (measles), rubella (a viral infection also called German measles), pertussis (whooping cough), mumps, tetanus and other "communicable diseases" as determined by the department of health.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Private schools that do not take state funding control their own vaccine requirements.

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo with Gov. Ron DeSantis (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Ladapo, who has a history of promoting health-related misinformation, said on Wednesday that the Florida Department of Health and the governors office would work together to end every single vaccine mandate.

Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery, Ladapo said.

Ladapo has also peddled health-related conspiracy theories by questioning vaccines as well as fluoride in water.

Who am I as a government or anyone else, or as a man standing here now, to tell you what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you what your child should be putting in their body? I dont have that right, Ladapo said Wednesday, to a round of applause from the audience.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All 50 states have had a vaccine mandate for public schools since 1980, according to the CDC, which estimates that childhood vaccines save more than four million lives every year worldwide.

A measles outbreak that started in Texas this year resulted in 1,356 confirmed measles cases, 171 hospitalizations and three deaths, according to the CDC.

Officials say that 92 percent of those infected were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.
US President Donald Trump and his top advisors are quietly preparing to travel to South Korea later in October this year for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, with serious discussions in place for a bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping, but no firm plans are in place, CNN reported on Saturday (US local time), citing Trump administration officials. As per the report by CNN, the US President and his top advisors are preparing for the gathering of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers, three Trump administration officials told CNN. The summit, which would take place in Gyeongju between late October and early November, is being viewed as a key opportunity for Trump to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, CNN reported. Citing the officials, it said that there have been serious discussions about a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of APEC, but no firm plans are in place. CNN highlighted how in a phone call last month, Xi had invited Trump and his wife to visit China, an invitation the US president reciprocated, though no dates have been set. As per CNN, while the details are still being finalised, it is unclear whether the president may add other stops on the trip. The officials stated that the administration is also viewing the trip as an opportunity for the president to secure additional economic investments in the US. "A visit to South Korea is being discussed, which would focus on economic collaboration," a White House official told CNN. Other goals include a focus on discussions around trade, defence and civil nuclear cooperation, the official said. Trump's visit could also put him in a position to sit down once again with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, however whether Kim attends is still a question. CNN reported that the officials say more attention is being placed on organising a potential meeting with Xi. During the visit of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung last week, he had invited Trump to attend the APEC summit and suggested that the setting could provide the US President with an opportunity to meet with Kim, sources familiar with the talks told CNN. While addressing reporters earlier in the day, Trump told Lee he was willing to meet with Kim. "I will do that, and we'll have talks. He'd like to meet with me," Trump claimed of the North Korean leader. "We look forward to meeting with him, and we'll make relations better." The expected trip of Donald Trump to South Korea thus comes at a tenuous time in his relationship with both Xi and Kim. While feathers were ruffled in Washington over the recently concluded SCO Summit in Tianjin earlier this month, where Xi Jinping had hosted Kim Jong Un, Russian President Vladimir Putin and PM Narendra Modi, Trump was quick to criticise the meetings. "May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America," Trump wrote on social media as the parade was underway. On Friday, Trump shared a photo of Xi, Putin and Modi, writing: "Looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!" However, on Friday (US local time), Trump expressed optimism towards India. Calling India-US ties a "very special relationship", United States President Donald Trump affirmed that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would always be friends, asserting that there is "nothing to worry about". The gesture was taken with good spirits in New Delhi as Prime Minister Modi, on Saturday, responded warmly to US President Donald Trump's affirmation of the India-US ties, saying he "deeply appreciates and fully reciprocates" the US President's sentiments and positive assessment of the bilateral relations. A potential meeting with his Chinese counterpart would come at a time when Washington and Beijing have been repeatedly engaged over Trump's tariffs. (ANI)
Floridas planned rollback of long-standing school and day care vaccine requirements highlights the nations increasingly polarized views on immunization, a divide sharpened by changes at the federal level.

Pediatricians and several medical groups, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, oppose Floridas changes, saying they roll back decades of public health progress and put children at risk for diseases that can result in serious illness and death.

Its a very dangerous move for the citizens and the children of Florida, said Dr. Jesse Hackell, a retired pediatrician of 41 years who wrote the American Academy of Pediatrics most recent report on the importance of childhood vaccines. It flies in the face of the science and the evidence that vaccines are incredibly safe, incredibly effective and have saved lives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vaccine requirements have not been eliminated yet, but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo say they are working to do so.Some rollbacks would require state lawmakers to change the law.

Here iswhat to know about vaccination requirements in Florida and whats going on nationally.

Does the federal government mandate vaccines for children?

No. States determine and enforce their own vaccine schedules and requirements. All 50 states and Washington, D.C., require some shots for children entering public school.

The federal government, through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, issues guidance on which vaccines should be provided. The Food and Drug Administration regulates and approves vaccines for use nationwide.

What do Floridas immunization requirements protect against?

Floridain1981 adopted the current schedule of requirements for schoolchildren to get vaccinated from various diseases.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It requires different shots at various childhood stages.

Not all vaccines are made the same or fight against infection in the same way. Some, like the polio vaccine, include inactive or weak strains of the disease to prompt the bodys immune response. Others are meant for bacterial infections and include molecules used to help the body fight an infection.

None of the vaccines Florida requires are mRNA vaccines like the COVID shot, which uses a molecule in the body to send a message to cells to create an immune response.

Which vaccinations does Florida require?

Polio: This isa viral disease that can cause muscle pain and paralysis. There is no cure, but it can be prevented by a vaccine thatcarries an inactive strain of the polio virus and doesnt transmit the disease.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Measles, mumps, rubella: These are three highly contagious viral diseases that cause high feversandrashes and, if left untreated, can cause serious brain and heart problems. There are two vaccines parents can choosethat protect against these three infections. They are live attenuated virus vaccines that include a strain of each virus that have each been treated so that the virus cannot cause disease.

Diphtheria (respiratory infection), tetanus (lockjaw), acellular pertussis (whooping cough), also known as DTaP: These are three bacterial infections that can have seriouslong-term effects for children.Diphtheria can cause severe throat swelling, breathing problems, and heart damage. Tetanus causes muscle spasms and pertussis is highly contagious and causes severe coughing. There are seven types of pediatric vaccines that are licensed in the U.S.for these diseases.

Florida Department of Health rules require four more vaccines for children:

Chickenpox (Varicella): This is a contagious viral infection that causes an itchy rash. The primary vaccine is a shot that contains a weaker version of the varicella virus.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Haemophilus influenzae type b: This is a bacterial infection that can cause problems like ear infections and bloodstream infections.The shot protects against one infection caused by the virus, Hib.

Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV15/20): This is a bacterial infectionthat can cause infections such as pneumonia, meningitis and blood infections.Infants and small children are recommended by Florida to have fourdoses starting at 2 months old.

Hepatitis B: This is a viral disease that can cause liver damage. The hepatitis B vaccine contains a noninfectious part of the hepatitis B virus and causesthe body to create its own protection.

Some public higher education institutions require:

Meningitis: This is inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brainoften caused by bacteria. Untreated, it can lead to brain damage and death. Many public universities, includingsome in Florida, require this vaccine before students move into dorms. There are several types of shots using different technology that target different bacteria that cause meningitis.

Whats the argument against vaccine mandates?

Critics of required vaccines say they should have the freedom to choose what is best for their childrens bodies without being barred from schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vaccines have had their skeptics for decades, as some parents feared a link between the shots and autism (which scientists have shown is untrue).

Concerns about vaccines mounted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many states and municipalities required proof of vaccination for indoor dining and other activities. Some vaccine skeptics express concerns about perceived conflicts of interest between pharmaceutical companies and vaccine regulators.

What vaccine exemptions does Florida have now?

Parents can exempt their children from vaccine mandateson medical or religious grounds.

Medical exemptions must be documented and affirmed by a private health care provider and submitted to the state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

About 3% of children have religious exemptions on file, according to the state health department. The parent must provide a form with the exemption to a childs school upon entry.

What happens next in Florida?

Removing vaccine requirements entirely would require approval from state lawmakers. The Legislature is not scheduled to begin its session until January.

But the state Department of Health, which is overseen by Ladapo, said Wednesday that it will work to remove vaccine requirements in state administrative rules, a process that takes around 80 days.

The department said it will also seek to expand exemptions to let people cite personal beliefs as a reason not to vaccinate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, DeSantis saidthe administration will propose a legislative package to remove the requirements.

He is also planning a Florida Make America Healthy Again commission to support and amplify what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is doing%20study%20the%20scope%20of,transparent%20and%20clear%20facts;%20and) at the federal level examining causes of chronic diseases. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and first lady Casey DeSantiswill lead the state commission.

Are vaccines continuously monitored for safety?

Yes. The federal government tracks side effects from all vaccines, which the public can report through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Vaccines that are found to be problematic or need more vetting can be pulled from the market. All data from the system is public.

What is the immunization rate in Florida?

Last school year, 88% of Florida kindergartners were up to date on vaccinations, according to Floridas Health Department. Thats a decrease from 94% before the pandemic, in 2019.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Hillsborough County, the immunization rate for last school year was slightly below the state average, at 86%.

Pinellas County had a similar rate of 87%, while 92% of Pasco County kindergartners last year were current.

If my child is vaccinated but others arent, is my child protected?

Herd, or community, immunity works when a majority in a group are immune to an infection because of a vaccine or prior infection. This limits the spread of the disease.

A vaccinated child will likelybe protected from an infection that they were vaccinated against, but if others in the community are not vaccinated, those unvaccinated people can spread the disease. No vaccine guarantees absolute protection from infection, but the scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows that vaccines significantly diminish the risk of getting sick while limiting the spread of diseases.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For contagious diseases, the CDC and World Health Organization say a 95% vaccination rate is the recommended target for herd immunity.

Hackell, the retired pediatrician, said he expects to see rates of immunizations to decrease if mandates are erased.

It just tends to be a slippery slope, Hackell said. This is not something we can afford to be casual about.

What is going on in other states?

Floridas proposed changes come as the national consensus on vaccines and the authority of federal guidelines has eroded. As Florida looks to scrap its immunization schedule, other states are developing their own guidelines amidupheaval at the CDC.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This week, California, Washington and Oregon all states governed by Democrats announced they will create an alliance to develop their own vaccine rules and recommendations.

Physicians say they will increasingly look to the various professional groups in their medical specialties, like obstetrics, pediatrics and others, for recommendations on vaccines and other practices.

Times/Herald Tallahassee bureau reporter Romy Ellenbogen contributed to this report.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed the vaccine for hepatitis B. The vaccine includes a weakened or inactive hepatitis B virus.
ESPANOLA, N.M. (KRQE)  Its been weeks since the governor declared a state of emergency for the city of Espanola to tackle crime in the area. But police still havent used the funding set aside by her office. The emergency order will provide $750,000 across four law enforcement agencies, but its on hold until they have a formal request with their plans on how they will use the funds.

Crime has grown so much in Rio Arriba County, law enforcement has asked for help. In August, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency for Espanola and its surrounding pueblos because of an increase in drugs, juvenile crime, and violent crime, stretching local law enforcement agencies thin.

Now $750,000 is on the table to tackle the problem. Were trying to make sure that we end up with the right results so that we show that the disbursement of this funding has been used correctly and wisely, said Chief Mizel Garcia, Espanola Police Department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chief Garcia said police calls have doubled in the past two years, and they only have 30 police officers to handle them. Were going to be able to mitigate the staffing shortage that we do have, said Garcia.

Local law enforcement reacts to emergency declaration in Espanola

Pueblo leaders with Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh sent the governor letters stating there is an increase in fentanyl use among tribal members. The letters also addressed an increase in homelessness, property damage, and theft.

Garcia said they are working with pueblos on how to handle offenders who cross tribal borders and jurisdictions. In Espanola, when I first came here, anytime that we have to address a Native versus a non-Native offender, that makes it kind of difficult, said Garcia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As for juvenile crime, he wants more officers on the streets to stop violent offenses that are on the rise. Recently, we just had another case involving two juveniles who were actually involved in a homicide and at least three or four other aggravated batteries with deadly weapon, one resulting in a subject that was paralyzed from the waist down, said Garcia.

Hes asking for officer overtime pay, emergency call system upgrades, and better dispatch communication technology. Chief Mizel Garcia said that with the funding, he will have more officers to handle the active warrants in the city. The agencies still need to send their final requests to the governors office, listing how they will use the funding.

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.
BELLEFONTE, Pa.  A former Johnstown man and infamous criminal who was convicted of abusing and torturing his seven children in the 1990s has died in custody at SCI Rockview.

Rickie Gaddis was terminally ill, Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers said, and succumbed to his disease Friday at the age of 68.

"It was an expected death," Sayers said.

He added that Gaddis, who had been serving a 235- to 470-year sentence since the early 1990s, had spent an extended amount of time in the prison's infirmary before dying.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No autopsy was completed because of the nature of the death.

The coroner and Pennsylvania State Police did investigate, per protocol, because Gaddis died in jail.

According to The Tribune-Democrat archives, Gaddis had requested his release from prison in December 2006 to seek treatment for cancer and heart problems.

The matter was presented before the late Cambria County Judge Gerard Long, who denied the request.

During that proceeding, Gaddis testified that he'd had four strokes and a heart attack in the past two years and had cancer in his hip, prostate and bladder.

The article notes that Long was "unmoved" by the inmates testimony and refused to transfer him to SCI-Laurel Highlands in Somerset County for treatment, stating he would not step into the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections area of responsibility.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gaddis' sentence stemmed from convictions in two Cambria County trials, one in 1991 and the other in 1992.

Evidence showed he took part in bloodletting, tattooing and abuse of his children, as well as the frequent rape of one of his daughters.

The children were kept in deplorable conditions at their Kernville neighborhood home, which were only discovered when the daughter escaped in October 1991 and reported the horrors at the Women's Help Center.

Debbie Gaddis, his wife, was also convicted of multiple counts of child abuse and related charges.
A Greenville ISD staff member arrested this week remained in jail at the Hunt County Detention Center on Saturday morning with bond set at $75,000 on a charge of injury to a child.

Lakenya Dwynette Harris, 53, resigned from her job at Greenville Middle School, district officials said in a release. She had served as a classroom paraprofessional in special education.

Greenville ISD police began investigating after a parent reported their child had unexplained bruises and scratches when he came home Aug. 27. The boy  who is non-verbal and communicates using sign language  gestured teacher when asked about the injuries, according to the arrest affidavit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the classroom. The affidavit states the video showed Harris attempting to pull the child from his desk, pushing a knee into his back, cursing at him and slapping him multiple times. The child could be heard crying, police said.

In a letter to families, Superintendent Joe Lopez said the district takes all misconduct seriously and remains committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment.

Court records show Harris has previous misdemeanor charges in Hunt County, including theft by check, failure to identify and driving while license invalid.

Injury to a child is a felony under Texas law, with penalties ranging from two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine for reckless conduct causing bodily injury. If prosecutors prove the act was intentional and caused serious injury or mental impairment, the charge rises to a first-degree felony, punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison and the same fine.
By Claudia Chieppa and Hanna Rantala

MILAN (Reuters) - Former staff at Giorgio Armani's fashion empire joined crowds gathering on Sunday to pay their final respects to the designer who kept Italy at the forefront of global fashion.

The death of Armani at the age of 91 sparked an outpouring of international grief, with tributes flowing in from Hollywood celebrities and ordinary people alike.

"We are retired former employees and it was our duty and it was obvious that we would come here because it was a great privilege and honour to work for him," said Ornella Gagliolo.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"For all of us, he was like a father, that I can tell you," she told Reuters.

Armani died on Thursday after a five-decade career in which he built a business empire spanning haute couture to home furnishing, with his name becoming synonymous with elegant simplicity.

His wooden casket, adorned with white roses, was on display at a vast exhibition space at his company's headquarters in Milan where catwalk shows are held, surrounded by dozens of small lanterns on the floor.

His funeral on Monday will be held privately.

Silvana Armani, one of his nieces who worked alongside him, was among those paying tribute on Sunday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Giorgio Armani had no children but worked with a trusted group of family members and long-term confidants who are expected to carry on running the business over which he exercised tight control.

(Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
COCOA BEACH  Ron DiMenna, who drew thousands to the love of surfing and helped build Ron Jon Surf Shop into one of the world's most iconic surf- and beach-themed retail stores, has died.

DiMenna, who had a home on Merritt Island, was 88.

Ron was revolutionary, said Jack A. Kirschenbaum, a retired Cocoa Beach attorney and avid surfer who was a close friend of DiMenna and last saw him in August.

Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach.

He turned surfing, which was a nomadic, fringe sport practiced by kids into a mainstream retail juggernaut. He saw what no one else saw. He will be sorely missed, said Kirschenbaum, adding that DiMenna's grand vision appealed to hardcore surfers and tourists alike, turning the giant Cocoa Beach store into another must-see Florida destination.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ron Jon officials announced DiMenna's death Sunday, Sept. 7. He died Sept. 6.

DiMenna, who grew up in New Jersey and worked in his father's grocery store before joining the U.S. Marines, founded the company by selling surfboards from the trunk of his car in 1959.

He did that after his father learned of his interest in surfing, then seen as a novel activity practiced along beaches mostly in places like Florida, California, and Hawaii. "His father told him to buy three surfboards and sell two," Kirschenbaum said.

Ron Jon Surf Shop pictured before moving to its megastore site

DiMenna opened a small Ron Jon Surf Shop in 1961 on Long Beach Island on the New Jersey shore.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two years later, he moved to Florida and opened a Ron Jon surf shack with a dirt floor at Canaveral Pier. That store, at 3rd Street and A1A, continued to grow as tourists from across the nation came to Brevard to watch Apollo launches from the Kennedy Space Center and visit the area's pristine, laid-back beaches.

The store eventually took over the strip mall and later evolved into the modern, 52,000-square-foot temple of all things surfing at A1A near State Road 520. Surfing boomed, riding the waves to become not only a dedicated lifestyle, but a worldwide sporting industry.

Thousands of tourists continue to visit the Space Coast from across the globe to buy merchandise at the megastore, where tall, sculpted statutes surfing waves welcome visitors. Kirschenbaum, who became close with DiMenna in 1977, said that DiMenna remained private, opting to work behind the scenes to contribute millions of dollars to the Brevard Zoo and quietly championing beach preservation.

At one point, the surfing pioneer moved to Australia  known for its huge coastal waves  and journeyed across the continent in a decked-out motor home as his businesses continued to boom stateside, later opening the American market to Australian beach and surf-themed products. He was very private. I think it added to the myth and mystery of who he was. He had humble beginnings and enjoyed the privacy of his life, Kirschenbaum recalled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Today, the lifestyle-apparel and board-sports-equipment retailer has stores in seven locations in Florida, including Cocoa Beach and Key West, in addition to its original location in New Jersey. There are additional stores in Maryland, Alabama and South Carolina.

The store's brand has become an East Coast surfing legend  its logo spotted on bumper stickers and T-shirts worldwide. Billed as the world's largest surf shop, the flagship Cocoa Beach megastore also sells beach goods, swimming gear and an array of surfboards in every style.

Ron was known as a free spirit and his love for the beach and the sport of surfing endured throughout his life," Michele Goodwin, president of Ron Jon Surf Shop, said in a statement. "He lived life on his own terms and created a retail empire that remains one of the most successful beach shopping destinations in the country."

"The entire Ron Jon family mourns this loss. On behalf of our Board of Directors, management team and employees, we extend our deepest sympathy to Rons wife, Lynne DiMenna," the company said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Together with his wife, DiMenna also founded Surfings Evolution & Preservation Foundation, a nonprofit that supports organizations which work to protect the health of Floridas beaches and address issues such as coastal pollution and beach ecology. It raises money through the sale of the Endless Summer specialty license plate.

"Rons vision and legacy will live on for generations through Ron Jon Surf Shop and Surfings Evolution & Preservation Foundation," Goodwin said.

J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Or X, formerly known as Twitter: @JDGallop.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Ron Jon Surf Shop founder DiMenna dies at age 88
It was a question famously asked by Frances wartime leader and former President Charles de Gaulle. How can anyone govern a country with 246 varieties of cheese? More than 60 years on, the answer appears to be no one.

With yet another government on the brink, France has, it seems, become ungovernable. On Monday, Francois Bayrou, less than a year into his job, looks set to become the fourth prime minister to depart in just 20 months. His fate now rests on a confidence vote in parliament that, if lost, would cement a record under the Fifth Republic and leave the countrys president Emmanuel Macron weaker than ever.

Bayrou called the vote in a bid to push through an unpopular 44 billion euros savings plan that includes scrapping two public holidays and freezing spending. He says its a matter of national survival, warning that France must get a grip on its spiraling debt, since for 20 years, each hour of each day and each night has seen the debt grow by 12 million euros extra.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These may be alarmist words designed to spur the countrys fractious political classes into urgent action, even though budget reform was precisely what claimed the scalp of his predecessor, Michel Barnier. The European Unions chief negotiator who kept the bloc united in the wake of Britains tortured vote to leave the European Union in 2016, lasted only three months as PM, failing to climb that much steeper mountain of getting the French to accept sweeping spending cuts.

With France sliding deeper into political instability, its borrowing costs are climbing. Ten-year bond yields have risen above those of Spain, Portugal and Greece  countries that were once at the heart of the Eurozone debt crisis  and are now edging close to those of Italy. An economy under mounting strain and at odds with the European strongman image that Macron has sought to project.

France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou speaks during a press conference in Paris, on August 25. - Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images

And yet the current instability can be traced back to Macrons dramatic decision to call a snap election last year. Piqued by the remarkable results of the far-right National Rally in the European elections of May 2024, the French president forced a parliamentary vote in which his own party lost seats to the far right and far left, leaving France with a divided Assembly.

But it didnt have to be this way. The Fifth Republic, founded by President de Gaulle in 1958, was designed to end the chronic instability that had plagued Frances Third and Fourth republics earlier in the 20th century. The new constitution gave broad powers to the executive and set up a majority system to avoid short-lived governments. As a result, for decades, two mainstream parties on the left and right alternated in power.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Macron blew up that order in 2017, by becoming the first president elected without the backing of either of the main established political parties. Re-elected in 2022, he soon lost his parliamentary majority as voters flocked to the extremes. Two years of fragile rule followed, with Macron repeatedly forced to invoke Article 49.3 of the constitution  pushing legislation through without a vote, to the increasing displeasure of opposition lawmakers and much of the French public.

In the 2024 snap election, the left won most seats in the second round but still fell short of a majority after the far right dominated the first. But their hopes of forming a minority government collapsed when Macron refused to accept their choice of prime minister. Unlike Germany or Italy, France has no tradition of coalition-building, its politics shaped for more than 60 years by a presidency-dominated system.

What comes next?

If Bayrou falls, pressure on Macron to resign will intensify though he has vowed to serve out his term. Far-right doyenne Marine Le Pen is demanding he dissolve parliament, but fresh elections would almost certainly strengthen her party and fracture parliament further. Another path would be for Macron to appoint a caretaker government while weighing a successor with Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin among the frontrunners for what is likely to be a poisoned chalice.

The trouble is that after three failed centrist prime ministers, the opposition parties are in no mood to give another one a chance. Both the far right and far left have signaled they would immediately call for a vote of no confidence. Another option would be to name a prime minister from another political family, but a choice on the right would be blocked by the left, and vice versa.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The political climate is bleak. In the event of another snap parliamentary election, a recent Elabe poll suggests the National Rally would emerge on top, with the left coming in second and the center a distant third.

French President Charles de Gaulle visits Brittany in 1969. - James Andanson/Getty Images

Many now assume the far right will eventually take power  if not now, then in the next presidential poll in 2027, but with little expectation it would solve the malaise. Public trust in the political class has collapsed and anger is set to spill onto the streets on September 10 with nationwide protests under the banner Bloquons tout (block everything).

All of this comes at the worst possible moment, with wars raging in the Ukraine and the Middle East. Instability in Paris is a gift to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and to US counterpart Donald Trump, who share a common delight in mocking Europes weaknesses.

Dominique Moisi, a senior analyst at the Paris-based think tank Institut Montaigne, says he cannot recall a moment of such profound deadlock in the Fifth Republic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

De Gaulle survived assassination attempts, there was the Algerian war, in May 68 the slogan was la France sennuie, (France is bored). But today France is frustrated, furious, full of hatred towards the elite, he told CNN.

It sounds as if a regime change is inevitable yet I cant see how it will come about and who would do the job. We are in a phase of transition between a system that no longer works and a system no one can imagine.

De Gaulle was the president, who despite his mutterings about cheese, ushered in a period of relative stability in 1958 in France with the start of the Fifth Republic. The question now is whether Macron will be the president who ended it.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The final day of the free Dayton Home Expo is this Sunday.

Its held on Sept. 7 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event connects homeowners with local and national vendors, many of which have deals for home improvement projects. Organizers said the vendors will be able to give insight and guidance on project ideas.

Attendees will be able to meet multiple vendors in a single space, get quotes and negotiate prices.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dayton Lincoln Society hosts Civil War program with expert speaker Sunday

The event is hosted by Nationwide Expos. A representative from Nationwide Expo, Sol Lee, spoke with 2 NEWS about the event.

Lee said the event isnt just for homeowners, as there are also exhibits for furniture, home goods/decor, crafts and even skincare.

He said it is an opportunity to support small businesses, as the majority of the vendors are local.

Everyone is welcome to attend; adults are preferred, but the event is open to all ages.

Parking is free as well. The fairgrounds are located at 645 Infirmary Road.

To learn more about the event, call 319-666-4663 or click 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 WDTN.com.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)  A dozen museums across St. Joseph, and one in Savannah, will open their doors for free on Saturday as part of the communitys annual Free Museum Day.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at these locations: the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, Andrew County Museum, Mount Mora Cemetery, Pony Express Museum, Robidoux Row, and the Walter Cronkite Memorial.

Some sites will stay open until 5 p.m including: the Black Archives Museum, Doll Museum, Remington Nature Center, Glore Psychiatric Museum, and the St. Joseph Museum.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The goal is to make local history, culture and art more accessible to families, students and visitors.

We want to make sure that we have access for everyone," said Sara Wilson, Executive Director of St. Joseph Museums, "I don't think that people always realize that we have people coming from across the world to visit us every single day and so it's important for us to showcase our history and culture here in St. Joseph and share that with everyone."

Wyeth-Tootle Mansion, which is part of St. Joseph Museums, hosted its own free day last weekend as a preview to the larger citywide event.

One museum patron shared what a privilege it was to see a family member featured on the museums walls.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"My great great great grandfather's in this museum and grandma," said Nejeila, St. Joseph citizen, "It makes me feel excited and proud and like I'm apart of history."

Free Museum Day has become a tradition in St. Joseph, drawing thousands of visitors each year. The day encourages residents to rediscover history in their own backyard.

Young museum patrons expressed their excitement about the variety of museums in town. Whenever they visit the Glore Psychiatric Museum, they cant help but think of the woman who ate all the strange objects.

"It's disgusting!" said Akarah, Liliana, Havalynne, and Dawson, "Come to the museums!

A photograph of the many buttons, nails, and other items at Glore Psychiatric Museum swallowed by a patient suffering from Pika.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's suggestion to meet in Moscow, calling the choice of such an unrealistic meeting place a sign that Russia is not genuinely interested in negotiations. The Ukrainian leader said in an interview with US media, "I can't go to the capital of this terrorist" because Ukraine is "under missile attacks, under fire every day". "(Putin) can come to Kyiv," Zelensky said in response, as quoted by EuroNews. US President Donald Trump has been pushing for face-to-face talks between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents. A bilateral or trilateral meeting was one of the main goals of Trump's summit with Putin in Alaska last month. Trump later said Putin and Zelenskyy would meet after the Ukrainian president visits Washington and talks with European leaders, but Moscow has been putting additional conditions on the table, stalling a decision and stepping up shelling of Ukrainian cities. This week, Putin said he was "ready" to meet with Zelenskyy, but in Moscow. On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explained that Zelenskyy had been invited to the Russian capital "to talk, not to capitulate," as per EuroNews. The day before, speaking in Paris after the summit of the "coalition of the resolute," Zelenskyy commented on Putin's invitation. "I believe that if you want the meeting not to take place, you should invite me to Moscow," Zelenskyy said, adding that the fact that the Russian leadership voiced any options for a personal meeting at all is an accomplishment on its own, as per EuroNews. On Saturday, Zelenskyy wrote on social media that Russia launched more than 1,300 drones, nearly 900 guided bombs and some 50 missiles of various types at Ukraine during the first five days of September. He said the strikes hit 14 regions of the country, as per EuroNews. "Something will happen, but they are not ready yet... We're going to do it," Trump told US media the same day, without specifying any timeline for talks that Washington would find acceptable, EuroNews reported. (ANI)
German conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi has died at the age of 95, his wife told dpa on Sunday.

Von Dohnanyi was considered one of the outstanding conductors of his generation.

He passed away surrounded by his family in Munich, two days before his 96th birthday.

Born in Berlin, von Dohnanyi conducted at major opera houses around the world and stood at the podium of the great orchestras in Europe and the United States.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Von Dohnanyi made a name for himself early on as a committed advocate of contemporary music theatre and a skilful manager of the opera business. He was fond of combining traditional with avant-garde productions.

Von Dohnanyi was born in Berlin on September 8, 1929. He initially studied law and music in Munich and later continued his musical studies with his grandfather, the composer Ernst von Dohnanyi, in the US.

At the age of 27, he became the youngest German general music director in the northern German city of Lubeck.

After stints in Kassel, Cologne and Frankfurt, von Dohnanyi took over as director of the Hamburg State Opera from 1977 to 1984, where he continued to make his mark with young directors with a background in theatre and stage design.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After long-running controversies with the company and supervisory boards, von Dohnanyi left Hamburg and began conducting the Cleveland Orchestra in the US state of Ohio 1984.

In 1996, von Dohnanyi took over the position of principal conductor with the London Philharmonia Orchestra, and in 1998 he became guest conductor with the Orchestre de Paris. He returned to Hamburg in 2004, where he took over the direction of the Symphony Orchestra of public broadcaster NDR until 2011.
GIRARD, Ohio (WKBN)  A Girard store is celebrating a new collaboration with one iconic candy company.

Sweet Memories Vintage Tees & Candy is now in partnership with Stuckeys to benefit the Akron Childrens Hospital NICU.

Sweet Memories has launched exclusive Stuckeys apparel and is selling its favorite candies.

Other t-shirt lines released this summer are also benefiting Akron Childrens.

In 2020, the goal was to raise $40,000 for the hospital. Since then, the store has been able to donate nearly double that.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I encourage all the other businesses that are local to find a charity thats near and dear to their heart and support them. Without the community support for our building, we wouldnt be able to support the hospitals, or Meals on Wheels and other charities that we support, said Linda Barton, with Sweet Memories.

Sweet Memories has been able to donate $70,000 and is looking to donate an additional $20,000 this year.

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.
In Allenspark, a new festival is putting the spotlight on one of Colorados feathered friends.

On Saturday, the inaugural Wild Turkey Festival will celebrate turkeys in all their forms while ushering in the fall season. Hosted by the small mountain community of Allenspark in northwestern Boulder County, festival activities will take place at various local businesses and venues throughout the day.

Weve never done anything like this before, said Elisabeth Sherwin, one of the event coordinators.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Sherwin, the festival was initially pitched as a joke. After an Allenspark resident expressed distaste for the wild turkeys and their tendency to rampage through her yard, community members suggested holding a festival to honor the birds instead of bringing them down.

Wild turkeys are plentiful in Allenspark, which helped the whole community get behind the new event.

Its become a thing, Sherwin said. I think every single store, institution and person in Allenspark is involved in one way or another.

Turkey theming will dominate the festivals activities and food. Guests can munch on turkey legs or take shots of Wild Turkey bourbon. One of the main events, the turkey strut, is a fashion competition in which the turkey costumes of kids and adults alike will be judged.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The schedule also includes a pancake breakfast at the Allenspark fire station, a turkey calling contest and a pin the tail on the turkey game.

If a wild turkey had the nerve to show up in downtown Allenspark, it would be celebrated, Sherwin said.

Upon arriving at the festival, visitors can purchase a passport and collect stamps from at least five of the 25 participating Allenspark venues. Stamped passports will be entered into a drawing for an outdoor shed.

Funds raised through passport sales will go toward three local nonprofits. The money will be divided among the Allenspark Fire Protection District, the Allenspark Area Club and The Old Gallery. The Allenspark Area Club awards scholarships and keeps the nearby highway clean, while The Old Gallery houses a food bank and community closet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sherwin said its been amazing to see the Allenspark community come together over preparations for a new event. She emphasized that everyone is invited to visit Allenspark and enjoy the friendly mountain feeling.

Were like the last bastion of Boulder County, she said. So, we welcome everyone to come up and see what were like.

The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A full schedule is available at visitallenspark.com.
So many of the things President Donald Trump has done in his second term could have been scandals in any other political era  including his first term.

But its often difficult to make that case conclusively, given we cant transplant todays exact events on to another timeline.

We can basically do that, though, with one recent event: the administrations attempts to lure New York City Mayor Eric Adams to drop his reelection race in exchange for an administration job.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its precisely this scenario, in fact, that Republicans and conservative pundits once labeled a serious crime worthy of a special prosecutor  a Watergate-esque scandal possibly even worthy of impeachment.

Or at least, thats when the shoe was on the other foot.

To recap: The administration has been trying to get Adams out of the race in recent days. CNN reports that talks have included the possibility of an ambassadorship, with countries in discussion including Saudi Arabia. Adams signaled Friday hes in the race to stay, at least for now.

The idea has apparently been that getting him and maybe Republican Curtis Sliwa to drop out could give former New York governor Andrew Cuomo a better shot in a head-to-head race against democratic socialist New York state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. Trump might not love Cuomo, but hes preferable to Mamdani.

New York mayoral candidate, State Rep. Zohran Mamdani (D-NY) greets supporters during an election night gathering on June 24, 2025. - Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Id prefer not to have a communist mayor of New York City, Trump said Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump on Friday denied personally offering Adams an ambassadorship, but made a point to add there was nothing wrong with doing it.

Thats something the Republicans of 15 years ago vehemently disagreed with. They once claimed this was a crime that called for extensive investigation. It was actually among the first things they floated impeaching Barack Obama for.

The parallels between today and back then are many.

In 2010, the Obama administration admitted to floating administration jobs to then- Rep. Joe Sestak in an effort to get him out of a Democratic Senate primary. The national Democratic Party preferred Sen. Arlen Specter and viewed Sestak as a liability in the general election. (Indeed, Sestak wound up winning the primary and losing the general election.)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a memo, the Obama administration claimed this was more or less politics as usual.

But Republicans and conservative media allies vociferously disagreed.

Leading the charge was Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California, who would soon chair the House Oversight Committee. Issa suggested the situation amounted the bribery and repeatedly compared it to Watergate. He at one point floated impeachment. He pointed to a series of laws he argued it could violate.

We are only one honest election away from no longer being a democracy, Issa told Fox Newss Megyn Kelly at one point, adding that this has to stop, and if this president wont stop it, I will.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Republican National Committee called it a a significant and potentially devastating accusation of political corruption.

U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) speaks to the media outside the Capitol May 28, 2010. - Alex Wong/Getty Images

Fox News host Sean Hannity suggested it was a de facto bribe and an impeachable offense. Rush Limbaugh called it a potential impeachable offense. Pat Buchanan said it would seem on its face a criminal violation of federal law. Karl Rove said such an offer would mean that the White House committed a felony.

Either youre a liar, Joe Sestak, Rove said before the White House confirmed Sestaks account, or youre protecting a felon.

Republican senators were also on the case. All seven GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee signed a letter calling for then-Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor to examine the situation. They cited the taint of bribes and political machine manipulation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Not only is Issa still in Congress, but so are three GOP senators who signed that letter. None of them have made similar allegations about the Adams situation today.

There is a legitimate case to be made that these kinds of offers at least flout the spirit of the law.

One federal law makes it a crime to offer a position created by Congress as consideration, favor, or reward for any political activity or for the support of or opposition to any candidate or any political party in connection with any general or special election to any political office.

Another makes it a crime to use official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But these kinds of arrangements are relatively common, including in recent Republican administrations.

In 2004, CNN reported the George W. Bush administration approached Democratic then-Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska about becoming agriculture secretary, a move obviously geared towards helping Republicans gain a Senate seat.

In 1981, the Reagan administration even suggested an administration job for then-Sen. S.I. Hayakawa to drop out of a 1982 Republican Senate primary that happened to feature Reagans own daughter, Maureen.

Republicans would surely argue that the lack of accountability in the Sestak case make whatever the Trump administration wants to do with Adams fair game.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But theyre the ones who decided to suddenly treat this issue as a major scandal in 2010  possibly even an impeachable one  in a way it simply hadnt been in the decades prior (and in a way Democrats havent done with the Adams situation today).

Today, Republicans dont seem to have the same fears for our democracy and worries about presidential corruption.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Republicans are once again turning on each other as the Donald Trump administration celebrates the gung-ho killing of several suspected Venezuelan cartel members in a military strike that critics say may have violated domestic and international law.

Renegade Kentucky Seb. Rand Paul took the first shot at JD Vance, dubbing him JD I dont give a s--t Vance after the vice president called the killing the highest and best use of our military.

Rand Paul, who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration, speaks to reporters in front of the Russell Senate Office building in Washington on June 17, 2025. / Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial, Paul wrote on X late Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vance faced a wave of backlash Saturday after declaring that killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military. He later brushed off criticism by saying, I dont give a st what you call it when another user on X referred to the strike as a war crime.

Vice President JD Vance has said he doesn't

Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird? Paul added, in a stretched but semi-pertinent reference to Harper Lees Pulitzer-winning novel about racial tensions in the Deep South, which centers on a Black Alabaman facing the death penalty after being falsely accused of raping a young white woman. Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation??

The U.S. Navy carried out the strike Tuesday against a small boat the Trump administration claims belonged to Venezuelan narcotrafficking syndicate Tren de Agua. The attack took place in international waters in the southern Caribbean sea, and claimed the lives of 11 alleged members of the gang.

JD I dont give a shit Vance says killing people he accuses of a crime is the highest and best use of the military.



Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird?



Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation?? https://t.co/VdnJbZkGfS  Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 7, 2025

Trump has framed the attack as part of an escalating campaign against Latin American drug cartels. He even offered a $50 million bounty on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom his administration has accused of being involved in narco-terrorism.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Legal experts and political opponentsamong them Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, whos promised hell be digging into the legality of the strike in the coming daysargue the attack may well have constituted an extrajudicial killing, having seemingly been carried out without requisite oversight or due process, and potentially in violation of an impressive variety of international treaties.

The Trump administration has come under increasing fire over what critics describe as an extrajudicial killing in violation of domestic and international law. / Brian Snyder / REUTERS

Paul isnt alone among Republican voices to have criticized the strike. Anti-MAGA X account Republicans against Trump added in a comment beneath the Kentucky senators post: Thank you for your moral clarity on this. JD Vance is a despicable and cynical politician.

Thank you for your moral clarity on this. JD Vance is a despicable and cynical politician.  Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 7, 2025

It also comes as his fellow Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene, join their Democratic counterparts in pushing for a House floor vote to pressure the Justice Department into releasing more investigative documents on the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking case.

Trumpwho once called Epstein a terrific guy and allegedly even sent him a 2003 birthday card featuring a nude sketch of a woman, along with a bizarre imagined exchange about enigmas and wonderful secretshas faced increasing scrutiny of his relationship with the convicted pedophile after the DOJ and FBI concluded Epsteins 2019 death in police custody was a suicide, and that he kept no client list of uber-wealthy co-conspirators.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The findings not only contradict Attorney General Pam Bondis assertion earlier in February that the long-rumored Epstein List was sitting on my desk awaiting review, but also conspiracy theories long cherished by the far-right that Trump himself had implicitly endorsed over the past few years.

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment on criticism of this weeks military strike.
Every year, Michigans Legislature negotiates a budget that eventually lands on the governors desk. .With less than a month before the fiscal year ends and this years budget runs out, that hasn't happened yet. This year, one of the biggest sticking points in the budget is road funding.

Everyone wants a good road funding plan. There is no real debate in Lansing about the value of infrastructure or investments in our roads. Small businesses, big businesses, unions, Republicans, Democrats  everyone likes the idea of funding our roads and bridges. In fact, thousands of people from all walks of life gathered at the state Capitol this week to tell legislators to do their job and fund our roads.

So, whats the problem? The problem is that while everyone agrees that we need to fund the roads, no one can agree on how to fund them.

From left: Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township

Robbing Peter or dodging Paul

Republicans in Lansing would like to cut money from the budget to fund roads. They suggest cutting money from silly little things like schools, rural transportation, the police, consumer protections, prescription drugs, to name a few. This is the Robbing Peter to Pay Paul budgeting strategy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democrats in the Senate do not agree with this strategy, but they havent made a counterproposal to show us the alternative. While the Senate did pass a budget proposal back in May, it did not include a roads plan. Thats because the only other way you pay for things in a state budget is to raise taxes, and theyre afraid of what the commercials will say if they raise taxes. This is the Dodging Peter and Avoiding Paul budgeting strategy.

Either way, the state budget and our two parties lack the exact same thing  courage and good ideas.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives her State of the State Address at the Michigan State Capitol building in Lansing on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025.

More from Freep Opinion: A state shutdown would be Duggans biggest endorsement yet in Michigan gov race

Other states have figured it out

Thankfully, we are not limited to the brain trust in Lansing to come up with good ideas. Other states have bravely figured out how to pay for roads without starving children and polluting the water.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Minnesota has used revenue from corporate taxes to invest in priorities like education and infrastructure. Minnesota's corporate tax rate is 9.8%, compared to Michigan, which is only 6%. Minnesota has one of the strongest economies in the country, and consistently invests in both infrastructure and education at a higher per capita rate than Michigan. These infrastructure investments are important, because they allow Minnesota the ability to survive the annual flood of corporate tears.

Massachusetts passed a "millionaires tax" in 2022, a 4% surtax on income over $1 million. This revenue funds both education and transportation in the state. Business groups warned that taxing millionaires would drive the wealthy away, hurting the economy and destroying the fabric of capitalism. Against all odds, millionaires overcame the impossible hurdle of paying their taxes, and since the tax passed, somehow the number of millionaires in Massachusetts has increased by 39%.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proposed several ideas to pay for roads, including a 45-cent per gallon gas tax or mileage-based fees like the ones in Utah or Oregon. Certainly no one likes the idea of gas taxes or drivers fees. And 45 cents per gallon seems like a lot of money, until you consider that road damage causes an average of $2,921 worth of repairs for drivers in metro Detroit each year, the highest of any urban region in the state. The truth is that we pay for bad roads one way or another. We would pay more for gas, but we would save on car repair and new tires.

Sen. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, speaks with the media after she was elected Senate majority leader. She won the leadership race on Nov. 10, 2022, at the Michigan State Capitol.

More from Freep Opinion: Michigans leaders still talking while drivers are dodging potholes

Partisanship can't save us from gridlock

Radical ideas like wealthy people paying taxes means that Republicans would need the courage to vote against the interests of their wealthy donors. And raising the gas tax means that Democrats would need the courage to face the slings and arrows of next years campaign cycle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a state like Michigan, where the House is controlled by Republicans and the Senate is controlled by Democrats, we need a solution that requires some courage from everyone. Partisanship only leads to spineless fence-sitting and self-congratulatory bloviating  Americas new favorite past-times.

Unfortunately, partisan blowhards cannot save us from gridlock driven by fear.

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) addresses the media, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the state Capitol in Lansing.

The fight voters can win

We know, from the labor movement, that the best way to encourage people to take action is to stand with them in solidarity.

In other words, we as voters must urge our legislators to show the courage required to act.

We have to fight for the government we want, not the slogans theyre willing to hide behind. We have to demand that our legislators take a real stand for the things that matter to us, and we have to stand with them when they do. Ask Republicans why they want to cut money to schools instead of raising the corporate tax that they slashed under Gov. Rick Snyder. Ask Democrats why they dont have any ideas for how to raise the revenue they know we need. Ask your legislators why they cant come up with a solution to a problem that everyone wants solved.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And if legislators are willing to stick their necks out, then we have to be willing to stick our necks out, too. We have to knock doors. We have to volunteer on campaigns. We have to talk to our friends and our coworkers and vote for the state that we want to live in.

There are lots of things in the world right now that we have very little power to control.

Our state budget is not one of them.

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.

Jen McKernan

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Massachusetts taxes wealth, Michigan prefers potholes | Opinion
Gov. Greg Abbott and First Lady Cecilia Abbott provided laptops to students in the Center Point Independent School District who were affected by the July Fourth floods to support their education during the recovery.

The laptop donation assists students whose families lost their homes and belongings in the disaster. Ensuring educational continuity is a top priority as the community works to rebuild.

Today, as children return to school, we want [to] make sure they have every tool available to them to help them succeed, said Gov. Abbott. We know how essential a laptop is to the education process, and thats why we are proud to join AT&T and Compudopt to ensure you all have access to your very own laptop.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

AT&T, Compudopt, The Center Point Alliance for Progress, and The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country collaborated on the donation effort.

Abbott emphasized the importance of supporting families who suffered devastating losses during the floods. He commended their resilience while meeting with impacted families to hear their stories.

The laptop distribution adds to extensive state flood recovery efforts spanning multiple counties. These initiatives include extending FEMA registration deadlines, securing federal disaster declarations, and distributing millions in relief funding.

The state has deployed numerous resources since the July floods began. Recovery programs now encompass financial assistance, infrastructure repairs, and emotional support services for affected Texans.
A fire broke out in the Cabinet of Ministers (Ukrainian government) building in Kyiv after debris from a Russian drone fell.

Source: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko; Ukrainska Pravda sources in the government; Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko

Quote from Klitschko: "A government building in the Pecherskyi district caught fire as a result of the likely downing of a UAV. Firefighters are working at the scene."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Details: According to Ukrainska Pravda sources in the government, there were no casualties.

The sources insist that this was not debris falling but a direct strike on the government building.

The aftermath of the Russian attack

Photo: Yuliia Svyrydenko on Facebook

Svyrydenko said that this is the first time the government building has been damaged in a Russian attack, with the roof and upper floors affected.

Firefighters extinguishing the fire

Photo: Yuliia Svyrydenko on Facebook

"Firefighters are extinguishing the fire," the prime minister noted.

Background: On the night of 6-7 September, Russian forces attacked Kyiv with drones and missiles. As of 07:00, three people had been reported killed and 11 injured.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, long-considered a potential Democratic frontrunner for the 2028 presidential election, said on Sunday he would not run for president and instead seek re-election as governor.

Moore, 46, has been considered a rising star in the Democratic Party for years, but he gained national attention last year while displaying his strong leadership style after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed.

Political analysts have long speculated that Moore could serve as a potentially successful candidate for Democrats in the next presidential election because he appeals to Democrats and more moderate voters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But Moore has consistently shut down those rumors and put them to a full stop during an appearance on Meet the Press.

Yeah, Im not running for president, Moore told host Kristen Welker while flashing a big smile.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore ruled out a 2028 presidential run on 'Meet the Press' (NBC News / Meet The Press)

Moore said he is seeking re-election in 2026 to serve a second term as Marylands governor.

Ill be serving a full term. Im excited about re-election, Im excited about what Im going to do for the people of Maryland, Moore said before listing some accomplishments hes had since taking office.

While Moore has shut down the possibility of running for president, his previous declarations have not been taken seriously by some political analysts who see much of Moores activity and rhetoric as attempts to boost his national image.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Most recently, Moore has publicly pushed back on President Donald Trumps harsh immigration, deportation, and crime policies targeted at Baltimore.

Trump has threatened to send the National Guard into Baltimore to help control violent crime in the city. Baltimore has seen higher rates of violent crime than the national average for several years, but over the last two years, those numbers have steadily dropped.

Moore has asked Trump not to send in the National Guard, but said hes open to collaboration.

We absolutely accept the offer for federal support, Moore told Meet the Press. The presidents proposed budget actually cuts support for the FBI and ATF bureaus, which are things we could actually use.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Should Moore change his mind, it wouldnt be the first time a politician has said theyre not running for president and then changed their mind. Former President Barack Obama said, in 2006, that he intended to serve his full six-year term as U.S. senator, but ultimately launched a bid for president in 2008.

Some Moore fans have hoped he would expand his political aspirations. He has had an impressive career with aspects that appeal to both Democrats and Republicans.

He graduated from Johns Hopkins University and became the recipient of the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship while obtaining his masters degree from Oxford.

He also served in the U.S. Army, was deployed to Afghanistan, and rose in the ranks to captain.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Among other accomplishments, Moore has written two books, founded a television production company, produced a three-part documentary about veterans for PBS, and served as CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation.

Moore also embarked on a career in politics early on, first becoming a White House fellow to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2006 and then supporting Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
France's foreign ministry has fired back at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he claimed that France's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood derailed Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations. In a post on X on Saturday (local time), the French Response, a new X account affiliated with the French Foreign Ministry, as reported by Politico, directly refuted Rubio's accusation, stating, "No, @SecRubio, the recognition of the State of Palestine did not cause the breakdown of hostage negotiations." The account shared a thread, including one featuring a screenshot from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dated July 24 at 3:54 pm (local time), discussing the failure of Gaza peace negotiations. This was followed by another screenshot of a post by French President Emmanuel Macron, referencing France's recognition of a Palestinian state, which was posted on the same day at 9:16 pm (local time), further cementing Paris's position on the matter. "Emmanuel Macron mentioned the recognition of a Palestinian State, while underlying that the Hamas has to be disarmed and has no role to play in the governance of the Gaza Strip," the post read. This exchange marks an escalation in diplomatic tension between the two nations following Rubio's strong condemnation of France's move, which he previously labelled "reckless". In an earlier post on X, after Macron's announcement, Rubio criticised the French President's initiative at the United Nations General Assembly, saying, "This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th." Last week, Rubio reiterated his stance, asserting that France's announcement led Hamas to abandon peace talks, The Hill reported. "The minute - the day - that the French announced the thing they did that day, Hamas walked away from the negotiating table... They immediately increased their demands and walked away and stopped negotiating," Rubio said, as quoted by The Hill. Earlier in July, the French President declared that France would officially recognise Palestinian statehood during the United Nations General Assembly to be held this month. Following in his footsteps, leaders from Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United Kingdom are also set to recognise the State of Palestine during the Assembly. Belgium is the latest name in the list that called for recognition of the State of Palestine and further called for "firm sanctions" against the Israeli government. On Tuesday, Macron stated that France and Saudi Arabia will co-chair a high-profile conference on the Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in New York on September 22, aimed at garnering broad international support for peace and security in the region. In a statement posted on X, Macron also called on the US to reverse its decision to deny visas to Palestinian officials, describing the move as "unacceptable", while emphasising the importance of Palestinian representation in the conference in accordance with the Host Country Agreement. (ANI)
GREENE COUNTY, Iowa  The Greene County Sheriffs Office says a deputy was involved in an officer involved shooting that left one person dead.

March to the Capitol walk honors 9/11 victims 24 years later

According to the Greene County Sheriffs Office, On or about September 6th, 2025 at or about 10:49 pm the Greene County Sheriffs Office was assisting the Boone Police Department and the Boone County Sheriffs Office with a pursuit on 220th Street. The vehicle came to a stop on T Avenue just north of 220th Street. An officer involved shooting occurred and one male subject was pronounced at the scene.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Greene County Sheriffs Office says the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations is investigating this incident.

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.
Neighborhoods across Greenville are preparing to take part in National Night Out on Oct. 7  joining communities throughout Texas in the annual event aimed at strengthening relationships between residents and local first responders.

National Night Out is meant to promote community engagement and police-community partnerships to help make neighborhoods safer and more connected. While traditionally held on the first Tuesday in August nationwide, many Southern states  including Texas  observe the event in October to avoid extreme summer heat.

Greenville has hosted National Night Out events for more than 30 years. Each year, residents organize block parties, cookouts and other neighborhood gatherings, which are visited by police officers, firefighters, paramedics and city officials. First responders make an effort to stop by as many events as possible throughout the evening.

Residents interested in organizing a neighborhood gathering can contact Officer James Hamilton at jhamilton@ci.greenville.tx.us to receive registration details.
The Greenville Police Department will offer a two-day hunter education certification course for youth ages 9 to 17 on Oct. 14-15, ahead of Texas' youth rifle deer season.

The course satisfies state requirements for hunter education and includes both classroom instruction and a field component. Participants must attend both days to receive certification.

The first day of instruction will be held at the Greenville Police Department headquarters located at 3000 Lee St. Students should arrive by 8:45 a.m. for classroom training, which will take place in the community room on the second floor. Lunch will be provided and the session will conclude around 4 p.m.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The second day will take place at the departments firing range at 376 County Road 2146. Students are expected to arrive by 8 a.m. for a live-fire exercise and hands-on training. Breakfast and water will be available on-site. Attendees should dress for outdoor conditions, including long pants and closed-toe shoes. There is no seating at the range but participants may bring a folding chair if desired.

Personal firearms are not allowed at any time during the course. All firearms used during training will be provided and supervised by police range officers.

The course fee is $15 payable in exact cash only. The cost covers state certification, meals, snacks, drinks and a commemorative Greenville Police Department Hunter Education Graduate T-shirt.

Enrollment is limited to 20 students. Registration is available online athttps://tinyurl.com/5b7rarun,

While the class takes place during the school week for many districts, Greenville ISD will be on fall break. Additional courses may be offered in the future.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A man was shot and killed at a Grand Rapids park Saturday night, police say.

Police: One shot at Grand Rapids park Saturday

It happened at around 7 p.m., according to the Grand Rapids Police Department, at Mackay-Jaycees Park on Kalamazoo Avenue off of 28th Street.

Police told News 8 that there was a fight before shooting. GRPD said life saving measures were made on the man, but were unsuccessful.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A suspect has not been located and an investigation is ongoing, GRPD 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 WOODTV.com.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Guyana's President Irfaan Ali was sworn in for a second term Sunday after winning last week's elections, as the South American country reaps a windfall from offshore oil and gas production.

The electoral commission certified Ali's win on Saturday, saying he had secured a resounding victory and his People's Progressive Party had secured a majority in Parliament, with 36 of the 65 seats.

Guyana, wedged between Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname, has drawn increasing attention for the vast oil reserves discovered offshore a decade ago and mineral wealth. The resource-rich Essequibo region  administered by Guyana but claimed by Venezuela  remains a point of tension.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ali has won praise for channeling some of Guyana's new oil wealth into popular social programs.

In a speech after being sworn in, the 45-year-old urban planner sent a message of unity. He promised new development that would rapidly expand the economy and said he would continue social programs that build more prosperity in every family and every home.

The next five years will be the most consequential in our nation, he said. History has placed our hands on the resources, the opportunities, the partnerships and the international goodwill to transform promise into reality.

Ali has overseen multiple construction projects, including hospitals and highways. His administration expects to start offering free college tuition this month. He also has pledged to increase the monthly minimum wage, more than double pensions to $500 for people 65 and older and cut power bills in half by next year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the election, Ali faced off against a wealthy 38-year-old businessman, Azruddin Mohamed, who has been sanctioned, along with his father and their gold-exporting company, by the U.S. Treasury Department for their roles in public corruption."

On Sunday, the U.S. State Department congratulated Ali, writing in a statement that it looked forward to working with Ali's government "to advance our shared foreign policy priorities, including strengthening energy security and supporting Guyanas sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly with respect to the Essequibo region.
Halle Berry isnt waiting for Hollywood to hand her a comeback. At 59, her second act is about something bigger: making sure menopause isnt treated like a punchline or a personal problem, but as a full-on public health issue.

This week, she urged her followers to pressure California Gov. Gavin Newsom to support the Menopause Care Equity Act, aka AB 432  legislation that would require insurers to cover hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and, you know, treat aging women with dignity by mandating insurance coverage for the assessment and treatment of menopause symptoms, many of which can be debilitating, including severe hot flashes, insomnia, cognitive changes, vaginal pain and dryness, and heightened risks of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

More from SheKnows

Advertisement Advertisement

Hello, everybody, okay, I just got some news that I have to share with you, Berry began in her Instagram video. I just got word that Governor Newsoms office is right now pushing back on a part of our menopause bill that is crucial. Its the part that says that insurance companies must pay for womens HRT.

If that sounds familiar, its because Newsom already vetoed a similar bill last year. His excuse? That it was too far-reaching for insurers. Translation: womens healthcare was too expensive to guarantee. The same governor whos happy to be framed as a progressive champion has, in practice, a record of siding with cost-cutters and industry lobbyists. Just this spring, his administration quietly blocked Medi-Cal patients from keeping modest savings (anything over $2,000. Yeah.) without losing health coverage  a move CalMatters called out for keeping working-class families trapped in poverty to access basic care. His office restored the asset requirement of $130,000 in June, but not without tons of pressure from elderly and disability advocates.

Berry, meanwhile, has spent years dragging menopause out of the shadows. She screamed Im in menopause! on Capitol Hill, swapped raw perimenopause stories with Jill Biden, and built Respin, a wellness platform aimed at breaking the silence. In her latest post, Berry insisted the HRT mandate is the most important part of the bill and a huge part of what this bill is all about. She added, Not every woman can afford it. Its not exactly cheap. But we exactly deserve it.

She also made the double standard crystal clear: I can tell you this, men have that little blue pill covered by insurance, Berry said, invoking erectile dysfunction drugs. Men need to keep their penis up. I get it, Im in support of that. And I beg you all to be in support of women also living their best lives in their second act, too.

Advertisement Advertisement

That inequity isnt anecdotal; its systemic. Our healthcare system rewards expensive, reactive fixes  surgeries, specialist visits, drugs you have to fight your insurer for  while preventative or quality-of-life treatments get brushed off. And when politicians like Newsom call these bills too far-reaching, theyre saying out loud that womens health doesnt merit the same coverage or urgency as mens.

Berry calls this a human rights issue, and shes right. Other states  Maine, Michigan, Rhode Island  are already making moves on menopause education and access. California, a state that loves to brand itself as progressive, is somehow lagging behind.

I believe California wants to do the right thing, she told her followers. But they need a push from all of us. That push matters, because Berrys plea isnt just about her. Its about whether we accept a healthcare system that treats aging women as disposable. Men do, apparently, when it comes to keeping their sex lives intact. Why not women in their second act, too?

Before you go, click here to see celebrities who have run for office.

Cynthia Nixon, Kanye West

Best of SheKnows

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The violation surfaced in June after a leaked telephone call of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, during which she appeared to kowtow to Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen when both countries were on the brink of an armed border conflict.

As per Al Jazeera, on Saturday, Anutin named economist Ekniti Nitithanprapas as finance minister, energy executive Auttapol Rerkpiboon to lead the energy ministry, and seasoned diplomat Sihasak Phuangketkeow as foreign minister. He described the trio as highly qualified leaders with deep experience in the sectors they will oversee.

Ekniti, a former finance ministry official, was previously considered for the role of central bank governor. Auttapol formerly led PTT Group, Thailand's largest state-owned energy company. Sihasak, once permanent secretary in the foreign ministry, returns at a time of fragile calm with Cambodia following a deadly five-day border conflict in July that killed at least 43 people.

The appointments will take effect once they receive royal approval. They come just a day after Anutin's surprise election as prime minister, defeating Chaikasem Nitisiri in a major blow to the Pheu Thai party, long dominated by exiled billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, Al Jazeera reported.

Thaksin left for Dubai on Thursday, the same day Anutin secured power.

As per Al Jazeera, Anutin's rise follows political fallout from his June departure from Pheu Thai's coalition and last week's court ruling that ousted Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's daughter.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Supreme Court is expected to decide on Tuesday whether Thaksin, who returned from exile last year, must serve jail time after his hospital stay.

Known for legalising cannabis in 2022 and previously serving as deputy prime minister, interior minister, and health minister, Anutin took power by forming an alliance with the opposition People's Party.

He secured their support by promising constitutional reform and new elections within four months, Al Jazeera reported.

In a national address on Friday, Anutin called for unity and adherence to the rule of law, pledging that his government would neither protect allies nor seek revenge.

Anutin assumes leadership at a pivotal time for Thailand's struggling economy, which has suffered due to prolonged political instability. (ANI)
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY)  The Hampton and Peninsula Health Districts are looking for a large, grey pit bull who bit someone on Thursday morning.

Health officials say the dog bit a person in the vicinity of the Carlson Fall Housing Project in the Lee Hall area of Newport News around 8 a.m.

Health officials say if the dog is not found, the victim may have to undergo post exposure treatment (shots) for the prevention of rabies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Once found, the dog will not be taken away from its owner but will be placed in an in-home confinement period of 10 days.

Anyone who has seen an animal that fits this description in this area is asked to contact the appropriate Animal Control Office:

Hampton 757-727-6111

Newport News/Poquoson 757-595-7387

Williamsburg/JCC 757-565-0370 (daytime); 757-253-1800 (evenings, weekends, holidays)

York County 757-890-3601

Virginia state law requires that dogs and cats can be vaccinated between three and four months of age and thereafter to maintain protection against rabies.

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.
Hanover welcomes its first comfort dog for veterans

A South Shore town just started up a one-of-a-kind program aimed at supporting veterans.

Theyve enlisted the help of a four-legged friend that is already making an impact in the community.

At the Council on Aging office in Hanover, a group of veterans enjoys meeting over coffee and donutsbut now they have a new addition to welcome to their weekly informational sessions. Sargea first-of-his-kind comfort dog for veteransis now helping out any service member who walks through the doors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hes a welcome sight, so everybody enjoys seeing him, said Fred Ciliberto, an Air Force Veteran. A lot of people, even the elderly who come in for services here, just love the guy, so hes a good boy.

Terrence OKeeffe is Sarges owner and Veteran Services Officer for the town of Hanover. In his position, hes always wanted to do something more impactful for the communityand the idea of using his rescue dog just kind of fell into his lap.

Hes always had a predilection to going toward people that werent happy, said Terrence OKeeffe, Hanovers Veteran Services Officer.

So OKeeffe decided to team up with Five Rings K9 services, which has trained countless comfort dogs for law enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We saw in Sarge right away was that he was a very, very outgoing dog, said Mike MacCurtain, the owner of Five Ring K9 Services. So a little bit of training, we can turn that into something positive for us.

Sarge trained weekly for about a year. And now that hes received his advanced good citizen certificate, hes serving as the towns veterans services comfort dog. His role is to help veterans suffering from issues like PTSD and anxiety open up.

Veterans dont like to talk about their troubles, their woes, said OKeeffe. They compartmentalize it. And it can lead to bubbling over and have other drastic effects that could not only just affect them, but the people that are around them.

Already in just the short few weeks hes been on duty, hes made an impact on a veteran.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rubbing his legs, cold sweat, said OKeeffe. You can see it. Over a period of time of him coming here he was absolutely comfortable coming and talking to me.

OKeeffe says Sarge has been a huge asset and lets veterans know his office isnt about pushing papersits about compassion and comfort.

It definitely helps bring out the issues that people actually want to talk about, and theyre fighting themselves to not say anything about it, said OKeeffe. Hes had a tremendous impact. Hes a lot more popular than I am; Im just the guy at the other end of the leash at this point.

OKeeffe says Sarge is available to veterans and the entire community. He says Sarges training was all based on donations; no grants were involved.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

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
This is part of a monthly series highlighting Arizona's climate leaders and answering readers' climate-related questions. The stories, which appear in print and online the first Sunday of the month, aim to help to connect and inspire Arizonans who care about protecting a livable climate and may be struggling to find hope in that effort lately. You can nominate an Arizona climate leader for a story or ask a question by filling out the form at https://forms.gle/QCCxBPSHGy1bUJQ99.

In the 1950s, American industry was booming. After years of rationing during World War II, consumer demand for larger houses and all the exciting new electronics and homewares to furnish them with was insatiable. Domestic factories had been spared damage in the global conflict. So as the soldiers returned home, the factories fired all the way up and pumped out products at record rates.

Hazel Chandler, most recently of Phoenix, was a preteen living in northeastern Oregon at the time. Born the same month the war officially ended, she witnessed how this manufacturing surge also pumped its byproducts directly into America's water and air. The contamination of essential natural resources triggered not only a swelling middle class but a new wave of health conditions, including her own lifelong battle with respiratory illness.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Backlash to this in the 1960s, as Chandler entered adulthood and relocated to San Diego with her first husband, brought the United States into its environmental activism era. No longer, it seemed, would Americans accept air that burned the lungs and rivers so polluted they caught on fire for the thrill of fast fashion and disposable gadgets. Rachel Carson's 1962 book "Silent Spring" chronicled both the harms of widespread pesticide use and this cultural shift.

In 1969, Chandler was nursing her first-born and already immersed in the fight for cleaner air in the San Diego basin when a friend handed her a different publication.

"What it said, basically, was that theres this thing called global warming and if we dont do something to totally change it by 2050 or 2100, our planet would be unlivable, she told The Arizona Republic.

The next year, 1970, saw the birth of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the passage of the Clean Air Act and the first Earth Day celebration  all under the guidance of Republican President Richard Nixon. Two years later, the Clean Water Act passed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chandler was there for it all. While working at a preschool nursery and toting around her own toddler, she helped put together informational booths for the first Earth Day so others could learn about the environmental cause.

We spread it over, I think, a full week, so people had a lot of opportunities to experience some different ideas," she said. "I had already been organizing around air pollution and pollution causes in general for three years before that. But that was the start of my climate change work.

In the 1980s, thanks in part to events like these, the general public started becoming aware of the science on how burning fossil fuels for energy was causing changes in the atmosphere that led to increased temperatures and more chaotic storms. In 1988, NASA scientist James Hansen testified before Congress about this evidence and the risks it entailed. Republican George H.W. Bush listened, and became the first American president to acknowledge the reality of climate change and take steps toward government-led solutions.

After that, Chandler said, the cover-up started.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"There were several articles in the newspapers about this global warming," she said. "I think thats when fossil fuel companies really decided they had to do a major cover-up or they were going to be out of business."

And that's when her lifelong commitment to working on behalf of the environment got a lot more complicated.

I should have realized then that it was an interrelated problem," she told The Republic in a somber, reflective tone. "It wasnt just fossil fuel companies. It was the lack of action that was being taken by big businesses as well as individuals. Although individuals can only do very little, we could maybe have done more with the way we purchase things that would have made a difference."

More from the series: Finding friendship and purpose in a common climate enemy: Ojas Sanghi leads the way

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The clarity of America's anti-pollution mission, she explained, started slipping in the 1990s as companies seeking to muddy the science and secure their profits introduced misinformation and climate doubt into the conversation.

Some of the legislation got rolled back during the '90s and early 2000s and we lost some ground then," she said. "Then as we moved into the first Trump term, it felt like every resolution and everything I have worked on all my life was suddenly thrown in the toilet and flushed away. Pollution controls disappearing, regulations disappearing."

It's more than I can take watching what's happening now. All of these things we worked so hard on are just being destroyed," she continued. "Trump is doing more faster this time for sure. During his first administration, there still were some blocks because he did not have both the House and the Senate. Now its really hard to do anything to stop him."

Nevertheless, at nearly 80 years old and now facing down a terminal cancer diagnosis that she can't help but feel is related to breathing so much polluted air, Chandler is still doing everything she can. She testified last month at the EPA's hearing on the Trump administration's attempted repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding, which classified climate pollution as a risk to human health and authorized the federal government to regulate it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It took so much effort to get the EPA endangerment finding enacted in the first place," she said. "Theres no words. Its appalling. And theres something different now. It doesn't feel like theyre going to listen to the public."

Hazel Chandler (in red) stands with climate activists gathered outside Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly's office in Phoenix in March 2024.

This hopelessness adds a harsh tinge to the closing chapter of a lifetime spent successfully advocating for a protected environment. But as she spends her final days in hospice watching hummingbirds flit around in the cleaner, cooler air of Prescott from her daughter's porch, the legacy Chandler leaves may well outlast any one law or administration.

Many in Arizona are likely to remember Chandler, in her bright red Moms Clean Air Force shirt, as a staple at activism events ever since she moved to the Phoenix area in 1977  back when, she recalled, its suburban roads were mostly dirt and it was still cool enough for children to play outside on summer evenings. The more recent image of her pulling an oven mitt out of her purse before grabbing the scalding-hot metal railing to descend the stairs into the Arizona Capitol's protest space at Wesley Bowlin Memorial Plaza will be a treasured memory for those who joined her there.

Climate pollution: Trump's plan to deregulate climate pollution could make Arizona hotter, drier and more fiery

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The changes she brought during the 1980s, while raising her own children, to child care and health care licensing as an employee of the Arizona Department of Health Services endure. Her work with Phoenix Children's Hospital to improve air quality helped bring Maricopa County into compliance in the 2000s. And her post-retirement engagement with the Union of Concerned Scientists, Moms Clean Air Force and Elders Climate Action, which her daughter Jen Chandler now runs, set in stone some cultural foundations for science and the environment that will be difficult to erode.

Reader climate Q&A series: Has climate change really made wildfires and storms worse and more frequent?

In writing, Hazel Chandler's passionate activism and personal health struggle has been chronicled by People Magazine. Her commitment to future generations as a "climate grannie" has been covered by The 19th News.

Within the past month, Arizona leaders have also recognized her contributions to public and environmental health in the form of a commendation from Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and a proclamation from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego declaring Sept. 1, 2025, as "Hazel Chandler Day."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After decades of fighting a nonstop war for basic access to a healthful existence only to have one's own life cut short by excessive pollution, most people would probably celebrate a day named in their honor by resting and reflecting on a job well done, especially considering all the corporate and political forces working against her.

Not Hazel.

I think the thing that is so important is that the clock is ticking," Chandler told The Republic, drawing from vanishing energy reserves to finish out the long interview. "We cant hand the kids a totally destroyed world. We have to stand up, we have to get in line, we have to talk to everyone we know and we have to insist that we take our own steps to help. I started working on this 60 years ago. And I will be working on it until my last breath, whenever that is.

Hazel Chandler at a Moms Clean Air Force Play-In event on July 11, 2019.

Joan Meiners is the climate news and storytelling reporter at The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Her award-winning work has also appeared in Discover Magazine, National Geographic, ProPublica and the Washington Post Magazine. Before becoming a journalist, she completed a doctorate in ecology with a focus on native bees. Follow Joan on Twitter at @beecycles, on Bluesky @joanmeiners.bsky.social or email her at joan.meiners@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Climate activist Hazel Chandler has been fighting most of her life
(FOX40.COM)  1,600 frontline healthcare workers from across the state held a march at Sutter Healths Sacramento Medical Center on Friday to protest short staffing and fair pay, according to the United Healthcare Workers West.

The workers union reported that the health center made $1 billion in profits last year. Healthcare workers across Sutter Health facilities said that continuing low wages have led to high turnover rates. Due to understaffing, employees are having to take on multiple roles.

Followed by a series of pickets to draw attention to the short staffing crisis, caregivers joined the band of healthcare workers to call on Sutter Health to ensure better staffing levels, fair wages, and affordable healthcare.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the operating room, if the doctor doesnt have the proper items or supplies needed, its because there arent enough staff to ensure the operating room is stockedand patient care can be delayed, Nicole Moorer, a Unit Secretary in the Operating Room at Sutter Solano Medical Center, said.

Sutter Health has closed facilities like San Franciscos Mission Bernal campus and is allegedly planning to replace the Alta Bates Ashby campus with a smaller facility in Emeryville. With many of these facilities closing, the workers union emphasizes the loss of essential services in areas with a higher concentration of lower-income residents.

Healthcare workers at the Sacramento protest spoke on how they believe funds from the hospital have been used to support executive salaries rather than the facilities themselves. According to the United Healthcare Workers West, the current Sutter Health CEO made more than $11.5 million in 2023.

Joe Brown, a Radiology Technologist at Sutter Roseville Medical Center, said that he feels Sutter Health is closing down services in our poorer communities, focusing their resources on wealthy areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The United Healthcare Workers West represents workers at nine Sutter Health Facilities. Frontline healthcare workers include nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, licensed vocational nurses, environmental services, cooks, technicians, and 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 FOX40 News.
We all feel the impact of really hot days.

And as experts say the earth is warming due to climate change, some days are much hotter than others, bringing health impacts that can include dizziness, nausea, dehydration, and even heat stroke.

Now, a Connecticut doctor has decided to study the impact heat has on mental health.

Dr. Josh Wortzel, a clinician-scientist at Hartford HealthCares Institute of Living, will conduct two five-year studies into why heat impacts mental health.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wortzel said he received a $3.5 grant from the Wellcome Trust for the work, which will include establishment of a laboratory, dubbed the HEAT-MIND Lab, with infrastructure in place to conduct research with a team of people.

Wortzel said, in an interview, that there has been research that demonstrates how heat can negatively impact peoples mental health, and this includes increases in suicide, violence and hospitalizations.

According to research from 2021, The Lancet reported, rising temperatures can increase the number of violent crimes, including homicides, sexual offenses and assaults. In seven U.S. cities, each time the temperature rose 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit), there were up to 5% more sex offenses the following week.

Further, some psychiatric medications, including some antidepressants and antipsychotics, can affect the way a persons body regulates temperature, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wortzels goal is to find out why mental health impacts occur, he said. Heat may affect mood directly through how the brain works and in other ways, such as sleep, ability to do things and cognition, he said

The grant is about understanding mechanisms of why heat seems to impact mental health, he said, noting it is one of the largest of its kind.

When researchers determine the why, Wortzel said, interventions can be developed to aid those facing the mental health impact of heat. The study is titled, Mechanisms Mediating Summer Heat Effects on Mental Health: Examining Sleep, Physical Activity, and Cognitive Pathways in Young Adults with Affective Disorders.

The work of the first study, which will encompass 1,000 young adults (ages 18 to 25) who have depression, will include issuing to them various devices to check their temperatures, sleep and activity level, he said. The devices include thermometers and Fitbits, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The participants also will be asked questions to gauge their mood and their cognitive functioning, he said.

We are gathering data unlike anyone has done before, Wortzel said. We give them devices to gather rich individual data, thermometers they wear and put at bedside and Fitbits, an app, surveys throughout the day  its a huge data set from 1,000 people.

We are very committed to the idea of using lived experience, Wortzel said. What temperature people are actually experiencing personally.

The second study will include 50 young adults who will undergo monitoring at the Yale Bio-Behavioral Sleep Lab, and it will include periods of very hot temperatures, with the goal of studying how heat directly impacts how brains work, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wortzel said the team would actually raise the temperature in the lab and use EEG and ingested temperature probes among other things to obtain more data on how heat affects the participants.

It will be a deeper dive and include heat sensors and cognitive tests, looking at sleep, he said.

Is it really messing up sleep, is that when air conditioning is really important? Are there other things we can do? he said, of things researchers will look at.

Wortzel said the studies use the services of a recruitment company for clinical studies to find appropriate participants. The company will work with social media influencers, as well as advertisement and social media, he said. All participants will interviewed, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wortzel said he recognizes that climate change is the crisis of our age and how the study of heat and mental health fits in.

According to a study shared by the National Library of Medicine and authored by Moustaq Karim Khan Ronyand Hasnat M Alamgir. In an era defined by rapid and visible climate change, the intricate relationship between environmental shifts and human health has come under intense scrutiny.

Wortzel said he has always been very interested in biology, and for me to try to do my part addresses all sectors of climate crisis  all of the ways climate impacts mental health.

Jeffrey A. Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, said he sees the work the lab will do as truly groundbreaking research  and its happening right here in Connecticut.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We are incredibly proud to support Dr. Wortzel and the Institute of Living in leading this bold and visionary effort to to advance mental health care, Flaks said. This work has the potential to transform health care as we know it, reshaping clinical care for our most vulnerable populations.

Wortzel said one of his goals also is to reduce stigma around mental health. He said participation in the studies lasts about 30 days.

The Wellcome Trust, which has thousands of active grants in more than 100 countries, notes it focuses on worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health, including through research.

It wouldnt happen without them, Wortzel said.

There really isnt a place studying how environment impacts mental health. We hope that we can get buy-in from other donors, he said.
NEED TO KNOW

A helicopter crashed in rural Minnesota, bursting into flames as it hit the ground and killing both people on board

Police and firefighters were called to a remote area of Lakeville, located near Airlake Airport, at around 2:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, Sept. 6, after reports of a helicopter crash

The helicopter  identified by the FAA as a five-seat, single-engine turbine Robinson R66  was carrying two people

A helicopter crashed in rural Minnesota, bursting into flames as it hit the ground and killing both people on board.

According to the city of Lakeville, located about 25 miles south of Minneapolis, police were called to a remote area near the regional Airlake Airport at around 2:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officers and firefighters located the downed helicopter  identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a five-seat, single-engine turbine Robinson R66 helicopter  near Highview Avenue and 219th Street West.

According to a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances, and a post-crash fire ensued.

"Responding officers, along with members of the Lakeville Fire Department, determined there did not appear to be any survivors of the crash," the city said in a statement. "The crash site is located in a non-residential, non-commercial area, and there is no indication of any impacted individuals beyond those onboard the aircraft."

The FAA told PEOPLE in a statement that two people were on board the helicopter at the time of the crash. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office is set to identify the victims in the coming days.



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Aerial footage of the crash site, captured by KSTP, showed wreckage from the Robinson on the ground next to railroad tracks and train cars, as police and other officials stood among the burned rubble.

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 FAA and NTSB are both investigating the crash, the agencies told PEOPLE, with the NTSB leading the investigation.



Officials will look into the pilot, aircraft and operating environment to determine the cause of the crash, per the NTSB. Investigators will also evaluate flight tracking data, air control recordings, weather conditions and more.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Witnesses to the accident, or those who have surveillance video or other information that could be relevant to the investigation, have been asked to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.

Read the original article on People
First it peddled the poison, and now it's selling the cure.

OpenAI announced that it's launching a new AI-powered jobs platform next year that will use AI to match employers with potential candidates. Called the OpenAI Jobs Platform, the initiative will put it in direct competition with job juggernauts like LinkedIn, which has also been experimenting with integrating the tech.

It marks a new direction for the company, perhaps as it tries to maintain some semblance of its altruistic image. As its CEO Sam Altman has frequently warned for years now, it's an inevitability, in his view, that the AI his company is creating will destroy jobs. Many bosses have openly boasted about replacing their workforce with AI agents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of applications, acknowledged the tech's role in destroying jobs.

"We believe fundamentally that AI will unlock more opportunities for more people than any technology in history, but it will also be disruptive," Simo, who formerly led Instacart, told Bloomberg. "While we can't eliminate the disruption, we can certainly help more people become fluent in AI and connect them with companies that need their skills."

The platform's main selling point is using AI to match candidates, though it hasn't shared specifics on how this might work.

In tandem with the site's launch, OpenAI is also working with companies like Walmart to create a certification program for teaching workers how to use AI on the job, with the goal of certifying 10 million Americans by 2030.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I don't envision it as just a simple job posting," Simo explained to Bloomberg. "I envision it much more as candidates being able to talk about what they can offer and demonstrate that with a certification, and then us being able to match them with companies that have similar needs using AI."

OpenAI Certifications, as the program's been creatively dubbed, is framed as an expansion of the company's Academy, an online learning hub with resources for learning about AI, that it launched earlier this year  but with a jobs focus.

The new Certifications program will teach workers the basics of the tech "all the way up to AI-custom jobs and prompt engineering," Simo wrote in an official blog post. "AI-savvy" employees, she claims, are "more valuable, more productive, and are paid more than workers without AI skills."

"We'll obviously use AI to teach AI," Simo added, explaining that all the instruction can be received inside the ChatGPT app.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Multiple studies have found that AI is already wreaking havoc on the job market and ruining career prospects. It's also making the already soul-crushing process of finding work into a Sisyphean slog, as AI-generated profiles and resumes pollute job postings that are often themselves the work of something like ChatGPT.

It's important to note, however, that when industry figureheads like Altman warn that AI is going to replace your job, it's ultimately just a darker way of hyping up the tech. It's pretty clear that in many cases that AI is nowhere near good enough to automate the tasks done by humans, though that hasn't stopped employers from using it anyway with the tradeoff of shoddier work. Those same employers often find themselves scrambling to rehire humans once they come face to face with AI's shortcomings.

Ever so benevolently, this is why OpenAI is swooping into save the day with the LinkedIn to end all LinkedIns.

"It's all about being intentional about the kind of future we want to build," Simo wrote in the blog post. "If we want to put more power into the hands of more people, not just a fortunate few, we need to help everyone, at every level, take advantage of the opportunities that come with AI."

More on OpenAI: A Strange Conspiracy Theory Is Reportedly Spreading Inside OpenAI
A new development has been added to the story of former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore. He has been fired and even arrested following allegations of having an The post Sherrone Moores Wife and Alleged Mistress Were Following Each Other on Instagram Amid Rumored Affair appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
The Taliban's response to women affected by the earthquake has been hindered by strict gender rules and cultural restrictions, as even after 36 hours of the earthquake, the relief did not touch even a single woman, as laws regarding women barred it, New York Times reported. The Taliban's "no skin contact with unrelated males" rule prohibits male rescuers from physically assisting women, even in life-threatening situations. This has led to delays or denial of medical care to women trapped under rubble. One of the survivors, a 19-year-old Aysha, from Andarluckak, in Kunar Province, lamented Taliban restrictions and cultural barriers that leave injured women and girls facing a dire lack of medical care, many without help. She described a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, further worsened by the August 31 earthquake. She said that many women were left trapped under debris or untreated. "Some of them bleeding, were pushed aside," said Aysha, as per New York Times. "They gathered us in one corner and forgot about us," she said. No one offered the women help, asked what they needed or even approached them. The Taliban's ban on women studying medicine and working in public roles has resulted in a severe shortage of female healthcare workers. This makes it difficult to provide medical care to women in rural areas. Tahzeebullah Muhazeb, a male volunteer who travelled to Mazar Dara, also in Kunar Province, said that members of the all-male medical team there were hesitant to pull women out from under the rubble of collapsed buildings. Trapped and injured women were left under stones, waiting for women from other villages to reach the site and dig them out. "It felt like women were invisible," said Muhazeb, 33. He added, "The men and children were treated first, but the women were sitting apart, waiting for care." If no male relative was present, he said, rescue workers dragged dead women out by their clothes, so as not to make skin contact, as per New York Times. Many women were left trapped under debris or untreated due to the lack of female rescue workers and the restrictions on male rescuers. Some women had to rely on strangers from neighbouring villages to rescue them. Rescue teams often arrived late, and in some cases, women were ignored or not prioritised for medical care. Male rescuers would sometimes drag dead bodies by their clothing to avoid direct contact. More than 2,200 people died and 3,600 others were injured in the magnitude six quake that flattened countless hamlets and villages, according to figures released by Afghanistan's government. The response to the quake on Sunday has epitomised the dual standards that women and girls face in Afghanistan, aid groups and humanitarian organisations say, trapped both under the rubble and the weight of gender discrimination. "Women and girls will again bear the brunt of this disaster, so we must ensure their needs are at the heart of the response and recovery," the special representative for UN Women Afghanistan, Susan Ferguson, said in a statement this week. The United Nations and human rights organisations have expressed concern over the Taliban's gender policies, which they say exacerbate the suffering of women in emergencies. They emphasised the need for gender-sensitive disaster response planning and policies that ensure equal access to aid for all individuals. Though the Taliban have not released a gender breakdown of the casualties, women have faced an especially harsh ordeal, made worse by neglect and isolation, more than half a dozen doctors, rescue workers and women in areas hit by the quake said in interviews, as per New York Times. Afghanistan faces a critical shortage of healthcare workers, particularly in the field of women's health. Last year, the Taliban imposed a ban on women's enrollment in medical education. The dearth of female doctors and rescue workers has been all too evident in the wake of the earthquake. In Afghanistan, strict cultural and religious norms, enforced by the Taliban government, mean that only a woman's close male relative -- her father, brother, husband or son -- is permitted to touch her. The same applies in reverse: Women are not allowed to touch men outside their family. In disaster zones, female rescuers are restricted from assisting men. But a woman can pull unrelated women out from under debris, as per New York Times. (ANI)
The petition alleged that the policy of trimming down food counts as hunger and holding prisoners in torturous conditions, which goes against both Israeli law and international law.

The Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, ruled on Sunday that the Israel Prison Service (IPS) has failed to provide adequate and nourishing food to security prisoners  all of whom, except for the Jewish prisoners, are Palestinian  as is required by law.

The broad policies of both the IPS and Israel Police can and are set by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, though not the specific or operational policies or decisions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The majority and minority opinions in the ruling split were on how the legal principles that the IPS is legally bound to should be applied in practice. In the majority opinion were justices Dafna Barak-Erez and Ofer Grosskopf, while the minority opinion was held by Justice David Mintz. The IPS said in response that it would closely examine the ruling and the recommendations provided.

The petition came to life after a series of prisoner testimonies emerged on conditions inside the facilities, as well as several statements on the matter by Ben-Gvir himself and IPS representatives. The petition was submitted last April by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and Gisha, with a demand to provide adequate food to security prisoners identical to that of criminal prisoners.

Testimonies indicated that since the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, a policy of hunger has permeated prisons against security and Palestinian prisoners, the number of whom grew dramatically. One testimony told of a diabetic prisoner who ate his own toothpaste to raise his blood sugar, as well as of others who dropped significant body weight.

The petition alleged that the policy of trimming down food counts as hunger and holding prisoners in torturous conditions  which goes against both Israeli law and international law.

After two hearings on the case in December, the court issued a conditional order for a government response, leading to the Sunday ruling after it was submitted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

ACRI attorney Oded Peler said, This policy, which has been led by Ben-Gvir for two years now, turned Israels prisons into torture camps  and per testimonies by survivors of Hamas captivity, worsened the conditions of the hostages. The IPS must be cleansed from the Kahanism that has grabbed it, and make sure that the ruling is fully applied.

He added, A functional, law-abiding state does not starve human beings  regardless of what they have done.

Requirements from IPS

The IPS is required by law to provide security prisoners with basic living conditions  including food, in volume and quantity that would allow them to maintain their health. It must also ensure that each prisoner has access to the menu and that prisoners in solitary confinement have all their legal needs and requirements met.

Barak-Erez explained that the states response to the petition doesnt even begin to properly respond to the queries and challenges about its policies that ACRI and Gisha had raised, and that there exists a serious suspicion that the food service that exists today doesnt meet the legal standard. The court clarified the IPSs obligations and listed a series of next steps in the matter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is impossible to block out the intense emotions and pain surrounding the war, first and foremost of our brothers and sisters held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas, whom we see before us always, reads the ruling.

However, it continued, this cannot serve as an excuse to ignore or glide over obligations that rest upon the relevant authorities. We are not discussing conditions of comfort or luxury, but rather minimal and basic conditions that are required by law.

Mintz, in contrast, deduced that the state had indeed taken steps to improve the service, especially when it comes to food.

Ben-Gvir attacked the justices personally in response, asking, Are you for Israel? and denying the crux of the petition  which was accepted by the court  that the IPS is not meeting its requirements as designated by law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He drew an equivalence to the remaining 48 hostages held by Hamas. The hostages, who are starving in Hamass tunnels in Gaza, have no High Court of Justice to defend them. Here, on the other hand, and to our embarrassment, there is an HCJ to defend Nukhba terrorists who murdered and raped our people.

We will continue to provide the terrorists who sit in our prisons with the basic minimal conditions required by law, said the national security minister.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who has marked the Supreme Court as the main opposition that exists and threatens the power of the rule of the elected officials  the government and the Knesset  echoed the analogy to the hostages.

This ruling is yet another proof  for whoever still needs it  of the severe damage the court is inflicting on Israeli security, said Levin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He added, This is why I insisted on changing the method to appoint judges... What we need are judges that prioritize security and justice, rather than crave the acceptance of progressive and liberal legal scholarship. A hearing on the petitions against the legislation to change the appointment method of judges  part of the larger judicial reform  is scheduled for December.

The judges wrote in the ruling, let us not share a single thing in common with the very worst of our enemies.

They also referenced testimonies by captivity survivors, who have said that when the conditions of Palestinian security prisoners worsened  and public officials like Ben-Gvir gloated about it to the press  they suffered at the hands of their captors.
NEED TO KNOW

A hippo overturned a boat carrying 14 passengers on the Sassandra River in the Ivory Coast on Sept. 5

Eleven people are missing following the incident, including women and children

Authorities confirmed that three other people survived the tragedy

Children and a baby are among the 11 who remain missing after a boat capsized.

A hippo overturned the boat carrying 14 passengers on the Sassandra River in Buyo in the Ivory Coast on the morning of Friday, Sept. 5, the nations Minister of Cohesion and Solidarity, Myss Belmonde Dogo, said in a statement shared on Facebook.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is with deep sorrow that we learned that 11 people, including women, girls and an infant, have gone missing following a boat capsized caused by a hippo, Dogo wrote.

Revealing that three people survived the incident, the minister added that the search continues in hopes of finding missing victims."

"Distressed by this tragedy that upsets us all, the Gouvernement de Cote d'Ivoire joins the pain of the parents and relatives of the deceased and expresses its solidarity to the survivors," Dogo continued.

Getty The Sassandra river (stock image) The Sassandra river (stock image)

There are an estimated 500 hippos in the West African country, inhabiting mostly the rivers across the southern area, CBS News reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to a 2022 study conducted by Ivory Coast college researchers, the hippo is cited most frequently in collisions that cause death or injury to humans in the country.

The latest tragedy took place amid a rapid decline of hippos in the Ivory Coast over the past 20 years due to hunting of the animals, according to an African Zoology study.

During the rainy season, hippos disperse upstream into smaller tributaries and downstream as far as the coast. As the forest zone is modified by forestry and agriculture, small herds of common hippos have become resident, the study said.

Getty Hippopotamus (stock image) Hippopotamus (stock image)

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



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An estimated 500 people are killed by hippos each year, per CBS News.

PEOPLE reached out to Dogo for further comment, but did not receive an immediate response on Sunday, Sept. 6.



Read the original article on People
Trump border czar Tom Homan said Chicago and other sanctuary cities should expect to see immigration enforcement action in the coming week.

Absolutely, Homan said on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, when asked directly about enforcement action in Chicago this week.

You can expect action in most sanctuary cities across the country, he continued. President Trumps prioritized sanctuary cities because sanctuary cities knowingly release illegal alien public safety threats to the streets every day. Thats where the problem is.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We dont have that problem in Florida, where every sheriff and chief works for us, right, or Texas, so we got to send additional resources to the problem areas, which are sanctuary cities, he added.

Homan pushed back on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzkers (D) suggestion that state officials have not been notified by the White House about any upcoming enforcement action.

Governor Pritzker has been notified from day one, Homan said, when asked whether he will be coordinating with state and local officials about an operation of this size in Chicago.

I went there and started an operation right after the inauguration, he continued. ICE agents have been flooding the zone in Chicago for a while now, so hes aware of whats going on. I mean, he knows weve been there. We were there last week. We were there the week before.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Homan noted more resources will be coming in the near future and said, National Guard are always on the table.

Now, you know, again, were going to send additional resources to all sanctuary cities. But this isnt new to him. He knows weve been there. Hes failed to work with us. The mayor, Johnson, has failed to work with us, he continued, referring to Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D).

President Trump has suggested in recent weeks that Chicago would be his next target for a large-scale immigration enforcement operation.

He has since ramped up the threat. On Saturday, the president posted an artificially generated image of his likeness as a law enforcement officer. The images background included a depiction of Chicago burning, with several helicopters and text that read, Chipocalypse Now  a nod to the 1979 film Apocalypse Now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I love the smell of deportations in the morning Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR, the president wrote, a nod to his recent executive order renaming the Department of Defense.

Pritzker fired back in a social media post, writing, The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal.

Donald Trump isnt a strongman, hes a scared man, he added. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

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.
HALAWA (KHON2)  The Honolulu Police Department has arrested a suspect in the Halawa murder investigation.

2nd degree murder investigation opened in Aiea

On Sept. 6, just after 6:30 p.m., District 3 Crime Reduction Unit officers arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion of second-degree murder.

HPD said the suspect is the husband of the 43-year-old woman who was found dead in a Halawa home on Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The victim has not been identified.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

Charges have not yet been filed.

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.
Sep. 6GRAND FORKS  Following a celebration welcoming Agristo to Grand Forks, representatives of the Belgian potato company traveled to meet farmers in Hoople, North Dakota.

Agristo Chief of Global Expansion, Innovation and Sustainability Kristof Wallays, co-founder Antoon Wallays and project director Ruben Devos joined more than 200 farmers at a regional growers' meeting on Aug. 25, according to a release from Agristo.

The field tour and and lunch presentation in Hoople highlighted several potato varieties, including the Fontane potato, the release said. Fontanes are a key processing potato known for their large tubers and high yields.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Showcasing seed potato varieties emphasized the vital partnership between seed growers and processing potato producers  a relationship that will help ensure a strong and sustainable to Agristo's Grand Forks facility," the release said.

The $450 million Agristo potato processing facility  characterized by city leaders as the biggest agricultural processing investment in Grand Forks in more than 50 years  is set to break ground in April 2026 with a groundbreaking ceremony. It expected to be operational by early 2028.

Kristof Wallays, son of founder Antoon Wallays, said the Grand Forks partnership is a dream come true.

"When my parents and their friends started our company in the '80s, on the farm of my grandfather, we couldn't imagine that we would be standing here today," he said in a statement. "We have built this company bit by bit and entering the U.S. market always seemed a faraway dream. But this really is the land of dreams, and we are now at a point where we can make this dream a reality."

The Hoople growers' meeting followed the "Taste of Belgium" celebration in Grand Forks Town Square, where more than 1,500 attendees enjoyed free french fries and remarks from Agristo, state and city leadership, including Mayor Brandon Bochenski, Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden, state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation President Keith Lund.
WASHINGTON CO., Tenn., (WJHL)  Community members gathered Saturday afternoon to pay their respects to lives lost and celebrate new beginnings at Fenders Farm.

The HNDS and FT organization hosted a worship service, music, farm activities and ways to give back to the community nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated the region.

HNDS and FT started the day of the flood, said Sharee Percival, co-founder of HNDS and FT. We were at the high school as rescues were taking place. Weve worked on rebuilds. Weve worked on demolitions. We have also placed numerous campers for emergency shelter. Were just here to bring hope in, make sure everybody recognizes their level of resiliency and what community is all about.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Throughout the recovery process, HNDS and FT worked on cleaning up Fenders Farm. The site suffered from massive flooding that destroyed three homes on the property.

This is one of the sites HNDS and FT has been actively helping to bring this business back so it can open back up, said coordinator Heather Newhart. They got hit pretty hard here by the flood, and we felt like it was a good time to bring everybody together, bring everybody back and just celebrate over these months.

There was also a candle lighting ceremony for the lives lost in the floods.

Volunteers came to Fenders Farm from across the country, both when the flood first hit and for the event.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Percival said that the support has been impactful in recovery efforts.

As a local myself, its been impactful for us, she said. Theres really no words to describe what our community has experienced, but seeing the amount of people that continue to show up from across the country, whether its northern or western states, and it has been incredible to work with all of them.

Newhart added that this event could not have been possible without the community.

I would just say that its been amazing, Newhart said. This event really couldnt have been pulled off without so many wonderful volunteers and sponsors that have come to help us. Were just so grateful and thankful that everybodys coming back together, just like they did when the flood first hit. Theyre back here and theyre serving the community.

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.
A local bartender has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a customer ten times following an argument over a bar tab at Grumpys Underground in Orlando on August 31.

Jason Rosario, 30, is accused of attacking a customer after a dispute escalated outside the bar. Police say that the victim, who was stabbed in the neck and back, is expected to recover fully.

Investigators pinpointed Rosario as the attacker, based on testimony from the victim and witnesses. The bar owner described Rosario as hot-headed and mentioned plans to dismiss him prior to the incident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the report, Rosario had recently started working at Grumpys Underground and was still in training at the time of the incident. The bar owner expressed concerns about his temperament, calling him a hot head.

Witnesses flagged down police after the stabbing, which led to Rosarios arrest. He is now being held at the Orange County jail without bond and faces charges of attempted second-degree murder with a weapon.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Hurricane Kikos center is headed toward the Hawaiian Islands as a Category 4, and officials have declared an emergency, though the storm is expected to weaken.

Kiko was about 1,205 miles east-southeast of Honolulu with 130 mph winds, as of 5 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time, or 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, according to the National Weather Service. With 25 mph winds, the hurricane was moving west-northwest.

The NWS said Hurricane Kiko will reach Big Island and Maui by Sunday, peaking along the eastern parts of the Hawaiian Islands late Monday through midweek.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The state of Hawaii issued a state of emergency Friday, as life-threatening surf and rip currents are possible, allowing for the possibility of federal assistance during a disaster. It will last through Sept. 19 unless extended or ended early.

To ensure the safety and preparedness of our communities, the state and counties will stand ready to mobilize resources to clear debris, secure infrastructure, and respond quickly to any possible damage caused by the storm, said Acting Governor Sylvia Luke. We urge residents and visitors to monitor updates, follow official guidance and prepare accordingly.

Given the cooler water surrounding Hawaii, Kiko is expected to downgrade to Categories 2 and 1, then to a tropical storm before making landfall on the Big Island, according to NewsNation local affiliate KHON. A tropical storm has wind speeds between 39 mph and 73.

This is the second hurricane this season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Hurricane Erin emerged last month in the Atlantic Ocean but didnt make landfall.

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.
Kiko, shown here off the coast of Hawaii, was downgraded on Tuesday from hurricane to tropical storm status as forecasters said Tropical Storm Kiko was still likely to pass over the Hawaiian islands on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of NOAA

Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Hurricane Kiko steadily weakened as expected and downgraded to tropical storm status, according to forecasters who predict it will pass north of the Hawaiian Islands.

The now-tropical storm had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was located about 220 miles north of Hilo, Hawaii, and also 220 miles east northeast of Honolulu, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. HST update.

It was moving west northwest at 14 mph, the center added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tropical Storm Kiko was expected to pass north of the Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday, the NHC said.

However, swells generated by the storm were gradually building from east to west across Hawaiian waters and peaked Monday night and expected to continue to do so through Wednesday.

"While the risk of direct impacts on the islands continues to decrease, interests should continue to monitor Kiko's progress and the latest forecasts," the NHC said in a discussion on the storm

The forecasters said they expect the storm to be downgraded to a tropical storm overnight.

Kiko had intensified to a Category 4 hurricane early last week, but later got downgraded as it weakened off the coast.

No watches or warnings were in place, the NHC stated in its 11 a.m. update.
Despite clear directives from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, around 25 members of the PTI and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) have not yet stepped down from their positions on standing committees in Pakistan's National Assembly (NA), Geo News reported. While 52 PTI and SIC lawmakers have already resigned, including five who submitted their resignations recently, several others remain active on committee assignments. According to Geo News, citing parliamentary sources on Friday, members such as Sohail Sultan, Muhammad Nawaz Khan, Muhammad Atif, Sher Ali Arbab, Osama Ahmed Mela, Ghulam Muhammad, Muhammad Saadullah, Umar Farooq, Muhammad Mehboob Sultan, Khawaja Sheeraz, Ayesha Nazir, Mian Ghaus Muhammad, and Fayyaz Hussain are still serving on various panels. Imran Khan had previously instructed all PTI Members of NAs to resign from their committee roles as part of the party's broader disengagement from parliamentary processes. However, no formal action has yet been taken by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on the resignations submitted. As per Geo News, citing sources, the government has asked the Speaker to delay accepting certain resignations. As long as these resignations remain unapproved, the members officially retain their committee posts. "As long as their resignations are not formally accepted, they continue to remain members of their respective House standing committees," sources stated, as quoted by Geo News. Amid the confusion, PTI has announced it will boycott National Assembly sessions entirely. Responding to the situation, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram clarified that the reported list of 25 non-resigning members is inaccurate. "The list of 25 lawmakers is wrong, as 8 to 10 members are out of the country, some have gone for Umrah, a few are unwell, and there is also information that around eight more tendered resignations today," he said, as quoted by Geo News. Earlier in August, PTI announced that it will boycott the upcoming by-elections across the country and withdraw from all parliamentary committees, citing an uneven political playing field, The Express Tribune reported. The decisions were taken during a meeting of PTI's political committee, which unanimously endorsed the boycott and instructed party lawmakers in the National Assembly to resign from their committee memberships, in line with directions from the party's founder and former Prime Minister, Imran Khan. According to party sources, the meeting aimed to define PTI's electoral strategy following a series of recent disqualifications that have created vacancies in national and provincial assemblies. Lawmakers were invited to share their views on whether the party should contest the by-elections, The Express Tribune reported. (ANI)
COURTESY CPHC The five-day forecast track for Hurricane Kiko as of 11 a.m. today 1 /2 COURTESY CPHC The five-day forecast track for Hurricane Kiko as of 11 a.m. today COURTESY NOAA This color-enhanced satellite image shows Hurricane Kiko in the Central Pacific this morning, 2 /2 COURTESY NOAA This color-enhanced satellite image shows Hurricane Kiko in the Central Pacific this morning, COURTESY CPHC The five-day forecast track for Hurricane Kiko as of 11 a.m. today COURTESY NOAA This color-enhanced satellite image shows Hurricane Kiko in the Central Pacific this morning, UPDATE : 11 a.m.

Hurricane Kiko continues to weaken and is expected to pass north of the Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

As of 11 a.m. today, Kiko was located about 635 miles east of Hilo and 835 miles east-southeast of Honolulu. Kiko was packing maximum sustained winds of 110 mph and moving west-northwest at near 13 mph. Kiko is forecast to continue in this general motion with a slight increase in forward speed expected until Wednesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 110 mph (175 km /h ) with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast during the next few days, and Kiko is expected to become a tropical storm by late Monday or Monday night,  according to the forecast.

Hurricane-forece winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles.

Swells generated by Kiko are expected to hit Hawaii island and Maui today. Swells are predicted to peak along the east-facing shores of the Hawaiian Islands late Monday until midweek, possibly producing life-threatening surf and rip currents.

EARLIER COVERAGE Kiko weakened slightly overnight but is still a major hurricane in the Central Pacific on a path that is expected to take it north of Hawaii this week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As of 5 a.m. today, Kiko had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and was centered 715 miles east of Hilo and 915 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, moving west-northwest at 13 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

Kiko is forecast to pass north of the Hawaiian islands on Tuesday and Wednesday,  forecasters said. While the risk of direct impacts on the islands appears to be decreasing, interests there should continue to monitor Kikos progress and the latest forecast.

Hurricane-force winds extend up to 35 miles from Kikos center and tropical storm-force winds extend up to 80 miles, CPHC said.

Kiko, a Category 3 storm, is now moving over cooler waters and is expected to encounter wind shear in about 24 hours, both of which should hasten its weakening, forecasters said in the 5 a.m. update.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The latest five-day forecast track has Kiko as a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday and a tropical storm on Wednesday as it passes north of Hawaii. The islands are no longer included in the tracks so-called cone of uncertainty. By Thursday, the storm is expected to be far northwest of Hawaii.

Although there are no Kiko-related advisories covering land in the islands, offshore Hawaii waters beyond 40 nautical miles out to 240 nautical miles including the portion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument east of French Frigate Shoals are under a hurricane warning. The National Weather Service in Honolulu said 6-to-12-feet seas are expected Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as isolated thunderstorms.

NWS forecasters said the islands, meanwhile, may see a brief enhancement in shower activity through Monday morning.

Overall, the region will remain relatively dry and stable the next couple of days. Cloudier, warm and muggy island weather is forecast Tuesday and Wednesday under weakened trade flow,  they said today. Hurricane Kiko is approaching Hawaii from the southeast. Kikos current forecast track remains north of the islands across the far northern offshore waters. While confidence is low concerning Kikos early to mid week impacts, there is a possibly of higher statewide rainfall and elevated east-facing shore surf. 

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Swells generated by Kiko are expected to reach Hawaii island and Maui today. These swells will gradually build and are forecast to peak along east-facing exposures of the Hawaiian islands late Monday through midweek, potentially producing life-threatening surf and rip currents,  forecasters said.

See more :

0 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our.

Having trouble with comments ? .
(Editor's note: This story has been updated to add a response from Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith.)

Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith deleted social media posts about Haitian refugee resettlement in Indiana after he faced backlash from conservatives and right-wing activists who accused him of flip-flopping on his previously expressed views about the increase in Haitian people here.

Beckwith told IndyStar he believed his posts were misconstrued and said he wanted to engage the Haitian community in Indiana while encouraging them to follow federal and state immigration laws.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Beckwith on Sept. 5 posted about meeting with Haitian pastors in Marion County, praising a community that he said wanted to work hard and "assimilate to the American way of life."

"Their people have endured earthquakes and violence, and now more than 40,000 are seeking asylum here in Indiana," Beckwith wrote in the now-deleted X post. "We spoke about barriers of language and culture while also discussing the power of faith and family. What I saw was not a community asking for a handout, but people determined to work hard, raise their children to become contributors to the great Hoosier state, and assimilate to the American way of life."

The post led to almost immediate backlash from his conservative social media following, including several national influencers who took issue with it.

"Hell. No," Mike Davis, founder of the Article 3 Project, which advocates for "constitutionalist judicial reform," who has amassed nearly 500,000 X followers, posted in response. "Send. Them. Home."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Indiana are you ready for 40,000 Haitians," posted Mike Cernovich, a far-wing media influencer on X to his 1.4 million followers.

Beckwith is doing MAJOR damage control, toeing the line and saying he must not abandon "love" for these Haitians. pic.twitter.com/dtehWViMe9  Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 6, 2025

Others pointed out that Beckwith's post seemed to contradict his earlier stances on Haitian resettlement in Indiana, with some calling it "hypocrisy."

In 2024, for example, he called for deportation of legal Haitian refugees in Logansport and said on the radio program WOWO that "our school resources, our hospital resources, our police and fire resources are all being drained by people who should not be here."

 Logansport officials are raising serious concerns about the rapid growth of the immigrant population, calling it "unsustainable" for the community. DUMPING double a towns population in unassimilated migrants doesnt just happen. There is a money trail involved. As local  TheMicahBeckwith (@MicahBeckwith) October 12, 2024

"This is a invasion, this is not immigration," Beckwith said on WOWO in October. "... We have to have leaders in our local community that are willing to do the hard work of identifying the people who should not be in our community and then working with the state to get them out."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Logansport was cast into the national spotlight last fall along with other Midwest cities including Springfield, Ohio, amid a national debate over immigration leading up to the presidential election, where Donald Trump was reelected. The Trump administration acted earlier this year to end temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, including Haitians, but a federal judge recently declared that effort to be illegal.

More: KKK flyers, heated public meetings: How Logansport, Indiana, became the next Springfield, Ohio

It's unclear exactly how many new Haitians live in Indiana, though as of April, nearly 17,000 Haitian immigrants in Indiana had active immigration cases filed in the courts, according to an IndyStar analysis of Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse data.

Beckwith said his team deleted the post after he realized his "words got misconstrued."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I'll own that; it wasn't worded in a way that was clear," Beckwith said. "The point was, they're already here. How can we engage this community that's already here amongst us? ... I've been one of the most vocal supporters of President Trump's immigration policies. I still stand by that."

Beckwith said he advised the pastors he met with that they shouldnt encourage illegal immigration by Haitians and that they shouldn't depend on Indiana taxpayers for assistance.

"I even said very bluntly and boldly, 'We are not bending the culture of America to fit your culture,'" he said. "You're here, you need to conform to our culture and live within the confines of what the American way of life is."

Beckwith said he found some humor in the situation: Instead of being called a far-right Christian nationalist, now he's being called a moderate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's crazy people are calling me a RINO or a leftist now," he said. "I'm the one who called out Logansport."

Contact senior government accountability reporter Hayleigh Colombo at hcolombo@indystar.com or follow her on X @hayleighcolombo.

Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, by IndyStar political and government reporter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Micah Beckwith faces backlash over posts about Haitian immigrants
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned of a world with up to 25 nuclear-armed countries.

"Without wanting to spread panic," Rafael Grossi told the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica for a story published on Sunday, the risk of a nuclear conflict is higher today than in the past.

Grossi suggested that at some point 20 to 25 countries could have nuclear weapons, though he did not specify a time frame. Currently, there are nine nuclear powers, according to several experts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The process of disarmament or the controlled reduction of nuclear arsenals has come to a standstill," said the IAEA chief. "Those who possess nuclear weapons are producing more of them, including China." He also noted that there is increasingly casual talk of tactical nuclear strikes, which he described as troubling.

Grossi said he is worried that leaders in several countries have announced their intention to acquire nuclear weapons. Asked to name the countries, Grossi said: "As the director of the IAEA, I cannot say. These are important countries in Asia, Asia Minor and the Persian Gulf. A world with 20 to 25 nuclear-armed states is unpredictable and dangerous."

The nine nuclear-armed states include the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China - as well as India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and information from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).

Together, they are estimated to possess approximately 12,000 nuclear weapons, though Russia and the United States account for some 10,700 of those.
ICE begins new immigration crackdown operation in Massachusetts

ICE has announced that it will be conducting a new operation to crack down on immigration within Massachusetts.

According to the Boston Globe, the operation titled Patriot 2.0 began this week, prior to when President Trump was expected to launch to an immigration crackdown in Chicago.

Boston Globe reports that an anonymous source says the operation plans to last several weeks. Additionally, a U.S. official, who also was not authorized to speak publicly, said the agency had prepared plans for a wider surge of immigration enforcement starting this month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier on Saturday, ICE Director Todd Lyons commented on the extended presence in Boston because the City of Boston does dont want to cooperate with ICE.

Watch acting ICE Director Todd Lyons explain why the agency has a heavier presence in sanctuary jurisdictions like Boston. pic.twitter.com/MR6ZqD9p6u  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) September 7, 2025

In a statement issued by Mayor Wu, she addressed the operation, saying, For months, the Trump DOJ, DHS, and ICE have been spreading blatant lies and threatening to bring hell to cities like Boston who refuse to bow down to their authoritarian agenda, so this unconstitutional attack is not a surprise.

The statement continued, saying, This country was born facing down bullies, with Bostonians leading the way. Today, Boston is the safest major city in the country because we have worked to build trust in the community, so that everyone feels safe seeking help or reporting a crime. We will not be bullied or intimidated into abandoning the efforts that make Boston a safe home for everyone.

Just days ago, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Boston and its city leaders, claiming the citys Boston Trust Act protects illegal immigrants from federal authorities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The lawsuit claimed that Bostons policies are illegal under federal law and that the city refuses to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, resulting in dangerous criminals being let out onto the streets.

The City of Boston and its mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America  they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi. If Boston wont protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.

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
A man in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement died of unknown causes while in an Arizona prison, according to the federal agency.

Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas, 32, was detained at the Central Arizona Correction Complex in Florence after he was arrested in early August for drug-related charges in Flagstaff, according to an ICE news release.

Batrez Vargas was taken from the Florence prison to the Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa where he was pronounced dead at about 7 a.m. Aug. 31, according to the release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Batrez Vargas' cause of death was unknown and remained under investigation, the release said.

Batrez Vargas was a citizen of Mexico and had encounters with law enforcement as early as 2018, according to ICE.

In 2018, Batrez Vargas was arrested by Flagstaff police for DUI and was later convicted of the offense by Flagstaff Municipal Court, the release said.

In March 2024, he was arrested again for DUI by Flagstaff police, and he later was sentenced to 10 days in a Flagstaff area jail, according to ICE.

On Aug. 2, 2025, Batrez Vargas was arrested for drug paraphernalia possession/use and transferred by the agency's enforcement and removal operations team to the prison in Florence, according to the release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities notified the Mexican Embassy of Bartez Vargas' death along with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the DHS Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility via the Integrity Coordination Center, the release said. This is consistent with ICE's policy, according to the release.

"ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay," the release said.

Those in ICE custody receive a medical, dental, and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility and a full health assessment within 14 days of arriving, according to the release.

ICE also provides access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care, the release said. Emergency care is never denied, ICE said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rey Covarrubias Jr. reports breaking news for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@gannett.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man dies while in ICE custody at Florence prison
Leer en espanol

About a week after suggesting immigration authorities would ramp up their efforts to find and arrest people in the country illegally, particularly those in sanctuary cities such as Boston, several media outlets have reported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have started surging through Massachusetts.

A Boston Herald reporter accompanying an ICE official described the scene of a Saturday morning ICE detainment in Everett, one of more than 100 from throughout the state  including in Lowell, Fall River and Springfield  since the surge began Thursday, the official told the Herald.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is the result of the sanctuary policies here within the commonwealth, specifically like the city of Boston, Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston Deputy Field Office Director David Wesling told the Herald.

The effort, dubbed Operation Patriot 2.0 is a continuation of Mays Operation Patriot. In June, ICE announced it had arrested almost 1,500 people across Massachusetts who were in the country illegally during the monthlong effort.

NBC10 Boston reported Saturday that an unnamed senior spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement to the outlet.

Sanctuary policies like those pushed by [Boston] Mayor [Michelle] Wu not only attract and harbor criminals but also place these public safety threats above the interests of law-abiding American citizens. ICE is arresting sex offenders, pedophiles, murderers, drug dealers and gang members released by local authorities, the statement read.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wu released a statement to MassLive Saturday night, responding to the recent surge: For months, the Trump DOJ, DHS, and ICE have been spreading blatant lies and threatening to bring hell to cities like Boston who refuse to bow down to their authoritarian agenda, so this unconstitutional attack is not a surprise.

This country was born facing down bullies, with Bostonians leading the way. Today, Boston is the safest major city in the country because we have worked to build trust in the community, so that everyone feels safe seeking help or reporting a crime. We will not be bullied or intimidated into abandoning the efforts that make Boston a safe home for everyone, Wus statement read.

Last week, border czar Tom Homan warned that sanctuary cities would be targets.

All these sanctuary cities that refuse to work with ICE, where we know public safety threats are being released every day into this country, especially those cities, were going to address that, Homan said at the White House, according to Politico.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So were going to take the assets we have and move them to problem areas like sanctuary cities where we know for a fact there are public safety threats, illegal aliens on the streets every day, Homan said.

Another signal that the situation was ramping up came Thursday, when the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Boston over its sanctuary city law, which limits Boston Polices cooperation with ICE on civil immigration enforcement.

The City of Boston and its mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America  they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a press release. If Boston wont protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.

The Boston Herald, citing Wesling, reported that ICE is getting help from several other agencies, including the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Agency and Diplomatic Security. It also has had help in Massachusetts this week from officers from other states, including Texas, California and Washington, Wesling told the Herald.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our officers arent stopping until we get every criminal illegal alien here in Massachusetts, Wesling told the Herald. There is no target number other than all.

The New York Times, citing sources, reported the operation is expected to last several weeks. The DHS spokespersons statement to NBC10 Boston didnt say how long the latest operation could take.

Gov. Maura Healey, the Department of Homeland Security and Boston ICE officials did not immediately respond to MassLives request for comment Saturday night.

More on Politics

Read the original article on MassLive.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  IDEA Public Schools in El Paso is now accepting student applications for the 2026-2027 school year.

According to the news release by the school district, the deadline to apply is Feb. 20, 2026. Parents can apply through IDEAs website.

After parents apply, a random lottery will be held on Feb. 21 to choose which students will be accepted at different campuses. Selected students will be notified and invited to attend the Welcome to IDEA event, according to IDEA Public Schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The welcoming event will showcase IDEAs culture, curriculum and expectations, read the news release.

Students who were not chosen will be placed on a waitlist and the order of the list will be randomized. Applications of students on the waitlist will remain on file for the 2026-2027 school year, and if a spot becomes available, parents will be notified of the selection.

Additionally, IDEA Horizon Vista will graduate its first senior class for the 2026-2027 year, joining three other IDEA El Paso high schools in achieving 100 percent college acceptance, the news release reads.

IDEAs presence in El Paso is growing stronger each year as we work hand-in-hand with families to create lasting pathways to college success, Frankie Gray, executive director of IDEA El Paso, said. As we celebrate milestones like our first-ever senior class at IDEA Horizon Vista, we are reminded that our mission is bigger than academics. Its about opening doors of opportunity and ensuring every child is prepared to succeed in college and beyond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For more information about IDEA Public Schools, 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.
In addition, dozens of terror targets were attacked, including observation posts and weapons depots that posed a direct threat to the forces in the area.

The IDF uncovered and destroyed a Hamas tunnel shaft on Sunday in northern Gaza that concealed an operations room used by the terror groups Zeitoun Battalion to coordinate attacks.

The Nahal Brigade, under the command of Division 99, conducted operations in the Zeitoun neighborhood in northern Gaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As part of their activity, the soldiers destroyed an underground route stretching hundreds of meters, inside which they located an operations room used by Hamass Zeitoun Battalion to coordinate terrorist activities against Israeli forces.

The brigades fire units struck and killed terrorists hiding in a building beneath, in which there was an operational shaft leading to the underground route. In addition, dozens of terror targets were attacked, including observation posts and weapons depots that posed a direct threat to the forces in the area.

The IDFs activity in Zeitoun is part of a wider operational push that began in recent weeks around Gaza City, as Israeli soldiers work to dismantle remaining Hamas strongholds.

Soldiers from the IDF's Nahal Brigade operate in the Zeitoun nighborhood in northern Gaza, Septemeber 7. 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

IDF expands Gaza City operations

In August, the military uncovered a nearly one-kilometer-long tunnel route beneath a cemetery in the Daraj Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City. That tunnel reportedly contained launch pits used for firing rockets at Israeli territory.

In another incident last month, several Hamas terrorists affiliated with the Beit Hanun Battalion surrendered after emerging from tunnel shafts in northern Gaza.
These rockets were the first fired out of Gaza in the past three weeks.

Two rockets fired from central Gaza triggered sirens in several Gaza border communities early Sunday morning, according to the IDF.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for firing the rockets.

One rocket was intercepted, and the other crashed in an open area.

Sirens sounded in Zimrat, Shuva, Kfar Maimon, Tushiya, Sa'ad, Alumim, Tkuma, and Netivot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There were no reports of casualties or damage to any buildings, according to Magen David Adom.

IDF soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, September 1, 2025. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

These rockets were the first fired out of Gaza in the past three weeks.

Hamas rockets triggered sirens in Kfar Aza, Nahal Oz, and Sa'ad on August 10.

Israeli fighter jets destroy Hamas rocket-launching complex in response

Israel Air Force fighter jets destroyed Hamas's rocket-launching complex in the Shejaia neighborhood of Gaza City, which had launched the two rockets, shortly after.

Israel began its wider offensive into Gaza City on Friday, already striking Hamas-used infrastructure, including two high-rise buildings.
Although the IDF said that Hamas or other terror groups are using the buildings as lookout posts, it seems that the military is destroying buildings equally to increase the stream of evacuees south.

The IDF on Sunday night destroyed a third high-rise building in the Gaza City area in as many days, as the countdown to a full-scale invasion continues.

On Friday, the military destroyed one such building, and on Saturday, a second one, all leading to the third building being destroyed on Sunday, after the IDF had warned residents to evacuate the area surrounding each of them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Although the IDF has said that Hamas or other terror groups are using the buildings as lookout posts to follow the movements of its forces and to potentially plan or direct ambushes, it seems that the military is also destroying buildings to increase the stream of evacuees southward from Gaza City.

For weeks, the IDF has been warning Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City and head south.

However, last week, a senior defense official said that only up to 80,000 out of over one million Palestinians had evacuated.

Smoke and flames rise as an Israeli airstrike hits a house, in Gaza City, September 7, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Khamis Al-Rifi)

It appears that striking the buildings is one way that the military has been trying to increase the evacuation trend.

IDF only struck high-rise buildings if Hamas officials, assets located there

During other points in this war and other years of conflict with Gaza, the IDF only struck high-rise buildings if a top Hamas commander or some other strategic Hamas asset was contained there  not merely to eliminate one more modest lookout post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The reason that the military was always careful not to attack such buildings, absent some very high-profile target, was the high level of potential harm to civilians, as well as the massive diplomatic pressure globally against such targeting.

However, in the new situation where the government wants to get all Palestinian civilians to evacuate from Gaza City in order to take it over, the specific humanitarian issue works in the opposite way of how it would normally work.

Now, anything that can get civilians afraid enough to leave is advancing Israels current strategy of emptying the city of anyone other than hardcore Hamas fighters.

Likewise, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to have decided that, as long as he has support from the Trump administration, he is willing to thumb his nose at the rest of the world.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition, IDF ground forces intensified their invasion of Zeitun, which is adjacent to parts of Gaza City.

Predictions about when a larger invasion of Gaza City will take place range from the coming weeks to months, with tensions between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir about how to run the invasion.

Zamir is still hoping for a partial hostage deal in place of the invasion and for a slow invasion, avoiding risks to the hostages, IDF soldiers, and Palestinian civilians where possible.

Netanyahu prefers the invasion option and for it to be wrapped up rapidly.
The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice has sent the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeking to modify Article 153 for better representation of women in the Council of Common Interests (CCI), to the prime minister, who leads the CCI, as reported by The News and Geo News. Another amendment bill put forward by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, which aims to amend Article 228 to include women in the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), was postponed, with the committee opting to await a formal response from the CII. Chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, the committee engaged in thorough discussions regarding important constitutional and legal reforms to promote justice, equality, and women's rights within Pakistan, according to the Geo News report. Chairman Senator Farooq H. Naek firmly advocated for the concept of gender inclusion. He remarked, "The Council of Islamic Ideology should benefit from the theological wisdom and perspectives of women. Of the 20 members, there should be a minimum of three women to achieve balance." The Ministry of Law stated that the current membership criteria do not specify gender, as highlighted by the report from Geo News. The committee recommended that the matter concerning Article 153 be referred to the prime minister and called for formal input from the CII regarding the suggested amendment to Article 228. It also reviewed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (Amendment of Article 27), proposed by Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir, which aims to enhance the CSS quota for students from Balochistan. Chairman Senator Farooq H Naek recommended that the bill be withdrawn, referencing a Supreme Court ruling and a provision given by the Ministry concerning modifications in civil service laws and regulations. He suggested that such changes should be implemented through an Act of Parliament rather than constitutional amendments, as this would provide a quicker and more feasible approach. Senator Abdul Qadir acknowledged the advice but asked for time to examine the court's ruling before deciding to withdraw. This issue was postponed to the next meeting, as reported by Geo News. In-depth discussions also occurred regarding the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, presented by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, which suggests alterations to Sections 323, 330, and 331. The Ministry of Law informed the committee that they are still awaiting the views of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on this topic. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced by Senator Aon Abbas, was similarly postponed, as noted in the Geo News report. (ANI)
By Nathan Layne

CHICAGO (Reuters) -Sitting alone at her dining room table this past Sunday, Doris Aguirre took a bite of a soda cracker and a sip of the orange juice she had prepared to represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Eyes closed, she then made the sign of the cross.

It is an act of faith performed every week by millions of Christians who consume a wafer and a sip of wine blessed by a minister in churches around the world, in one of the holiest moments of the Sunday service. But for Aguirre it is a lonely ritual.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Aguirre's church in Chicago moved its Spanish-language service online in late December in anticipation of President Donald Trump launching the biggest crackdown on illegal immigration in U.S. history.

Honduran-born Aguirre is married to a naturalized U.S. citizen but lacks legal status herself despite having lived in the country for 25 years. She has a standing deportation order after inadvertently missing an initial court date, and a later attempt to reopen her case was denied, her lawyer said.

For Aguirre, attending weekly service at Chicago's Lincoln United Methodist Church was an important part of life. She said she misses taking communion with other congregants and gathering after service over coffee to talk through common problems in her native tongue.

"Ever since I joined the church, I have come to see the other members as family," Aguirre, a 59-year-old housecleaner and mother of two, told Reuters at her home in Cicero, a suburb of Chicago. "This has been a very sad time for me."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Aguirre's solitary communion is an example of how Trump's immigration sweep is disrupting the religious lives of thousands of immigrants in the country illegally.

On his first day in office, the Trump administration scrapped former President Joe Biden's policy of designating places of worship, along with schools and hospitals, as sensitive locations off limits to immigration enforcement.

"Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on January 21.

That policy change, along with moves by federal agents to detain a growing number of people charged only with immigration violations, has led many immigrants to stay away from church because they no longer view it as a safe space, according to interviews with more than two dozen pastors and church leaders across the U.S. They said that the growing fear of deportation had driven down attendance and made it more difficult to retain ties with their congregants, hindering services from food to legal advice that immigrants count on the church to provide.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have yet to raid a church, they detained a pastor in Maryland for allegedly overstaying his visa and have arrested people in church parking lots.

Any rise in ICE arrests inside churches or directly targeting congregants could be politically toxic, even among Trumps conservative base, five former ICE officials told Reuters, though the decision to ease restrictions on churches has made it easier to pick up someone nearby.

In a statement to Reuters, a DHS spokesperson said ICE was not raiding churches, adding that agents would need supervisory approval and that any action inside a church would be rare. "If a dangerous illegal alien felon like a gang member, murderer, or pedophile were to flee into a church, there may be a situation where an arrest is made to protect public safety," the spokesperson said.

Some churches with large immigrant congregations have marked certain areas as private, raising the bar for ICE entry as warrants are required for them to enter private spaces. Other steps include placing U.S. citizen congregants outside as lookouts and organizing "know your rights" training, eight of the pastors told Reuters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In July, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles said it would begin taking hot meals and medicine to immigrants afraid to leave their homes, expanding a service originally designed for the elderly and other homebound congregants. The diocese in Orange County, California, recently said it would offer communion in homes.

Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, said he has been talking with pastors who are struggling to meet requests for help from their parishioners dealing with growing anxiety about being detained.

"It's really requiring the church to do more work. It's much more labor intensive. It's much more emotionally and spiritually exhausting," Salguero said. "This second administration has been much more aggressive and indiscriminate."

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said the Trump administration's efforts to arrest and deport "dangerous criminal illegal aliens" had made the country safer "including churches and other religious community spaces."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

FAITH GROUPS SUE

In July, a coalition of Protestant denominations sued the government, arguing that Trump's decision to strip churches' protection from ICE raids violated the constitutional right to the free exercise of religion because the constant threat of arrest made immigrants fear going to church.

The government argues that the plaintiffs have not proven that the change in policy for sensitive locations, rather than heightened immigration enforcement overall, triggered the fall in attendance. The DHS spokesperson said any fear was being caused by "sanctuary politicians and the media" spreading falsehoods about ICE.

The case is pending in a Massachusetts federal court.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the lawsuit, attendance at an Episcopal church in Oregon's Spanish service dropped to just 12 in June from the normal 40-50 after ICE detained a local business owner. In another example, the lawsuit said one Lutheran church in Texas saw attendance at its Vacation Bible School dwindle to just four children, from the usual 20 to 25.

Trump's decision to make houses of worship a potential target has posed a challenge for the hundreds of churches that for years had offered their buildings as a safe haven for migrants fearing deportation.

Some churches that offered sanctuary in the past have stopped doing so publicly out of fear of drawing ICE's attention, according to Alexia Salvatierra, a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and a longtime leader in the sanctuary movement.

"Nobody can guarantee the church is a safe space," she said, adding that a network of individuals were offering their homes to help fill the gaps left by the church. "It's much safer to live with someone else."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Progressive churches and those with large Hispanic congregations are taking the lead in advocating for migrants.

A coalition of churches and synagogues in Philadelphia has expanded a system for accompanying migrants to court, hoping the presence of religious leaders and volunteers will deter federal agents from detaining them. "It is an important piece of non-cooperation, of saying 'this is not okay'" said Peter Pedemonti, co-director of the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia.

A Lutheran pastor in southern California who asked not to be identified said he is taking communion home to home, after Sunday attendance fell by two thirds.

The leaders of white evangelical churches, in contrast, have largely remained silent, afraid to stir up tensions among their members who form a critical part of Trump's political base, said Matthew Soerens, vice president of advocacy and policy at an evangelical humanitarian organization called World Relief.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ken Peters, pastor of Patriot Church in Lenoir City, Tennessee, is one of the outspoken ones. He said all the evangelical leaders he knows are 100% behind Trump's immigration agenda, citing concerns about an influx of drugs and child trafficking which he blames on loose regulation of the border.

"If you're sneaking around here in our country illegally, technically that's against the law, and we would consider that sin," Peters said.

LOS ANGELES

Nowhere has the impact on churches been as profound as in Los Angeles, the target of aggressive immigration sweeps in recent months. Trump deployed National Guard troops to the city in June in response to street protests against ICE's raids.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reverend Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, said the Los Angeles churches in his network have experienced a 35% drop in attendance on average. When ICE carries out a raid close to a church, the following Sunday drop has been as high as 70%, he said.

Before Trump's second term, the Spanish-language Sunday service at Lincoln United Methodist on Chicago's west side used to draw up to 80 participants, according to Emma Lozano, a longtime immigrant activist and a pastor at the church.

This past Sunday the second floor sanctuary of Lozano's church was empty as she oversaw the weekly Spanish service for her online congregation of 18 parishioners. She stood on a darkened stage, with the church's stained glass windows covered in black curtains to represent the wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, letting just cracks of light into the room.

Sitting at her dining room table, Aguirre watched solemnly on her cellphone, which was propped up on a paper towel holder. She lamented the fear she said Trump had spawned with his immigration crackdown, and said it was important to speak publicly in support of immigrants, despite her own status.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I never imagined it would be so intense," she said. "I never imagined he (Trump) would come so strongly, sweeping everything away."

(reporting by Nathan Layne in Chicago; additional reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington, editing by Ross Colvin and Claudia Parsons)
OLIVE HILL If theres something strange in your neighborhood, consider the possibility of a Bigfoot.

Many in Carter County do.

In fact, the Carter County Bigfoot Research Group will offer its first Carter County Bigfoot Fest from 2 to 6 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Olive Hill Depot. Its the groups first such festival.

Tabatha Steagall of Grahn, founding member of the group, said she was inspired to start the group for informational purposes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We were having Bigfoot activity on our property and I wanted to know if anyone else was having it, Steagall said. By activity she means unusually large footprints, the siting of something black moving into the shadows outside and hooting and hollering, which describes the sounds attributed to Bigfoot, which Steagall said she believes is a simian animal that might not yet have been discovered.

She said there have been about 100 Bigfoot sightings in Carter County since the 1960s, likely because the area contains many caves and clay mines good for hiding. In fact, Kentucky Bigfoot Research Organization shows Carter County as the Kentucky county with the fourth most Bigfoot reports, making up 3.77% of sightings statewide.

Steagall said many are reluctant to talk about the possibility of Bigfoot.

Im sure they dont want to be made fun of, but Bigfoot is becoming more and more popular, she said. When I started this group ... I took the heat in 2014 and made the way for others.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The festival is one way the idea of Bigfoot can not only be celebrated but might help the idea become more normalized.

Steagall said the festival is for believers and skeptics alike, plus anyone interest in a fun weekend. Several food trucks will be on hand. Speakers are planned, along with music, a Bigfoot costume competition, Bigfoot calling competition and a variety of food trucks. Childrens activities will include face painting, scavenger hunts and crafts. All events are free, but Steagall said any proceeds will go to Meals on Wheels in Carter County.
A businessman has been ordered to demolish his Indian gastropub after it was built next to a Shakespeare heritage site.

Rakesh Singh, 57, has lost a battle to save the Cask N Tandoor, which is 618ft from the childhood cottage of Anne Hathaway, the Bards wife.

The gastropub, which is part of the Burnside Hotel, was built without proper planning permission last March.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which manages the childhood home of Shakespeares wife, complained the restaurant was intruding on its land, a protected conservation area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Residents living in the village of Shottery, in Warwickshire, where house prices average 500,000, said the development had destroyed wildlife.

Mr Singh, who owns the Burnside Hotel, has now been given six months to demolish the gastropub and decking.

Last month, Stratford-on-Avon district council rejected retrospective planning permission, saying the gastropub failed to enhance the character of its historic neighbour.

The company director originally got plans approved to replace a timber shed with two extra en suite bedrooms for the hotel and a plant room. But he ran into trouble with planners when he doubled the size of the development, with the addition of a gastropub and a large outdoor wooden terrace for drinkers.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council rejected a planning permission, saying the gastropub failed to enhance the character of its historic neighbour. - Tom Wren / SWNS

The council has now issued Mr Singh with an enforcement notice, giving him six months to demolish the pub.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The order, which was served on Aug 12, will take effect on Sept 23 unless an appeal is made. The notice also states that Mr Singh must demolish the pub, patio, seating area and gabion wall structure.

It adds: In the absence of a planning permission with conditions to control the use of the pub building and associated outdoor seating area, it is considered that there is the potential for there to be a detrimental impact on the residential amenity of nearby residential properties through noise and disturbance.

The notice also cites the overdevelopment of the site and the erosion of an important open area that contributes to the landscape and character of Shottery.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which manages Anne Hathaways cottage, complained the eatery was intruding on their land - Tom Wren / SWNS

Minty Manhas, the hotels manager, said the row had been blown out of all proportion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking earlier this year after the council rejected the retrospective planning application, she said: We have Indian chefs working there and all British people want to have a curry.

We serve Tandoori Indian food and pub classics, what is not to like?

She also suggested that the controversy had been triggered by racism, adding: Brown skin and black skin may not sit well in this very white, middle-class village.

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.
JAY, Okla.  An Indian national living in the United States on a student visa is accused of trying to bilk an elderly Delaware County man out of half a million dollars.

Venkateswara Chagamreddy

Venkateswara Chagamreddy, 27, of Austin, Texas, is charged in Delaware County District Court in Jay with conspiracy, extortion by means not amounting to robbery, and second-degree forgery, all felonies.

Online court records show he is held in the Delaware County jail on a $200,000 bond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The elderly man who lives in rural Afton told investigators he was contacted by what he believed to be someone from Microsoft on Aug. 11, saying his computer was being used for criminal activity, according to an arrest warrant.

The caller told the alleged victim he needed to surrender to the federal government.

Later, the elderly man was contacted by telephone from a person who identified himself as Federal Officer David J Morgan, saying the Delaware County man was a victim of identity theft and he was being investigated because his personal computer was used for child porn, weapons dealings, drugs, and the dark web.

The elderly man was warned that he would face additional charges if he spoke to anyone about being under investigation, the affidavit states. After being sworn to secrecy, he was told to transfer $64,331.58 from his bank account to gold. The affidavit states that an officer would come by his residence the following day to pick up the gold.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Delaware County man told investigators that after liquidating his bank account and purchasing the gold, he was required to validate his possession of the gold through text messages and photographs.

On Aug. 22, a medium-colored African American man arrived at his residence in a dark-colored Tundra truck arrived at his residence. The man partially rolled down his window and provided the elderly man with a passcode, prompting the man to turn over the package containing the gold pieces.

Over the next several days, the officer contacted the Delaware County man and eventually learned he had approximately $1 million in his retirement accounts. The elderly man was allegedly instructed to speak to his financial advisor and ask for $200,000 to $300,000 for hotels in Hong Kong. The demand was later raised to $500,000, the affidavit states.

The elderly man told investigators he was afraid and eventually contacted his financial advisor and son, who contacted law enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Delaware County investigators set up a sting operation to intercept the pickup of a package intended to contain $177,500 at the mans residence. On Aug. 27, a silver car pulled into the alleged victims driveway, past the porch to the side of the house, and was met by investigators. They surrounded the suspects vehicle and took Chagamreddy into custody, the affidavit states.

Investigators seized 23 one-ounce gold pieces, a marijuana grinder, rolling papers, ground marijuana, five $100 bills, two cell phones, multiple documents containing air flights, travel patterns, and interstate travel, and multiple items of Dominion and Control, the affidavit states.

Chagamreddy told investigators he was at risk of deportation due to a recent suspension from college. He had flown to North Carolina to enroll in a college, but he had left his vehicle parked at the Austin airport. When he returned from his flight, he had just found the gold in his car and didnt know where it came from.

He told investigators he was taking the gold pieces to his friends house in Kansas because Rio knew what to do with them. He made a wrong turn and ended up at the elderly mans residence by accident, and he was not there for any reason, and was just using the driveway to turn around because Rio was helping him find his way, the affidavit states.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chagamreddys cell phone showed photographs of the alleged victim, his property, county road signs, and the dummy package. Videos showed Chagamreddy opening and audibly inventorying packages of gold, including the package he advised showed up in his vehicle.

The elderly mans residential address was the last destination searched and was visible on the vehicles navigation screen.

If convicted, Chagamreddy faces up to 22 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A 26-year-old inmate was found dead Sunday morning at the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail, according to the sheriffs office.

Deputies said Nicholas Henderson was found unresponsive in a lockdown cell just after 11 a.m. WBRSO said staff gave first aid until medical help arrived, but Henderson was pronounced dead. The cause of death will be determined by the parish coroner.

Henderson had been moved to the lockdown area after a fight with another inmate on Friday, according to WBRSO. He was charged with second-degree battery following that incident. Officials said he showed no signs of distress earlier on Sunday when he was given breakfast.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sheriff Jeff Bergeron said the case is under investigation and added that the sheriffs office has recently increased security at the jail.

Any loss of life in our custody is taken seriously, Bergeron said. We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation into this incident and continuing our efforts to enhance security measures inside our facility.

No other details have been released.

Latest News

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 Louisiana First News.
Internet disruptions have been reported in the Middle East and South Asia after multiple undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea, tech giant Microsoft, which has been criticised for its links to Israel as its war on Gaza rages on, said in a statement.

The statement on Sunday did not give further details about what caused the cuts.

In a status update published to its website, Microsoft said network traffic traversing through the Middle East may experience increased latency due to undersea fiber cuts in the Red Sea. The global software giant said its Azure cloud computing services, the worlds second largest after Amazon, were affected by the cuts but added that general network traffic was not impacted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Network traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted. Well continue to provide daily updates, or sooner if conditions change, it said.

Microsoft said the disruptions started at 05:45 GMT on September 6.

The internet connectivity watchdog NetBlocks reported degraded internet connectivity in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and India, resulting in slow speeds and intermittent access.

NetBlocks said the connectivity issues were due to failures in the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan Telecommunications, one of the countrys largest telecoms providers, released a statement on X warning customers that the country may experience some degradation during peak hours, adding that its international partners were working to resolve the issue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Undersea cables form the internets backbone, carrying global data traffic. The Middle East serves as a critical hub linking Asia and Europe. They are vulnerable to damage by ships anchors, but can also be targeted in attacks, which can cause widespread disruption.

In early 2024, Yemens internationally recognised government-in-exile alleged that the Houthis planned to attack undersea cables in the Red Sea. Several were cut, but the Houthis denied being responsible.

On Sunday morning, the Houthis Al Masirah TV acknowledged the cuts, citing NetBlocks.

Microsofts Azure has been storing information, including intercepted Palestinian phone calls in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip for Israels military, according to an investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine and Local Call.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Microsoft has denied knowledge that Israels cyber-intelligence division, Unit 8200, was using its cloud services for material obtained through mass surveillance, but launched an investigation in August.

Microsoft has fired four employees who participated in protests on company premises over the firms ties to Israel.
Iowa Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, who is running for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District seat, answered questions from attendees of a town hall campaign event at Big Grove Brewery in Des Moines Sep. 7, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Iowa Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, criticized U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, at a campaign event for her 3rd Congressional District run Sunday, for not holding public town halls.

Trone Garriott held a town hall event at Big Grove Brewery in Des Moines, where she answered questions from the crowd about issues like cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, made through the GOP-backed budget reconciliation bill. She also spoke about nitrate levels in Iowa waters, voting rights and immigration law enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trone Garriott, who is running for the 3rd Congressional District in the 2026 election, said the district needs a representative who will listen to these concerns and engage constituents who have differing views.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Our congressman, Zach Nunn, has not been showing up for people, Trone Garriott said. Since he started four years ago, he has not held a single open town hall. Responding to concerns that he wasnt holding town halls, he said that it would be a waste of taxpayer money to do so  that it would be a taxpayer-funded protest. Now, if people are showing up angry, its even more important that their voices are heard, because theres a problem.

Trone Garriott had referenced a Des Moines Register interview with Nunn in August, where the representative said he regularly holds public events, but that were not going to do what the Democratic groups want us to do and just host a taxpayer-funded protest event.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Holding public town halls has been a point of contention for Republicans as they face backlash from some constituents regarding controversial decisions made by Republicans in Congress, and the Trump administration, such as cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and to the U.S. Departments of Veteran Affairs and Education.

Nunns campaign manager, Brendan Duffy, said in a statement to the Iowa Capital Dispatch that the representative is consistently accessible to Iowans, holding hundreds of events in all 21 counties and hosting real listening sessions that deliver real results.

Congressman Nunn isnt going to take advice on meeting with his constituents from far-left activists who are out of touch with Iowa values, Duffy said. Zach Nunn has delivered $11,000 in tax cuts for Iowa families, $60 billion in direct assistance for farmers, and $50 billion for rural hospitals. While Democrat activists lie to Iowans, Congressman Nunn will continue delivering for them.

The Iowa Republicans congressional website states he has held 129 mobile office hours, 304 events with Iowans and provided 120,676 answers to Iowans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trone Garriott said that during her time as a state legislator, she has made an effort to reach out to voters of all backgrounds through public events and efforts to engage the community. She said thats why I am a Democratic senator representing a Republican district  because people appreciate someone whos going to work hard for them, care about them, show up for them.

The Democratic state senator was first elected in 2020, defeating Republican Scott Cirksena. In 2022, she won against then-Senate President Jake Chapman to represent Senate District 14 after redistricting, and won a close reelection race in 2024. Trone Garriott said she would bring her experience from these elections to the race against Nunn, and continue that work in Washington.

Were not getting the results we need, were not getting the decisions that we need, and were not getting our voices represented in Washington, Trone Garriott said. We need elected leaders who will show up. We need folks who arent afraid to come gather with the community and show up and listen and learn from what is on the minds and hearts of our members of the community, and so thats why Im running for Congress.

Former Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst is also running to become the Democratic nominee for the seat.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In an interview with reporters following the event, Trone Garriott said if elected, she would have office hours or other time scheduled where constituents can come in to speak about their concerns with her or staff members.

I think thats incredibly important for any community leader to make sure getting your time in with your constituents  and not just the ones that youre seeking out, but the ones who wont come to you, Trone Garriott said.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Britain, France and Germany of pursuing a reckless strategy on his countrys nuclear programme, warning that their alignment with Washington will only diminish Europes global standing.

Writing in The Guardian on Sunday, Araghchi said the decision by the so-called E3 to trigger a process that could reinstate United Nations sanctions lacks any legal standing and is bound to fail.

The truth is that they are intently pursuing a reckless course of action  This is a grave miscalculation that is bound to backfire, Araghchi wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In August, Germany, France and the United Kingdom  Europes largest economies  triggered a 30-day process to activate snapback sanctions over what they called significant violations of a 2015 agreement to limit Irans nuclear programme.

The United States, which bombed three nuclear facilities in June as part of an Israeli assault on Iran, has welcomed the European countries move.

Araghchi accused the three powers of ignoring the fact that it was the US, not Iran, that withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). While Tehran took what he described as lawful remedial measures under the accord, the E3 failed to uphold their own obligations.





Araghchi noted that European leaders once pledged to protect trade with Iran after US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions in 2018. None of it materialised, he wrote, adding that Europes promises of strategic autonomy collapsed under US pressure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Instead, he argued, Europe has acted as a bystander, cheering Washingtons aggressive approach. Openly cheerleading illegal military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities protected by international law  as Germanys chancellor has done  does not constitute participation' in the deal, he wrote.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested in June that the West is benefitting from the Israeli assault against Iran.

This is dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us, he said.

Araghchi stressed in his Guardian column that Tehran remains open to dialogue. [Iran] is ready to forge a realistic and lasting bargain that entails ironclad oversight and curbs on enrichment in exchange for the termination of sanctions, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He cautioned that ignoring this chance could plunge the region into deeper instability, especially amid escalating tensions with Israel. The powerful armed forces of Iran are ready and able to once again pummel Israel into running to daddy to be bailed out, Araghchi warned, arguing that Israeli provocations risk dragging the US into costly conflicts.





The Trump administration had also claimed that the door remains open for talks with Iran.

The United States remains available for direct engagement with Iran  in furtherance of a peaceful, enduring resolution to the Iran nuclear issue, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement following the E3 announcement on sanctions last month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Snapback does not contradict our earnest readiness for diplomacy, it only enhances it.

A round of nuclear talks between US and Iranian officials was set to take place on June 15. But Israeli bombs started falling on Tehran two days before the scheduled negotiations, postponing them indefinitely.

Washington insists that Iran cannot enrich uranium domestically, but Iran insists that its right to enrichment is non-negotiable.

The 2015 nuclear deal  which Trump nixed during his first term as US president  gives Iran the right to enrich uranium at a low level for civilian purposes under a strict monitoring system.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The snapback mechanism in the JCPOA gave any party to the agreement  the US, UK, Germany, France, Russia or China  the power to kick-start a process to revive six UN Security Council sanctions resolutions.

And the snapback is veto-proof, meaning Russia and China, both allies of Iran, cannot block the restoration of the sanctions.

In 2020, the US tried to activate the snapback clause of the JCPOA, but the effort failed because Washington was no longer a participant in the agreement.
On the International Day for the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the Pashtun National Jirga (PNJ) released a strong statement denouncing Pakistan's persistent human rights violations against Pashtuns and called for immediate international action. The organisation noted that Pashtuns continue to endure systemic discrimination, targeted assassinations, and widespread oppression by the state, with enforced disappearances employed as a tactic of intimidation and control. As stated in a post by PNJ on X, over 4,000 Pashtuns are still missing, many of whom are believed to have been abducted, tortured, and killed in extrajudicial executions. Authorities frequently classify them as "terrorists" to rationalise the ongoing militarisation of Pashtun territories and to mislead both the Pakistani populace and the global community. The Jirga asserted that these killings and disappearances have turned into a lucrative business model, with corrupt law enforcement officers and military leaders profiting financially under the protection of the Pakistani military. Families of the disappeared are left heartbroken, with many trapped in endless sorrow and fear. The Pashtun National Jirga pointed out that countless parents, partners, and children have been awaiting the return of their loved ones for years, many of whom are likely deceased. These families are frequently denied even the opportunity to grieve, exacerbating their suffering. An example highlighted was of a child from Khyber District, who was only 20 days old when his father was taken. The Jirga also emphasised that, in many instances, the victims' only "offence" is voicing their opposition to the actions of the Pakistani military in Pashtun regions. It accused the authorities of leveraging enforced disappearances as tools of oppression and corruption, fostering a climate of fear that stifles dissent. Calling for immediate international focus, the Pashtun National Jirga urged global human rights organisations to pressure Pakistan to terminate these practices. It demanded that all missing individuals be presented before the courts, that independent enquiries be conducted into all extrajudicial killings, and that a neutral committee be formed to investigate the systematic employment of enforced disappearances. (ANI)
Guyanas President Irfaan Ali has been re-elected for a second term, according to the countrys electoral body, after a vote that gave his party a mandate to manage the South American nations newfound oil riches amid a territorial dispute with Venezuela.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) said in a statement released late on Sunday night that Alis Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had won the general election, held on September 1, securing 55 percent of the 65-seat parliament.

Alis re-election comes after the country of 800,000 people reaped a $7.5bn windfall from oil sales and royalties since ExxonMobil started pumping offshore oil in late 2019, making Guyana one of the worlds fastest-growing economies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alis government, which took power in 2020, has funnelled oil revenue into building roads, schools and hospitals, and made studying at the state university free. But he now faces a diplomatic challenge as he navigates the countrys territorial dispute with Venezuela.

Ali had already claimed victory in the elections on Wednesday.

Among the first world leaders who congratulated Ali for his victory was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wrote on X that he is looking forward to strengthening India-Guyana ties.

In remarks on Saturday, Ali replied on X that he also looks forward to working with Modi and India to further build our already strong and cordial relations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement on X, the British Embassy also congratulated Ali and Guyana for a successful and peaceful election.

Ali, a 45-year-old centre-left leader, also faces the challenge of ensuring that the benefits of Guyanas vast oil wealth reach his constituents, more than half of whom still live in poverty despite the nations soaring gross domestic product (GDP).





Alis main rival, multi-millionaire populist Azruddin Mohamed, nicknamed the Guyanese Trump, and his newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party finished second with 24.8 percent of the vote.

The opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which represents much of the countrys Afro-Guyanese population, came third with 17.7 percent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ali, whose party draws much of its support from the Indo-Guyanese community, will assume a second five-year term at a time of rising tensions with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who claims sovereignty over the oil-rich Essequibo region and appointed authorities for that area in controversial elections held in May.

Ali has the support of the United States, which is also fomenting escalating tensions with Venezuela following the deployment of warships in the Caribbean for anti-drug operations.

Maduro has recently said the US military build-up in the Caribbean is aimed at overthrowing his government, and he was ready to declare a republic in arms if attacked by US forces.

The dispute over the Essequibo region is centuries old, but it intensified in 2015 after the discovery of enormous oil resources.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Guyana currently has the largest oil reserves per capita in the world, expected to reach production of one million barrels per day by 2030, compared with the current 650,000.

The oil wealth has allowed the state budget to quadruple in five years to $6.7bn in 2025, with a world-beating economic growth of 43.6 percent in 2024.

Guyana appealed to the International Court of Justice in 2018 to ratify an 1899 award that established its current borders, but Venezuela rejects the courts jurisdiction and asserts the 1966 Geneva Agreement, which establishes the basis for a negotiated settlement.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militia fired rockets from the embattled Gaza Strip at Israel almost two years after the start of the Gaza War.

The attack was in "response to the crimes of the Zionist enemy against our people," the military wing of the terrorist organization, which has fired rockets at Israel before, said in a statement.

The Israeli military reported on Sunday morning that two projectiles had been launched from the central section of the coastal strip towards Israeli territory.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They said one rocket was intercepted by air defence, while a second landed in an open area.

Shortly before, there had been rocket alarms in Israeli border towns as well as the city of Netivot.

Since the beginning of the Gaza War, Israel has been attacked with thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip, but these attacks have now become significantly less frequent.
Israel requires a clear law, one that defines any NGO funded by a foreign government as a foreign agent, with binding restrictions and transparency," Moshe Fuzaylov said.

Israel is being attacked from within by organizations funded from abroad, without real legal restrictions and without meaningful security intervention, Moshe Fuzaylov told Maariv in an interview published Sunday.

The result is that foreign states are able to shape both Israeli and international discourse without paying a price, while Israelis argue among themselves about the so-called freedom of action of NGOs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fuzaylov, a senior researcher at the Misgav Institute for National Security and a former senior Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) official, discussed Israels ongoing cognitive and legal battle over the narrative and legitimacy of the war in Gaza since October 7.

On October 7, 2023, Israel found itself the victim of a brutal massacre, the hardest day in its history, Fuzaylov said.

It was only natural to expect that at that moment, human rights organizations, in Israel and abroad, would stand by the victim. After all, this was not a border clash, but crimes against humanity: massacre, rape, kidnapping, arson. And yet, most of those organizations arrows were directed against us.

Pro-Palestinian protesters lay on the sand, as they demonstrate on the Zuiderstrand beach against the violence in Gaza, on the sidelines of a NATO Summit, in The Hague, Netherlands June 24, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/THILO SCHMUELGEN)

He argued that the event exposed a painful truth: For years, we educated ourselves to believe that international coalitions are built on shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. But at the moment of truth, those values collapsed. What holds coalitions together are not shared values but shared interests. That is why in the West, seemingly paradoxical alliances have emerged - progressive LGBT movements marching hand in hand with Hamas supporters. Clearly, there are no shared values here, since Hamas brutally oppresses LGBT people, women, and minorities. But there is a shared interest: to turn Israel into a symbol of occupation and apartheid. Israel has become a political bargaining chip, with no cost to harming it.

Israeli law and European funding

According to Fuzaylov, Israeli law has also enabled the problem. The Associations Law requires transparency regarding foreign funding, but it does not limit the receipt of such funds. Unlike in the United States, where anybody funded by a foreign state is defined as a foreign agent and placed under strict supervision, here the field is wide open. The European Union has learned to exploit this very well. Instead of confronting Israel directly, it channels funding to local NGOs that file petitions, produce apartheid reports, and lead campaigns in the international arena. In this way, Israel becomes a target of legal and cognitive attrition, funded by European public money but carrying the stamp of an Israeli NGO.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fuzaylov also leveled criticism at the Shin Bet: Since Rabins assassination, the service has invested enormous resources in monitoring the far-right. This is a real threat that requires attention, but the result is a long-standing distortion: within the Shin Bet, there is no dedicated body dealing with the radical Left, anarchist groups, or NGOs funded by foreign governments operating under the banner of human rights, and which may even be working to undermine an elected government. In practice, the Shin Bet shut the door on the Left more than twenty years ago. This has left an entire front exposed - a front where the battle over world public opinion is being waged almost without any security oversight.

Steps for decision makers

Fuzaylov called for fundamental change: Israel requires a clear law, one that defines any NGO funded by a foreign government as a foreign agent, with binding restrictions and transparency. It also needs a balanced Shin Bet, one that recognizes that threats to democracy can come from both the Right and the Left, especially when it involves foreign funding intended to weaken Israels resilience.

He added that the next Shin Bet chief will face a historic mission: to restore balance. He must rebuild the division that deals with the Right, establish a division to also address threats from the Left and from NGOs operating with foreign funding, recommend protective legislation, and ensure that the service is not captive to past traumas but faithful to one principle - the defense of the State of Israel, its sovereignty, and the legitimacy of its existence.

Israels struggle is not only military against Hamas or Iran. It is also being fought in the legal, cognitive, and political arenas. To win it, we must understand that shared values no longer hold. Only shared interests, protective legislation, and a balanced security service will ensure that we can withstand the international industry working to undermine our legitimacy, he concluded.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  The Israeli army issued evacuation orders and targeted high-rise buildings in Gaza City on Saturday, urging Palestinians to flee south ahead of an escalating offensive to seize the city of nearly 1 million.

Aid groups warn that a large-scale evacuation would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza City, which the worlds leading hunger watchdog announced last month was officially suffering from famine as a result of Israeli restrictions on food aid.

Most Palestinian families have been repeatedly displaced in the nearly two-year-long war and say they have nowhere left to go. The Israeli military has previously bombed tent encampments designated as humanitarian zones.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is no safe tent, no safe house, no safe place, no safety at all, said Nadia Marouf, who fled Israels offensive in the north with her children and resettled in Gaza City  only to see her tent destroyed Saturday in an Israeli airstrike that wiped out a 15-story building and surrounding encampment.

Where do I go? We went to the south, there is no space in the south, where can we go?

Israeli army urges Palestinians to move

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee called on Palestinians to flee to southern Gaza, announcing on social media that the army had redrawn the borders of a humanitarian zone to encompass the overcrowded encampment of Muwasi and parts of the southern city of Khan Younis.

Aid groups have raised alarm about woefully inadequate shelter, sanitation, water and food in Muwasi. Months of Israeli bombardment have decimated civilian infrastructure in Khan Younis.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Israeli military said it would work to provide field hospitals, water pipelines and food supplies within its humanitarian zone.

Hamas urged Palestinians to stay put in defiance of the latest evacuation orders. Exhausted and despairing, many Palestinians had their own reasons for refusing to pack up and uproot themselves again.

I cant walk, I am in pain, and I do not know what to do or where to go, said Ala Alfarani, whose tent was crushed beneath a pile of rubble in Israels strike on a high-rise in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of south Gaza City.

Israel targets high-rises in Gaza City

Israel on Saturday issued evacuation warnings for two high-rises in Gaza City, with Adraee, the military spokesperson, accusing Hamas of operating inside or near the towers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Soon after, Adraee said that the military had struck one of them.

Hamas rejected the allegations, insisting the high-rises were residential towers.

Residents of Sousi Tower, a prominent 15-story building, told The Associated Press that the Israeli army gave them around 20 minutes to grab their belongings and flee before warplanes razed the building.

We were sitting at home and people started shouting, recalled resident Aida Abu Kas, describing panic and confusion rippling through the building. Some said it was a lie and other said it was real. We went out and didnt know what to do.

It was not immediately clear if people had been killed or wounded in the strike.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel Katz, Israels defense minister, posted a video of the Sousi Tower collapsing in an enormous cloud of smoke along with the words: We continue.

It was the second Gaza City tower demolished in as many days. On Friday, Israel hit Mushtaha Tower, a local landmark that housed dozens of families, saying that Hamas militants had used it for surveillance. Hamas denied those claims.

The leveling of high-rises comes as Israel ramps up its offensive against Hamas after announcing plans to take control of Gazas largest city, where displaced Palestinian families have pitched tents on the ruins of bombed-out buildings.

Earlier this week, the Israeli military said it had seized control of 40% of the city.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel says the assault is aimed at pressuring Hamas to surrender. Critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accuse him of prolonging the war for political reasons.

More Palestinians killed by Israeli fire at aid sites

Medical officials at Gaza Citys Shifa Hospital reported receiving the bodies of 11 Palestinians whom they said had been shot and killed by Israeli soldiers Saturday while gathering to get food at the Zikim crossing between Gaza and Israel.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the shooting deaths. But it has previously acknowledged its forces opening fire to disperse large crowds at food distribution sites or as warning shots when Palestinians approach in what it says is a threatening manner.

Such deadly episodes often occur at Zikim crossing, where desperate Palestinians rush toward U.N. humanitarian aid trucks entering the enclave as hunger spreads across the territory. Netanyahu has rejected reports of famine in Gaza as a global campaign of lies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The director of Shifa Hospital, Mohamed Abu Selmiya, said that on Friday, another 23 Palestinians were killed across the Gaza Strip while seeking aid, six of them at Zikim.

Its the same every day, gunfire and tank shelling whenever we try to approach the aid trucks, said Ibrahim al-Taweel, 24, who endures the mayhem at Zakim to get food otherwise unaffordable in Gaza City due to shortages and price gouging.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 2,000 Palestinians have been killed at distribution sites in recent months, many of them by Israeli fire.

Thousands protest for return of hostages

Thousands of Israelis rallied across Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Saturday evening to increase pressure on Netanyahu to reach a deal with Hamas that would free the remaining 48 hostages held in Gaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The protesters vented their outrage at the militarys renewed assault on Gaza City, fearing the escalation will further endanger their captive loved ones. The Israeli military estimates that 20 hostages in Gaza are still alive.

That is not how you return abducted men and women, said Gil Dickmann, whose cousin Carmel Gat, was killed in captivity last year. That is how you kill abducted men and women.

In Jerusalem, massive crowds marched through the city shouting all of them now! and spilled into the streets outside Netanyahus residence, chanting traitor, traitor!

The government is burying them alive, one protest sign read. An unsigned deal kills them all, read another.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A Hamas propaganda video released Friday, the 700th day of the war, has intensified anxiety over the fate of the hostages. The apparently recent footage showed two hostages  Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Alon Ohel  looking gaunt and exhausted while being driven around Gaza City.

Enough waiting, enough understanding, enough already! Michel Iluz, whose son Guy Iluz was killed while captive in Gaza, shouted into the microphone at the Jerusalem protest, the pain in his voice mounting to a howl. Were fed up! How much longer can you abuse us?

In Tel Aviv, demonstrators poured into Hostages Square for the weekly Saturday night demonstration, unfurling a massive banner appealing to President Donald Trump to save the hostages now!

A lasting truce has proven elusive. Hamas said it had accepted a ceasefire proposal from Arab mediators last month. Israel has not yet responded to the offer, vowing to continue the war until Hamas disarms and releases all hostages.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel also has insisted on retaining open-ended security control of the territory of some 2 million Palestinians  a condition unacceptable to Hamas.

The war erupted when Hamas-led militants invaded southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 others on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants beyond saying that women and children make up around half the dead.
The IDF said dozens of Houthi drones launched from Yemen have been intercepted in recent months, highlighting a diminished but persistent threat.

The Houthi drone attack on Ramon Airport and the Western Negev leads to questions about whether the drone threat is suddenly changing or has still to be largely defeated.

First, a little background on the trend: On September 4, the Israel Defense Forces said that in recent months, as part of the cooperation between the [Israel] Air Force arrays, dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles and surface-to-surface missiles launched from Yemen were successfully intercepted. The interception of Houthi drones has become relatively rare. It is also seen as routine, to the extent that no sirens are usually sounded  and these interceptions could happen without anyone knowing it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The trend changed on September 7, when there were several drones launched at Israel by the Houthis in Yemen. Two were intercepted on the way to Israel, but one crossed through the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and threatened the Western Negev.

Sirens regarding a hostile aircraft infiltration were sounded in the area of Nitzana. The details are under review, the IDF reported. Soon after, another drone, also apparently launched by the Houthis, fell at Ramon Airport, and one person was lightly wounded by shrapnel. The IDF said that no sirens had sounded, and the incident is under review.

The incident on September 7 shows that Houthi drones can penetrate Israeli airspace. However, these incidents have been rare. In general, the drones do not enter Israeli airspace, and sirens do not sound because the threat does not reach Israel. Instead, they are being intercepted, once or twice a week, on the way to Israel.

A protester carries a mock drone as demonstrators, predominantly Houthi supporters, rally to show support to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Sanaa, Yemen February 16, 2024. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)

With the exception of the Ramon Airport attack on September 7, the only reason the public knows about the continued drone threat from the Iranian-backed Houthis is because the IDF continues to tell the public that it is intercepting them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier today, the IDF intercepted two UAVs that were launched from Yemen. No sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol, the IDF said on September 4.

The IDF also intercepted another drone last Monday. On August 28, the IDF had reported, A short while ago, a UAV launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF. The target was intercepted prior to crossing into Israeli territory.

On August 22, the IDF noted that A short while ago, sirens sounded in the communities near the Gaza Strip following the identification of a UAV launched from Yemen. Interceptors were launched toward the target.

The Houthi drone threat has now become a trickle. However, the Ramon attack shows that it is still a threat and could become dangerous again.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In fact, it was always a trickle. Since the Israel-Hamas War began, the Houthis have launched numerous drones at Israel. However, they have usually only launched them in small numbers.

One drone killed a person in Tel Aviv in 2024. In general, though, the Houthi drone threat has not been deadly. The Houthis have sometimes appeared to achieve surprise by getting one of their drones to approach Israel from the Mediterranean. This is complex for them because it means flying more than 2,000 miles to reach Israel.

The Houthis learned to make drones from the Iranians. They initially deployed them against Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2021. The Houthi drone threat increased during that era. The Houthis became proficient at attacking radars and airports and other installations.

Drone ranges have extended

The Houthis also extended the range of their drones and used several types. Some of the drones consisted of a long tube-like fuselage with a warhead, guidance system, and long, rectangular wings. They were basically a large model airplane. Houthi drones and some of the systems used to guide them, such as gyroscopes, were traced over the years, linking them to Iran and to other countries where Iran exported its drones.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Islamic Republic exported key pieces for the drones, such as engines, to Yemen. Iran didnt usually send the drones in complete form. Rather, like the Houthi ballistic missile program, the Houthis learned to build drones on their own.

In January 2021, satellite photos published by Newsweek appeared to show that a new drone threat had emerged in Yemen. The Houthis had acquired the Shahed-136, capable of flying the distance from Yemen to Israel and clearly aimed at increasing the Houthis' capabilities to attack the Jewish state. It should have been a red flag, especially in the wake of the Iranian attack on Abqaiq in Saudi Arabia, using drones and cruise missiles in 2019.

Iran had shown that one could hobble the Saudi energy industry using relatively inexpensive drones and missiles. The Houthis had similar systems. This was a curtain raiser. Iran and its proxy groups, such as the Houthis, could do the same to Israel.

Iran exported the Shahed-136 to the Houthis and to Russia. By 2022, Russia had invaded Ukraine and was using Shahed-136s to attack Ukrainian cities. Russia initially used these drones by the dozens  meaning that they might launch from 20 to 100 drones a night at Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, by 2025, the Russians had vastly increased their drone capabilities. On the evening of September 6-7, they are estimated to have launched 800 drones at Ukraine. This is a massive and unprecedented number.

Meanwhile, the Houthis have launched one or two drones a week at Israel. This illustrates how their drone threat has been reduced but not completely defeated. Its never good to underestimate an enemy; however, it is clear that, while the Iranians pioneered kamikaze drone threats, they have not been able to operationalize them successfully. Israels air defenses have outpaced the Iranian-backed drone threat.
Israel and Denmark plan to establish a joint team to explore new ways to evacuate patients from the Gaza Strip, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said at a press conference on Sunday with his Danish counterpart Lars Lkke Rasmussen in Jerusalem.

"I hope that we can work something out which is doable and actually have some real impact," Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen criticized Israel's previous approach to the issue: "It would, of course, have been much easier if you would allow transport of the patients from Gaza to East Jerusalem, but I can't force you to do that, even though it could save many lives."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Denmark has also offered support in treating Gaza patients in the West Bank. Saar explained that there were security concerns regarding the issue. However, he said that an evacuation of patients from the Gaza Strip to other countries, such as Arab states, was possible.

Solidarity after Hamas massacre but calls for end to Gaza war

Rasmussen stressed the strong relations between Israel and Denmark over the years. He expressed understanding for Israel's right to self-defence following the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others abducted.

He said it was the worst attack on a Jewish community since World War II.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the same time, the Danish foreign minister described himself as "a friend that wants [Israel] to change course." He expressed deep concern about "the humanitarian disaster in Gaza" as well as the settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

Rasmussen, whose country currently holds the six-month rotating EU presidency, called for an immediate halt to the Gaza war.
Israel and Denmark plan to establish a joint team to explore new ways to evacuate patients from the Gaza Strip, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said at a press conference on Sunday with his Danish counterpart Lars Lkke Rasmussen in Jerusalem.

"I hope that we can work something out which is doable and actually have some real impact," Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen criticized Israel's previous approach to the issue: "It would, of course, have been much easier if you would allow transport of the patients from Gaza to East Jerusalem, but I can't force you to do that, even though it could save many lives."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Denmark has also offered support in treating Gaza patients in the West Bank. Saar explained that there were security concerns regarding the issue. However, he said that an evacuation of patients from the Gaza Strip to other countries, such as Arab states, was possible.

Solidarity after Hamas massacre but calls for end to Gaza war

Rasmussen stressed the strong relations between Israel and Denmark over the years. He expressed understanding for Israel's right to self-defence following the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others abducted.

He said it was the worst attack on a Jewish community since World War II.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the same time, the Danish foreign minister described himself as "a friend that wants [Israel] to change course." He expressed deep concern about "the humanitarian disaster in Gaza" as well as the settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

Rasmussen, whose country currently holds the six-month rotating EU presidency, called for an immediate halt to the Gaza war.

Saar said that the war could end immediately if the Palestinian Islamist terrorist organization Hamas returns the remaining 48 hostages it holds and lays down its arms.

He added that disarming Hamas could also guarantee a better future for the Palestinians, "released from the oppressive and terrorist regime of Hamas."

Saar called anti-Semitism in Europe "an old disease" that he said now has a new face "and the new face of anti-Semitism is anti-Israeli."
Israel has destroyed another high-rise in Gaza City, bringing the number of buildings razed during its campaign to seize the largest urban centre in the Gaza Strip to at least 50, according to the Palestinian Civil Defence.

The attack on Al-Ruya Tower on Sunday came as Israeli forces killed at least 65 people across the Gaza Strip, including 49 in the northern part of the besieged enclave.

The Israeli military said it struck Al-Ruya Tower on Sunday after issuing an evacuation threat, forcing residents and displaced families sheltering in makeshift tents in the neighbourhood to flee.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The head of the Palestinian NGOs Network, Amjad Shawa, who was near the site of the attack, told Al Jazeera that the situation is scary, with panic spreading among the people.

Today, hundreds of families lost their shelters. Israel [is] aiming to force Palestinians to the southern areas using these explosions, but everyone knows that there is no safe place in the south or any humanitarian zone, Shawa said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the military was eliminating terrorist infrastructure and nefarious terrorist high-rises, a talking point that Israel often repeats as it obliterates civilian infrastructure in Gaza.

The attack on Al-Ruya  a five-storey building with 24 apartments, as well as department stores, a clinic and a gym  follows an earlier one on the Al Jazeera Club in central Gaza City, where tents housing displaced families were also hit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It comes after Israel targeted the 15-storey Soussi Tower on Saturday and the 12-storey Mushtaha Tower on Friday. Several Palestinians sheltering in tent encampments around those towers were wounded.





One family that had their shelter destroyed when the Soussi Tower was reduced to rubble said, We have nothing left for us.

We quickly left the building without bringing anything with us. The Israelis attacked the building half an hour later, the Palestinian man said. Now, we are trying to stay away from the eyes of the other people by trying to sew some fabrics and sheets, he said, referring to his familys attempt to put up a new shelter.

Israeli escalation in Gaza City

Israels security cabinet approved a plan for the military occupation of Gaza City in August, a move Netanyahu suggested had already led to the displacement of 100,000 Palestinians.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As Israel pushes to displace residents of Gaza City to the south of the enclave, Palestinians have been saying that nowhere is safe in the territory.

Gazas Ministry of Interior issued a statement on Sunday warning Palestinians in Gaza City not to trust Israels claim that it had set up a humanitarian zone in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis.

We call on citizens in Gaza City to beware of the occupations deceitful claims about the existence of a humanitarian safe zone in the south of the Strip, it said in a statement.

The Israeli military had designated al-Mawasi a humanitarian zone early on in its campaign against Gaza. Since then, it has been bombed repeatedly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Al Jazeeras Hani Mahmoud reported that every five to 10 minutes, you can hear the sounds of explosions from all directions in Gaza City, including heavy bombing in the Sabra and Zeitoun neighbourhoods.

Israeli forces are using remotely controlled explosive robots, and detonating them in residential streets, destroying neighbourhoods, he said. In Sheikh Radwan, Mahmoud added, homes, public facilities, schools and a mosque had been hit.





Rescuers reported that at least eight Palestinians, including children, were killed when Israeli forces bombed the al-Farabi school-turned-shelter, west of Gaza City.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sohaib Foda, who was sleeping on a mattress in Gaza Citys al-Farabi School when the attack took place, said the attack left her and a young relative wounded.

I heard a thud, and a block fell on my face. My cousins daughter, who was sleeping here, got injured and fell beside me. Another block then fell on her head, Foda said.

Everyone was screaming. I was scared. When I touched my face, it was covered in blood, and I realised I had been injured.

Mohammed Ayed, who witnessed the attack, said the school was hit by two rockets. He said teams were still working in the rubble to rescue missing people or recover their remains.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We have recovered two hands so far, he said. As you can see, these are childrens hands.

Israels war on Gaza has killed at least 64,368 Palestinians and wounded 162,776 since October 2023, according to Gazas health authorities. Thousands more remain buried under the rubble as famine continues to spread across the enclave.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, meanwhile, said at least five people, including three children, have starved to death in Gaza over the past day.

These figures bring the total number of malnutrition deaths in Gaza to 387, including 138 children, since the start of Israels war on Gaza. Since the global hunger monitor, IPC, confirmed the famine in northern Gaza on August 22, at least 109 hunger-related deaths have been recorded, 23 of them children, the ministry added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Academics, United Nations experts and leading rights groups have described the horrific Israeli atrocities in Gaza as a genocide.

Later on Sunday, United States President Donald Trump suggested that he put forward a new proposal to end the war in Gaza, calling it a final warning for Hamas.

The Palestinian group acknowledged receiving ideas from the US, saying that it welcomes any efforts to reach a lasting ceasefire.
The defense establishment is preparing for the possible outbreak of epidemics by expanding medical services and distributing vaccines, especially polio vaccines.

The defense establishment is preparing for the next stage on the path to capturing Gaza City, with plans to transfer 100,000 tents to southern Gaza and designated humanitarian zones, a security source said Sunday.

Based on data presented to the defense minister, the tents will be moved to a new humanitarian area near Khan Yunis for the hundreds of thousands of people evacuated from northern Gaza and Gaza City.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These are donations from international organizations and the UN, the security source explained.

We estimate that part of the population will not move with their tent from Gaza. We are already seeing that when an individual or a family decides to relocate, they fold up their belongings and tent, move with them, and set up the tent again. Still, we want to bring in a very large number of tents to facilitate the movement of the population to a safer area.

The source told Walla: We will create a kind of humanitarian prioritization of aid to the South in order to draw the population there, but that does not mean that aid will not continue to enter the North in the initial stages, as long as there is a population in the North.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid line up near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, Egypt, August 13, 2025. (credit: Stringer/Reuters)

Infrastructure and humanitarian aid efforts

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) is working to restore infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip. This includes establishing humanitarian corridors connected to the health system, expanding hospitals, renovating existing hospitals, and enlarging existing field hospitals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hamas, the source noted, also maintains a governing and administrative arm divided into different ministries that continue to provide services to the public, including the Information Ministry, the Health Ministry, and municipal functions. The municipalities in the Strip are operating at a very low capacity but are still functioning.

The second arm is the military one, which the IDF has severely damaged, but parts of it still exist and pose a challenge, and we will continue to fight it and dismantle it, the source said.

Concerns about epidemics in the Strip

The official also addressed concerns about epidemics and diseases spreading alongside the fighting. For two years now, and even today, about a million people in the Gaza Strip have been living in tents. Some of them live in houses that were not damaged in the war.

"However, we are doing everything possible to stabilize the humanitarian situation, which involves bringing in resources such as water desalination facilities, sewage and wastewater systems, and enabling the international community to repair and restore all related infrastructure. We are allowing vaccines to enter so the population can remain healthy. We have brought in enormous quantities of polio vaccines, for example. Food convoys have also increased.

At the same time, the defense establishment is preparing for the possible outbreak of epidemics by expanding medical services and distributing vaccines, especially polio vaccines, following the outbreak that began after the start of the war.
The UN refugee agency has said that the expiry of the Proof of Registration (PoR) card grace period that ended on August 31 has triggered a sharp rise in the return of Afghans from Pakistan, Dawn reported. A situation report of the UNHCR released on Friday said that in August alone, returns increased by 254 per cent, while deportations rose by 191 per cent as compared to July, coinciding with the start of the third phase of the 'Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan' (IFPR). The report says 5,31,700 Afghans have returned from Pakistan as of September 4, as per Dawn. Since April, more than 4,83,700 Afghans have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan, including 145,200 in August alone, with some 55,000 making the journey in just the final four days of the month. The proportion of Proof of Registration (PoR) card holders among returnees has steadily increased, rising from 6 per cent in April to 21-23 per cent between May and July, as per Dawn. In August, this share grew sharply, with PoR cardholders accounting for 54 per cent (77,700 individuals) of all returns recorded to date, the UNHCR data shows. Some 57,300 individuals have been arrested and detained since April, including PoR card holders. In August alone, some 9,000 arrests were recorded, compared to some 3,400 in July. The top three districts for arrest and detention are Chaghi (Balochistan), Islamabad and Pishin (Balochistan). In Afghanistan, the UNHCR continued to biometrically process and provide cash assistance to PoR card holders and their nuclear family members, UNHCR slip holders, asylum seeker certificate holders and other protection referrals. This support is aimed at alleviating the difficulties faced by Afghans who have returned home hastily and often largely unprepared due to the circumstances in Pakistan, the report says. Meanwhile, on Friday, Afghan migrants living in Pakistan reported a sharp rise in forced deportations after the expiry of the government's deadline on August 31, Tolo News reported. Community representatives and migrants said the Pakistani authorities have intensified removals, leaving many families in distress. (ANI)
Credit: Reuters

Israel bombed a high-rise residential tower after issuing an evacuation order for Palestinian civilians as its forces continued their assault on Gaza City.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) repeated an evacuation order on Sunday, a day after a similar warning, telling residents near the Al-Ruya building and tents nearby that it would soon be struck.

Palestinians say the building is used to shelter displaced families, but Avichay Adraee, the IDFs Arabic language spokesman, said forces would strike due to the presence of Hamas terrorist infrastructure inside or near it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.

Mr Adraee called on civilians to move southwards to the humanitarian zone in the Al Muwasi area in Khan Younis, where the IDF said humanitarian infrastructure awaited them, including field hospitals, water pipelines, desalination facilities, and continued supply of food and medicines.

Israel said on Sunday that some 1,900 trucks collected and distributed humanitarian aid in Gaza the past week.

The increase in humanitarian efforts comes after intense international pressure on Israel to relieve the dire situation in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the IDF ramped up air strikes against high-rise buildings in Gaza City.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said that some 100,000 Palestinians had left Gaza City ahead of the ground invasion but that Hamas was trying to do everything to prevent them from leaving and to keep them there to serve as human shields.

We want to focus on the terrorists themselves and enable the civilian population to go out. Our effort in the last important stronghold, Gaza City, is part of our effort to complete the crushing of the stranglehold by the Iranian axis, Mr Netanyahu added.

Hamas has called on civilians to stay in their residential areas and ignore the evacuation orders, saying there were no safe zones in southern Gaza.

Around one million civilians still reside in Gaza City, according to UN estimates.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Netanyahu said that the IDF was deepening the manoeuvre on the outskirts of Gaza City and within Gaza City itself.

Palestinians inspect the site of a collapsed residential building shortly after it was hit in an Israeli air strike - Khamis Al-Rifi/Reuters

The IDF has been operating for weeks in the Zeitoun neighbourhood adjacent to Gaza City, including on Sunday when soldiers dismantled a tunnel that spanned hundreds of metres.

Inside they located an operations room used by Hamass Zeitoun Battalion to co-ordinate terror activities against IDF troops, the IDF said.

The brigades fire-control centre struck and eliminated terrorists who were hiding in a building beneath which an operational shaft leading to an underground terror tunnel was located.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition, dozens of terror targets were targeted, including observation posts and weapons storage facilities that posed a direct threat to IDF troops in the area.

Other air strikes in Gaza City were also reported on Sunday, with one video showing an attack on a building in a narrow street with civilians not far from the scene.

An Israeli official confirmed to The Telegraph that the IDF was expected to invade Gaza City in about a week, with some 60,000 reserve soldiers called up.

Public diplomacy damage

World leaders have called on Israel not to go through with the invasion of Gaza City, warning about the repercussions for civilians who will get caught in battles between Israel and Hamas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Netanyahu addressed the public diplomacy damage Israel is facing, with accusations of war crimes and starvation in Gaza. He said: If I need to choose between victory over our enemies and malicious propaganda against us, I choose victory over our enemies, as opposed to the opposite.

I do not want stories that we have been beaten by our enemies and for us to be eulogised well in the global media. I choose victory, he added.

Yair Lapid, Israels opposition leader, lashed out at Mr Netanyahu on Sunday, saying his government was not even trying to bring the Israeli hostages back home.

Theres a hostage deal on the table. A deal could be done, should be done. What mustnt be done is not to even try, Mr Lapid said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last month, Hamas agreed to a 60-day ceasefire that would see the release of 10 living and 18 dead hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, some serving life in jail for murder.

As Israel continued to call on civilians in Gaza City to evacuate, the Houthi rebels in Yemen launched another wave of drones at Israel, with one targeting the Ramon airport.

The IDF said it was investigating why sirens werent activated when the drone hit the airport, leaving shattered glass and one person wounded. The IDF shot down the three other drones that crossed Israeli territory from Egypt.

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.
(NewsNation)  Some Israeli reserve fighters say they are refusing to fight and risk jail time rather than serve in Gaza City.

Earlier this week, Israel began mobilizing thousands of reservists to widen its offensive in the territory. Its military declared Gaza City a dangerous combat zone after the difficulty surrounding troops trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the area.

The war right now is a direct threat to our future. Its a direct threat to the future of Israelis, of civilians, of our own values, said Max Kresch, an Israeli-American combat medic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel declares Gazas largest city a combat zone and halts humanitarian pauses

Kresh and others have begun questioning the wars ultimate outcome. Mounting global anger over the war is contributing to a growing threat against Jews, he added. You have the Israeli government who is increasingly providing a framework for this antisemitism to grow.

Some of the reservists have also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of extending the war with Hamas to ensure his political survival.

Im willing to put my life in captivity in order to save this place, and going to the army now is the destruction of Israel, completely, added Zeev Bogomolny, who served with an artillery unit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

UAE warns against Israeli annexation of West Bank as strikes in Gaza kill 31

Despite the dissent, thousands of reservists are expected to report for the operations.

Israels military has given a warning to Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City for safer purposes to avoid the new operations as well.

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 Steven Scheer

(Reuters) - Israel's Ramon Airport near the southern city of Eilat resumed operations after being briefly shut on Sunday when a drone launched from Yemen struck the arrivals hall, Israel's Airports Authority said.

Two people were injured by shrapnel, the national ambulance service said.

"Following the completion of all safety and security checks, compliance with international civil aviation standards, and receipt of final approval from the Air Force  Ramon Airport has now been reopened for full operations, for both departures and arrivals," the authority said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The first flight from Ramon to Ben Gurion Airport (near Tel Aviv) is expected to depart shortly."

Takeoffs and landings at the airport were halted for around two hours as the Israeli military said it was investigating the crash of a drone that was launched from Yemen and fell in the area of the airport. The Airports Authority said it was in the arrivals hall.

The Israeli military said in a statement posted on Telegram that the drone was detected by Israeli Air Force systems but was not classified as a hostile drone. Accordingly, the interception and alert systems were not activated.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility for attacking Ramon Airport with the drone, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel's national ambulance service Magen David Adom said a 63-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were injured by shrapnel and were being evacuated to receive medical treatment.

FLIGHTS SCHEDULED SUNDAY

The airport located near the Red Sea resort city of Eilat on the border with Jordan and Egypt, and some 350 km (218 miles) from Tel Aviv, mostly handles domestic flights.

Israeli carriers Israir and Arkia had flights scheduled from the airport on Sunday.

Israir said it was operating in accordance with instructions from the country's airport authorities, and passengers will be updated accordingly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Arkia, which also operates domestic flights between Tel Aviv and Eilat, said passengers and flight crew who were at the airport were safe and unharmed. After inspections, it was determined that no damage was caused to its aircraft, and that it would restart flights once Ramon resumes normal operations, it added.

The Iran-backed Houthis have been launching missiles and drones thousands of kilometres north towards Israel, in what the group says are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Israel has retaliated by bombing Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including the vital Hodeidah port.

The direct hit on Israel from Yemen on Sunday, if confirmed by the Houthis, would be the first major attack since Israel killed senior officials of the group in late August.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In May, the Houthis struck near Israel's Ben Gurion, the country's main airport, in an attack that injured eight people.

The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have also been attacking vessels in the Red Sea since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Additional reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly and JAidaa Taha; Writing by Menna Alaa El-Din and Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Tomasz Janowski, Susan Fenton and Paul Simao)
Mashaal praised the "resistance" of youth on university campuses, and rejected Hamas disarmament as tantamount to "taking away our souls," in an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday. A slight majority, 51%, of Americans between the ages of 18-21 are not only involved in the Palestinian cause, but are active in Hamas "resistance," leader of the terror group Khaled Mashaal said in an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)  A drone fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels breached Israel's multilayered air defenses on Sunday and slammed into the country's southern airport, the Israeli military said, blowing out glass windows, wounding one person and briefly shutting down commercial airspace.

The damage to Ramon Airport appeared limited and flights resumed within hours. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strike.

The attack follows Israeli strikes on Yemen's rebel-held capital that killed the Houthi prime minister and other top officials in a major escalation of the nearly 2-year-old conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group in Yemen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Gaza City, the Israeli military on Sunday leveled another high-rise tower that housed hundreds of displaced Palestinians and urged people to move south as it intensified its offensive on the city.

Meanwhile, a breakthrough Israeli Supreme Court decision ruled that Israel was not providing Palestinian detainees in its custody with enough food to ensure basic sustenance. It ordered the state to guarantee basic living conditions in accordance with the law for the thousands of Palestinians in its detention facilities.

Sunday's ruling, made in response to a petition by Israeli human rights groups alleging starvation among Palestinians in the country's prisons, marked a rare instance of Israeli legal restraint on its own war policies that have drawn indignation and outrage abroad.

Yemen's Houthi rebels escalate attacks on Israel

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After Israel's killing of Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi last Thursday, the militants vowed to escalate their attacks targeting Israel and merchant ships navigating the vital Red Sea trade route.

One of several Houthi drones launched from Yemen on Sunday slipped through Israels sophisticated defense system and crashed into the passenger terminal at the Ramon International Airport near the resort city of Eilat, the Israeli Airports Authority said, diverting flights over southern Israel and inflicting light shrapnel wounds on a 63-year-old man.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group had fired eight drones at Israel to signal that the rebels will escalate their military operations and not back down from their support for Gaza. He warned that Israeli airports are unsafe and will be continuously targeted.

The Israeli military said it intercepted three Houthi drones near Israel's border with Egypt and was investigating why it failed to identify the fourth drone that struck Ramon Airport as a threat.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Houthis have stepped up their aerial attacks on Israel in recent months, including by deploying warheads with cluster munitions that scatter smaller bomblets over a large area and can evade Israeli air defenses.

Saying that they were acting in solidarity with the Palestinians, the Houthis began firing missiles and drones into Israel after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel ignited the Israeli militarys devastating campaign in Gaza. Hamas militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted over 250 in their assault on southern Israel.

While frequent, the aerial attacks from Yemen have not caused significant damage in Israel.

Before Sunday's assault, the most damaging Houthi attack was in May, when a Houthi missile struck near Israels main Ben Gurion Airport, prompting international airlines to cancel flights to Tel Aviv for months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel destroys another high-rise in Gaza City

The Israeli military said it razed another high-rise building in Gaza City on Sunday, shortly after military spokesperson Avichay Adraee ordered the evacuation of people from a seven-story building in a southern Gaza City neighborhood and nearby tents. Al-Raiya Tower crumbled in a flash, its facade cascading down into a heap of rubble and sending people scrambling for cover.

Israel said the building targeted on Sunday had been used by Hamas for intelligence-gathering activities. Hamas denied the accusation. It was unclear how many people had been killed or wounded in the attack.

It's the third Gaza City high-rise leveled in as many days as Israel ramps up its offensive to take control of what it portrays as Hamas' last remaining stronghold, urging Palestinians to flee parts of Gaza City for a designated humanitarian zone in the territorys south.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many Palestinians, exhausted from being displaced multiple time during the war, have opted to stay put rather than uproot themselves for jam-packed, increasingly unsanitary tent encampments that are unprepared to handle the influx. Others reluctantly fled even as past Israeli attacks on humanitarian zones have reinforced the feeling that nowhere is safe in the enclave.

Every time we move to a place, we get displaced from it, said Shireen Al-Lada, who fled south from eastern Gaza City after her house in the once-bustling urban neighborhood of Zeitoun was destroyed.

Officials at Gaza City's Shifa Hospital reported that Israeli strikes on a school-turned-shelter and on tents and apartment buildings killed at least 13 Palestinians, including six children and three women.

The Israeli military said it was targeting militants near the school and had warned civilians to evacuate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital said it had received five dead bodies, including that of a young girl, after Israel struck a gathering in the U.N.-administered Nuseirat refugee camp. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strike.

Over 64,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the war began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry that does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. It says that more than half the casualties are women and children.

Trump claims Israel accepted his ceasefire terms; Israel is silent

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on social media on Sunday that Israel accepted his terms for a ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to do the same. It was not clear precisely what those terms were.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting, President Donald Trump wrote. This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Trump has previously issued similar such ultimatums to Hamas.

There was no immediate Israeli confirmation of his claim, which came as preparations for the Israeli militarys advance on Gaza City move ahead and negotiations remain at an impasse. The Israeli prime ministers office did not respond to a request for comment.

Hamas confirmed it received through intermediaries some ideas from the U.S. and said it welcomed any initiative to end the war that involved the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

But the group said it had not dropped its insistence on a full-scale Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and formation of an independent Palestinian committee to administer Gaza's civil affairs  conditions that Israel has rejected in the past. It also gave no indication it would disband its armed wing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted on Hamas full disarmament as a condition for a comprehensive ceasefire.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing many families of hostages, called on the Israeli government to declare its unequivocal support for the emerging agreement."

Netanyahu's plan to take control of Gaza City has outraged families of hostages and their supporters, who fear the ground offensive will further imperil the 20 out of 48 hostages in Gaza still thought to be alive.

Defying criticism at home and abroad, Netanyahu vowed at his Cabinet meeting earlier Sunday to press ahead with the assault, saying he'd rather a victory over our enemies than one over anti-Israel propaganda."

____

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Sally Abou Aljoud in Beirut, Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Isabel DeBre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, contributed to this report.
Yemens Houthi group has claimed responsibility for a drone strike against Israels Ramon Airport near the Red Sea city of Eilat that injured two people.

The attack on Sunday, which targeted the arrivals hall, had halted operations at the airport for around two hours.

A drone targeted Ramon Airport, which, by Allahs grace, directly hit the airport and caused the airport to shut down and halt air traffic, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He added that the attack was part of a broader drone operation that also targeted other sites in southern Israel.

Saree vowed that the Houthis will escalate their attacks against Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

The Yemeni Armed Forces assure all air navigation companies that the airports inside occupied Palestine are unsafe and will be continuously targeted, he said.

A warship in Eilat, Israel [File: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP]

Earlier, the Israeli military said the air force had intercepted three drones launched from Yemen. It said two were intercepted prior to crossing into Israeli territory, but did not elaborate on the status of the third.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing the Israeli rescue services, reported that two people were lightly wounded in the drone strike.

A 63-year-old man was injured by shrapnel, and a 52-year-old woman was injured after she fell. It said emergency workers evacuated them to a hospital in Eilat, while others who suffered panic attacks received medical care at the scene.

Israeli Army Radio reported that a preliminary investigation into the damage at the airport indicated the drone had not been spotted by the air forces detection systems at all.

The airport, located near the resort city of Eilat on the border with Jordan and Egypt, mostly handles domestic flights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Houthis in Yemen have been launching missiles and drones at Israel in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians under relentless Israeli fire. They have also been attacking vessels in the Red Sea since the start of Israels war on Gaza in October 2023.





Israel has been bombing Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including the vital Hodeidah port.

Its latest barrage killed senior Yemeni officials late last month, including Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of the Houthi-affiliated government and other cabinet ministers. Large numbers of civilians have also been killed in Israeli strikes.

In May, a Houthi missile hit near Israels main airport, Ben Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv, injuring four people lightly and causing many airlines to cancel their flights to Israel for months. Israel later struck and destroyed the main airport in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.
CAIRO (Reuters) -The Israeli military's Arabic spokesperson on Sunday issued a new evacuation warning for residents in a building in Gaza City and surrounding tents, as Israel called again for Hamas to surrender.

It was the second warning for the same building and tents housing displaced families in little over 24 hours.

(Reporting by Jaidaa Taha and Muhammad Al GebalyEditing by Tomasz Janowski)
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has accused the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of thwarting diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war.

"There is a hostage deal on the table. It can be done, it must be done," Lapid said at a parliamentary group meeting of the centre-right Yesh Atid (Future Party), which he leads, in Tel Aviv, the Times of Israel reported.

Lapid was referring to the efforts of international mediators to bring about an agreement between Israel and the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip in indirect talks on the release of the hostages and a permanent ceasefire.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Amid Israeli plans to capture Gaza City, mediators Egypt, the US and Qatar have recently intensified their efforts for a negotiated solution.

Lapid went on to say that senior officials from these states had contacted him. According to him, they had expressed their incomprehension about the fact that they had received no response from Israel to their latest proposals.

"They said to me: 'We don't understand. We still haven't received any answer. Not a positive one, not even a negative one. Israel simply isn't responding,'" Lapid was quoted as saying.

According to Lapid, Hamas has told the mediators that it is open to both a comprehensive and a partial agreement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel estimates that 48 hostages are still being held by Hamas, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Most of the living hostages are believed to be in Hamas tunnels in Gaza City.

Their relatives, but also the army leadership, fear that the planned offensive will put their lives at risk.
A drone fired by the Houthi militants in Yemen breached Israel's air defenses on Sunday and slammed into the country's southern airport, the Israeli military said.

It was one of several drones fired by the Houthis, according to the military, but it said most had been intercepted outside of Israel.

The drone crashed into the passenger terminal at the Ramon International Airport near the resort city of Eilat, the Israeli Airports Authority said, blowing out glass windows and sending smoke plumes billowing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Houthis hailed Sunday's attack on Ramon Airport  some 19 kilometers (12 miles) from Eilat on Israel's southern tip  as "a unique, qualitative military operation."

"Enemy airports are unsafe, and foreigners must leave them for their own safety," Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, wrote on social media. "Other sensitive targets are under fire."

Israel's Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said it treated a 63-year-old man for light shrapnel wounds. The damage to Ramon Airport appeared limited, and within a couple of hours, it reopened as normal flights resumed.

The attack comes days after Israeli strikes on Yemen's rebel-held capital of Sanaa killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and other officials in his cabinet in a major escalation of the nearly 2-year-old conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group in Yemen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Saying that they were acting in solidarity with the Palestinians, the Houthis began firing missiles and drones into Israel after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack ignited the Israeli military's devastating campaign in Gaza.

The Houthis have stepped up their aerial attacks on Israel in recent months, including by deploying warheads with cluster munitions. They scatter smaller explosive projectiles over a large area and are harder for Israel's air defense system to stop, which otherwise intercepts most drones and missiles.

Houthi attacks on Israel, while frequent since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October 2023, have rarely caused major damage or struck significant targets like airports. But in May, a Houthi missile hit near Israel's main Ben Gurion Airport, prompting many international airlines to cancel flights to Tel Aviv for months.

Israel pushes forward with Gaza City operation

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed to push forward with Israel's operation in Gaza City, with no reported progress in restarting negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

"Our effort in Gaza on the last strongholds, actually the last important stronghold, Gaza City, is part of our effort to complete the crushing of the Iranian axis's chokehold," Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu claimed that over 100,000 Palestinians have heeded the military's calls to evacuate Gaza City ahead of the operation, a figure disputed by international organizations. The United Nations has reported just 41,000 people out of the city's population of 1 million leaving over the last month.

An Israeli army vehicle moves along the border with the Gaza Strip as seen from a position on the Israeli side of the border on September 7, 2025. / Credit: Amir Levy / Getty Images

Meanwhile, attempts to relaunch negotiations between Israel and Hamas are faltering.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas' political bureau, said the militant group won't lay down its arms until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. But he said that Hamas is ready for a long-term truce and will release the hostages still being held in Gaza in exchange for a number of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

Naim said Hamas is still waiting for Israel to respond to a 60-day ceasefire proposal crafted by Egyptian and Qatari mediators last month.

The Prime Minister's Office refused to comment on negotiations.

There are 48 hostages still being held in Gaza, around 20 of whom Israel believes are still alive. Militants kidnapped 251 people and killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel during the attack that sparked the war on Oct. 7, 2023.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said a total of 64,368 people have been killed and 162,776 have been wounded since the start of the war. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says more than half of the casualties were women and children.

Justice Barrett on the Supreme Court's checks on Trump's power

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" turns 50: "Don't dream it, be it"

Stand-up Nate Bargatze on operating in "the chaos"
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)  In a highly rare exercise of wartime legal restraint, Israels Supreme Court ruled Sunday that the Israeli government has deprived Palestinian detainees of even a minimum subsistence diet and ordered authorities to increase the amount and improve the quality of food served to deprived Palestinian inmates.

Although its the job of the Supreme Court to advise the government of the legality of its policies, the Israeli judiciary has seldom taken issue with its actions in the 23-month Israel-Hamas war.

Since Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, Israel has largely rejected growing international criticism of its conduct by arguing that it was doing what was necessary to defeat Hamas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Israeli army has detained large numbers of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank on suspicion of militant ties. Thousands have been released from months of detention in camps and jails without charge to tell of brutal conditions, including overcrowding, scant food supplies, inadequate medical attention and scabies outbreaks.

As Israels highest tier of accountability, the Supreme Court hears complaints from individuals and organizations against Israeli government actions, such as its practice of restricting food and medical supplies to Gaza or, in this case, what two Israeli human rights groups described in their complaint as the security establishment's systemic policy of depriving Palestinian prisoners of food.

The three-judge panel ruled unanimously that the Israeli government had a legal duty to provide Palestinian prisoners with three meals a day to ensure a basic level of existence" and ordered authorities to fulfill that obligation.

In an unexpected 2-1 decision, the court furthermore accepted the petition filed last year by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, or ACRI, and the Israeli rights group Gisha, siding with their allegations that the government's deliberate restriction of prisoners' food in Israeli detention facilities has caused Palestinians to suffer malnutrition and starvation during the Israel-Hamas war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We are not speaking here of comfortable living or luxury, but of the basic conditions of survival as required by law," the ruling said. Let us not share in the ways of our worst enemies."

Palestinian authorities have recorded the deaths at least 61 Palestinians in Israeli custody since the war started. In March, a 17-year-old Palestinian in Israel prison died of what doctors said was likely starvation.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the prison system, boasted last year that he degraded the conditions of security prisoners to the bare minimum required by Israeli law.

Ben-Gvir, who leads a small far-right ultranationalist party, lashed out at the court ruling Sunday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Are you from Israel? he asked the judges, arguing that while Israeli hostages in Gaza have no one to help them, Israel's Supreme Court defends Hamas to our disgrace. He vowed the policy of providing prisoners with the most minimal conditions stipulated by law would continue unchanged.

ACRI called on authorities to implement the verdict immediately. In a post on social media platform X, the rights group said Israel's prison service has turned Israeli prisons into torture camps."

A state must not starve people, it said. "People must not starve people  no matter what they have done.
Armed Baloch separatist factions have claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks on Pakistani security forces and related targets across several districts of Balochistan, according to a report by The Balochistan Post (TBP). The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) stated that its fighters carried out operations between 13 and 15 August in Mastung, Kalat, Quetta, and Mand. The group claimed two Pakistani soldiers were killed in Mand's Koh Pusht Giab area after its fighters ambushed them while they were patrolling on a motorcycle. The BLA also alleged that its members seized the soldiers' weapons after the incident, TBP reported. The BLA's spokesperson, Jeeyand Baloch, added that its fighters launched a grenade attack on a police station in Quetta's New Sariab area, reportedly causing casualties and damage. On August 15, the group said it targeted a convoy of military vehicles and motorcycles in Kalat's Manguchar area. Additionally, on August 13, the BLA claimed responsibility for torching the office of a transport company in Mastung, accusing it of supplying resources to Pakistani forces. Meanwhile, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) claimed its fighters clashed with security forces in Mastung district on the night of 3 September. According to the group, fighters established a blockade on the Quetta-Karachi highway near Khadkucha, triggering a two-hour exchange of gunfire. The BLF alleged that Pakistani troops deployed drones and artillery during the confrontation but suffered casualties, while its fighters retreated unharmed, TBP reported. The BLF further accused Pakistani forces of shelling civilian areas following the clash, which it said injured a guard at a health facility in Mastung's Umar Dor area. Pakistani authorities have not issued any official response regarding these incidents, according to TBP. These attacks are part of the ongoing Baloch insurgency, where separatist groups have escalated assaults on security forces, government assets, and infrastructure while demanding greater autonomy and recognition of Baloch rights. Activists argue that despite Balochistan's resource wealth, the province's people face systemic marginalisation and exploitation. Pakistan's military has intensified counterinsurgency operations to curb the rebellion, but rights organisations have raised alarms over widespread reports of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and disproportionate use of force. Human rights advocates warn that such measures deepen mistrust and fuel unrest, as civilians and activists continue to face arbitrary detentions and other abuses. (ANI)
By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -A teenager who died of leukaemia in 2006 became the first Catholic saint of the millennial generation on Sunday, in a Vatican ceremony led by Pope Leo and attended by an estimated 70,000 young worshippers from dozens of countries.

Carlo Acutis, a British-born Italian boy who died aged 15, learned computer code to build websites to spread his faith. His story has drawn wide attention from Catholic youth, and he is now at the same level as Mother Teresa and Francis of Assisi.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Leo, the first U.S. pontiff, canonized Acutis on Sunday along with Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Italian man who was known for helping those in need and died of polio in the 1920s.

In impromptu remarks to crowds in St. Peter's Square at the opening of the event, Leo said Acutis and Frassati were examples of holiness, and of helping those in need.

"All of you, all of us together, are called to be saints," the pontiff told the young crowd, which had spilled out of the square down the main boulevard into the Vatican from Rome.

"Carlo  loved to say that heaven has always been waiting for us, and that to love tomorrow is to give the best of ourselves today," Leo said in a later sermon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The two new saints, said the pope, "are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upwards (to heaven)."

Acutis' canonization had been hotly anticipated by many Catholic youths for months. It was originally set for April but was postponed after the death of Pope Francis.

Sunday's event is the first time that Leo, elected pope by the world's cardinals in May, has presided over such a ceremony.

Antonio D'Averio, 24, who was at the ceremony, called the canonization "a hand extended by the Church toward us young people." D'Averio said he was a computer programmer and identified especially with Acutis' story.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"He too was passionate about computer science," said the young man. "For a saint  it's certainly something new. It's also something that, in my opinion, was needed."

'WE WANT TO FOLLOW THEIR STEPS'

Clara Marugan Martin, aged 20, came from Spain for the event.

"We are very pleased to be here because Carlo and Pier Giorgio are two examples of young people full of God, full of grace, and we want to follow their steps," she said.

Being made a saint means the Church believes a person lived a holy life and is now in heaven with God.

Other saints who died young include Therese of Lisieux, who died at 24 in 1897 and was known for promoting a "Little Way" of charity; and Aloysius Gonzaga who died at 23 in 1591 after caring for victims of an epidemic in Rome.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As Acutis progressed along the Church's official path to sainthood, his body was moved to a church in the hill town of Assisi in central Italy, where St. Francis was from, in line with Acutis' last wishes.

The new saint's final resting place, where Acutis is entombed with a wax mould of his likeness placed over his body, wearing his track top, jeans and trainers, has become a popular devotional site, attracting thousands of worshippers every day.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; additional reporting by Matteo Minnella; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Jack Schlossberg, a writer and political commentator who also happens to be the grandson of late president John F. Kennedy, announced Sunday that he has formed an exploratory committee for a potential congressional run.

In his first step toward a formal political career, Schlossberg, 32, said in a brief X post that he had formed the group, which will likely determine whether or not he could successfully run to replace New York Representative Jerry Nadler.

Nadler, a Democrat, represents New York Citys 12th district, which includes Midtown and Uptown Manhattan. He announced last week he would not seek re-election after more than three decades in Congress.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Schlossberg, a native New Yorker, gained national attention last year when he used his social media influence to advocate for former vice president Kamala Harriss election campaign. He also became a political correspondent for Vogue during that time, and currently hosts a political commentary show on YouTube.

The 32-year-old, who was educated at Yale and Harvard, belongs to one of the countrys most famous political dynasties. His mother is Caroline Kennedy, a former ambassador and Democratic activist. She is the only surviving child of JFK.

Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, said he was forming an exploratory committee to make a potential bid for Congress (Getty Images)

His mothers cousin is Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom he has repeatedly criticized on social media for spreading health misinformation. Schlossberg has been trolling RFK Jr. online, launching unsubstantiated claims at him, such as accusing the Trump Cabinet secretary of being a Russian spy.

But the political nepo baby appears keen to enter the family business by making a formal bid to become an elected representative.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Typically, the first step in announcing a campaign is forming an exploratory committee, which allows potential candidates to raise money and hire staff without having to report activity to the Federal Election Commission.

Schlossberg is known in Democratic circles thanks to his familys famous name. He introduced former President Barack Obama at the 2013 Medal of Freedom awardees at the Smithsonian in DC (Getty Images)

Exploratory committees, also known as testing the waters committees, give candidates more time before making a formal campaign announcement.

Schlossberg is already well known in Democratic circles, thanks to his familys famous name. But his exploratory committee announcement puts him in a crowded field of many potential Nadler successors.

New York Assembly member Micah Lasher, largely considered Nadlers heir, has filed a formal campaign with the FEC.

Schlossberg has used his social media to troll his mothers cousin, RFK Jr., and other Republicans (Getty Images for Empire State Re)

Liam Elkind, a 26-year-old co-founder of Invisible Hands  a nonprofit dedicated to delivering food or medicine to those unable to acquire it themselves -- has also announced he would seek to replace Nadler.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nadler himself has brushed off Schlossberg as an unserious candidate.

Theres nothing particularly good or bad about a Kennedy holding my seat, but the Kennedy, unlike Schlossberg, should be somebody with a record of public service, a record of public accomplishment, and he doesnt have one, Nadler told CNN.
Airline pilots have strict procedures to follow before getting behind the controls of an aircraft, one of which is an airline's drinking policy. Japan Airlines made a statement apologizing for an incident that occurred on August 28, where a pilot was taken off duty after learning he had drunk alcohol before an international flight.

"We sincerely apologise to our customers and all parties involved for the inconvenience and trouble caused," said the airline in a statement. "We take this matter very seriously, especially considering that it occurred while we were already under administrative guidance due to multiple safety incidents, including alcohol-related cases, and were working to prevent recurrence."

The pilot in question was scheduled to fly an international flight from Honolulu, U.S., to Chubu Centrair Airport located in central Japan. On the day of departure, the pilot called in sick, only to later reveal that he had consumed alcohol the night prior. He admitted to violating the airline's drinking policy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The incident caused the Honolulu-Nagoya service and two other Japan-bound flights to be delayed as the airline looked for a replacement pilot. As a result, roughly 630 passengers were left stranded for 18 hours due to the delay.

According to Japan Airlines guidelines, they forbid consumption of alcohol within 12 hours before a flight, setting the internal limit of 40g of alcohol pre-duty (roughly a half bottle of wine).

In December 2024, the airline was issued a business improvement notice following cases where pilots were found to have consumed alcohol within the 12-hour policy. Due to repeated infractions, the airline updated its policy to a 24-hour no-alcohol rule and mandatory breathalyzer tests.

After the recent violation in August, the Japanese transport ministry carried out a surprise inspection on Wednesday at the airline's Tokyo headquarters. The result of the investigation has not been made public.

This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Sep 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
By Yuka Obayashi, Nobuhiro Kubo and Leika Kihara

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned on Sunday, ushering in a potentially lengthy period of policy uncertainty at a shaky moment for the world's fourth-largest economy.

Having just ironed out final details of a trade deal with the United States to lower President Donald Trump's punishing tariffs, Ishiba, 68, told a press conference he must take responsibility for a series of bruising election losses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since coming to power less than a year ago, the unlikely premier has overseen his ruling coalition lose its majorities in elections for both houses of parliament amid voter anger over rising living costs.

He instructed his Liberal Democratic Party - which has ruled Japan for almost all of the post-war period - to hold an emergency leadership race, adding he would continue his duties until his successor was elected.

"With Japan having signed the trade agreement and the president having signed the executive order, we have passed a key hurdle," Ishiba said, his voice seeming to catch with emotion. "I would like to pass the baton to the next generation."

Trump said he was "a little bit surprised" at Ishiba's move. Asked by reporters whether he would visit Japan along with South Korea later this year, Trump added: "We'll see."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ishiba has faced calls to resign since the latest of those losses in an election for the upper house in July. The LDP had been scheduled to hold a vote on whether to hold an extraordinary leadership election on Monday.

KOIZUMI, TAKAICHI AMONG POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS

Concern over political uncertainty prompted a sell-off in Japan's yen currency and its government bonds last week, with the yield on the 30-year bond hitting a record high on Wednesday.

Investors are focusing on the chance of Ishiba being replaced by an advocate of looser fiscal and monetary policy, such as LDP veteran Sanae Takaichi, who has criticised the Bank of Japan's interest rate hikes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ishiba narrowly defeated Takaichi in last year's LDP leadership run-off. Shinjiro Koizumi, the telegenic political scion who has gained prominence as Ishiba's farm minister tasked with trying to cap soaring prices, is another possible successor.

"Given the political pressure mounting on Ishiba after the LDP's repeated election losses, his resignation was inevitable," said Kazutaka Maeda, economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute.

"As for potential successors, Koizumi and Takaichi are seen as the most likely candidates. While Koizumi is not expected to bring major changes, Takaichis stance on expansionary fiscal policy and her cautious approach to interest rate hikes could draw scrutiny from financial markets," Maeda said.

Since the ruling coalition has lost its parliamentary majority, the next LDP president is not guaranteed to become prime minister, although that is likely as the party remains by far the largest in the lower house.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Whoever becomes the next leader may choose to call a snap election to seek a mandate, analysts said. While Japan's opposition remains fractured, the far-right, anti-immigration Sanseito party made big gains in July's upper house election, bringing once-fringe ideas into the political mainstream.

Nearly 55% of respondents to a poll by Kyodo news agency published on Sunday said there was no need to hold an early election.

Michael Brown, senior research strategist at financial markets brokerage Pepperstone, said there was likely to be further selling pressure on the yen and long-dated bonds on Monday.

"That selling pressure is likely to come first from the market now needing to price a greater degree of political risk, not only in terms of the LDP leadership contest, but also the potential for a general election to be held if the new leader seeks a mandate of their own," Brown said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

'NO TIME TO LOSE'

Ishiba, a party outsider who became leader on his fifth attempt last September, wrapped up his brief tenure by completing the trade deal with Japan's biggest trading partner, pledging $550 billion of investments in return for lower tariffs.

Trump's tariffs, especially those targeted at Japan's critical automotive sector, had forced Japan to downgrade its already weak growth outlook for the year.

Ishiba said he hoped his successor could ensure the deal is executed and Japan continues generating wage gains to assuage voter concerns over living costs.

He also expressed concern about the security environment his successor will inherit, pointing to an unprecedented gathering of Chinese, Russian and North Korean leaders in Beijing for a massive military parade last week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yoshinobu Tsutsui, chairman of Japan's biggest business lobby, Keidanren, said there was "no time to lose" with mounting domestic and international challenges.

"We hope the new leader will foster unity within the party, establish stable political conditions, and move swiftly to implement necessary policies," Tsutsui said.

Some voters too are hoping for a steady hand in uncertain times.

"With all the turmoil around tariffs right now, I hope the next prime minister will be someone who can properly manage the tariff issues and handle diplomacy more effectively," Maki Utsuno, a 48-year-old chemistry researcher, told Reuters outside a busy train station in downtown Tokyo on Sunday.

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi, Nobuhiro Kubo, Makiko Yamazaki, Leika Kihara and Chang-Ran Kim in Tokyo; Additional reporting by Rae Wee in Singapore and Jeff Mason in Washington; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by William Mallard and Stephen Coates)
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sunday evening after less than a year in office.

Ishiba had faced increasing criticism and calls to step down within his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) following the loss of the party's majority in parliament.

He stated that he intends to fulfil his duties until a new party leader is elected.

His announcement came shortly after the conclusion of a trade agreement with the United States. "Now is the right time to resign," said Ishiba, who has been in office since October of last year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ishiba's coalition, consisting of the LDP and its junior partner Komeito, lost its majority in the upper house of parliament in July, having already lost its majority in the more powerful lower house in October.

Since then, Ishiba's coalition has been operating as a minority government.

Observers expect that the future LDP party leader will still be elected as prime minister in parliament. Otherwise, the fragmented opposition camp would need to agree on a common candidate, which currently seems impossible.

The coalition is more likely to bring one of the opposition parties on board, Axel Klein, a professor of political science at the University of Duisburg-Essen, told dpa in Tokyo.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"In my assessment, the LDP will make greater concessions to an opposition party and either expand the governing coalition to three parties or continue to work as a minority government," he said.

Discontent over rising prices and immigration policy

The reason for the electoral defeat of the LDP, which has governed almost continuously for decades, was voter dissatisfaction with rising prices and immigration policy.

Right-wing populist small parties, especially the openly xenophobic Sanseito, sometimes called the Party of Do it Yourself in English, benefited from this.

In its analysis of the recent electoral defeats, the LDP also lamented the loss of conservative voter groups, Klein explained. It is said that the LDP has shifted too far to the left. This could impact the election of the next prime minister, as the outgoing Ishiba is considered rather liberal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Within the LDP, a dispute about the direction of the party is growing into a significant conflict, Klein explained. Everyone in the party agrees that the LDP needs to be reformed, according to the expert.

Some want to move further to the right and return to how things were before, while others prefer a path to the centre - also to better cooperate with other parties, the expert said further. "This could massively test the party's cohesion."

Ishiba said in the evening that his resignation is intended to prevent a "split" in his party.
Vice President JD Vance hasnt ruled out the possibility of a run for the White House in 2028, noting that if he does his job well now, he would consider it down the line.

During an appearance on My View with Lara Trump , the daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, Vance said he doesnt like thinking about a potential presidential bid, and would rather focus on his current role.

"If we do a good job in 2025 and 2026, then we can talk about the politics in 2027," Vance said during a segment on Saturday. "I really think the American people are so fed up with folks who are already running for the next job, seven months into the current one."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vance, who previously represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate, noted that if he were to run, he would work hard to earn support from both the Republican Party and the American people.

Vice President JD Vance hasnt ruled out the possibility of a presidential run in 2028, but says he wants to focus on his current role for now. (Fox News)

Vance sat down with President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to speak about his potential run. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

"There are a lot of great people," Vance said. "If I do end up running, it's not going to be given to meeither on the Republican side or on the national side. I'm just going to keep on working hard. [This] may be the most important job I've ever had, outside of being a father to those three beautiful kids. So I'm going to try to do my best job, and I think if I do that, the politics will figure itself out."

Vance also took the interview as an opportunity to criticize Democratic politicians who may enter the race in 2028, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom or former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

When asked about the potential 2028 Democratic candidates, Vance laughed and said he doesnt think much of the Democratic party.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I look at these guys and think that some of them are trying to actually mimic President Trump. You cant mimic his style, thats just who he is. I think a lot of them obviously have very bad records, Vance said.

While he wouldnt definitively say whether hed run in 2028, Vance encouraged his MAGA base to go out and vote in the 2026 midterm elections.

A lot of Republicans are happy with whats going on. We got to remember, if we want to stay happy, we got to get out there to vote in the midterms in 2026, Vance said.

While Vance claimed that the current administration is accomplishing all of its campaign promises, polls show Trumps approval rating has reached an all-time low.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The percentage of voters who say they support the job Trump has done since returning to the White House dropped again in a Quinnipiac University poll conducted late last month. The survey found 37 percent of American registered voters approve of the presidents job performance to date, while a much larger share, 55 percent, disapprove.

Vance recently made comments saying he is prepared to take on the role of president if something were to happen to President Trump. (Fox News)

The Vice President also made headlines recently after saying he would be prepared to become president if God forbid, a terrible tragedy happens to President Trump.

During the comments in an interview with USA Today, Vance insisted the president would see out the rest of his term, but noted he has had a lot of on-the-job training.

Hes got incredible energy, and while most of the people who work around the President of the United States are younger than he is, I think we find that he actually is the last person who goes to sleep, hes the last person making phone calls at night, and hes the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning, Vance said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yes, terrible tragedies happen, but I feel very confident the President of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term and do great things for the American people, he continued.

And if, God forbid, there's a terrible tragedy, I can't think of better on-the-job training than what I've gotten over the last 200 days, he added.
Credit: Reuters/Donald Trump via Truth Social

JD Vance has weighed in on the debate between jurists, academics and officials on the legality of last weeks unprecedented missile strike on a Venezuelan drug gangs boat: He doesnt give a s---.

The US vice-president delivered his verdict on X during a back-and-forth with an anti-Trump social media commentator.

But it highlights the muscular approach the Trump administration is taking to gangs and drugs being smuggled into the US.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At its heart are questions about the legal basis used to justify blowing up a speedboat and killing 11 people in international waters, and whether the target is just the smugglers or whether the US also has Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelas hard-line leader, in its sights.

Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military, Mr Vance posted on Saturday.

Brian Krassenstein, an anti-Trump social media influencer, responded: Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime.

Mr Vance, a graduate of Yale Law School, replied: I dont give a s--- what you call it.

Days after the Trump administration ordered an air strike against a vessel leaving Venezuela, the message cuts to the heart of whether the president overstepped the limits of his legal authority.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Trump said the boat was filled with drugs bound for the US and was operated by the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua group.

Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! he posted on Truth Social.

Many details of the operation remain unknown, such as who fired what weapons from where.

A former Drug Enforcement Administration agent said it was an unprecedented way to deal with smuggling, and had destroyed any chance of gathering intelligence.

Every shipment of cocaine essentially comes with a fingerprint, so if you seize it you can track where it came from and how it got here, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You can also interrogate the crew and use its comms equipment to gather intelligence.

Administration officials said the attack was the shape of things to come. This sends a very clear message, said a source close to Mr Trump.

That message comes with a huge amount of muscle.

JD Vance: Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military - Mandel Ngan/Getty

Three guided US missile destroyers have sailed to the Caribbean, along with a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, and an amphibious assault ship.

Their deployment is billed as the next step in intercepting drugs coming from Venezuela, but this presence has also been seen as a way to intensify pressure on Mr Maduro, or maybe even pave the way for regime change.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Friday, it emerged that 10 F-35 stealth jets were being sent to the region.

At the same time Marco Rubio, secretary of state, and Pete Hegseth, secretary of defence, have both said the strike in the south Caribbean would not be a one-off.

Instead of interdicting it, on the presidents orders, we blew it up  and itll happen again, Mr Rubio told reporters.

Officials have broadly justified the strike as an attack on a legitimate military target because the criminal gang Tren de Aragua has been designated as a terrorist organisation.

Anna Kelly, White House spokesman, said the strike was conducted against the operations of a designated terrorist organisation and was taken in defence of vital US national interests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was fully consistent with the laws of war, she added.

Trump may go even further

Legal analysts say her comments reflect a 2001 determination that the US was at war with al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks. That made its operatives combatants and legal targets under international and domestic law.

However, no such determination has been made about Tren de Aragua. Labelling it terrorist means the president has the authority to impose financial and legal sanctions but does not make its members combatants.

I worked at the department of defence. I literally cannot imagine lawyers coming up with a legal basis for lethal strike of a suspected Venezuelan drug boat, said Ryan Goodman, a retired professor of law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hard to see how this would not be murder or war crime under international law that DoD considers applicable.

Yet the Trump administration may be considering going even further.

Sources last week told CNN that the president was considering military strikes against cartels operating inside Venezuela, as part of a broader strategy to weaken Mr Maduros position.

The US is one of more than 50 countries that does not recognise him as the rightful leader of Venezuela after contested elections.

Geoff Ramsey, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said the threats and build-up of fire power sent a signal to the Venezuelan opposition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think this is more than anything an attempt to signal to disaffected elements inside the Venezuelan military that now is the time to rise up against the regime, he said. The reality, though, is that weve seen that this approach has been tried and failed over the last 25 years.

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 former Republican congressional candidate who recently resigned from Gov. Mike Braun's administration is seriously considering reprising her 2022 campaign against Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, fueling speculation that Indiana Republicans are getting closer to calling a special legislative session to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Jennifer-Ruth Green resigned on Sept. 5 from her role as Braun's secretary of public safety, according to Braun's office. Braun tweeted about the leadership change shortly before 9 p.m. on Sept. 6. She served just about eight months in the role.

The consultant on Green's 2022 congressional race against Mrvan, Tim Edson, says she is actively considering another run in the first congressional district.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Jennifer-Ruth is seriously weighing another run for Congress in northwest Indiana and Republican leaders in Indiana and nationally are encouraging her to enter the race," Edson told IndyStar.

Green lost with about 47% of the vote to Mrvan's nearly 53% back in 2022 in what is by far the most competitive congressional race in the state. Most seats are solidly Republican, while one is solidly Democratic.

More: What Northwest Indiana voters, a target for redistricting, think about President Trump's push

The announcement comes as the Trump administration and some national Republicans are pushing Indiana Republicans to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections to help Trump pad his party's majority in the U.S. House.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Braun has repeatedly said hes looking to get a sense of whether lawmakers want to call a special session before doing it. Caucus meetings are scheduled for this week.

Mrvan's district is the one being most eyed by Republicans, considering it's already somewhat competitive. But some have argued in favor of drawing a map that's gerrymandered to heavily favor Republicans in all nine districts.

U.S. Representative Frank Mrvan speaks during a press conference on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, after vice president J.D. Vances visit to Indiana to meet with Governor Mike Braun over redrawing congressional district lines.

Green's abrupt resignation immediately prompted speculation that mid-decade redistricting was growing more likely.

Greg Shufeldt, a political science professor at the University of Indianapolis, said he thinks Mrvan would easily win reelection next year if the district lines stay the same, and it's a bit late for a high-profile candidate to jump into a race like that without some confidence that redistricting will happen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The race is more attractive if redistricting is in play," Shufeldt said. "That's an empirical fact."

Shufeldt pointed out that Green was relatively successful in fundraising during her 2022 race, pulling in about $3.5 million. That could happen again, especially if Republican funders have more confidence that a win is in reach or even likely.

More: What to know about President Donald Trump's push for redistricting in Indiana

"There's probably some motivation for being first (to announce) and being able to make those fundraising calls and consolidating support," Shufeldt said. "From a strategic standpoint, you'd want to get out in front of that."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It's unclear if there's been coordination with Braun's team on the possible run. The governor praised her service in a social media post on Sept. 6 but didn't mention the reason for her departure. IndyStar has requested Green's personnel file.

"I want to thank Jennifer-Ruth Green for her service in my cabinet," Braun said on X. "She was a part of a transformative time in Indianas history and we wish her the best of luck on her next endeavor."

Green, who also serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, posted on X on Sept. 7 that she was "honored" to serve in Braun's administration but did not directly address that she was weighing another congressional run.

"Im off to military dutyalways a privilege to wear the uniform, and Im excited for the future," she wrote.

Many thanks to Governor Braun for the honor of serving as Indianas inaugural Secretary of Public Safety. Im honored to have worked alongside so many great leaders around the state. Secretary Scott will do an amazing job in this position, and I look forward to watching his pic.twitter.com/jnKpK8LvVr  Jennifer-Ruth Green (@JenRuthGreen) September 7, 2025

Contact senior government accountability reporter Hayleigh Colombo at hcolombo@indystar.com or follow her on X @hayleighcolombo.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, by IndyStar political and government reporters.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Green weighs rematch with Mrvan as redistricting debate rages in Indiana
The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) commends the US House of Representatives for approving the Uyghur Policy Act (HR 2635) today and urges the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to advance the bill for markup and approval, as stated in UHRP's release. "The Uyghur Policy Act makes it US policy to recognise and protect the distinct ethnic, religious, cultural, and linguistic identity of the Uyghurs, and authorises more tools to end the atrocities," said UHRP Executive Director Omer Kanat. "Uyghurs are grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Representative Young Kim and Representative Ami Bera, the sponsor and cosponsor of the bill. We urge the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to act quickly to move this critical legislation forward", as quoted by the UHRP release. On the House floor, Members of Congress spoke powerfully to urge passage of the bill, condemning the ongoing atrocity crimes and calling for stronger US action. "The Chinese Communist Party continues to deny its genocide against the Uyghurs. But we know that forced sterilisation, forced labour, brainwashing and torture are rampant," said Representative Young Kim (CA), Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific. "We must leverage US soft power, garner international support for Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities, and equip the State Department with the tools that it needs to effectively fight against Xi Jinping's genocidal campaign", as cited by UHRP release. "In the last few years, the Congress and the House Foreign Affairs Committee have prioritised this issue, including marking up and enacting the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act, thanks in large part to Representative Jim McGovern and Speaker Pelosi's leadership. But our work is far from done because Beijing's repression continues," said Representative Joaquin Castro (TX). "The legislation before us today is a strong, bipartisan bill. I'm proud to champion the protection of Uyghurs. The Chinese Communist Party continues to commit genocide against the Uyghur people," said Representative Michael Baumgartner (WA). "This is not just about abuse; it's a systemic campaign of genocide. The Uyghur Policy Act pushes back. It directs the Secretary of State to prioritise support for the Uyghurs and other persecuted groups. And to work with allies to pressure China to close these camps. America must lead with moral clarity, we must stand for human rights, and against genocide", stated the UHRP release. The legislation instructs the State Department to synchronise policies, programs, and initiatives aimed at aiding Uyghurs and other Turkic communities. Significantly, it establishes the preservation of the unique ethnic, religious, cultural, and linguistic identity of the Uyghurs as a goal of US policy. The legislation requires maintaining ongoing communication with the Uyghur diaspora, robust efforts to secure the release of political prisoners, a plan to avert transnational repression against Uyghur Americans, as stated by the UHRP release. (ANI)
We would be a global force in jet zero, promised Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, five years ago. Britain would lead the way in creating sustainable aviation, with world-leading research on planes that could fly across the Atlantic without doing any harm to the environment.

Right across the Western world, leaders were making similar pledges, investing billions in new types of fuels and engines, while slapping punitive taxes on the old, dirty jets to make sure we switched to cleaner ones as quickly as possible.

The jet zero project is now in full-scale retreat, with companies pulling out of a market that doesnt exist, and countries scaling back on aviation taxes. It isnt going to happen  and we would be far better off cutting carbon emissions elsewhere while allowing the aviation industry to flourish.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It has been another bad week for the cheerleaders for sustainable flying. Shell decided that a huge new plant in the Netherlands that was designed to be one of Europes major converters of waste into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biodiesel was too expensive and insufficiently competitive.

The decision was, according to Ashley Kelty, an analyst at Panmure Liberium, another nail in the ideological coffin for SAF and biofuels. Airlines still face mandatory targets to use set quotas of green fuels, but it is hard to know where they will get them, given that even a company as large as Shell, with lots of world-class expertise at its disposal, does not seem to be able to work out how to make the stuff at a reasonable cost.

Meanwhile, Dale Vince, the founder of Ecotricity, and one of the UKs leading green tycoons, is struggling with his sustainable airline, Ecojet. It emerged this week that his all-electric airline, which claimed to be a flag-carrier for green Britain, had sacked almost its entire workforce, and it has been struggling to raise the 20m it needs to get started, and to secure its air operators certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority.

It seems we wont all be flying off on a mini-break on one of its hydrogen-electric turbo-props any time soon, and will have to make do with the same old Boeings and Airbuses we are used to for a while longer.

Meanwhile, a few countries are even giving up on aviation taxes. From July, anyone getting a plane out of Sweden will no longer have to pay a green levy on their ticket, after its government decided that the flight-shaming movement had done too much damage to the industry. India and Germany have also reduced the taxes on air travel. With grim inevitability, Britains tax-obsessed Labour Government is still putting them up, with yet more rises in air passenger duty in the last Budget, but at least some countries are recognising they do more harm than good.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The jet zero strategy is in tatters. It is very hard to make the technology of decarbonising air travel work. Batteries are too heavy for a plane, and the electric engines do not generate enough power to keep an aircraft in the air.

Meanwhile the sustainable fuels that could have been an alternative cannot be produced at a competitive price. Sure, that may change, and the technology develops all the time, but we are not even close to making it work yet.

A few of us might be willing to follow the lead of Greta Thunberg and get a boat across the Atlantic, and the network of sleeper trains emerging across Europe will attract a few passengers, but most of us are not willing to give up flying. It remains by far the quickest, cheapest, and of course safest, mode of transport for anything much over 500 miles that we have. All the flight-shaming in the world is not going to change that, while the aviation taxes just add to the cost of living.

We need a change of strategy. We can all take a view on whether climate change is an emergency, or whether it is something that can be managed by gradually switching to different technologies as they emerge, and as they prove themselves effective, reliable, and cheap to run.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But even if you are closer to the Extinction Rebellion side of that debate, it still does not make much sense to obsess over air travel. In fact, flying might get a lot of coverage, partly because virtue-signalling politicians and celebrities love to boast about how they are travelling to Rome by canal, or getting a camel ride to Thailand, or whatever happens to look good on Instagram, but in fact, aviation only accounts for 2.5pc of global carbon emissions. It is never going to be critical to the outlook for global warming one way or another.

It would be far more sensible just to cut back on carbon emissions elsewhere. In the UK we could, for example, get on with building a new generation of nuclear power stations, and scrap all the cumbersome planning rules that make it twice as expensive to build one in Britain as it is in France or South Korea.

Across the EU, countries could drop the tariffs and quotas on Chinese electric vehicles, so that they could accelerate the switch to battery powered models by importing lots of cheap, well made cars. There are still lots of relatively simple ways of decarbonising the economy using technology that has been shown to work. We could then allow people to fly as much as they wanted to, without slapping punitive taxes on anyone who wants to take their children on holiday, or make a business trip; without guilt tripping everyone each time they go to the airport; and without wasting hundreds of millions of technologies that are clearly not going to work.

The blunt reality is this. Jet zero is not going to happen, at least not any time soon  and there is no point in wasting more money on it.

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.
Illinois Board of Elections doesnt cave in during a fight with the federal government.

And Senator Joni Ernst will leave office at the end of next year.

Host Jim Niedelman gets into these issues with Scott County Democratic Party Chair Kay Pence and former Rock Island County Republican Party Chair Bill Bloom.

I think itll be in play, an open seat is rare and is generally competitive, Pence said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In her last election she won fairly easily and by the time November rolls around I dont think were gonna have any major issues that would stop her from winning another one, Bloom 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.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa.  A Johnstown Police Department officer has been put on administrative leave, per protocol, after shooting and injuring one person early Saturday morning on the 400 block of Broad Street.

Gregory Neugebauer, Cambria County district attorney, said he couldn't disclose many details about the incident because of the ongoing investigation, but did confirm the officer deployed their "service weapon, striking an individual" after responding to a theft call.

"The individual was taken to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center and received treatment," Neugebauer said. "I understand him, at this point, to be in stable condition and ... to be able to recover from his injury."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The wounded person is not being identified at this time, but the district attorney described him as a white male.

Neugebauer said Johnstown officers encountered the individual after arriving at the scene of an alleged theft in progress call around 4 a.m. in the Cambria City section of the city.

What led to the officer discharging their weapon is under investigation.

The Pennsylvania State Police are also investigating the shooting, as is protocol for use-of-force situations.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)  Previous Atlanta Mayor and now candidate for the Governor of Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms, visited Augusta as part of her Stand Up for Georgia tour.

We spoke with Lance Bottoms before she spoke with community members at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History.

She says she has felt the hospitality from Augusta and that she has learned a lot hearing some peoples concerns and what they want changed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She then spoke about what this election means to her.

From Senator Ossoff being back on the ballot, to just what we believe our priority should be as a state. Are we looking to elect a leader whos focused on Georgia or a leader whos focused on pleasing Donald Trump, and it is my hope that as I am here I am presenting to people what I believe our future candidate should be in this state, said Keisha Lance Bottoms, Candidate for Governor of Georgia.

She will continue her statewide tour.

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 WJBF.
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly announced Friday he will seek reelection in 2026 to represent Pennsylvanias 16th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Kelly has served in Congress since 2011.

Today, thanks to the strong America First leadership of President Trump and the Republican majority in Congress this year, Americas economy is more prosperous, our borders are more secure, and American energy is thriving once again. Im proud of our work for the great people of western Pennsylvania, and I remain committed to representing our constituents not only for this term, but for years to come. It is an honor to serve as your voice in Washington, and I look forward to continuing this critical work, Kelly said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kelly serves on the influential Ways & Means Committee, which oversees tax, health care and trade policy. He played a leading role in passing Trumps signature 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act and, this year, the Working Families Tax Cut.

He serves as the Ways & Means Tax Subcommittee Chairman and on the Health Subcommittee.

Kelly and his wife Victoria are the proud parents of four and grandparents of 10. They reside in Butler.

Prior to serving in Congress, he led Kelly Automotive, a group of local automobile dealerships in Butler County.

Pennsylvanias 16th Congressional District includes Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Lawrence and Butler counties, and a portion of Venango County.
WACO, Texas (FOX 44)  Wacos four-legged residents are about to get a clinic thats less kennel and more cutting-edge. Within the next two months, bulldozers will be unleashed at the Pet Circle Regional Animal Shelter for a $4.4 million expansion that city leaders say will give furry patients better care  and staff more room to fetch solutions.

The new 4,775-square-foot surgical building will feature two operating rooms, an X-ray suite, and recovery space for pets getting back on their paws. Plans also include 13 indoor-outdoor kennels, separate isolation rooms for cats, puppies, and sick dogs, and enough staff space to keep the humans from feeling like sardines in a can. Even the building itself gets a bone: a backup generator and medical oxygen system.

Once complete  likely by fall 2026  the expansion will free up space in the main complex for additional kennels. Thats a big deal for a shelter thats often packed tighter than a basket of kittens.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The project was born after a distemper outbreak in 2022 showed that the shelter didnt have enough room to properly quarantine sick pups. What we discovered was that the shelter as its built now doesnt allow adequate space to isolate airborne upper respiratory diseases, Assistant City Manager Ryan Holt said last year. Translation: Wacos shelter needed more elbow room to keep tails wagging and noses healthy.

The Waco City Council unanimously approved the project this week, awarding the construction contract to SCI Construction of Whitehouse, Texas. Crews will have 304 days  or roughly 43 dog years  to finish the job.

The timing couldnt be more paw-fect. This Saturday, the Pet Circle shelter celebrates one year since the city took over full operations from the Humane Society of Central Texas. Expect treats, tours, and plenty of adoptable pets looking for their forever couches.

And this is just the first phase. Future ideas include a new dog park-like play space, extra parking, more fencing, and even a pavilion near the adoption center  a sort of social lounge for pets waiting to pick their humans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For now, though, the new clinic is step one. When the ribbon is finally cut, hundreds of cats and dogs will have a safer, healthier place to land while they wait for their next chapter. Consider it Wacos way of throwing a bone to its most loyal companions.

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.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WNCN)  A key road at the North Carolina coast reopened last week, nearly a year after an unnamed weather system dumped 20 inches of rain in Brunswick and New Hanover counties, washing out many roads, damaging homes, triggering at least 120 rescues, and leaving at least one person dead.

On Sept. 16, 2024, areas of Brunswick and southern New Hanover counties may have had 18 inches of rain within 12 hours, an event expected to occur, on average, once every 1,000 years, the National Weather Service said.

The storm, Potential Tropical Cyclone 8, spurred a tornado near Emerald Isle, flooded and washed out U.S. 17 in Brunswick County and U.S. 74/76 was closed in Columbus County.

Wilmington Fire Dept photo of a dog being rescued in Carolina Beach Monday. Makatoka Rd in Supply. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. A Jeep fell into a washed out part of N.C. 211 between Dosher Cut Off and River Mist subdivision. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. US 17 underwater from Potential Tropical Cyclone 8. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. A woman was safe after her car was pushed off US 17 near mile marker 25 in Brunswick County. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. Wilmington Fire Dept photo of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach water rescues Monday. US 17 underwater from Potential Tropical Cyclone 8. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. Wilmington Fire Dept photo of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach water rescues Monday. East Moore Street washed out in Southport. Photo from Southport Police Dept. Carolina Beach near Lake Park Boulevard. Image from Erica H Dunn The Outer Banks where the north end of Ocracoke Island was partly underwater. Photo from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Sunset Harbor Road in Brunswick County. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office.

An 80-year-old man from Southport was found dead in a submerged vehicle after driving along N.C. 211 near Stone Chimney Road, which was flooded.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Full list of rainfall totals from Potential Tropical Cyclone 8 at NC coast

Carolina Beach was hit with nearly 21 inches of rain, while Southport received 19 inches of rain.

Two days after the storm, at least 60 roads and bridges were still closed in North Carolina coastal counties.

NC 133 in Brunswick County. NCDOT image

The town of Belville, a riverfront community in Brunswick County, announced on Friday that N.C. 133 was back open after it was washed out by PTC8. The road N.C. 133 is a key passage from U.S. 17 down to Southport and Oak Island.

Rescues, roads closed, flooding at NC coast amid 18 inches of rain

The storm was a surprise to most along the coast  with no name and a lack of organization.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Just 11 days after PTC8 swamped the coast, Tropical Storm Helene hit the North Carolina mountains with widespread flooding, destruction and many deaths.

US 17 underwater from Potential Tropical Cyclone 8. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. Wilmington Fire Dept photo of a dog being rescued in Carolina Beach Monday. Makatoka Rd in Supply. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. NC 133 in Brunswick County. NCDOT image Carolina Beach flooding. Photo from Carolina Beach Fire Dept. A Jeep fell into a washed out part of N.C. 211 between Dosher Cut Off and River Mist subdivision. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. A woman was safe after her car was pushed off US 17 near mile marker 25 in Brunswick County. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. Wilmington Fire Dept photo of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach water rescues Monday. US 17 underwater from Potential Tropical Cyclone 8. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. Wilmington Fire Dept photo of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach water rescues Monday. East Moore Street washed out in Southport. Photo from Southport Police Dept. Carolina Beach near Lake Park Boulevard. Image from Erica H Dunn The Outer Banks where the north end of Ocracoke Island was partly underwater. Photo from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Sunset Harbor Road in Brunswick County. Photo from Brunswick County Sheriffs Office. National Weather Service graphic of rainfall totals

The no-named storm at the coast hit Carolina Beach during the morning hours with flash flooding  and nearly 120 people were rescued during 50 calls in Carolina Beach alone.

State of emergency declared at NC coast after firehose storm hits

A state of emergency was declared in eight coastal counties, including New Hanover, Brunswick, Bladen and Columbus. PTC8 even spawned a tornado near Emerald Isle in Carteret County.

Southern areas of Brunswick County were unreachable from Wilmington because of destroyed roads, including U.S. 17, which did not fully reopen until four days before Helene hit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

North Carolina officials estimated damages from PTC8 at more than $36.7 million.

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 CBS17.com.
COURTESY CPHC The five-day forecast track of Hurricane Kiko as of 5 p.m. today 1 /2 COURTESY CPHC The five-day forecast track of Hurricane Kiko as of 5 p.m. today COURTESY NOAA This color-enhanced satellite image shows Hurricane Kiko in the Central Pacific today.

2 /2 COURTESY NOAA This color-enhanced satellite image shows Hurricane Kiko in the Central Pacific today.

COURTESY CPHC The five-day forecast track of Hurricane Kiko as of 5 p.m. today COURTESY NOAA This color-enhanced satellite image shows Hurricane Kiko in the Central Pacific today.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

UPDATE : 5 :20 p.m.

Hurricane Kiko regained its Category 4 strength this afternoon with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph but forecasters still expect it to weaken as it moves north of Hawaii early next week.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu said that at about 5 p.m., Kiko was 860 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 1, 065 east-southeast of Honolulu, moving northwest at 12 mph.

This general motion is expected to continue for the next few days.  Only minor fluctuations in strength are anticipated tonight, with gradual weakening expected to begin by Sunday,  forecasters said.

Kiko remains a compact storm with hurricane-force winds extending up to 25 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds of 39 mph or more extending up to 70 miles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There are no Kiko-related coastal watches or warnings in effect for Hawaii but CPHC urges people in the islands to continue monitoring the progress of the storm.

Kiko is forecast to approach the Hawaiian islands during the early to middle portion of next week. While the forecast track currently calls for Kiko to pass north of the islands, it is still too soon to determine the exact location or magnitude of potential impacts from the cyclones winds or rains,  forecasters said.

They said swells generated by the hurricane are expected to begin reaching the Big Island and Maui by Sunday.

These swells will gradually build and are forecast to peak along east-facing exposures of the Hawaiian islands late Monday through midweek, potentially producing life-threatening surf and rip currents,  the CPHC said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kiko is expected to be a weakening tropical storm Tuesday and Wednesday as it passes north of Oahu and Kauai.

The latest five-day forecast tracks cone of uncertainty  no longer covers any Hawaiian island and has the storm safely northwest of Kauai as a tropical depression by the end of next week. The entire island chain was covered in the cone of uncertainty  on Friday, but the updated forecast now has Kiko on a more northerly track.

Kiko may hold Category 4 strength into the evening, but gradual weakening is expected to begin overnight, with it likely falling below major hurricane status by Sunday night,  CPHC said in its 5 p.m. update.  Beyond Monday, the combined effects of increasing mid-level dry air and strengthening west-southwesterly shear should accelerate the weakening process 

From Tuesday through Thursday, Kiko is forecast to be a much weaker, shallow, and sheared system as it passes north of the Hawaiian islands,  forecasters said. On Thursday, Kiko is expected to be a tropical depression far northwest of Kauai.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials said an Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft was scheduled to investigate Kiko tonight for a better assessment of Kikos intensity and structure.

The National Weather Service, meanwhile, said increased shower activity is expected Sunday into Monday morning due to a passing band of moisture and an upper low approaching from the north.

Confidence is increasing that Tropical Cyclone Kiko will pass far enough north of the state next week to decreases the likelihood of any direct impacts to Hawaii,  NHC forecasters said. However, life-threatening surf along east-facing shores will be possible along with an increased potential for statewide rainfall.

11 :50 a.m.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kiko weakened slightly this morning but remains a major hurricane far from Hawaii in the Central Pacific, and forecasters expect it to significantly decrease in strength in three to four days as it passes north of the islands.

At 11 a.m., Kiko had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, moving west-northwest at 12 mph, and was centered 935 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 1, 135 east-southeast of Honolulu, according to Central Pacific Hurricane Center forecasters. Kikos hurricane-force winds extend up to 25 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds up to 80 miles outward, they said.

Tropical Cyclone Kiko will be approaching Hawaii from the southeast. Kikos current forecast track is north of the islands across the far northern offshore waters,  the National Hurricane Center said. While confidence is low concerning Kikos impacts to Hawaii early to mid next week, there is a possibly of higher statewide rainfall.

Currently a Category 3 hurricane, Kiko is expected to soon hit drier conditions and wind shear, both of which will weaken the storm. Kiko (is ) expected to shear apart vertically  Tuesday and Wednesday as it passes far north of the islands as a tropical storm, CPHC forecasters said in the 11 a.m. update.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There are no Kiko-related advisories, watches or warnings for Hawaii, but forecasters said that swells generated by the hurricane are expected to begin reaching the Big Island and Maui by Sunday.

These swells will gradually build and are forecast to peak along east-facing exposures of the Hawaiian islands late Monday through midweek, potentially producing life-threatening surf and rip currents,  the CPHC said.

An Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate Kiko today to provide a better look at the storms intensity and structure, officials said.

Hawaiis weather this weekend, meanwhile, is expected to be dry and stable with highs in the upper-80s and lows in the mid-70s, according to the National Weather Service.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cloudier, warm and muggy island weather is forecast early next week under weakened trades,  forecasters said, adding that there will be a slight increase in rain shower frequency Sunday into Monday.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE Hurricane Kiko entered the Central Pacific today as a compact but powerful Category 4 storm, however forecasters expect it to begin weakening Sunday as it heads north of the Hawaiian islands.

The latest five-day forecast track no longer has the islands in Kikos so-called cone of uncertainty, but the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu stressed that people in Hawaii should continue to monitor its progress.

Kikos current forecast track is north of the islands across the far northern offshore waters. While confidence is low concerning Kikos impacts to Hawaii early to mid next week, there is a possibly of higher statewide rainfall,  National Weather Service forecasters said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At 5 a.m. today, Kiko had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, moving west-northwest at 12 mph, and was centered 1, 005 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 1, 205 east-southeast of Honolulu, according to CPHC forecasters. Kikos hurricane-force winds extend up to 25 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds up to 80 miles outward, they said.

Kiko is forecast to approach the Hawaiian islands during the early to middle portion of next week. Impacts from rain and wind are possible over portions of the Islands, but it is still too soon to determine the exact location or magnitude of these potential impacts,  forecasters said.

RELATED STORY :

The five-day forecast track has Kiko as a major hurricane through Sunday afternoon, but weakening to a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds by Tuesday as it passes north of Oahu and a weak tropical storm by Thursday northwest of Kauai.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There are no Kiko-related advisories, watches or warnings for Hawaii, but forecasters said that swells generated by the hurricane are expected to begin reaching the Big Island and Maui by Sunday.

These swells will gradually build and are forecast to peak along east-facing exposures of the Hawaiian Islands late Monday through midweek, potentially producing life-threatening surf and rip currents,  the CPHC said.

An Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate Kiko today to provide a better look at the storms intensity and structure, officials said.

Hawaiis weather this weekend, meanwhile, is expected to be dry and stable with highs in the upper-80s and lows in the mid-70s, according to the National Weather Service.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cloudier, warm and muggy island weather is forecast early next week under weakened trades,  forecasters said, adding that there will be a slight increase in rain shower frequency Sunday into Monday.

See more :

14 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our.

Having trouble with comments ? .
At least three people, including a child, were killed and dozens injured after a series of overnight Russian missile and drone strikes pounded multiple Ukrainian cities, damaging residential areas and igniting a fire in Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers building, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday. In a statement on X, Zelenskyy said emergency services were working around the clock to address the aftermath of the attacks, which included over 800 drones and 13 missiles, four of which were ballistic. As per Zelenskyy, citing preliminary reports, several drones had crossed into Ukrainian airspace from Belarus. The Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv sustained significant damage, with a fire breaking out on its upper floors following the strikes. "Since last night, work has been ongoing to eliminate the consequences of Russian strikes - more than 800 drones, 13 missiles, including four ballistic. According to preliminary information, several drones crossed the border of Ukraine and Belarus. In Kyiv, ordinary residential buildings have been destroyed. In one of them, the floors between the 4th and 8th stories have collapsed. As of now, two people have been reported killed, including one child. My condolences to all their loved ones. In total, dozens were injured in the capital alone. The Cabinet of Ministers building was damaged - a fire broke out on the upper floors," the Ukrainian President stated. He further stated that other regions across Ukraine were also hit. In Zaporizhzhia, more than 20 houses and a kindergarten were damaged. Warehouses were destroyed in Kryvyi Rih, and one person was reported killed in Safonivka of the Sumy region and the Chernihiv region. A residential high-rise was hit in Odesa, causing further damage and concern. "More than 20 houses and a kindergarten were damaged in Zaporizhzhia. Warehouses were destroyed in Kryvyi Rih, one person was killed in Safonivka, Sumy region, and another one in the Chernihiv region. A residential high-rise was hit in Odesa. Many regions have been affected over the past day. Our emergency services are working everywhere they are needed," his post read. He again urged international allies to maintain pressure on Moscow and follow through on commitments to strengthen Ukraine's air defence, referencing past agreements made in Paris and statements from Washington promising sanctions for failure to engage in peace efforts. "Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war. It has been repeatedly said in Washington that sanctions will follow a refusal to talk. We must implement everything that was agreed in Paris. We also count on the implementation of all the agreements to strengthen our air defence," he added. Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to the countries assisting Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict and reiterated the urgent need for enhanced air defence capabilities. "Every additional system saves civilians from these vile strikes. The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop the killings - all that is needed is political will. I thank everyone who is helping," his post concluded. (ANI)
DENVER (KDVR)  The Denver Police Department is asking the public for assistance in solving a 2020 homicide case.

Saturday marks five years since Mar-Shun Cox, 29, was shot and killed outside of an apartment complex in the 1400 block of East 31st Ave. on Sept. 6, 2020.

FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox

Your Denver Police Department needs assistance solving this homicide case, said DPD in a post to Facebook on Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A detective on the case, Mark Crider, told FOX31 in April 2023 that police believed Cox had been confronted in the parking lot by unknown people. Cox was then shot in the parking lot while trying to run from the area.

The detective previously noted that the deadly shooting was believed to be targeted and that two or more suspects were involved in the incident.

Free on Your TV  New FOX31+ App for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV

Weve run down our leads, our forensics evidence has been tested and were still looking for leads to find whos responsible for killing Mar-Shun, said Crider.

Investigators believed as of 2023 that multiple witnesses were outside in the parking lot and on balconies at the time of the incident. However, the detective had noted that there were no credible leads.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2023, Coxs mother, Passion Hillsmon, spoke to FOX31 about her son and asked any witnesses to come forward.

Somebody out there knows what happened to my son, and I just beg them, please, just come forward. My sons life mattered. He mattered to this family. He was important, said Hillsmon.

Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP or submit a tip online.

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.
This story is reported by South Dakota News Watch, a non-profit news organization. Find more in-depth reporting at www.sdnewswatch.org.

By the end of 2026, South Dakota residents from the far corners of the Black Hills to the southeastern tip of the state could be sharing an energy provider. Black Hills Corp. and NorthWestern Energy announced Aug. 19 that the two companies would be pursuing a merger, consolidating two of the largest public-utility providers in South Dakota.

Where do the companies operate now?

Both companies provide energy resources to South Dakota and several other states:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

NorthWestern serves 787,000 customers in South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana and in Yellowstone National Park.

Black Hills Corp., which operates under the name Black Hills Energy for its distribution services, has a customer base of 1.35 million in eight states: Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

NorthWestern has 49,882 natural gas customers and 64,839 electric customers in South Dakota.

Black Hills Energy has 77,941 electric customers in the state.

What will the new company look like?

The merged company will be headquartered in Rapid City, S.D., where Black Hills Energy is currently based. It will have a new name and ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange, which is yet to be announced.

Brian Bird, current CEO of NorthWestern Energy, will serve as the companys new CEO. Black Hills Energy CEO Linn Evans will retire after the deal closes, according to Black Hills Corp.s 8-K form filed with the Securities Exchange Commission on the day of the merger announcement.

While both companies are headquartered in South Dakota, they have significant presences outside of the state. According to an investor presentation given on Aug. 19, 31% of the new companys total rate base will come from Montana, with South Dakota at 17%, the second-largest portion.

How long is the merger going to take?

The investor presentation accompanying the merger announcement said the process would take 12-15 months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During that time, the two companies will have to pursue approval from several bodies. Those include the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and public utilities commissions in Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Black Hills Energy built its $50 million headquarters, shown on Sept. 1, 2025, on the south side of Rapid City, S.D., in 2017. (Photo: Bart Pfankuch / South Dakota News Watch)

They have to file here for approval, and when they do file, well have six months from the time of filing to make a decision. During that six months, people can file written comments in the docket, South Dakota Public Utilities Commission attorney Kristin Edwards told News Watch.

Why is this important?

The transaction is considered a megamerger because of its high value.

The combined company, after the merger is complete, will have a market capitalization, or equity value, of $7.8 billion, making it the most valuable publicly traded company based in South Dakota by more than $5 billion. The next-largest is Pathward Financial, which has a market cap of $1.9 billion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The merger is also one of the first of its kind in South Dakotas public utilities history, according to Edwards.

I cant think of another time, off the top of my head, when theres been a large utility merger in South Dakota, she said.

NorthWestern Energys current headquarters in Sioux Falls, S.D., pictured on Aug. 28, 2025. (Photo: Molly Wetsch/ South Dakota News Watch)

In the Aug. 19 call with investors, the companies indicated that a growth priority for them as the merger closes will be data centers and other new large-load opportunities, projects that require a large amount of energy.

NorthWestern Energy has already entered into agreements with data centers in Montana. In July, the company signed a letter of intent to provide power to a Quantica data center in the state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you want to do business in our states, you are going to be talking to us, Bird said during the call.

Will my energy rates go up or down, or will energy services be affected?

South Dakota is a monopoly state for public utilities, which means only one company operates in a specific area. Users cannot choose their energy provider.

Because of that status, the South Dakota PUCs role is to keep energy prices in check. Customers in the state do not need to be worried about rates changing or energy services being affected as a result of the merger, Edwards said.

They have an obligation to provide reasonable service at reasonable rates. So they cannot put themselves into a situation where they cannot serve their customers, she said.

Will South Dakota get more transmission lines after the merger?

The combined company will operate 59,000 miles of transmission and distribution across eight states, according to the merger announcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

About 7,000 of those miles are in South Dakota: NorthWestern currently operates 2,365 miles of distribution lines, 1,308 miles of transmission and 124 substations in the state; Black Hills Energy operates 1,234 miles of transmission and 2,627 miles of distribution in the state.

While the merger announcement referenced growth opportunities including regional transmission and natural gas transmission, there were no specific plans mentioned to increase the number of transmission or distribution lines in South Dakota. NorthWestern Energy did not respond to a request for comment regarding transmission line expansion in the state.

What about renewable energy?

Both Black Hills Energy and NorthWestern Energy have committed to clean energy goals, albeit on different timelines: Black Hills Energy pledged net-zero emissions for natural gas distribution systems by 2035, while NorthWestern said it will achieve the same goal by 2050.

Black Hills Energy has a 190,000 square-foot headquarters, shown on Sept. 1, 2025, called Horizon Point in Rapid City, S.D.. (Photo: Bart Pfankuch / South Dakota News Watch)

Black Hills Energy did not respond to a request for comment on the companys net-zero goals by the time of publication.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In South Dakota, 77% of in-state electricity was generated from renewable resources in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, with the majority coming from wind and hydroelectric power through the Missouri River dams.

Both Black Hills Energy and NorthWestern Energy have significant investments in wind, solar and hydroelectric power: 44% of NorthWesterns electricity in South Dakota comes from wind resources; Black Hills Energys most recent renewable facility, the Corriedale Wind Energy Project, serves electricity customers in both South Dakota and Wyoming.

The state currently does not produce any energy from nuclear. But the subject recently entered the conversation as a potential source for increased capacity, as data centers consider South Dakota as a valuable location.

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen spoke Aug. 26 about the South Dakotas potential to enhance electric capabilities through small-module reactors, a nuclear energy source.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, neither Black Hills Energy or NorthWestern Energy have yet indicated whether nuclear energy is in the companys future.

Justin Ballard, a senior associate in energy and sustainability practice and government affairs at consultant FGS Global in Washington, D.C., said the state may see both benefits and drawbacks from nuclear power.

It provides enormous amounts of energy with a very small impact as far as land usage, Ballard told News Watch.

The issue, of course, with nuclear thats still worth considering is the nuclear waste issue. The United States still does not have a long-term solution for nuclear waste storage. Its not an elephant in the room that can never be addressed, but its there.

How can I get more information?

The two companies launched a website that provides information about the merger. Financial records for both companies, as well as merger information, is available to the public online through the SECs EDGAR Public Dissemination Service System.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email for statewide stories. Investigative reporter Molly Wetsch is a Report for America corps member covering rural and Indigenous issues. Contact her at molly.wetsch@sdnewswatch.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 KELOLAND.com.
Original intent of the Second Amendment

When the Second Amendment was written, the only available, existing weapons I am aware of were musket rifles and large cannons, not rapid-fire assault rifles nor nuclear bombs.

Very little is mentioned in public about the actual wording of the Second Amendment: A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. This seems clearly to limit bearing of arms to those within a regulated militia, i.e. those supporting the state  not to any person any time.

So, we owe it to our kids and grieving parents to enact a national ban on rapid-fire weapons, perhaps allowing single shot hunting rifles if kept securely locked.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Philip C. Craven, Fox Island

Rethinking the military parade

The parade was beautiful. Perfectly coordinated men and women marching. Height, head angle, uniforms matched to resemble an army of perfect puppets. Faces and mouth movements identical.

I enjoyed watching. It was beautiful. It must have taken years to prepare. As the columns glided by, I imagined the daily drills. Practicing, to pure exhaustion. Seamstresses to ensure hems matched. Officers with rulers measuring height. Each scared to death of making a mistake.

People say the president fumed, comparing the Chinese parade with his own hodge-podge birthday procession. His military members strolled by and laughed to the crowds without paying attention to the VIPs they were there to impress.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They had fun. Theyre proud of their country. And they were not afraid. They are ready, willing and able to serve. They know that they would never be asked to serve as cannon fodder for another country in a war raged by a lunatic. And they prepare not by coordinating their facial expressions but by learning how to defend their country. And theyre really good at that. Theyll give their life for their country not because they have to but because they choose to.

So which military, Mr. President, do you prefer?

Carla Loekje, Puyallup

Package theft in Gig Harbor

I am writing regarding concerns about the U.S. Postal Service here in Gig Harbor.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Over the past several weeks, our neighborhood has been the victim of mail theft wherein our USPS supplied secured mailboxes (totalling 6 in our neighborhood of 15 mailboxes per station) have been opened by a criminal who reportedly has either forged or stolen a master key to the locks.

To this end, they have stolen mail, credit cards and packages and have been successful in this theft to the sum of thousands of dollars of theft (I personally suffered $8000 in charges). When I spoke with the USPS supervisor yesterday, I was informed there is no stolen master key and that we are responsible to keep our mailboxes secure even though there is no physical evidence of tampering to the mail stations.

They also informed that they were powerless to intervene until they hear from the Post Office Inspector. They suggested that we set up a surveillance camera on our neighborhood; I believe that a government agency should not expect users to enact vigilante surveillance on their property.

Mark Burker, Gig Harbor
CORBIN, Ky. (FOX 56)  The Knox County Sheriffs Department (KCSD) announced on Saturday that deputies are searching for two masked men responsible for setting fire to a Corbin house that was in the process of being built.

According to the sheriffs department, just after 8 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, deputies were dispatched to a house in Corbin responding to a house under construction that had been set on fire by two masked people.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities said the houses owner used security cameras that captured footage of two men at the scene of the fire.

They were in a newer model dark-colored Subaru Outback, deputies wrote.

Two masked when were captured on security camera footage near the scene of a construction fire in Corbin on Saturday. (Knox County Sheriffs Department)

Deputies are searching for two men as well as a dark-colored Subaru Outback in connection with a fire investigation. (Knox County Sheriffs Department)

Knox County deputies asked for the communitys help identifying the two men or the owner of the Subaru.

Knox County residents were encouraged to submit a tip to the KCSD by calling Knox County Dispatch at (606) 546-3181, or messaging

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.
Question : Is it true that restaurants have to let in pets now ? It seems like people already take their dogs everywhere and there should be limits.

Answer : No, the Hawaii Food Safety Code was amended recently in line with national standards, but the update allows pet dogs only in outdoor dining areas that meet certain conditionsand this is an option for restaurants, not something they must do. To be clear, service dogs were already allowedtheyre not considered petsunder rules that are unchanged.

To answer another readers question, no, pet dogs cant be seated on a restaurants tables or chairs, even outdoors (weve gotten Auwes  about that ). They can be on the ground or in a carrier, but only if the eatery also meets all other provisions of the new rule, which is found in Hawaii Administrative Rules, Title 11, Chapter 50, Section 74. It says pet dogs under the control of a person may be allowed in an outdoor dining area of a food establishment  under the following conditions :There must be signage that pet dogs are allowed in the eaterys outdoor area.There must be a separate entrance /exit for the pet dogs to reach the outdoor dining area without passing through the interior of the restaurant.Pet dogs must be kept on a leash or confined in a carrier.Pet dogs are not allowed on tables, chairs, benches, seats, or other furniture and fixtures.Food employees are prohibited from having direct contact with pet dogs while on duty. A food employee who does have such prohibited direct or incidental contact shall wash their hands as specified  in the code.The eatery cant provide food on tableware or use utensils for pet dogs.An outdoor dining area where pet dogs are allowed cannot be used for storage of utensils, single-service or single-use articles and food or drink preparation, except that an employee may refill beverages from a pitcher or other container.The outdoor dining area shall be maintained clean : Any surface in contact with feces, urine or vomit from pet dogs shall be cleaned and sanitized ; any animal waste must be cleaned and sanitized immediately ; after handling animal waste or equipment in contact with animal waste, food employees shall wash their hands as specified in the code.The food establishments owner or operator must ensure compliance related to sidewalks, public nuisances, and sanitation as required by law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Department of Healths Food Safety Branch has links on its website to the full Food Safety Code, a flyer for food establishments that explains the new option, and highlights of other recent code changes. Go to for details.

This new rule is among several updates to the Hawaii Food Safety Code that took effect Aug. 24, in keeping with the 2022 U.S. Food and Drug Administration Model Food Code, the most current guide, the DOH said in a news release last month.

While some Hawaii restaurants had allowed customers to dine with pet dogs outdoors prior to that date, the practice was not state-sanctioned until the new rule took effect ; it had been in the works for about a year.

As for service dogs, which are a separate issue, the Hawaii code says that service animals controlled by a disabled employee or person are allowed in areas that are not used for food preparation and that are usually open for customers, such as dining and sales areas  if a health or safety hazard will not result from the presence or activities of the service animal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It defines a service animal as one that meets criteria spelled out in federal regulations barring discrimination on the basis of disability in public places and commercial facilities.

Mahalo Mahalo to that young angel lady who happened  to be waiting for her Uber to pick her up when this old lady was dropped off at the wrong hospital. I had no cash and had a doctors appointment at Queens Hospital. She offered to take me to Queens and even walked me into the building to ensure I was safe. I was so worried about being late for my appointment that I forgot to ask for her name and phone number. I hugged her and left. I did offer to pay for the ride but she refused. She walked to her destination. May God richly bless her with happiness and long life.E.F.------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Russian forces launched a large-scale attack on the city of Kremenchuk in Poltava Oblast on the night of 6-7 September. Dozens of explosions have been reported, and part of the city has been left without electricity.

Source: Kremenchuk Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi

Quote: "Kremenchuk is under enemy attack. Dozens of explosions have been heard in the city. Part of the city is without electricity."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Details: Maletskyi said information on the aftermath of the Russian attack will be provided later by Poltava Oblast Military Administration.

Background: Russia has been attacking Ukraine with strike drones since the evening of 6 September. Explosions have been reported in a number of cities.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics and Prime Minister Evika Silina have said that the latest large-scale attack on Ukraine shows that Russia does not seek peace.

Source: Rinkevics and Silina on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: The president noted that the attack demonstrated Russias decision to escalate the conflict, pointing out that one of the strikes damaged the Cabinet of Ministers (Ukrainian government) building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The message is clear  Kremlin wants war, not peace. Our response must be more weapons to Ukraine, more pressure on Russia," he stressed.

Silina pointed out that this was the first time the Ukrainian government building in Kyiv had been attacked.

"Russia does not want peace, it wants more war, aggression and suffering. We must stop it," she wrote.

Background:

On the night of 6-7 September, Russia carried out a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine using strike UAVs and ground-launched missiles. Ukrainian air defence intercepted 751 out of 823 aerial assets, though 9 missiles and 54 drones hit 33 locations.

In particular, Russia attacked Kyiv with drones and missiles. Two people were reported killed and 20 injured. The Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv also caught fire as a result of the Russian strike.

Against the backdrop of the Russian attack on Ukraine, Poland scrambled its aircraft, while ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems were put on high alert.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
A Labour MP claimed the arrest of hundreds of Palestine Action demonstrators in London was a total disgrace, despite supporters violently clashing with police.

Scotland Yard arrested 890 people at Parliament Square on Saturday at a rally in support of Palestine Action, an organisation that was designated a terrorist organisation in June.

The arrests included 33 protesters accused of assaulting police officers and other public order offences.

The proscription came after Palestine Action followers allegedly caused an estimated 7m of damage to jets at RAF Brize Norton in June.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Referring to the latest arrests, Richard Burgon, the Left-wing MP for Leeds East, wrote on X: Once again, this is a total disgrace. Its exactly why I voted against banning Palestine Action in Parliament  and why this ban must be overturned.

Mr Burgon was one of nine Labour MPs to vote against the ban at a vote in the Commons in June.

Richard Burgon is critical of the arrests at Parliament Square on Saturday - Commons/Reuters

Civil servants in the Public and Commercial Services Union will also demand that the proscription be reversed at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference this week.

The union has put forward an amendment that calls the ban, put in place under Yvette Cooper while she was home secretary, authoritarian.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It called on the Government to repeal the authoritarian proscription of Palestine Action under counter-terrorism laws and uphold and strengthen the right to peaceful protest.

But a Cabinet minister said on Sunday that Shabana Mahmood, who has become the Home Secretary following last weeks reshuffle, will be just as tough on the group as Ms Cooper.

The Palestine Action protest at Parliament Square on Saturday was in defiance of the Governments ban on the group - Carlos Jasso/Reuters

John Healey, the Defence Secretary, told Sky News Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: I expect her to defend the decision the Governments taken on Palestine Action, because of what some of its members are responsible for and were planning.

If we want to avoid a two-tier policing and justice system in this country, when people break the law, there have to be consequences.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats what was happening yesterday, and I, we, almost everybody shares the agony when we see the images from Gaza, the anguish when we see the man-made starvation, and for people who want to voice their concern and protest, I applaud them.

But that does not require them to link it to support for Palestine Action, a proscribed group.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Sunday that 857 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act for showing support for a proscribed group.

A further 33 people were arrested for other offences, including 17 for assaults on police officers.

Claire Smart, the deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said: The violence we encountered during the operation was coordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many of those individuals have now been arrested and we have begun securing charges.

She added: The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark.

You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.

We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly.

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.
As a maritime chaplain with Seafarers Friend, a 200-year-old New England organization, Thomas Kircher boarded vessels from Portsmouth to Searsport.

Many of the men he met onboard came from other countries on three- to nine-month stints. Kircher offered a quiet ear, listening to their struggles with isolation, as well as practical support, helping them send money home to their loved ones.

In every conversation, Kircher had a go-to question: Hows the weather been out at sea?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Research shows that climate change has led to more frequent marine heatwaves and more intense storms, among other changes, according to NASA. The seafarers Kircher worked with had more immediate concerns than a warming planet, he said, but they all had stories of bigger waves and stronger winds.

This summer, Kircher retired from Seafarers Friend to focus more on climate advocacy within faith communities, joining other faith leaders in Maine who are putting more emphasis on addressing peoples spiritual needs in the face of a warming planet.

According to a 2022 survey by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, one in 10 Americans reported experiencing consistent symptoms of anxiety because of climate change, with almost as many reporting symptoms of depression. A quarter of respondents, meanwhile, said they try not to think about climate change at all.

Regardless of whether society chooses to address them or not, the impacts are going to be felt, Kircher said. So as somebody whos interested in the wellbeing of the world around me, as a chaplain, I think its vitally important that faith leaders learn how to start the conversations and deal with the emotional responses, whether theyre anger or grief or fear.

Chaplains changing roles

The use of chaplains in the American military predates the Declaration of Independence. Initially tasked with tending to soldiers spiritual needs from a Christian perspective, the work of chaplains has broadened to include hospitals, universities, hospice care and more.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As the U.S. has become more diverse, so, too, have its chaplains. The Association of Professional Chaplains, which provides board certification for chaplains nationally, lists 29 core competencies that chaplains must adhere to, including providing religious or spiritual resources appropriate to their care recipients own spiritualities and goals. Non-religious chaplains are a growing group in the profession, according to the Religion News Service.

Their areas of focus have also broadened, from movement chaplains supporting protesters to Red Cross chaplains deployed with disaster response teams. In 2005, Sarah Vekasi coined the term eco-chaplaincy, referring to an emerging group of chaplains who focus on how climate change impacts peoples spiritual needs.

The Portland-based Chaplaincy Institute of Maine has ordained more than 220 interfaith ministers since its founding in 2002. The Rev. Lisa Steele-Maley, the institutes executive director, said those who go through the two-year program may seek board certification afterwards, but many opt instead to incorporate what they learned into other jobs or provide part-time spiritual services in a variety of contexts.

The institute doesnt focus on political issues, but Steele-Maley said students bring their own experiences in the world into discussions. During the January wildfires in Los Angeles, for example, conversation turned to the impact of climate change on natural disasters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chaplains are uniquely positioned to serve peoples spiritual needs regardless of faith backgrounds, Steele-Maley said. Several of the institutes alumni, including Kircher, have gone on to focus in part or in whole on the relationship between spirituality and environmental issues.

For Circe Moss MacDonald, an eco-chaplain and spiritual leader at the Portland New Church Center for the Sacred Arts, climate grief is a central aspect of her monthly cosmic mass. The ceremony, which typically attracts around 30 people, centers on peoples connection to the Earth.

One stage of the ceremony is centered on grief, which helps people understand their relationship to the environment, MacDonald said. Her practice has attracted many people who identify as spiritual but not religious, and she focuses on making a space where people concerned about climate change can process their emotions in a spiritual context, even if they wouldnt otherwise be comfortable talking in terms of faith and religion.

Through yoga, songs and testimonies, the process helps people express grief over climate change, climate catastrophes, changes in their environment, MacDonald said, noting that this is  key in helping people become less numb and disconnected and walking around thinking that theyre somehow not part of everything, not part of nature.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Rev. Gabe Burford, a graduate of the chaplaincy institute who works as a community and climate chaplain in Belfast, tends to the spiritual needs of activists and protesters. He hosts a monthly potluck for climate organizers, as well as several online meditation groups, and speaks at events focused on climate advocacy.

Once theres a level of trust built  we can talk about how fatalism is actually the least beneficial mindset that we can use to approach anything, but particularly these big, big challenges like climate change, Burford said. Then we start to focus on, Where is our agency and how can it unfold into the world?

A climate-changed world

Environmental lawyer Gus Speth once said, I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change, but I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For spiritual leaders like the Rev. Allen Ewing-Merrill, executive director of the BTS Center in Portland, the quote has been a call to action.

Science does not have any opinion on selfishness, greed or apathy, Ewing-Merrill said. Those are not within the purview of the science community, but they ought to be in the purview of the spiritual community.

Brian Evans (top right, facing away) leads a breakout session focused on embodied activism during the BTS Centers second annual Green Teams Gathering at the Wolfes Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment in Freeport. Photo courtesy Allen Ewing-Merrill.

Ewing-Merrill was hired as executive director in 2019. The center, originally Bangor Theological Seminary, stopped operating as a seminary in 2013, and its board of directors spent the next six years looking for a new direction. A month after he was hired, Ewing-Merrill had an epiphany. While pursuing a doctoral degree, one of Ewing-Merrills professors began a lecture talking about what global climate devastation would mean for the planet.

And I just knew with a greater clarity than I have ever experienced that this is what the BTS Center needed to turn its attention to, Ewing-Merrill recalled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He went into his first official meeting with the board of directors and pitched his idea: a hard focus on environmental issues. Six years later, the BTS Center is carrying out this mission under the slogan, Spiritual leadership for a climate-changed world.

The Rev. Alison Cornish began working with the BTS Center in 2021. Two years later, she helped spearhead the centers climate conscious chaplaincy program, in partnership with the national Chaplaincy Innovation Lab.

Cornish sees the program as offering a new lens for spiritual leaders in a variety of fields. University chaplains might work with students who feel a sense of doom about their future because of potential climate catastrophes, while hospital chaplains need to be aware of how the impacts of climate change could lead to more patients needing care.

Were working with faith leaders in lots of different roles  preachers and pastors and spiritual directors, chaplains, et cetera, Cornish said. Really the questions that were asking are: How are you as a faith leader needing to do your work or are called to do your work differently because you live in a climate-changed world?

Correction (Sept. 8 at 1 p.m.): The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine was founded in 2002, not 2006 as previously reported.
The Los Angeles Police Department has stopped providing protection to former Vice President Kamala Harris amid backlash from a police organization.

After President Donald Trump ended Secret Service protection for the former vice president earlier this year, LA Mayor Karen Bass extended Harris protection via the LAPD, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which says its mission is to "vigilantly protect, promote, and improve the working conditions, legal rights, compensation, and benefits of Los Angeles police officers," complained that officers who were assigned to crime suppression tasks were pulled away to guard Harris.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Pulling police officers from protecting everyday Angelenos to protect a failed presidential candidate who also happens to be a multi- millionaire with multiple homes and who can easily afford to pay for her own security is nuts," the board said in a statement.

The board continued lashing out and pulled California Governor Gavin Newsom into its criticism.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris has lost her Los Angeles Police Department security detail after the city faced backlash from a police advocacy organization (AP)

"The mayor should tell Governor Newsom that if he wants to curry favor with Ms. Harris and her donor base then he should open up his own wallet because LA taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this ridiculousness," it said.

It's standard protocol for former vice president to receive protection from the Secret Service for six months after they leave office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

President Joe Biden extended Harris's protection period to 18 months, which would have kept a detail on her until July 2026. But Trump canceled that extension in August.

The Vice President is grateful to the United States Secret Service for their professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment to safety, Kirsten Allen, one of Harris's senior advisors, told CNN at the time.

When Harris had security through the Secret Service and later the LAPD, she had 24-7 surveillance at her home and the constant presence of officers at her Los Angeles home.

Newsom, through a spokesperson, condemned Trump's actions at the time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses, the spokesperson, Bob Salladay, told CNN.

Harris has a book tour planned to promote her memoir. It's unclear who is going to be providing her security during those visits, but it is likely that she or her publisher will need to hire private security.

According to a report from the LA Times, the California Highway Patrol has also offered to provide security for Harris.

The former vice president isn't the only official to have their protection revoked by Trump.

Both former national security adviser John Bolton and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had their protections withdrawn, even as both were reportedly under threat from Iran.

More recently, Trump ended the Secret Service protection for former President Biden's children, Hunter and Ashley, after Biden extended their Secret Service protections.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck a high-rise building, which they claimed was being used by Hamas in the area of Gaza City. The IDF further said that it took appropriate steps to mitigate the killing of civilians in the strike. In a post on X, the IDF said, "STRUCK: A high-rise building that was being used by the Hamas terrorist organisation in the area of Gaza City. Hamas terrorists installed intelligence-gathering equipment and positioned observation posts in the building in order to monitor the location of IDF troops in the area. Hamas terrorists also planted numerous explosive devices near the building. Prior to the strike, steps were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians." https://x.com/IDF/status/1964276748733894905 Gaza's Government Media Office rejected the claims and called them "part of a systematic policy of deception used by the occupation to justify the targeting of civilians and infrastructure" and forcibly displace Palestinians from their homes. It said that Israel has destroyed 90 percent of Gaza's infrastructure, as per Al Jazeera. The buildings designated for targeting were near the 12-storey Mushtaha Tower, which on Friday was bombed and razed to the ground. As panic-stricken residents fled Gaza City, UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said that Israel's campaign to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza City was an "enormous threat" for almost one million people, pointing out that half of the population are children. "It's important to remember that every second person in Gaza is a child, and life is becoming almost impossible for them," Ingram told Al Jazeera. Save the Children said that at least one Palestinian child has been killed every hour on average by Israeli forces in Gaza over nearly 23 months of war, describing the statistic as a "horrific new low". At least 20,000 children have been killed since October 2023, according to Gaza government figures, as quoted by Al Jazeera. (ANI)
Update: The Clark County coroners office identified the person killed as Kyle Hughes, 54. His cause of death was listed as multiple stab wounds, with the manner being homicide.

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Las Vegas man is accused of stabbing his roommate to death in the central Las Vegas valley early Saturday morning, according to Metro police.

Around 3:50 p.m., Metro police responded to a report of a man who was stabbed inside an apartment in the 2400 block of Clifford Avenue near Charleston Boulevard and Fremont Street.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from apparent stab wounds and rendered aid until medical personnel arrived. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Detectives learned that the victim and his roommate, identified as 39-year-old Christian Bryant, were arguing before the stabbing. Bryant left the scene before officers arrived and was later arrested by officers, according to Metro police.

Bryant was taken to the Clark County Detention Center, where he was booked on a open murder with a deadly weapon charge, police said.

Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide

Section by phone at 702-828-3521, or by email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain

anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or at crimestoppersofnv.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 KLAS.
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  Arson and fire investigators with the Laurel County Sheriffs Office (LCSO) are conducting a death investigation after a woman was found dead in a residence that was badly damaged by fire on Saturday afternoon.

Around 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 6, officials with the sheriffs office were dispatched to a structure fire nearly nine miles southwest of London in the area of Cassidy Road after a person was reportedly found dead at the scene.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators arrived and found the woman inside the badly damaged home. Authorities posted on Facebook that Coroner Doug Bowling identified her as Debra Kay Moore, 58, of Keavy.

The investigation into Moores death remains 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 FOX 56 News.
Sep. 7Mike Spaeth has a routine.

Each day, he unlocks the chain-link gate to his business on Central and Indiana, rolls it open and picks up spent hypodermic needles from the gravel below. Then, he walks the perimeter, where he often finds people slumped over, asleep or out-of-it, against his businesses' front door or under its windows.

He opens the shop, though the door is always locked until he sees a shopper approach. Inside Southwestern Minerals are rotating shelves of fine gems, geodes and crystal prisms that sit untouched under glass, waiting for customers that he says are few and far between these days.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than six months ago, 2nd Judicial District Attorney Sam Bregman announced an initiative to clean up East Central, in part to help beleaguered business owners like Spaeth. The reaction has been mixed.

The plan, called Operation Route 66, was to unite law enforcement, the DA's office and state Corrections Department to fight crime in the International District, a part of town that has grown locally infamous and become a national spectacle with videos filmed in the area garnering millions of views on YouTube.

"In the coming months, a very clear message will be sent: If you smoke fentanyl, you will go to jail," Bregman declared at a news conference announcing the initiative in February. "If you don't show up for court, you will be picked up on your warrant and brought back to jail. If you commit a crime, you will be held accountable."

In that February news conference, Bregman  who is also running for New Mexico governor  asked the media to hold him to his promises.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"In 45 days, I want you all to come back to this Albuquerque neighborhood and see if it's cleaned up," Bregman said. Then in May, Bregman said the operation would go into the foreseeable future  with no timetable given.

On Saturday, DA spokesperson Nancy Laflin called the operation "a huge undertaking."

"There's still more work to be done. It's a big ship to turn  but they're making progress," she said. "They've done an amazing job."

Walking along Central east of Louisiana on Tuesday, dozens of people shuffled by with bikes and overstuffed backpacks. Bright orange needle caps stuck out on the gray pavement. Outside a shuttered Vietnamese restaurant, a man dipped his finger into a small plastic-wrapped parcel with people crowded over his shoulder. Down the block, another man lay collapsed and unresponsive near the Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus stop.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some business owners and employees have said the operation's been a success so far but would like to see more police presence, while others said they've noticed little improvement in cleanliness and safety. Others say extra policing is just displacing people  with no follow-through to keep them from returning to the streets.

Mike Spaeth and his wife and business partner, Melisa, said the operation hasn't helped them at all.

"They're just scattering the herd," Mike Spaeth said.

According to him, law enforcement show up, disperse encampments, sometimes make arrests  but each day he sees the same faces. Multiple times a week when asking people to leave, he'll catch a whiff of fentanyl and feel spaced out for hours, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It wasn't always like this, Melisa Spaeth said, who grew up in the shop that her parents opened in 1969. Back then, Central was a metropolitan strip of Route 66, a place of buzzing neon signs and commerce.

"It's devastating to see your parent's business go," she said, her eyes watering.

Operation Route 66 has led to a spike in arrests along the corridor.

Since February, the DA's office reports that the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and New Mexico State Police have arrested more than 1,000 people and have 310 open court cases, according to a social media post made by the DA last week. Of those arrests, 11 were related to homicides, while 651 were pre-existing arrest warrants.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 300 arrests were for probation violations. Some of those arrested are suspected of multiple crimes and violations, Laflin said. She added that law enforcement had seized more than 100,000 fentanyl pills, 77 guns and recovered 92 stolen vehicles.

"It is a massive operation that is far from over," Laflin said.

The Albuquerque Police Department, the law enforcement agency with the biggest presence in the district, is not a part of Operation Route 66.

"We don't anticipate joining the Rt. 66 initiative, but we appreciate any assistance we get from other agencies," said APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos in a statement Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

'They have nothing to lose  I have a lot to lose'

On Central and Tennessee, Pablo Espino ate lunch in the shade with his staff at Quality Auto Tire Shop on Tuesday, surrounded by towers of rubber tires. He opened the shop in 2014 and has had occasional problems with break-ins and loitering, he said.

In one case, a woman came in off the street with a bat and became extremely agitated, yelling and swinging it at employees, he said. After calling police, Espino told his staff to lock themselves inside and let her get her anger out.

Damaged property isn't worth your life, he said.

"They have nothing to lose  I have a lot to lose," Espino said, shrugging his shoulders.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His business is surrounded with a tall pointed fence and those living on the streets, who congregate in the shade beneath trees outside, keep to themselves, he said.

Espino doesn't feel that their presence has negatively impacted his business much, though he'd like to see "a little more" police patrols and faster response times.

In the past six months, he said the change has been visible.

"I feel more safe with the patrols," Espino said. "Not completely, because it's everywhere... It's Central."

Closer to Louisiana and Central, Ludgie Brister III mans the cash register inside Terry's Mini Mart. At the small grocery, which are few and far between in the International District, everything's a family affair.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Precious Mitchell and Terrence Lynch, Brister's aunt and uncle, own the store where they spend most days together, stocking shelves, ringing up customers and sweeping the front entrance.

Brister, the store's manager, said he's seen "minor changes" in the past six months, though things have mostly stayed the same. They still find broken needles and pipes near the shop, though they noticed that the streets are slightly cleaner.

Many of the market's customers are unhoused people or sex workers who come in multiple times a day.

Their top seller? Coca-Cola.

The family tries to give back as much as they can, giving out water, barbecuing for passersby on Wednesdays and providing Narcan when someone overdoses nearby.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One time a customer came into the store in poor shape, shaking and unable to speak. Brister realized the young man was having a seizure and called for an ambulance.

But Brister said he can't help everyone. He frequently sees what he calls a "manic attack," where someone takes too much of a drug and becomes inconsolable and aggressive. Across the street, a person died after a particularly bad case just days before, he said.

"I do love this area for the people that's in it, because even though a lot of people see them as a degenerate, as a disgrace, or as a street urchin, to me, my eyes, all I can see is  that was me, I just wasn't doing the drugs," Brister said. "It was me one day pushing my basket down the street. It was me one day waking my parents up, going, 'Hey, look, we got to move down here.'"

Regina Maestas stood in front of the store's large fan in a silver sequined dress, a beaded headband styled straight from the 1920s above her brows. She clutched several cigarettes between her fingers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She didn't buy anything, instead settling against the stucco wall outside. Maestas said she has been homeless for "quite a while."

In the past few months, she's been hassled more by police, she said, but doesn't see those efforts impacting violent crime in the area.

"It's pretty much been the same, but the police come and sweep everybody out," Maestas said.

After a time, the people return and the cycle begins again, she said.

Maestas lolled her head and looked out toward Central. Her eyes searched the street, as if waiting for something to happen.
Sept. 7 (UPI) -- More than 60 people were killed in overnight attacks by the jihadist group Boko Haram in the northern Nigerian state of Borno, local officials said. At least five of the people killed were soldiers.

The militants struck the village of Darul Jamal, the location of a military base along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. The Nigerian Air Force said it killed 30 militants after it received reports of attacks on the village.

"In a series of three precise and successive strikes, the fleeing terrorists were decisively engaged, resulting in the neutralization of over 30 insurgents," Nigerian Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame said, according to BBC News.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ejodame said the insurgents were fleeing north from the town toward nearby bushes.

Residents recently returned to the rebuilding village after years of being displaced by fighting between Boko Haram and rival groups, including the West African branch of the Islamic State group, authorities said.

"This community was settled a few months ago and they went about their normal activities, but unfortunately, they experienced a Boko Haram attack last night," Gov. Babagana Zulum told local media. "Our visit is to commiserate with them and build their resilience."

Zulum called for the immediate deployment of newly trained specialty guards to help the military defend vulnerable communities.

A decade ago, Boko Haram controlled large areas of Borno state before being pushed back.
Lebanons plan to disarm Hezbollah hit political resistance as ministers walked out of a cabinet session, raising doubts over the armys phased arms collection effort.

Lebanon is facing new hurdles in collecting weapons from Hezbollah. Lebanon had succeeded in August in collecting arms from half a dozen Palestinian camps. This was supposed to pave the way to a phased approach to securing weapons in the hands of the state.

Hezbollah was supposed to be disarmed this year. However, Hezbollah is stalling. The phased approach was supposed to mean that the Lebanese Armed Forces would collect weapons from Hezbollah south of the Litani and then proceed north. However, it is not clear when and if this will begin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hezbollah wants to stall and drag things out for a year or two, hoping Beirut will forget. According to a report, several ministers from Amal and Hezbollah, the two Shiite parties, walked out of a recent government session.

In total, five ministers left the meeting at the Baabda Presidential Palace when the issue of arms came up. This happened on Friday as theLebanese Council of Ministers convened a session to discuss the plan the army had prepared to collect arms.

Daily Sabah in Turkey reported that cabinet met Friday to review a plan drafted by the Lebanese army aimed at disarming Hezbollah and placing all weapons under state control, as the group's allies walked out of the meeting.

Lebanon's Hezbollah supporters march during a religious procession to mark Ashura in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon July 17, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/AZIZ TAHER)

The report added that upon the arrival of the army chief, Gen. Rudolph Haikal, ministers from Hezbollahs political bloc, as well as the allied Shiite Amal party and independent Shiite minister Fadi Makki, withdrew from the meeting room. The Hezbollah and Amal ministers then left the government palace.

Available capabilities

"The Lebanese army will begin implementing the (Hezbollah disarmament) plan, but in accordance with the available capabilities, which are limited in terms of logistics, material, and human resources," Information Minister Paul Morcos said when speaking to journalists after the session. Reuters reported that the Lebanese cabinet had welcomed the armys plan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hezbollah continues to warn the government about the plan. Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati told Reuters on Saturday that the group considered Fridays cabinet session on an army plan to establish a state monopoly on arms an opportunity to return to wisdom and reason, preventing the country from slipping into the unknown.

Meanwhile, the pro-Hezbollah Al-Akhbar reported that Loyalty to the Resistance bloc member Member of Parliament Raed Berro stressed that the government's actions yesterday constituted "a moment of reflection on the path of sin," calling on it to reverse them.

"We hope the Lebanese government realizes that the Zionist enemy only understands the language of steadfastness and refusal to give in to pressure, and that any concession in return only increases its ambitions," Berro said. Meanwhile, France has urged Lebanon to continue along its current path, to collect arms peacefully without delay.

However, Al-Akhbar also noted that the deputy head of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, Sheikh Ali al-Khatib, called on the Lebanese government to reconsider its "dangerous" decision regarding arms control, arguing that the authorities "do not want to defend the homeland, but rather seek to sow discord between the army and the resistance."

He added that the problem was with the West, with Israel, and with the United States of America. You came to turn it into an internal strife. The decision taken to confront the resistance is not in anyone's interest at all, not even in the government's interest. We want the government to succeed, and we are with the government when it makes the right decision."
Lawmakers in Michigan are signaling a strong desire to combat the growing amount of plastic waste in the state by introducing a number of sweeping bills.

As reported by Big Rapids News, the Michigan legislature has taken the first steps in the fight against the spread of microplastics with a set of recently introduced bills that address pollution through microbead bans, the testing of drinking water, and long-term research. Three separate bipartisan bills were introduced in mid-August in both the House and Senate.

House Bill 4766 and Senate Bill 503 would prohibit the manufacturing, sale, and distribution of products containing plastic microbeads throughout the state, per Big Rapids News. The total extent of the ban would happen across two phases over the next few years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2026, all products except for personal care or cleaning products will be barred from containing plastic microbeads, per Big Rapids News. By 2027, the ban would extend to personal care and cleaning products, with a new restriction that microbead content must be less than 1 part per million by weight.

While the goal of the bills would aim to alleviate harm to the public, plastic bans could drastically change daily life by increasing costs and inconvenience for consumers. Certain products would need to be reformulated to remain compliant with the law. This could come with a steep price tag.

Not to be outdone, House Bill 4767 and Senate Bill 504 would establish a statewide program to monitor and test microplastics in public drinking water, per Big Rapids News. The program would run quarterly testing of shoreline sources, major tributaries, and inland lakes from July 2027 to July 2030.

By July 2031, the findings from the program would be used to identify sources, polymer types, and toxicity limits. The report will also include the "quantities of microplastics in public water supplies, including the quantities in the water source that supplies the public water supply."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On a similar note, House Bill 4768 and Senate Bill 505 would direct the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to create a comprehensive, long-term research and monitoring plan for microplastics in Michigan, per Big Rapids News. The research plan would involve consultations with state universities and other research institutions across the country to assess the environmental impacts of microplastics and recommend policy solutions to the legislature.

The introduced measures are a response to mounting evidence of microplastic contamination throughout the Great Lakes, which serve as a drinking water source for millions of people. Recent studies have noted the potential health impacts that microplastics may have on the human population.

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.
Southwest Missouri lawmakers are wrestling with questions of redistricting and changes to the states initiative petition process, both of which are topics of a special session in Jefferson City.

The lawmakers were in the capital last week, and theyll be back next week.

State Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, is proposing a constitutional amendment similar to a request from Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe that would require a majority of voters in all of Missouris eight congressional district as well as a statewide majority to say Yes in order to pass a constitutional amendment or a state law on the ballot. If a proposal fails in any one of the states eight congressional districts, that would kill it. Currently, only a simple majority is required statewide.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Critics have said it would be much harder to get constitutional amendments passed, and that a small minority of voters could stop a measure wanted by the overwhelming majority of Missouri residents. Proponents have said that smaller, rural areas are losing out to large majorities in Kansas City and St. Louis.

If approved by lawmakers, the proposed changes would go to a statewide vote and require a simple majority to be enacted.

I think that it should be a little bit more difficult to change the constitution, state Rep. Bob Bromley said. He represents the north part of Joplin, Carl Junction and part of Webb City.

And the reason I say that is, once its in the constitution, if something needs to be altered or tweaked a little, then it makes it much more difficult to change that. And most of the things, most laws and things that we pass, they do change over time because of conditions or whatever.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

State Rep. Ann Kelley, who represents part of Jasper, Barton and Dade counties, said she also wants changes to the initiative petition process for constitutional amendments but she favors leaving the process for state statutes as it is.

I dont like how the statutory initiative petition process is the same process as the constitutional initiative petition, Kelley said. I think the statutory should remain the way it is. My intent is not to get rid of the initiative petition process. I think that I kind of agree with some of the people that testified that may do just that. But I dont believe that is the intention, so I think that needs to be clarified and an amendment be added to that to change that.

The initiative petition process bill also includes a provision that would ban all foreign contributions to campaigns to change the constitution or statutes.

Redistricting also was debated in committee Wednesday and Thursday, and the House is expected to move on proposals starting Sunday. Under the redistricting proposal, the 5th Congressional District represented by 11-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat from Kansas City, would be broken up, giving Missouri Republicans a planned 7-1 advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives instead of the 6-2 advantage they agreed to with redistricting in 2022.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As for the bill to redistrict the state, Lane Roberts, who represents the south part of Joplin, said the vote on that bill will be more difficult for him.

As I recall I voted against the 7-1 map the first time around. There was at the time at least some discussion about constitutionality, but theres been some time to look at that, and frankly at this point, Im not entirely sure what Im going to do. There are a substantial number of people who believe the last U.S. census was badly skewed and inaccurate. Thats important because our voting districts are based on that census.

State Rep. Cathy Jo Loy, who represents Carthage and part of Jasper County, said shes confident that a redistricting map in a bill carried by state Rep. Dirk Deaton, from Noel, is a good map.

The map that is in Dirk Deatons House bill, it is a map that I feel very confident in, Loy said. U.S. Rep Mark Alford, who is going to lose a big percentage of his district, hes good with the map. We think we should have done it three years ago, the map that was presented three years ago, the 7-1 map, wasnt a good one and so they went back to the 6-2 and did some negotiating. The map that Im seeing right now, if nothing else changes, Im going to support it.
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday canonized Carlo Acutis as tens of thousands of people cheered during the ceremony for the Italian teenager, who died of leukaemia at the age of just 15.

The Catholic Church regards Acutis as a model young Christian who dedicated his life to the service of God. Alongside him, Pier Giorgio Frassati, another Italian who died young, in 1925, was also elevated to sainthood.

For Pope Leo, the head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, it is the first canonization since his election four months ago.

Images adorn ceremony

In Latin, he proclaimed, "We enrol the blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis in the list of saints and decree that they be venerated as saints throughout the Church." Relics of the two were then brought to the altar.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two large portraits of the new saints were hanging on the front of St Peter's Basilica.

Among the participants of the service were Acutis' parents and his two siblings.

The teenager died in 2006 within a few days after the onset of his illness.

From the perspective of the Catholic Church, he had led an exemplary life for a young Christian up to that point. Furthermore, it is claimed that he performed two miracles after his death.

Acutis is referred to by the Vatican as a "cyber apostle" and "God's influencer" because he also promoted his faith on the internet.

During his lifetime, he also helped priests set up websites for their parishes and built an online database of religious miracles, which is still accessible today.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Church aims to become more attractive to young people through the canonizations. However, there is also criticism. A cult of personality has developed around the boy, whose body is displayed in a church in the small Italian town of Assisi.

Last year, more than 1 million people visited the church. Numerous souvenirs of the teenager are sold in the souvenir shops of his home town of Saint Francis. Relics of him have also been exhibited outside Italy.

Another young Italian canonized

Frassati (1901-25) was the other Italian who died young who was canonized on Sunday. He is said to have been particularly committed to helping the poor and marginalized.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both initiatives date back to the predecessor of the first pope from the United States, the Argentinian Francis, who died at Easter.

Overall, the Catholic Church has more than 10,000 saints, starting with the Virgin Mary and almost all the apostles.

Beatifications and canonizations follow a complicated, multi-stage process. The lives of the candidates are thoroughly examined. In the past, this began no sooner than 50 years after death. For Acutis, the process took less than 20 years.

Typically, it is required that miracles can be attributed to a potential saint. In the case of the teenager, the Vatican considers two healings in Brazil and Italy to be valid.
Tel Aviv [Israel], September 7 (ANI/TPS): United Airlines will resume flights to Tel Aviv from Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles this November, marking the first time it has operated these routes since 2023. Chicago flights start Nov. 1, operating four times weekly, while Washington D.C. flights begin Nov. 2 with three weekly departures. United remains the only U.S. airline offering direct service to Tel Aviv from both cities and continues to provide twice-daily flights from New York/Newark. (ANI/TPS)
When the citizens of Newark awoke on Sept. 8, 1942, no one could have foretold the tragedy that would happen before the day was over.

It was a rainy day, and residents Dollie Campbell, of Wyoming Street, and Jane Weston, of 154 Hudson Ave., had both gone downtown on errands. Meanwhile, at 11:19 a.m., a B-25 bomber taxied down the runway at Wright Field in Dayton on a routine flight to New York. On board the plane was pilot Col. Douglas Kilpatrick; copilot 2nd Lt. Lawrence Lawver; and radioman and navigator 2nd Lt. Russel Newlin. They were accompanied by a civilian crew chief, Ovido Picon. Also on board were Cpl. Russel Arens and Pvt. Charles Watson, who were catching a ride on the plane to New York.

Licking County history: Why Licking County's Edward J. Roye deserves a hometown memorial

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

About noon, it was raining heavily in Newark with a very low cloud cover. Ralph McCracken, who was working in the Ohio Power building on First Street, heard the plane fly overhead, a normal occurrence, he would say, but then he heard it turn around. Out of curiosity, McCracken went to the window to see if he could see anything. It was then that he saw the plane come out of the cloud cover right by the County Jail on Third Street. The bomber was so low that the tail hit a tree in the jail yard. McCracken saw that the plane then turned heading north through downtown Newark.

Jane Weston had been home for about half an hour when the plane headed her way. Dollie Campbell was on her way walking home at the same time. The plane heading north missed the courthouse and the Second Presbyterian Church steeple on Church Street. When the plane was between Church and Locust Street, part of the tail fell off, and two occupants of the plane, the pilot and copilot, were seen jumping out of the plane. The aircraft was too close to the ground for their parachutes to open, and both men fell to their deaths. Kilpatrick landed in a doctor's office/apartment building on Locust Street, while the copilot, Lawver, landed on the B&O freight depot at the end of Wyoming Street. The plane then crashed into the house of Jane Weston, killing the other four men on board and Jane. Dollie Campbell was at the corner of Wyoming and Hudson Avenue when she was killed by flying debris from the wreck. On that day, eight people lost their lives.

Licking County history: Did Liberian President Edward Roye attend Newark banquet in 1864?

The question on everyones mind was why the plane had turned around. In a report issued 10 days after the crash, the Army Air Corps investigators declared that there wasnt enough of the plane left to determine a cause for the crash but said the weather conditions may have had something to do with it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a letter to the editor published in the Newark Advocate, Gordon Ball called the crash one of the most heart-rending and never-to-be-forgotten experiences in the history of Newark. But it was largely forgotten over the years with no marker to remember the tragedy  until now.

On Sept. 8, the 83rd anniversary of the crash, there will be a B-25 Marker Dedication unveiling at the Midland Theatre to remember and honor these victims. The doors will open at 10 a.m. The Licking County Library documentary When Death Came to Newark will be shown at 10:30 a.m. with the dedication ceremony immediately following. Family members of four of the victims will be in attendance for this event, which is free and open to the public.

Doug Stout is the local history coordinator for the Licking County Library. You may contact him at 740-349-5571 or dstout@lickingcountylibrary.org.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County history: 83 years ago, 8 lives were lost in plane crash
Editors note: The video above aired in a previous newscast.

NEW YORK (PIX11)  Some LIRR employees are currently voting on whether to strike, which could impact service in parts of the city, according to an official PIX11 News spoke with regarding the matter.

A strike could occur as early as September 18 over wage disputes, officials said.

More Transit News

On Tuesday, locomotive engineers, represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, a major union, sent ballots asking members to vote on stagnant wages that havent increased in three years, according to their website.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We are only asking for a fair contract  one that provides modest wage gains, or at the very least, maintains real wages, IL Lang, General Chairman for the BLETs LIRR engineers, said. Our members would not ratify anything short of that.

The deadline for receiving ballots is 11:00 a.m. Monday, September 15  a few days before the possible strike.

Currently, four other unionsthe International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Transportation Communications Union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmenare also engaged in bargaining new contracts.

If a strike occurs, transit officials plan to deploy buses to shuttle commuters to Queens Subway stations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Over 200,000 New Yorkers ride the LIRR to get to the city every week, according to the MTA.

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.
DES MOINES, Iowa  WHO 13s Jason Parkin talks with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundations Senior Director Lisa Hein about bird migration, what you can do to help birds during migration, bird feeders, the Merlin app and more.

To learn more visit the Iowa natural Heritage Foundation 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 who13.com.
CRACKED WALNUT POETRY FESTIVAL: Before I Lie (Voices Cracked Open), a program presented as part of the Cracked Walnut Expressions! series, features an evening of spoken-word and poetic voices that will not be silenced. Featuring Jess Human, Ayolanda Evans, James K. Estwick, Christian Avey, Simonet Poetry, Folasade Adesanya and Lucreshia Grant, hosted by Dralandra Larkins. 6 p.m. Tuesday, American School of Storytelling, 1762 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls.

ERIN SODERBERG DOWNING: Minnesota author introduces her new middle-grade novel What Happened Then, an alternating narrative about a decades-old family secret buried within the sand, water and woods, waiting for cousins Avery and Jax to find it and uncover the truth. Downing has written more than 75 books, including Controlled Burn and Just Keep Walking, as well as the Peach adventures. 3 p.m. Saturday, Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Ave., St. Paul.

JUDY KAROFSKY: Introduces DISElderly Conduct: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice, a personal account of unmet needs based on experiences caring for her mother, aiming to spark discussions about new approaches for Americas aging population and family decision makers. The author lives in Madison, Wis. 7 p.m. Monday, Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER: Discusses Apostles Cove, latest in his Cork OConnor series. 5 p.m. Monday, Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; 5 p.m. Wednesday, Totally Criminal Cocktail Hour, Grand Banquet Hall, 301 Second St. S., Stillwater, presented by Valley Bookseller $10.

MIDSTREAM READING SERIES: With Barry MacDonald, Mae Steins, Anne Piper and Bill McCarthy. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Unity Church-Unitarian, 732 Holly Ave., St Paul.

LORI STURDIVANT: Lunches Martin Sabo: The Making of the Modern Legislature (Minnesota Historical Society Press), in conversation with Mike Erlandson, Sabos chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives. 6 p.m. Thursday, Augsburg University, 2211 Riverside Ave., Mpls., home of Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship.

What else is going on

Minnesotan Lauren Stringers childrens picture book An Abundance of Light: A Story of Matisse in Morocco, has been selected for the Original Art 2025 exhibition of Childrens Book Illustration by the Society of Illustrators. A ceremony will be held in November in New York, with the exhibition at the society, 128 E. 63rd St., from Oct. 15 to Dec 27. The story is about the famous painter leaving rainy Paris for the abundance of light in Tangier, Morocco, only to find Tangier is suffering its coldest, rainiest winter in years. Yet he discovers that sometimes the darkest shadows bring the brightest light.

Related Articles
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  While the Red Wolves and Razorbacks kicked off at War Memorial Stadium, officials with the Little Rock Fire Department battled a house fire on Markham Street about a mile west.

Officials confirmed that firefighters from the LRFD arrived just before 4 p.m. at a home in the 7200 block of Markham near McAdoo Street that was on fire.

LRFD officials said that the fire is believed to have started in the kitchen before spreading to the attic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A spokesperson for the LRFD said that firefighters were able to put the blaze out quickly, no injuries were reported but there was some significant damage.

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.
People ask me why I keep banging on about babies. The truth is, its deeply personal. My passion for babies isnt a campaign or a policy issue. Its ingrained in me.

I grew up with it as one of five kids, all born at home, and fiercely loved by a strong woman  our Mum. She trained as a midwife and then a trauma counsellor, becoming one of the first Trustees in the 1990s of the Oxford Parent Infant Project (OXPIP) that to this day offers specialised therapeutic support for parents to build a secure relationship with their baby. She taught my siblings and me, long before it was widely understood, that the earliest experiences in life shape who we become.

But it wasnt just her work that opened my eyes. It was my own experience too.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I had a long and difficult birth experience with my first son, Freddie, that left me struggling with postnatal depression. I remember feeling weirdly guilty about the delivery, that it had hurt my baby  he didnt sleep more than about two hours at a time  of the pressure to be the perfect mum, to bounce back, to return to work. I didnt talk about it much back then. You didnt. But Ive never forgotten how hard it was and how little help was available except from my husband and my family. Lucky me to have them.

That experience never left me. Its what has driven much of my time in public life. When I gave my maiden speech in Parliament in 2010, I chose to talk about babies and about the science that shows how the first 1001 days of life, from pregnancy to age two, shape everything that follows. Likewise, when I stood to become leader of my Party and Prime Minister in 2016, I talked about my ambition to see every baby experience the best start! Some of my parliamentary colleagues found it very strange, I can tell you.

Ive spent much of the past 15 years campaigning in one way or another to make early years support a national priority. As a minister and as the governments Early Years Advisor, I was proud to secure over 300 million for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, providing welcoming one stop shop hubs where families can find both vital services and new friendships for them with their babies.

But over time, I realised that government can only do so much. The need is too great, and too urgent. So last year I stood down from politics and set up the 1001 Critical Days Foundation in March of this year. We are a small, new charity with a big, global mission: to make sure every baby experiences the best start in life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Foundation will focus on three key areas: first we will provide grants to charities working directly with families such as those running breastfeeding groups, baby massage classes, drop-in services and parent-infant therapy  we are excited to be shortly announcing the successful applicants of our first funding round. Second, we are commissioning ground-breaking research across the world into what works to deliver better outcomes for babies. And third, we are advocating globally for the 1001 Critical Days to persuade every government of the huge need for better support for the period from pregnancy to age two.

Let me be clear: this isnt just about nappies and nap times. This is about building a better, fairer, healthier society and stopping problems before they start.

When we invest in babies, we reduce the pressure on social services, schools, the NHS, even the criminal justice system. We give parents the tools to nurture, not just survive. We help break cycles of disadvantage. We save billions in taxpayers money but, most importantly, we change our world for the better.

This is why Ive moved from policymaker to philanthropist and, in many ways, Ive never had more power to push this agenda forward. Im no longer limited by five-year terms or party manifestos. I can go where the need is greatest and build lasting partnerships to meet it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ill never stop banging on about babies. Because they dont have a voice. And because if we fail them in the first days of life, we all pay the price. But when we get it right, when we support parents, fund services and build nurturing environments, we give every baby the chance to experience the best start in life.

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.
Middlebury Redevelopment to meet

MIDDLEBURY  The Redevelopment Commission of Middlebury will now meet at a public session on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 a.m. instead of the previously scheduled meeting time of 8:15 a.m. at Middlebury Town Hall, 418 N. Main St., Middlebury.

Any and all business may be conducted at the meeting. Interested members of the public are invited to attend.

Milford library hosts Grandparents Day book selectionsMILFORD  For Grandparents Day on Sunday, retiring Milford Public Library Director Julie Frew has made a list of books for children of various ages to recognize their grandparents. A grandparent herself, Frew sees the importance of bonding with children across generations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Here are a few of Frews favorite stories about grandparents to share with the grandchildren: Grandpa Green, by Lane Smith; Grandpa Loves You! by Helen Foster James; Grandma Loves You! by Helen Foster James; and How to Babysit a Grandma, by Jean Reagan.

Havilah Beardsley open for Free Family Sunday

ELKHART  The public is invited to Ruthmere for a Free Family Sunday this Sunday at the Havilah Beardsley House. The house will be open for free tours from 1-4 p.m.

Also featured at this Free Family Sunday will be a special temporary exhibit from the Indiana Historical Society, Be Heard: Latino Experiences in Indiana. This exhibit offers a glimpse into the stories of individuals of varying cultural backgrounds who recall what it has been like to be Latino in the Hoosier State throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. The stories reflect on the Latinos cultures as well as on their contributions to local communities or to the State of Indiana. This exhibit is sponsored by Steve and Julie Bachman.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Free Family Sundays are made possible through a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. When one site is open for Free Family Sunday, the other is closed. The Ruthmere Mansion will be closed Sunday. For more information, visit www.ruthmere.org.

LaGrange County to host budget hearing

LAGRANGE  The LaGrange County Council will meet at the LaGrange County Office Building, 114 W. Michigan St.,, LaGrange, at 8:30 a.m. on Monday. The public is invited to attend.

The LaGrange County Council will meet with a proposed agenda that includes a public hearing on the 2026 budget. The meeting is expected to continue into the afternoon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Park board meeting canceled

GOSHEN  The meeting of the Goshen City Park Board previously canceled for Monday has been rescheduled for 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8. Live transmissions of meetings are posted at https://www.youtube.com/@cityofgoshenindiana2605/streams. Archived copies of live transmissions of meetings are posted at https://www.youtube.com/@cityofgoshenindiana2605/playlists.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  As gang violence becomes an increasing point of discussion in the county, one local group is taking steps to prevent it before it starts.

The Chatham County Gang Prevention and Intervention Commission met Saturday to outline its goals for keeping young residents out of gangs through community-based programs and education. The commission said its initiatives will focus on engaging all youth, with special attention on those ages 6 to 12.

Programs will be held mostly on Saturdays and include ambassador initiatives and teen peer counseling sessions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One standout effort is the Show Us Your Guns campaign, which offers youth the opportunity to have their records cleared if they have not committed any violent crimes.

Baruch Pilcher, community intervention coordinator for the commission, said, Its said theres not a gang problem yet in this community, but just to prevent and intervene so there is no gang problem. Were just gonna keep everything going to provide to the community.

The Chatham County Gang Prevention and Intervention Commission was created under HB 750, introduced by Rep. Carl Gilliard.

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.
Sep. 7Trends come and go, but one sweet trend has had an enduring impact on a local Middle Eastern eatery with big dreams.

Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery, a family-owned business that has been serving up Mediterranean cuisine at its restaurant at 2622 Central SE in Albuquerque since 2007, is swiftly expanding a Dubai chocolate operation it launched in July 2024.

It started as a small kitchen operation producing about 20 bars a day and has since evolved into a multistate operation that sells at least 1,000 bars through vending machines and kiosks in 10 malls and casinos across New Mexico, Colorado, Texas and Nevada.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sahara's chocolate venture was confined to New Mexico as recently as March. The expansion into three new states took place just over the last five months.

"It's just incredible to see our expansion with it," said Calvin Khalil, manager of Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery. "I really had no clue that we would ever reach this capacity, and this is honestly just the beginning."

Dubai chocolate  made of crispy kataifi shredded filo dough, tahini paste and pistachio cream encased in chocolate  took the world by storm when it was highlighted in a viral social media post in 2023.

The trend hit Albuquerque last year, and the owners of Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery, inspired by a family trip to Dubai, quickly jumped on board.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since last year, the business has expanded its offerings from just the milk and dark chocolate bars to truffles, baklavas and bars with unique flavors such as cotton candy, Kinder's Bueno and marshmallow crunch.

The business directly employs five people to make about 70% of its chocolate creations in-house and indirectly supports 100 people who make the business' specialty treats in a factory in Dubai.

The business is in talks with malls in California and Arizona, and is also set to open five new vending machines across Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; and New Mexico, including on Kirtland Air Force Base.

"It's definitely come a long way," Khalil said.
MOATSVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY)  Nearly 40 local farmers and producers came together Saturday for an outreach field day hosted by Gene Hovatter and the Tygarts Valley Conservation District. The field day offered hands-on experience and was focused on grazing applications and fencing systems.

It was the second field day hosted by the conservation district this summer, but the first one at Hovatters farm.

Donnie Tenney, the chairman of the Tygarts Valley Conservation District, spoke with 12 News about the importance of having these events for farmers in the area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Theyre important to educate people not only of the aspects that you need to learn in order to have better farming operation, but also we introduce people to the government agencies and cost share programs that are available to people, Tenney said.

(WBOY Image)

While the event itself was geared towards farmers and producers, there are always things that the general public can do that look out for them and their own graze.

Gene Hovatter, the host of the field day and a local farmer, spoke with 12 News about what the public can do to look out for those in agriculture.

For just general public, you know, you got some agriculture people really trying to do great product for you and trying to learn some new things so just be supportive of them. See how things are going with them and check in on them once in a while, Hovatter 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 WBOY.com.
A senior official at South Korea's presidential office said on Sunday that negotiations for the release of South Korean workers detained by a recent US immigration raid in Georgia have concluded, adding that a chartered plane would head for the US if administration procedures are completed, Yonhap reported. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik made the announcement after hundreds of South Koreans were taken into custody during the raid Thursday on a battery plant construction site operated by South Korean companies in Bryan County. "There are still administrative procedures left," Kang said during a senior-level meeting between the ruling Democratic Party and the government. "Once the procedures are complete, the chartered plane will depart to bring our citizens," as per Yonhap. Kang also vowed to push for improvements to the visa system for South Korean nationals traveling to the US for work to prevent similar incidents. More than 300 South Korean nationals out of 457 people have been taken into custody during the raid on the site operated by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said those arrested were found to be working illegally in the US, including those on short-term or recreational visas that prohibit them from working. US officials cast the raid as "the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security Investigations". First Vice Minister Park Yoon-joo held a phone call with Allison Hooker, US undersecretary of state for political affairs, to discuss bilateral and international issues. Park requested the State Department's cooperation regarding the matter and expressed regret over the crackdown and the public disclosure of the scene where South Korean nationals were being arrested, as per Global Times. Park also reiterated that the economic activities of South Korean companies investing in the US and the rights and interests of South Korean nationals should not be unfairly infringed upon during US law enforcement processes and emphasised that the State Department should also actively step in for a fair and swift resolution of the matter, Global Times reported. (ANI)
JACKSONVILLE  A sea of pink and chrome descended upon Jacksonville Saturday morning, not for a parade, but for a powerful display of unity against a single foe: cancer.

The non-profit organization Pink Heals Eastern Alabama hosted a ride for Cancer Awareness, bringing together law enforcement, fire departments and motorcycle clubs in a show of support for families battling the disease.

The Johnsons Giant grocery store parking lot served as the staging ground, buzzing with the rumble of engines and the chatter of participants. Among the crowd, 4-year-old Owen Rochester, a two-year veteran in his fight against cancer, navigated the gathering, collecting hugs and smiles. He found a particular connection with B. R. Wilson, the events coordinator and Pink Heals Chairman.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pink Heals Eastern Alabama operates as a 501(c)3 organization, primarily focusing its efforts on children facing cancer. A prominent feature of Saturday's event was the organizations signature pink firetruck, a rolling testament to survival because it is adorned with the signatures of cancer survivors from across eastern Alabama.

Wilson elaborated on the organization's mission and the personal drive behind it.

"What we do is kick off childhood cancer awareness month," Wilson said. "September is for these children. Were working right now with 32 little children in our area. We raise money and we give it to these families in need."

The support extends beyond financial assistance. Wilson detailed the annual toy drive, which aims to alleviate the burden on families forced to choose between essential medical supplies and providing gifts for their children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"They tell me, am I going to buy toys for my children, or am I going to buy medicine? So we take that burden off of them," Wilson said. He credited local churches, including White Plains Baptist Church, Parker Memorial Baptist Church and Church of the Highlands for their contributions to the toy drive.

The organization also hosts a Christmas party on the second Saturday of December each year for the children and their siblings, ensuring every child receives three wrapped gifts and a large bag of toys.

Wilson described the origin of his passion, stemming from the loss of a young girl he supported early in his work.

"The next morning, something was beating on me, and God was talking to me, telling me do something for these families with children with cancer," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wilson spoke of the ongoing struggles faced by these families, from transportation costs to ensuring their child receives adequate nourishment in the hospital.

"These children, people dont understand about these kids. Theyre struggling," he said. "The parents, they tell me, am I going to be able to get to Childrens Hospital? Is my car going to make it? Do I have money for gas while theyre in the hospital? This child is going to be fed. This parent gets one meal a day, and its hard to make it on, you know, without some help."

The ride saw participation from numerous agencies and clubs. Quad Cities, Eastaboga, Jacksonville, Weaver, Anniston and Oxford law enforcement and fire departments provided escorts through their respective towns. As the convoy rolled into the parking lot of the Martins Clothing Store in Oxford, a large flag stood raised as a final symbol of solidarity for the cause.
Lenoir Rotary Club members Michael Dineen and Steven Stewart traveled to Ecuador Aug. 9-16 to help bring mobility to some of the poorest people on the planet.

Partnering with the Wheelchair Foundation and the Rotary Club of La Puntilla they distributed 200 wheelchairs to Ecuadorians with disabilities.

The change that a simple wheelchair can do, can impact so many people other than just the person getting it, Stewart said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you know someone that receives a wheelchair, it helps free up at least seven people in their family from constant care, Dineen said.

LENNWS-09-06-25-ROTARY-p1.jpg

Michael Dineen, left and Steven Stewart, right, pose with a disabled child after giving them a wheelchair in Ecuador. The Lenoir Rotary Club members volunteered from Aug. 9 to 16.

Dineen and Stewart teamed up with ten other Rotary members from the U.S. to distribute wheelchairs in Cuenca, Guayaquil, Daule and Samborondon, Ecuador. At each location, they worked to distribute the chairs, build fellowship with the community and instruct the patients, families and caregivers on how to set up and disassemble the chairs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I mean, Steven and I go, we tend to work. We were picking up kids. Were picking up adults, and were putting them in chairs. And theres always a few people that always stand out that are just really appreciative or really eccentric, and a lot of times we dont get to see the to see their reaction, Dineen said. We had a photographer with us, and shell post a couple videos or pictures, and thats when you look back and its hard to hard to hold back tears. Its a very moving experience.

LENNWS-09-06-25-ROTARY-p2.jpg

Steven Stewart, right, lifts a disabled child into a wheelchair in Ecuador.

The Wheelchair Foundation based out of Blackhawk, CA awarded the Lenoir Rotary Club a $75,000 grant to purchase the wheelchairs. Every year, the foundation donates 1.5 million wheelchairs to people disadvantaged people around the world.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This was Stewarts third time traveling abroad to deliver wheelchairs, having volunteered in Ecuador and Peru once before. He introduced Dineen to the project last year.

Ecuador had a population of nearly 18 million people, with over 471,205 people registered as disabled as of April 2023, according to data from the National Council on Disability Equality.

Dineen and Stewart not only donated their time, they also purchased airfare, housing and other accommodations on their own dime.

Dineen is the executive director of the Lenoir Housing Authority and Stewart owns an Stewart and Associates insurance in Lenoir.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to donating the wheelchairs, they brought 150 water purification systems to distribute to people around the country. Each purification system can clean up to one million gallons of water.

The water in the faucets is not potable. But then even the areas that we visited, they dont really have running water. Youll see these big blue buckets on the top of their houses to collect rainwater, and then they filter it, or they, you know, use that filter that we have.

The two plan on making a similar trip to serve next year.

Its life changing for me to be able to help somebody that I really dont know. Give them the freedom to get out, the gift of mobility. Something we all take for granted, Stewart said.
A local sheriffs office is warning of an arrest warrant scam targeting residents.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The Darke County Sheriffs Office is warning of scammers claiming to be Deputy Mark Whittaker and threatening residents with arrest or legal action.

TRENDING STORIES:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The sheriffs office said this is an attempt to get residents personal and financial information.

Residents should not respond to these calls or provide any information.

The Darke County Sheriffs Office does not call people to tell them they have arrest warrants, the sheriffs office said.

If you are ever concerned about the identity of a deputy who may call you, take their name and call the sheriffs office at 937-548-2020 and ask dispatch to connect you with the deputy.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Trees and rock on a trail in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve were vandalized, and local nonprofits are willing to go above and beyond to catch the culprit.

According to Backpacker, the Long Point Trail was vandalized in December 2024, and soon after, two groups came forward with their own contribution to bringing justice to the matter.

Crime Stoppers of West Virginia joined forces with the Friends of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, each putting up $500 to catch the vandal.

Photo Credit: National Park Service

"We join the public in their outrage over this," said a board member for the Friends of NRGNPP in a National Park Service statement. "Long Point is one of [the] iconic trails of the park, and while anything such as this that occurs in any public space is awful, this one really hurts. Long Point is loved by so many."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Unfortunately, acts of vandalism in nature aren't entirely uncommon. In England, a public fish pond had around 15 liters of white paint poured into it, likely killing most of the fish. Meanwhile, in Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada, a video of two men destroying an ancient sandstone rock formation gained attention, as they seemingly destroyed something that took millions of years to form.

Not only does vandalizing nature show blatant disrespect for the natural world, but it can also come with hefty consequences. The two vandals in Nevada are looking at a year in jail, a $100,000 fine, or both.

In NRGNPP, the $1,000 reward serves as an incentive to help convict the people who spray-painted the trees and rocks in the park. Hopefully, it will forewarn others from making the same mistake.

Protecting nature begins with respecting it. By never vandalizing or littering, you can do your part. You can take local action on critical climate issues to ensure they also help protect the outdoors, such as by participating in community cleanups.

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.
LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56)  Londons recently removed mayor and the city council responsible for his removal have been asked for information by the office of State Auditor Allison Ball.

In a letter obtained by FOX 56 News dated Sept. 4, Deputy Auditor Shari Scott asked Randall Weddle and Londons city council for a broad range of city records from January 2023 to Aug. 31, 2025.

Deputy Auditor Scott with the Auditor of Public Accounts (APA) said in the request that officials had received concerns about certain activities in London, but didnt take any position on whether or not those concerns were valid.

RELATED:

Latest from London: Uncertainty looms for housing authority, tensions rise ahead of hearing

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

London police chief breaks silence on deadly Vanzant Road shooting

Doug Harless killed in London police search warrant shooting: A look at the timeline, investigation

The initial request for records included:

City policies and procedures related to procurement, personnel, and records retention

Listing of all city council meetings held from January 2023 to Aug. 31, 2025

All versions of Londons personnel and pay classification plans

Financial audits, management letters, and other CPA reports for the fiscal years of 2023 and 2024

Every grant awarded to the city

Every contract held by the city with maximum costs included

Budget reports, including originals and amended budgets for each given year

General ledgers provided by the citys accounting system

Spreadsheets listing all banking information for Londons accounts, as well as all credit and debit information for all accounts held by the city

Bank statements and checks

Credit card or store account statements for all credit cards paid with city money

All local entities that the mayor appointed or recommended to Londons city council to appoint to serve on local boards

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

London officials were asked to provide the APA with the requested records by Sept. 19, or as early as possible after that date.

Weddle was removed from office on Sept. 5 following an impeachment hearing held by council members. At the end of that hearing, Tracie Handley was voted by the council as acting mayor of London.

APA officials said the review could expand to include other high-risk areas.

Madylin Goins 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.
Tanned after a short summer break in southern France, Emmanuel Macron has returned to Paris to face a political crisis largely of his own making.

On Monday, the centrist French president will no doubt lose his sixth prime minister.

Francois Bayrou appears to be for the chop in a confidence vote no one believes he can win.

With yet another prime ministerial fuse blown, the question many in France are now asking is, how much longer can Mr Macron keep his job?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Macron is not one to abandon the battlefield, his own spin doctor told The Telegraph.

But French politics has been limping pitifully since the French president called disastrous snap elections last year after losing European elections to Marine Le Pens National Rally (RN).

These led to a near-unworkable hung parliament that has left him a virtual lame duck with a minority government at the mercy of the radical Right and Left in the National Assembly.

As the latest government is about to fall, the 47-year-old former banker is rapidly running out of road with two years to go before his second and final consecutive five-year mandate draws to a close.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Never have the storm clouds looked so ominous regarding his political future.

With markets breathing down its neck and debt spreads widening, France is facing economic meltdown unless it can pass an austerity budget to rein in the Eurozones worst deficit, set for 5.4 per cent of GDP this year, by Oct 15. This parlous state is a humiliating blow for a man once dubbed the Mozart of finance.

Meanwhile, revolt is brewing via a viral movement called Bloquons Tout (Lets Block Everything) that aims to shut down France on Sept 10. A leaked Paris police note has warned of potential violent actions, sabotage and operations against strategic sectors of the economy in what instigators hope could kick off a fresh insurrection in the style of the gilet jaune (yellow vest) protests  this time against planned budget cuts.

Protesters have been discussing blocking train stations, picketing oil refineries and walking out of supermarkets without paying. Its a horizontal movement with no leader  everyone does what they want, said an intelligence source, describing the anger as widespread with meetings everywhere  in villages as well as big cities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The images will not be pretty, said one police official.

Beyond that, unions have called for mass demonstrations on Sept 18.

A group of protesters attend a gilet jaune march near Place de la Republique, in Paris, in 2021 - Kiran Ridley/Getty

Against that backdrop, Mr Macrons Pyrenean prime minister dropped a political bombshell last week by calling a vote of confidence over his cost-cutting budget.

Deeply unpopular, it plans to slash spending by 44bn (about 38bn) via a raft of measures, including the abolition of two bank holidays and a tax increase for pensioners.

Those who deny the gravity of the national debt of 3.3 trillion or 114 per cent of GDP are like passengers on a boat that is holed and taking water and who say, It doesnt matter, we are still floating, the prime minister, a former Latin and French teacher, intoned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The hour was grave and the country faced a catastrophe similar to the financial crisis that hit Britain under Liz Truss if his plans were rejected, warned Mr Bayrou.

The French finance minister claimed that the International Monetary Fund may even need to be called in if things carried on in this way.

After blaming boomers for failing to do their bit to balance the books, Mr Bayrou then berated the opposition, saying he had been unable to negotiate over the summer because they were all on holiday.

It was hardly an auspicious start, and it took no time for two of the main opposition groups, Ms Le Pens RN and Jean-Luc Melenchons hard-Left France Unbowed, to announce they would offer no such confidence. Ms Le Pen called for fresh parliamentary elections, Mr Melenchon for Mr Macron to resign.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But the coup de grace came from the Socialist Party, which could have saved Mr Bayrou but whose leader, Olivier Faure, said his decision to vote against the confidence motion was irrevocable. The only word Im waiting for him to say now is goodbye, Mr Faure said on Sunday.

With even his allies calling the move political suicide, Mr Bayrou refused to water his plan down, insisting that the fate of France was at stake.

The problem for Mr Bayrou is that most French do not see it that way, according to Jerome Fourquet, the head of opinion at Ifop, the French polling institute. A poll out this week placed debt in seventh among national priorities this week, with health, law and order and education the top three.

The French, he argued, remain in Peter and the wolf denial as to just how bad the countrys economic situation has become. Every time politicians cry wolf, they point to a raft of public spending sprees, the latest during the Covid pandemic, as proof that the state can keep giving.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But now the wolf is at the door as long-term borrowing costs jumped to their highest level since 2011 this week and sovereign bonds approached the levels of Italy, usually dubbed Europes economic laggard.

Observers say Mr Bayrous probable departure and the fall of the government will leave Mr Macron politically weaker than ever and with rapidly narrowing options.

These are to reinstate Mr Bayrou, which is deemed highly unlikely; to name a new prime minister who stands a chance of avoiding a fresh no-confidence motion; or to call fresh legislative elections in an attempt to break the deadlock. If all else fails, there remains one other nuclear option  to step down early and call a presidential ballot.

With Mr Bayrou effectively toast, Mr Macron convened the coalition cabinets chiefs from the centre and Right on Tuesday and urged them to work with the Socialists to form a new government. Mr Faure has said he is at Mr Macrons disposal to become the new leader of a Left-leaning cabinet and potentially compromise on his partys soak-the-rich plans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, if Mr Macron picks a Socialist prime minister he risks losing the support of the centre-Right Republicans party, which is in the current government.

Rather than a Socialist, Francois Patriat, the head of Mr Macrons Renaissance group in the French senate, said the plan is to find someone who can talk to the Left without losing the Right.

Potential reported candidates for taking up the poisoned chalice are Catherine Vautrin, the health and labour minister, Sebastien Lecornu, the defence minister, and Gerald Darmanin, justice minister. All hail from the Right. Other names include Eric Lombard, the finance minister, Yael Braun-Pivet, the parliamentary speaker and Stephane Sejourne, the European commissioner.

But whatever new prime minister Mr Macron pulls from his hat, many insiders predict he or she will not last long. One ministerial adviser said: There is no scenario, no new casting choice that can resolve the crisis.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In that case, he may have to call fresh snap parliamentary elections, according to Edouard Philippe, who was Mr Macrons prime minister during his first term.

Mr Philippe said: If nothing happens, if no government can prepare a budget, how do we resolve this question? Through a dissolution [of parliament]. I think it is quite inevitable.

Nicolas Sarkozy, Frances former Right-wing president, concurred and predicted these would take place within a few weeks.

One party clamouring for such a vote is RN. Ms Le Pen, 57, and Jordan Bardella, 29, her young protege and party president, called for an ultra-rapid dissolution this week after meeting Mr Bayrou as a courtesy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Bardella said: The sooner we return to the polls, the sooner France will have a budget.

Polls suggest fresh elections could boost RN, already the single largest opposition party, in the National Assembly. The latest survey gave RN 32 per cent of the vote with another 5 per cent for Eric Zemmours nationalist Reconquest party.

Despite polling forecasts suggesting another hung parliament is the most likely outcome, RN believes it can achieve a workable majority with allies and a few Right-wingers.

In the most recent elections, RN fell foul of the Left and centre which desisted in three-way run-offs to keep its candidates out. This time, it is convinced the Republican front will not prevail.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, Mr Macron has ruled out further parliamentary elections. Last time, these weakened his hand and led to chronic instability.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Jean-Philippe Tanguy, an RN heavyweight MP, criticised the president for failing to call fresh elections, calling him a big coward who chooses the easy option, either the policy of cheque writing or playing for time.

In this case, hes buying time by refusing to return to the ballot box and limping on without a majority, he said, adding: Its typical of the centrist French elite that believes it is the only one fit to govern. At least British elites accepted Brexit, even if it p----d them off. They got on with it. In France, theyre convinced theres no alternative.

The president, he said, had sorely miscalculated by assuming Ms Le Pen would shy away from bringing the government down to save her skin; in theory, she cannot run for a new parliamentary seat owing to her provisional electoral ban following a recent corruption conviction.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her party is looking into a technical way of getting around that ban, citing a recent decision by Frances constitutional council suggesting a ban could be dropped if it threatens voters freedoms. RN insiders have said Ms Le Pen is keen to test this legal challenge in parliamentary elections in the hope it may clear the way for her to take a fourth run at the presidency in 2027.

Her party only offered Mr Bayrou a stay of execution because, by law, it had to wait a year before fresh legislative elections could be called. Now this is possible, it would systematically vote to bring down any new Macroniste government.

In light of this, some moderates warn the only option may be for Mr Macron to leave before the scheduled end of his second term.

Valerie Pecresse, a former Republicans presidential candidate, said that if no agreement was reached on non-censure of the government, the only option would be to return to the polls.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Doubting that a second dissolution would bring stability to the country or combat political fragmentation, she said an early presidential election would be desirable.

Jean-Francois Cope, the former Republicans leader, was more blunt. Emmanuel Macron should accept that the French people dont want him anymore. The future of the country is at stake, he said.

A poll by the Elabe institute for BFM, the news channel, found that 67 per cent of voters wanted Mr Macron to resign.

But speaking to The Telegraph, Sibeth Ndiaye, Mr Macrons spin doctor in his first term, ruled this out.

Given the psychology of the man, I dont think he will ever envisage this option, said Ms Ndiaye, who has left politics. He will try all other solutions that will allow him to avoid this. He is not one to desert the battlefield.

As Mr Macron fiddles, social discontent is brewing apace.

Some say Mr Bayrou chose the Sept 8 date for the confidence vote to take wind out of the Melenchon-backed Bloquons Tout drive to shut down France two days later.

However, judging by the latest intelligence note, that strategy does not appear to be working. The prospect of the governments resignation has strengthened the protesters determination, it reads.

Beyond Bloquons Tout, another viral movement is swirling around France. Cest Nicolas qui paie (Its Nicolas who foots the bill), started as a meme of a fictitious white middle-class millennial who complained of being milked to pay for the French benefits system while others, notably pensioners, lived off the fat of the generous nanny state. Also in his sights was Karim, the Muslim-African immigrant whose life was supposedly financed by Nicolas.

They are two sides of the same coin, Left and Right, said Mr Fourquet, who has theorised Frances ungovernability in various acclaimed books.

Whole swathes of France are dependent, not to say addicted to state spending, which accounts for 56 per cent of GDP. Any attempt to reduce this sparks protests. Hence Bloquons Tout.

On the other hand, Nicolas is more of a Right-wing critique from the worker who feels fleeced by high taxes to pay for welfare and pensions, he added. Both are symptoms of the exhaustion of the French social model.

To remedy this, he said, the Left says take it from the rich and big business, the Right and centre say slash state spending to slim down the mammoth, and the National Rally says the culprits are immigration and the EU.

Mr Fourquet added: Each has its magic solution, which generally entails not asking the average French person to make any effort whatsoever.

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.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the latest large-scale Russian overnight attack on Ukraine, which killed civilians and destroyed infrastructure.

Source: Macron on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: The French president said that Russia had launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles on Ukraine, carrying out indiscriminate strikes.

Quote: "Together with Ukraine and our partners, we stand for peace. Russia, meanwhile, is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror. By Ukraines side, we will continue to do everything to ensure that a just and lasting peace prevails."

Background:

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky has lashed out at Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin due to the large-scale Russian strike on Ukraine, saying that Putin only "pretends he wants to end the war, but in reality he only seeks to kill as many Ukrainians as possible".

EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova has called for an end to Russian terror in the wake of the large-scale Russian strike against Ukraine on the night of 6-7 September.

As of 13:00, two people had been reported killed and 20 injured in Kyiv. The Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv also caught fire as a result of the Russian strike.

On the night of 6-7 September, Russia carried out a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine using loitering munitions and ground-launched missiles. Ukrainian air defence intercepted 751 out of 823 aerial assets, though 9 missiles and 54 drones hit 33 locations.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Tucker Carlson has become a target for MAGA rage once again after a clip of him saying he would offer Osama bin Ladens family condolences on his death went viral.

The clip was taken from a recent episode of Carlsons podcast where he was interviewing a former State Department official who was fired last month for going against the Trump administrations policies regarding the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza.

Professional lightning rod Tucker Carlson at last years Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. / Win McNamee / Win McNamee/Getty Images

Shahed Ghoreishi told Carlson that he also upset his superiors by offering condolences to the families of journalists killed in Gaza in August, including the family of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Al-Sharif was killed alongside five colleagues in an Israeli strike on Gaza City in August. Experts estimate that at least 221 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.

I drafted a few linesthey were not softie lines, the only thing that was there that they didnt like was that I did share condolences, which is pretty standard I said We share condolences for the families of the killed journalists, Ghoreishi explained.

Well, that sounds like hate speech to me, Carlson joked. Condolences to the families of people who got killed? Non-combatants killed in war? What happened when you put that in there?

I was immediately told from a senior official that we dont know what Anas did, essentially, and I was like, thats odd, Ghoreishi replied. [They] were alluding to the fact that he may have done something, or that he was a problematic actor in some way.

Carlson interjected, telling Ghoreishi, Let me just say. I would be totally comfortable sharing condolences with Osama bin Ladens family. I hate Osama bin Laden. On the other hand, if somebody dies, its OK to say, Im sorry to his family.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I would say that to the family of an executed murderer in a prison. It doesnt mean I support the murderer, but this is family. Thats OK. Its called human decency.

Prominent MAGA influencers were quick to attack Carlson for offering theoretical condolences to bin Ladens family. Laura Loomer, who has been butting heads with Carlson all summer, wrote on X, Ok so Ill be taking apologies all night from people who told me I was wrong when I called Tucker Carlson out for being a mouthpiece for Islamic terrorists. Was I right? Or really FING right? Post your apologies below!

Ok so Ill be taking apologies all night from people who told me I was wrong when I called @TuckerCarlson out for being a mouthpiece for Islamic terrorists.



Was I right? Or really FING right?



Post your apologies below!  Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) September 6, 2025

The founder of Gays Against Groomers also condemned Carlson and called for him to be removed as a speaker from Turning Point USAs AmericaFest, taking place in December.

I once considered Tucker Carlson a friend. He supported my work with [Gays Against Groomers] and we stayed in touch for years. But hes not the same man today. If he speaks at AmFest, it will destroy all their credibility. Charlie Kirk must act now. Contracts be damned, Jaimee Michell wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Conservative media personality John Cardillo called Carlson a full-blown terror simp, while MAGA YouTuber Shawn Farash said, This guy is a mess these days.

Dakota Meyer, a former Marine and ex-husband of Sarah Palins daughter Bristol, also weighed in, posting, I always liked Tucker Carlsonbut him offering condolences to bin Ladens family? Completely insane. Empathizing with terrorists only normalizes terror. And lets not forgetterrorism is a family business.

I always liked @TuckerCarlson  but him offering condolences to bin Ladens family? Completely insane. Empathizing with terrorists only normalizes terror. And lets not forgetterrorism is a family business. Wonder what @mchooyah would say about this. https://t.co/ml6xK5IUKQ  Dakota Meyer (@Dakota_Meyer) September 6, 2025

In a follow-up tweet, Meyer suggested that Carlson has to be taking Qatar money, an accusation more and more Trump supporters have leveled at Carlson in recent weeks as a result of his continued critiques of Trumps support of Israel and attacks on Iran.

Trump told reporters in June that Carlson had called him to apologize for criticizing him so harshly, a claim Carlson denied in an interview a month later.

I dont know what Id apologize for. I didnt attack Trump then. I disagreed with him and I, you know, I said how. I wasnt, you know, I didnt say, I dont think, anything that would warrant an apology, Carlson told German newspaper Bild.
Over 35 years ago, an executive at Monsanto named Harold Corbett delivered a speech titled "Chemical Risk: Living Up to Public Expectations." The 1988 speech called out an industry that delivered miracles and devastating mistakes.

Corbett described two chemical industries. One was responsible for safe drinking water, higher crop yields, medicines, and a better standard of living. The other was responsible for contamination, waste, and health crises: "The public doesnt care how far weve come. They care how far we still have to go."

It still rings true today. Harold Corbett was my grandfather.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To churn a profit, we see pharmaceutical companies suppressing unfavorable data and misleading consumers with predatory advertising, food manufacturers selling metabolic dysfunction; hospital systems consolidating care; and chemical conglomerates litigating instead of innovating. Now, a growing number of Americans are speaking out decisively against Big Pharma, Ag, Food, and Health. This coalition of "MAHA" voters is targeting a crisis of institutional credibility and a growing unease with an industry that is no longer trusted and seems more focused on profit than on health.

As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, I see these problems firsthand. With the MAHA Coalition powering Republican victories up and down the ballot, we as Republicans have a generational opportunity to take back our health system. We can make changes and save American lives, but we need to agree on the problems to start.

Over two-thirds of all Missouri adults are overweight. Synthetic opioid overdoses claimed nearly 850 lives last year, with local St. Louis and St. Charles Counties ranking at or near the worst in the state. And should we forget the COVID mandates that caused overdoses to spike, childhood anxiety and depression to rise, and kept healthy toddlers in masks, stunting their development for years, as dissenting scientists and members of the public were told to "trust the experts" and shut up?

Dismissing people is the quickest way to continue to diminish what little trust remains. In my practice, I encounter this lack of trust with our medical establishment every day with my patients. After years of being told to trust "The Science" - meaning dont question us - many people dont trust anything the medical establishment has to say.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is where the MAHA movement can help heal our nation. The Trump administration and RFK have been making significant strides to regain public trust, both through the MAHA Commission and through medical reforms in the One Big Beautiful Bill passed this July.

Republicans need to get on board, and Congress needs to act, to do much more on this crucial issue.

On food transparency and clean labels, Americans deserve full disclosure of the chemicals, additives, and pesticides that are going into our foods, particularly those banned in Europe and Canada. This includes food dyes and glyphosate, a pesticide and carcinogen that is found throughout our food system.

On preventative care and lowering costs, we have made great strides by the OBBB prioritizing Direct Primary Care. We should work to expand choice further, so individuals and families have direct access outside of our bloated and opaque insurance system.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And our country needs a national plan for longevity and health: a real approach to wellness beyond relief for chronic symptoms, and focusing instead on treatment of root causes. This must include protecting our kids from harmful food additives, encouraging beneficial physical and social activities, and stopping the grasp of powerful social media companies that are harming their health.

Until the scientific community admits past failures and entanglements, trust wont return. Our public officials must lead as well, instead of following whatever Big Pharma and special interest groups have to say. Liberty thrives when truth is public and trust is earned.

The same problems facing Americans are the problems facing our government. We keep swapping out treatments: new politicians, new leaders, new promises, but the patient keeps getting worse. The solution is not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but to improve the system so it works for regular people. That is how we restore faith in our institutions and return to responsible, trusted capitalism.

I dont want to dismantle Big Industry. We need them to thrive. MAHA is about returning to a Republican Party that answers to voters, not corporate boards, and that means telling the truth about the harm caused when Big Health dictates our policies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This movement can and will win broadly if we deliver on these promises.

In his speech, my grandfather quoted Mark Twain: "When in doubt, tell the truth." Ill add one more: When the truth is clear, act. The restoration of trust and survival of these industries, our government, and our people depend on it.

Ryan Sheridan is a psychiatric nurse practitioner, small business-owner, and Republican candidate for Missouris Second Congressional District. Follow him on X.com @sheridanformo
Following the Joint Awami Action Committee's announcement for a sit-in on September 29, Pakistan-occupied Jammu-Kashmir (PoJK) Activist Amjad Ayub Mirza strongly condemned the decision of the authorities to deploy 567 platoons of the reserve police force in a desperate attempt to suppress the peaceful protests. Mirza said that the order to mobilise over 30,000 police personnel, with an additional 17,000 kept in reserve, is nothing short of a declaration of war against the people of PoJK. According to Amjad Ayub Mirza, the sit-in announced by the Joint Awami Action Committee on September 29 is a "peaceful political movement, yet the state has responded with the largest police deployment in the history of PoJK ." Mirza stated that instead of addressing the genuine demands of the people, the government has chosen the path of intimidation, militarisation, and brute force. Amjad Ayub Mirza further cautioned that the decision to criminalise peaceful demonstrators by surrounding them with 86 platoons in Muzaffarabad, 77 in Bagh, 62 in Rawalakot, and numerous others in different districts will only exacerbate the situation and highlight the authoritarian attitude of Islamabad and its representatives in Muzaffarabad. He insisted that this order showcases the state's apprehension towards the unity of the people and its failure to engage in meaningful political dialogue. He asserted that the residents of PoJK cannot be silenced by coercion, and history will recall this as a moment when the government attempted to suppress democratic rights through unparalleled police mobilisation. Amjad Ayub Mirza concluded by urging the international community to recognise this authoritarian repression and to stand with the people of PoJK in their pursuit of justice and dignity. Earlier, Amjad Ayub Mirza accused the Pakistan Army of carrying out a large-scale military offensive in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the pretext of a "cleanup operation" against terrorists, targeting innocent civilians and forcing mass displacement. Speaking via a video message, Amjad Ayub Mirza alleged that locals in various districts, including North and South Waziristan as well as Bajaur, have been given just three days to harvest their crops and abandon their homes. He warned that the real motive behind these orders is to depopulate Pashtun villages situated on resource-rich lands containing gas, gold, copper, uranium, and lithium. (ANI)
Comedian Bill Maher on Friday echoed calls for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign.

Its just  hes got to go, Maher told viewers during the Friday episode of Real Time with Bill Maher.

Maher described Kennedy as nutty after a series of removals of top advisers and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez.

Sharp criticism for Kennedys leadership arose after his Thursday testimony before the Senate Committee on Finance, during which he skirted questions about deaths tied to the COVID-19 pandemic and made false claims about access to vaccines.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The secretarys nephew, former Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.), said his uncle used the hearing to dismiss science, mislead the public, sideline experts and sow confusion.

Robert Kennedy Jr. is a threat to the health and wellbeing of every American. A United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is tasked with protecting the public health of our country and its people, he added in a Friday post on X.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s sister Kerry Kennedy also chimed in, urging her brother to resign over poor public health advice.

Medical decisions belong in the hands of trained and licensed professionals, not incompetent and misguided leadership. The decimation of critical institutions, like the NIH [National Institutes of Health] and the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], will lead to the loss of innocent lives. This means that children, mothers, fathers, and those you love are at risk now, like never before, she wrote in a post on X.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Maher said at first he was sympathetic towards the secretary and his Make America Healthy Again Agenda.

However, the comedian on Friday said, Hes just too nutty. He just does not listen. I mean, he just is. And nothing ever  I call it pendulumism - nothing ever stops in the middle.

The knives are out for Bobby Kennedy, and I gotta say, Im with the knives, Maher added.

Despite concerns, President Trump told reporters that Kennedys got a different take, and we want to listen to all of those takes.

But its not your standard talk, I would say. And that has to do with medical and vaccines. But if you look at whats going on in the world with health, and look at this country also with regard to health, I like the fact that hes different, he 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.
On the afternoon of May 12 1943, in Cap Bon, north-east Tunisia, Gen Theodor Graf von Sponeck, commander of the German 90th Light Division, surrendered both himself and his men to Pat Gardner, intelligence officer of the British 26th Armoured Brigade. Von Sponeck had tears in his eyes as he took out his revolver and emptied its magazine; he declared that in three years fighting across north Africa, he could not have wished to have met a finer enemy.

This somewhat misplaced notion of battlefield chivalry was kicked into the long grass when he was taken to see Gen Brian Horrocks, the British corps commander. Von Sponeck asked whether he might be allowed to travel into captivity in his own staff car. Absolutely not, replied Horrocks. Your people have been responsible for the death of millions, for the destruction of our homes, and untold misery throughout the world.

Horrocks told Von Sponeck that he would travel to the POW cage by truck with the private soldiers hed failed; and so he did. The following day, on May 13, Gen Sir Harold Alexander, commander-in-chief of the Allied 18th Army Group, signalled to the prime minister: We are masters of the north African shores.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As Saul David explains in his fascinating book Tunisgrad, it was at the time the largest victory against the Axis forces in the West on land; it was larger, in terms of men killed, wounded and taken prisoner, even than the crushing German defeat at Stalingrad three months earlier. The Luftwaffe was also decimated; so too was Axis shipping in the Mediterranean; both Germany and Italy lost gargantuan numbers of tanks, vehicles, artillery and other supplies. Italys exit from the war was hastened, as was the series of Western Allied victories that followed, from the successful invasion of Sicily and Italy later that summer to the cross-Channel invasion of 1944. Stalingrad may have had the greater psychological impact, but for the Axis, Tunisgrad was a true material catastrophe.

German troops in December 1942 after fighting in Tebourba, near Tunis - Roger Viollet

The Tunisian campaign, however, has been poorly served over the 80 years that have followed. That seven-month battle has been overshadowed by the marquee names: El Alamein in north Africa, for example, and the victories that followed, not least D-Day. While there have been some notable accounts, Davids book is, remarkably, the first to tell the story in the round from both Allied and Axis perspectives.

Very welcome it is, too: this long campaign, fought over the winter of 1942-43 and lasting until the early summer, was not only tough and brutal, but also hugely significant. It was in Tunisia that British, American and French forces fought alongside one another for the first time; it was there that the Allies worked out their command structure and, more importantly, that they had really started to understand how to beat the Axis  especially the Germans. By the time the Axis forces had surrendered in May 1945, Adolf Hitlers strategy was in ruins, and the wars ultimate outcome was certain.

The campaign began with the Anglo-United States invasion of the Vichy French-held north-west Africa in November 1942, a strategy proposed by Winston Churchill and backed by Franklin D Roosevelt  against the wishes of most of the latters military commanders. It was a shrewd decision: neither Britain nor America was ready to cross the Channel and invade France. The plan had been to rush from Algeria to Tunis before the Axis could respond, but the Germans were quick off the mark. Thanks to the combination of a terrible winter (in 1940s Europe, they all were), inexperienced Allied troops and commanders, and the Luftwaffes air superiority, the Allies were forced to rethink.

US soldiers fire a howitzer during the Battle of Kasserine Pass in Tunisia in February 1943 - Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos

As they did so, Hitler ordered ever more reinforcements, until two Axis armies were confronting two Allied armies. Significant counter-thrusts by the Axis further knocked Allied confidence. And yet, slowly but surely, as experience grew, command structures were improved and Allied logistics began to take hold, so that this first major coalition effort gradually and decisively turned setbacks into a major victory.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

David tells his story through plenty of first-hand perspectives, from those on the ground to the high command. Many names among the latter will be familiar: Tunisia was where generals such as Dwight D Eisenhower, Omar Bradley and George S Patton made their name and, with Alexander, Bernard Montgomery and others, the Allied command that would lead their armies to ultimate victory took shape. Eisenhower emerges well from these pages, as does the legendary German general Erwin Rommel; Monty, whose arrogance could be overweening, less so.

I romped my way through this fascinating book, which fully does justice to a pivotal moment in the Second World War. David writes with verve, pace and drama aplenty; his chapters rattle along breathlessly; theres plenty of astute judgment to boot. Tunisgrad is terrific stuff.



James Hollands latest book, co-written with Al Murray, is Victory 45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders

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.
Socialist NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani used a Brooklyn College event hosted by Sen. Bernie Sanders Saturday night to rip the City University of New York for firing and disciplining Israel-hating, pro-Palestine faculty members.

I cannot begin my remarks this evening without first acknowledging  that no faculty member should be disciplined for supporting Palestinian human rights, said Mamdani, shortly after being introduced as Sanders special guest.

The Democratic mayoral nominee was referring to at least four adjunct professors at Brooklyn College who claim they were canned in June  not over job performance, but over their pro-Palestine advocacy  but he failed to mention these same lecturers are also accused of enabling antisemitism at a college with a huge Jewish population.

Zohran Mamdani appeared at a Town Hall event at Brooklyn College hosted by Sen. Bernie Sanders to call out the City University of New York (CUNY) for terminating pro-Palestine members. AFP via Getty Images

The remarks drew huge cheers  and chants of Free! Free Palestine!  from a predominately lefty audience of nearly 1,800 who attended the Fight Oligarchy Town Hall at the colleges Leonard & Claire Tow Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sanders  who briefly attended Brooklyn College in 1959-1960  also criticized Israel, saying we should have a foreign policy based on humanity, and the U.S. government should not be spending billions of dollars supporting Israel.

Sanders (D-Vermont) also claimed the NYC mayors race is a test case for whether Americans still live in a democracy.

What are the oligarchs afraid of? said Sanders, referring to President Donald Trump and other billionaires trying to thwart Mamdanis candidacy.

Theyre afraid of Mamdani becoming an example of what can happen all over this country, added Sanders, drawing huge cheers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both pols took questions from the audience, but they were mostly softball topics allowing Mamdani to tout some of his campaign platforms.

They included Mamdanis desire to roll the retirement age of Tier 6 public employees hired after 2012 back to 55 years old from its current benchmark of 63 years old, and boost NYCs efforts to provide legal aid for illegal migrants facing deportation.

After Mamdani was introduced as a special guest by Sanders, the mayoral candidate said, no faculty member should be disciplined for supporting Palestinian human rights. REUTERS

However, a Jewish woman, who wasnt selected to speak but tried repeatedly to ask Mamdani how he planned to make life safer to Jewish New Yorkers, was promptly booted from the event on Sanders orders.

She wasnt the other attendee kicked out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier, a male heckler sporting a T-shirt with the Cuban flag was escorted out the venue after yelling at Mamdani: You are a communist! This is not Cuba, you fool!

You know that something has changed when its not enough to call us Democratic socialists anymore, quipped Mamdani.

Prior of the event, critics ripped Brooklyn College for using its public campus to host what amounts to a partisan event boosting Mamdanis mayoral campaign.

This is a political event, former CUNY trustee Jeffery Wiesenfeld told The Post.

Oligarchy my ass. Sanders is coming to New York to help Mamdani.

CUNY deferred comment to Brooklyn College, which is part of the taxpayer-funded city university system.

The college in a statement said the Leonard and Claire Tow Center is a part of the Brooklyn College campus. Any candidate is welcome to rent this facility.
CLEVELAND (WJW)  The man accused of a hit-and-run of two Cleveland water employees has pleaded guilty, according to court records.

In February, on the citys southeast side, a hit-and-run driver left two Cleveland Water employees seriously hurt, as the FOX 8 I-Team previously reported.

The votes are in! CLE Metroparks baby giraffe gets its name

A city security camera captured a key clue. The video showed an SUV matching the description of the vehicle involved, leaving that neighborhood.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Records show that investigators tracked the license plate to a home in Maple Heights. That led to a knock on the door in the middle of the night.

In the house, Cleveland police and Maple Heights police found Lorenzo Martin. They said they tied him to the hit-and-run.

A police report showed Martin claimed he had been at the gas station, then some guy he didnt know jumped in his SUV and drove off.

Sayin throws for four touchdowns as No. 1 Ohio State dominates Grambling State

However, Cuyahoga County prosecutors have indicted Martin, saying he had been driving with a suspended license. His Bureau of Motor Vehicles record also shows hes been convicted of driving without a license before.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That is when the I-Team learned that driving with a suspended license, in this case, has led to a more serious charge that carries prison time if Martin is convicted.

In court on September 5, Martin pleaded guilty to vehicular assault, according to court records.

According to court records, a sentencing for Martin is scheduled for October 21 at 1:30 p.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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
A man has been arrested after punching a woman in the South End.

Boston 25 obtained an incident report from the Boston Police Department detailing the incident.

62-year-old Jose Miranda-Martinez was taken into custody and charged with one count each of Assault and Battery and Disorderly Conduct.

Around 12:14 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of 190 W. Canton Street to reports of an assault and battery.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Once on scene, officers found numerous people on scene. Officers then saw a crying woman sitting on the sidewalk holding ice to her cheek. The woman was evaluated by police, who began to tell officers what happened.

The victim was walking down W. Canton Street when she says a man was walking towards her. As she passed the man, he began to punch her in the face approximately 3-4 times.

The victim said she began to push away from the man, who then said he began to talk about gangs. The man then told the victim to call the police.

Officers then spoke to a witness who said that the man wrapped his arm around the victim and began punching the victim. The witness also reiterated that the man was yelling at the victim to call the cops.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The man, later identified as Miranda-Martinez, was placed under arrest and processed for booking.

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
A 30-year-old Lynn man was arrested and charged with murder Sunday after a 38-year-old Lynn woman was found dead at a home in the city, the Essex County District Attorneys Office announced.

Lynn police found the woman dead at a Newhall Street home after responding to a 911 call around 1 a.m., the district attorneys office said in a press release. Authorities are not releasing the victims name yet, as her family has not been notified of her death.

The suspects name is not being released until his arraignment in Lynn District Court, which is expected to take place on Monday, the district attorneys office said. Lynn police, the district attorneys office and the state Chief Medical Examiners Office are investigating the womans death.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No further information has been released.

More local crime stories

Read the original article on MassLive.
The illegal dumping of waste in unauthorized areas is a federal offense in virtually all nations, as it poses a significant health risk that is a global concern.

One resident of Birtley, a borough of Gateshead, England, faced legal consequences for his act of illegal dumping, according to the Gateshead Council.

Under Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, per the UK's legislation website, authorities can prosecute acts of crime against the environment, and illegal dumping is considered an environmental hazard.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The perpetrator was fined more than 750 (about $1,000 USD) after unlawfully discarding waste on land, failing to attend an interview with Gateshead officers, and then eventually pleading guilty when his case was brought to court, the Gateshead council reported.

Illegal dumping has become a huge concern for the United Kingdom, so much so that residents are illegally shipping their waste to countries in Asia, according to DW. This form of trafficking has a reportedly major negative effect on the environment, the economy, and human health.

Of course, dumped waste does not have to be trafficked to be of concern.

According to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, illegal dumping locally on public, private, and commercial land repels economic development, costs state and local governments millions of dollars annually to clean up, and pollutes water, soil, and air.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In some cases, what is being dumped is not only household waste. Batteries, oil, pesticides, and other toxic waste are often illegally abandoned.

Waste materials, both hazardous and mundane, can pose threats to public health through the contamination of water and soil. Q-Star Technology says contamination can lead to serious illness or death, and it can attract mice and other disease-carrying vermin.

Because of the severity of this crime, councilor Martin Gannon of the Gateshead Council said, "Fly-tipping (dumping) is a serious criminal offence that ruins our environment, costs taxpayers money, and puts public health at risk."

He declared that the perpetrator's consequences should serve as a warning to others: "This case sends a clear message: we will not tolerate those who dump waste illegally in our communities or ignore legal requests for cooperation."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Councilor Gannon also urged residents of Gateshead to report any indication of illegal dumping.

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.
NEED TO KNOW

Authorities said a man's body was discovered floating in the water under the Coast Guard Island Bridge in 2003

The man could not be identified and became known as Oakland John Doe,

In 2024, law enforcement submitted evidence to Othram, which later led to the positive identification of Robert Craig Whitsett



The body of a man found floating in the water under a Bay Area bridge 22 years ago has now been identified, authorities said.

The Alameda County Sheriffs Office said that thanks to DNA testing, the remains discovered in September 2003 were identified as belonging to New York man Robert Craig Whitsett, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Othram, a Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy services company that was involved in Whitsetts eventual identification, said that his body was found under the Coast Guard Island Bridge, near the 1800 block of Dennison street in Oakland, Calif.

In addition to his skeletal remains, officials found and gathered a number of clothing items, including a blue denim jacket, a red pullover, a button-up checkered shirt, blue denim trousers and running shoes.

Despite a long investigation that followed, the man could not be identified and became known as Oakland John Doe, the company stated. His details were submitted to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) in 2017.

Last year, the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, in conjunction with the California Department of Justice - Missing Persons DNA Program, provided evidence to Othram to see if advanced DNA testing could provide a breakthrough in the mystery of Oakland John Doe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive SNP [single-nucleotide polymorphism] profile for the man, which enabled Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team to conduct a genetic genealogy search and develop new investigative leads in the case, the company said in its news release.

After Othram provided those leads to authorities, a follow-up investigation led to the victims potential relatives, said the company. The comparison of a DNA sample collected from a relative with the mans DNA profile resulted in the positive identification of Whitsett, who was born in New York and went by the name Craig.

The identification of Robert Whitsett represents the 68th case in the State of California where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othran, the companys news release stated.

PEOPLE contacted the Alameda County Sheriffs Office on Thursday, Sept. 4, for additional information.

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.

Othrams services were also used in a case involving human remains that were found in a wooded area in Knoxville, Tenn., five years ago. Subsequent DNA testing helped identify the remains of Gerald J. Forsman, of Livonia, Mich., according to an Aug. 26 news release shared by the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.



Read the original article on People
A man was found living in the crawl space of an apartment complexs back building in what some would consider luxury living arrangements.

According to authorities in Oregon, deputies with the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) responded to a suspicious circumstances call at an apartment complex in the Mount Scott-Arleta neighborhood of Southeast Portland this past Wednesday, Sept. 3.

A witness reported seeing a man who was not known to live in the complex parking his car and walking to the back of one of the buildings, Clackamas County deputies said on social media. The witness also noticed the door to the crawl space was open and light was coming from inside. The door then closed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Santa Monica officials considering fiscal emergency declaration

Deputies arrived at the condo complex and found that the door to the crawl space was damaged but locked, and an extension cord was seen running through a vent. When the complex owner confirmed to authorities that no one should be in there  and that there shouldnt have been any lights on in there either.

The owner also reported that they had heard strange noises coming from the crawl space before, CCSO said.

A man was found living in the crawl space of an apartment complexs back building with what some would consider luxury living arrangements. (Clackamas County Sheriffs Office) A man was found living in the crawl space of an apartment complexs back building with what some would consider luxury living arrangements. (Clackamas County Sheriffs Office) A man was found living in the crawl space of an apartment complexs back building with what some would consider luxury living arrangements. (Clackamas County Sheriffs Office) A man was found living in the crawl space of an apartment complexs back building with what some would consider luxury living arrangements. (Clackamas County Sheriffs Office)

When deputies got keys to the building from the owner, they found that they didnt work, but they breached the door and located a man. He was identified as 40-year-old Beniamin Bucur.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He had taken significant steps to improve the conditions of the crawl space and was obviously living inside, CCSO elaborated. Deputies observed a bed, lights, chargers, TVs and other electronics plugged into the power of the house. Deputies estimate he had been living there for an extended period of time.

Truck carrying used cooking oil bursts into flames on 5 Freeway

A pipe with a white residue that tested positive for methamphetamine was also found among Bucurs belongings.

Bucur was transported to the local county jail and booked on charges of first degree burglary and unlawful possession of methamphetamine. A judge set his bail at $75,000 at a hearing Thursday.

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.
Scores of Nepali journalists took to the streets against the social media ban in the capital Kathmandu imposed by the government since last week. The Gen-Z has also called for a nationwide protest on Monday against the same cause. The protest was called by the former office bearers and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, the umbrella organisation of journalists in Nepal. The participating journalists carried placards with slogans reading "#NoBan," "Freedom of Expression Is Our Right," "The People's Voice Cannot Be Silenced," and "Democracy Is Being Hacked, Dictatorship Is Coming Back," among others. The government claims that the companies' social media platforms are not following their administrative order and the registration provision according to those directives. The government issued the order to the Nepal Telecommunication Authority, which later issued an order to all the ISPs (internet service providers) to ban the major social media platforms. We are here to protest against this government order," Taranath Dahal, the former president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, told ANI. Rage is slowly increasing in Nepal against the government's decision to shut down over two dozen social media platforms, which it claims is an effort to tax the revenue they generate in the country, and to control content critical of the government. Following the order from the government, social media sites have gone dark past midnight on September 4. The government says it took the action after repeated warnings to the platforms to open offices in Nepal, a Cabinet decision last month setting a deadline, as well as a 17 August Supreme Court ruling that also required them to register and pay the requisite taxes. However, the Bill cited in the ban, 'The Operation, Use, and Regulation of Social Media in Nepal' has not yet been passed by Parliament. Some social media platforms, which were already paying taxes in Nepal even though they are not officially registered, have also been blocked. "The incumbent government is attempting to control social media; it is not a regulation but an attempt to take complete control. The Constitution of Nepal-2072 has ensured absolute media freedom and freedom of expression, but the latest move of the government is against the essence of the constitution and its provisions," Ram Hari Karki, the President of Federation of Nepali Journalists, Lalitpur branch, told ANI. Currently, platforms such as Viber, TikTok, Wetalk and Nimbuzz are registered in Nepal, while Telegram and Global Diary are in the process. Widely used platforms like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp have yet to initiate registration. Social media users calling themselves "Gen-Z" have also called for a nationwide protest on September 8 against the ban imposed by the government on social media. Social media leaflets and posts have called for people to come to Baneshwor, near the federal parliament in the capital, to pressure the government to step back from its decision to shut down the social media platforms. (ANI)
NEED TO KNOW

History almost repeated itself for a California man whose pregnant wife died in a car accident in 2020

James Alvarez and his pregnant girlfriend, Sabrina Ramos, were driving home from dinner on Aug. 29 when he says a driver rear-ended her car, per ABC 7

While Sabrina and his unborn child were ultimately okay, James told the outlet that he felt temporarily stuck in the same horrific situation from his past as he watched the incident unfold

History nearly repeated itself for a California man who lost his pregnant wife in a DUI accident several years ago.

James Alvarez of Orange County said he and his girlfriend, Sabrina Ramos  who is currently pregnant  were driving home from dinner on Friday, Aug. 29, when the incident occurred, per local news outlet ABC 7.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

James told the outlet that he and Sabrina were driving in separate cars and talking to each other on speakerphone when he heard a crash.

I hear an impact," he recalled, adding, "And then I hear her say, 'Oh my gosh, I just got hit.' And I'm like, 'What?' And then boom, that's when I hear my car get hit. The person hit her so hard  that pushed her into me.

James said emergency workers arrived on the scene, and Sabrina was taken away in an ambulance  which he said took him back to the trauma of the 2020 tragedy with his wife.

James Alvarez/Instagram James Alvarez and Sabrina Ramos James Alvarez and Sabrina Ramos

"Literally, I was stuck in the same situation of seeing my girlfriend being taken away, and I couldn't be with her, and not knowing if the baby is okay, [thinking] is she okay?" he said. "For me, it was just like, I don't want to go through this pain again, and lose someone who means a lot to me.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2020, James wife, Yesenia, and unborn daughter, Adalyn, were hit by a drunk driver while the family was out walking in Anaheim, as previously reported by NBC 4. Adalyn was born via an emergency C-section, but Yesenia did not survive.

Thankfully, the most recent accident was less serious, and Sabrina and their unborn child were ultimately okay.

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.

"They did an ultrasound [on the baby]. The baby is perfectly fine, still healthy and kicking. My girlfriend, too, thankfully, only has soreness and some back pain," he said.

An investigation into the incident is still ongoing, per ABC 7. People reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department and California Highway Patrol for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

James also told the outlet that he considers Sabrinas pregnancy the biggest blessing ever.

I never thought that I would have another kid," he added.

James, a creative content creator who posts under @jamesalvarez on Instagram, previously went viral for his annual photo tributes to his late wife, which he shares around his daughter Adalyns birthday each year. In the photos, Adalyn wears a pink dress similar to the one her mother wore in her maternity shoot.

With each pose and each captured moment, we honor your memory and celebrate the enduring love that continues to surround us, reminding us of the precious bond that lasts a lifetime, James wrote in his most recent tribute.



Read the original article on People
Man pleads guilty in 2024 hit-and-run that killed good Samaritan Gavin Carter

More than a year after 23-year-old Gavin Carter was killed while trying to help a driver on I-10 in Jacksonville, the man accused in his death has pleaded guilty in court.

On August 21, 25-year-old Dante Lawrence entered a guilty plea to leaving the scene of a fatal crash without rendering aid.

Carters family said theyve waited over a year for accountability  and while the guilty plea brings some relief, theyre now hoping the upcoming sentencing will reflect the depth of their loss.

It was nice to hear, but not in the way he said it, said Carters grandmother, Cynthia Carter Ross, speaking about Lawrences plea.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was like a convenience. Im guilty because they know they can prove it.

The crash occurred in 2024 along Interstate 10 near McDuff Avenue. Florida Highway Patrol investigators say Carter stopped to help a driver who had crashed into a barrier and overturned. While helping at the scene, he was struck and killed by another vehicle.

Authorities later identified the driver as Dante Lawrence, who fled the scene on foot. It took nearly ten months for investigators to arrest him.

He had 287 days to come forward, Ross said.

Even if he was in shock or scared the night it happened 287 days to say, I am so sorry for what I did.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cynthia Carter Ross says her only comfort over the last year has been a memorial bench placed in her yard in memory of Gavin.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

I sit here when I wanna talk to Gavin, she said.

It says, Come sit with me. Itll be all right. Im not gone. Im in your heart. In memory of my brother and my friend.

The family said they plan to attend Lawrences sentencing date, which is scheduled for September 29.

Gavins mother, Dawn Carter, said shes deeply concerned about the possibility of a lenient sentence.

Its gonna break my heart if this man gets 21 months in jail, she told Action News Jax.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As Lawrence awaits sentencing, the Carter family hopes the court holds him fully accountable. They also hope Gavins story serves as a reminder of both the courage it takes to help others  and the tragedy that can follow.

[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.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  A 42-year-old man faces five years in prison after pleading no contest to a deadly stabbing in Taft.

Michael McClintock on Thursday pleaded no contest to a charge of involuntary manslaughter and is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 2, according to court records.

On Nov. 27, Randy Eugene Stark, 63, was found with a stab wound to his chest in the 300 block of Crystal Street, according to sheriffs officials. He was declared dead at the scene.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

McClintock was identified as the suspect and tracked to Midland, Texas, where he was arrested in January, officials said. He was returned to Kern County and charged with first-degree murder. That charge was dismissed under the plea bargain.

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.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Police are investigating after a man was found shot and killed Saturday night near Bannister Road in south Kansas City.

According to the Kansas City Police Department, at about 11:30 p.m, officers were called to the area of East Bannister Road and James A Reed Road on reports of a shooting.

Man charged in April deadly shooting in Kansas City, Kansas

When officers arrived, they were taken to the inside of a business where a man suffering from a gunshot wound.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

KCPD attempted to save the mans life, but when emergency responders arrived on the scene, they pronounced the man dead. He has been identified as 23-yearold Kenneth Hutt.

Initial investigations reveal the man had entered a business and had an interaction with one or more people inside. Police said the interaction escalated into the shooting.

According to some in the area, the shooting is a product of larger systemic issues.

FOX4 spoke with Brandon Price, the Pastor of Uplift Worship Center, which uses St. Lukes United Methodist Churchs building just northwest of the business where the shooting occurred.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Super excited fans fill Power & Light for Border War watch party

We feel like its a community that has needs but dont have as much support as some of the other metropolitan areas. And so, crime has been escalating and getting closer to home, he said.

We really need to look at that. The city really doesnt have any sustainable options for recreation and for resources for our children, Price continued.

There is no suspect information at this time, and no one is in custody.

If you or anyone you know has information regarding the deadly shooting, police ask that you call homicide detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

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.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a Sunday shooting in Southeast D.C.

Police say officers responded at 3:04 p.m. to the 2600 block of Birney Pl. SE, where a man was found suffering from a gunshot wound, unconscious and not breathing.

Safety Service Patrol member killed in collision while helping driver on I-95: Police

The mans condition has not been released.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anyone with information is asked to call (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.
Police were investigating a hit-and-run that left a man in a wheelchair injured on Sept. 5 in Phoenix, according to a police spokesperson.

About 11 p.m., officers were called to the area of 35th and Northern avenues after a man in the roadway was struck by a car, Sgt. Jennifer Zak of the Phoenix Police Department said.

Police found the man, who had been in a wheelchair at the time of the crash, with serious but survivable injuries, according to Zak.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The driver of the vehicle left before authorities arrived, according to Zak.

It was not immediately clear whether the man in the wheelchair was in a crosswalk or how the hit-and-run driver struck him. Zak said it was unknown whether impairment played a role.

An investigation into the crash remained ongoing.

Anyone with information on the hit-and-run can provide anonymous tips to police by calling Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO (837-8446), or online at silentwitness.org.

Rey Covarrubias Jr. reports breaking news for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@gannett.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.

Assistance sought: Violent sexual assault case has Phoenix police asking public for help

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man in wheelchair injured after hit-and-run in Phoenix
Punjab's flood-hit districts are grappling with a grim reality, despite official reassurances of a smooth relief operation, with the outbreak of flood-related diseases, The Express Tribune reported. Health issues are escalating due to the outbreak of flood-related diseases, with doctors and aid workers reporting a surge in patients suffering from diarrhoea, skin infections, and dengue fever. These patients often wait for hours or even days for proper treatment, highlighting the strain on the healthcare system, as per The Express Tribune. The situation on the ground is dire, with health units overwhelmed and a shortage of essential medicines. In some relief camps, critical supplies like anti-malarial drugs and rabies vaccines have run out, leaving residents vulnerable to further health risks. A health worker in Narowal described the challenging conditions, saying, "We are treating dozens of patients in tents without enough supplies. Official tallies don't match the situation here". The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of "grave risks" of epidemic outbreaks, emphasising the need for clean water, sanitation, and uninterrupted medical supplies. Further, the aid groups confirm that conditions in several camps remain unsanitary, with stagnant floodwater breeding mosquitoes and raising the likelihood of cholera and dysentery. According to The Express Tribune, the floods, which have been ongoing since late August, have displaced over two million people in Punjab, submerged 2,000 villages, and washed away vast tracts of farmland. Thousands of acres of crops, including rice, cotton, and sugarcane, have been destroyed, further exacerbating food insecurity in the region. The provincial government claims to have rescued nearly 1.9 million people, set up more than 1,000 relief camps, and deployed mobile health units. But reports from the field indicate that many villages remain cut off, with relief measures reaching them only sporadically. In Hafizabad and Kasur, locals complain they have received no consistent supply of clean water or medical assistance. Health records show more than 15,400 cases of dengue, diarrhoea, malaria, and skin diseases were detected across Punjab in the past month. Lahore alone reported over 9,000 patients in the past 24 hours. According to the Punjab Health Department, since January, the province has logged 310 dengue cases, 79 of them in Lahore. The crisis extends beyond vector-borne diseases - 99 snakebites and 167 dog-bite cases have also been reported. (ANI)
DES MOINES, Iowa  This upcoming Thursday marks 24 years since the September 11th terrorist attacks that took the lives of nearly 3,000 Americans.

It is the 9th year of the March to the Capitol walk, with local first responders and members of the public walking 21 miles to the Iowa State Capitol building. The walk starts at 9:11 a.m. on Thursday and goes until those participating reach those steps.

Michael Dunkin is a West Des Moines firefighter, who helps organize the walk. He wears his firefighting gear to honor those first responders who laid it on the line in the moments during and after the attack.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Car enthusiasts gather for charity car exhibit in Des Moines

Todd Stewart is a retired firefighter, who has participated in the walk for five years. He joined the Today in Iowa Sunday crew to discuss the growing crowd the event has been getting, sharing that his joy that the younger generations want to play a role in the memorial walk.

I think its critically important. We should never lose sight of the sacrifice that those first responders made. And also, I believe it helps them to keep in mind the sacrifices that law enforcement and fire make every single day in this county, said Stewart. Stewart is a third generation first responder in his family.

To learn more about the walk or to register, visit March to the Capitols website. You can watch the full interview on Today in Iowa in the video above.

Iowa News:

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 who13.com.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Candidates can start filing for statewide office in next years election on September 11.

A few candidates have already declared, including Republican Danielle Bethell, whos entering the race to unseat incumbent governor and Democrat Tina Kotek.

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Eye on Northwest Politics

Bethell is a two-term Marion County Commissioner. A fifth-generation Oregonian, she has been head of the Keizer Chamber of Commerce, a former school board member and a business owner in Marion County.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She and her husband own Bethell Plumbing, which specializes in new construction and remodels.

Bethell joined Eye on Northwest Politics to talk running for Oregons highest office in these polarizing times.

Watch the full interview in the video above.

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.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  The Mary J. Treglia Community House hosted its first-ever Global Harmony Fair.

At the event, guests learned more about the community house, which featured a career and community resources fair offering valuable insights and information. It also highlighted the work that the Mary J. Treglia Community House does for the diverse populations it serves.

Guests enjoyed complimentary food from food trucks and participated in games with a chance to win prizes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We want people to feel this is a good place to come to, and if they need services, they need services; we can provide services.

The Mary J. Treglia Community House offers services such as family support, citizenship classes, and English language instruction to assist Siouxlanders.

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.
WASHINGTON  Marylands Democratic Gov. Wes Moore said on NBC News Meet the Press Sunday that he was ruling out a presidential run in 2028.

Asked by moderator Kristen Welker whether he had ruled out a run for president, Moore confirmed that he had.

Yeah, Im not running for president, he said.

Asked a second time to confirm he was ruling out a presidential run, he reiterated yes, listing his accomplishments as Marylands governor and emphasizing his interest in serving another term.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our population is growing, Maryland is moving, and so Im really excited about going back in front of the people of my state and asking for another term, Moore said.

Moore had previously been floated as a 2028 presidential contender. Earlier this year, Moore said on ABCs The View that he was not running for president.

The governor also said on Meet the Press that all options are on the table during the national redistricting fight, including redrawing Marylands congressional districts.

At the same time, Moore said, he believed that gerrymandering is actually a true stain on a larger democratic soul.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I do believe that when were looking at how we should have our elections, that we should not have elections where you have the policymakers who are selecting their voters, but voters who are selecting the policymakers, he added.

Moore has previously made similar comments, saying on CBS News Face the Nation last month that all options are on the table. Rep. Andy Harris is the sole Republican congressman in Maryland.

If Donald Trump is going to start picking and choosing which states that should have a chance to re-evaluate how theyre thinking about that, then the state of Maryland should also  should not sit on their hands, he said, referring to redistricting.

The governors comments come after Republicans mid-decade redistricting push in Texas touched off a national debate over whether Democrats, too, should lean into redistricting to offset potential GOP gains. On the Democratic side, California Gov. Gavin Newsom championed efforts to redistrict California to bolster Democrats chances at gaining congressional seats in the state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Californians are set to vote in November on whether to redraw district maps, and new maps in Texas were signed into law last month, though they face a challenge in court. Republicans in Missouri, Indiana and Florida are also weighing redistricting efforts.

The governor also addressed President Donald Trumps threat last month to send troops to Baltimore in order to clean up the crime. National Guard troops remain in nearby Washington, D.C., and in recent weeks, the president has expressed interest in sending troops to other Democratic-run cities.

Asked why Moore would not accept Trumps offer to send National Guard troops to Baltimore, Moore said that we absolutely accept the offer for federal support, noting that support from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are things that the city could use. Moore also pointed to drops in crime in Baltimore without the use of National Guard troops.

Trump has previously told reporters that were going in, referring to Chicago, and on Saturday he posted what appeared to be an AI-generated image emblazoned with the words Chipocalypse Now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I love the smell of deportations in the morning... Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR, the post said.

Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said Saturday that the post was Trump threatening to go to war with an American city, a view echoed by Moore on Sunday.

I call it threat. I call it embarrassing. I would call it performative, Moore said of the post.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie said Sunday that those who might be in the Jeffrey Epstein files need to be held accountable regardless of their social status.

"We can't avoid justice just to avoid embarrassment for some very powerful men," Massie told ABC News' "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Appearing in the files is not indicative of wrongdoing or a crime.

MORE: 'You have the power to be transparent': Epstein survivors call on Trump, Congress to release records

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said there are enough votes in the House to force a vote on his and Massie's discharge petition, a rare bipartisan effort they've led to compel the Justice Department to release all records related to the convicted sex offender.

ABC News - PHOTO: Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., appears on ABC News' "This Week" on Sept. 7, 2025.

"We have the 218 votes, 216 already support it. There are two vacancies that haven't been reported as much, but two Democrats are going to be joining and they are both committed to signing it. That's going to happen by the end of September," Khanna said.

Asked why he thinks President Donald Trump is resisting releasing the files, Massie said, "I think it's going to be embarrassing to some of the billionaires, some of the donors who are politically connected to his campaign. There are probably intelligence ties to our CIA and maybe to other foreign intelligence," Massie told ABC News' "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos.

It was not clear the basis for Massies claims. ABC News' has reached out to the White House for comment on Massie's assertion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump said on Friday that the Justice Department has given Congress "everything requested of them and both the president and House Speaker Mike Johnson have said they believe that the push for more information on the Epstein case has been an overreaction and politicized.

Khanna rejected that notion, and praised the "courage" of Republican House members who have signed their petition and are going against the president.

ABC News - PHOTO: Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., appears on ABC News' "This Week" on Sept. 7, 2025.

"This is a moral issue. It's about standing with survivors. It's about protecting children," Khanna said. "I admire Congressman Massie's courage. I admire Nancy Mace's courage, Marjorie Taylor Greene's courage, Lauren Boebert's courage. They are standing with survivors. We have the votes. Let's get a vote this month and get their files released."

Khanna, however, said he had concerns whether the files would be released in their entirety.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's a concern. But the victims' lawyer, Bradley Edwards, has seen the files, as have many people who are career officials. So if they try to do something that is political, then, many other people would call them out on it," Khanna said.

Massie and Khanna's appearance came after survivors of Epstein's abuse shared their stories on Capitol Hill, highlighting how they are demanding that the federal government release files and records related to the convicted sex offender.
Subway crime has dipped in the Big Apple  but try telling that to the victims of these transit terrors.

A cluster of 63 career criminals continues to wreak havoc in the citys underground, racking up more than 5,000 busts between them  yet only five of them are currently behind bars, The Post has learned.

The motley crew has amassed a disturbing rap sheet for crimes including assault, robbery, theft, turnstile-jumping and a string of other nuisance offenses  but they largely remain free because the states lax criminal-justice reforms bar judges from holding them on bail.

Subway crime is down citywide, but a cluster of career criminals remains the most troublesome in the transit system. Christopher Sadowski

Crime is down in the subways, but its the same handful of criminals making it feel like chaos, a frustrated law-enforcement source said. This kid gloves approach to bail and lack of prosecution isnt cutting it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The latest NYPD statistics show that transit crime in the five boroughs has been on the decline, down 3.8% over the first eight months of the year compared to the same period in 2024 and dipping nearly 6% in the past two years thanks to focused enforcement and police deployments.

Thats no thanks to the states 2019 criminal justice reforms, which bar judges from setting bail on most crimes, including all non-violent crimes.

Under the so-called reforms, repeat offenders busted for any crime other than violent felonies typically get a slap on the wrist and are cut loose while their cases are pending  with many allegedly committing new crimes.

Kenney Mitchell, 28, has 149 career busts on his rap sheet, including 18 arrests since May alone. Obtained by the NY Post

Thats been the case with dozens of transit system offenders, according to sources.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Among the most notorious is Michael Wilson, a 39-year-old vagrant with 198 total arrests, 190 of them tied to the transit system  and 36 of them this year alone.

Wilsons rap sheet  who cops say should be in the subway crime Hall of Fame  includes multiple arrests for alleged criminal tampering for rigging MetroCard dispensers.

Another repeat offender is 28-year-old Kenney Mitchell, who has been arrested a total of 149 times in his life, including 18 times just since May of this year for alleged theft and forgery  and in June after he was found lying on a C train platform with a pocket full of crack vials, sources said.

Despite dips in transit crime, 63 offenders have more than 5,000 career busts  and yet only five of them are locked up. Michael Nagle

Carlos Baezcaban, 53, has logged 72 career arrests, including for alleged grand larceny, trespassing and drug possession. That count includes the six times he has been busted since he was put on probation in May for a possession of stolen property conviction.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some of the offenders have been hit with sex-related crimes such as public lewdness and forcible touching.

Matthew Leon, 26, has 29 arrests under his belt  with 13 that were sex-related, including for allegedly fondling female straphangers and pressing against others.

Michael Wilson, a 39-year-old transit terror, has 198 career busts, 190 of them tied to the subways. Obtained by NY Post

Another repeat offender, 38-year-old Jamar Cobb, has logged 48 career arrests including for alleged robbery and public lewdness and theft.

Shaquille Clarke, 32, whose 18 arrests include alleged forcible touching and robbery, has been charged with pressing against a woman in the subways and slugging a lady to take her phone, sources said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Clarke was placed on probation in May for a robbery conviction and has been arrested once since.

Persistent transit offenders have thousands of career busts, including for repeated turnstile-jumping. Christopher Sadowski

Of the six chronic offenders named above, only one, Leon, is currently behind bars. The rest are still roaming the streets and train system.

Leon was finally ordered held without bail on a February charge of forcible touching of a minor in Queens.

Some conviction and prosecution rates have fallen, too.

Ten years ago, 81% of transit felony arrests resulted in convictions, compared to just 36% to 38% today, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The accused scofflaws have been represented by multiple lawyers over the years, primarily public defenders, while some of the charges against them were minor and did not involve the need for an attorney.

The Legal Aid Society, which helps provide public defenders, declined to comment. The Post reached out to numerous lawyers who have repped some of the scofflaws, but the attorneys either did not return calls for comment or would not discuss the cases.
SPRINGFIELD  When former state Sen. Linda Melconian checks off items on her bucket list, writing a book about the first woman in American history to be elected governor in her own right is near the top of her to-do list.

I always wanted to write a book about my esteemed mentor, Ella Grasso, the former senator told The Republican.

I admired her greatly and tried to emulate her in my 23 years of public service, she continued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Melconian is just out with her new book about Grasso, who served as governor of Connecticut from 1975 to 1980.

Several women served as governors of their states because their husbands retired or died in office. Grasso is also the first female governor to not be the spouse or widow of a former governor.

Ella Grasso: The First of the Firsts, is a 204-page chronicle of a political titan who reached the pinnacle of elective office in the Nutmeg State after being roundly dismissed because of her gender and ethnic background.

There had never been an Italian governor of Connecticut, let alone an Italian woman, said Melconian.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Marital meltdown

Melconian recalls John Bailey, chairman of the Democratic Party in Connecticut from 1946-1975, battling Grasso by backing her opponent.

John Bailey decided machine politics in Connecticut at that time and called the shots for those who were in the state legislature and ran for Congress. He didnt want Ella to run for governor. He supported Bob Killian, who was the attorney general and was from Hartford, said Melconian.

Grasso not only won that election but beat Killian by 2,000 votes on his home turf of Hartford, according to the author.

Bailey forced a union between Grasso and Killian, backing the former AG in his successful bid to become lieutenant governor under Grasso. But the marriage of necessity blew up after the administrations first term.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was a political marriage that didnt last. She dumped him in the second term because he ran against her for reelection, Melconian writes in her book. Killian never accepted the fact that she was governor.

While Grassos chief challenge may have been that she was a woman, Melconian uncovers another thorny issue.

She had problems as governor, harsh realities. She had a $70 (to $80) million-dollar budget deficit. She kept the promise she made during her campaign, that she would not impose an income tax, according to Melconian.

Grasso may not have touched taxes, but some of the ways she cut spending to eliminate the deficit she inherited were unpopular and drew heavy criticism, according to published reports.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She had tremendous self-confidence. She took on elective challenges because she knew she could. She had tremendous ambition, was a brilliant woman with dogged determination to have people follow in her footsteps. She was a pioneer, a trailblazer, argues the former senator, who praises Grasso for being the first woman from Connecticut to be elected to Congress, and Connecticuts secretary of state.

Melconians mentor

Melconian was a legislative assistant to Thomas P. Tip ONeill, Jr., famed Massachusetts congressman and former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1970s and 80s. She met Grasso when they were both working on Capitol Hill.

She was noticed immediately when she walked into a room. She possessed an inviting smile, lively brown eyes, a sharp and intelligent mind. She wore glasses on the top of her short, tousled hair, and she radiated sunshine, recalls Melconian.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She had a plain Jane appearance and wore clothes off the rack. She had an engaging personality. People wanted to sit and chat with her, said Melconian.

Melconian and Grasso are both graduates of Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, and they both marched to the beat of the colleges founder, Mary Lyon.

She said, Go where no one else will go. Do what no one else will do, stated Melconian.

The author said she and Grasso became friends in Washington, D.C., developing a close relationship that Melconian found inspiring.

She was a mentor to me. She became a friend. She encouraged me to run for public office and to get a law degree, because she said, A woman needs a professional degree, like a doctor or a lawyer, said Melconian.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Melconian graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a bachelors degree in history, a masters degree in public and international affairs from George Washington University and a law degree from George Mason University.

The Springfield resident served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1983-2005, rising to become the bodys first female majority leader. Through it all, Melconian said she modeled Grassos approach.

She was hard working, available 24/7 to her constituents. She had a bubbly personality, which I had. She didnt like people. She loved the people of Connecticut, and I loved the people I represented, said Melconian.

During her life in politics, Grasso never lost an election. But she did lose her battle with ovarian cancer, resigning as governor before succumbing to the disease on Feb. 5, 1981, less than six weeks after leaving office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nobody can please everyone, but Ella came close, said Melconian. She was derided by her opponents and loved by (others). They trusted her and she respected them. They called her by her first name, Mother Ella.

The softcover book is available for $20 at www.repubbooks.com.

More Western Mass. Content

Read the original article on MassLive.
GLENWOOD, WV (WVNS)  The Mercer County Sheriffs Office made an arrest, after a domestic dispute leads to one mans death, according to a press release.

On Saturday, September 6, 2025 deputies received a call of a domestic in progress, and responded to it at a house on Ive Street.

Former DC USPS workers citizenship revoked after stealing over $1.6 million in checks from mail

Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a fight had taken place between two men. Witnesses told the deputies that one of the men, Eric Halsey, 39 years old, grabbed a glass ash tray and struck the victim in the head several times before leaving the scene.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The victim was sent to WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital, later to be pronounced dead.

Deputies later located the suspect and took him into custody.

Halsey was arrested and is being charged with murder. He was then sent to Southern Regional Jail for holding until he can be arraigned.

The lead investigator is J.A. Brooks, a Mercer County Sheriffs Office Deputy.

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 WVNS.
CARPENDALE, W.Va.  Although location plans had to be altered, Messiah Christian Academy will open for its first school year Monday.

The school had hoped to buy and open in the former Frankfort Intermediate School building in Fort Ashby.

The facility was removed from operation in 2024 after Frankfort Elementary was built to merge Fort Ashby Primary, Wiley Ford Primary and Frankfort Intermediate.

The former school, which can facilitate roughly 400 students and includes amenities such as a cafeteria, gym and outdoor recreation spaces, was set for auction in June.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It hasnt been put up for auction yet, MCA School Administrator Dan Thompson said Friday.

Meanwhile, MCA officials worked with area churches to find a suitable space for students.

Sunday school rooms at Holy Cross United Methodist Church in Carpendale were found to be a good fit.

Thompson, who has worked for 35 years in the education field, including as former administrator at Calvary Christian Academy, said MCA added improvements to the Holy Cross buildings classrooms, including new ceiling tiles, carpet and LED lights.

Community donations provided some items from an Amazon wish list as well as classroom equipment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Additionally, MCA received a 24-passenger van as well as a school bus.

Nearly 60 pre-K through 10th-grade students are registered to start school Monday, Thompson said, adding that MCA is also open to juniors and seniors.

School days will run from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. and transportation stops will be at the Food Lion parking lot in Romney and Waynes Country Meats in Fort Ashby.

The school accepts West Virginia students via the HOPE Scholarship, and also welcomes Maryland residents.

Carpendale is right across the Blue Bridge ... very close to Cumberland, Thompson said.

We are grateful for the support of the community, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A press release from the school this week stated, Messiah Christian Academy is dedicated to providing a Christ-centered education that nurtures academic excellence, spiritual growth, and character development. As a brand-new institution, it offers a fresh opportunity for students to thrive in a caring and inspiring environment.

To learn more, visit messiahca.net.
Tel Aviv [Israel], September 7 (ANI/TPS): A drone launched from Yemen struck the passenger hall at Ramon Airport near Eilat on Sunday, injuring one person with shrapnel and causing another to suffer a panic attack, Israeli officials said. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the strike and announced that airspace over the airport had been closed, with all takeoffs and landings suspended. An IDF spokesman said the Air Force intercepted three drones approaching from Yemen during the day, with two destroyed before they crossed into Israeli territory. "Alerts were activated according to policy," the spokesman said. Sirens sounded shortly after 2 p.m. in several communities near the Egyptian border, including Nitzana, Kadesh Barnea, Khemin, and Be'er Milka. The Home Front Command declared the incident over less than 10 minutes later, allowing residents to leave shelters. Magen David Adom emergency responders treated a man with light injuries and several other people who suffered panic attacks. Regional officials voiced frustration over the ongoing threat. Eran Doron, head of the Ramat Negev Regional Council, said drone attacks and smuggling attempts have become "an unacceptable reality" for local communities. "I expect the heads of state to understand that the Nitzana area is threatened on a daily basis, and to work to strengthen the settlement in this region of the country. I thank the security forces for their precise action," he added. The attack marks a rare strike on Ramon Airport, which serves as Israel's secondary international gateway. Located near Eilat in the southern Negev Desert, it has remained operational throughout much of the conflict despite repeated threats from Iran-backed groups in Yemen. Ramon Airport, officially the Ilana and Assaf Ramon International Airport, is Israel's second international gateway after Ben Gurion. Opened in 2019, north of Eilat, it replaced the old Eilat Airport in the city and Ovda Airport for international traffic. Built to handle around 2 million passengers a year, with expansion capacity to 4 million, it serves domestic flights from Tel Aviv and Haifa as well as international routes, particularly European charter and low-cost carriers bringing tourists to Eilat and the Red Sea. Since March 18, when Israel resumed its campaign against Hamas following a temporary cease-fire, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis have launched more than 70 ballistic missiles and over 23 drones at Israel. Most were either intercepted or fell short of Israeli territory. Since Hamas's October 7 attack, the terror group has fired more than 200 missiles and 170 drones. From bases along the Yemeni coast, the Iran-backed Houthis have attacked or harassed more than 100 ships in the Red Sea as they traversed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow maritime chokepoint between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. Much of the world's oil passes through the Strait from the Indian Ocean toward the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. The Houthi attacks have brought the Port of Eilat to a standstill. Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage, in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 are believed to be alive. (ANI/TPS)
A man from Mexico in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody died last week at a hospital in Arizona, the federal agency said.

He had been detained at the Central Arizona Correctional Complex, in the town of Florence, and was pronounced dead by a doctor at the Mountain Vista Medical Center, near Phoenix, on the morning of Aug. 31, according to ICE. The agency said his cause of death was unknown and remained under investigation.

Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas, 32, was a citizen of Mexico who had been arrested by Flagstaff police on Aug. 2 and charged with possession and use of drug paraphernalia, which is a felony. Immigration enforcement agents said they took Vargas into custody in Phoenix before transferring him to the detention center in Florence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vargas had been arrested at least twice before by Flagstaff police, according to ICE. The agency said he was convicted by the Flagstaff Municipal Court of driving under the influence in 2018 and 2024, with the latter conviction resulting in a sentence of 10 days in confinement.

ICE said its agents notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility of Vargas' death, which is required by agency policies. They also notified the Mexican Embassy.

"ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay," the agency said, adding, "At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care."

Asked for any updates on the investigation into Vargas' death, a spokesperson for ICE told CBS News in an email Sunday that the agency would post more information to its website once it becomes available.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fourteen people, including Vargas, have died at immigration detention centers across the U.S. since the beginning of the year, according to ICE.

Justice Barrett on the Supreme Court's checks on Trump's power

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" turns 50: "Don't dream it, be it"

Stand-up Nate Bargatze on operating in "the chaos"
Sep. 7With their lapel cameras rolling, Artesia police stood inside Alexee Trevizo's hospital room as an emergency department doctor informed her of the discovery of a dead newborn in a restroom trash bin down the hall.

Trevizo's response, "I'm sorry  it came out of me  I didn't know what to do," became key evidence for prosecutors. In May 2023, they filed first-degree murder charges against the then-19-year-old high school senior, who faces life in prison if convicted.

The tragic case made international headlines, while the 5th Judicial District Attorney's Office contended she should be jailed pending trial because she was a danger to the community. Hospital and police video showing her in a hospital gown spread through social media, with her case attracting more than 1 million hits on a Google search. Thousands signed a petition to try to keep her from attending New Mexico State University after she graduated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But before a criminal trial could occur, a state district judge in Eddy County last year suppressed all the statements she made in the presence of police and medical staff. Trevizo wasn't given a required Miranda warning, the judge concluded, and her doctor acted as an agent of law enforcement and violated physician-patient privilege. Prosecutors then filed an appeal.

Now the state Supreme Court is considering whether the judge erred in ruling the statements are inadmissible at trial. Several organizations supporting Trevizo say the high court's ruling has a broader impact.

"It's the ramifications of this case that are extraordinary for Ms. Trevizo and for every vulnerable patient in New Mexico and for the state's commitment to safe, confidential reproductive health care," Trevizo's attorney Amber Fayerberg told the justices at oral arguments Thursday in Santa Fe. She said upholding the suppression ruling will be important to "maintaining the line that separates medical care from police investigation."

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, the National Police Accountability Project and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) submitted briefs to the Supreme Court in support of Trevizo's motion to suppress.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trevizo went with her mother to Artesia General Hospital Jan. 27, 2023, experiencing severe back pain and bleeding, unaware she was pregnant. Hours earlier, she had been at cheerleading practice, court records stated. After receiving IV fluids, including morphine, she asked to go to the bathroom. Hospital personnel did a pregnancy test, but didn't inform her it came back positive.

She was allowed to escort herself to the bathroom, and spent 18 minutes undergoing what "clinical signs in the factual record indicate was likely precipitous labor," defined as "extremely rapid labor defined as expulsion of the fetus within less than three hours of the commencement of regular contractions," states a brief filed by Trevizo's legal team.

She returned to her room, leaving a large amount of blood in the restroom, but didn't tell anyone what had happened. A custodian later found the newborn baby sealed in a trash bag under a new trash can liner. The baby was full-term, but was already cold and blue, according to prosecutors' brief.

An autopsy showed the infant was born alive, although Trevizo's defense lawyers contend otherwise.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"In Ms. Trevizo's case, actions taken by law enforcement and her care team placed criminalization over care," stated the ACOG brief. "Ms. Trevizo was not informed of her positive pregnancy test. The clinician then waited to speak to Ms. Trevizo until police arrived, only telling her about the discovery of the (deceased newborn) once in the presence of law enforcement. Her doctor then examined and questioned Ms. Trevizo in front of law enforcement while (she) was being detained in the immediate postpartum period."

During oral arguments, attorney Michael Thomas, of the state Department of Justice, told the justices that a Miranda warning wasn't necessary because police didn't ask her any questions, and she wasn't formally placed in custody.

Thomas, representing prosecutors, also argued that Trevizo had waived her physician-privilege. He said police later told Trevizo they would wait in the hallway to not add to her stress. Eventually, she was transferred via helicopter to a hospital in Roswell for further treatment.

The June 3, 2024, suppression ruling by state District Judge Jane Shuler Gray wasn't publicly available in online records last week. The Supreme Court didn't make an immediate ruling last week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, as a trial date hasn't been set, Trevizo's attorneys have asked for a change of venue from Eddy County given the "immense publicity" of the case.

"Indeed," the ACOG brief stated, "as a result of the intrusion of law enforcement into her hospital room, bodycam footage of these interactions is now readily available to the public through the internet and social media, with countless content creators and consumers picking apart and scrutinizing Ms. Trevizo's words, actions and reactions in the most ruthless of terms."

Trevizo is attending NMSU remotely after being released from custody pending trial.
The Dearborn Heights Police Department in Michigan is facing controversy over an optional patch displaying text in both Arabic and English.

The Dearborn Heights Police Department is proud to share a new optional patch that our officers may wear as part of their uniform, the department wrote in a Facebook post.

This patch was created by Officer Emily Murdoch, who designed it to reflect and honor the diversity of our community  especially the many residents of Arabic descent who call Dearborn Heights home. By incorporating Arabic script alongside English, this patch represents unity, respect, and our shared commitment to service. We are proud of Officer Murdochs creativity and dedication in helping our department better represent the people we serve, the now-deleted post stated, according to Fox News.

The announcement drew online backlash from commentators and lawmakers, prompting Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi to issue a statement.

At this time, this patch addition remains an idea and should NOT have been presented as an official prototype. With regard to the outstanding efforts that have been implemented, I am very proud of our Chief and officers who have spearheaded countless community-wide initiatives to engage all members of our community, including the first Dearborn Heights Youth Explorers Program and the largest DHPD Night Out event, Bazzi said, according to Newsweek.

Critics quickly denounced the proposal, including activist Brigitte Gabriel and Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.).

This is how it starts. Dearborn Heights Police Dept. now has the nations first-ever uniform patch in Arabic. The civilization takeover has begun, Brigitte Gabriel wrote on X, according to Newsweek.

They said their goal was to bring sharia law to America. You shouldve believed them. Pray for Michigan, Florida Republican Rep. Randy Fine wrote on X.

Dearborn Heights is part of metro Detroits large Arab-American community, one of the largest concentrations in the United States.
Sept. 7 (UPI) -- One of Microsoft's cloud services has been disrupted by severed cables below the surface of the Red Sea, the company said.

Users of Azure will experience delays in Internet traffic as it crosses through the Middle East, and the data has been rerouted, Microsoft said in a statement.

There were reports over the weekend that Internet traffic in the United Arab Emirates and some Asian countries had been affected, the BBC reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Network traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted," Microsoft said.

NetBlocks, a company that monitors online Internet traffic, said Saturday that India and Pakistan were among the countries affected by the outage.

The cables were severed in water near the Saudi city of Jeddah, according to a social media post by the Pakistan Telecommunications company.

Severed Internet cables are a fairly routine occurrence, often the result of ships dropping anchor. Some cables, however, may have been cut deliberately, including several in 2024 that were severed between Asia and Europe about a month after the Yemeni government issued a warning that Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened could sabotage communication cables and attack ships in the Red Sea.

The Houthis denied targeting the lines.

Since Russia's latest invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several communication cables and gas lines beneath the surface of the Baltic Sea have also been severed.
Four million people have been affected by devastating floods in Pakistan, and thousands of farmers across the border in India are also experiencing the loss of their crops as experts say global warming has worsened the scale of the monsoon rains both nations are now suffering.

Over the past week, heavy rains swelled three rivers that run through Punjab, Pakistans most populous province, causing widespread devastation in the countrys agricultural heartland.

Entire towns have been submerged, Al Jazeeras Kamal Hyder reported from Multan, Pakistan, on Sunday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The floods have left thousands of farms inundated. Valuable crops are lost, he said, noting that the government was trying to offer relief to those affected.

Mohammed Ajmal, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, told Al Jazeera that the damage caused by the floods was unimaginable.

Our party  is working round the clock to help those affected around the country. This disaster is so vast that the government alone cannot tackle it, he said.

Meanwhile, Sobia Bibi, a flood survivor, spoke of the devastation the flooding has left in its wake: In these floods, we lost everything: our homes, our crops  all that we worked for, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Help is limited, and there are too many of us in need. Our children are sitting under the open sky in the sun or in rain. We desperately need tents to protect them.

During the rescue efforts, a boat carrying people to safety in eastern Pakistan flipped on Saturday when it struck an underwater object, killing a 70-year-old woman and four children, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

Ten other people were rescued, but unfortunately, five people lost their lives in the incident, Irfan Ali Kathia, the director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, told local media.

According to Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabil Javed, the flooding of the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers has forced more than two million people to flee their homes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pakistani authorities have set up hundreds of relief camps, medical facilities and veterinary posts to help both people and livestock.

Since June, more than 900 people have died in Pakistan as a result of the monsoon floods, the United Nations said.





In neighbouring India, tens of thousands of people have recently been evacuated due to the floods.

Thousands of farmers who had been preparing to harvest their crops are now worried about the future as authorities in Indias Punjab region reported that 1,620sq km (625sq miles) of farmland had been damaged.

The rice varieties we have sown in the past  everything is gone, farmer Satkar Singh told Al Jazeera from the region where 40 percent of the countrys basmati rice exports are grown.
(Photo by Getty Images)

Minnesota Democrats and Republicans are preparing to possibly return to St. Paul early to debate gun control and school safety following the shooting at Annunciation Church that left two children dead and 21 others injured.

Many Democrats are calling for a ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, like those used by the shooter at Annunciation and in countless other mass shootings. These firearms, dubbed assault weapons for their military-style design and lethality, were banned federally from 1994 to 2004, but states have since been left to their own devices to figure out their own legislation on assault weapons.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Republican lawmakers have largely rejected the focus on guns, instead proposing increased funding for school security and mental health treatment.

Gov. Tim Walz, in announcing his intention to call a special session, said the public is with Democrats on gun control and Republicans risked public backlash by voting against it.

If you ask the public about an assault weapon ban, it polls at about 80%. So if you want to go to the next election against the public here when we had an opportunity to do something about this, then I leave that to you, Walz said.

Banning assault weapons only polls that high with Democrats, but past polls show it does have support from a majority of Minnesotans. So do other gun control policies like requirements for universal background checks, which passed in 2023, and, according to this years informal State Fair poll, banning guns in the Capitol with nearly 80% support.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Heres what past opinion polls found about how Minnesotans and Americans overall feel about gun control.

54% of Minnesotans in 2022 strongly or somewhat favored banning assault weapons

Nearly half of surveyed Minnesotans strongly favored banning assault weapons in a 2022 MinnPost poll conducted with Change Research. An additional 7% said they somewhat favored banning assault weapons. Thats slightly less than the nation as a whole, according to a 2023 Pew Research poll.

That result is roughly in line with an older poll from the Star Tribune, which found that 58% of Minnesotans were in favor of banning assault weapons in 2019.

The MinnPost poll responses varied widely by party affiliation, with 86% of Democrats saying they strongly favored a ban compared to 11% of Republicans. Opinions on high-capacity magazines were similar.

In the same poll, a majority of Minnesotans said that they thought gun laws should be stricter, while only 16% said that gun laws should be less strict.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 2022 poll had 1,551 respondents and was weighted to better reflect Minnesotas demographics in age, gender, ethnicity, 2020 vote and region, according to the MinnPost article reporting the results.

The same percentage of Minnesotans in 2023 supported changes to statewide gun safety laws

A different poll in 2023 found that over half of Minnesotans supported changes to gun safety laws. The poll was published by two gun violence prevention nonprofits, Giffords and Protect Minnesota, and executed by Expedition Strategies, an opinion research company.

That poll of 1,300 respondents also showed that the majority of Minnesotans across political affiliations supported the red flag law and universal background check requirement that were passed in Minnesota in 2023.

None of these Minnesota-specific polls in recent years asked voters their thoughts on firearm safe storage laws, which were passed in the House but never came up for vote in the Senate. A nationwide poll by APM Research Lab found that nearly 8 in 10 Americans supported mandating locked gun storage in 2019, which included 68% of Republicans and 88% of Democrats polled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

(Last years State Fair poll found that nearly 7 in 10 respondents supported mandating locked and unloaded gun storage.)

A majority of Americans in 2023 thought it was too easy to obtain a gun

A notebook in a YouTube video believed to be made by the Annunciation Church shooter said it was shockingly easy to buy a gun, the Star Tribune reported.

The majority of Americans agree. In a 2023 Pew Research poll, around 6 in 10 Americans said that its too easy to legally purchase a gun.

The answer varies widely by party affiliation, with 86% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning respondents saying its too easy to purchase a gun. Only 34% of Republicans and Republican-leaning respondents agreed.

We see the same patterns for opinions on banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Overall, Americans and especially Democrats supported bans, but over half of Republican and Republican-leaning respondents opposed such bans at the time of the poll.
STANLEY, N.Y. (WROC)  The New York State Police was asking the public for help in locating a missing man from Ontario County.

He has been found as of today.

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.
The CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist) has expressed serious disagreement with the agreement between India and China to use Nepal's Lipulekh for trade. Endorsing the special document that concluded on Sunday, the UML has called on both countries to withdraw from the arrangement. The party has urged the Nepalese government to resolve the issue through high-level diplomatic initiatives and assert Nepal's rights over the region east of the Kali River. This was included in a 28-point contemporary proposal passed by the policy convention. The proposal highlighted Prime Minister and UML Chair KP Sharma Oli's disagreement over the Lipulekh trade route agreement during his China visit from August 30 to September 3, noting that "this stance elevated Nepal's international standing." It also cited bilateral and multilateral engagements during the trip that enhanced the country's visibility abroad. India and China have agreed to reopen border trade through Lipulekh Pass, a point located 56 kilometres inside Nepal's western frontier in Limpiyadhura. The agreement was made during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India in August. Both countries made the agreement during a meeting between the Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Point nine of the joint communique mentions the resumption of border trade. "Both sides agreed to the re-opening of border trade through the three designated trading points, namely Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass." Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had objected to the agreement of India and China to open a trade route via Lipulekh, asserting a claim over the land. Issuing a statement, the Ministry asserted claims over the land, objecting to the unilateral move by China and India. Responding to the release by Nepal's Foreign Ministry, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected Kathmandu's claim and reiterated that trade through the route existed for decades. The statement released by Randhir Jaiswal, the Spokesperson for the MEA, claimed that the trade had been disrupted in recent years due to COVID and other developments, and both sides had now agreed to resume it. On Nepal's territorial claims, Jaiswal said such claims were "neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence," describing them as "untenable." Earlier in 2020, Nepal amended its constitution, incorporating a new political and administrative map in the preamble of the constitution. The new map included the tri-junction of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh, which has remained a disputed area between Nepal and India. Nepal's updated map, prepared incorporating the missing territories, was submitted to the Ministry of Land Management by the Department of Survey, which claims to have taken accurate scale, projection and coordinate system. It was publicly released on 20 May 2020 after a go-ahead signal from the Cabinet meeting on 18th May of the same year. The department has collected a map drawn during the Treaty of Sugauli, another brought from London, receipts of payment of land revenues and the order issued by the then Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher, as evidence to claim the land belongs to Nepal. The earlier map issued in 2032 BS had left Gunji, Nabhi and Kuri villages, which have now been included in the recently revised map, adding 335 square kilometres of land. Tensions had flared between New Delhi and Kathmandu in 2020 after the issuance of a political map by Nepal in mid-May, including the tri-junction, which India had earlier included in its November 2019 map. Diplomatic ties between the nations severed further after the inauguration of road linking Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulekh on May 8, 2020 after which Nepal handed over diplomatic note to India objecting the move. Prior to the handover of the diplomatic note, Nepal also had strongly objected to India's unilateral move to construct the road. Nepal said it has "consistently maintained" that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), "all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) river, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal."The Indian Defence Ministry had said the Border Road Organisation (BRO) in Uttarakhand has connected the Kailash Mansarovar route to the Lipulekh pass, which will provide connectivity to border villages and security forces. India and China discussed the Lipulekh pass for the first time in a decade, following the 2015 visit to China by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During Modi's visit, then Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed to expand trade via Lipulekh. The joint statement issued on May 15, 2015, included the agreement in point 28. The 2015 decision triggered strong protests in Nepal as the agreement was reached without its consultation, despite the pass lying within Nepali territory. The Nepal government formally objected at the time, sending diplomatic notes to both countries. With India and China working to improve strained relations following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, both sides have once again agreed to open trade through Lipulekh. Nepal's official map includes Lipulekh within its territory. In 2023, China released a new map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura as part of India, further complicating the dispute. (ANI)
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  A new study by Motley Fool Money indicates that Mississippis average credit score is in the national headlines for the wrong reasons.

The average score is 715 nationally. Older Americans tend to have higher credit scores. The average score among baby boomers is 746; for Generation Z, it is 681. Despite having lower shares of young Mississippians and greater shares of older residents, the credit scores among citizens are still low. Motley Fool revealed that Mississippians maintain the distinction of having the lowest average credit score (680) nationally.

Financial issues have plagued Mississippians for years. Last year, WalletHub ranked Mississippi as the state with the most people delinquent on debt. More than 12.7% of individual loans and lines of credit in the state were delinquent in early 2024; Mississippi residents were also delinquent on 10.9% of their overall debt. WalletHub revealed 12% and 20% increases in both categories for 2025, respectively.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mississippi sees spike in unemployment claims over past week: report

A July WalletHub report found that Mississippians have the eighth-highest level of financial distress nationally. Nearly one in five residents lives in poverty. In Jackson, the rate is one in four.

Improving your credit score is important for approval for favorable credit cards and loans. Motley Fool Money provided the following guidance on how to best do that:

Limit activities that generate hard credit inquiries Hard credit checks can decrease your credit score and occur when applying for a new credit card or loan

Pay down debt To keep your credit utilization ratio low, pay off your credit card each month in full. If thats not possible, aim for a ratio of 30% or less. Asking your credit card provider to increase your credit limit can also lower your credit utilization ratio

Pay bills on time A single late payment can lower your credit score. Setting up autopay for recurring payments can make improving your payment history much simpler



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Mississippi Department of Human Services may be able to provide financial resources for those in need of assistance to cover their necessities. Visit their website for more information.

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.
One person is dead after a doublewide mobile home caught fire in Northern Kentucky.

The person, whose identity was not released by officials, was stuck inside a residence off Terra Cotta Street in Crescent Springs when firefighters arrived around 3 a.m. on Sept. 7, according to a Crescent Springs/Villa Hills Fire & EMS news release.

Dispatchers received a call that the home was on fire and that an immobile resident and three pets were still inside, the news release says.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The first firefighters that arrived reported heavy fire from the front of the home, leading them to upgrade the call and pull units from Fort Mitchell, Erlanger, Edgewood and Fort Wright, according to the release.

The person and two of the three pets were found 23 minutes into the call. The fire was brought under control a half an hour after firefighters were dispatched.

No working smoke detectors were visible or sounding upon arrival, the release says.

A total of 41 firefighters responded to the scene.

The Enquirer has reached out to the Kenton County Coroner's Office for more information on the person who died.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The cause of the fire remains undetermined. The Kenton County Fire Investigation Team is continuing their investigation.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Heavy' fire at Crescent Springs mobile home kills one, officials say
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, on Sunday ruled out running for president in the 2028 election.

Moore  who has emerged as a formidable opponent of the president in recent weeks  was asked in an interview on NBC Newss Meet the Press whether he plans on running for reelection in 2026 and whether he would commit to serving a full term, if reelected, amid questions of a possible 2028 run for president.

Yes, Ill be serving a full term, Moore said in the interview. Im excited about reelection. Im excited about what Im going to be able to do for the people of Maryland.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

NBC Newss Kristen Welker then pressed the governor on his ambitions for higher office.

Do you rule out a run for president, governor?

Yeah, Im not running for president, Moore responded.

You rule it out? Welker asked.

Yes, Im not running for president, he said.

You completely rule it out? Welker asked again.

Im so excited about what were doing. That weve gone from 43rd in the country in unemployment to now one of the lowest unemployment rates. Weve had among the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the United States of America. Our population is growing, Maryland is moving, Moore said. And so, Im really excited about going back in front of the people of my state and asking for another term.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Moore has seen his national profile rise in recent weeks as he has engaged in a public feud with President Trump over the presidents threat to deploy the National Guard to Baltimore.

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.
Gov. Bill Lee and first lady Maria Lee celebrated the seventh annual Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge by hosting a childrens carnival Sept. 6, recognizing kids who uplifted the community during the summer.

More than 700 children participated in a two-month initiative that challenged the youth to devote time out of their summer to volunteer and serve the less fortunate.

To see all these kids come here and be all excited about what they did this summer, it encouraged us, Maria Lee told The Tennessean. It encourages us that the parents take serving others seriously and prioritize that in their childs life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The carnival, held at the Tennessee Residence, celebrated the top performers in the first ladys summerlong effort. The carnival included games, snacks, bounce houses and team mascots.

Lasting from June 1 to Aug. 1, the initiative  open to children in kindergarten to sixth grade  aimed to instill a heart for service, according to the website.

We really started this so that young Tennesseans would get in the habit of serving others, thinking of others, Maria Lee said.

Gov. Bill Lee tries out some cotton candy with his grandson Charles, 5, during a carnival at the Tennessee Residence in Nashville on Sept. 6. The event celebrated the participants of the first ladys seventh annual Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge.

Emphasizing creativity, Maria Lee said kids chose a variety of ways to serve from lemonade stands contributing to Texas flood victims, flower deliveries to elderly shut-ins, park cleanups and adding flags to headstones at veterans cemeteries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Danielle Johnson, a parent of a first-year challenge finisher, is a strong proponent of the challenge as it strengthens community from a positive lens.

I really do think that it helps build community within our state because that is something for our kids to be involved with, and then they can come together, they can be with other kids that are serving, Johnson said.

As Gov. Lees term winds down, the seventh annual challenge is the penultimate rendition hosted by Maria Lee, but she wants the challenge to remain for years to come.

Well, were hoping that we leave behind a legacy and that someone will pick up the mantle and keep it going, she said.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN first lady Maria Lee hosts kids carnival to recognize youth service
(NewsNation)  As students across the U.S. head back to class, a growing number of schools are implementing phone bans.

At least 35 states have introduced laws or rules limiting phones and other electronic devices in schools, according to The Associated Press. New York joined the ranks in September, with new statewide bell-to-bell restrictions on smartphones in K-12 schools. Under the new regulations, school districts across the state developed their own policy with plans that work best for their buildings and students.

Is Oura turning over health-tracking data to the US military?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

New York Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the restrictions, posting on social media When we get smartphones out of the classroom, this is what happens: engaged students, positive energy, and real growth.

Florida became the very first to lead the charge back in 2023, with Kentucky, Texas, Ohio and Missouri rolling out their own bans since then. As part of the new policies, school districts are requiring students to store phones away in lockers for the whole school day or in provided lockable pouches. Educators and lawmakers behind the policy changes cite reduced distractions, improved student focus and limiting cyberbullying as some of the reasons for the restrictions.

Student loan payment pauses have doubled since last year, expert says

A law in New York wouldnt have happened without the teachers. And they really did an amazing job working hand in glove with the legislature, the governor, outside groups like ours, Raj Goyle, founder of Phone Free New York told NewsNation. And they said, we are sick and tired of being phone cops, we want to teach in the classroom.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But not every state or family is onboard with restricting phone use. Lawmakers in Michigan have rejected in enacting a statewide school phone ban in July. Meanwhile, parents have voiced security concerns about students not being able to get in touch with them or 911 if an emergency took place at school.

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.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  Wine lovers and jazz fans gathered in downtown Morgantown this weekend for the annual West Virginia Wine & Jazz Festival at the Ruby Amphitheater in Hazel Ruby McQuain Park.

Set against the scenic backdrop of the Monongahela River, the two-day event wrapped up Sunday with a celebration of sound, flavor and community. Guests could enjoy a full lineup of live jazz, soul, and swing performances from regional and national artists while sampling wines from some of West Virginias vineyards.

Board Member of the WV Wine & Jazz Festival Keith Jackson was happy to see so many people come out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think for anybody who is new to our region, or doesnt know our region, its a great introduction. You get to realize how rich this region is in terms of culture, food, obviously the music, we had bluegrass yesterday that we added to the festival.

Appalachian American Indians celebrate culture and community at annual Pow Wow

In addition to the music and wine, visitors could visit an artisan village featuring craft booths and food and beverages from regional vendors.

A lot of people dont realize we have West Virginia wines, and its actually a tradition thats gone on for a long time, and so to know our own vintners so to speak are growing the grapes here, theyre mixing the wines, theyre experimenting, its actually great for agriculture, it does so much, and people need to know thats happening, Jackson said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Wine & Jazz Festival has become a signature event in Morgantown, drawing crowds from across the state and beyond. Festivalgoers were encouraged to bring chairs or blankets, sip, sway and savor the experience.

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.
Most Americans oppose President Trump deploying the National Guard to Washington, D.C., and other cities, according to a new poll.

In the CBS/YouGov poll, 57 percent of respondents said they are against Donald Trumps decision to deploy the National Guard to the nations capital, while 43 percent backed the decision.

The same poll found 58 percent of respondents said they are against Donald Trump deploying the National Guard to other U.S. cities, while 42 percent backed such action.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the last few months, President Trump deployed National Guard troops in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., angering residents of both cities as well as Democratic politicians.

On Friday, Trump announced he would soon be sending the National Guard to New Orleans after previously hinting he would be aiming for the city in his next federal crime crackdown.

Were going to come into New Orleans, and were going to make that place so safe, Trump said Friday. Its got a little problem right now, a couple of headaches, like murders, a lot of little murders going on, and were not going to stand for it. And were going to come in, were going to clean it up.

Trumps deployment of Washington National Guard troops to patrol the District has also been lengthened to late 2025 to make sure service members receive the full scope of benefits for the mission, multiple news outlets have reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The CBS/YouGov poll took place from Sep. 3 to 5, with 2,385 participants and a margin of error of about 2.5 percentage points.

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.
SIDUAVA, Mozambique (AP)  Herminio Guambe used to cut hair in a tiny barbershop with no electricity in his village outside Mozambiques capital. The arrival of power changed everything.

The 48-year-old now uses hair dryers. The village pharmacy stocks vital medicines requiring refrigeration. More jobs were created as trading and transport picked up.

These are the kinds of businesses that drive economies, World Bank President Ajay Banga said in an interview with The Associated Press during a July visit to tour electrification projects and meet entrepreneurs like Guambe. Electricity isnt just light, its a chance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mozambique has won World Bank backing for the $6 billion Mphanda Nkuwa hydroelectric plant, southern Africas biggest such project in 50 years.

Mozambique, one of the worlds poorest countries by per capita income, aims to connect all of its 33 million mostly rural citizens to electricity by 2030, largely through renewable energy from hydroelectric, solar and other sources.

Challenge similar in much of sub-Saharan Africa

The challenge is similar in much of sub-Saharan Africa, home to 85% of the global population living without power, according to the World Bank.

Electricity access in Mozambique has nearly doubled from 31% in 2018 to 60% in 2024. The state-run energy supplier Electricidade de Mocambique, or EDM, says it connected 563,000 homes in 2024 and plans to reach 600,000 this year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mozambique has the resources, gas, hydro, solar, and its already the biggest supplier of excess power to southern Africa, Banga said.

His visit came with fanfare, and political undertones. President Daniel Chapo, who took office after a disputed 2024 election, raised his fist to cheering crowds.

Located 60 kilometers (37 miles) downstream from the even larger Cahora Bassa hydroelectric dam along the Zambezi river, the Mphanda Nkuwa plant is expected to generate 1,500 megawatts when it begins operations in 2031. That will help a region facing a 10,000-megawatt deficit that keeps millions from accessing power.

The World Bank is not financing the project outright.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Global energy firm TotalEnergies, French utility Electricite de France and Mozambiques Hidroelectrica de Cahora Bassa will develop the plant. The World Bank is providing a mix of support including concessional funding for legal and environmental issues and transmission lines, partial risk guarantees and political risk insurance.

Banga said this approach in Africa aims to move away from reliance on donors for high-impact projects. It coincided with a global shift in development funding. With the Trump administration dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, multilateral lenders like the World Bank are stepping in, often emphasizing private sectorled growth.

Many shareholders, even in Europe, are reducing their overseas development assistance budgets because they have to divert the money to defense and their own needs. This is the way it is, Banga said.

New dams are rising but Africa's waters are mostly untapped

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mphanda Nkuwa could also help Mozambique earn critical foreign exchange through exports of electricity to neighbors like South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is among several large hydropower projects aiming to reshape Africas energy future.

Ethiopia is preparing to inaugurate its $4 billion Grand Renaissance Dam, which will eventually generate over 5,000 megawatts, doubling the nations power output despite fierce opposition from Egypt. In Congo, the World Bank is backing the huge Inga 3 project that could also send electricity to South Africa, Nigeria and others.

Yet hydropower  the worlds largest source of renewable electricity  remains mostly untapped in Africa, with the World Bank and the International Hydropower Association estimating around 90% of capacity is still unused.

And building a mega-dam is only part of the challenge in Mozambique.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our country is quite big, and its not so easy to go everywhere with the national grid, said EDM chairman Joaquim Ou-Chim. So its off-grid solutions, mainly driven by solar.

About 10% of electricity access in Mozambique comes from off-grid projects, and more are being rolled out.

Concerns over the financial aspect

Evaristo Cumbane, an energy consultant based in Maputo, said large projects like Cahora Bassa and Mphanda Nkuwa are important but stressed the need for smaller, local sources of energy.

We are talking about plenty of rivers, plenty of sunshine, plenty of wind, plenty of coastlines, he said, adding that the real Mozambique is in rural, remote areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cumbane also urged caution over Mozambiques growing debt burden. Public debt rose to about $17 billion in the first quarter of 2025. A record $2.1 billion was spent in 2023 in debt service, according to the Finance Ministry.

The World Bank is not a godfather, it is not god. The guy is here on business. These are not donations, he said.

It was not clear how much new debt is involved in the Mphanda Nkuwa hydroelectric project. Banga said the projects final cost is yet to be determined but estimated $5 billion to $6 billion.

Mozambiques path has been complicated. Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, it has seen civil war, flare-ups of fighting following a peace deal and an ongoing Islamist insurgency in the north that forced TotalEnergies to halt a $20 billion gas project, though it hopes to restart operations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But for Mozambicans, Guambes buzzing barbershop is proof of whats possible when power reaches the people.

In another impoverished neighborhood outside Maputo visited by Banga, 38-year-old Aurelio Arlindo has been unemployed for years and lives without electricity. But new power poles signal hope.

Its really coming. I am just waiting, he said, and he hopes to open a cold drinks stall.

___

Mutsaka reported from Harare, Zimbabwe.

___

For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Sep. 7With each stroke of his paintbrush, Ryan Saavedra turns grief into art.

His focus, a 1,200-square foot mural on the wall of the Wheels Museum.

The goal of the mural is for families of victims of violent crimes to find catharsis. Saavedra lost his son, Ryan Saavedra Jr., to gun violence four years ago and has since used painting as a way to heal. Now he wants to pass that on.

"I take them out of their element, out of their depression, out of their house," Saavedra said. "And I bring them here, and I make them feel good."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Amanda Recio, who lost her son Martin Recio Jr. in 2017, is one of the 10 families joining Saavedra in painting the mural. Recio said she has found it beneficial working with Ryan and his wife, Danielle. Painting the mural acts as a memorial, keeping her son's memory alive.

"It's helped with the healing process since I've lost my son eight years ago," Recio said. "And keeping close to Danielle and Ryan, it's also helpful because our sons were friends, and doing this together really does help to bring this healing to us."

LaShanna Villanueva, who paints in honor of her late son, Isaiah Villanueva, has also found healing.

"When I paint sometimes, I'm thinking, oh gosh, Isaiah, I hope you're watching us and seeing everything we're doing in memory of you," Villanueva said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Just like any other parent or family that's there, they don't want their child to be forgotten. So when we do go, we bring pictures of our child and we put them there to honor them and to feel a part of them."

The families have memorials set up near the sections of the mural they are painting in. Their losses help them find connection and community with each other.

"We've been able to kind of encourage each other and just kind of lift each other up and always trying to keep each other remaining positive despite the ugliness of losing our children and our kids," Recio said.

Saavedra said focusing on creating and planning the mural had helped him deal with his own grief.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It helps me to take me out of my element by focusing on something that's going to leave a mark," Saavedra said. "Not only for myself, but for the city, because it's so big and so impactful, being that it's a history lesson."

The mural, which depicts the business history of New Mexico, goes beyond the history of Albuquerque, creating positivity in dark times, Villanueva said.

"It's not just painting, not just being a part of it, but of course, being there with each other, supporting each other to bring something positive out of it," Villanueva said. "To have that light shine through our children, because in a way it's a part of them too, because we're doing it in honor of them."

While property crime has seen large decreases over the past decade, violent crime has proven particularly stubborn.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Data provided by the Albuquerque Police Department showed that in 2024 violent crime rose by less than a percentage point while property crime dropped by 2%.

The data shows a continued leveling off of property crime after double-digit decreases from 2018 to 2020. Meanwhile, violent crime has continued to go up and down marginally.

The families can be found mainly painting on weekends, depending on weather, according to Saavdera.

The mural the group is painting depicts the history of businesses in Albuquerque from 1889 to 1960, including the first postal office and the first tailor shop.

"It's not something that happens in a timeline period," Saavedra said. "I went and I picked certain businesses, certain structures, that are from back east that came in and started their first businesses here."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Saavedra selected businesses using historic archive photos.

Villanueva grew up in Albuquerque and said that seeing the history makes her reflect on her time in the city.

"It just makes you think back, like, gosh, what was it like back in that day?" Villanueva said. "And just even Albuquerque, thinking about it when I was younger, I'm like, gosh, it used to be so different. Like, what has changed? What needs to happen?"

At the end of the day, the families are painting to help one another, cope with their grief, and remember their children.

"We just do it in memory of our children," Villanueva said. "I do it in memory of my son, Isaiah."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For Recio, the thought of her son is what keeps her painting and turning the loss, hurt and pain into something greater, she said.

"I know my son would be very grateful ... I could just picture him really happy to see us there and representing this type of healing in such a way," Recio said. "I know he definitely wouldn't want us to be a mess and be broken, and I know he would want us to be able to just keep moving forward."
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A traffic stop with a vehicle believed to be involved in a hit-skip escalated between the suspect and arresting officers, resulting in multiple charges filed.

According to a criminal complaint, Hilliard police initiated a traffic stop Thursday at 4:10 p.m. in the Scioto Trace area, near Dublin Road in west Columbus. Officers were investigating a suspected hit-skip on Cemetery Road in Hilliard and traced a Jeep Cherokee to the home of 38-year-old Grant Wachtelhausen.

Hilliard police report that Wachtelhausen first threatened an officer over the phone, saying, I will murder you, before he was detained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Teenager to be tried as adult in fatal carjacking of Alexa Stakely

Wachtelhausen then allegedly became combative with the arresting officer before the officer who talked to Wachtelhausen over the phone arrived to assist. It was then that Wachtelhausen allegedly spit in the assisting officers face and said later that he had AIDS and herpes.

Charged with harassment and failure to stop at the scene of an accident, Wachtelhausen pleaded not guilty and was issued a $2,500 bond in Franklin County Municipal Court.

Hilliard police also requested a court-ordered bodily fluid test, according to court records.

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.
It was truly an adorable story:

Wildlife cameras purportedly captured the moment a mountain lion and a black bear cub were spotted together at Yosemite National Park. The photo quickly went viral, with many oohing and aahing at the idea that the mountain lion was raising the bear cub.

The unlikely duo was spotted at night. Subsequent images showed the duo again in the coming weeks, with photos purportedly showing the mountain lion pausing to let the cub rest, and even sharing skills. Some also deduced that the mountain lion, at one point, circled the bear cub to protect it from approaching predators.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All cute. All adorable. All of it is false.

KSEE in Central California reached out to Scott Gediman, a Public Affairs Officer at Yosemite National Park, who sadly debunked the story that caught the attention of many.

I knew it was fake but wanted to double-check, he told the news outlet. A mountain lion would not do that. They are solitary animals, and that is implausible.

It was fun while it lasted.

This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Sep 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
WASHINGTON  In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.

Murkowski Seeks Input on Native Childrens Commission Implementation Act of 2025

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the chair of the U.S. Committee on Indian Affairs, is seeking input on a bill she plans to introduce in the Senate.

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

Comments are due to Sen. Murkowskis office by Sep. 12, 2025 at Murkowski_Outreach@Indian.Senate.Gov. IAC will be providing comment and invites producers and Tribes to share their thoughts directly with IAC or with Sen. Murkowskis office.

What is covered in the Native Childrens Commission Implementation Act of 2025: The draft legislation addresses a wide range of issues affecting Native children and families, including child welfare, justice, physical, behavioral, and environmental health, housing and homelessness, education, child care, and the expansion of research and data capabilities. Specific to agricultural considerations the bill includes:

638 authority for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), which would allow Tribes to choose to administer FDPIR

638 authority for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would allow Tribes to choose to administer SNAP

A new pilot 638 program to allow Alaska Native regional corporations and the Metlakatla Indian Community to administer SNAP

Authorization and expansion of the Child Nutrition Programs Tribal Pilot Projects, which was first established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024.

Provisions to improve data collection, Tribal data sovereignty, and use of Traditional Ecological Practices. Note however that IAC will be submitting comment recommending improvements to these provisions to better capture Tribal agricultural data and needs.

ACF Awards $3M for Tribal Home Visiting to Support Mothers and Young Children

The Administration for Children & Families (ACF) recently announced six tribal entities received awards under the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The program develops and strengthens tribal capacity to promote the health and well-being of pregnant women and families with children from birth to kindergarten entry in AI/AN communities. The Tribal MIECHV program now funds 53 grants supporting tribes, tribal consortia, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations to implement voluntary, evidence-based home visiting programs across 110 tribal communities.

IHS Shares Resources Related to Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Reporting

Indian Health Service (IHS) notes the timely reporting of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement helps in prevention and reduces negative impacts to beneficiaries and tribal, urban, and federal programs. This Dear Tribal Leader Letter highlights the HHS Office of the Inspector General, especially its free online trainings on fraud prevention, grantee responsibilities, and whistleblower protections. The letter is accompanied by enclosures on OIG's tribal training resources and summaries on fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
Nearly 60% of the weapons used on the front line are produced in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Sept. 6.

"During this war, Ukraine has already reached the level where nearly 60% of the weapons we have, weapons in the hands of our warriors, are Ukrainian-made, and they are strong weapons, many of them cutting-edge," Zelensky said.

Ukraine has significantly expanded its domestic defense industry in response to Russia's full-scale invasion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In recent weeks, Kyiv has previewed various domestic productions initiates, including the launch of the country's first line of joint drone production in Denmark.

Ukrainian defense company Fire Point announced on Sept. 4 that it has developed two new ballistic missiles, along with air defense systems. The announcement comes just weeks after the company's Flamingo cruise missile entered serial production.

In its 2025 budget, Ukraine allocated Hr 55 billion ($1.3 billion) to defense manufacturing in an effort to reduce dependence on foreign deliveries.

"Of course, there are goals we must still achieve, in particular, the production in Ukraine and together with Ukraine of air defense systems, of different types. Its a challenge. And we must get there as well," Zelensky added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Zelensky has long called on Western allies to provide air defense weaponry, including U.S.-made Patriot missile systems, to Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced an agreement between Ukraine and NATO on July 14 allowing European countries to purchase American arms, including Patriots, for Ukraine. The support comes through NATO's Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism, which coordinates funding for Kyiv's most urgent battlefield needs.

Zelensky said that the country is further "working to secure new contributions from partners to the PURL program," which will serve as a focus for next week.

Ukraine's has seen rapid success in the country's domestic weapons production in 2025. Zelensky previously said on April 16 that over 40% the weapons used at the front line are made in Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read also: Ukraine launches first joint drone production line in Denmark, Zelensky says













Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
DAMASCUS, Va. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  As we approach one year since Hurricane Helene, many communities are still cleaning up, even while heading into the busy fall season.

Not only in Western North Carolina, but also across state lines, like in Virginia.

Queen City News talked with community events & economic engagement coordinator K.T. Martin about their recovery efforts and what theyre looking forward to about opening the trail back up for visitors.

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 Queen City News.
The court later announced that, due to the strikes, there would be no one available to record the protocol of a closed-door hearing.

The hearings in the criminal trial proceedings of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to return on Monday, the first in the courts calendar year.

Due to internal work strife between the Administration of the Courts and the Histadrut labor federation, partial strike actions - disruptive measures short of a full strike - were initiated on Sunday and will continue on Monday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The partial strike follows intensive ongoing negotiations, which the Histadrut said were focused on improving the work conditions and salaries of employees of the Administration. The labor federation called for the Administration to return to the negotiation table.

One of the actions affected by the partial strike is the recording of protocol - entering what is said into the court record - of closed-door sessions. On Sunday morning, the prosecution requested that four hours out of the scheduled Monday hearing take place behind closed doors.

The court later announced that, due to the strikes, there would be no one available to record the protocol of a closed-door hearing. This is different from a public hearing, where the sessions are recorded and transcribed.

Benjamin Netanyahu at his trial. (credit: YARIV KATZ /POOL)

The court instructed the prosecution to be ready for the option that a closed-door hearing won't be possible, and to be ready to continue the questioning of Netanyahu on the public witness stand.

On trial for three seperate cases

The prime minister is on trial in three separate cases - Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. He was indicted in 2020 and has pleaded not guilty to all three.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The cross-examination section of the questioning began in June, as the courts broke for a summer recess between July 21 and September 5.

The last hearing took place on July 16, and the questioning focused on Case 1000, where Netanyahu is on trial for a conflict of interest relating to billionaire Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was his close friend and confidant while he served as communications minister around 2013-2015.

Allegedly, the prime minister received thousands of dollars worth of champagne and cigars from Milchan, along with Australian billionaire James Packer, who was a friend to both. Netanyahu, allegedly, pushed for legislative and regulatory changes that would've been beneficial to Milchan during this time. The prime minister was charged with fraud and breach-of-trust.

In the last hearing before the recess, the subject matter of the questioning concerned pushes by Netanyahu to secure a US visa for Milchan after it had been canceled. Due to security concerns with information surrounding this issue going on the public record, a representative from the Defense Ministry asked that the hearing switch to a closed-door setting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This was never confirmed publicly by Israel, but allegedly, Milchan helped secure technology and materials for its rumored nuclear program.

The following hearing scheduled in July was canceled when Netanyahu felt ill.

In August, the court announced that, starting in November, there will be four weekly hearings in Netanyahu's trial, up from three. Netanyahu is scheduled to testify three days of the week, while on the fourth, the court will hear testimonies from other witnesses presented by the defense. The judges said at the time that the decision was made due to the need to move the case along.

The defense requested that on Monday, after the testimony is due to wrap up, a hearing be held on the four-day decision. Netanyahu's team requested that the court cancel the decision as it would disproportionately overwhelm the team, such that it would have a hard time tending to other cases. This hearing is set to be public.

The Monday hearing is due to begin at 12 p.m. and will go on until 6 p.m., pursuant to a court decision from August.
(WFRV)  On this weeks Newsmaker Sunday, Tom Zalaski is joined by Kaukauna Mayor Tony Penterman to discuss everything Kaukauna has to offer northeast Wisconsin.

Our tour of northeast Wisconsin continues on this weeks edition of Newsmaker Sunday! This time, we head near the Fox River for a visit to the City of Kaukauna.

Newsmaker Sunday: Waupaca Mayor Brian Smith and City Administrator Josh Finch

Tune in to Newsmaker Sunday every Sunday at 7:00 a.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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Over half a million dollars of prizes were awarded through the New Hampshire Lottery on Saturday, including two $100,000 winners in Spofford and Franklin.

Both of the big winners matched four of the five winning numbers and the Powerball number to win $50,000. Since both players opted to buy Power Play tickets to double their winnings, they each claimed $100,000.

They bought their tickets at Big Deal on Route 9 in Spofford and Circle K on Central Street in Franklin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The winning numbers from the Powerball drawing on Saturday, Sept. 7, were: 11-23-44-61-62 PB: 17.

Another $350,000 in prizes between $4 and $200 also went to NH Lottery players, NH Lottery Director of Marking Maura McCann said in a news release.

A significantly larger $1.787 billion Powerball jackpot went to two ticket holders in Missouri and Texas yesterday, who will split the winnings between them.

"Congratulations to Texas and Missouri for winning last nights $1.787 billion jackpot. Those lotteries must be very busy this morning!" McCann said.
Unless you have international friends who point it out regularly, you might not realize how truly different the US is from other countries.

In one Reddit thread (which you can see here), non-Americans shared the things they find most disturbing about the US, and it actually puts a lot into perspective.

Ahead, people shared 18 things that absolutely would not fly in their countries:

1."The orange cheese in a spray can. That terrifies me."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

ChrissyJane28

2."Pharmaceutical ads."

BluebirdMountain4911

3."The intensity of fake friendliness in the service industry. I don't blame people who work there; it's obviously a necessity due to the tipping culture, and people do what they need to do, but it's super disconcerting."

"I work in hospitality and tourism in Australia, and the general rules are: be polite and do your job. I'm not saying that I don't try to be friendly or that I don't talk to folks, but it's always on my terms. I was shocked by the almost subservience on display in restaurants/bars in the States. It seemed as if patrons were the gentry and the staff were both treated as and acted like servants."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

bobbysborrins

4."The amount of excessive drinking in the US is bizarre."

Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

karen1676

5."The lack of paid vacation and maternity leave."

mysteriousrev

6."The 'thank you for your service' glorification of the armed forces. In my country, they're treated as professionals who do a job."

frothingdogscock

7."Skipping an ambulance ride, because they don't want to go bankrupt."

Flavijus / Getty Images

Nizno78

8."People being suspicious about you just because you're outside and not in a car/house/building. 'Loitering' being a crime."

exlibro

9."As an American, I've spoken to people from multiple European countries and have occasionally mentioned the gun section in Walmart. It seems that it is not a common thing to be able to purchase a gun where you purchase your groceries."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

cowboyromussy

10."Working more than 40 hours a week."

Ilkercelik / Getty Images

samp127

11."Your voting system. What the hell is that?"

IdaSpavento

12."My friends in europe make fun of Americans for eating and walking. Like, in a lot of countries in Europe, I guess its odd to them to eat while walking, whereas its very common here to eat a granola bar, ice cream, bagel, or pastry while walking."

vftgurl123

13."Using inches, feet, yards, and miles but refusing the metric system like its a personal enemy."

Miragec / Getty Images

kawaiivjay

14."As a paramedic in Canada, seeing US paramedics talk about being issued bulletproof vests. They will even talk about upgrading their vests for better protection."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I cannot find a single instance of a Canadian medic being shot. It's just not something I worry about. I can't imagine having to add that to my considerations every shift."

arn2gm

15."The big gaps around the doors of public toilets. You are absolute weirdos."

metametapraxis

Gregory Brothers / Via giphy.com

16."That Americans are taught to see themselves as isolated individuals (I, me, you) separate from the universe, but this linguistic and cultural conditioning obscures our fundamental interconnectedness (we, us, our) as part of one collective consciousness."

ESPconsciousness5D

17."Wearing outside shoes inside homes."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

takeoffmysundress

Carol Yepes / Getty Images

18."How America seems so car-centric. Infrastructure, such as public transport, seems so underdeveloped; everyone seems to drive. American cities are really not pedestrian-friendly, so I'd choose to walk at home or maybe use the bus, but I'd have no choice but to drive."

Another5YearsOfLife_

What else belongs on this list? Let me know in the comments! Or if you'd prefer to be anonymous, fill out the form below!

Note: Responses have been edited for length/clarity.
TOKYO, Sep 08 (News On Japan) - Agriculture Minister Koizumi and former Economic Security Minister Takaichi tied as the top choices to succeed Prime Minister Ishiba in a JNN poll, with Ishiba himself ranking third. Support for the Ishiba Cabinet rose to 37.7% in September, while 41% of respondents said he should resign after the Upper House election defeat and 49% said he should not.

Support for the Ishiba Cabinet stood at 37.7% in September, up 0.9 points from the previous month, while disapproval fell 1.1 points to 59.4%. On September 6th, Ishiba announced his intention to step down, saying, "Responsibility for the election result rests with me as party president." Asked whether Ishiba should resign following the Upper House defeat, 41% said he should while 49% said resignation was unnecessary. Among Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) supporters, 73% said he should remain in office.

On the coalitions campaign pledge of a uniform 20,000-yen cash handout, 33% said it should be implemented as promised, 28% said it should be targeted to specific groups, and 37% said it should not be carried out.

When asked who should succeed Ishiba, both Koizumi and Takaichi ranked first, followed by Ishiba himself in third.

Party support rates were as follows: LDP 23.3% (up 2.9 points), Constitutional Democratic Party 6.5% (down 0.4), Japan Innovation Party 4.7% (up 2.0), Democratic Party for the People 6.8% (down 1.9), Komeito 3.2% (down 0.8), Sanseito 8.5% (down 1.7), Reiwa Shinsengumi 2.7% (down 0.4), Japanese Communist Party 2.4% (up 0.3), Conservative Party 2.4% (up 0.6), Social Democratic Party 0.5% (up 0.2), Mirai 0.5% (down 1.1), others 0.9% (down 0.1), and no support 32.7% (down 0.5).

The survey was conducted nationwide on September 6th and 7th using RDD (random digit dialing) on both landlines and mobile phones. Out of 2,749 people contacted, 1,030 responded, a valid response rate of 37.5%. JNN noted that it avoids internet surveys, which tend to attract participants with strong personal interests, and instead relies on direct phone interviews with randomly selected respondents to ensure results closer to a representative sample of voters.

Source: TBS
President Donald Trumps transgressions are legion, but I believe his greatest crime to date was ordering Texas to gerrymander at mid-decade to create five more Congressional districts safe for Republicans. California followed suit in favor of Democrats; other states on both sides will likely now do their own partisan gerrymanders.

By the end, almost all districts nationwide could be non-competitive, and the effect will be to disenfranchise backers of each districts minority party. California Gov.r Gavin Newsom says his states new maps will be rescinded once sanity returns, but what is the chance that will actually happen? Slim to none  because, lets not kid ourselves, both parties love gerrymandering as long as it is to their benefit.

The ideal solution would be for Congress to pass a law requiring states to appoint nonpartisan commissions to draw district boundaries. Of course, that would mean getting todays blindly partisan senators and representatives to go along. Good luck with that.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Trump redistricting of Texas may prove to be the death blow to truly representative government.

Ted Rulseh, Harshaw

Letters: Texas redistricting battle a lesson in how far toxic politics have fallen

Opinion: My Wisconsin manufacturing plant needs workers. One of our best is getting deported.

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's Texas scheme might kill representative government | Letters
A North Billerica man accused of waving a hatchet at pro-Palestinian protesters in Cambridge last month was arraigned on Wednesday in Cambridge District Court, according to The Boston Globe.

Matthew Freeman, 40, faces two felony charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and a misdemeanor charge of civil rights violation. He pleaded not guilty to both charges, according to the Globe.

During a pro-Palestinian march along Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge on Aug. 10, Freeman is accused of driving toward marchers and striking one with his car door when he opened it to exit the car, the Globe reported. He then waved what witnesses described as a hatchet while yelling profanities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The judge ordered Freeman released on personal recognizance, according to the Globe. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15.

Freeman was released on personal recognizance, according to court records, and is due back in court on Oct. 15 for a pretrial hearing.

The latest from MassLive

Read the original article on MassLive.
SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas (KETK)  The North Hopkins ISD Field House was damaged in a fire reported to officials at around 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Smith County ESD2 breaks ground on new fire station near Jamestown area

According to the Hopkins County Fire Department, firefighters responded to a structure fire at the North Hopkins ISD Field House at 4:01 p.m. on Saturday and when they arrived on scene, the building was fully engulfed in smoke.

Photo courtesy of the Hopkins County Fire Department. Photo courtesy of the Hopkins County Fire Department. Photo courtesy of the Hopkins County Fire Department.

The North Hopkins Volunteer Fire Department, Dike Volunteer Fire Department and the Hopkins County Sheriffs Office all arrived on scene and the fire was quickly contained to a small part of the locker room. Hopkins County FD said one corner of the building had medium fire damage while the rest of the building had light to medium smoke damage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No injuries were reported from the fire and the sheriffs office said the fire is suspected to have started electrically. The Hopkins County Fire Marshal is investigating the exact cause of the fire but foul play is not suspected at this time.

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.
North Korean troops remain on Russian territory and are carrying out assigned tasks in Kursk Oblast.

Source: Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), in an interview with Ukrinform

Details: Skibitskyi said that North Korean troops remain in Russia despite receiving less media attention because there is no active combat in Kursk Oblast.

Their main tasks are building defensive positions and reinforcing the border in the region.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

DIU assesses that the participation of North Korean units is conducted on a rotational basis.

Skibitskyi also reported extensive involvement of North Korean citizens in work across Russia. He said data shows Pyongyang plans to send thousands of workers from various professions to gain experience in Russian industries, especially in the defence sector.

Around 6,000 workers are expected in Kursk Oblast alone, more than 1,000 of whom have arrived, to work on road repairs and fortifications. Intelligence has noted that some of these foreign workers later sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence and are sent to the front.

Quote: "We have data on the recruitment of citizens from other countries to work in Russian companies. For example, in the Yelabuga zone, where Russians are expanding their production. They initially started with 1,000 employees, but now plan to have 40,000 in Yelabuga, where UAVs are manufactured. We are recording many foreign citizens agreeing to sign contracts and travelling to Russia for work. But many of them later sign contracts with the Ministry of Defence and go to fight."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Details: Skibitskyi also reported that Russia has enlisted around 280,000 contract military personnel since the start of 2025.

He said the Kremlin recruits at least 35,000 new contract soldiers each month, a process actively promoted through propaganda and financial incentives. For example, Russian service members can receive up to RUB 2 million (around US$24,500) for signing their first contract.

Quote: "There are all the signs that by the end of the year, Russia will fully meet its recruitment plan."

Background: Skibitskyi also said that Russia plans to produce 57 modern fighter jets, nearly 250 tanks and almost 2,500 high-precision missiles of various types this year.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
By Gwladys Fouche and Tom Little

OSLO (Reuters) -Norwegians went to the polls on Sunday for the first of two days of voting in a close race between a left-wing bloc led by the incumbent Labour Party and a right-wing bloc headed by the populist Progress Party and the Conservatives.

At least nine political parties are expected to win seats in the parliamentary election which ends on Monday evening, but only the leaders of the three major parties are candidates for prime minister.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Key issues in the campaign have included the cost of living, taxation and public services, and the outcome could have an impact on energy and power supplies to Europe as well as the management of Norway's $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund.

Geopolitics have loomed large with voters, and analysts said this could benefit Labour and its leader, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, a former foreign minister who presents himself as a safe pair of hands.

Labour and four smaller parties are seen winning 88 seats in Norway's parliament, three more than the minimum needed to secure a majority and down from a combined 100 seats for the left in 2021, according to an average of recent opinion polls.

The Progress Party and the Conservative Party, along with two smaller groups, are on course to win the remaining 81 seats, but the difference in opinion polls between the left and the right blocs remains well within the margin of error.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

TUTTI FRUTTI COALITION

Since 2021, Stoere has needed the backing of the agrarian Centre Party and the Socialist Left to support his agenda, but polls show he may need to widen the scope to include the Communist party and the Greens.

"The most likely scenario is that Stoere gets re-elected, but this will be a 'tutti frutti' coalition, which will be going in very different directions," said Jonas Stein, an associate professor in political science at the university of Tromsoe.

Demands from Greens and Communists may include tougher restrictions on oil and gas exploration, more tax on the wealthy and high earners, and more overall spending from Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The return to power of U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's war in Ukraine have been particular sources of anxiety in Norway, a nation of 5.6 million people with an export-oriented economy and a shared border with Russia in the Arctic.

Labour is seen winning some 27% of the vote, this month's pollofpolls.no average showed, which would make it the biggest party.

Kristin Tellefsen, 50, a high school teacher speaking to Reuters in Oslo on Saturday, said equality and integration were her top priorities, adding she considered that the prime minister was doing a great job.

"Stoere is a huge resource for this country," Tellefsen said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the right-wing camp, former prime minister Erna Solberg's Conservatives have campaigned for public sector reform and scrapping Norway's wealth tax, which they say unfairly targets business ownership.

But as in other Western countries, voters are increasingly turning to more populist right-wing options. Sylvi Listhaug's anti-immigration Progress Party is currently polling around 21% of the vote, comfortably ahead of the Conservatives on 14%.

Solberg and Listhaug have openly disagreed on who should be the next prime minister in the case of a right-wing victory, leaving some voters wary of backing either of the two.

(Reporting by Gwladys Fouche and Tom Little, writing by Terje Solsvik, editing by Christina Fincher)
NEED TO KNOW

Nudist resort Olive Dell Ranch is being sued after imposing a policy change that has forced residents to wear clothes at all times

Residents alleged that management has threatened to evict them by enforcing arbitrary rules and costs that would inflict anxiety and fear if they did not comply with the demands

According to a complaint obtained by PEOPLE, the defendants abruptly informed residents in November of their decision to become a textile park instead of remaining a nudist resort

Former and current tenants of nudist resort Olive Dell Ranch  once dubbed the friendliest nudist resort in Southern California  are suing after a policy change has forced them to wear clothes at all times.

In a legal complaint obtained by PEOPLE, residents alleged that the management at Olive Dell Ranch has threatened to evict them by enforcing arbitrary rules and imposing arbitrary costs that would inflict anxiety and fear if they did not comply with the illegal demands.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The document emphasized that many of the longtime residents are seniors living on fixed incomes, veterans and disabled persons.

Plaintiffs alleged that the defendants have conspired to evict all the tenants from the Olive Dell Nudist Resort to increase the value of their real property holdings, and the concessions within the property, and attempted to do so (and sometimes succeeded in doing so) by imposing arbitrary rules, arbitrary costs, forcing tenants to work for Defendants, and by threatening any non-compliant tenant with loss of their homes or membership in the resort if they did not comply, the complaint stated.

Each of the Defendants knew that their actions were illegal but also knew that the tenants would be put into a state [of] anxiety and fear if they did not comply with the illegal demands, the complaint continued.

According to the complaint, filed in the Superior Court of San Bernardino, the defendants issued a letter in November informing residents of their decision to become a textile park instead of remaining a nudist park.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A textile park requires clothing, while a nudist park is clothing-optional.

The new clothing policy stated that starting Dec. 6, 2024, clothing will now be mandatory at all times at all common areas and that starting Jan. 6, 2025, clothing will be required at all times within the park premises including all sites at the mobile home park.

Per the complaint, which was filed in May, management is prohibited from unilaterally changing rules without notice in mobile home parks.

New managers took over Olive Dell Ranch in 2019, and tenants have complained that the property has been neglected since then.

PEOPLE reached out to Olive Dell Ranch for comment on Friday, Sept. 5, but did not receive immediate responses.



Read the original article on People
NEED TO KNOW

A nurse in Kentucky performed CPR on a drunken raccoon

The raccoon had seemingly eaten fermented peaches from a nearby dumpster and passed out in a puddle of water

The raccoon was ultimately released back into the wild after getting the all-clear from a local veterinarian

A nurse in Kentucky was recently confronted with an unlikely patient: a drunken raccoon.

Misty Combs of Letcher County was heading into work at her job with the Letcher County Health Department in Whitesburg when she and her co-workers noticed a panicked raccoon in the parking lot, per local news outlet Lex18.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Combs said they then heard a commotion in a nearby dumpster and realized that the raccoon was attempting to rescue two of her pups that had become trapped inside it.

She explained that she believed the pups had consumed fermented peaches that were in the dumpster from a nearby distillery, adding, I guess the baby raccoons had gotten in the dumpster and they were stuck.

Combs said that her maternal instincts immediately kicked in.

I was like, 'We have to get them out!' It was the motherly instinct in me because I saw that momma, and she was trying so hard to get her babies back, and she didn't know what to do," she said.

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.

Combs removed one of the pups with a shovel, and it immediately ran to its mother. However, the second pup had been submerged in a puddle of water at the base of the dumpster and was unresponsive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Everybody around was like, It's dead, it's not breathing. It had drowned, and it was full of water. You could feel the water, so immediately, I just started doing CPR on it, she told Lex18.

Getty Raccoon (stock image) Raccoon (stock image)

A now-viral video of the incident shared by multiple outlets shows Combs vigorously patting the raccoon on the back. She then turns the raccoon onto its back and begins chest compressions. The animal eventually takes several breaths and slowly regains consciousness.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

While relieved, Combs admitted that she had some concerns about her personal safety while performing the life-saving measures.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The entire time, I was afraid it'd come to and eat me up, and raccoons carry rabies, so I was afraid of that, she told Lex 18.

Combs and her colleagues ultimately called the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, which took the baby raccoon to a local veterinarian. The vet deemed that the pup could be safely released back into the wild the following day, per WSAZ 3. The raccoon was returned to the Health Departments parking lot, where Combs helped release it.

I was surprised it lived, and so it was amazing to see something that I helped bring back to life, she told WSAZ 3.

PEOPLE reached out to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for comment on Friday, Sept. 5, but did not receive an immediate response.



Read the original article on People
Richard Cook was in the second year of a three-year master of fine arts program at the University of Iowa in the early 1970s when Steven Kent Lockwood arrived.

He wasnt going to spend three years there, Lockwood declared  hed graduate in two.

That was kind of his style in life, said Cook, who would become Lockwoods husband and collaborator. He created an immediate impression in the program because he was ambitious, and he was very quickly recognized as an experienced director. And we committed to each other that year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cook and Lockwood were personal and professional partners for more than five decades, earning renown within the Twin Cities arts community for co-running St. Pauls acclaimed Park Square Theatre  with Lockwood as executive director and Cook as artistic director  for decades.

Lockwood, 79, died July 29 after years of poor health.

The theater wouldnt be here now if Steven hadnt become such a fierce manager and protector, Cook said.

He channeled all of his acting and directing talents, costuming talents, creative talents into the business, and really became a different kind of professional on the job. It was a very intense span of joint work over many years.

Loved the art form

Lockwood was born June 20, 1946, in Superior, Wis., and grew up in St. Paul.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a teenager, he appeared periodically onstage at the former Edyth Bush Theatre in Highland Park, and, after graduating from Hamline University, acted in and directed shows with the Shakespeare in the Streets Company.

In graduate school in Iowa, he and Cook agreed to move together to whichever city one of them found a job in first. They initially landed in Raleigh, N.C., but found the community unsupportive of their gay relationship and quickly decamped back to St. Paul, Cook said. Full-time theater work was difficult to find, so Lockwood and Cook both worked day jobs in a steel pipe factory.

In 1975, Paul Mathey was looking for a director for a production of Much Ado About Nothing at a new theater hed started called Park Square. A friend recommended a college classmate named Steven Kent Lockwood.

Over the next couple of years, Lockwood and Cook both continued directing and designing shows for Park Square. Meanwhile, Matheys health worsened, Cook said. By 1980, Mathey told Cook that he was stepping down, and the theater could either close entirely or Cook could take over for him as artistic director.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One of Cooks first acts was to bring Lockwood on staff full time, too. In addition to directing and acting, Lockwood also oversaw the financial, ticketing and marketing operations of the theater and formally became its executive director in 1995. Lockwood retired in 2012, and Cook in 2018.

He loved the art form, and he loved me, Cook said. He wanted to support what I was doing; he loved the idea of what we were doing. He was committed to it.

You can really see the honor

Running a theater is hard. Running a profitable theater is even harder.

We were always on the edge of not being, Cook said. I was making some notes to myself a few days ago. I wrote down, In fighting for the theater, (Steven) risked both his financial and physical health.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This sense of personal sacrifice for the greater vision  whether appropriate or not  immediately stood out to C. Michael-jon Pease, who was hired as development director in 2000 and ultimately succeeded Lockwood as executive director from 2012 to 2020. Pease recalls hearing about one moment earlier in the theaters history when Lockwood had to sell his personal baby grand piano to make payroll.

When youre working alongside someone like that, you can really see the honor, Pease said. (Lockwood and Cook) never asked us to do anything they hadnt already done and werent willing to do. All jobs are equal when they need to get done. And then we can take a breath and get back to what everyone is actually best at, but no job is beneath you.

To Cook, that was Lockwood: He knew what he wanted, and he was willing to do what it took to make it happen. He made his drinks notoriously strong, cooked meals with plenty of butter, and knew everyones names and stories  especially those of staff at favorite establishments like the River Room and Iron Horse restaurants at the former downtown St. Paul Daytons, later Macys, and Fitgers Inn in Duluth.

With this in mind, Cook said, it makes sense that Lockwoods first passion, even before theater, was opera.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Opera is such an intense, overwhelmingly emotional art form, Cook said, and it was a good match for him and his personality: Big, a bit overblown but intensely committed in terms of both the virtuosity, which he admired, and the musicality, which he responded to with such total empathy.

Related Articles

In their St. Paul home, Lockwood had amassed a collection of some 3,000 CDs of operatic recordings  all of which he actively listened to, Cook said  and continued acquiring discs till the week he died, even as his health was failing.

I know Steven loved me, but his first love was Maria Callas, Cook said, referring to the particularly influential 20th-century Greek-American soprano. So in his last few days, I played arias by Maria Callas. Hopefully, it went with him.

Lockwood is survived by husband Richard Cook, his partner of 53 years, and preceded in death by parents Bessie and Edward. No public memorial services were held, but Cook said Lockwood had a particular affinity for charities Second Harvest Heartland and Union Gospel Mission.
NIIGATA, Sep 08 (News On Japan) - Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, attended a national disaster prevention conference while accompanying her parents on their visit to Niigata Prefecture.

Arriving at the venue in Niigata City shortly after 10 a.m. on September 7th, Aiko greeted organizers with a smile, saying "Thank you very much." The annual Bosai Kokutai (National Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction) is held to share lessons from disasters and pass that knowledge on to younger generations.

At the session, presentations were made on the activities of the Disaster Welfare Assistance Team (DWAT), which had been dispatched to Suzu City in the Noto Peninsula, one of the hardest-hit areas in the recent earthquake.

Aiko, who works at the Japanese Red Cross Society and is involved in training young volunteers, listened attentively while taking detailed notes. In the afternoon, she was scheduled to hear reports from volunteers who supported evacuees with pets in the Noto disaster area.

Source: FNN
As the increased threat of flash floods looms large over coastal areas in the United States, it's never been more important to be prepared. Local officials in a Florida city have turned to experts to prepare a report to identify vulnerabilities in the city's existing infrastructure.

What's happening?

According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the coastal city of Port Orange commissioned engineers to assess the areas most at risk for flooding. The move comes in response to the devastating floods that have wreaked havoc on the area in recent years. The heavy rainfall brought by hurricanes like Ian and Milton overwhelmed the existing storm infrastructure.

To bolster Volusia County's preparations for future risks, the engineering consulting firm, Kimley-Horn, from nearby Daytona, is preparing a risk assessment analysis. One of the firm's engineers, Chris Niforatos, said the assessments were for "planning for an uncertain future."

Why are increased flood risks such a concern?

The increased risk of flooding is a direct consequence of the planet-heating pollution caused by human activity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In essence, warmer global temperatures mean more extreme weather events. Another significant risk is the coastal erosion caused by rising sea levels. In addition to the existential threat to cities, it also means the loss of crucial wetlands that mitigate the effects of storms.

What can be done to reduce flooding risks?

Now that the data has been gathered over several months, engineers and city staff will begin forming plans to bolster the area's flood resilience. The News-Journal suggests the adaptation plan will be completed by October 2025. While raising awareness and local action are the linchpins of the project, it is essential to note that the scope of the problem extends beyond just one municipality.

This means encouraging others to adopt clean energy to reduce dependency on the energy sources that are causing extreme weather events and to think carefully about the political candidates they support.

How concerned are you about the plastic waste in our oceans? Extremely I'm pretty concerned A little Not much 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.
As the world adjusts to a new era of rising temperatures and more severe weather-related disasters, governments across Canada have been turning to a decidedly old-school form of communication: the ham radio.

While the use of ham radios has long been left mostly to amateur radio enthusiasts, officials increasingly have seen the relatively low-tech devices as an important means of communication during emergency situations, the Globe and Mail reported.

In July, Ontario's government approved CA$545,000 (US$396,000) in funding for the Radio Amateurs of Canada to train its members to operate their ham radios during an emergency, according to the Globe and Mail.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Allan Boyd, the association's president, said the group had roughly 5,000 members, most of whom were skilled enough to operate during an emergency, according to the Globe and Mail.

Many ham radios do not require a lot of big, heavy equipment to operate and can be powered using a 12-volt car battery, making them ideal during power outages and disruptions to more modern forms of communications like internet and cell phone service.

"When the lights go out, we can keep going," said Mike Kelly, a retired electronics technologist and ham radio enthusiast, according to the Globe and Mail.

Some ham radios are portable, making it possible to transport radio operators and their equipment into disaster-stricken areas to provide immediate emergency communication.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Beyond Ontario, other Canadian territories and provinces, including British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Yukon, have also been integrating ham radios into emergency-response plans, according to the outlet.

Unlike cell phones and other modern forms of communication, ham radios do not require space-based satellites or massive communications towers to operate. This infrastructure can easily be taken out by a natural disaster, making it more difficult to communicate during emergencies.

By contrast, most ham radios work by bouncing their signals off of the stratosphere, making them far more resilient while still allowing their signals to cover vast distances.

Plus, advancements in ham-radio technology have made it possible to send text-based messages over radio waves, rather than having to resort to more specialized forms of communication such as Morse code, according to Boyd, the Radio Amateurs of Canada president, as noted by the outlet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Having continuous access to strong telecommunications is key to emergency coordination and response efforts," said Jill Dunlop, Ontario's Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response, according to the Globe and Mail.

"By investing in a growing network of Ontario Corps partners like Radio Amateurs of Canada, our government is providing GPS services, satellite phones, ham radios, and other critical communication supports across the province, including our remote regions to support emergency responders when disaster strikes," Dunlop continued.

The renewed focus on ham radios highlighted the important role that resilient, mobile, decentralized technologies have to play in a world increasingly besieged by extreme weather events.

One way to make your home more resilient in the event of a weather-related power outage is to combine solar panels with a home battery system. A home battery system helps ensure that your family will have access to vital power when you need it most.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

EnergySage offers free online tools that make it easy to find solar installers in your area, while also ensuring that customers take maximum advantage of tax credits and other incentives, saving up to $10,000.

With residential solar tax credits in the U.S. expiring Dec. 31, it is important to act quickly to take advantage.

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 new law places major restrictions on how vape products can be sold and advertised in Arkansas, as the state tries to reduce the number of young people who take up the dangerous habit.

Starting Sept. 1, KNWA reported, disposable vapes with nicotine must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or they will be banned in Arkansas. If a store sells unapproved vape products, it could be fined or lose its permits.

The new law, Act 590, also bans marketing and packaging any vape or tobacco product in a way that could appeal to children, such as using cartoon characters and names like "candy." Finally, it prohibits the use of tobacco or vapes at schools, childcare centers, or health care facilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vapes have become the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1.2 million high school students and more than 400,000 middle school students used e-cigarettes in 2024.

Just like other tobacco products, vapes carry considerable health hazards, such as an increased risk of cancer. The majority of students who vape use disposable vapes, which pose even more problems.

Walk through almost any park, and there's a good chance you'll see these disposable vapes littered on the ground. They're made of many plastic components, adding to the trillions of pieces of plastic waste that pollute our planet, and a lithium battery, contributing to the growing problem of e-waste.

Those components also make disposable vapes more dangerous from a health standpoint. One study found that certain disposable vape brands have alarmingly high levels of metals such as lead, nickel, and antimony.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As of Act 590's passing, fewer than 40 vape products have FDA approval. Unauthorized vapes have become a big part of the multibillion-dollar e-cigarette business, and have led the U.S. Postal Service to crack down on shipping certain vapes.

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.

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.
Increasing heat and unusual rain patterns are driving mosquitoes into new parts of Australia, and the insects are carrying a concerning disease with them.

Japanese encephalitis, once thought to be mostly confined to the more remote parts of the country, is now appearing in Australian towns and pig farms where people live and work.

Rising global temperatures are doing more than exacerbating extreme weather and impacting food supplies. They're also altering wildlife activity and spreading potentially deadly diseases.

What's happening?

Japanese encephalitis virus has been detected in mosquitoes, feral pigs, and commercial piggeries across multiple Australian states. This year, for the first time, it has also been identified in Brisbane, according to a report from Medscape Medical News in mid-August.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By that point, the virus had already claimed two lives in 2025. "In some parts of the country, [mosquitoes] can kill you," Cameron Webb, an associate professor of medical sciences at the University of Sydney, told Medscape.

Sarah McGuinness, a physician in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Melbourne's Alfred Hospital, said that warmer temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns are expanding mosquito breeding grounds and increasing the likelihood of disease spread.

"Altered rainfall patterns and warmer temperatures affect mosquito breeding habitats and the distribution of reservoir hosts," she said in the Medscape report. "These conditions can extend the mosquito season and expand the geographic range of mosquito vectors."

The spread to Brisbane may be particularly concerning. As the country's third-largest city, population density there could aggravate infection rates.

Why is this concerning?

While most Japanese encephalitis infections are mild, they can also be lethal. In general, 1 in 250 cases lead to severe illness, and in up to 30 percent of those severe cases, people die or suffer lifelong brain and behavioral problems, according to the report.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, researchers say that rising global temperatures are making places once too cold for mosquitoes now more hospitable to the insects, thereby increasing the months and areas where transmission can happen. According to the World Mosquito Program, warmer climates and longer warm seasons are expanding the habitats where mosquitoes thrive, worsening the risk of practically all mosquito-borne viruses, including dengue and Zika, in various parts of the world.

"We're very lucky in that we are generally free of some of the serious mosquito-borne diseases that impact many countries, like malaria and dengue," McGuinness said. "But we need to remind the community that it's important to take extra measures in some parts of the country to avoid mosquito bites."

What's being done about this outbreak of Japanese encephalitis?

Fortunately, an effective vaccine is available to help mitigate the spread and severity of this infection.

The Australian government offers free Japanese encephalitis vaccinations to those in high-risk zones and is closely tracking the virus by monitoring monkeys, pigs, and birds. States have also incorporated the virus into their existing arbovirus surveillance efforts with the goal of enabling quicker responses, according to David Williams, a researcher at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Williams says researchers are not entirely sure whether the infection is being reintroduced from somewhere in Northern Australia or if it remains dormant during the winter, only to reemerge when mosquitoes increase. However, Australians can expect to see more outbreaks.

The growth of infections from Japanese encephalitis in parts of Australia highlights another threat posed by the overheating of our planet. Strengthened surveillance efforts, equitable vaccine access, and community awareness can mitigate this threat  but only if they can keep pace with the changing environment. In the big picture, reducing the heat-trapping pollution that warms our world could also be viewed as a component of disease prevention.

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.
Water is one of the most crucial resources in existence, and now, accessing it has just gotten a whole lot easier for one country.

A long-awaited scheme for the Malawian people to easily access clean water has been given the go-ahead. The Malawi president, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, launched a clean water project in collaboration with the German government and the Peace Parks Foundation.

The initiative aims to take water from a river in Nyika National Park, transporting it across "a 74-kilometer [46-mile] transmission line" to give Malawi communities access to "123 taps placed within 200 meters [124 miles] of villages along the new pipeline," according to EIN Presswire. One of the chiefs of the affected villages aptly asserted that "this is an important milestone, with people receiving tap water that is safe."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the Peace Parks Foundation, before the initiative was accepted and put into practice, Malawians had to walk much farther from their homes to access places where they could haul water. That exposed them to the elements, animals, and potential contaminants within the impure water itself.

Now that they can use clean water without struggling to retrieve or purify it, the quality of life and the health of Malawians will increase significantly. They will have more time to spend on their other daily needs, as opposed to hours walking to and from distant water sources. This saves them valuable energy that they could be putting toward other aspects of their lives.

Per the Science Journal, "4 billion people lack safe drinking water across 135 low- and middle-income countries." This crucial step in Malawi demonstrates that when policymakers take the initiative and a community steps up, people can find and maintain ways to obtain fresh, accessible water.

Not only does this scheme help the people in need of potable water, but it also preserves the health of the water's environment. Per the press release, "the co-management agreement signed between the Government of Malawi and Peace Parks Foundation  will strengthen this approach by promoting a long-term, integrated development that balances conservation and livelihoods."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The stewardship of freshwater resources is crucial to maintaining the planet's health. According to The Nature Conservancy, "water demands collaboration and coordination. It is always on the move, crossing jurisdictional and other boundaries, connecting communities and linking people to nature."

To keep water accessible to those who need it most, people can do their part to waste less water and support initiatives that aim to make fresh water a common resource and not a luxury.

According to the Peace Parks Foundation, the Malawian Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Vera Kamtukele, said it best: "Because of this project, we're going to save many lives," and that is what matters most.

Do you feel safe drinking the tap water where you live? Always Most of the time Not usually Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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.
OGDEN, Utah (ABC4)  Drivers in and around Ogden Canyon can travel a little easier this afternoon after crews repaired a leaking water line near the mouth of the canyon.

Ogden City says the leak began Friday night, and due to the nature of the repairs that had to be made, the road had to be closed in both directions. Crews were able to finish repair work, and the road was reopened today.

Travelers are advised to take their time traveling in the area as both directions are open but the speed limit is down to 25 miles per hour. Paving crews will be in the area Monday morning around 8 a.m. to prep for asphalt replacement. During this time, the road will be down to a single lane.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The city says motorists should expect delays of five to ten minutes as crews replace the asphalt. The road is anticipated to reopen around noon.

Latest headlines:

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.
WASHINGTON (AP)  In a swath of the nation's capital that sits across the tracks, and the river, residents can see the Washington Monument, the Waldorf Astoria  formerly the Trump Hotel  and the U.S. Capitol dome.

What the people of Anacostia cannot see are the National Guard units patrolling those areas. And they don't see them patrolling on this side of the Anacostia River, either.

In this storied region of Washington, home to Frederick Douglass, the crime that President Donald Trump has mobilized federal law enforcement to address is something residents would like to see more resources dedicated to. But its complicated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We do need protection here, said Mable Carter, 82. I have to come down on the bus. Its horrifying.

There might be military units patrolling Union Station and public spaces where tourists often come, she said, but none of them over here. They are armed  on the Mall. Aint nobody doing nothing on the Mall. Its for show.

Carter wants to see more police in this area  the city's own police, under the direction of Chief Pamela Smith. Id rather see them give her a chance. She has the structure in place.

The Pentagon, when asked if there were plans to deploy the National Guard to higher crime areas like Anacostia and who determines that, sent a list of stations where the military units were present as of late last month. None of those deployments included stations east of the Anacostia River.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In response to a question of whether those deployments had been extended, or whether there were plans to do so White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said that federal law enforcement members have been working the wards east of the river, including involvement in the arrests of several suspects wanted for violent crimes, including a first-degree murder warrant.

"As we have said since the beginning of the operation, National Guard troops are not making arrests at this time, but federal law enforcement officers will continue getting criminals off the streets and making the communities safer, Rogers said.

A neighborhood caught in the middle

Over the course of two weekends east of the river, in conversations with groups and individuals, including a senior's gathering at Union Temple Baptist Church, a theme emerged.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Like Carter, people would like more law enforcement resources, but they distrust the motives behind the surge and how it has usurped the authority of the mayor and local officers. And while they acknowledge crime is more serious here than most other areas of the district, it is nowhere near the levels of three decades ago, when the D.C. National Guard worked with the Metropolitan Police to address the violence.

This year's homicides in the district, as of Friday, were at 104, a 17% decrease from 126 as of Sept. 5 last year. But, more than 60% of them are in the two wards that are almost exclusively east of the Anacostia River, including 38 in Ward 8, according to the Metropolitan Police Department crime mapping tool. That proportion is about the same as it was in 2024 when there were 187 homicides citywide for the year. One of the most notable murders was a double homicide that left two teens lying dead on the street and a third man wounded.

I just called the police the other night, said Henny, 42, who owns NAMs Market.

He said a group of teenagers attempted to rob his store after casing it throughout the day. He called police and said they asked him if they were armed. I didnt see a weapon, he said, adding that no patrol officers responded.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The store owner said he has been here about 10 years and been victimized multiple times but thinks it is getting worse now. He does not give his last name out of fear.

What worries me is to make sure theyre not coming back," he said. "There are a lot of things going on. Asked if he feels safe he said, Absolutely not.

He has pepper spray but has been told by authorities not to use it, he said. When he heard of the federal law enforcement and National Guard arrival, To be honest, I said thats good  but thats not over here. Its getting worse. The city says crime is down but I dont see it.

The rampage with guns is nothing new

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A block away, Rosie Hydes perspective is different. The ashes of one of the 75-year-old widows sons are spread around her property. Samuel Johnson was killed about three miles away on April 20, 1991. The case is still open.

Hyde, a retired probation officer for the city, said her son died during that epidemic of gun violence. That was 35 years ago," she said. That tells you the rampage with guns is nothing new.

Homicides topped 400 annually in 1989 and stayed there through 1996, according to the district's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Aggravated assaults were also at record totals.

Hyde believes Trump is after the optics in areas where he will get attention  at the train station, on the Mall, in areas with a concentration of tourists. They havent been over here like that, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The majestic home of Frederick Douglass is here, offering a panoramic view of other parts of the city west of the river. Farther east is the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum. The plaque outside says as much about this moment as it does about history: The museum, it says, "aspires to illuminate and share the untold and often overlooked stories of people furthest from opportunity in the Greater Washington, D.C. region.

Federal agents are in this area working with local authorities, including FBI agents and Border Patrol, as well as Metro Transit Authority police. Along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, a major thoroughfare in Anacostia, new buildings mix with older ones and small groups of people mill about, drinking from bottles and with the occasional smell of marijuana. But it is relatively quiet.

At one point, a large group of National Guard members climbs out of a van at the Anacostia Metro station, but they catch the train heading west back beneath the river. While troops are stationed at 18 stops, the last one on the green line is the Navy Yard-Ballpark station, the final one west of the river.

Guard presence has precedent in this neighborhood

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There was a time when the Guard was here  or, more precisely, above it. During the high crime years, the D.C. National Guard worked with District police; officers flew aboard the Guard's helicopters directing patrol units to crime scenes.

Norm Nixon, an associate pastor at Union Temple Baptist Church, said there are federal agents around, but their presence is not constant and no military uniforms are seen on the streets. He said local officers who try to push community policing  communicating with residents and acknowledging their concerns  will probably get blowback because of the federal presence.

He, like others, questions why Trump decided to federalize the city when violence is present virtually everywhere, including in rural areas where drugs and economic hardships have created fertile ground for lawlessness.

The president needs to have these initiatives to make it seem like something is happening, almost like he's got to make news, Nixon said, adding that he is also concerned about the focus on rousting the homeless population. What happened to those people? Are they receiving services?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vernon Hancock, a church elder and trustee attending a senior's day party, said he believes Trumps' actions are a test. Washington, D.C., is easy because it is federal and he has the authority to do what hes doing," Hancock said. "It is a federal city so he can just take over. But he wants to take this to other cities and spread this."

___

Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.
FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A person was killed Saturday morning after their vehicle struck a ditch and overturned in Florence County, authorities said.

It happened just after 7:15 a.m. on North Old Georgetown Road near U.S. Highway 52 when sedan traveling eastbound veered off the road.

No further information was immediately available.

* * *

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.
More than one in five Britons now hold or agree with anti-Semitic views, a study has found.

The study found that 21 per cent of the public affirmed four or more anti-Semitic statements, compared to 16 per cent last year. In 2021, the figure was just 11 per cent.

Researchers said the findings showed that the number of people holding what would be considered entrenched anti-Semitic views has doubled in less than five years to more than a fifth of the population.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The figures are the highest since similar surveys began a decade ago.

This comes after the Oct 7 attacks on southern Israel, which killed more than 1,200 Jews  the single highest death toll since the Holocaust.

Continued images of the devastation in Gaza caused by the Israeli retaliation appear to have fuelled growing anti-Semitic sentiment, with criticism of Israel tipping into wider anti-Jewish sentiment.

The YouGov survey, commissioned by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), found that 45 per cent of the British public  almost half of the population  believes that Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is a record figure and a marked increase from last years prior record of 33 per cent. Some 60 per cent of young people believe this, along with 48 per cent of people living in London.

The CAA said equating Israels actions with those of Hitlers Nazis was one of the most common anti-Semitic tropes that we see.

The campaign group said: It both trivialises the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were industrially slaughtered, and insultingly accuses victims of the crime committed against them of perpetrating it.

The UK Government announced extra funding to help protect the Jewish community from anti-Semitic attacks, after a reported 400 per cent spike in incidents since Oct 7 2023 - Daniel Leal/AFP

The study found that almost half (49 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds said they were uncomfortable spending time with people who openly support Israel, with only 18 per cent comfortable doing so.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Only 31 per cent of young voters agree that Israel has a right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people; 20 per cent (one fifth) of them say that it does not.

Other findings include 58 per cent of young people believe that Israel and its supporters are a bad influence on our democracy, compared to 29 per cent of the overall population.

In a further reflection of a decades-old anti-Semitic trope, 26 per cent of the British public believes that Israel can get away with anything because its supporters control the media, up from 18 per cent last year. Among young people, the figure jumps to 42 per cent.

The CAA said: Bearing in mind that the overwhelming majority of British Jews identify as Zionists and with the Jewish state, these attitudes among young Britons have enormous implications for young Jews on campus, on social media and starting out in the workplace.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The survey comes ahead of a national march by Jewish groups and their supporters and allies in central London on Sunday, in protest of bigots and extremists targeting Britains Jews.

The questions posed as part of the survey, including six relating to Judeophobic anti-Semitism and six relating to anti-Zionist anti-Semitism, are part of the generalised anti-Semitism scale devised by academics to gauge anti-Jewish feeling and based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances definition of anti-Semitism.

There is controversy over this definition, as it includes both anti-Jewish sentiment and anti-Zionism, and criticism of Israels right to exist, as being anti-Semitic.

The survey also showed levels of support for Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that runs Gaza and is proscribed as a terror organisation by the British Government.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It found that 10 per cent of young people have a favourable view of Hamas, and 14 per cent of them believe it is wrong to class Hamas as terrorists.

The poll also found almost one-fifth (19 per cent) of young people believe that the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct 7 2023 was justified.

Half (51 per cent) of the British public believes that anti-Semitism has increased in the UK since October 2023, and 60 per cent of young people agree.

At the same time, the British people are divided over the issue of the pro-Palestine marches that have taken place regularly since the war in Gaza.

While 29 per cent view them positively, 32 per cent view them negatively. A sizeable majority (69 per cent) believe they are achieving not very much or nothing at all, with only 13 per cent believing they are achieving something.

Anti-Semitism among party voters

A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: Our country is clearly at a tipping point. These are the highest anti-Semitism figures that we have ever recorded, having doubled in less than five years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our young people are being radicalised into adopting hateful ideologies before our eyes. Britain will lose its soul to extremists unless the silent majority wakes up.

The public recognises that racism against Jewish people has skyrocketed, but the authorities have abysmally failed to rise to the occasion. Politicians, police and prosecutors, regulators, media organisations, cultural institutions, universities, trade unions  they are all complicit in the creation of a climate of hatred in Britain.

Jews may feel it most sharply now, but for all of us, this is not the country that we used to know. Soon it will be too late for our country to change course.

The survey of a representative sample of 2,245 British adults was conducted by YouGov Plc between Sept 1 and 2 2025. The survey was carried out online.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The YouGov survey was designed in collaboration with Campaign Against Antisemitism using the Generalised Antisemitism Scale.

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.
TOKYO, Sep 08 (News On Japan) - A worldwide boom in matcha has fueled what some are calling a matcha bubble, sending the price of tea leaves sharply higher.

The surge in demand has left Japanese producers struggling to keep up as global consumers increasingly embrace the drinks unique flavor and health appeal.

Foreign tourists now make up the vast majority at matcha workshops in Tokyo, with one school reporting that nine out of ten attendees are visitors from overseas. Many cite taste and health benefits as the key attractions. An American tourist said, I just love the taste. Its healthy, too, while a visitor from Mexico noted, Its not too sweet, it has a special flavor, and it makes you feel good.

Young people also point to matcha as a study aid, saying it provides the right amount of caffeine for concentration without the jitters of coffee. Specialty shops abroad, such as Zurichs trendy Matcha Club, now offer fashionable spaces where customers sip green drinks while shopping. Exports of Japanese green tea, including matcha, have climbed steadily for five consecutive years, with 2025 already on track to match last years record.

Farmers and processors describe the situation as both welcome and overwhelming. Tea grower Satoshi Horii said, It makes me smileits really good news. Prices for leaves have nearly doubled from last year, prompting farmers to shift more acreage from sencha to tencha, the leaves used for matcha. Processors, however, face capacity shortages. We just cant keep up with the orders, said Masayuki Maruyama of Maruyama Tea. His company recently built a new matcha-only facility but is already struggling to meet demand from the U.S., Europe, and increasingly, the Middle East. Its fair to call it a matcha bubble, Maruyama said.

The roots of the trend stretch back decades. At Kyotos historic Nakamura Tokichi Honten, seventh-generation president Shogo Nakamura recalls pioneering matcha sweets in the late 1990s. We started with soft-serve ice cream, he said, noting that matcha was once seen as a formal drink but was transformed into an everyday treat. While his desserts attracted early foreign visitors, Nakamura credits another player with sparking the boom: Haagen-Dazs. The brand launched its Green Tea ice cream in 1996, introducing matcha flavor to a wider audience and paving the way for the global craze.

Source: TBS
Polina Ken fled the killing fields of Cambodia and eventually made her home in Chinese Camp. She has now lost it to a wildfire.

GoFundMe accounts were launched for Ken and other victims of the blaze, which stood at 7,037 acres as of Friday, Sept. 5.

It is part of the September Lightning Complex, burning 13,996 acres in four counties since Tuesday. The strikes lit up grass, brush and trees that have had little rain since spring.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Containtment was at 22% Friday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The acreage is mostly in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, along small parts of Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

Cal Fire reported 85 structures destroyed as of Friday. They include homes, barns and other buildings. Teams still are assessing the damage.

The devastation was stark in the GoFundMe pages for Chinese Camp. Exact addresses were not available.

Polina Ken lost her home to a wildfire in Chinese Camp, Calif. She will be aided by a GoFundMe account launched Sept. 3, 2025.

The long road toward rebuilding

Kens family said she fled Cambodia in the 1970s, amid the violence of the Pol Pot regime. She has lived in Chinese Camp for 14 years and is staying for now at a hotel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We are grateful that she and her dog, Waldo, are safe, niece Jennifer Ken said in the appeal, but the fire took not only her home but also her belongings, memories and sense of security. She is currently displaced and in urgent need of support for essentials such as clothing, food, shelter and eventually the long road toward rebuilding.

Chinese Camp was named for the gold miners from China who settled there in 1849. It peaked at about 6,500 people in the 1870s, including Americans and Europeans who had joined the Gold Rush.

Only 61 people were counted in the last census. Few of the old buildings remained even before the fire. Details on the damage have not been reported.

Rob Owens lost his home and heavy equipment needed for his job to a wildfire in Chinese Camp, Calif., on Sept. 2, 2025. He will be assisted by a GoFundMe account.

Nothing but the clothes on their backs

Rob Owens and his wife, Rochelle, lost their home, daughter Brooke Long of Sacramento wrote on GoFundMe. The blaze also ruined the tools and heavy equipment Rob needs for his job.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It truly left them with nothing but the clothes on their backs, Long said. Even more heartbreaking, years of memories, our childhood photos, keepsakes and the treasures my dad had saved since he was a kid are now gone forever.

Donors can arrange through GoFundMe to give tools as well as money. This loss has been overwhelming, Long said, but we know community and kindness can make all the difference.

The Modesto Bee reported Wednesday on the GoFundMe account for Peter Tomaino and his partner, Cindy. They also had lived in Chinese Camp.

Thankfully, they and their dogs made it out safely, organizer Veronica Amaral wrote, but they are now facing the unimaginable challenge of starting over from scratch.
EASTHAMPTON  Mary Gomez always wanted to be a mom.

In her youth, she cared for young family members and neighbors in New York. After having two kids of her own, both of whom are deaf, she moved to Western Massachusetts to better their education  and to foster other peoples children.

Her two-story, three-bedroom Easthampton home is filled with sentimental decor and wall-hangings that celebrate the lives of children who have lived there.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Home sweet home, a wooden board in the living room reads. A colored-in fire truck is taped nearby. Gomez believes children need stability.

In my case, I dont have kids come in and out, because I feel like you do more harm than good when you do that, she said. So if I say yes to a kid, its like, till the end.

The foster care system in Massachusetts has always been short on families.

In 2023, the most recent state data available, the count of children needing foster care in the Springfield area was more than triple the number of available housing placements. The same was true statewide, according to the state Department of Children and Families.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This story is about two families Western Massachusetts that have gone above and beyond, welcoming dozens of hard-to-place kids into their homes. Their experience suggests that an extraordinary commitment to children can flourish even within an overburdened system.

I want to invest in these kids and in their future, Gomez said. She says she grew up feeling loved and taken care of by her family. Thats exactly what I want for my kids.

Kim Gonzalez of Childrens Services of Roxbury said her agency typically handles cases that are more intense in terms of behaviors and diagnosis. The children often have a behavioral or medical condition or have had a traumatic past. She serves as Gomezs case worker.

The agency receives referrals from DCF, then works to find a foster family that would be a good fit, based on the childs needs. It connects families with resources and case workers meet with foster parents regularly, Gonzalez said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Foster families can only care for two children at a time, she said.

Over the last 14 years, Gomez has fostered more than 10 children with autism through Childrens Services of Roxbury. Today, 21-year-old Richard Damond and 9-year-old Mason Martinez live with her family.

Gomez said she prioritizes in fostering children who are autistic or deaf, like her own biological children.

Its hard for them to (find) a place, and I know the language, said Gomez. She learned American Sign Language to communicate with her biological children. They struggle more than the other kids. She is a native Spanish speaker, while also fluent in English.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Of close to 2,000 juveniles in the foster care system in the Springfield area in fiscal year 2023, only about 600 were in a placement program, according to data from DCF. Across the state, just over 30,000 children were part of the foster care system, but only about 9,000 had been placed.

Foster parents play a vital role in a childs life. They are committed to creating a supportive environment centered on families, a DCF spokesperson said, in response to questions from The Republican. They redefine what family looks like and strengthen connections by investing their time in understanding childrens needs.

Raising children takes a village

When Gomez met Damond, he was 7 and living in a group home in Greenfield. Damond, who is autistic, said he had a tough upbringing. Sitting next to Gomez on the grey couch in their living room, he explained his biological father did not know how to take care of him.

You were my savior, he said to Gomez. You were, like, my way out of what could have been a very traumatic childhood.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gomez said when she first met Damond, he was screaming his lungs out.

I cant even describe  he looked at me in my eyes and (said), Please take me out of here, she said.

In the years hes lived with Gomez, Damonds quality of life has significantly improved, everyone agrees. Hes studying computer science at Holyoke Community College, choosing that field because of the big bucks  a comment that makes his foster mom and Gonzalez, the visiting case worker, burst into laughter.

Its like the hottest job in town right now, Damond said.

Damond said he had just returned from a weekend with his biological mom and younger brother, the latter of whom he was not allowed to see for six years between 2014 and 2020.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im trying to basically recover all that time, even though its obviously impossible, Damond said. Damonds biological father died in 2021.

Damond is almost 22, the age at which young adults transition out of the foster care system in Massachusetts, said Gonzalez.

For Damond, that means his case will be transferred from DCF to the Department of Developmental Services, which provides resources and support to people with autism and other developmental disabilities, with the goal of helping them integrate into their community.

Damond observes that aging out of the foster care system means he will lose three quarters of his Social Security income. But it doesnt mean he will have to leave Gomezs house.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I hope to start working next spring, he said.

The Gomez familys Easthampton home is part of the Treehouse community, which emphasizes multigenerational relationships between older adults and families that foster children.

It takes a village to raise a kid and I think thats exactly what Treehouse represents, said Gonzalez.

Gomezs house is blended. She lives with her husband, Manuel Martinez; her biological daughter, Melanie; Martinezs biological daughter, Valerie; and their youngest, Mason, the 9-year-old foster child who will soon be adopted by Gomez and Martinez.

Gomezs older biological son William, who is also deaf, lives in Rochester, New York.

Educating yourself helps the kids

Twenty miles away, in East Springfield, Yoselyn Chalas and her husband, Ediberto Eddie Mendez, are fostering two daughters, including Fausta Sena, who is 22. Over the last two decades, the couple has fostered over 30 children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They turned to fostering in 2000 after Chalas could not bear more children due to health issues. They share a son, who lives with them, and a daughter, who lives nearby.

I always grew up with kids around and I love children, Mendez said, explaining his wish to foster so many children. Chalas translated her husbands responses from Spanish to English.

Mendez said he is the oldest of 17 children. Some of my favorite parts of fostering is seeing how much the kids grow, beyond their traumatic backgrounds, he said.

The couple, who are from the Dominican Republic, have fostered children through Childrens Services of Roxbury from all racial backgrounds, including Indian, Italian and African American, Chalas said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than half of the foster children in Western Massachusetts in fiscal year 2023 were Hispanic/Latino, according to DCF data. Close to 18% were Black and almost 9% were white.

Some of her previous foster children have gone on to have children of their own, and they still stay in touch, she said, showing photographs of her former foster children.

One of my kids visited me with his daughter, she said. Im a grandmother.

Sena, one of the couples current foster daughters, is also Dominican.

It was the same culture when I came here, Sena said in Spanish. Sonia Nieves, program director of the foster care agency, translated Senas responses to English. I felt welcomed by them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sena has been living with the family since 2019. But Chalas was hesitant, at first, to take Sena in, she explained, as Sena is an amputee.

When she was 14, a boy she knew in the Dominican Republic tried to kill her, Chalas said. The doctors told Sena that her arms needed to be amputated as a result of the attack.

Mendez was the reason the couple agreed to take Sena in, Chalas said. He said it wouldnt be a problem and we take care of everything together, she said.

Sena said moving in with the couple wasnt difficult. There was support for me, she said. She moved to Massachusetts without her biological family in 2019 to receive treatment from the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield. She was 15.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chalas says the medical support Sena has received allowed her to become fully independent. She loves to cook Dominican food, she can use the computer, she showers by herself, said Chalas. She can do everything on her own.

Senas dream is to return home to her native country to see her father, siblings, and best friend, Jennifer. In the meantime, she is taking American citizenship classes offered at Springfield Technical Community College.

Both the Gomez and Chalas-Mendez families receive roughly $73 per day from Childrens Services of Roxbury to care for the children they foster. The families receive additional money for the holidays and for the kids birthdays.

Money or no money, Ill help, said Gomez. I want to help the kids who struggle; I believe in them and their future.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chalas said the money she receives from the foster care agency is not what motivates her and her husband to foster children. We love kids, she said. The money helps us plan extra activities, like traveling or going to restaurants.

Like Damond, Gomezs foster son, Sena is aging out of the foster care system. But the agency has made an exception for her to stay with DCF, as she remains hopeful about gaining U.S. citizenship.

Soon, however, she will move onto the Department of Developmental Services adult program, said Chalas. She, like Damond, will continue to live with her foster parents.

Over the years, Chalas said, she and Mendez have faced challenges being foster parents, including navigating childrens medical or behavioral issues.

Me and Eddie make a schedule and divide everything between each other, she said. What I cant do, hell take care of. What he cant do, I do.

Gomez, the Easthampton foster mother, said fostering a child is a lot of work.

People worry children can be delinquent, she said. Of course, these (children) dont have stability. They dont trust anybody. It falls to the foster family to find the right ways to help the child, she said.

Finding right fit

People interested in becoming foster parents apply to DCF. The departments review is designed to ensure that a prospective foster family is equipped to take care of the child, and that the home is the right fit.

Foster parents must become licensed, either through DCF or a foster agency, like Childrens Services of Roxbury, said Gonzalez, the case worker.

Foster care in Massachusetts is not a one-size-fits-all approach, according to a DCF spokesperson. But one avenue is comprehensive foster care, where families are offered tools to help their foster children thrive in a new environment.

Childrens Services of Roxbury, the foster agency Gomez uses, is an example of this program.

Through the agency, Gomez takes trainings each month and attends conferences when she can. She recently returned from a foster care conference in Miami.

The more you learn about the kids, the more you learn about whatever disability or whatever problem that kid (has), thats going to help the kids to thrive, she said. The more you educate yourself, the better.

more news from Western Massachusetts

Read the original article on MassLive.
Under the guidance of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., rather than relying on evidence-based recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to inform vaccination decisions, it is now recommended that vaccination involve a discussion between patients and their physicians.

Enabled by Kennedy, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo just brought this position to children by calling for the elimination of school vaccination requirements.

The stance empowers individuals not to get vaccinated. It also means that Americans are on their own, pushed to web-based information to make decisions without the ability to discern fact from falsehood, putting children and adults in harms way.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These difficult times for the public and for public health have increased considerably following the ouster of the CDC director and the resignation of senior leadership.

Not long ago, Americans overwhelmingly respected the opinion of experts trained by the American education system. Experts and science-based recommendations, though, have become inconvenient political narratives, and it is increasingly politically expedient for political figures to undermine scientific evidence.

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health and those funded by the NIH to study infectious diseases are being fired or defunded.

At the CDC, expert opinion in public health and institutional knowledge is challenged as not being credible. Incredibly, on Aug. 11, there was a military style attack on the CDC headquarters, with 500 bullets fired into the building by an individual radicalized by anti-vaccine rhetoric.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And just as standard public health guidance was being discredited, we saw the largest outbreak of measles in the U.S. in decades, with only a nominal response from Kennedy, who has encouraged the anti-vaccine movement.

We observe individuals promoting raw milk, which has led to disease outbreaks. We see cavity-preventing fluoride being removed from the public water supply in Utah and Florida, jumping on the Kennedy political bandwagon.

In an unprecedented move, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued recommendations related to vaccines that differ from those of the CDC. Other medical organizations are also expected to issue recommendations that differ from those of Kenedys Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices appointees.

Complicating matters, the war on science coincides with a crisis of information integrity, leaving many Americans uncertain about important medical decisions, caught in a standoff between politicians, physicians and scientists.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We live in an electronic society of pervasive social media, rife with false information from individuals with political objectives or influencers without a scientific background.

The scientific community is striving to reclaim the dignity it once held, speaking with a voice of reason and evidence. However, these efforts are falling short of what is needed, as false information related to health predominates on social media websites.

This is remarkable from a historical perspective, as over the past decade, when we faced serious infectious disease threats, including H1N1 flu, Ebola, Zika and COVID-19, the public listened to leadership at the NIH, CDC, and health care providers.

The most recent puzzle piece in the information stream is artificial intelligence, which distills information from multiple sources to provide a concise overview of material that would otherwise require days or weeks to review on ones own.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The answers to questions about vaccines on various AI platforms are strikingly in line with mainstream medicine, including the recommendation that children be vaccinated against measles and the assertion that there is no link between the measles vaccine and autism.

Yet, as AI is increasingly used by the public and yields information based on evidence, one can wonder if political attacks by politicians will spill over to this sphere, along with calls for ideology-based algorithm changes.

We need to acknowledge that mastery of medicine and science is complex and that these fields continually evolve. The world has relied on experts in these areas to develop new medications, treatments for diseases and guidelines for preventing illness.

The politically motivated efforts to unravel this framework mean that health care and public health will become as polarized as politics. Now, with significant changes in CDC leadership, it will become even more difficult for Americans to get the information they need.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With the CDC degraded, local and state departments of health, health care and academic institutions need to step up and fill the void.

We also have to hope that those who voted in favor of Kennedys Senate confirmation, and have stood idly by as he has gone back on his congressional testimony, will stop whistling past the graveyard.

Scott A. Rivkees, MD is professor of practice at the Brown School of Public Health. He is a pediatrician and the former state surgeon general and secretary of Health of Florida.

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 Department of Health and Human Services announced at the end of August that Dr. Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In office for only a month, Monarez had clashed with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy.

Four senior CDC staff  the chief medical officer and the directors of the National Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and the Office of Public Health Data  resigned to raise a red flag about Kennedys unwillingness to base policy decisions on sound scientific evidence.

Their resignations followed five departures of senior staff in March; layoffs of 2,400 employees, one-fifth of the total workforce; the removal of all 17 members of the CDCs vaccine advisory panel in April; and Kennedys decision in May to end recommendations that healthy children and pregnant women get COVID vaccines.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It feels like the CDC is over, another departing scientist declared.

The assault on experience and expertise at the CDC  for decades the global gold standard in public health  is just the tip of the iceberg. The Trump administrations elevation of partisan politics over scientific expertise is crippling research and rolling back evidence-based policies at agencies across the federal government, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy.

Even worse, the administration is slashing funding for basic science research and creating barriers to recruiting scientific talent from abroad, producing a brain drain with catastrophic consequences that are already being felt.

Federal spending on research and development, much of it granted to university-based investigators by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, is at a 25-year low as a percentage of gross domestic product. This spring, the National Science Foundation eliminated 1,669 grants, worth $1.5 billion. In 2026, the percentage of submitted proposals that get funded by the NSF will be reduced from 26 percent to about 7 percent; grants to early career researchers are likely to decline by 78 percent. Many fewer graduate and post-doctoral research fellowships will be available.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This spring, the NIH terminated 2,482 grants, some of them for vaccine development and cancer treatments, worth $8.7 billion. And the 2026 budget, for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, contains the largest reductions in decades. More than 99 percent of the 356 drugs approved by the FDA between 2010 and 2019 were developed in part with NIH funding. In 2024, every dollar invested in NIH research generated a $2.56 return.

Job openings in STEM fields at research universities are likely to decline by 20 percent in 2026. Nor will industry be able to absorb the many experienced scientists, newly minted Ph.D. holders and researchers who have resigned from or been fired by the federal government. Not surprisingly, three-quarters of the scientists who responded to a poll conducted by the publication Nature indicated they would consider leaving the U.S.

And those scientists are being wooed. An EU campaign called Choose Europe has allocated 500 million to entice them to relocate. Aix-Marseille Universitys Safe Place for Scientists welcomes those who may feel threatened or hindered in their research. Australias Global Talent Attraction Program touts an unparalleled opportunity to attract some of the smartest minds.

China has long sought to recruit U.S.-based scientists through its High-End Foreign Expert Recruitment Program and other initiatives. After his grant was frozen by the Trump administration, the Chinese government offered Nobel Laureate neuroscientist Ardem Patapoutian 20 years of funding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The administrations restrictions on international students and scholars are further accelerating the brain drain. This includes the revocation of more than 6,000 student visas, long delays in scheduling visa interviews, intensive social media vetting of all visa applicants and travel bans. Most recently, the administration proposed limiting temporary student visas to a maximum of four years, far less than the average time required to complete a doctorate.

Temporary visa holders constitute 39 percent of doctoral students and 54 percent of researchers in science, engineering and health. Among the best and brightest researchers in the world, many choose to remain in the U.S. upon completion of their degrees. More than a few have founded billion-dollar companies. Those who return home often bring an appreciation of American values with them.

For decades, America was a magnet for international talent, which helped drive U.S. scientific, technological and economic preeminence. That is changing.

I probably wouldnt come, an international student recently said. I would invest my time in a place where theres stability. While concerns about espionage and theft of U.S. intellectual property are legitimate (if overstated), blanket restrictions on foreign students and researchers are not the way to address them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This brain drain is Americas gift to China. In recent years, Beijing has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on research and development and higher education. It has already paid off. China far exceeds the U.S. in STEM graduates, patents and publications in prestigious STEM journals, and it leads the world in high-performance computing, quantum technology, renewable energy and more. Given an opening by the Trump administration, China is well positioned to race ahead as it accelerates its push to attract the worlds top scientific talent.

Once a nation falters in the race to be a science powerhouse, asserts President of the National Academy of Scientists Marcia McNutt, you never fully recover. You might accelerate back to 60, but you cant make up for those years when you were at a standstill while the competition was racing ahead.

The U.S., alas, is not standing still. With lost generations of knowledge workers in basic and applied science, medicine and technology, we are going backwards. As that happens, we will have a hell of a time making America great again.

Glenn C. Altschuler is the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Emeritus Professor of American Studies at Cornell University. David Wippman is emeritus president of Hamilton College.

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.
School has started. Childhood vaccination rates are down; exemptions are up. Measles concerns are up. The governor is highlighting vaccination benefits. Whats going on?

In the past, Utah has been among the states with the highest rates in the nation for children entering kindergarten. Vaccination levels consistently exceeded the 95% threshold recommended by infectious disease experts to prevent community spread. However, by the 2023-24 school year, Utahs immunization rate had declined to 88.8%  among the countrys lowest.

According to Utahs Department of Health and Human Services, 73.5% of schools with kindergartens have vaccination rates below the recommended 95% threshold. Almost 47% of those schools have vaccination rates below 90%, when the likelihood of an outbreak increases to 51%. As vaccination levels decline, the outbreak potential increases sharply. Fortunately, Utah has had only 13 measles cases reported in 2025, despite outbreaks nationwide. However, as children return to school, just one infected child can ignite a measles outbreak in schools with low vaccination rates.

Why it matters

Childhood infectious diseases were a significant public health problem in the early to mid-1900s, impacting nearly every American household. In the pre-vaccine era (before 1963), 95% of the U.S. population contracted measles, reaching a peak of 763,094 cases and 552 deaths in 1958. Other infectious diseases, such as whooping cough, diphtheria, rubella, and polio, were also widespread. Following the introduction of vaccines, these diseases were virtually eliminated, representing one of the most significant achievements in the history of medicine and public health.

The effect of vaccine interventions

A study by the Centers for Disease Control concluded that for children born in the U.S. from 1994 to 2023, routine childhood vaccinations prevented approximately 508 million cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations and 1,129,000 deaths. A highly vaccinated population was among the primary factors contributing to the increase in life expectancy at birth from 47 years in 1900 to 77.5 years in 2022.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Maintaining high vaccination rates is essential for community-wide protection against childhood infectious diseases. The lower the rates, the greater the outbreak risk. Nearly all recent measles cases in this country involved unvaccinated individuals. Measles is highly contagious, and those infected can become very ill with secondary conditions. A measles outbreak in Utah would present a serious challenge to our healthcare system.

Its also important to recognize that declining community protection significantly increases the risk for individuals who cannot be vaccinated because they are infants, elderly, pregnant or have weakened immune systems from conditions like cancer.

Why have vaccination rates in Utah declined so significantly?

The decline in school-age vaccinations reflects parental concerns about safety and increased parental requests for vaccine exemptions for their children. Currently, Utah has the countrys second-highest exemption request rate. This rise is linked to misleading rhetoric about vaccines. The politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge in misinformation about vaccines, which has influenced public perceptions of vaccine safety.

Are the required vaccines for children entering school safe?

Some have argued that the vaccine approval process is flawed, that current vaccines cause autism and other chronic diseases, and that clinical trials were not properly conducted. Such claims are not supported by credible research. Childhood vaccinations undergo extensive clinical trials before being made available to the public. The benefits of immunization greatly exceed the potential risks. The chance of adverse reactions from vaccines is similar to or lower than that of other commonly used medicines. Mandated school vaccinations are among the safest and most effective; they do not cause autism or other long-term conditions. One of the most convincing facts is that vaccines for childhood infectious diseases have been used for generations and have been safely given to millions of children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vaccines today provide a level of protection that past generations could only imagine. As a society, we have forgotten this. The decline in vaccination rates among children entering Utah schools is a significant public health concern that necessitates action. The safe and ethical method to achieve both individual and community immunity is through widespread vaccinations, a practice that Utah and the U.S. have endorsed since the early 1950s.

More information and supporting documentation are available in The Community Vaccine Forums report The Impact of Declining Vaccination Rates for Children Entering School in Utah.
The Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees NASA, recently held a hearing with the colorful title of Theres a Bad Moon on the Rise: Why Congress and NASA Must Thwart China in the Space Race.

As the title suggests, the committee convened to examine the possibility that China might actually be the first country back to the moon and what could be done about it.

What is the Chinese threat, in the view of the committee, and how can the U.S. thwart it? The consensus of the witnesses was that a return to the moon would derive enormous benefits in a number of areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine referred to these benefits as DIME  short for Diplomatic, Information, Military, Economic. The country that returns to the moon will be the preeminent power on Earth for a long time to come.

The witnesses noted some of the economic benefits of space exploration, not only of the moon, but of low Earth orbit.

Mike Gold, president of civil and international space for Redwire, noted that his company has flown numerous experiments on the International Space Station that lead the way for advanced pharmaceuticals and growing of human organs.

Another topic that arose was the mining pf helium 3, an isotope with great promise for nuclear fusion, from the moon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A return to the moon also has national security implications. The moon is, in some ways, the high ground which allows the country that occupies it to exert both hard power (military) and soft power (diplomatic and information).

The U.S. must be the nation that leads the world back to the moon. If China is that nation, the results will be catastrophic, considering that countrys totalitarian government and its imperialistic drive to dominate the Earth.

Both the witnesses and the members of the committee were disappointingly vague on solutions for preventing the Chinese from beating the U.S. back to the moon. Several talked about a grand strategy for space, encompassing not only the moon but also low Earth orbit and beyond. Details were lacking on what this grand strategy would be.

More than one participant mentioned the need for adequate and consistent funding, something that lacking during previous attempts to return to the moon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) mentioned continuity of architecture, avoiding what he viewed as a premature pivot from the Orion/Space Launch System to purely commercial vehicles.

Gold and Bridenstine were particularly supportive of the Lunar Gateway, a lunar orbital space station they suggested would enhance lunar surface operations.

Nuclear power also came in for some praise. The witnesses touted the recent decision by Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy to build a lunar surface nuclear power plant and get it to the moon by 2030.

Bridenstine took note of the one technology that may well prevent NASA and its partners from beating China back to the moon. The SpaceX Starship Human Landing System is far away from being operational enough to take astronauts to the lunar surface and back.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The things that the human landing system will have to do, including multiple refueling missions in low Earth orbit, makes the vehicle too complex to quickly become a lunar lander, in his view.

Bridenstine suggested that had he (or anyone) been NASA administrator when a lunar lander had been selected, the human landing system would not have made the cut.

Nevertheless, the Starship Human Landing System is the lander selected to return astronauts to the moon. No prospect exists of a last-minute substitution that would be ready in time.

Barring SpaceXs Elon Musk pulling a rabbit out of his hat or the Chinese faltering, the U.S. is in peril for a Sputnik moment on steroids.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As mentioned in a previous article, what happens next depends on whether the U.S. reacts in the same way as it did in the wake of the Soviet Unions first artificial satellite.

A flags and footsteps mission to the moon will be a fleeting victory for China if NASA and its partners follow with a permanent moon base.

The future of the world depends on wise, clear-eyed policy that takes a temporary defeat and presses on to the ultimate victory.

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.

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.
When Daniel was consumed with severe and inexplicable pain for months, his physician prescribed an MRI. However, his health insurer required that it approve the test as well before he could undergo the procedure. When the insurer denied the prior authorization, that began his long journey to diagnose and treat his syringomyelia, or a cyst in his spinal column. For Daniel, it meant over a year of debilitating pain, weight loss, suicidal depression and dependence on opioids amid delayed diagnosis and treatment. And his repeated appeals of the denied authorization drained what little energy he had.

While writing my forthcoming book (on health insurance coverage delays and denials), I found that Daniels tragic experience is all too common. Of the 1,340 people I surveyed, 36% experienced at least one instance of coverage denial, often through prior authorization, that kept medical care out of reach. Prior authorization has been typically deployed by private health insurers, infuriating doctors and patients. Now, though, thanks to the Trump administration, Medicare beneficiaries will begin facing these obstacles to care as well.

Starting next year, through its implementation of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin a pilot program that will import the prior authorization process to traditional Medicare plans in six states. The program will even employ artificial intelligence tools to decide whether those Medicare beneficiaries will receive the care physicians say they need.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Private insurers usually deploy prior authorization to limit low-value care and contain health care costs. Though the tactic was used sparingly in its early days, it is now applied to most higher-cost drugs and nearly all surgeries and procedures. While most prior authorizations are ultimately approved, they are a source of headaches and frustration among patients and physicians alike, sowing distrust in the health care system. Prior authorization creates delays and denials of health coverage  and the process of challenging denials is highly burdensome, especially for people who are already struggling with severe or even life-threatening health conditions.

Appealing a coverage denial demands a high degree of health insurance literacy and fortitude that most of us lack, especially in a health crisis. Coordinating between ones physician and insurer, all while potentially going untreated, can lead patients such as Daniel to experience a sense of overwhelm and a loss of autonomy amid this navigation anxiety. It is little wonder why so few patients ultimately opt to appeal. In fact, among the 3.2 million denials of prior authorization rendered by Medicare Advantage plans in 2023, just 11.7% were appealed despite most appeals resulting in a reversal of the initial denial.

Thus, health care becomes rationed not through a final denial of coverage, but rather through accumulations of inconveniences as patients  especially those from marginalized backgrounds  struggle to navigate Americas labyrinthine health insurance bureaucracy. Perhaps not surprisingly, the use of prior authorization has effects that are not only pervasive, but also inequitable. My research has found that less affluent patients are less likely to appeal, and sicker patients and Black and Hispanic Medicaid patients are less likely to appeal successfully.

The roughly 33 million Americans in Medicares traditional fee-for-service plans have largely been able to evade these administrative burdens, as these plans use prior authorization very rarely, such as for durable medical equipment. On the other hand, 99% of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have prior authorization requirements in their plans. But with the proposed changes under the Trump administration, the enrollees relying on traditional Medicare will get ensnared in red tape as well, likely leading to delayed or forgone care.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And remember, most of Medicares beneficiaries are 65 or older. Older adults tend to have lower health insurance literacy, are more likely to have significant health challenges and more frequently suffer from cognitive decline, which makes navigating the complexities of these health insurance processes particularly onerous, if not infeasible.

CMS Director Dr. Mehmet Oz asserts that this pilot program is aimed at crushing fraud, waste, and abuse. But it will inevitably drive delays in care  and burdens of appealing  for seniors across the country. It will likewise exacerbate administrative burden for physicians, who must submit prior authorization documentation, conduct peer to peer reviews of denials, and craft appeal letters on behalf of their patients. In fact, quite apart from simply combating overprescribing, prior authorization-related burdens can actually lead to underprescribing to avoid subsequent delays or rejections of coverage.

Whats more, health insurers reliance on AI to process claims (including from Medicare Advantage beneficiaries) has already faced legal challenges. Lawsuits filed against UnitedHealth, Cigna, and Humana challenge the deployment of AI programs to decide the amount of coverage that patients required, regardless of the recommendations of the treating physician. Despite the scrutiny in court, only a small minority of patients (usually more advantaged patients) appeal these prior authorization denials. In other words, the high rate at which these denials are reversed  as high as 90 percent, according to the lawsuits  can be an acceptable cost to insurers if the process is so burdensome that few ever challenge the decisions in the first place.

Daniel ultimately received his spinal cord stimulator, but through his long-term suffering, he was left wondering what might have been absent his supportive family and team of physicians advocating for his access to care at each turn in the health insurance maze. Applying the tools of managed health care to seniors, who may face cognitive decline and worsened physical health, is a recipe for disaster in which, for far too many, health benefits will feel illusory. In a nation as wealthy as the United States, seniors epitaphs should not be at risk of reading, Died of red tape.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
President Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, along with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, briefed the White House late last month on a plan for postwar Gaza, NBC News, citing two White House officials, reported last week. The proposal, to put it plainly, is an unserious, politically ignorant, economic-centric pipe dream, a la Trumps vision of a Gaza Riviera. And it further highlights Kushners decidedly overrated reputation as a successful diplomat in Middle East relations.

First reported by The Washington Post, which also published the document in full, the GREAT* Trust (*Gaza Reconstitution, Economic Acceleration and Transformation) prospectus includes graphics that envision rolling green hills and skyscrapers standing on whats currently a wasteland of destruction and starvation. It provides a glossy sheen to ethnic cleansing and places no responsibility on Israel to make meaningful steps toward a political solution that ends the larger conflict  including Palestinian self-determination in Gaza.

Despite being presented to the White House by a former U.K. prime minister and the presidents son-in-law  whose investment firm has received billions in investments and fees from the governments of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia  its unclear if this plan is what the Trump White House has in mind, as the White House didnt respond to MSNBCs request for comment on the matter. Its also not clear what, if any, involvement Kushner had in creating the GREAT Trust proposal, but the fact that he presented it to the White House telegraphs at least some support.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The plan sees Gaza (not Hamas, but Gaza itself) as an Iranian outpost in a moderate part of the region, but also a potential Abrahamic Ally, which appears to be a reference to the Abraham Accords, the 2020 agreements that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, and which were brokered by Kushner during the first Trump administration. According to the plan, the trust will govern Gaza for a transition period until a reformed and deradicalized Palestinian Polity is ready to step in its shoes, adding that the reformed Palestinian Polity will join the Abraham Accords.

Lovely idea, but how will that work? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long insisted a Palestinian state will never happen and has even ruled out the possibility of a future Gaza government led by the Palestinian Authority  the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinian people, which also recognizes Israels right to exist, supports a two-state solution and correctly blames Hamas for starting this horrific war.

So how will this reformed Palestinian Polity come into existence? The GREAT Trust doesnt have time for such pesky details. The Israeli-Palestinian crisis might be approaching its ninth decade  and a two-state solution has never looked less likely  but this proposal only sees the money to be made. The fate of Gazan civilians is rendered as a minor and temporary impediment to untold economic prosperity.

The plan includes something called The Elon Musk Smart Manufacturing Zone and vague references to high-speed rail lines that would connect Gaza with other Abrahamic states (presumably referring to the Arab countries that have normalized relations with Israel). But, crucially, the plan aims to have as few Gazans in Gaza as possible.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As The Guardian summarized, Palestinians would be encouraged into voluntary departure to another country or into restricted, secure zones during reconstruction. Those who own land would be offered a digital token by the trust in exchange for rights to redevelop their property, to be used to finance a new life elsewhere. Those who stay would be housed in properties with a tiny footprint of 323 sq ft  minuscule even by the standards of many non-refugee camp homes in Gaza.

According to the Post, the proposal was developed by some of the same Israelis who created and set in motion the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) now distributing food inside the enclave. Financial planning was done by a team working at the time for the Boston Consulting Group, but BCG has said that work on the trust plan was expressly not approved and that two senior partners who led the financial modeling were subsequently fired.

Even though the White House hasnt said if it supports the GREAT prospectus, the plan does comport with Trumps previous statements that he wanted to clean out Gaza and move people from there to Jordan and Egypt. Trumps use of clean out Gaza was a euphemism for ethnic cleansing that, as I noted in February, obliterated any pretense that the U.S. would be an objective mediator in resolving the seemingly intractable conflict.

If ethnic cleansing is on the table at all, Trump has already done his job. He has not only moved the Overton Window; he has opened it wide for humanitys worst instincts to become just another political issue, as worthy of consideration and debate as any other, I wrote at the time. And some of the more extreme members of Netanyahus government have been disturbingly candid about the governments intentions  to make Gaza unlivable, with the hopes that Gazans will submit to voluntary relocation, clearing the path for the resettlement of Gaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kushner has been hailed by many pro-Israel partisans for his statesmanship, but as a senior adviser in the first Trump administration, his 2020 Peace to Prosperity plan leaned so heavily in favor of Israeli interests, it was effectively a nonstarter. At the time, Ilan Goldenberg, a former State Department official who served as the chief of staff to the special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, said the proposed land swaps gave Palestinians a bunch of desert entirely disconnected from the rest of their state while taking prime real estate in the middle of the West Bank [for Israel].

And the Abraham Accords  Kushners crowning diplomatic achievement  came with one major flaw: Almost nothing was advanced to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza or the occupation of the West Bank, leaving millions of Palestinians under Israeli control, but lacking basic civil rights.

Just days after Hamas savage attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Nicholas Grossman wrote that rather than bringing about the dawn of a new Middle East, Trump actually threw Americas weight behind Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus squeeze-and-ignore approach to the Palestinians as if the fundamental problem of people displaced and living under occupation would just go away. And Hamas has been open about the fact that it launched the Oct. 7 offensive in large part to upend further Israeli-Arab normalization efforts.

Now the UAE, an Abraham Accords signee, has warned the Trump administration that the accords could collapse if Israel goes through with its threatened annexation of large parts of the West Bank in response to several Western countries recognizing a Palestinian state. Axios, citing two Israeli officials, reported Wednesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had signaled in private meetings that he wouldnt oppose such annexations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Axios quoted a senior Emirati official as saying, These plans, if carried out, will do substantial damage to the UAE-Israel relationship. And they will irreparably damage whatever remains of the vision of regional integration. In many ways, the choice before Israel right now is annexation or integration.

At a news conference in Ecuador on Thursday, Rubio said that as far as what youre seeing with the West Bank and the annexation, thats not a final thing. Thats something thats being discussed among some elements of Israeli politics.  Im not going to opine on that today. What I am going to tell you is it was wholly predictable.

Kushners crowning diplomatic achievement, the Abraham Accords, is at risk because of the continued bellicosity of his good friend Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. And by presenting the GREAT Plan to the White House  which includes plans for the voluntary relocation of Gazans to other countries  Kushner himself is putting the Abraham Accords at risk.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
I was born and raised in Utah, and my wife and I are raising our children here. I understand Utahns concerns about higher education, including high costs, uncertain career payoff, elitist attitudes and campus environments that can feel out of step with community values. Many times, these criticisms are well-founded, and universities need to do more to address them.

All the while, universities across the country are about to experience what experts call the demographic cliff. Because the U.S. birth rate has dropped every year since 2015 , the number of 18-year-olds in the United States is expected to decline 17% by 2041 . Some universities are already starting to feel the strain, and others are preparing for it.

One troubling aspect of the demographic cliff is that it widens the gap between the supply of and demand for college-educated workers. The United States Chamber of Commerce says we are already facing  a worker shortage crisis , with too many empty jobs and not enough qualified workers, which will only grow worse with time. A Georgetown University report projects that by 2031, 72% of all jobs will require some form of postsecondary education. Fewer students, combined with the retirement of baby boomers, mean fewer graduates and fewer qualified workers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The return on investment for higher education is one reason the demographic cliff and worker shortage matter. In Utah, for every $1 spent on public higher education, tax revenues increase by $3 due to higher wages for college graduates. Public colleges and universities contribute $12.1 billion to Utahs economy . Of course, higher education not only pays dividends for Utahs economy, but also for individuals. In 2024, the median college graduate with just a bachelors degree earned about $80,000, compared to $47,000 for the median worker with only a high school diploma.

The demographic cliff represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Utah can strengthen its pipeline of qualified workers by making higher education more accessible to nontraditional students such as single parents; working adults; those not entering college directly from high school; or those whose education was interrupted by family responsibilities, employment, military service or other life circumstances  all of whom represent an untapped resource.

A 2021 analysis by the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) estimated that 486,888 people in Utah ages 25 and over had college credits but no degree. American Community Survey data for the same year show that 664,661 adults in Utah ages 25 and over do not have a college degree. This group represents an important pool of potential students.

Expanding higher education access for nontraditional students supports Utahs legislative priorities. In 2025, lawmakers passed the Higher Education Strategic Reinvestment bill (HB265 ), which requires institutions to reallocate funding to programs that align student and market demand, withholding 10% of budgets until schools are compliant. This bill signals a clear message that state resources are to be invested in university programs  with strong student demand, job placement, and alignment with workforce needs . Expanding access for nontraditional students fits squarely with the intent of HB265.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To meet long-term labor force needs, the Legislature and Utah System of Higher Education should continue looking for ways to expand cost-efficient programs that adapt to the practical realities of nontraditional students:

Offer evening, weekend, hybrid and online programs so working adults, parents and rural students can enroll without leaving jobs or families. These formats are more cost-effective than in-person classes, and savings can be passed on to students. In rural and geographically isolated communities, use libraries and public schools as low-cost sites for evening courses, tutoring and academic advising tailored to local workforce needs. Extend current employer childcare tax credits (HB389 [2025]) further. Add additional tax credit (e.g., 5 or 10%) covering childcare for employees pursuing higher education. Establish a publicly available dashboard that reports education funding and outcomes such as enrollment, graduation, credential completion and employment. Explicitly showing the impacts of investment (and disinvestment) will improve outcomes, build taxpayer trust, and promote legislative and institutional accountability.

As the country braces for declining enrollments, Utah has a chance to respond in affordable and strategic ways. By expanding pathways for motivated and resilient nontraditional students, Utah can strengthen its economy, increase taxpayer returns and soften the blow of the demographic cliff.
The Fourth Amendment protects peoples privacy. This constitutional protection is intended to shield peoples private lives against government intrusion.

Generally, the government cannot enter someones home unless a judge issues a warrant. However, in the digital age this shield is no longer holding up. As people share their personal data for access to news, social media and other content, the government can simply purchase the data it wants; no warrant needed.

This erosion of privacy is not happening in the shadows; it is a core characteristic of the digital economy. We, as consumers, have grown accustomed to the relentless data collection that fuels the Internet. We consent to having our clicks, locations, messages and preferences tracked, packaged, and sold over and over again. The primary actors in this data marketplace are private companies, driven by large profits from targeted advertising. The problem is that their most eager customer is increasingly the U.S. government.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The legal distinction between government surveillance and corporate data collection has collapsed into a de facto public-private surveillance partnership. Why go through all the hassle of getting a warrant when you can just buy what you need on the open market?

A declassified report recently confirmed that our own intelligence agencies have been acquiring vast troves of Americans personal information from commercial data brokers. In one reported case, Customs and Border Protection bought access to travelers domestic flight records, short-circuiting oversight required for direct government data collection.

This practice represents a profound threat that transcends consumer rights. It is a structural threat to the very foundation of democracy. The cooperation between commercial data collection companies and state power creates a chilling effect on free speech, association and dissent  bedrock principles of a functioning democracy.

Think about it: would you still search for information on a protest against a government policy, donate to a controversial political cause, or even text a friend your straight opinion if you knew that a three-letter agency could purchase a record of your activities? When the line between private spaces and governmental surveillance blurs, self-censorship becomes a rational response. The public square, where ideas are meant to be debated freely, shrinks. The fear of being targeted by the government can ultimately deter any civic engagement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This problem is even more urgent as data brokers, ad networks and other companies in the online ad ecosystem are not exactly known for their stellar track record of following privacy laws. For example, in a recent study we found that the majority of websites fail to honor users opt outs of tracking and the sale of their data that they expressed via Global Privacy Control, a new opt out browser signal that is legally binding in California, Colorado, Connecticut and New Jersey. As many companies are not even honoring legally mandated requests for privacy, the data should not end up in the governments hand at all.

Now, what can we do? The best path forward seems to me a single privacy standard that applies equally to both private companies and the government. To be sure, the Fourth Amendment only applies vis-a-vis the government. There is no way around it. However, at what point is the government involved in a data collection activity? No doubt, there will be thorny doctrinal questions that we need to address in order to adapt the Fourth Amendment for the current reality. However, the law is far from set, and we have ample opportunity to improve it.

Most notably, as the Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, courts have a wide leeway to determine what constitutes unreasonable activities. Current practices of buying data from private companies could be deemed unreasonable. Maybe that is not the case for all purchases under all conditions, but courts and legal scholars have already begun refining the ideas about just what requires judicial control.

As a guiding principle, the Fourth Amendment was not created simply to deal with ordinary policing and criminal enforcement but was forged to serve as a bulwark against an authoritarian government. It should be interpreted accordingly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the end, protecting our personal data from being sold by profit-driven companies to an ever-watchful government is not just a matter of consumer protection. It is an urgent prerequisite for preserving the integrity of democracy. We should not allow the constitutional promise of privacy to be rendered meaningless by a commercial transaction. Our personal autonomy is not a commodity. It is time the Fourth Amendment reflect that.

Sebastian Zimmeck is associate professor of computer science at Wesleyan University and a renowned expert on information privacy and security.

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.
Related NewsNation DC Bureau video: Social Security Fears on 90th Anniversary (Posted Aug. 15, 2025)

Your monthly Social Security payment hasnt arrived on time. You call Social Securitys 1-800 number, and a chatbot answers. The bot provides no helpful information. You repeatedly ask to be connected to an agent, until finally you are disconnected. You drive an hour to the nearest Social Security field office, where youre told there are no walk-ins. The next available appointment is in two months  and your mortgage payment is due tomorrow.

This nightmare scenario could happen to you or someone you love. Why? Because President Trump and Elon Musk have sabotaged Social Security from within, gutting the infrastructure that has always ensured Americans get their hard earned benefits.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ninety years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Social Security into law. It has since withstood wars, recessions and pandemics, but it has never faced a greater threat than Trump and Musk.

I dont say that lightly. I have over 50 years of expertise on Social Security and have written multiple books on its history. My mentors, Robert Ball, Wilbur Cohen and Robert Myers, began working on Social Security in the 1930s. If they were alive to see the damage Trump is doing to the system, they would be horrified.

Social Security is too popular to destroy in the light of day. President George W. Bush tried to privatize Social Security, but he couldnt convince even a Republican-controlled Congress to hold a vote.

Trump has apparently learned from Bushs defeat. His strategy is to destroy Social Security quietly from within, while loudly claiming he will never cut it. He has decimated the Social Security Administrations dedicated workforce. Musks underlings in the Department of Government Efficiency have forced out thousands of Social Security staffers, including many in leadership positions. This is a mass involuntary exodus of expertise and institutional knowledge.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Most recently, the Trump administration pushed out Social Securitys chief data officer, Charles Borges, a brave whistleblower. Borges sounded the alarm about Musks DOGE minions grabbing all of our most sensitive Social Security data for unknown purposes and making it vulnerable to hackers.

Trump and Musk have no understanding of what it takes to run Social Security. They think they can replace these dedicated, experienced staffers with 20-year-olds and an AI chatbot. They are catastrophically wrong.

So is the man they handpicked to lead Social Security, self described DOGE person and Wall Street billionaire Frank Bisignano. Bisignano admits that he had to google Social Security when they offered him the job. But his lack of experience and expertise hasnt stopped him from making sweeping changes  including replacing human workers with untested AI bots.

Under the Trump administration, Social Security field offices have lost an estimated 20 percent of their staff. Social Security has stopped reporting metrics that have been public for decades. Bisignano is cherry-picking the remaining metrics to try to paint a rosy picture, but investigations from journalists and members of Congress tell a very different story.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A Washington Post reporter called Social Securitys 1-800 number and asked the AI chatbot to connect her to a human. It took eight attempts. Similarly, an investigation from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) found that most calls to the help line are never answered by a human. According to her team, The majority of calls ended when the caller was placed on hold and then dropped  leaving the caller without assistance.

Like the proverbial rearranging of the deck chairs on the Titanic, the Trump administration responded to this accurate but devastating reporting by shifting thousands of field office workers to answering the 1-800 number  which means they arent processing benefit claims. Although Trump can report that the phones are being answered more quickly, the work to actually get benefits into peoples hands is falling farther behind.

Even before Trump took office, the Social Security Administration was understaffed due to decades of underfunding from congressional Republicans. In 2023, the agency was at its lowest staffing level in 25 years, even as the number of beneficiaries climbed, with 12,000 baby boomers turning 65 each day.

In December 2023, former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley (D) was confirmed as Social Security commissioner. Under his leadership, the agency finally made progress improving service to the public (progress that Bisignano is now falsely trying to take credit for). Congress provided funding to hire more staff, although it still was not nearly enough.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Instead of building on OMalleys good work, Trump, Musk and Bisignano are taking a wrecking ball to the Social Security Administration. The only reason the system hasnt already collapsed is that the mission-driven staffers who remain are each doing the work of five people. They are holding Social Security together with shoestrings and chewing gum but they cant do it forever.

I dont say this to scare people, but to spur them to action. Now is the time to call your members of Congress, go to town hall meetings, and join protest marches. Tell Trump and DOGE to keep their hands off our hard-earned Social Security benefits. In America, we dont kneel to self-styled kings. We stand up and we fight back.

Nancy Altman is president of Social Security Works.

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.
(NewsNation)  A Finnish tech company that makes smart rings for tracking health and wellness metrics says its not sharing civilian customer data with the United States government or a third party through a project with the Department of Defense.

In a recent news release, Oura announced it would build a plant in Fort Worth, Texas, to support its defense sector work. The company said it has worked in that sector since 2019, deploying tens of thousands of rings in support of the DoDs efforts to enhance human performance across all branches of the armed services.

A PR nightmare ensued. Online backlash included allegations that Oura is working with software defense contractor Palantir and claims that Ouras civilian data would be compromised. In protest, some social media content creators said they were getting rid of their rings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sensors can read your sweat and predict overheating. Heres why privacy advocates care

What do Oura rings do?

Oura rings measure heart rate and heart rate variability, body temperature and blood oxygen, among other metrics. They start at $299 and require a $6 monthly membership to access health insights, after a free first month.

Is Oura selling data, working with Palantir?

Oura says it doesnt sell or share personal data to a third party without a customers express consent. CEO Tom Hale said in a TikTok that Oura uses Palantir software FedStart for some government business, but stresses that its sales to consumers are a separate matter.

Elon Musk could earn $1T if Tesla hits bold targets

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Your personal data never touches any government system, Hale said in the video. Nobody from Palantir or the government has access to your data  full stop.

Did Oura put its competitors out of business?

A portion of the online criticism stems from some consumers negative feelings about Oura working with the U.S. military. Others accuse Oura of being heavy-handed with its competitors.

Oura accused international competitors of infringing on its patent and took legal action. Under an International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling, two of them can no longer sell products in the U.S.

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.
Two Democratic senators just completed a visit to South Korea and Japan, with cooperation on shipbuilding a major topic.

Duckworth and Kim told BI that the US needs to give the allies clearer communication to assist with shipbuilding.

The US faces long-standing commercial and military shipbuilding problems at a time when China dominates the industry.

US allies in the Pacific are ready to help fix American shipbuilding. But the problem is that Washington hasn't been clear on what support it needs or how to coordinate it, US lawmakers say.

Shrinking yards, delayed programs, and spiraling costs have left the US shipbuilding industry struggling to maintain and sustain the Navy's fleet, as well as support commercial endeavors. Meanwhile, rival China's state-backed yards are turning out warships and commercial vessels at an alarming pace.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After a recent trip to South Korea and Japan, Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) told Business Insider that America's partners are ready to pitch in but say the US hasn't given them clear direction on how they can help with American shipbuilding and maintenance challenges.

A lack of direction

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is building 11 warships for Australia's Navy, Tokyo and Canberra announced this week. Yuichi YAMAZAKI / POOL / AFP

"There's just genuine excitement and energy on the Korean side to move as fast as possible," Kim said, but they're "just waiting for the United States to tell them how high to jump."

In South Korea, the senators met President Lee Jae Myung and executives from Hanwha Ocean, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Samsung Heavy Industries  South Korea's "big three" shipbuilding power players. And in Japan, they met with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Keidanren Japanese Business Federation and Japanese External Trade Organization.

Talks focused on auxiliary vessels, fleet readiness, and sealift capacity, areas where both South Korea and Japan have competitive yards. Other economic investments, like energy and technology, were also discussed alongside broader national security ties.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both Seoul and Tokyo have strong shipbuilding industries, the second and third largest in the Indo-Pacific, respectively, with shipyards capable of assisting the US in key areas.

The message from officials and industry leaders, though, is that there's confusion in the cooperation.

"I think the one main ask of everybody we talked to, whether it was the shipbuilders themselves or government officials, was, 'We don't know who to talk to,'" Duckworth said.

TK Courtesy photo

Conversations bounce between US military offices, commercial firms, and government agencies with no single point of contact. Kim said there has been work with the Trump administration to find a point person, "some type of shipbuilding czar."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Trump administration already set up a White House office dedicated to fixing US shipbuilding, but it remains to be seen if that effort can cure the chronic cost overruns and program delays affecting the shipbuilding industry.

The Navy's 2026 budget earmarks $47.4 billion for 19 battle-force ships, though much of the funding is conditional. At the same time, Washington is investing in modernizing shipyards and reviving a commercial sector that's shrunk to a shadow of its former capacity, part of a broader effort to rebuild an industrial base now overshadowed by China.

And prior to her trip, Duckworth secured a provision in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act requiring the Navy and Army to explore joint ventures with foreign partners on small vessels.

Pushing for more cooperation

Workers at the construction site of the first built-in-China large cruise ship (H1508), a Vista-class ship owned by CSSC Carnival Cruise Shipping Co., Ltd, at a shipyard of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), on August 3, 2022 in Shanghai, China. Yin Liqin/China News Service via Getty Images

South Korea has floated even bigger proposals amid other negotiations. In July, its finance minister announced a $150 billion package  branded "Make America Shipbuilding Great Again"  that would include building new US yards, training American workers, and servicing ships.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Duckworth and Kim said they presented strong bipartisan congressional support for shipbuilding cooperation to South Korean and Japanese officials and business leaders. But there are hang-ups to cooperation, such as visas, workforce challenges, communication issues, and misaligned shipyard capacity.

The senators' trip to the Pacific came as leaders in Washington look closely at how to fix the decades-old shipbuilding problems that have left the US commercial sector diminished and contributed to the Navy's problems building and maintaining its fleet.

When it comes to fixing shipbuilding problems, the urgency is growing. China is consolidating its massive state-owned shipbuilders into the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, cementing its position as an industry juggernaut while leveraging its industrial capacity to rapidly expand its navy.

Duckworth said that if the US is going to compete with China in shipbuilding, "then we really need to identify what our need is and what the plan is moving forward."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Next steps, the senators said, are to appoint a lead US official, improve coordination, and give allies clear answers and tasks. Only then, the senators argue, can Washington turn enthusiasm in Seoul and Tokyo into steel in the water.

Read the original article on Business Insider
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  An accidental cooking fire in Peoria has caused a man and his pets to find somewhere else to live.

Just before 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, the Peoria Fire Department received a report of a house fire at 840 W. Saint James St., Battalion Chief Rick Waldron said.

Arriving crews saw moderate smoke coming from the front of the home and called it a working fire.

Firefighters found an oven fire that got into the cabinets and the wall behind it. Crews were able to quickly put it out and begin an overhaul to look for hotspots.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Waldron said a man who lived in the house got out before the fire department arrived. Crews helped get three dogs and two cats out of the home but one cat is still missing.

An investigator said the fire was accidental, caused by grease igniting on a stove top. The stove was unattended, allowing the fire to spread to the wall, cabinets and ceiling.

There was pretty good damage to the kitchen. Oven fires, we get our fair share of them. A lot of times its self-cleaning, other times its unintended food with a dirty oven, sometimes its overflowing grease that catches fire, Waldron said.

There were no injuries reported by the fire, but there was an estimated $60,000 worth of damage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The resident was displaced and has found another place to live.

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.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  One person was taken to the hospital after being shot overnight in Montgomery County, authorities detailed.

The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) said it responded to a shooting just before 1 a.m. in the 12900 block of Twinbrook Parkway on Sept. 7.

Court documents detail night of triple shooting that killed Congressional intern

Details remain limited, however, MCPD said one person had been shot and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As of the early morning hours on Sunday, the investigation was still active and 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 DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
After nearly three years of delays, Petes Fresh Market opened last week in Tinley Park, at 163rd Street and Harlem Avenue, as a part of the companys expansion in the south and southwest suburbs.

Omar Guerrero, the stores general manager, said customers were so excited opening day that they ran through the aisles, racing to get to the discounts and explore the store.

Guerrero, whos worked at Petes for more than 20 years and started as a checkout-line bagger, said hes received a lot of thankful comments from customers, with just a few negative comments about parking lot speed bumps the store removed shortly after opening.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Guerrero said he was proud for his staff and the community when the doors opened, as he said people have anticipated the stores debut for a long time.

Initial plans called for the store to open by Sept. 1, 2022, but it was delayed multiple times due to material shortages and prices along with delays in getting required electrical equipment due to persistent shortages, according to the chains 2024 petition to the village.

Petes customer Madleen Rafati, a Tinley Park resident with two young children, said Friday the opening will save her 25 minutes of commute to other Petes stores. She said she shops at the chain because it offers a wide variety of international products that include her Arabic cultures foods.

Rafati also said shopping there was like a return to pre-COVID-19, when she would see more community members at grocery stores.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its nice having beautiful stores like these that are closer to home that we can come out and shop together, Rafati said. Im really happy with it.

Alita Bezanis, chief people officer at Petes Market, said it offers more than 100,000 different items, compared to the usual 15,000 to 50,000 offered in other stores. These items are usually tailored to the community, and she said theres a wide variety of cultures near the Tinley Park store.

We do our homework to see whos in the area, and make sure that we cover it, Bezanis said. Its many different roots in one market.

Kimberly Hall, a Tinley Park resident, and Mona Gottwald, from Midlothian, both said Friday while shopping they like the store for its variety and cleanliness.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hall said she watched construction unfold during her weekly trips to Sams Club, next door. Now, Petes Market is a part of that Sams trip, and she said she especially likes the hot and cold bars in Petes.

Gottwald said Friday she wanted to visit the store because she heard so much excitement from the community on Facebook.

Guerrero, the general manager, also said staff was excited about the store, which employs about 190 people mostly from the area.

He said he has worked to bridge the gap between new employees, about 80% of the staff, and the tenured employees, who were pulled to work from other Petes stores.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were trying to mix them together and try to integrate our culture to the new employees, Guerrero said.

He said the store posts the companys three pillar values  service, quality and value  in the staff locker rooms, cafe area and all over the store. At the core of these values, he said, is service.

Makayla Scarlett, a bagger and Tinley Park resident, said her first day was overwhelming, but shes enjoyed the job so far.

Scarlett heard about the position at a Tinley job fair and met her now friend and co-worker, Kometra Carrol, last month in training.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Carrol said she likes to see the wide variety of items customers buy and asks them about how they cook the ingredients.

The store was originally a 38,000-square-foot Kmart. Tinley Park approved the companys plan to use the building, vacant since 2017, in September 2020.

After years of delays, Eugene Grzynkowicz told the villages Plan Commission in 2024 that rising costs of construction materials also meant a complete redesign of the grocery store to better suit the budget.

Another Petes Market opened in Orland Park in February, and Bezanis said the company plans to open markets in New Lenox, Oak Park and Palos Heights.
Peter Navarro will not let this go.

The longtime economic adviser to President Donald Trump is a year removed from his four-month prison sentence for defying a subpoena from the Jan. 6 select committee. Navarro is back in the White House and on the airwaves defending Trumps unprecedented tariff agenda. Hes become a hero to the MAGA base and written a small library of books about his legal saga. And the Trump-led Justice Department recently announced that it no longer stands behind the arguments that led to his conviction.

But Navarro wants more. In court papers filed Sunday, the Harvard-trained economist says the Justice Departments terse and tepid reversal isnt good enough. He wants his former prosecutors to explain exactly why theyve changed course  particularly on the complicated issues of executive privilege and presidential immunity that led to his conviction in the first place.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Without that explanation, Navarro says, hell be deprived of a chance to vindicate his original argument: that his status as a senior presidential adviser to Trump should have shielded him from his contempt-of-Congress prosecution in the first place.

The Department of Justice should not be allowed to disavow, without explanation or acknowledgment of its reasons, the positions it has pursued in this case for more than three years, Navarros attorneys say. When the Executive Branch abandons the positions it has aggressively advanced, the interests of candor, transparency, and fairness demand that it explain why.

Its an awkward dynamic. Navarro, who has said he doesnt want a pardon from Trump, is actually inviting further conflict with a Justice Department prepared to let him off the hook.

Navarro in a statement said that his continued fight a matter of principle  one he says could govern the way current and future presidential advisers face investigations by adversarial Congresses or Justice Departments.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If I lose, future presidential advisers of either party could face jail for honoring executive privilege and defending the Constitutions separation of powers, Navarro said in a statement to POLITICO.

The Justice Department revealed last month that it no longer wished to contest Navarros appeal of his conviction, simply saying it has determined that it is no longer taking the same position as the prior administration in this case. Prosecutors instead urged the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to appoint a stand-in attorney  known as an amicus curiae, or friend of the court  to continue litigating Navarros appeal.

But Navarro says no amicus should be appointed before the government explains itself  otherwise the stand-in lawyer would be operating blindly.

Navarros lawyers say the matter is simple: rules of legal ethics and Supreme Court precedent require the government to explain itself when it abandons a legal position. Its in the interests of justice and to help guide the courts  such as when the Obama administration refused to defend the Defense of Marriage Act.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Principles of fairness require more than silence, his lawyers wrote.

Navarros legal odyssey has lasted nearly four years, beginning with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee in February 2022. The panel was eager for testimony about Navarros role in crafting a three-volume report alleging fraud in the 2020 election, which helped fuel President Donald Trumps bid to seize a second term despite his defeat at the polls. Trump cited Navarros report in the same tweet urging his supporters to attend a wild protest in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, an event that shortly thereafter morphed into the violent attack on the Capitol.

The Jan. 6 committee had also inquired about Navarros partnership with Steve Bannon  who was also convicted of contempt of Congress for defying the panels subpoena  to strategize with members of Congress about challenging Joe Bidens electoral votes.

Navarro resisted the committees subpoena, claiming he was both immune as a senior presidential adviser and also that Trump intended to shield his testimony with an assertion of executive privilege. But the committee rejected Navarros claim, saying there was no evidence Trump had actually asserted privilege and emphasizing it wanted to talk to Navarro about many subjects unrelated to his communications with Trump, which were indisputably not subject to privilege claims.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Navarro was indicted in June 2022 after the House held him in contempt of Congress. He was convicted by a jury a year later.

The Justice Department separately sued Navarro to recover emails he sent on private accounts but related to government business. The Justice Department similarly abandoned that effort after Trump took office earlier this year.
The mystery vehicle has frequently been described as a Ferrari Formula 1 car

For years, Czech media called the mysterious Formula One-style race car speeding down major motorways the Phantom. Local police just called it a menace.

Since 2019, sightings of the red racing car roaring down Czech motorways delighted F1 fans, alarmed drivers and frustrated traffic police.

But after years of eluding the authorities, the suspected driver was arrested Sunday morning at his home in the village of Buk, 90 miles south-west of Prague.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police were able to track the driver after receiving calls that the race car had been seen at a petrol station near Dobris.

Just a GP2 car in Ferrari colours cruising up a highway in the Czech Republic.  Police have not been able to identify the illegal joyrider and are looking for him for questioning. #F1

pic.twitter.com/D5GZLzU32b  F1 Images (@F1_Images) August 14, 2022

The police response was heavy: along with several patrol cars, a helicopter was also dispatched to the house where the man, a 51-year-old, emerged from the car in a helmet and full race gear, but refused to cooperate.

The driver of the car, who was stopped and identified by police officers, refused to comment on the situation when questioned, Czech police wrote on X.

The police will refer the matter to administrative proceedings, where he faces a fine of several thousand crowns and a driving ban.

The mystery phantom car decked out in full Ferrari livery has been spotted on Czech motorways many times since 2019

Police have been trying to catch the Phantom for years, but could not prove the persons identity due to the helmet masking their face.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The drivers son, identified as Lukas, complained that police presence was disproportionate to what he called a traffic violation and denied being connected to the car that was seen speeding earlier Sunday morning.

He and his father have been posting videos of the racing car on TrackZone, their YouTube channel, as a hobby.

The events have always gone without any problems. Everyone knows very well that Formula One has been running on the highway in the Czech Republic since 2019 and people will have to get used to it, he told Czech news site Idnes.cz.

He also claimed that the car was a 2006 Ferrari Dallara GPF1, of which only two exist in the world, and that it was purchased from a British racing team.

It never exceeded 200kmh

But trade magazines identify the car as a Dallara GP2/08 dressed to look like a Ferrari F1 car.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Racing cars are not road legal as they do not have licence plates, lights, indicators or safety equipment.

But Lukas denied the car ever exceeded 200kmh (124mph). The top speed limit in the Czech Republic is 130kmh (81mph).

It always drove at a maximum of 180 to 200kmh and did not endanger anyone. It just drove and did not make dangerous manoeuvres. Other people drive much more dangerously today, he said.

If you had a car like that at home, you wouldnt just want to look at it. For me, just because a car isnt built for the highway doesnt mean it cant be driven on it. Not by a long shot. Drivers who drive at 30mph on country roads are far more dangerous.

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.
CHICAGO (AP)  Thousands of protesters marched in Chicago on Saturday against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and President Donald Trumps plan to send National Guard troops and immigration agents to the city.

___

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
MUMBAI, India (AP)  Indians marked the final day of the Ganesh Chaturthi, a vibrant, 10-day Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha, revered as the remover of obstacles, and god of wisdom, prosperity and new beginnings.

At the end of the festival devotees transport images of the elephant-headed Hindu god to a nearby beach where they ceremonially immerse it into the sea.

Marked by millions of devotees all over India, the festival finds its most fervent followers in Mumbai, a major coastal metropolis and business center in western India.

___

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Dr. Saurav Pokharel, a specialist in pulmonary and critical care medicine, has joined Central Carolina Pulmonary Care, a new practice located in the Medical Arts building at 1139 Carthage St., adjacent to Central Carolina Hospital, as of Sept. 2.

Pokharel practiced previously at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory and the Heart & Lung Clinic at CHI St. Alexius Health in Bismarck, N.D., where he also served as the medical director of the Pulmonary Function Testing laboratory.

He has also served previously as a preceptor for the physician assistant program at Lenior Rhyne University from 2019 to 2023. He served on Lenoir Rhynes PA Advisory Board and as a member of the Clinical Advisory Board at Athena Health from 2022 to 2023.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A native of Nepal, Pokharel received his bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery degree from the Institute of Medicine at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2004. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he also served as chief resident in internal medicine.

He completed his pulmonary disease fellowship at Interfaith Medical Center, followed by a critical care medicine fellowship at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Pokharel will treat adult patients of all ages. His areas of specialization include lung nodules and lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma, chronic cough, hypoxemia and unexplained shortness of breath.

He also has extensive experience in bronchoscopy and lung biopsy and plans to bring robotic and navigation bronchoscopy services to our area.
(FOX40.COM)  A Placer County District Attorneys Office has secured a 10-year sentence for a statewide Lululemon theft.

 Video above: Lawmakers discuss surge in retail theft

On July 17, the DAs office said Judge Michael Jones sentenced Champagne Cain Beltram, 38, to 10 years in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for organized retail theft, grand theft and burglary from Lululemons across the state.

Over the 10 days, Beltram stole nearly $30,000 in pants from multiple Lululemon stores, PCDAO said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our storefronts are for the citizens of Placer County to shop, gather and feel safe  not for the defendants selfish criminal behavior. His actions erode the quality of life and sense of well-being of residents across the state. It needs to stop, stated Supervising DDA Dan Wesp.

Could you be the next Powerball winner? $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot still unclaimed

After an investigation through the DAs office retail theft investigators, officials said Beltram was identified as the suspect in similar crimes across other counties in California.

During the trial, authorities stated that a jury heard multiple evidence ranging from cell phone data, forensic evidence and even an expert on Croc footwear to identify the thiefs shoes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

PCDAO said after four days, a Placer County jury convicted Beltram of his crimes.

The judge acknowledged that residents in California have decided they have had enough of these organized and unfettered (retail theft) campaigns with individuals taking anything they want, the DAs office said in a statement. The judge added that it seems like criminals are not keeping up with the political landscape  the people have spoken, and yet those committing crimes still want the same lenience from before.

PCDAO said this conviction is based on the work of the PCDAO Retail Theft Program, which was launched in 2024.

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.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  This week on To The Point we get an update on the status of the state budget, unfinished just more than three weeks before it has to be in place.

We talk with two members of the House of Representatives.

First Republican Pat Outman of Six Lakes told News 8 he wants to focus on state spending levels.

Theres a couple of big things that I would really target, one is just the overall level of spending, he said. Since the Covid pandemic state spending in Michigan has just skyrocketed and House Republicans are really cautious of that. We would like to roll back some of that spending.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democratic Representative John Fitzgerald from Wyoming pointed out an obstacle that is affecting residents across the state.

What has really been, I think, the roadblock is the willingness to get in a room and talk about the numbers and the priorities of Michiganders and I can tell you right now that the House proposal we saw last week I think is detached from the reality that Michiganders are living in right now.

Plus, we introduce you to another candidate eyeing the open Attorney General seat next year, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald all this week To The Point.

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.
LONDON (AP)  British police said Sunday that they arrested almost 900 people demonstrating in London against a ban on the group Palestine Action, which has been deemed a terrorist organization by the government.

Almost 1,600 people have now been detained, many for silently holding signs supporting the group, since it was outlawed two months ago. Protesters say the ban on Palestine Action is an unwarranted curb on free speech and the right to protest.

The Metropolitan Police force said 890 people were arrested at Saturday's demonstration, the vast majority, 857, under the Terrorism Act for supporting a proscribed organization. Some 33 were detained for other offenses, including 17 for assaulting police officers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Defend Our Juries, the campaign group organizing the protest, said 1,500 people took part in the demonstration outside Parliament, sitting down and holding signs reading I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.

Within minutes, police began arresting the demonstrators, as bystanders chanted Shame on you, and Met Police, pick a side, justice or genocide. There were some scuffles and angry exchanges as officers dragged away demonstrators who went limp as they were removed from the crowd.

In carrying out their duties today, our officers have been punched, kicked, spat on and had objects thrown at them by protesters, said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart, who called the abuse directed at police intolerable.

Defend Our Juries said aggression had come from police officers and dismissed claims that protesters had been violent as frankly laughable.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 700 people were arrested at earlier protests, and 138 have been charged under the Terrorism Act.

Mike Higgins, 62, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, was arrested last month but returned to demonstrate on Saturday.

And Im a terrorist? Thats the joke of it, he said. Ive already been arrested under the Terrorism Act and I suspect I will be today.

Of course Ill keep coming back. What choice do I have?

Direct action protests

The government proscribed Palestine Action in July, after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and vandalized planes to protest against what they called Britains support for Israels offensive against Hamas in Gaza. The activists sprayed red paint into the engines of two tanker planes and caused further damage with crowbars.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Proscription made it a crime to publicly support the organization. Membership of, or support for, the group is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Palestine Action has carried out direct action protests in the U.K. since it formed in 2020, including breaking into facilities owned by Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems UK, and has targeted other sites in Britain that participants believe have links with the Israeli military.

The group has targeted defense companies and national infrastructure, and officials say their actions have caused millions of pounds in damage that affect national security.

Banning the group, then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said, The assessments are very clear, this is not a nonviolent organization.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Palestine Action has won approval from the High Court to challenge the ban, a ruling the government is seeking to overturn. The case is ongoing, with a hearing scheduled for Sept. 25.

Supporters say the ban stifles free speech

The U.N. human rights chief has criticized the British governments stance, saying the new law misuses the gravity and impact of terrorism.

The decision to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist group raises serious concerns that counterterrorism laws are being applied to conduct that is not terrorist in nature, and risks hindering the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms across the UK, Volker Turk warned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He added that according to international standards, terrorist acts should be confined to crimes such as those intended to cause death or serious injury or the taking of hostages.

Huda Ammori, Palestine Actions co-founder, has condemned the governments decision to ban it as catastrophic for civil liberties, leading to a much wider chilling effect on freedom of speech.

The group has been supported by prominent cultural figures including bestselling Irish author Sally Rooney, who said she planned to use the proceeds of her work to keep backing Palestine Action and direct action against genocide.

Israel  founded in part as a refuge in the wake of the Holocaust, when some 6 million European Jews were murdered  vehemently denies it is committing genocide.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Britains government stressed that proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist group does not affect other lawful groups  including pro-Palestinian or pro-Israel voices  campaigning or peacefully protesting.

About 20,000 people, by a police estimate, attended a separate pro-Palestinian march in London on Saturday.
Arrest warrants have been issued for two of three suspects in connection with the Aug. 27 burglary of Rosepepper Cantina in East Nashville.

Payton Leann England, 28, and Jae Alexander Kisac, 29, are wanted on charges of burglary and felony theft. Police said the pair, along with one more unidentified individual, stole dozens of bottles of liquor worth an estimated $2,000 from a stockroom at the popular Mexican restaurant.

The case immediately drew attention online after the owners of Rosepepper posted security footage of the theft on Instagram. The restaurant saw an outpouring of support from customers in the days following the incident, though bartenders had to get creative with tequila substitutes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A video posted by the Rosepepper Instagram account shows three people enter a small liquor stockroom and pick up boxes before one of them puts his hat over the camera. Metro Nashville Police Department spokesperson Don Aaron said restaurant management reported the trio took 66 bottles of alcohol.

Police said tips from the community led to the identification of the two suspects, and anyone who sees them is asked to contact Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.

Rosepepper Cantina's owners hope for a fitting punishment for the thieves who stole the restaurant's tequila inventory.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Rosepepper tequila burglary: MNPD issues arrest warrants
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Police are currently investigating a shooting at a park in Grand Rapids on Saturday.

One person was shot at Mackay-Jaycees Park on Kalamazoo Avenue, off of 28th Street, according to the Grand Rapids Police Department.

The scene at Mackay-Jaycees Park on Saturday. (September 6, 2025)

Authorities did not immediately say what led up to the shooting.

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.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  The 2020 murder of a man found shot dead inside his vehicle while parked in east Columbus remains unsolved, and police are asking for the publics assistance.

According to police, officers were called to the 800 block of Wellington Boulevard, in the Shepard neighborhood, on reports of a man shot inside a blue Ford Fusion. Police found the victim, 25-year-old Michael Fair Jr., and pronounced him dead the morning of Sept. 1, 2020, at 10:33 a.m.

After shooting, Ohio lawmaker pushes to require bypass lanes at drive-thrus

Witnesses told police that they perhaps saw a full-size pickup truck with fancy wheels and tinted windows being driven by a male at the time of the shooting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information leading to the arrest and/or indictment of the person(s) responsible for this crime. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477 or visit www.stopcrime.org and submit your tip.

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.
Three people have been injured following the collapse of parts of a supermarket roof in the south-west of Germany, the police said on Sunday, updating an earlier statement that reported four injured.

Three women were hurt in the incident in the small town of Lauchringen in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, one of them seriously, and she is still in hospital, the police said.

The injured women were shopping when the accident occurred. The victims are 20, 52, and 57 years old, the police said.

Company offers sympathy

The German supermarket chain Rewe Group on Sunday expressed its sympathy to the injured and everyone who was in the building at the time of the incident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We are thinking especially of them at this time. The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority. We fully support the relevant authorities and emergency services in clarifying the incident," the company said in a statement.

Further information will follow as soon as reliable findings are available, it added.

Significant damage in the store

The partial collapse of the gable roof caused significant damage to the building. It is said to be at risk of further collapse.

Parts of the store are reportedly under water. The gas, water and electricity supply has been cut off.

According to the police, the extent of the damage cannot yet be quantified. A cause is not yet known and is still being investigated.

The building in the town which lies close to the Swiss border has been secured.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said that a Russian attack on the Cabinet of Ministers (Ukrainian government) building in Kyiv on the night of 6-7 September demonstrates the futility of delays and attempts to appease the Kremlin.

Source: Tusk on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: According to Tusk, the Russian strike on the government building shows that "the continued delaying [of] a strong reaction against Putin and the attempts to appease him make no sense".

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote: "The US and Europe must together force Russia to accept an immediate ceasefire. We have all the instruments."

Background:

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko earlier posted photos showing damage to the Cabinet of Ministers building, hit by a Russian strike, and called on Ukraines partners to stop Russia.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has said that Russias record drone and missile large-scale strike on the night of 6-7 September signals "a dangerous new phase in Moscows terror campaign".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that during a conversation on Sunday 7 September, he and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed measures in response to the overnight Russian strike.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Political Beat Preview: One-on-One with Mayor Vi Lyles

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles is seeking a fifth term in office, facing four challengers in the upcoming primary election on Tuesday.

Lyles is running against Brendan MaGinnis, Sydney Acute McDaniel, Delter Guin, and Gemini Boyd.

Despite the competitive race, Mayor Lyles has maintained a low profile this election season, opting not to make public endorsements or hold many campaign events.

ALSO READ: Political Beat Preview: Charlotte Mayoral candidates

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Political Beats Joe Bruno sat down with Lyles for a 1-on-1 interview. Their interview is below:

Joe Bruno: Why are you running?

Vi Lyles: To finish some of the things that I think are most important for this community...the transportation bills. I mean, those kinds of things are things that we need to complete and to do this. I think running for office for continuity, as well as to close out, I believe the most important thing that we can do for the city for decades coming.

JB: Why is the transit plan the right plan?

VL: Well, its the right plan because its the, I think, the second or third right plan that weve tried to do, and it has finally captured the attention of the public and the residents that we have, and they are willing to participate with us. Now, yesterday, we had a big kick-off. And you know, you dont think about some of these small things, the blind, the lion, the blind people that are here, and they came in and said, weve been waiting for this for a long time. Well, I understand that, and its something that we can rely upon. And I believe that this community understands that people are the most important thing. Weve heard it all over. Every person is talking about its important for people, well, its very important for people to have a way to get a job, a way to get to work and to have an opportunity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

JB: All the candidates have different reasons why theyre running, but I always ask, like, what do they want to improve? And they say, transparency and dysfunction. And when you hear people describe Charlotte City Council as not being transparent or dysfunctional, do you think that their comments are off base?

Vi: When I hear that, I hear campaign leadership and opportunities to say I have something better to do, and I think that we all have to listen to that. You know, when people are talking about transparency, I dont know that definition quite yet, and Im looking forward to those that are saying we must have transparency to define it, because theres a certain amount of transparency that you have to have, but people deserve the opportunity to have a quality of life thats their private life, and so Im interested in seeing what that definition will be.

JB: Why did Charlotte City Council settle with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings?

VL: I believe that we treat people fairly, if you know, in our HR programs, and all of the things that we do, that Johnny isnt any different than other people that weve actually had these kinds of contracts with. And I think its unfortunate, because I truly believe the sheriff, Johnny Jennings, is a great chief, and I think that he deserves the right to have some quality and quality or being able to make that decision. I just tell you, by the person that he is, is because he gave the media the story, and it wasnt something that we would have done.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

JB: So the city never would have revealed this. Had Johnny Jennings not?

VL: Wed have to ask a lawyer that, and Im not a lawyer today.

JB: How safe do you consider Charlotte?

VL: I think it all depends on where you live and what youre doing and whether or not we have a program for you at the time. You know, I know that Beatties Ford Road is a great place. We have a lot of really great people that live along that corridor, but I dont think its the same thing as some of the other areas of town that we have. So we do have. Work to do, and I think that work is important. We see whats going on with young people, and were talking about that, and we have a group of people that are working on it immediately, right now. I hope by the end of the summer, we will have council committee meetings after the election, or, I guess, the time that were going to be elected, and then Im going to say, what are we going to do? Because its something that everybody has to participate in.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

JB: Is part of the problem light sentences for repeat offenders?

VL: I bet there are a lot of reasons for these problems, but we have to figure that out and to make sure that people understand that they have the right to be safe, and if were going to give them that right, how do we do it best in the context of where people live, where they work? Do we have lighting? Do we have, you know, places walked, or do we have enough police officers to be around to make people feel safe? Whats next? So at some point that will be an important initiative, before the end of the year, I hope.

JB: So the next two years, other than sales tax increase and getting the transit rolling, what else do you want to do?

VL: Its time for us to really begin to think about how we treat people that are unhoused. Right now, I have said this to a number of people in the community, that taking people off of the streets without having a place for them to go is not what we should be as a city. So my goal would be, there are lots of things that I have ideas about, but I think the housing of the unhoused is one of the things that we have to tackle pretty immediately.

>> The full interview can be seen above.

(WATCH BELOW: Very exciting: Cabarrus County Schools recognized for high graduation rates)
Pope Leo XIV accidentally hit a cameraman while riding through St Peter's Square in the popemobile on Sunday.

The 69-year-old head of the Catholic Church tried to catch an object that had been thrown at him from the crowd.

In doing so, he reached backwards and directly into the camera, which briefly jolted the official cameraman positioned in the rear end of the vehicle.

Leo turned around and apologized with a smile, saying "Scusa" - Italian for "excuse me."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When he travels in the popemobile, onlookers often throw items including soft toys and flags from different countries at the pontiff.

The tour of St Peter's Square is usually broadcast live on the internet by the Vatican, with a cameraman accompanying the pope for this purpose.

On Sunday, the head of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide canonized late Italian teenager Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006 at the age of just 15. Another Italian was also canonized.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Leo XIV declared a 15-year-old computer whiz the Catholic Churchs first millennial saint Sunday, giving the next generation of Catholics a relatable role model who used technology to spread the faith and earn the nickname Gods influencer.

Leo canonized Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006, during an open-air Mass in St. Peters Square before an estimated 80,000 people, many of them millennials and couples with young children. During the first saint-making Mass of his pontificate, Leo also canonized another popular Italian figure who died young, Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Leo said both men created masterpieces out of their lives by dedicating them to God.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The greatest risk in life is to waste it outside of Gods plan, Leo said in his homily. The new saints are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces.

An ordinary life that became extraordinary

Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London to a wealthy but not particularly observant Catholic family. They moved back to Milan soon after he was born and he enjoyed a typical, happy childhood, albeit marked by increasingly intense religious devotion.

Acutis was particularly interested in computer science and devoured college-level books on programming even as a youngster. He earned the nickname Gods Influencer, thanks to his main tech legacy: a multilingual website documenting so-called Eucharistic miracles recognized by the church, a project he completed at a time when the development of such sites was the domain of professionals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was known to spend hours in prayer before the Eucharist each day. The Catholic hierarchy has been trying to promote the practice of Eucharistic adoration because, according to polls, most Catholics dont believe Christ is physically present in the Eucharistic hosts.

But Acutis limited himself to an hour of video games a week, apparently deciding long before TikTok that human relationships were far more important than virtual ones. That discipline and restraint has proved appealing to the Catholic hierarchy, which has sounded the alarm about the dangers of today's tech-driven society.

In October 2006, at age 15, Acutis fell ill with what was quickly diagnosed as acute leukemia. Within days, he was dead. He was entombed in Assisi, which known for its association with another popular saint, St. Francis.

Millions flock to Acutis' tomb

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the years since his death, young Catholics have flocked by the millions to Assisi, where they can see the young Acutis through a glass-sided tomb, dressed in jeans, Nike sneakers and a sweatshirt. He seems as if he's sleeping, and questions have swirled about how his body was so well preserved, especially since parts of his heart have even toured the world as relics.

Both saint-making ceremonies had been scheduled for earlier this year, but were postponed following Pope Francis death in April. Francis had fervently pushed the Acutis sainthood case forward, convinced that the church needed someone like him to attract young Catholics to the faith while addressing the promises and perils of the digital age.

Its like I can maybe not be as great as Carlo may be, but I can be looking after him and be like, What would Carlo do? said Leo Kowalsky, an 8th grader at a Chicago school attached to the Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish.

Kowalsky said he was particularly excited that his own namesake  Pope Leo  would be canonizing the patron of his school. Its kind of all mashed up into one thing, so it is a joy to be a part of, Kowalsky said in an interview last week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Much of Acutis popularity is thanks to a concerted campaign by the Vatican to give the next generation of faithful a saint next door who was ordinary but did extraordinary things in life. In Acutis, they found a relatable tech-savvy millennial  the term used to describe a person born roughly between 1981 and 1996 who was the first generation to reach adulthood in the new millennium.

The Vatican said 36 cardinals, 270 bishops and hundreds of priests had signed up to celebrate the Mass along with Leo in a sign of the saints enormous appeal to the hierarchy and ordinary faithful alike.

Popular piety for the digital age

An hour before the Mass, St. Peters Square was already full with pilgrims, many of them young millennial Italians, many with toddlers in strollers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I learned from different people what his professors, his teachers said about his joy and the light he carried around him, said Leopoldo Antimi, a 27-year-old Roman who got to the square early to secure a spot. So for me personally as an Italian, even on social networks that are used so much, it is important to have him as an influencer.

Matthew Schmalz, professor of religious studies at Holy Cross college in Worcester, Massachusetts, said Acutis' canonization extends the church tradition of popular piety to the digital age.

He becomes an emblem or model of how Catholics should approach and use the digital world--with discipline and with a focus on traditional Catholic spirituality that defies the passage of time, he said in statement. He is a new saint of simplicity for the ever complex digital landscape of contemporary Catholicism.

Frassati, the other saint being canonized Sunday, lived from 1901-1925, when he died at age 24 of polio. He was born into a prominent Turin family but is known for his devotion to serving the poor and carrying out acts of charity while spreading his faith to his friends.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

___

AP visual journalists Trisha Thomas in Vatican City and Jessie Wardarski in Chicago contributed to this report.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian authorities on Sunday deployed drones and a helicopter to monitor the waters around a popular Sydney beach after a surfer was killed by a great white shark on Saturday, officials said.

Two beaches in Australia's most populous city remained closed on Sunday after the attack on Saturday morning that took place about 100 m (328 ft) from shore while the man was surfing with friends at Long Reef Beach, in the north of the New South Wales state capital.

The experienced surfer was pulled from the water by other surfers, but had lost too much blood and died at the scene, police said. It was the first shark-attack death in Sydney since a swimmer was killed off a beach in February 2022, which the city's first since 1963.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Sunday, the state's main water rescue organisation, Surf Life Saving NSW, deployed drones and a helicopter to surveil the area for the shark, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said.

More so-called SMART drumlines, which use satellite technology to notify authorities when a shark is hooked on a baited line, had also been installed, it said in a statement.

Government shark biologists, after assessing photos of the victims surfboard, "determined a White shark approximately 3.4-3.6 metres (11.15-11.81 feet) in length was likely responsible" for the mauling, DPIRD said.

White sharks are also commonly known as great white sharks or white pointers, according to the agency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Saturday's incident marked the fourth fatal shark attack in Australia in 2025, data from the state-run operator of Sydney's Taronga Zoo shows. In March, a surfer was killed by a shark in shallow water on a remote beach in Western Australia.

Australia ranked behind only the United States in the number of unprovoked shark bites on humans in 2024, according to the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
A 24-year-old pregnant woman was injured in a large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of 6-7 September. Doctors induced premature labour and they are now battling to save both her and her baby.

Source: Valentyna Hinzburh, Head of the Healthcare Department of Kyiv City State Administration, in a comment to Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne

Details: Hinzburh said that four of the seven people taken to hospital after the strike are in a serious condition and are being treated in hospital burns units.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Olena Frantseva, a doctor at Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 2, said all four are in intensive care. They are a 72-year-old man, a 74-year-old woman, a 24-year-old man, and a 24-year-old woman who was pregnant.

"They sustained burns with a large area and depth," Frantseva added.

The most severe case is the 24-year-old woman, who lives in the Sviatoshynskyi district, where an apartment building was damaged in the attack. Doctors decided to carry out an emergency caesarian.

"A decision was made to perform a C-section. The doctors delivered the baby prematurely. The baby is now in intensive care," Hinzburh said.

Background:

On the night of 6-7 September, Russia carried out a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine using loitering munitions and ground-launched missiles. Ukrainian air defence intercepted 751 out of 823 aerial assets, but 9 missiles and 54 drones hit 33 locations.

Russian drones hit apartment buildings in the Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi districts of Kyiv, causing fires and destruction.

As of 13:00, two people had been reported killed and 20 injured in Kyiv.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
When my husband and I were married in December of 1987, Elder Russell M. Nelson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, performed our sealing in the Salt Lake Temple. He invited us to come to his office and meet with him a few days before the wedding where he gave us two very specific pieces of counsel.

The first was to pray together daily, counsel that made perfect sense to me.

The second was to always pay our tithing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He went on to note that I had a special responsibility in that regard, because a loving husband could easily be swayed by the sentiments of his wife on matters of household spending.

We have been full tithe payers for the entirety of our marriage; but for many, many years, I wondered why President Nelsons second piece of counsel concerned tithing rather than one of the many other things he could have admonished us to do  worship in the temple regularly, keep the Sabbath day holy, willingly accept callings to serve in the church, forgive one another.

Screenshot from YouTube

It was not until October 2023, when President Nelson related the following account in general conference, that I finally understood the answer to my question of, why tithing?:

When I was a young intern, my income was $15 a month. One night, my wife Dantzel asked if I was paying tithing on that meager stipend. I was not. I quickly repented and began paying the additional $1.50 in monthly tithing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Was the church any different because we increased our tithing? Of course not. However, becoming a full-tithe payer changed me. That is when I learned that paying tithing is all about faith, not money. As I became a full-tithe payer, the windows of heaven began to open for me. I attribute several subsequent professional opportunities to our faithful payment of tithes. Paying tithing requires faith, and it also builds faith in God and his Beloved Son.

Looking back now as President Nelson celebrates is 101st birthday on Sept. 9, it is clear the decision to repent and become a full-tithe payer was a pivotal moment in his spiritual growth and development. The long-term consequences of that choice were so impactful that he counseled a young couple to prioritize the payment of tithes in their marriage so that they, too, could experience the tremendous blessings that flow from exercising faith and being obedient.

President Russell M. Nelson reflects upon his new appointment as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in Salt Lake City Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. | Jeffrey D. Allred

In the summer of 2019, I was again invited to meet with President Nelson in his office. He asked me to join the board of the Deseret Management Corporation, the global operating company managing the for-profit communications related entities affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I correctly anticipated that through this experience, I would learn much about leadership from President Nelson, who chairs the board, and from the other board members, all general authorities and general officers of the church.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Observing President Nelson in this capacity has cemented my testimony of the important role that prophetic guidance and counsel play in the operation of the church.

What I did not anticipate is what I would learn about the love that President Nelson feels for me, and for all of Gods children, as his prophet.

At the end of each board meeting, President Nelson goes around the room to personally connect with each board member and DMC leader present.

Although the others in the room refer to me as Dean Madrian, my job title, or Doctor Madrian, my academic title, or Sister Madrian, my church title, President Nelson always calls me by my given name. He holds both my hands, looks me straight in the eyes, and says, Hello, Brigitte.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I am the complete focus of his attention. He asks how I am doing and inquires about my family. But more important than what he says is what I feel  his love for me, and through him, Gods love for me.

It is a different and more powerful love than any other I have felt. I wish everyone could have the experience of looking into a prophets eyes and feeling that tremendous love. To me, it is a witness that Russell M. Nelson is indeed a prophet of God.

In the October 2023 general conference talk cited earlier, President Nelson asked: Was the church any different because we increased our tithing? Of course not.

Were the finances of the church any different because a young medical intern decided to pay $1.50 in tithing every month? No. But is the church any different? It most surely is. Because of that choice, we have at our helm Russell M. Nelson, Gods living prophet on the earth today.

Thank you, President Nelson, for a consecrated lifetime of love and service to others.
President Donald Trump has ordered the removal of the longest-standing anti-war protest in U.S. history.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump appeared unaware that the White House Peace Park in Washington, D.C., existed and, upon hearing about it, demanded its immediate destruction.

I didnt know that. Take it down. Take it down today, right now, Trump told White House staffers.

The protest site in Lafayette Park across from the White House, Washington, D.C., photographed in January, 2016. / BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images

Known simply as the White House Peace Vigil, the tent and anti-war protest signs in Lafayette Park have been maintained by volunteers around-the-clock since June 1981.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Originally founded by activist William Thomas as a protest against nuclear weapons, the peace vigil has continued to be a site of general anti-war messaging, and stands as a prominent symbol of free speech directly across from the U.S. seat of power.

The reporter speaking to Trump on Friday described the camp as an eyesore that journalists have to walk past to get to the White House.

Its kind of morphed into an anti-America, anti-Trump the reporter said before Trump cut him off. Morphed into radical left, OK, Trump said.

The journalist continued that the protest is a health hazard and could be a national security risk, suggesting that the peace vigil could be used to harbor weapons.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump signed the Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful executive order in March, aimed at removing homeless encampments in the area.

Activist Philipos Melaku-Bello comforts a woman as he sits on his regular spot at the 44-year-old White House Peace Vigil outside the White House. / Leah Millis / REUTERS

While Trump stated on Friday that over 50 camps have been removed since then, other reports state the number is as high as 75.

Amid the recent crackdown on crime in D.C., U.S. Park Police have been given the authority to threaten unhoused people with jail if they refuse to enter a shelter.

The vigils message inspired D.C. delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton to repeatedly introduce the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act to Congress. The legislation would redirect funding for nuclear weapons to address the climate crisis, health care, and housing needs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Norton has said the law would reestablish Americas moral leadership in the world.

Last month, Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) also described the vigil as an eyesore and demanded that the Interior Department remove it.

Trump has consistently framed himself as the President of Peace and claimed that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his anti-war efforts. However, his recent re-branding of the Department of Defense to the Department of War appears at odds with this message.

President Donald Trump signed executive orders in the Oval Office on Sept. 5, 2025, including one to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War. / Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

As of midday on Saturday, the camp remains intact. Philipos Melaku-Bello, a longtime volunteer at the site, has said that there has been no change in interaction with the authorities.

It was supposed to be immediately taken down, Melaku-Bello told documentarian Ford Fisher. Lets see how long immediately lasts.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Kids often find trouble, but Andre Harmon from 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge believes prevention is key, not just punishment.

Harmon, the organizations president and CEO, said young people often need guidance early in life. Thats where Project Excel comes in. On Saturday, 150 students joined the flagship mentoring program. This program helps kids build skills, connect with role models, and avoid negative influences.

Today was just a display of all our different programs, all the individuals who are in charge of the Project Excel team. And they also got a chance to meet the mentors who are going to work with them throughout the year. Also, one of the things that I try to do for member engagement is have a career fair with members only, said Harmon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For students like Lester Landry, the program isnt just about activities. It helps build confidence and responsibility.

I think its our job to be leaders, said Landry. Because we know, so we should do better, and we should help the people around us do better, as in effect, just by being respectful and being well in our community.

Harmon said the goal is to create a strong network of mentors and students who lift each other up, proving that investing time can change lives.

We have it all, said Harmon. And I think the key is making sure that we volunteer our time and help as many students as we can.

Latest News

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 Louisiana First News.
(The Center Square)  Nearly $16 million taxpayer dollars are set aside for zero-emission buses and charging stations across the country in one of Congress proposed annual government funding bills.

The Houses proposed Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026 is just one of the 12 annual appropriations bills providing money for federal agencies.

With a total price tag of $89.9 billion, the proposed legislation includes more than a dozen earmarks totaling at least $15.8 billion for electric buses, hydrogen buses, and electric bus charging stations or battery systems across only four states. The number is likely higher, due to the ambiguity of some lawmakers transportation-related budget requests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

California would receive the lions share of the money, requested for multiple projects by Democratic U.S. Reps. Pete Aguilar, Judy Chu, Linda Sanchez, Mark DeSaulnier, Jimmy Gomez, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Ted Lieu, Maxine Waters, Nanette Barragan, and Amy Bera.

The California projects include:

$2 million for Central Contra Costa Transit Authority to build a battery system that would store solar energy for changing their zero emissions buse

$1.7 million for Foothill Transits zero emissions bus program, split evenly between the 28th and 38th districts

$1.2 million for 36th district-based Culver Citys hydrogen bus pilot project

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

$1 million for zero emission battery electric buses for the El Sol Shuttle

$1 million for battery electric buses and the installation of charging infrastructure for Omnitrans Public Transit Agency

$850,000 for 37th district-based Culver Citys hydrogen bus project

$850,000 for zero emission battery electric buses the Link Willowbrook and King Medical Center Shuttle transit services

$260,000 for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services to replace three gas-powered buses with electric buses, plus an EV refrigerated cargo van

$250,000 for electric buses and charging infrastructure for the city of South Gate

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

$250,000 for additional electric buses for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Ohio, Massachusetts, and Washington would also receive funds. In Ohio, Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority would collect $2.45 million to transition to zero emissions buses, plus build a new garage.

Steamship Authority Shuttle in Massachusetts would receive $2 million to replace its gas-powered buses with electric, while Community Transit in Washington would get $2 million to purchase battery electric buses.

The Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development would distribute the funds if the appropriations bill, which currently awaits a House floor vote, passes both chambers.

So far, only two appropriations bills have passed the House, while a three-bill minibus is the only 2026 appropriations legislation that has passed the Senate. If lawmakers do not pass all dozen appropriations bills through both chambers of Congress by Sept. 30  the end of fiscal year 2025  they risk a government shutdown.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Around a dozen protesters gathered outside TownHalls Short North Arts District location Saturday evening following the arrest of a man with ties to the restaurant.

Former Ohio State offensive lineman, Michael McCullough, 25, was arrested last Friday for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. He was charged with one felony count of strangulation.

I am her very close friend and also hair stylist and I have seen the injuries on her myself and they are atrocious. I would like to think if anybody has women out there that they love and care about, that theyll stick up for this woman and come together as Columbus, protester Megan Riley said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A flier advertising the protest had been circulating on social media. The arrest caused quite a stir online surrounding Ethos Hospitality Group, which operates TownHall along with several other high-profile restaurants in Columbus and Cleveland.

According to protesters, the demonstration was about accountability after what they call a pattern of violent criminal charges connected to TownHalls leadership. TownHalls owner, Bobby George, is also facing several charges in Cleveland including attempted murder and rape.

Protesters said their goal was to raise awareness and discourage people from supporting the restaurant group.

I hope that it just spreads awareness about how serious DV is and how common it is, Riley said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ethos Hospitality Group released this statement to NBC4:

As many of you have seen, there have been numerous posts- specifically from one account owned by an Individual Criminally Charged by the Columbus Police Department with telephone harassment and menacing while claiming he was just organizing a protest at TownHall Columbus.

While we support everyones right to publicly protest, a fundamental line has been crossed- moving beyond just protest and into outright harassment and criminal conduct. To be clear, contrary to outright false news and social media reports, TownHall does not and has never supported any kind of domestic violence. Further, contrary to outright false news and social media reports, TownHall has provided support to the victim of this horrible situation and will continue to provide that support for the foreseeable future.

It was Townhalls hope to take that action in silence and without media attention, unlike the individual charged who has simply used the victims terrible circumstance as a personal marketing platform. Unfortunately, this individual and his supporters false claims have given us no option but to set the facts straight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Individual who has been criminally charged has been harassing Mr. George along with his employees for months with threats of violence. Recently, he crossed the line criminally by posting personal information about Mr. George and his employees and encouraged his followers to harass Mr. George and his employees.

Throughout the week, this individuals conduct escalated. He repeatedly went to TownHall and Mr. Georges residence and threatened violence. On Wednesday night, someone matching this individuals description came to Mr. Georges residence and threw a brick through his window with a note on it, YOU WILL DIE SOON. Given this escalation, Mr. George had no choice but to involve law enforcement.

In what is the ultimate display of hypocrisy, this individual claims to be doing all of this to defend abused women but spent the last week relentlessly verbally abusing and denigrating the women that work at TownHall and Mandrake. This individual has been publicly shaming these women in person and on social media- misogynistically and expletively commenting on them and their hygiene and calling them names.

This individual went to the extent to take pictures of several of these women, tagging them on public social media with their names so the entire community could further denigrate them, leaving them shattered and in tears. These women had nothing to do with this situation and certainly do not deserve any kind of abuse.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This individuals actions showed his true intentions are not in justice for the victim but in taking advantage of a victims terrible situation and Mr. Georges name to get his 15 minutes of fame.

Thankfully, the Columbus PD intervened before anyone was hurt and put a stop to this harassing conduct and arrested Jacob Haller. Mr. George has been granted a Civil Stalking Protection order in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas against Mr. Haller because of his conduct.

TownHall will not be making any further comments about this situation and will allow the legal process to play out.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 9 for McCullough.

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.
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  Organizers took to Dunkin Park in Hartford on Sunday to protest the Yard Goats partnership with Avelo Airlines.

Organizers said the demonstration was to raise awareness about the teams promotional partnership with Avelo, specifically the airlines contract with the federal government for deportation flights.

City of New Haven prohibits use of public funds for travel, promotion, collaboration involving Avelo Airlines

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No deportation flights have flown from Connecticut airports.

Demonstrators said the Yard Goats should not be promoting an airline participating in that effort.

In July, the Yard Goats put up a big sign that proudly announced that they were updating it and that they were renewing their commitment to all people everywhere, Loretta Waldman of IndivisibleCT said. The partnership with Avelo is just completely antithetical to that.

Avelo Airlines provided the following statement regarding the demonstration.

We recognize the right of individuals to peacefully assemble and assert their freedom of speech. In the meantime, Avelo will continue to provide affordable, convenient and reliable air service to its millions of Customers in Connecticut and throughout the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

News 8 has reached out to the Hartford Yard Goats for comment.

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.
CHICAGO (WGN)  Protestors took to Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago on Saturday evening, rallying against President Donald Trumps plans to send federal troops to the area for expanded immigration enforcement.

The No Trump, No Troops protest began at 5 p.m. at the intersection of Ida B. Wells Drive and Michigan Avenue near Grant Park. Demonstrators then marched, stopping briefly at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office, the Dirksen Federal Building and Trump Tower.

We cannot accept the divide-and-conquer rhetoric that calls our neighbors criminals, calls our siblings illegals, Kobi Guillory, an activist with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

State leaders denounce potential ICE raids as Chicago braces for immigration enforcement operations

Thousands flocked to downtown Chicago to condemn what they called a dangerous agenda by the Trump administration that targets immigrant communities under the false pretext of crime reduction.

Terrorizing our communities by sticking the National Guard against its own people, Viviana Barajas of Palenque Liberating Spaces through Neighborhood Action (LSNA) said.

With reports of a potential federal intervention, safety marshals stayed alert along the march route.

Trump threatens Chicago in post

On Saturday morning, prior to the protest, Trump shared an image post on Truth Social hinting at the potential raids.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the photo, which appears to have been generated using artificial intelligence, the president can be seen sitting on a beach in Vietnam War-era military fatigues, with the Chicago skyline behind him as a fire burns to his left and a collection of military helicopters flies nearby.

Trump threatens Chicago with apocalyptic force and Pritzker calls him a wannabe dictator

Additionally, the image has the words Chipocalypse Now written on it, a play on the 1979 dystopian Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now.

I love the smell of deportations in the morning , Trumps image post reads. Chicago about to find out why its called the department of WAR.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The president signed an executive order Friday aiming to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson took to social media to respond to the presidents threat. He wrote:

The Presidents threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution. We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump.

Chicagos Mexican Independence Day celebrations shadowed by Trumps threats

Gov. JB Pritzker also chastised Trump on the social media platform X. The governor wrote:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isnt a strongman, hes a scared man. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

Demonstrators say the image was another attempt to incite fear, vowing to continue their fight for immigrant rights and against the targeting of their communities.

Every single immigrant is a human. Every single immigrant has every single right to have their families stay together, Francisco Paco Amador, Pastor of New Life Community Church in Little Village, said.

Mayhem: Pritzker warns of possible ICE operation in Chicagoland

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the northern suburbs, about 300 ICE agents and possibly the National Guard will be working out of the Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago. Over a hundred protestors mobilized outside the naval station Saturday in opposition to the Trump administrations plans.

What can the National Guard do if deployed to Chicago?

A judge recently ruled Trumps use of the military in Los Angeles was illegal, and Washington, D.C., also filed a lawsuit over the National Guards deployment there.

As recently as Wednesday, Vice President J.D. Vance said there were no immediate plans to send Guardsmen to Chicago.

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 WGN-TV.
NEED TO KNOW

Several sweepstakes winners who won annual lifetime payouts said they are no longer receiving their yearly winnings

The winners all won through Publishers Clearing House and said the checks stopped coming shortly before the company went bankrupt in April

One of the winners said he may even lose his home due to the abrupt change in his financial situation

Several Publishers Clearing House winners claim they are no longer receiving their promised lifetime payouts  and its having a devastating effect on their lives.

The company declared bankruptcy in April, and an investigation by Oregon outlet KGW8 found that at least 10 past winners who had been receiving annual payouts never received their yearly check.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Why didnt somebody give me a heads up? [Say], Hey, were going out of business,  former winner John Wyllie of White City asked while speaking to the outlet. Its not a good way to treat anyone.

Wyllie, 61, who won $260,000 a year for life from Publishers Clearing House in 2012, said the money had allowed him to retire early and move closer to family. Now, however, he said things are looking bleak.

This feels like a nightmare. I thought this was going to go on for the rest of my life, so I didnt really have to worry about money, he said before adding that he has been having trouble finding work and will likely lose his home.

KGW8 also spoke to Matthew and Tamar Veatch, a Cottage Grove couple who won the lifetime payout in 2021. The pair, who are both army veterans with disabilities, said the money has also stopped coming, and they are currently dealing with the emotional, financial and psychological roller coaster of their new reality.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its cruel, Matthew said while discussing the fact that his family thought they had won guaranteed financial security, only to have it abruptly taken from them. Its worse to say youll get this thing and your life will change forever, [and then say] Oh, but sorry. No, its not. 

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 also said that they initially called Publishers Clearing House when they did not receive their annual check, and claimed that a representative from the company told them the payments would resume quarterly. They said the company filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter, and the money never came.

Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Publishers Clearing House winners Sara and Mark Adair in Boston in 2022 Publishers Clearing House winners Sara and Mark Adair in Boston in 2022

Its unfortunate there was no warning, Matthew told the outlet. The big letdown for me is that we trusted them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

ARB Interactive bought Publishers Clearing House out of bankruptcy in July and stated that they plan to run sweepstakes under the Publishers Clearing House brand name.

At ARB Interactive, we are committed to restoring and preserving the trust that has defined the Publishers Clearing House (PCH) brand for decades, a representative from ARB Interactive wrote in an emailed statement to PEOPLE.

The company added that while they are not responsible for the payment of prize money won before their acquisition of Publishers Clearing House, they have assumed responsibility for prizes awarded after July 15, 2025, as well as a SuperPrize from May 31.

We recognize the impact this has had on past winners and the disappointment caused by the bankruptcy process, the ARB Interactive rep continued, adding that they plan to implement a robust, paying structure that will ensure that prize winners are protected [and] that payments are secure for the long term.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The company said "as part of the acquisition, ARB also contributed a substantial cash payment to the bankruptcy estate," which is technically responsible for paying past winners.

PEOPLE reached out to Publishers Clearing House for comment on Sunday, Sept. 7, but did not receive an immediate response.



Darrell Lester, who worked as a senior vice president for Publishers Clearing House from 1973 through 2022, said he is really angry over the way the company handled its financial situation while speaking to The Daily Mail.

However, he also said there are lessons to be learned from the alleged recent turn of events for other potential winners. Specifically, he recommends taking the full sum over an annual lifetime payout should you have the option.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you win, take the lump sum. If a state or company goes bankrupt, they don't have to pay the winnings, he told the outlet.

While Darrell told the outlet this means winners will pay more in taxes upfront, he argues it is worth it to secure the funds.

Publishers Clearing House filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York State in April, according to the Associated Press. At the time, the company claimed that there would be no disruptions to its regular payout protocols and structures throughout the bankruptcy process, per the outlet.

Read the original article on People
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine on Sept. 7, killing at least four people and injuring more than 40, prompting swift condemnation from Kyiv's European partners.

The attack, one of the most severe in recent months and which claimed the life of a 2-month-old baby, came as Ukraine's allies seek to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into pursuing a diplomatic resolution of the war by imposing additional sanctions on Moscow.

As Western partners explore new levers of influence, Russia launched a record 810 drones and 13 missiles into Ukraine overnight, including four Iskander-M (KN-23) ballistic missiles and nine Iskander-K cruise missiles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 747 drones and four cruise missiles, but several others struck 33 locations across the country. Debris also fell in eight additional areas.

For the first time, the Russian attack damaged major government building in Kyiv.

"Once again, civilians suffer. This is Putin's response to calls for peace. We condemn these heinous attacks. The pressure on Russia to stop this aggression must increase," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide wrote on X.

The attack was seen as the latest sign of Moscow's open rejection and mocking of efforts to bring an end it to its war in Ukraine, a point European leaders stressed in the following statements gathered here.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen:

"Once again, the Kremlin is mocking diplomacy, trampling international law and killing indiscriminately. Europe stands, and will continue to stand, fully behind Ukraine. We are reinforcing Ukraine's armed forces, building lasting security guarantees, and tightening sanctions to increase pressure on Russia. The killing must end."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27, 2025. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images)

European Council President Antonio Costa:

"Talking about peace while escalating bombings and targeting government buildings and homes  this is Putin's version of 'peace.' Russia started this war, and Russia is choosing to continue it. We must stay the course: strengthen Ukraine's defences and step up pressure on Russia through additional sanctions, in close coordination with our allies and partners."

EU Foreign Affairs Chief Kaja Kallas:

"Every Russian attack is a deliberate choice and a message: Russia does not want peace. Today's strikes, including on a government building in Kyiv, are part of a clear pattern of escalation. We will continue to support Ukraine's defence industry and tighten sanctions on Moscow."

French President Emmanuel Macron:

"Russia has once again rained down hundreds of drones and a dozen missiles on Ukraine overnight, striking indiscriminately  including residential areas and the seat of government. My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Together with Ukraine and our partners, we stand for peace. Russia, meanwhile, is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror. By Ukraine's side, we will continue to do everything to ensure that a just and lasting peace prevails."

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives for a summit for a coalition of the willing at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on March 27, 2025. (Ludovic Marin / Getty Images)

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics:

"The message is clear  Kremlin wants war, not peace. Our response must be more weapons to Ukraine, more pressure on Russia."

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky:

"Putin pretends he wants to end the war, but in reality he only seeks to kill as many Ukrainians as possible. Last night he launched over 800 drones and missiles, killing a mother and her two-month-old baby. A coward who attacks women and children. To talk today about stopping aid to Ukraine means siding with the aggressor."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk:

"The Russian attack on Kyiv's government buildings shows again that the continued delaying a strong reaction against Putin and the attempts to appease him makes no sense. The US and Europe must together force Russia to accept an immediate ceasefire. We have all the instruments."

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna:

"Over 800 drones and missiles in one night; civilians killed, cities hit, and Ukraine's government building damaged. These Russian terror 'antirecords' require a strong response: new, severe sanctions on Russia and greater support for Ukraine."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Moldovan President Maia Sandu:

"All Russia offers the world today are tons of lies and thousands of missiles that kill civilians indiscriminately. Last night's strike on Kyiv killed innocents, including a baby, and set the Government building on fire. Moldova stands firmly with Ukraine against this terror."

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Three recent incidents of Burmese pythons slithering around homes in South Florida were captured on video and raise the question of whether the invasive snakes are closing in on urban areas.

A python was found tucked inside the engine compartment of a tractor-trailer parked near a Miami residence on Aug. 23, while another was captured in a home's yard a day later, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Additionally, after receiving a report of a snake inside a Miami residence, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue captured and removed a large Burmese python from a shed on the property (see videos below).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The nonvenomous constrictor snakes are native to South Asia, but since being introduced to Florida, they have become one of the most destructive invasive species the state has ever seen.

The Burmese python is one of the largest snakes in the world. Adult pythons average between 6 and 9 feet, though the longest ever caught in Florida was 19 feet. The heaviest weighed over 200 pounds.

Burmese pythons are an invasive species in Florida, with an estimated population in the tens of thousands spread across more than 1,000 square miles of South Florida, including Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.

Do the recent incidents of Burmese pythons around Florida homes indicate an invasion into urban areas?

According to a 2021 study, pythons generally avoid urban areas. However, they select habitats somewhat near urban environments, with "selection peaking at a distance of just 515 meters from urban development."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Environments with large volumes of plant waste material that attract small mammals, hobby farms with chickens and goats, and housing developments bordering natural areas with artificial lakes and aquatic birds, may provide prey cues for pythons, the study notes.

Previous reports of Burmese pythons in populated areas and near homes include:

In the wake of Hurricane Helene in 2024, residents of the tiny island community of Chokoloskee reported a "python invasion," with dozens of sightings, Gulf Coast News reported. One man claimed to have caught 10 pythons in a matter of weeks.

In October 2023, a Cape Coral couple found a coiled 9-foot Burmese python near their garage. The homeowner, along with two neighbors, caught and dispatched the python, according to WFLA.

In 2021, a man and his mother spotted a massive 300-pound, 16-foot Burmese python outside of their home in Zolfo Springs, Newsweek reported. Zolfo Springs is located about 60 miles northeast of Sarasota. The man enlisted serveral family members to help wrangle the giant snake and shoot it.

Also in 2021, a woman found a large python outside her Coral Gables home, CBS reported. FWC removed the snake.

In 2019, a 6-foot python was spotted swimming in Naples Bay, near Windstar and swimming toward Port Royal, according to previous Naples Daily News reports.

A Cocoa Beach woman found a 5-foot python outside her back door in 2017, Florida Today reported. Police caught the animal and turned it over to Brevard County Animal Services and Enforcement.

Video: Burmese pythons removed from tractor-trailer engine and home's backyard in Florida

Video: See Burmese python removal from home's shed in Florida

Has a Burmese python ever killed a human in Florida?

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, human fatalities from non-venomous snakes are rare, with an average of one or two per year worldwide.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There have been no human deaths from wild-living Burmese pythons in Florida.

And while python attacks on humans are unlikely, they're not impossible.

Per USGS, "In suburban areas and parks in Florida that contain ponds, canals or other bodies of water where large snakes could feel at home, the situation is likely similar to that experienced with alligators: attacks are improbable but possible in any locality where the animals are present and people are also present. The simplest and most sure-fire way to reduce the risk of human fatalities is to avoid interacting with a large constrictor."

Invasive Burmese pythons wreak havoc on Everglades ecosystem

Burmese pythons are an invasive species established across more than a thousand square miles of South Florida, including Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve and Collier-Seminole State Park.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The constrictors have few predators and prey on native species, eating just about anything from field mice to deer.

According to a 2012 study, they've contributed to the decline of raccoons, opossums, bobcats, foxes, and marsh and cottontail rabbits.

What's the largest Burmese python caught in Florida?

Burmese pythons are among the largest snakes in the world, with adult animals averaging between 10 and 16 feet long, according to the University of Florida.

A group of python hunters caught the longest Burmese python ever measured on July 10, 2023, in the Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County.

The monster snake was 19 feet long.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The heaviest Burmese python ever recorded was caught by Conservancy of Southwest Florida biologists in the Florida Everglades in 2022. The colossal female python weighed an eye-popping 215 pounds and was nearly 18 feet long.

How did the Burmese python get to Florida?

Burmese pythons are native to Southeast Asia. Many of the invasive snakes came to the U.S. because of their popularity in the pet trade, according to the USGS.

The snakes were then intentionally or accidentally released in South Florida.

How many Burmese pythons are in Florida, Everglades?

Burmese pythons "can survive in and utilize a variety of habitats found in the region, and many of these areas are difficult to access and effectively survey," the USGS reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The agency conservatively estimates the Burmese python population in the Florida Everglades region in the tens of thousands.

Geographic spread of Burmese python records in southern Florida between 1979 and 2021.

How far north in Florida are pythons found?

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife, Burmese pythons are established from just south of Lake Okeechobee to Key Largo and from western Broward County west to Collier County, including:

Everglades National Park

Biscayne National Park

Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area

Big Cypress National Preserve

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

Picayune Strand State Forest

Collier-Seminole State Park

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Any pythons found outside of those areas are likely escaped or released captive animals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, "due to the cryptic nature of pythons, it can take a while to gather enough evidence to confirm new areas of establishment," FWC said.

How big do Burmese pythons in Florida get?

Burmese pythons are among the largest snakes in the world, with adult animals averaging between 10 and 16 feet long, according to the University of Florida.

A group of python hunters caught the longest Burmese python ever measured on July 10, 2023, in the Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County.

The monster snake was 19 feet long.

The heaviest Burmese python ever recorded was caught by Conservancy of Southwest Florida biologists in the Florida Everglades in 2022. The colossal female python weighed an eye-popping 215 pounds and was nearly 18 feet long.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida pythons: Videos of massive snakes invading homes, yards
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is seeking $2.61 billion annually to launch a 5,000-strong regional Standby Force aimed at combating terrorism, political instability, and transnational crime across the region.

At a high-level meeting in Abuja, ECOWAS Ministers of Defense and Finance convened to finalize funding strategies for the ambitious counterterrorism initiative. A scaled-down initial deployment of 1,650 troops will cost $481.5 million, with full deployment targeted in subsequent phases. The emergence of terrorist group activities within and around West Africa has become a matter of serious concern to governments and citizens of the region, warned ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray. He emphasized that terrorism is now a primary threat, especially in the Sahel, where weak governance and prolonged conflict have fueled a dramatic surge in violence.

According to the Global Terrorism Index, the Sahel accounted for 51% of global terrorism deaths in 2024, with threats now extending to once-stable coastal states like Benin and Cote dIvoire. Nigerias Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar described the meeting as a critical step toward safeguarding sovereignty and democratic stability. Financing options under consideration include increasing the ECOWAS Community Levy, GDP-based contributions, direct budget allocations, and public-private partnerships. Sierra Leones Deputy Defense Minister Brima Massaquoi added that strong leadership, regional coordination, and investment in intelligence and training are essential. This moment must be viewed not just as another meeting, but as a mandate to act decisively, stressed Nigerias Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
Donald Trump doesnt want to talk about his memes in meatspace.

The president scolded a reporter for bringing up his recent post to Truth Social, threatening an invasion of Chicago in a riff of 1979s Apocalypse Now. The post inserted Trump in the role played by Robert Duvall and was captioned with I love the smell of deportations in the morning. NBCs Yamiche Alcindor pressed Trump about the post on Sunday, asking if he intends to go to war with Chicago.

Thats fake news, Trump said in front of the White House, as he was preparing to head to the U.S. Open in New York City.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When Alcindor attempted to ask a follow-up question, Trump spoke over her.

Be quiet, listen! You dont listen! You never listen, he said. Thats why youre second-rate. Were not going to war. Were gonna clean up our cities Clean them up, so they dont kill five people every weekend. Thats not war, thats common sense.

Reporter: Are you ready to go with war Chicago? Why use the Department of Defense? Trump: Be quiet. You dont listen. Thats why youre second rate. Were not going to war. pic.twitter.com/3dfUTaY7h2  Acyn (@Acyn) September 7, 2025

Trump has been threatening to deploy U.S. troops on the streets of Chicago for weeks after he made similar maneuvers in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. While the latter is within his authority as president, the Los Angeles action was quickly mired in lawsuits and judges orders.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have both made their objection to such a deployment plain. Pritzker has spent recent days telling anyone who will listen that he has not requested federal help and Johnson issued an executive order barring local law enforcement from cooperating with any federal incursion.

The post Be quiet!: Trump chastises reporter for asking about Chicago plans appeared first on Salon.com.
Indonesia is nearly 10,000 km away from Ukraine  a flight across continents, cultures, and entire histories. Only about 8,000 of the more than 240 million Indonesians are Ukrainian. If anyone dares to bring up Ukraine, theyre expected to also bring up Palestine. And while Indonesia officially values freedom of speech, the reality is selective. Criticising the authorities? Risky. Talking about Russia? Safely "neutral". Talking about Ukraine? Suddenly "political".

In this environment, where the war is referred to as the "conflict in Ukraine" and any mention of Russia is politely avoided, understanding the local perspective on Ukraine-Russia relations is tricky. Its a space where colonial history, anti-Western sentiment, strongman politics and Russian narratives blend into a unique  and often misunderstood  picture.

To untangle it, we spoke with Radityo Dharmaputra, lecturer in the Department of International Relations at Airlangga University in Surabaya, head of the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies, and one of the few Indonesian academics focusing on Ukraine, Russian foreign policy, and Moscows disinformation campaigns in Indonesia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Radityo has spent the past three years studying how narratives about the war travel, mutate and settle in the Indonesian public consciousness.

How would you characterise the official Indonesian stance on Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and how it has changed since 2022?

I think it hasn't changed that much from my point of view.

From the very beginning, the official stance was always trying to keep a distance, trying to be neutral, trying not to offend Russia, but at the same time saying that the invasion is a violation of Ukrainian territorial integrity.

Even though they never say that it is being done by Russia. It's very similar to Western countries; when talking about Palestine and Gaza, they never say Israel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the Indonesian case, they never say that it was Russia who invaded Ukraine. They don't want to use the word "invasion", which is very interesting from my point of view.

[BANNER5]

What word do they use?

I think they usually just use "the war in Ukraine". No mention of Russia.

But who started this war?

It's very silly, I know. But I think it's been very clear from the beginning that they don't want to offend Russia. In the last government of Joko Widodo [president of Indonesia from 2014 to 2024], he personally went to Ukraine and to Russia. He was trying to mediate between Zelenskyy and Putin, but it was basically because of Indonesia's interest in the food crisis. After that, just one visit, and no discussion came from the government.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But back then, the minister of defence and now President Prabowo, two years ago, in Singapore, offered this so-called "peace proposal". Which again was very problematic, especially the referendum part. It is too much even for Indonesia, because Indonesia also has problems with a lot of provinces.

There is a willingness, I think, especially from President Prabowo, to get involved. He has repeatedly mentioned Ukraine and Russia at BRICS. Also, when he went somewhere in Egypt, he mentioned Ukraine and Russia. Again, it's always "peace is important", "negotiation is important". And I think from the government's point of view, they really want Ukraine to negotiate.

I can understand that from the Ukrainian point of view, it's unacceptable. But from the Indonesian point of view, especially from the government's, I think they have this tradition. Even with their neighbours  with Malaysia, for example. I wrote an article about this with my colleague, because we and Malaysia are brothers. And brothers fight, so you have to talk with your brother. And their perception of Ukraine and Russia is that they are like Malaysia and Indonesia, because Russia has used this narrative here. And I think this actually shows that many people in the Indonesian government do not really understand the root cause of the war.

I asked several high-ranking ministry officials a couple of months ago, and they still said, "Yeah, but we need them to have a discussion." For example, Indonesia attended the peace summit in Switzerland, and they didn't want to sign the documents because they said that Russia was not invited. They wanted Russia to be there and then to talk to Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Again, it's very problematic, the way they see it. But I think you just have to understand that that's how they see it because they receive a lot of information, a lot of messages coming from Russia that "this is our internal Slavic brotherhood thing". And they understand that, because it's very similar to Indonesia and Malaysia.

[BANNER1]

Basically, it's a geopolitical factor within Indonesia that influences all the decisions of the Indonesian authorities?

That as well, because the invasion and then the war have always been portrayed by Indonesian media, foreign media in Indonesia, and also by Russian media, as if this is Russia against the West, Russia against NATO.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And for the Indonesian side, we don't want outsiders to come to Indonesia. We don't like it when people, especially from the West, come to Indonesia and say, "You have to do this" [this is probably connected with the fact that the Dutch colonised Indonesia  ed.]. And from what they understand, I think it's because it's framed as the West and NATO against Russia. Ukraine is just like a pawn in the middle. That's why they said, "Yeah, this is just the West wanting you to fight. You should talk to Russia."

I think thats because of the long history between Indonesia and Russia in the Soviet Union, but in the Indonesian mindset, it is always Soviet Russia. Not other countries, not even Ukraine. It's always Russia and all those connections with Russia: "Russia has great power", "Russia is Indonesias friend from the Soviet period". It shapes their point of view that we still want to be friends with Russia.

If you look at writings from former diplomats, from senior officials, especially at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, they always pitied Ukraine, because Ukraine is in a very difficult position between two powers.

From their point of view, it's the same with Indonesia, China and the US, and we are trying to be in the middle. Ive argued with them before directly that "No, it's very different because China is not there, and Indonesia is not its neighbour." It's not aggressive, at least in mainland Indonesia. So you cannot really compare them, but that's how they think.

And from your point of view, what was the starting point of this narrative that it's Russia against the West, Russia against the US, and Ukraine is just a pawn?

I think it started even before 2022. You can see such statements in 2014 as well, when the Crimean annexation happened.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think the government said very clearly then that we do not accept that annexation, it's illegal, and so on. That was a bit stronger than the current response. But at the same time, you can see that they said: "Yeah, but then you have to talk. This is still the western influence in Ukraine, especially with Maidan."

I think there was the same statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, even though they condemned the annexation of Crimea by Russia, and they mentioned Russia at the time, but then they said, "Yeah, but this revolution in Maidan, it's Western, it's not the people, its Western influence." So all those narratives were there  propagated by Russia, of course.

At the same time, Indonesia never trusts the US. The other European countries are probably a bit different, but the US, especially after 2001, 2003, after the war on terror, the time under Bush, has been trying to meddle in other countries affairs, and Indonesia doesn't like that.

They can just put their experience and then see: "Oh, maybe the US is also present in Ukraine and trying to influence Ukrainian society." So, even before 2013-2014, it was already there.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And the problem before that is that no one really looked at Ukraine. I don't think even Ukraine looked at Indonesia that much. That's also a problem, because Ukraine is not really present in Indonesia. I think the embassy just started [to be more present] a couple of years ago. So it's very understandable.

But Russia has been here for a long time. You can see that they have very good cooperation here already. I'm not saying they are influencing the Indonesian government, because that would mean the Indonesian government really listens to them, but the way they actually talk about Ukraine, and not only Ukraine  Georgia, all the other countries  is because Russia framed it like that. Russia framed it to us as "This is Western influence  2004, 2008 in Georgia."

[BANNER2]

Can you tell that Russia has somehow shaped this narrative with propaganda inside?

Inside society, I think, it's clear, especially since 2015-2016, right after the Crimean annexation. But it was not about Ukraine back then  it was about Syria. Russias intervention in Syria back then, helping Assad, wasn't received well within the Indonesian Muslim community. They didn't want Russia to come, especially with the experience in Afghanistan and Chechnya. So they wanted Russia out of Syria, basically. A lot of Muslim communities, especially the more conservative groups, demonstrated in front of the Russian Embassy in 2015-2016.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And I think, starting that year, Russia started to look at Indonesia more, because they know that this majority-Muslim country (not only Indonesia, but Indonesia was one of the biggest) is important for their own narrative, because otherwise they will get criticised by all these Muslim majorities. So they started using Russia Beyond the Headlines [an English-language tool of Russian propaganda now known as Russia Beyond  ed.] because they didn't have RT here back then. Russia Beyond used to be just this cultural introduction to Russia. I think in 2016 they started to switch the narrative using this Muslim dimension.

So they're trying to influence Indonesian views using public diplomacy, using their media. Or at least to shape the view of Indonesian society into one specific narrative, especially the Muslim part. The anti-Western view, or view thats more critical of the West, is already there. They don't need to do anything. It's already here. They just need to pick the same narrative. As long as they criticise the West, people will jump in and will follow them.

There is another effort, I think, not by the Russians, but by Indonesian politicians, trying to say that Putin is a very strong leader. And Putin is very popular in Indonesia. I think it started in 2014  that was the election between Joko Widodo, the former president, and the current president, Prabowo.

And the current president was portraying himself at that time as this strong man riding horses, but not naked, not like Putin.

So he was inspired by Putin?

Yes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The current minister of culture, Fadli Zon, has a degree in Russian literature from the University of Indonesia. He said in 2019, "We need a president like Putin here, and Prabowo is the one. A strong leader, nationalistic and so on." So I think that's how people see it. He is not as popular as other Muslim leaders from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, but still, compared to the others, compared to Biden, Obama... But don't compare him to Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy's down there [he points downwards  ed.].

Unfortunately, hes down there because of many things, but Putin is always considered a strong leader  not only because of his anti-Western rhetoric, but it's just the way hes portrayed himself, sometimes with fake pictures, but still, it's very popular among Indonesians.

The current President Prabowo has now changed his image a bit into more of a nice grandpa, and it works. But before, it was a militaristic general, very strong, anti-western, nationalistic.

In the beginning, especially in 2022, I think Russia was quite surprised that even before the intensive or extensive propaganda that they did, there was already a very strong narrative sympathetic towards Russia  because of the Muslim dimension since 2016, because of the strong man Putin, because of the anti-Western mentality, because of the history and tradition, post-colonial history and so on. Also, the history of the Soviet Union helping Indonesia in the 1960s.

But Indonesia is a very anti-colonial country, and Russia tries to colonise other countries. How can these things coexist?

I think this is very crucial: not many people know that Russia and the Soviet Union at that time colonised other countries or had a very imperial strategy, or that the imperial dimensions of Russia were there, even during the Soviet Union.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I wrote an article back then about Estonia, Georgia, and why all these countries don't want anything to do with Russia, because they have their history: in the 1920s, in the 40s, how Russian soldiers entered Estonia and then basically colonised the country. I don't think Indonesians know about this. They think it was just one big country  the Soviet Union, which is Russia, and then suddenly it broke up into 15 different pieces.

They don't understand that inside the Soviet Union, even back then, there were already efforts from Ukraine, from Estonia, from Kazakhstan and all the countries basically trying to fight the Russian empire, the Russian imperial narrative, Russification of the language, and so on. They don't know about this.

It's very difficult to talk to people and say that Russia is imperial and a coloniser now, because they say, "No, they helped us against the real coloniser, which is the West."

Russia is always perceived by Indonesia as the anti-imperial country from back then  the Soviet Union. Indonesia doesnt understand that even now, inside Russia, there are a lot of smaller nations that were basically colonised by Russia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

[BANNER3]

Indonesia recently became part of BRICS. How has this influenced Indonesian engagement with Russia and the Global South? Do you think that after joining BRICS, Indonesia will become closer to Russia?

My criticism towards the current government is that they don't have a vision. At least, we cannot see that there is any vision from the government. And the president really just likes to be among great leaders, especially strong men.

And theres no better way to offer him that than BRICS. Because in BRICS, you have Lula, Putin, Xi Jinping, and Modi. Sometimes Turkiye is also invited as a candidate or as a partner. So you have all the strong men of the world there. Based on that alone, I don't think BRICS is a very strategic move by the government; it's just a very pragmatic decision.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You can see that even the government is still trying to say, "No, no, we don't really consider BRICS as us going closer to China and Russia." They still try to engage with Trump. They give Trump whatever he wants for the trade deal. Trump wants everything, and then they say, "Yeah, yeah, we'll give you that." So theyre basically trying to sit on two chairs.

But the problem is that from the other way around, China and Russia will use Indonesia. This is a big country, Muslim majority, one of the leaders of the Global South. The leader of Southeast Asia, if we can still claim that.

So for China and Russia  especially for Russia at this moment, with all the isolation, all the sanctions  it is very important. And I don't think the Indonesian government realises that. For them, it's just "We were invited  we just go." Prabowo wants to be there, to see Putin.

Look at all the decisions, all the MoUs [Memorandums of Understanding  ed.] that were signed during his visit to Russia. It's just promise after promise after promise. No real investment from Russia. I don't think Russia can invest in anything anyway.

So from the Indonesian point of view, it's not really beneficial. It could be, specifically with Trump acting like Trump did. BRICS could be beneficial for Indonesia, but they don't really use it at the moment. They're just there for the ceremony. And that's the problem.

If they want to balance the US, BRICS might be a good platform, but at the same time, we don't really use it. We're being used, especially by Russia. And that's the problem.

I don't care if you want to go to BRICS to gain something. And I think all the countries want to gain something from this. And we already have investment from China. We already have cooperation with Russia, with India, with South Africa, and with Brazil. Why do we have to go to BRICS? That's a big question. Unfortunately, it seems like he [President Prabowo  ed.] is moving closer to China and Russia. But I think it's just because China and Russia know how to use Indonesia and how to invite it.

I said the same to Western partners: he [President Prabowo  ed.] just wants a stage. Put him on a stage, give him a chance to give a keynote speech  he would go. And that's what happened when he went to Russia instead of going to the G7 in Canada  because Russia let him have a speech. It's not a big forum. It's just meeting Putin and then going to the St Petersburg Economic Forum, which is not really a big forum. It's not for Indonesia's investment. They actually asked him to invest in Russia, because Russia needs the money. But he went there anyway, because he said they invited him first, and, of course, he would get the stage. He would be there with the most senior members.

So I think this is not about getting closer to BRICS. You have to know that Prabowo's foreign policy is driven first of all by ambition, personal view, trying to be on the world stage.

I think Macron did a very good job inviting him to Bastille Day. You know what he said when Macron invited him? He said, "The last time I was in Paris for Bastille Day, I was in the back row. Now I can be there in the front row"  and he went there.

So he's kind of narcissistic.

In a way, he is. Just give him what he wants. He wants a stage. He wants a speech. Give him that.

And if Ukraine invited him to a major event and gave him a keynote speech, do you think he would come?

If Ukraine invited him, the problem is that Russia would do something to persuade him not to come. So Ukraine needs someone else  the European partners. So, lets say, organise a conference or a meeting. A conference would be good. France, Germany and the UK  all the "big three" of Europe at the moment. Zelenskyy is there, and you invite people like Prabowo, like Modi, to give a speech. He might come  unless Russia does something at the same time: organises a conference with all the other leaders.

But Zelenskyy alone cannot I think the capital that Zelenskyy has here in Indonesia is probably quite low. I think in 2022-2023, when Ukraine started to fight back with the counteroffensive, the help from the US, Europe, the UK  they gave a lot of money to Ukraine to have a counteroffensive. And it worked. At least the way I see it, it worked. It changed the discussion a little bit.

And then 7 October happened [the escalation between Gaza and Israel  ed.], and the first statement from Zelenskyy that Indonesia heard is "We will support Israel." Unfortunately, thats what people remembered. The day after that, many people in our group  I think most of the people in our group  said, "Im done supporting Ukraine. How can I support them when the president said that?"

And he backtracked later, and when he visited Singapore last year, he had a very different speech, criticising Israel and so on. But no one remembered that second part.

And when he said that, I was like, "Oh God. What can we do now?" Because its very difficult. That's why a lot of different narratives about Ukraine started to go down since 2023. It was very difficult to say anything about Ukraine.

I wrote an article about how we should also support Ukraine, as we support Palestine. Ooooh You can imagine a lot of people attacking me on social media because of that.

[BANNER4]

How can we change this narrative? Are there any opportunities for Ukraine to get back on track?

I think there are two ways. One way is to go big into soial media, showing that Ukraine also supports us. And I think the MC [Muslim communities  ed.] have done that to some extent. But it is very difficult because Russia clearly looks at what Zelenskyy says and uses it for its own purposes.

The other way is to go to the local communities. I think that's what we did before. The team that went to Ukraine in December 2023, when I went  I think there were three or four Muslim leaders from Indonesia.

We met with all the Muftis  the Crimean Mufti, the Ukrainian Mufti, and the former Mufti who is now a soldier in the Ukrainian army. We met with the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars. And we showed them that Ukraine actually has a lot of Muslim communities, and the Muslim communities in Ukraine have a very good connection with the Ukrainian government, and they also criticise Zelenskyy.

Then the Ukrainian Muslim leaders came to Indonesia last year, in 2024. They met with local communities. But that didnt translate to social media. So if you look only at social media, its still strongly critical of Zelenskyy, because Russian propaganda is very strong on social media.

But if you look at the communities, the Islamic council, the majority of people now know that "Oh, Ukraine is not like that. Even if Zelenskyy said that, it's Zelenskyy's position."

I encouraged the Ukrainian team last year to bring the Mufti  I think it was Murat Suleimanov from Ukraine  not only to Jakarta, but to the smaller Islamic communities. Of course, they have limited funds and so on, but probably that's a better use because you're just going to a very traditional Islamic community, you talk to them.

Again, as Ive mentioned a couple of times to many Ukrainian friends, you cannot counter it in the short term because Russia has more resources.

They're not like the Chinese. The Chinese in Indonesia are trying to be very subtle. Russia is not subtle. You know this better than we do  Russia is not subtle. And it's very difficult for Ukraine to counter that because of the limited resources.

But one thing that I think they don't have is this connection with the Islamic community that you can actually use  the Crimean Tatar dimension. I think, even though they still don't say anything about Russia, I think they want peace in Ukraine, and then they put in their statement that they want freedom for the Crimean Tatars to go back to Crimea. Actually, you know, this is a very strong statement, because if they want them to go back to Crimea, that means Crimea would return to Ukraine and become free, not like now.

Yeah, Crimea has been occupied for 11 years. Most of the political prisoners there are Crimean Tatars who can't speak their language or do whatever they want to do there. They are very restricted. So I guess maybe it's a connecting point.

The connection is there. It just needs to be developed further. I think maybe that's one way to go forward instead of fighting on social media, which is very difficult anyway.

But if you depend on that, it means that the other Muslim part is being dominated by Russia, and they can invite Islamic leaders from Indonesia to Russia very easily. They also bring people from Chechnya. Indonesians love Ramzan Kadyrov for some reason.

Seriously?

Yeah.

He's also a strong man, so

Yeah, that's the problem. I think that's a very deliberate move by Russia: "Oh, they love strong men, lets put Kadyrov there."

It's very difficult, but you could bring Crimean Tatar leaders to Indonesia to talk to the Muslim communities, and they would see that Crimean Muslims have been discriminated against by Russia and theyre struggling a lot. Maybe their sympathy would not stretch to Ukraine as a whole yet, but at least there would be some connection.

I know that you have an idea to start the first Ukrainian Studies programme in Indonesia. Can you elaborate on this?

Yeah, in 2022, when we inaugurated the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies, we invited the Ukrainian ambassador here in Indonesia, and also two professors from Estonia. We tried to discuss this at that time, just a couple of months after the full-scale invasion started. We tried to focus on Ukraine because I saw that there are not many people who know about Ukraine in Indonesia.

And then we developed that idea in 2023. We organised a conference on the Global South non-Western Response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the last two years, 2023-2024, we organised cooperation with Ukrainian universities, with the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. We organised five joint courses on Ukrainian politics and society, the religious dimension in Ukraine and Indonesia  basically cooperation between Ukraine and Indonesia. And based on that, were trying to organise a course.

Trying to start a Ukrainian Studies programme is very difficult at the moment, because probably there will be no immediate interest. Last year we organised a Ukrainian Politics and Society course with the help of people from the Ukrainian Catholic University and the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and then we invited several professors from Ukraine online.

Last year it was still under War and Peace Studies in our course. But next year, in February, we are going to start an actual class in Ukrainian Politics as a part of our curriculum. So a new curriculum: for the next five years, we will introduce Ukrainian Politics.

So its a course that people can choose?

Yes, people can choose it. Based on our experience at the university for the last two years, there are a lot of students who really want to learn about Ukraine because of the news, because of the war. They really wanted to know more, and they took the course.

For next year, we just had a new curriculum approved by the university, and one of the courses is a Ukrainian course. I think we are the only ones in Indonesia starting to give a course. Not yet a degree, but a course.

Basically, the people from the university saw that students have an interest in this and theyve agreed that it will be a programme?

Yes, hopefully, depending on how many people are interested in studying Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Let's see where that goes.

We usually have only American Politics and Society, Russia, China, Australia all the neighbours of Indonesia, bigger countries.

And now we're introducing two: Taiwan and Ukraine. So hopefully the students will get more interested, and then we can propose another subject in the future. But based on the last few years, usually around 70 people are interested out of 150 students a year  half of them.

Alina Poliakova, Ukrainska Pravda

Photo: Ardiansyah Arsha
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called out Vice President JD Vance for defending the U.S. militarys bombing of a suspected drug vessel from Venezuela that killed 11 people.

On Saturday, Vance referenced the bombing, writing on social media, Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military. When someone challenged that, calling the bombing a war crime, Vance wrote, I dont give a shit what you call it, which elicited immediate backlash.

Politics: The Smug Silence Of The Supreme Courts Rulings For Trump

Rand mocked Vances response on social media and questioned if the vice president had ever read Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird, seemingly pointing out the novels themes about prejudice and due process.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

JD I dont give a shit Vance says killing people he accuses of a crime is the highest and best use of the military, Paul wrote Saturday on social media. Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird? Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation?? What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Paul told HuffPost in a comment that the drone attack defies Americas rules of engagement.

The recent drone attack on a small speedboat over 2,000 miles from our shore without identification of the occupants or the content of the boat is in no way part of a declared war and defies our longstanding Coast Guard rules of engagement which include: warnings to halt, non-lethal force to capture, and ultimately lethal force in self-defense or in cases of resistance, he said.

Politics: Trump Ordered Military To Blow Up Suspected Drug Boat Instead Of Intercepting It, Rubio Says

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump ordered the military to bomb the boat because American officials suspected it was importing illegal drugs from Venezuela to the U.S.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rubio said Wednesday the military will continue to bomb suspected drug vessels.

Instead of interdicting it, on the presidents orders, we blew it up  and itll happen again. Maybe its happening right now, Rubio said.

Vance told reporters Wednesday that the people on the boat were literal terrorists. Experts told The New York Times that Venezuela plays virtually no role in the fentanyl trade.

Politics: Michigan Judge Tosses Case Against 15 Accused Fake Electors For Trump In 2020

Paul, who chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, was immediately outspoken and critical of the bombing, telling Newsmax on Wednesday that he isnt sure America has the finances to be the worlds policemen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its hard to have any sympathy for drug dealers trying to import product into our country, he said. But at the same time, I guess, you might ask the question, Where does it end? Are we the worlds policemen?

Paul argued that Americas legal system is set up to not automatically assume guilt and for suspects to have trials. He added that the people killed in the bombing could have been innocent people fleeing Venezuela.

I think probably that we had the facts correct, we got bad people here, but  it isnt our policy just to blow people up, he said. We dont blow up ships entering our waters unless theyre hellbent on attacking another ship or unless they are resisting with gunfire.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul tore into Vice President JD Vance's defense of the U.S. military's strike on an alleged drug vessel leaving Venezuela.

And he cited a long-loved literary classic to prove his point.

"JD I dont give a shit Vance says killing people he accuses of a crime is the highest and best use of the military. Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird?" Paul wrote on X on Saturday night. "Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation??"

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Paul was referencing Harper Lee's widely read 1960 novel, the source of a classic 1962 film.

The strike, ordered by the White House and announced by President Donald Trump at a press conference last Tuesday, was an escalation of the administration's brewing fight with the government of Venezuela and the Tren de Aragua gang, which it has sought to tie together. Trump said the attack killed 11 suspected traffickers.

Inside the administration, officials say to expect more direct action.

Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military, Vance wrote Saturday on X.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But others in Washington question the attack's legality. They are looking for answers as to why the administration elected to fire on the cartel, rather than rounding them up, and some are wary the strike could expand the president's authority to call upon his war powers. There have also been questions about details of the attack and desire for proof that the boat itself was actually what the administration says it was.

"What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial," Paul said of Vance's Saturday post.
You might want to check your fridge, garage and home this week.

The reason you should do this is because of recalls issued across the U.S., affecting everything from food staples to vehicles and household consumer products.

These recalls, triggered by health risks to safety hazards, could impact millions of consumers just like you.

Heres what you need to know about four recalls on food, products and vehicles that could affect you.

4 food and product recalls between Sept. 1 and Sept. 7

Item Detail Start Date Week of Sept. 1-7 Whos affected? People who bought brown eggs, frozen vegetables and baby loungers as well as people who own certain Ford and Lincoln models. Whats changing? See each specific food, car or product recall for more information. What will happen? People will have to stop consuming or using the products, return them to their place of purchase, and/or throw the products out.

Frozen vegetables sold nationwide recalled: return to place of purchase ASAP

New York-based Endico Potatoes is recalling frozen vegetables sold in several states due to listeria contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The recall was initiated after testing at a site in Pennsylvania found listeria contamination.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Endico and the FDA are investigating the cause of the contamination and distribution has been halted.

The following products are subject to recall:

Peas and carrots

Lot number- 110625

Production date- June 11, 2025

Sell by date- June 10, 2027

Mixed vegetables

Lot number- 170625

Production date- June 17, 2025

Sell by date- June 16, 2027

The products were sold at certain retailers including H Mart between July 18-Aug. 4, 2025, in these seven states and territories:

Connecticut

Florida

New York

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Maryland

Washington, D.C.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Those with the frozen vegetables in their freezers should return them to their place of purchase.

Ford recalls 213K vehicles due to faulty trailer lights

Ford is recalling more than 213,000 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Navigator models due to a defect in these vehicles trailer lights, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The malfunctioning trailer lights are caused by the vehicles defective Body Control Module (BCM) caused by bad soldering on the Body Control Module circuit boards.

This could also cause problems with the power windows, mirrors, HVAC system or even the USB charging ports.

SUVs driven more than 6,000 miles may not be affected.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, Ford is urging owners to get their vehicles inspected and if necessary, get their Body Control Module replaced at no cost.

Owners will be notified about the recall by Oct. 13, 2025, and replacement of the defective part will be available between March 31 and April 3, 2026.

23K URMYWO baby loungers recalled due to suffocation, fall hazard risk

Pomona is recalling 23,000 URMYWO baby loungers due to a suffocation and fall hazard that can cause serious injuries or death to babies who use them, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The affected baby loungers are in the grey feather style and Model No: UMCZC01AE printed on labels attached to the sides of the loungers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No injuries have been reported to date.

The loungers were sold on Amazon between January 2024 and April 2025 for about $30-$50.

Consumers should stop using the loungers immediately and contact Pomona for a full refund. To get the refund, consumers should remove the sleeping pad, cut the sides of the baby loungers and the sleeping pad and email a photo of the destroyed lounger to urmyworecall@outlook.com.

Brown eggs recalled after 95 sickened across 14 states

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA issued a warning after California-based Country Eggs, LLC, recalled its Large Brown Cage Free Sunshine Yolk eggs due to potential salmonella contamination.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The recalled eggs were distributed to grocery stores in California and Nevada, packaged in individual cartons with the following brand names and sell-by dates:

Nagatoshi Produce, Sell by dates: July 1, 2025, through Sept. 18, 2025

Misuho, Sell by dates: July 1, 2025, through Sept. 18, 2025

Nijiya Markets, Sell by dates: July 1, 2025, through Sept. 18, 2025

Country Eggs Large Brown Sunshine Yolks, Sell by dates: July 1, 2025, through Sept. 18, 2025

To date, 95 people have reported illnesses in connection with the recall in 14 different states. Of those 95 people, 18 have been hospitalized.

If you have these eggs in your fridge, the CDC is urging you to throw them away or return them to their place of purchase.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is also recommended that you sanitize the surfaces the contaminated eggs have touched.

More Food Recalls

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.

Read the original article on NJ.com.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  The American Red Cross is reminding people to make sure their homes are prepared for emergencies.

September is National Preparedness Month and the Red Cross is urging everyone to protect their loved ones by readying their homes, said Red Cross of Illinois spokesperson Jayce Eustice.

Disasters can happen at any time and anywhere, even when you arent expecting them.

Eustice said to prepare for emergencies, take these steps:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Depending on the emergency, you may need to stay where you are or go somewhere else to stay safe. If you may need to leave, think about where youll go, how youll get there, where youll stay and what youll take with you. Plan well in advance if youll need help leaving or use public transportation.

Next, gather and organize critical supplies  like food, water and medicine  into a go-kit and a stay-at-home kit. Make sure to include backup batteries and chargers for your devices (cell phone, CPAP, wheelchair, etc.), a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and critical personal records.

Your go-kit should include three days of supplies that you can take with you. Your stay-at-home kit should have two weeks of food and water, and a one-month supply of medications, if possible.

Customize your kit to meet your households specific needs. If you have young children, dont forget formula and diapers. If you have pets, include leashes, carriers, food, bowls, litter and a litterbox.

Finally, make a plan to reconnect with loved ones if you are separated or if the phone or internet is down. Write down important phone numbers on a contact card and carry it with you.

People can also help their community prepare for disasters by donating blood, taking a class in lifesaving skills like CPR or becoming a Red Cross volunteer.

To learn more, visit redcross.org or call 800-733-2767. You can also download the free Red Cross Emergency app for safety steps for different emergencies and advice from experts.

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.
The number of refugees returning to Syria from Germany since the fall of longtime president Bashar al-Assad has been slowly rising, though it remains relatively low, the Interior Ministry has told dpa.

The low level of returns is linked to security risks and the heavily destroyed infrastructure following the civil war, aid organizations have reported.

By the end of August, 1,867 Syrians had left Germany with federal assistance, up from 804 at the end of May. Returns are also supported through state-level programmes, while others depart without official aid.

Pressure on refugees in Lebanon and Turkey

Since the overthrow of al-Assad in December, refugees have mainly returned to Syria from neighbouring countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Janine Lietmeyer, a board member of World Vision Germany who visited Syria in August, said families often struggle with the decision to return. She noted that relative normality in central Damascus contrasts sharply with hardship in other regions, making reintegration difficult.

Electricity and schooling are scarce in many places

For the returnees, in addition to the still difficult security situation in some regions, fundamental questions arise, such as: "Is there a functioning school? How many hours a day do I have electricity? Are there any housing options at all?"

Lietmeyer said that in some former rebel strongholds, practically all houses are destroyed. Residual munitions make staying in these areas dangerous.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the end of July, according to the Central Register of Foreigners (AZR), just under 955,000 Syrian nationals were living in Germany, about 20,000 fewer than at the beginning of the year.

However, this does not mean that Syrians are leaving the country in large numbers.

The Federal Statistical Office recorded only 1,562 departures to Syria in the first five months of this year. However, not everyone who leaves deregisters, which leads to delays in updating the AZR data.

Many Syrians becoming German citizens

Last year, around 83,150 Syrians became German citizens, Interior Ministry data showed. Figures for 2025 are not yet available.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many of the refugees who arrived in Germany in 2015 or 2016 now meet the criteria for naturalization, from securing their own livelihood to German language skills.

At the same time, new asylum applications continue: Between January and August, 17,650 Syrians applied for protection at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).

However, since the change in the German government, applications from Syrian nationals are generally not being decided upon - except for a few exceptions and cases where it is clarified whether another European country is responsible for the procedure.

This is justified by the fact that the situation in Syria is still subject to significant changes. This delay has led to 53,187 cases from people from Syria accumulating at the authority, where the decision is still pending.

New situation report

The Foreign Office did present an updated report on the situation in Syria at the end of May, which is intended to help BAMF with its decisions on asylum applications.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The only Syrians whose protection status BAMF is now deciding on, according to a directive from the Interior Ministry from this summer, are criminals and so-called threats, namely people suspected of a serious politically motivated crime.

They do not yet have to expect rapid deportation, even though Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has stressed that he wants to make progress in this area.

There have been no deportations from Germany to Syria since 2012. "The Federal Ministry of the Interior is working intensively to enable returns to Syria, as agreed in the coalition agreement, and to support the states in this," said a spokeswoman.

Joint trip laid the foundation for deportation from Austria

In July, neighbouring Austria deported a Syrian to his homeland for the first time in about 15 years. The foundation for this was reportedly laid by Interior Minister Gerhard Karner during a joint trip to Syria with his then German counterpart Nancy Faeser in April, according to the Interior Ministry in Vienna.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The man, considered a sympathizer of the terrorist militia Islamic State, was taken to Damascus via Istanbul, where he initially disappeared.

Recently, the European Court of Human Rights temporarily stopped another planned deportation from Austria to Syria.
Among the numerous prizes at the Visa pour l'image photojournalism festival in Perpignan, the prestigious Visa d'or News was awarded to Ivor Prickett of the New York Times for his work on the war in Sudan. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Humanitarian Visa d'Or went to Saher Alghorra for his work in the Gaza Strip, while George Steinmetz received lifetime achievement award.

The Irish photographer, who was awarded the prize for his coverage of the battle for Khartoum, which pitted the Sudanese army against the paramilitary militia FSR (Rapid Support Forces) between 2023 and 2025 for control of the country's capital, expressed "great surprise" and said the award was "a great honour" for him.

"For this work on Sudan, the problem was gaining access to this war. I'm lucky to have had access to it," he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His photos show the daily life of the civil war, with its share of material destruction and, above all, the suffering of a population trying to survive in particularly difficult conditions, while remaining "strong despite what is happening."

The Visa d'Or Magazine was awarded Friday evening to South African Getty Images photographer Brent Stirton for his report on Virunga National Park, the oldest and largest in Africa, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Several armed groups supported by Rwanda and Uganda are present there, some of which are plundering the DRC's wealth.

His photographs depict an elephant decapitated for its ivory or a gorilla slaughtered in the jungle, as well as rangers patrolling to combat illegal charcoal production or arresting poachers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The photographer described his work in the park as "a modest attempt to pay tribute to this extraordinary place on the occasion of its 100th anniversary."

Resilience in Gaza

The leading international event dedicated to photojournalism, the 37th edition of Visa pour l'image in Perpignan offers snapshots of a world "ever more cruel to the innocent," victims of the climate crisis and global conflicts, from Ukraine to Gaza.

Among other awards, the Visa d'or from the City of Perpignan Remi Ochlik was awarded to Alfredo Bosco for his work combating synthetic drug trafficking in Iraq, where sales and distribution are on the rise.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Humanitarian Visa d'Or, which annually recognises a professional photojournalist who has covered a humanitarian issue related to armed conflict, was awarded to Saher Alghorra (Zuma Press) for his work in the Gaza Strip.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the photos taken by this 26-year-old photographer, still trapped in the Palestinian enclave, we see little girls dressed in pretty dresses on their way to school, children on a swing, others smiling at a motor oil stand, or on the beach trying to escape the war.

While depicting death and hunger, the photojournalist reveals the resilience of the population, which "continues this semblance of reality," according to Aruallan, a photographer in constant contact with the Gazan.

Global food systems

The Visa d'Or d'honneur from Figaro Magazine, intended to recognise the work of an established photographer still practicing for their entire professional career, was awarded to George Steinmetz.

This year in Perpignan, with his images of megafarms, overfishing, and enormous livestock farms, the American photographer took to the skies, by motorized paraglider or with a drone, to provide "transparency" on the global food system and its "significant impact on the environment."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's interesting to know where your food comes from," he says. "You have to be conscious of your choices when you shop."

(with AFP)

 Visa pour l'Image runs from 30 August to 14 September, 2025.
People read texts with different goals. Whether its a newspaper or article, the Internet, a novel, a recipe, or a scientific paper, each type of text can be approached with various intentions.

Eye movements alone are enough to identify a readers interaction with text, according to new research from Haifas Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences.

Reading is an all-pervasive, practiced skill that is indispensable for successful involvement in modern society. When reading, our eyes move over the text in a saccadic fashion, where there are periods of time in which the gaze is stable at a specic location, called xations, and rapid transitions between xations called saccades.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This sequence of xations and saccades is generally hypothesized to contain rich information about how readers interact with text. Automatic decoding of such information is currently a growing area of research.

People read texts with different goals. Whether its a newspaper or magazine article, the Internet, a novel, a cooking recipe, or a scientific paper, each type of text can be approached with various intentions. Two common reading goals are general comprehension (regular reading) and the search for information. The researchers developed computational models that combine eye-tracking with text processing.

In daily life, a reader may have one or several goals that they pursue with respect to the text. For example, they may read the text closely or skim it to obtain the gist of the texts content, they may proofread it, or they may be seeking specic information of interest. Each goal can have a profound impact on online linguistic processing and on the corresponding eye movement behavior while reading.

Assistant Prof. Yevgeni Berzak, who heads the Technions Language, Computation, and Cognition Lab. (credit: Courtesy)

These models can accurately detect a readers purpose with about 90% accuracy and nearly 80% accuracy within just two seconds from the moment the reading started, the team maintained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The teams findings were presented at the 63rd Association for Computational Linguistics conference, one of the worlds most prestigious gatherings in the field of natural language processing, which was recently held in Vienna.

The research was led by doctoral student Omer Shubi, together with masters student Cfir Hadar, under the supervision of Assistant Prof. Yevgeni Berzak, who heads the Technions Language, Computation, and Cognition Lab and joined the university in 2021 after completing his doctorate and postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They also published their findings in the journal ACL Anthology under the title Decoding reading goals from eye movements.

Berzak, who was born in Moscow and was brought to Israel as a child with his younger brother in 1990 by their parents  his father an aviation engineer and his mother a social worker  joined the faculty in 2021.

He earned a bachelors degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in cognitive science, a masters degree in computational linguistics at the University of Saarland in Germany and the University of Nancy in France, followed by a doctorate in computer science from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2018 and a postdoctoral position at MITs Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He speaks five languages  Hebrew, Russian, English, German, and French  and said he doesnt confuse them when he speaks. I was always interested in languages as a youth. Coming to Israel, I had to learn Hebrew, so I was even more interested, he recalled.

I FOCUS in my interdisciplinary research on how humans acquire and process language by combining linguistic and cognitive theory, computational modeling, and behavioral and neuroimaging studies. I also examine how natural language processing in machines can be brought closer to human linguistic abilities by utilizing insights and data from human language processing.

This study is part of a broader research program in which we are developing AI models that infer, in real time and from eye movements alone, key aspects of the readers linguistic knowledge, their interaction with the text, the difference between a first and a second reading, the readability of a given text, and even the specific information the reader is seeking, Berzak explained in an interview with The Jerusalem Post.

These studies pave the way for new methods in assessing linguistic knowledge, personalizing texts according to the readers linguistic and reading proficiency, improving accessibility to textual information for various populations, and more.

Popularity of eye-tracking technologies

Eye-tracking technologies are becoming increasingly widespread, affordable, and accurate, with some now available on common devices like tablets and smartphones. The researchers hope these developments will speed up the adoption of their models, benefiting both users and content providers in fields such as education, government, and media.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We did the study solely online, with people reading from a computer screen. Everything is digital today. Keep your eyes on the text. Everything is digital. There are characteristics that are universal to many languages, he said.

For example, when one reads English, the eyes focus on less text on the left but three times more text on the right. When reading Hebrew, it does the opposite. We didnt test Chinese or Japanese that go down and then up, or Russian or Amharic. But we are working on eye movements of people who read English as a second language and on predicting a persons mother tongue, the linguistic expert noted.

We asked participants if they were looking for data or not, what kind of information, and how much they understand. I dont know of any possible connection between [the] speed of reading and intelligence. It depends on all kinds of variables. Speedreading works differently; it takes a lot of practice, and there are several techniques for doing it, Berzak added.

We havent yet worked with children, but we hope to do so soon, and in the future, [we hope to work] with the deaf and sign language, the elderly, people with cognitive problems, and even those with autism who have learning disabilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The research could lead to websites like those of municipalities, for example, quickly recognizing with their eye movements what information they are seeking and tailoring the text to specific users.

I am less interested in companies determining what products people are interested in. Although everyone with a smartphone can be followed, privacy is important to us, he concluded.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) celebrated its 33rd anniversary on Sept. 7 by posting "greeting cards" from Ukraine in public places throughout Moscow, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent.

"Responsibility is inevitable," the signs read. The messages also feature a prominent HUR logo.

The agency was established on Sept. 7, 1992, just over one year after Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union. HUR honored its 33rd anniversary by sending a message to the Russian capital.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

HUR's so-called "greeting cards" were displayed in multiple districts of Moscow, decorating the city's fences, parks, public transport stops, poles, and walls.

"Residents of the capital of so-called Russia can obviously expect special congratulations from Ukrainian military intelligence soon," a source in HUR said.

HUR's demonstration comes the morning after Russia targeted Ukraine with a record-breaking drone and missile attack overnight. Russia launched 810 Shahed-type drones  the largest drone strike of the full-scale war. Russia also launched 13 cruise and ballistic missiles during the attack.

The attack hit the killed at least four civilians and injured 44 people across Ukraine, and hit the Cabinet of Ministers building in central Kyiv.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

HUR has claimed responsibility for a number of operations on Russian soil. In August, HUR said it carried out a drone strike on Russian military logistics in Voronezh Oblast, damaging infrastructure at a key transportation hub.

A HUR source also told the Kyiv Independent that an explosion on Aug. 26 started a fire at the Ryazan-Moscow oil pipeline, a key petroleum product supply route for the Russian capital. The cause of the explosion was not specified.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Record Russian drone, missile attack kills at least 4, injures 44 across Ukraine, hits government building for first time





Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Morocco and Turkey aim to transform their two-decade-old free trade agreement into a comprehensive industrial partnership, addressing a persistent $3 billion trade deficit favoring Turkey. Business leaders from both nations convened Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Moroccos employers federation headquarters to explore investment opportunities beyond traditional import-export dynamics.

Bilateral trade reached nearly $5 billion in 2025, establishing Turkey among Moroccos principal economic partners. Turkish exports to Morocco span textiles, steel, machinery, electrical equipment, and agro-food products, while Moroccan exports concentrate primarily on automotive components and fertilizers. This asymmetry has created significant trade imbalance over twenty years despite complementary economic structures.

Mohamed Bachiri, president of CGEMs Industrial Development Commission, emphasized transcending conventional trading patterns in textile sectors toward value-creating industrial partnerships generating employment. Renault Moroccos general director highlighted the kingdoms investment attractiveness across automotive, energy, textile, agro-food, logistics, and aeronautics sectors, suggesting Moroccos automotive industry model could inspire collaboration in other domains.

Foreign direct investment in Morocco surged 55 percent in 2024, though Turkish investments remain concentrated in textiles, construction, and distribution. Turkish operators expressed interest in expanding into aeronautics, mining, e-commerce, events, tourism, and green ammonia sectors during Thursdays roundtable. Several Turkish companies view Moroccos fifty free trade agreements as strategic gateway access to European and African markets.

The meeting represents crucial preparation for November 2025s business forum in Istanbul, aimed at renewing economic and commercial partnerships. Both delegations recognize substantial growth potential in diversifying investment portfolios and establishing manufacturing bases that create local value rather than perpetuating importer-exporter relationships.

This strategic shift toward industrial cooperation could rebalance trade dynamics while leveraging each countrys comparative advantages.
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  Hundreds went for a ride to honor the lives lost in the line-of-duty Saturday morning.

Bikers rode 75 miles from Springfield Massachusetts down to Connecticut during the fourteenth annual Ride to Remember.

At Riverside Park in Hartford, a special tribute was held for fallen State Trooper Aaron Pelletier, whose wife rode in the event.

Plainville firefighters family to receive benefits from Fallen Hero Fund

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I decided to do this again because I work for Connecticut State Police and Aaron Pelletier, who we honor today, is one of my good friends. Kyle Ambrose, a cyclist, said. But the ride started with our father, Kevin Ambrose. He died back in 2012 out of Springfield PD.

Volunteers donated about $10,000 to Trooper Pelletiers family in his honor.

Riders were able to grab a meal, get a free flat tire repair and see a concert in Springfield.

Its definitely gotten bigger over the years, like theyve now incorporated fire, different states, Id say at least 50 to 100 new riders, Krista Ambrose, a cyclist, 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 WTNH.com.
The story of how the first cities rose from southern Mesopotamia has long fascinated scientists and historians. Many explanations point to fertile soil, farming, and trade networks as the engines of early urban growth. New research now suggests a more surprising answer lies in the restless waters that once surged through the Persian Gulf.

A study published in PLOS ONE challenges the traditional picture of how Sumer emerged from the wetlands of ancient Iraq. Researchers suggest that tides, shifting coastlines, and delta changes played a central role in creating conditions for the worlds first cities.

The study was led by Liviu Giosan, Senior Scientist Emeritus at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Reed Goodman of Clemson University. Using satellite mapping, drill core samples, and archaeological evidence, the team traced how water shaped both land and society. Their conclusion: tidal rhythms may have sparked the first great urban experiment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our results show that Sumer was literally and culturally built on the rhythms of water, said Giosan. The cyclical patterns of tides together with delta morphodynamics were deeply woven into the myths, innovations, and daily lives of the Sumerians.

Iraqi Marsh Arabs poling mashoofs, traditional canoes, loaded with freshly cut reeds. (CREDIT: Reed Goodman, Clemson University)

A landscape powered by tides

Between 7,000 and 5,000 years ago, the Persian Gulf extended much farther inland than it does today. Twice daily, tides pushed freshwater deep into the lower Tigris and Euphrates. These surges created a reliable water supply for crops and palm groves.

Communities likely harnessed this dependable flow through short canals, ensuring irrigation without large-scale engineering. The system supported farming, trade, and population growth. Harvests improved, settlements expanded, and new social structures began to emerge.

Eventually, this balance collapsed. As rivers built new deltas, tidal waters could no longer reach inland communities. Fields once fed by natural cycles became dry. Farmers had to dig canals and construct irrigation systems. This required cooperation, organization, and stronger political leadershiphallmarks of Sumers great city-states.

Related Stories

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We often picture ancient landscapes as static, said Goodman. But the Mesopotamian delta was anything but. Its restless, shifting land demanded ingenuity and cooperation, sparking some of historys first intensive farming and pioneering bold social experiments.

Myths written in water

Sumerian culture lived by the waters and imagined its gods through them. The researchers link flood myths and water-based deities to daily life. These stories may have reflected the constant movement of tides, floods, and rivers.

The radical conclusions of this study are clear in what were finding at Lagash, said Holly Pittman, Director of the Penn Museums Lagash Archaeological Project. Rapid environmental change fostered inequality, political consolidation, and the ideologies of the worlds first urban society.

Geography of Mesopotamian Plain (dashed black line) and its joint watershed (black line). (CREDIT: Reed Goodman, et al.)

The study reframes Sumers rise as more than clever farming. It was also a response to shifting coasts and rivers.

Lessons in change

The Lagash team used sediment samples, ancient environmental data, and satellite maps to reconstruct Mesopotamias changing coastlines. These findings show how fast landscapes reshaped human choices. As tides retreated, societies had to reinvent their water systems. This need sparked large-scale irrigation, flood defenses, and centralized authority.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our work highlights both the opportunities and perils of social reinvention in the face of severe environmental crisis, concluded Giosan. Beyond this modern lesson, it is always surprising to find real history hidden in mythand truly interdisciplinary research like ours can help uncover it.

Today, the research offers echoes of climate challenges. Ancient people faced shifting rivers, sea-level changes, and unpredictable water. Their answer was to adapt, reorganize, and even reinvent society. The history of Sumer shows resilience can grow in unexpected waysfrom tidal flows to the birth of cities.

Large-scale morphology of the Mesopotamian Plain based on Copernicus Sentinel data. (CREDIT: Reed Goodman, et al.)

A civilization born of water

Sumers achievements remain extraordinary. It gave the world writing, the wheel, and organized farming. Its city-states built governments, monumental architecture, and trade systems. But beneath those triumphs was a foundation of rivers, tides, and landscapes always in motion.

By reframing Sumers origins as a story of shifting waters, the study shows civilization as both fragile and adaptable. The restless environment that challenged early farmers also provided the spark for humanitys first cities.

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.
BROOKFIELD, Conn. (WTNH)  Route 25 is closed on Sunday after vehicle crashed into a utility pole in Brookfield, according to the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company.

The crash took place some time before 12:30 p.m.

Single-vehicle crash in Milford caused significant injuries

Route 25 is closed between West Whisconier Road to the Newtown town line.

Route 25 is closed on Sunday after vehicle crashed into a utility pole in Brookfield.

Fire officials anticipate an extended closure of the road as Eversource crews work on repairs.

This is a developing story. Stay with News 8 for updates.

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 WTNH.com.
Robot missile warships could dramatically boost the firepower of the Royal Navy as the service grapples with a recruitment crisis.

BAE Systems will unveil two concept vessels at an arms show in London this week that aim to bulk up the Navy at low cost and with minimal crewing.

A new air warfare command ship would be armed with up to 128 missiles, laser weapons, decoys, automatic cannons and deployable drones.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It would also use high levels of automation onboard to allow ultra-lean crewing arrangements and act as a mothership for up to six smaller vessels known as deployed sensor effector platforms.

These would each carry their own sensors and another 32 missiles and be run on crews of just six to 12 people  but could operate completely autonomously when at sea.

BAE said each smaller ship would take just two years to build, compared with five to six years for existing frigates and destroyers.

The companys proposals will be seen as a possible contender for the Royal Navys Type 83 programme, which aims to replace the existing fleet of Type 45 or Daring-class destroyers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Steve Hart, head of maritime business development at BAE, said: This is all about delivering additional mass for the fleet using an ultra-lean crewed model.

Its something you could do very quickly to get additional missiles, additional underwater sensors.

The designs had come from a need to bulk up the Navy more cost-effectively, so you could deliver mass much more quickly, within a probably more constrained budget, and to complement crewed platforms, he said.

Each smaller DSEP ships take just two years to build, compared with five to six years for existing frigates and destroyers

Gavin Rudgley, a maritime engineer at BAE, added: The air warfare command ship would be the ship that carries the main sensor capability, so the main radar, and has the command function that can identify targets and make effectors work, so missiles and so on.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But it would work in conjunction with the smaller, either uncrewed or ultra-lean crewed autonomous platform that then gives extra leverage.

This is the direction future warfare is going.

BAE will unveil the early designs on Tuesday at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) fair in London. DSEI is Europes biggest arms show and is supported by the Ministry of Defence.

The mothership concept is all about delivering additional mass but using an ultra-lean crew

The focus on uncrewed systems comes as the Ukraine war highlights the growing role of unmanned drones on the battlefield, while crew availability issues have also forced the Royal Navy to retire some ships early.

In June, Vice Admiral Andrew Burns, the Fleet Commander, said a worrying shortfall in headcount was leaving Britain potentially exposed in a new era of global threats.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Asked to identify the single biggest challenge facing the Navy, he said: Its people, right now.

Its the quantity of people. And its not just recruitment, its retention.

His warning came after Britains naval forces failed to hit their recruitment targets every year since 2011.

Only 2,450 people joined the ranks in 2023-24, according to data from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). That represented a shortfall of more than 1,500 recruits, 40pc lower than the target.

Vice Admiral Burns said future recruitment is likely to involve fewer uniformed personnel as the Navy seeks to advertise a wider range of jobs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This could mean roles aimed at protecting subsea infrastructure or controlling fleets of uncrewed vessels.

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.
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)  Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara gave an impassioned speech to protesters at the No Kings No Troops Rally amid rumors of potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity on September 6.

The mayor compared President Donald Trump to 1930s dictators and called him a sexual predator during his speech.

Im pretty angry that I have to be here. Last eight months, I think, for so many of us have been so difficult. But Im here to tell you that I really do believe that the next several weeks are going to test us here in the city of Rockford, McNamara said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The mayor told protesters that President Trump is trying to divide the public and compared him to a dictator.

You can look back not that far to the 1930s, when there was another dictator in another country who was literally trying to make it an us-versus-them mentality so that they could drive their own agenda through, McNamara exclaimed.

McNamara also claimed Trump is a sexual predator.

I know, and I know that you all know that hes a sexual predator, McNamara continued. He said that he would release that file on day one, and hes a f****** liar; he hasnt released [it]. He is trying to distract us from what is actually taking place. But what he is also trying to do is divide us.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The rally and speech come after the City of Rockford confirmed the installation of a security fence by the federal government late Friday, at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, at 327 S Church Street.

We understand the federal government is installing a temporary security fence around the federal courthouse building in Rockford. We recognize that this development may raise concerns or uncertainty within our community. Please know that we are actively seeking more information. As soon as we learn more, we will share updates to keep the community informed and reassured. Your safety remains our top priority, the city said in a statement.

The City posted a notice to its Facebook page in both English, Spanish, and Arabic, saying, We are aware that Homeland Security recently confirmed plans to expand ICE operations in Chicago. While there is no confirmation that these operations will extend to Rockford, we recognize it is a possibility. And, we also recognize the fear and uncertainty this news may cause.

Its also important to be clear  the Rockford Police Department follows the Illinois Trust Act. We do not participate in ICE raids, nor will we, the statement continued. To our immigrant neighbors: please know this  you are valued, you are cared for and you are an important part of who we are.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rockford City Council member Jonathan Logemann said city leaders were not informed of the federal governments plans.

I havent really heard too much from the federal government. And I think that communication link needs to be strengthened, the 2nd Ward Alderman said in an interview with Eyewitness News.

Certainly the City of Rockford is putting out information to its residents as quickly, as, as we know it. But, as a local official in Rockford, I would certainly like more information about whats going on with the federal governments presence here in Rockford.

Federal officials went through a process of obtaining a permit for the fence, according to Logemann. That permit is good through September 13th.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Chicago postponed its Mexican Independence Day parade this year in preparation for a possible surge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts in the city, Rockford leaders say they are proceeding with local celebrations.

Community activist Antonio Ramirez Jr. said, although there has been no indication that ICE will be conducting sweeps in Rockford, he understands if immigrants choose not to attend events like Tamale Fest, Fiestas Patrias, and the citys Mexican Independence Day parade and festival.

The Department of Homeland Security conducted operations in Rockford in mid-June, but it has not been confirmed whether the agents were from ICE.

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.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) on Sunday defended Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. just days after some of his fellow Republican colleagues expressed dissatisfaction with the secretary's vaccine policies.

In a sometimes contentious interview with Margaret Brennan on CBS Face the Nation, Marshall said Kennedy is working to restore trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

President Trump chose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be a disrupter to the CDC, and that's exactly what he's doing, Marshall said. He's focused on making the CDC more transparent, to make it more trustworthy right now. Right now, Americans don't trust the CDC, so he is literally turning that place upside down.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Marshalls defense comes after Republicans last week joined Democrats in grilling Kennedy in a Senate hearing.

Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), an orthopedic surgeon, told Kennedy in a hearing before Congress that vaccines work. Barrasso also told Kennedy that he has grown concerned since the secretarys confirmation hearing. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician who is chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, also admonished Kennedy.

I would say, effectively, were denying people vaccines, Cassidy said.

But Marshall, who is also a doctor, on Sunday pushed back on the criticism, saying that not every person needs every vaccine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He also appeared to blame the recent mass shooting at CDC headquarters on the previous administration.

The lack of confidence in the CDC goes back to what the CDC did during Covid. They misguided us, maybe lied to us, even, about the origins of Covid, and how to treat it, as well. And the vaccine, they over-promised what the vaccine could do as well. So that's where the distrust is, Marshall said. (The Covid pandemic began during the first Trump administration.)

When Brennan pointed out that Cassidy has previously thrown his support behind vaccines such as the Hepatitis B vaccine as life-saving measures, Marshall conceded that some individuals do need vaccines but that not every baby needs one.

Brennan questioned Marshall as to whether lawmakers attempts to pick and choose which vaccines should or should not be administered to certain individuals could lead to more distrust in the CDC.

I think this is a big difference between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats want a one-size-fits-all prescription for everybody. And I'm telling you, not everybody reads the  reads the book does exactly like that, he responded. I have confidence in doctors, and nurses, and parents, and grandparents to make these decisions. I don't think that we should have one government policy that dictates every one of these vaccines.
RELATED VIDEO: Rogers FD responds to fire at School Administration Building

ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  The Joye R. Kelley Administration Building on Walnut Street will remain closed to visitors for several weeks following a fire on Sept. 6, Rogers Public Schools announced.

While fire damage was contained to three rooms, smoke spread throughout much of the building. No one was injured in the incident, and restoration work is already underway.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Parents and staff needing assistance are asked to contact the district by phone or email, as the administration building is not open to the public at this time.

Affordable housing at Cobblestone Farm Community in Fayetteville unveiled

RPS said the closure will not affect classroom learning. Schools across the district will continue on a normal schedule.

We will continue to keep our school community updated as we move through this process, the district said in a statement.

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 KNWA FOX24.
ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A Rogers woman who made headlines in 2023 for kidnapping her children from foster care and driving them across the country has been sentenced to prison for stalking and assaulting her former husband.

Trista Fullerton, 38 (Courtesy: Washington County Detention Center)

Trista Fullerton, 38, pleaded guilty Sept. 2 to multiple charges, including aggravated assault, two counts of stalking, first-degree criminal mischief, violation of a no-contact order and two counts of third-degree domestic battery.

She was sentenced to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections, with 10 years suspended, leaving 10 years to serve.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Court documents state Fullerton violated a no-contact order by going to her ex-husbands home, yelling racial slurs at him and attempting to run him over with her vehicle.

In August, Fullerton was sentenced in Benton County for interfering with child custody. She received 35 days in jail, credited for time already served, and a six-year suspended sentence, avoiding additional prison time.

That charge stemmed from the 2023 incident in which she allegedly kidnapped eight children from foster care and drove them across the country to California.

Case background

(Courtesy: Anderson, California Police Department) (Courtesy: Anderson, California Police Department) (Courtesy: Anderson, California Police Department)

On Oct. 21, 2023, a concerned citizen in Shasta County, California, requested a welfare check on a woman and a group of children reportedly acting strangely, according to the Anderson Police Department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Suspect dead after shooting at Fayetteville apartment complex

Officers found Fullerton and six children in a parking lot. She had a felony warrant for abducting eight children. Fullerton revealed the location of the remaining two, who were safely recovered from a Cottonwood residence with help from the Shasta County Sheriffs Department.

A records check confirmed all eight children were listed as abducted, with protective custody warrants issued for their safety.

Officers later learned that Fullerton is the biological mother of the eight children, but she had lost custody and had taken the children from their foster homes. Fullerton was booked into the Shasta County Jail and the children were released to Shasta County Children and Family Services to be reunited with their guardians in Arkansas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Court documents filed in November 2023 detailed that police were aware of Fullertons alleged behavior days before she was arrested.

A probable cause affidavit states that on Oct. 17, 2023, Fullerton was reported for interfering with the court-ordered custody of eight children, who were later listed as missing in the Arkansas Crime Information Center.

On Oct. 18, Fullertons father told police he planned to speak with her and have her contact the Rogers Police Department, but she never did. He said she intended to take the children to Arizona to start a new life.

Rogers schools admin building closed for weeks after fire

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By Oct. 19, detectives learned Fullerton and the children had been located in Redding, California.

Court documents say that police in California declined to hold Fullerton or the children since she did not have any active warrants at that time. A warrant was issued for her arrest out of Benton County on Oct. 20.

A sentencing order said that a no-violence order is in place between Fullerton and the eight children.

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 KNWA FOX24.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A total of 35 people were arrested after a rollover crash led to the discovery of a migrant stash house in El Paso, according to an X post by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday, Sept. 7.

Noem said in her social media post that after a driver rolled over trying to evade CBP agents, two Mexican nationals were arrested on smuggling charges.

A follow-up investigation led agents to find a connected stash house, where 28 individuals were arrested.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The post reads that 25 people remain in ICE custody pending removal, eight people were charged with illegal re-entry and transferred to the U.S. Marshals Service, and the two charged with smuggling are facing federal prosecution, read the post.

This is law and order in action. Human smugglers take note: Do not attempt these reckless schemes. We will find you, we will prosecute you, and you will face the full weight of justice, Noem said.

Specific details were not given in the post, such as when and where in the City this happened.

Weve reached out to the CBP and HSI El Paso for more information.

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.
At the directive of King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, the Supreme Council of Ulemas has been entrusted with the task of issuing a comprehensive fatwa to elucidate the Sharia rules concerning Zakat, the institution announced in a statement.

This initiative seeks to address the numerous inquiries from citizens regarding the application of this fundamental pillar of Islam, especially in the context of modern economic developments. The Council notes that the fatwa will address issues related to Zakat on income from work, services, investments, and financial transactions. It will also specify the provisions regarding the minimum threshold, amounts due, and payment deadlines.

The statement underscores that this approach is strictly scientific and informative, aiming to provide the faithful with a clear and unified reference on a topic that often generates confusion.

To effectively fulfill this mission, the Councils proficient scientific body will examine the matter, possibly with the assistance of specialized experts. The fatwa is anticipated to be published within a month.

Zakat, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is an obligatory form of Islamic charity, or almsgiving, where Muslims give a fixed percentage (typically 2.5%) of their wealth to the poor and needy. Zakat purifies the givers wealth, reduces societal inequality by redistributing wealth, and fosters community by instilling compassion and empathy. It is mandatory for those who possess a minimum threshold of wealth (nisab) for a full lunar year.
The Roswell City Council has approved the creation of the Hill Street Overlay District (HSOD), a significant move towards transforming the Hill Street corridor into a vibrant, walkable mixed-use destination.

The HSOD is a zoning framework designed to shape redevelopment along Hill Street and its connecting corridors into a dynamic mixed-use district featuring housing, retail, office, restaurants, and public spaces. This initiative aligns with the citys vision for growth and aims to turn a key gateway property next to City Hall into a community hub.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of downtown Roswell, said Mayor Kurt Wilson. The Hill Street Overlay District will deliver the kind of walkable, mixed-use development that our residents want, while strengthening our community and creating new opportunities for the future.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The HSOD covers properties along Hill Street, Oak Street, Ellis Street, and Forrest Street, and is divided into two areas: HSOD A and HSOD B. HSOD A is a 6.4-acre core site that will include residential, commercial, and public spaces, anchored by a central public lawn. HSOD B encompasses the surrounding areas, where redevelopment must meet minimum size thresholds and complement the Historic District.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The ordinance establishes detailed design standards, including requirements for wide sidewalks, crosswalks, a multi-use trail, a public lawn, underground utilities, and at least 72,000 square feet of commercial space. The City Council will oversee design approvals to ensure high-quality outcomes.

Additionally, the forthcoming Pelfrey Pines Apartments at 199 Grove Way will provide modern, affordable homes for low- to moderate-income families. The city has pledged $2 million in its Community Development Block Grant funding to support this project.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For more information about the Hill Street project, visit www.roswellconnections.com/hillstreet.

TRENDING STORIES:

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Russian forces launched drone and missile strikes on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on the night of 6-7 September. Residential buildings, businesses and infrastructure have been damaged, and casualties and fatalities have been reported.

Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration

Details: Lysak said that the Russians struck the city of Dnipro with attack drones, damaging infrastructure facilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Kryvyi Rih, drone and missile attacks caused multiple fires. A business, an administrative building, a garage, a house and cars were damaged. Three men were injured, and one of them is in a serious condition. Apartment buildings were also damaged.

At the same time, Russian drones hit the Hrushivka hromada in the Kryvyi Rih district, setting a house on fire. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

Quote: "The terror in the Nikopol district continued from the evening. There were strikes in the city of Nikopol, as well as in the Pokrovske, Marhanets and Myrove hromadas. A 54-year-old man was killed in an attack. Another local man, aged 64, was injured.

The aftermath of a Russian attack

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Photo: Serhii Lysak

The aftermath of a Russian attack

Photo: Serhii Lysak

Petrol stations, a greenhouse and four outbuildings were destroyed. One house was destroyed and two others damaged."

Details: A house and dry grass caught fire in the Petropavlivka and Mezhova hromadas of the Synelnykove district yesterday. The Pokrovske hromada also came under attack in the morning, with the details being confirmed.

Background: On the night of 6-7 September, Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia hit Ukraine's capital with drone and missiles Sunday in the largest aerial attack since the war began, killing four people across the country and damaging a key government building.

Russia attacked with 810 drones and decoys, Ukraine's air force said, adding it shot down 747 drones and four missiles.

Associated Press reporters saw a plume of smoke rising from the roof of Kyivs government headquarters. It was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit or debris, which would mark an escalation in Russias air campaign, which has so far spared government buildings in the city center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The building is the home of Ukraines Cabinet and its ministers. Police blocked access to the building as fire trucks and ambulances arrived.

Yuriy Ihnat, an air force spokesperson, confirmed to The Associated Press that Sundays attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia also launched 13 missiles. Hits from nine missiles and 54 drones were recorded at 33 locations across Ukraine.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that four people were killed and 44 wounded. He said he spoke on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron about the attack.

Together with France, we are preparing new measures to strengthen our defense, Zelenskyy said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Marcon earlier on Sunday accused Russia of striking indiscriminately and said Moscow is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the attack. These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace. Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty, Starmer said in a statement.

Multiple locations hit in Kyiv

In the Ukrainian capital, the attack killed two people and wounded 20 others, according to city officials.

Those killed were a mother and her 3-month-old child, whose bodies were dug out of the rubble, said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyivs city administration. At least 10 locations in Kyiv were damaged, he added. Direct drone hits struck a nine-story residential building in Kyivs Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-story residential building in Darnytskyi district.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I just have no more words left to express what I feel towards Russia, said Olha, a 77-year-old Kyiv resident whose apartment was damaged. She didnt give her last name. Although Im an ethnic Russian myself, from outside Moscow. And Ive never thought my people would be capable of this.

Zelenskyy called for sanctions on Russia and for strengthening Ukraines air defenses.

Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war, he said. The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted a video of herself inside the damaged government building, where she said a fire covering 800 square meters (8,600 square feet) was put out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For the first time since the start of full-scale invasion, Russians struck our government headquarters in the center of Kyiv," she said.

"It looks like Russia is not seeking peace and is not ready for negotiations. We call our partners to help close our sky. Lets strengthen sanctions against Russia. Lets create the security guarantees system that will help stop the enemy, she said.

Russia insists it targeted military infrastructure

The Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday that it used high-precision weapons and drones to strike drone assembly and storage sites, military air bases in central, southern and eastern Ukraine, an industrial facility and a logistics facility on the outskirts of Kyiv.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ministry said that all designated objects were hit" and claimed that "no strikes were carried out on other objects within the borders of Kyiv, in what could be a reference to the damaged government building.

Sunday's attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv in the span of two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane.

It comes after European leaders pressed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to work to end the war after 26 of Ukraine's allies pledged to deploy troops as a reassurance force for the war-torn country once the fighting ends.

Zelenskyy has said he is ready to meet Putin to negotiate a peace agreement, and has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to put punishing sanctions on Russia to push it to end the war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Moscow has repeatedly objected to any Western troop deployments to Ukraine and pushed back against a Putin-Zelenskyy summit, saying lower-level talks must take place first.

Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery in Russia

Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted a total of 100 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Azov Sea between 8 p.m. Saturday and 6:30 a.m. Sunday.

Most were downed over the Belgorod, Voronezh and Krasnodar regions near the border with Ukraine, according to the statement.

In the Krasnodar region, falling drone debris sparked a brief fire at an oil refinery, local authorities said. In the Belgorod and the Voronezh regions, two people were injured, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Russian Defense Ministry also said Sunday that its troops seized the village of Khoroshe in the Dnipropetrovsk region. There was no immediate confirmation from Ukraine.

___

An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that drone debris struck a four-story building in Sviatoshynskyi District. It was a nine-story building.

___

Associated Press journalists Volodymyr Yurchuk and Susie Blann in Kyiv, John Leicester in Paris, and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.
Russian forces launched a large-scale attack with missiles and drones on the city of Kryvyi Rih on the night of 6-7 September. Three people have been injured, and a major fire has broken out.

Source: Oleksandr Vilkul, Head of Kryvyi Rih Defence Council

Details: Vilkul said that the attack was carried out with both missiles and Shahed-type drones.

Quote: "Large-scale missile and Shahed attack. More than a dozen Shaheds are approaching from the south, with repeated launches from Crimea."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Update: Vilkul later reported strikes on three locations.

"Transport and urban infrastructure and residential areas. Search and rescue operations have begun at all scenes," he wrote.

Quote: "All city transport is running. However, due to a damaged line, trolleybuses are currently not running between the 95th Quarter and Kosmonavtiv Street."

Details: Vilkul later reported repeat missile strikes on already damaged facilities.

Quote: "Missile strikes hit a civilian infrastructure facility  the same one targeted in the first wave.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing. Large fire. Three injured. Early assessments indicate they are in a moderate condition."

Background: At 03:57 and 04:05, the Air Force of Ukraine reported high-speed aerial assets heading towards Kryvyi Rih.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Russia struck a Ukrainian government building for the first time since its 2022 invasion.

The strike on Sunday was part of Moscows largest aerial assault of the war. Drones also hit residential buildings in Kyiv; Ukraines president called the attack vile.

With peace efforts stalled, the war has become a contest between two hourglasses, The Wall Street Journal wrote: One measures how long Kyivs army can last, and the other how long Moscows economy can hold up.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russian President Vladimir Putin is bullish on the latter, allowing him to impose a victors terms on peace negotiations.

On Friday, Putin said any Western troops in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets for defeat.
Russia has lost 970 soldiers killed and wounded over the past day alone, bringing its total number of personnel losses to 1,088,150.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Details: The total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 7 September 2025 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses  ed.]:

approximately 1,088,150 (+970) military personnel;

11,163 (+2) tanks;

23,254 (+11) armoured combat vehicles;

32,516 (+42) artillery systems;

1,481 (+1) multiple-launch rocket systems;

1,217 (+0) air defence systems;

422 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft;

341 (+0) helicopters;

56,817 (+294) operational-tactical UAVs;

3,686 (+0) cruise missiles;

28 (+0) ships/boats;

1 (+0) submarine;

61,054 (+104) vehicles and fuel tankers;

3,961 (+4) special vehicles and other equipment.

The information is being confirmed.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces, Lt. General Mohamed Berrid conferred over the weekend in Paris with Frances new Army Chief of Staff General Fabien Mandon.

Talks focused on military cooperation prospects and on ways of strengthening further strategic partnership to counter shared challenges.

Prior to this meeting, Lt. General Mohamed Berrid and his accompanying delegation attended farewell ceremony to former army Chief of Staff General Thierry Burkhard. The ceremony, which was presided over by President Emmanuel Macron, was organized in the courtyard of Les Invalides, in Paris.

Moroccos participation in these events shows the strong ties existing between the two countries armed forces sharing a long history of cooperation and training.

Last month, Lt. General Mohamed Berrid represented Morocco in the U.S. AFRICOM Change of Command ceremony held at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. During which Air Force Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson assumed command from Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley.

The United States sees Morocco as a reliable partner and one of the pillars of regional peace, security and stability. The Pentagon describes the Kingdom as a regional leader exporting security and economic development throughout the African continent.
Russia is expected to manufacture close to 2,500 high-precision missiles in 2025, spanning cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic classes, Vadym Skibitskyi, the deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, said in an interview with Ukrinform published on Sept. 7.

Moscow has ramped up defense production and aerial strikes in recent months, despite U.S.-led efforts to negotiate an end to hostilities.

In addition to missile production, Russia plans to manufacture a range of modern military hardware by the end of 2025, including 57 combat aircraft like the Su-57, Su-35, Su-34, and Su-30.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nearly 250 T-90M tanks, 1,100 BTR-3 and BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, and 365 artillery systems are also on the list, according to Skibitskyi.

Skibitskyi said that Russia is ramping up both the development of new weapons and the modernization of its existing arsenal.

Russian drone production, including models such as the Geran (an adaptation of the Iranian-designed Shahed drone), the Garpiya, and various first-person view (FPV) drones, is also increasing significantly, he added.

Russia is concentrating its missile development efforts on three areas: extending range, improving accuracy, and enhancing warhead effectiveness, Skybitskyi said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These efforts are not solely aimed at the ongoing war in Ukraine but are also part of longer-term preparations for a potential conflict with NATO by 2030.

"Striking targets in Ukraine requires one combat radius, but preparing for war with NATO by 2030 requires a much greater range," Skibitskyi said. "This is exactly what Russia is building into its weapons programs."

Weaning off its dependence on Western aid, Ukraine is also ramping up its own defense production. In 2025, Ukraine is expected to manufacture 3,000 missiles and 30,000 long-range drones, then-Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Jan. 3.

Meanwhile, the scale of Russian attacks continues to escalate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since the beginning of September, Russia has launched more than 1,300 strike drones, nearly 900 guided aerial bombs, and up to 50 missiles against Ukrainian territory, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 6.

Russia carried out its largest drone attack since the start of the full-scale invasion against Ukraine, launching a record 810 drones overnight on Sept. 7.

Read also: Nearly 700,000 Russian military personnel deployed in Ukraine, intelligence says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Sunday that it had used aircraft, drones, missiles and artillery to strike Ukrainian armaments factories, transport infrastructure used by the Ukrainian army, airfields and arsenals.

Ukrainian officials said that Russia's largest overnight air attack of the war set the main building of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv on fire and left three people dead.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces and artillery... have damaged targets in the military-industrial complex and the transport infrastructure of Ukraine used in the interests of the Ukraine Armed Forces," the Russian defence ministry said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It also said its forces had struck drone plants, storage and launch facilities for long-range drones, arsenals, airfields, radar stations and places where Ukrainian soldiers and foreign mercenaries gathered.

The ministry said that its troops had taken control of the village of Khoroshe in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region.

It also said that Russian air defences had shot down three guided air bombs, three HIMARS rockets and 210 drones.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, smoke rises from a fire at the Cabinet of Ministers building after a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. Credit - Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP

President Donald Trump said he was ready to sanction Russia after Moscow launched its largest air attack against Ukraine since the start of the war on Sunday, setting Kyivs government headquarters on fire and killing at least five, including one infant.

Forty-four more were injured in the attack that the Ukrainian Defense Department said included over 800 Shahed-type strike drones, 9 Iskander-K cruise missiles, and 4 Iskander-M ballistic missiles, which hit residential apartments and set ablaze the main government building where ministers meet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv in as many weeks, and comes less than a month after Trump's high-stakes peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska failed to achieve a ceasefire.

Read More: How Putin Brushed Off Trumps Latest Push for Peace in Ukraine

Trump has been under mounting pressure from allies to impose greater sanctions on Russia for its continued attacks on Ukraine, but the president continued to insist that he could negotiate an end to the war even as Putin showed little interest in halting his invasion.

Asked by reporters on Sunday if he was ready to impose a second round of sanctions against Russia following the attack, Trump said: Yeah, I am.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump's envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, wrote on X that Russia appears to be escalating, and that the attack was not a signal that Russia wants to diplomatically end this war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier called on Trump to punish Putin for the devastating attacks.

Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war, Zelensky said on X. It has been repeatedly said in Washington that sanctions will follow a refusal to talkThe world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop the killings  all that is needed is political will.

Zelensky added that he had spoken to French President Emannuel Macron about boosting Ukraines air defenses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Soon after the talks in Alaska, Trump said he was working to arrange a meeting between Putin and Zelensky. But Russias foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that no such meeting was in the works.

In recent days, Trump had continued to insist that talks between Zelensky and Putin are possible despite a ratcheting up of Russian attacks.

I've been watching it, I've been seeing it, and I've been talking about it with President Putin and President Zelenskyy, Trump told CBS earlier this week. "Something is going to happen, but they are not ready yet. But something is going to happen. We are going to get it done."

Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram that more than 90 rescuers, more than 160 police officers, and more than 200 utility workers were working Sunday at the site of the attack in the district of Svyatoshyn in Kyiv. This is the first time since Russias invasion of Ukraine that its strikes have hit and damaged the government headquarters in the center of the city, which lies close to Zelenskys office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Zelensky said people were injured or killed in other parts of the country that also came under attack last night, including Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Kremenchuk and Odessa.

The attack also comes just days after a meeting of Ukraine's allies in Paris, with over 30 countries participating in discussions for security guarantees for Kyiv. Top U.S. official and United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff was in attendance at the meeting where Zelensky gave a special thanks to Trump for all his efforts to end this war and for Americas readiness to provide support to Ukraine on its part.

During the meeting, European world leaders, including French President Emanuel Macron, accused Russia of stalling peace negotiations.

If Moscow doesnt want to respect these conditions, we will have to take further steps with the U.S., Macron said. The key argument here is that there are no limitations for the defence of Ukraine.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Sept. 7 (UPI) -- A Russian airstrike hit and damaged the upper floors of the Ukraine Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv for the first time since the war began in February 2022.

The building is among the most prominent Ukrainian government buildings and houses the offices of the executive branch's top officials, including the prime minister and cabinet ministers. The strike is significant because it shows Moscow's strikes can reach the heart of Kyiv's government district, hitting a central symbol of executive authority.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement Sunday that the strike on the cabinet building was part of a sweeping attack on cities across the country, including Sumy, Kremenchuk, Odesa, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia used more than 800 drones, as well as four ballistic missiles and nine cruise missiles in the attack, making it the largest such strike since the war began, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said in its own statement.

At least four people were killed in the broader airstrike, Zelensky said in an earlier statement. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said that at least one of the people killed was a child.

"In Kyiv, the rubble is still being cleared -- there may still be bodies beneath it. The Cabinet of Ministers building has been damaged. As of now, more than forty people have been reported injured across the country, 20 of them in Kyiv," Zelensky said.

Yulia Svyrydenko, who has served as prime minister of Ukraine since July 17, shared photos of the destruction on Telegram and said that there were no injuries at the cabinet building during the broader airstrike.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Russian terror will not stop the work of the government," she said. "We will restore the destruction. But the lives of Ukrainians cannot be brought back. During the night, four people were killed and more than 44 were injured across the country due to Russian shelling."

Zelensky said that air raid sirens in the capital alone lasted for more than seven and a half hours, suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin used the strike to test whether the world would tolerate escalating attacks by Moscow as he praised the response of Western allies who decried the airstrike. He also called for sanctions and tariffs on Russia.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as a "brutal overnight assault on Kyiv and across Ukraine," stressing that "for the first time, the heart of Ukraine's civilian government was damaged," and warning that Putin "believes he can act with impunity" and "is not serious about peace."

French President Emmanuel Macron similarly denounced the strikes on social media, stating that "Russia, meanwhile, is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror," and affirmed that "together with Ukraine and our partners, we stand for peace."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia's Defense Ministry said Sunday that it carried out a large-scale strike with precision weapons and drones against facilities used to produce, store and launch unmanned aircraft, as well as military airbases across central, southern and eastern Ukraine.

The ministry said the attack included strikes on an industrial plant on the western outskirts of Kyiv and a logistics center on the city's southern edge.

It said all intended targets were destroyed and stressed that no other sites inside Kyiv were hit, making no mention of any government structures in Kyiv.

Separately, Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement that Ukraine attempted a large-scale overnight drone attack overnight into Sunday, with its air defenses shooting down 69 unmanned aircraft across southern and central Russia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ministry said the drones were intercepted over Krasnodar, Voronezh, Belgorod, Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov, Bryansk, Kursk and Ryazan regions, as well as over Crimea and the Sea of Azov.

In its daily summary of war accomplishments, Russia claimed that its troops advanced in eastern and southern Ukraine, capturing the village of Khoroshe in the Dnipropetrovsk region and striking Ukrainian units across Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. The ministry claimed hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the fighting, along with tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and supply depots destroyed.

It said Russian air and missile forces also hit Ukrainian military-industrial sites, drone bases and transport hubs in nearly 150 locations, while air defenses intercepted three U.S.-made HIMARS rockets, guided bombs and more than 200 drones.
Railway infrastructure in Poltava Oblast has been damaged in a large-scale Russian attack on the night of 6-7 September, Ukrainian state-run railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia has reported.

Source: Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, Chairman of the Board of Ukrzaliznytsia

Details: Ukrzaliznytsia said that several trains would run on altered routes, particularly trains 59 and 8 (Odesa-Kharkiv) and trains 792 and 126 (heading to Kremenchuk).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote from Pertsovskyi: "We will transport some of the passengers by bus in cooperation with the oblast military administration and local authorities."

Background: On the morning of 6 September, Russian forces attacked railway infrastructure in Donetsk Oblast, causing train delays.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
By Lidia Kelly and Olena Harmash

KYIV (Reuters) - Russia launched its largest air attack of the war on Ukraine overnight, setting the main government building on fire in central Kyiv and killing at least four people, including an infant, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the drone and missile barrage killed four people and caused damage across the north, south and east of the country, including the cities of Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa, as well as in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war," Zelenskiy said in a post on X, issuing a fresh appeal to allies to strengthen Ukrainian air defences.

Just after sunrise, thick smoke could be seen rising into the clear blue sky from the burning top floor of the main government building, located in the historic Pecherskyi district, Reuters witnesses said.

Elsewhere in Kyiv, residential apartments were hit and damaged, with dozens of residents wrapped in blankets gathering on the streets outside to survey the damage to their homes as rescue workers fought to extinguish the flames.

The attack underlined growing pessimism in Ukraine and among allies that the war can be ended any time soon, with Russian President Vladimir Putin resisting calls for a ceasefire and emboldened by strengthening relations with China.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he is ready to move to a second phase of sanctioning Russia, the closest he has come to suggesting he is on the verge of ramping up sanctions against Moscow or its oil buyers over the war in Ukraine. He did not elaborate.

Until now, Trump, who met Putin last month, has resisted imposing tougher sanctions on Russia.

U.S. Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg said on Sunday that the Russian attack looks like an escalation in the conflict.

"The attack was not a signal that Russia wants to diplomatically end this war," Kellogg wrote on X.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that additional economic pressure by the United States and Europe could prompt Putin to enter peace talks with Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Zelenskiy said he spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron, coordinating diplomatic efforts, next steps and contacts with partners.

Kyiv's European allies have condemned the attack and vowed to stand by Ukraine politically and militarily, but concrete offers of assistance, including the possibility of troops on the ground, are still being discussed.

WAR'S BIGGEST DRONE BARRAGE

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said it was the first time in the war that the main government building in Kyiv had been hit, a symbolic blow to a well-defended part of the city.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X that the Russian attack on Kyivs government showed "again that the continued delaying (of) a strong reaction against Putin and the attempts to appease him made no sense".

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia launched 805 drones against Ukraine overnight and 13 missiles, with Ukrainian air defence units downing 751 drones and four missiles, the air force said.

That was the highest number of drones Russia has used to attack the country since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia's defence ministry said it had carried out strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial complex and transport infrastructure, according to the TASS news agency. Both sides deny targeting civilians.

Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said an infant's body was pulled from the rubble in the Darnytskyi district, where a four-storey apartment building was damaged. A young woman was also killed in the attack on the district, which lies to the east of the Dnipro River, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The interior ministry said more than 20 people were wounded in the capital. Air alerts lasted for more than 11 hours in Kyiv and the surrounding region.

In Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district in the west, several floors of a nine-storey residential building were partially destroyed. Falling drone debris set off fires in a 16-storey apartment building and two more nine-storey buildings, officials said.

UKRAINE TARGETS RUSSIAN ENERGY

Svyrydenko posted a video from inside the damaged government floor, showing a damaged roof, soot-stained ceilings and rescue workers cleaning the rubble.

"I urge the world to turn outrage over Russian crimes into concrete support for Ukraine," she said, standing on the damaged floor.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraine's defence ministry said that a new meeting of Kyiv's allies was planned for next week and air defences and supplies for Kyiv's deep strikes on Russia would be discussed.

Ukraine's military said it attacked the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russia's Bryansk region, inflicting "comprehensive fire damage" during an overnight attack on Sunday.

It is part of a strategy to target Russia's vast energy complex, which is the financial backbone of its economy and helps fund the war.

Dozens of explosions also shook Ukraine's central city of Kremenchuk, cutting power to some residents and damaging a bridge across the Dnipro River, Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi said on Telegram.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih, also in central Ukraine, targeted transport and urban infrastructure, city officials said, but no injuries were reported.

In the southern city of Odesa, civilian infrastructure and residential buildings were damaged, with fires breaking out in several apartment blocks, regional governor Oleh Kiper said. Three people were wounded, he said.

(Additional reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Yuliia Dysa, Valentyn Ogirenko in Kyiv and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Mike Collett-White, Alex Richardson and Matthew Lewis)
As President Donald Trump continues to threaten to crack down on the nations universities, Rutgers Universitys new president says he has no plans to publicly battle the Republican administration.

Instead, he says he will focus on how New Jerseys state university can maintain its standing as a major research institution amid looming federal funding cuts.

Liz Rosenberg

Stories by Liz Rosenberg

Read the original article on NJ.com.
A Ryanair plane was diverted after a passenger allegedly tried to open the emergency doors in mid-air.

The flight from Bournemouth to Girona, Spain, was forced to land at Toulouse airport on Thursday following an alleged brawl involving several passengers.

Witnesses claimed the fight broke out after a man, who was allegedly drunk, exclaimed I want to go and headed for the door.

Passengers tried to physically restrain him as he allegedly spat at and threw punches at them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was eventually pinned to the floor with a seatbelt tied around his ankles, it is claimed.

Video footage shows the man, wearing a white T-shirt and orange shorts, trying to resist as 13 French policemen carried him across the runway at Toulouse.

Passengers were left in tears, with some allegedly suffering panic attacks during the ordeal.

The flight eventually continued to Girona, landing around two hours later than planned.

The instigator of the fight had to be restrained by three other people with a seatbelt tied around his ankles - Carolyn Marshall

One witness said: The whole event was very traumatic. The man had gone into the toilet and then afterwards, was trying to open one of the emergency exit doors.

He then went to try the other, shouting I want to go. Thats when a huge brawl started with a lot more than one man trying to get him away from the doors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There was a big punch-up and he then finally got taken down in the aisle and was pinned to the floor where they then managed to get a seatbelt extender around his ankles to stop him kicking.

Another passenger claimed: They started brawling in the middle of the plane. It went on for about 30 minutes... it took about three people to restrain him.

It was horrible, there was blood everywhere. There were people screaming and crying.

Took him to floor in military style

Another witness said: He tried to stand to go to the toilet while we were taking off. When asked to sit down, he shouted I need a p--- mate but then sat down.

Once in the air, he then stumbled to the front, trying to open the doors in a panic. He was totally inebriated and wanted to get off the flight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two men tried to calm and restrain him but he started spitting and swinging for everyone, crashing into people. One big guy warned him he was going to take him down if he carried on and he did so he took him to the floor in a military style.

A spokesman for Ryanair said: This flight from Bournemouth to Girona (Sept 4) was diverted to Toulouse after a passenger became disruptive onboard.

Crew called ahead for police assistance, who met the aircraft upon landing at Toulouse airport and offloaded this passenger before this flight continued to Girona.

Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour, ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a respectful and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bournemouth airport 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.
(FOX40.COM)  The Sacramento Area Sewer District announced on Thursday that it received a National Gold Peak Performance Award, honoring the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility for its 10th consecutive year.

Video Above: Sacramento Area Sewer District detects measles virus marker in wastewater

From the 2024 calendar year, Peak Performance Awards recognize public utility members for excellence in permit compliance and their operations. Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program, SacSewer said facilities must maintain a perfect record with zero permit violations within the calendar year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our vision is to set the bar for excellence in utility management and environmental sustainability, and these awards demonstrate our ongoing responsibility to serve our community by protecting public health and the environment, SacSewer General Manager Christoph Dobson said. We are proud of what we accomplish at the EchoWater Facility, and this is a testament to the dedication and hard work our staff put forth every single day.

This was the fifth Gold Award the EchoWater facility received from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, also winning 16 Silver Awards in a span of the last 30 years, according to officials.

To learn more about the ongoing efforts of SacSewer and its EchoWater Facility, visit sacsewer.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 FOX40 News.
Mali has filed a case against Algeria at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing its northern neighbor of violating international law by shooting down a Malian military drone near the border town of Tinzaouaten.

According to Mali, the incident occurred earlier this year, between 31 March and 1 April, when Algerian forces deliberately downed a reconnaissance drone within Malian territory, calling it an act of aggression designed to hinder operations against armed groups in the volatile Kidal region.

This flagrant aggression is the culmination of a series of hostile acts and clearly demonstrates an unhealthy collusion between terrorists and the Algerian regime, said Malis Ministry of Territorial Administration in a statement. The government claims the strike violates the principle of non-use of force and international norms governing peaceful relations between states.

Algeria has denied the accusations, stating the drone had crossed into its airspace and was armed. The Algerian military maintains it acted in self-defense after tracking the aircraft on radar. The diplomatic fallout has been swift. Both countries have recalled ambassadors and closed airspace to one another, marking a sharp deterioration in already tense relations.

Malis regime has also accused Algeria of collusion with armed groups and, in January 2024, scrapped a 2015 Algeria-brokered peace deal with northern separatists. This legal battle at the ICJ reflects deepening distrust between the two nations, both of which remain critical players in the fight against jihadist insurgencies across the Sahel.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  Virginia State Police (VSP) said a Department of Transportation (VDOT) contractor was killed in a collision along I-95 on Saturday night.

Just before 8 a.m., the Safety Service Patrol (SSP) member was helping a disabled Audi on the right shoulder of the interstate at the 151-mile marker. Thats when VSP said a Chrysler 3000 Sedan lost control, crossed all lanes of travel and struck the patroller, as well as the Audi driver.

Car rollover closes street in Alexandria

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The patroller was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

The Audi driver suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

VSP said charges are pending and the crash 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 DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  The SAISD Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting on Monday, Sept. 8, to hear and discuss several reports, one involving an update on Lake View High Schools closed campus.

The meeting will be held in the district administration buildings boardroom at 1621 University Ave at 5:45 p.m.

SAISD addresses food shortages, closed lunch concerns at Lake View High

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The agenda includes construction updates on district projects, such as the demolition of Sam Houston Elementary.

Other items up for consideration include donations, instructional materials, enrollment updates, and several bids related to safety and facilities.

The special meeting is open to the public. The agenda can be found 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  It has been a storied century full of giving and ministry for the Salvation Army Beckley Corps.

SportsZone: Big wins for Princeton, Greenbrier East highlight Week 2 action

They invited the public into their facilities for their Sunday morning church service, to hear from their friends, soldiers, volunteers, and others on this big milestone day. There have been some really exciting things taking place over the last several years, including one that has obvious to anyone driving by.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think the biggest change we have gone through is this building. So in 1938, they opened our old location on South Fayette Street, and it served faithfully. But [it] was not big enough to do it, did not have a gym, it did not have a huge food pantry. It did not have a soup kitchen. Through the support of the community and the Cline family, who really helped us with the vision, and the Wilkes family, they invested in the Salvation Army and really invested in the future of our community, said Captain Liz Blusiewicz.

In recent years, this Salvation Army location opened their Red Shield Youth Center to offer afterschool activities for the kiddos, absorbed Carpenters Corner to combine their efforts in community service, and they opened a soup kitchen.

Captain Liz Blusiewicz was absolutely thrilled to have everyone in their gym for their 100th anniversary service.

We are not just a building. We are a people on mission. In preparation, it was what is our identity? How do we stay true to that? That is why we decided [on our theme] soup, soap, and salvation to get the message out, to let people know we are still here, we are still serving and we are still committed just as we were on that first day, September 7th, 1925, we are still here doing the same good, added Blusiewicz.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Like most churches, they have tons of different services every week that folks can get in on. During this service in particular, Charles Houck was honored for serving as a board member since 1988. They presented him with a lifetime board membership plaque.

It is special because of Salvation Army, but it is really not about me. It is once again about Salvation Army, but very appreciative, said Houck.

Oak Hill Baptist Church honors Grandparents Day

Houck was not quite aware of the Salvation Armys full functionality until 1972. One night, he was deployed by the Army National Guard to assist with disaster relief at Buffalo Creek. He ended up being there for more than a week. During his time there, he noticed the Salvation Army was there all day, every day for all 11 days doing everything in their power to help. Around 16 years later he was asked to join the board at Beckleys Salvation Army, and the rest is history.

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 WVNS.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Each year, on the anniversary of one of the most devastating days in American history, Team Red, White and Blue (RWB) San Angelo brings the community together to remember the fallen with its Annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at San Angelo Stadium.

Held annually since 2015, the event honors the lives lost on September 11, 2001, particularly the first responders who ascended 110 flights of stairs in the World Trade Center to save others. This year, participants joined veterans, active-duty military, and local first responders in climbing 2,200 steps, mirroring the 110 floors they bravely scaled that fateful day.

The event started on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. with the presentation of the colors by Central High Schools ROTC and the singing of the national anthem, followed by the first lap of the stair climb at 7:46 a.m., the exact time that American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SAPD, SAFD to hold 9/11 memorial ceremony

Participants climbed 2,200 steps, symbolizing the 110 floors of the Twin Towers that first responders bravely ascended on that fateful day. Many wore weighted vests or full gear, including local firefighters and law enforcement officers.

This is an extremely important thing we do every year to honor the fallen, said Doug Clark, co-captain of Team RWB San Angelo and a veteran of 32 years in law enforcement. We walk 2,200 stairs, which is what they did that day, and we want to honor their sacrifice by recreating that effort.

Siren blasts from local emergency vehicles echoed through the stadium throughout the morning, marking the timeline of major events on 9/11. At each time, the crowd stopped to observe moments of silence, including at 8:03 a.m. when Flight 175 hit the South Tower and 9:02 a.m., when Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dove Creek Fire Department partners with Jasons Deli for fundraising

The guys who perished that day were there in full gear, doing everything they could to preserve life, Clark said. This is how we remember them. This is how we make sure we never forget.

The event drew support from several regional agencies and organizations, community members, including firefighters from Goodfellow Air Force Base, Dove Creek Volunteer Fire Department, San Angelo Fire Department, San Angelo Police Department and officers from across Tom Green County.

Among those at the event was Sheriff Nick Hanna, who spoke about the long-lasting impact of 9/11.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was a turning point in our nations history, Hanna said. So many brave individuals gave their lives, and it reminds us that when the call comes, we have to be ready to answer. Were not going to forget what happened.

Hanna also emphasized the importance of passing the story of 9/11 on to younger generations.

SAFD members awarded after saving premature infant born in rare scenario

Theres a whole generation now that wasnt even born yet, he said. Just like our grandparents remembered Pearl Harbor, we remember where we were on 9/11. It inspired people to serveand we have to keep that spirit alive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hanna said hes confident that those who perished on 9/11 are looking down with pride on the efforts of those participating in the annual stair climb.

We hope those guys are looking down, and we hope, you know, theyre kind of proud of the moment, said Hanna. I think they would.

Team RWB San Angelo, founded in 2012, brings veterans and civilians together through physical and social activities like hiking, kayaking, and running. But the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb remains its signature community event, held annually since 2015.

SAISD board to discuss Lake View High School campus update

Looking ahead, Clark said the team is already planning an expanded memorial for next years 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Next year is going to be big, he said. If you werent here this year, get readywere going to honor them in a way thats even more powerful. Were never going to forget.

Learn more about Team Red, White & Blue at: https://www.teamrwb.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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
The Santa Monica City Council is voting to declare a fiscal emergency at the next council meeting.

Councilmembers will be asked to approve the declaration at Tuesdays meeting, and if the motion passes, it would give City Manager Oliver Chi the authority to take all necessary steps to address, alleviate and mitigate the emergency, according to Section 2 of the resolution to declare the fiscal emergency.

The City Council declares that, as a result of the citys current financial condition, uncertain revenues, and increasing costs and liabilities, the city is experiencing a fiscal emergency, reads Section 1 of the resolution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

City officials further broke down the reasons for the fiscal emergency declaration, including impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic (reductions in revenue, budget and jobs) as well as financial struggles (challenges achieving revenue, expenditures and reserve funds coupled with uncertain financial forecasts) and the sexual assault case settlement payout involving former city employee Eric Uller (roughly $230 million to 229 alleged victims).

Other reasons for the declaration include federal economic and immigration policy shifts.

The City Council has determined that the current financial condition of the city, including the significant drawdown of reserves and interfund payment obligations, coupled with uncertain revenues and increasing costs and liabilities, warrants declaring a fiscal emergency, officials concluded in the declaration.

Its not just Santa Monica thats struggling financially; in June, Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia announced that over 600 layoffs were on the table as the city prepared to declare a fiscal emergency due to massive liability payouts, overspending and revenue shortfalls.

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.
Saudi Arabia has announced a new project to help with clearing rubble and doing reconstruction in Syrias capital, Damascus, deepening the kingdoms ties with the new authorities in Syria.

The state-backed King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre charity (KSRelief) said on Sunday that it would provide an aid package that would help clear an estimated 75,000 cubic metres of rubble from the capital and its surroundings.

Abdullah Al Rabeeah, who leads KSRelief, said at an event in Damascus that the charity was honoured to inaugurate a number of humanitarian projects for the Syrian people, including those focusing on health, food security and education.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The aid will also help rebuild 34 schools in Aleppo, Idlib and Homs, reconstruct dozens of bakeries, and rehabilitate sewage and water infrastructure in Damascus.

In a post on X, Syrias Minister for Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh said the agreements signed between the two countries would enhance humanitarian response efforts and reconstruction in Syria, affirming the strength of the humanitarian and brotherly relations between our two countries.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf countries have been providing economic support to Syria since the fall of the government of former President Bashar al-Assad late in 2024 after a 13-year civil war.





In late July, Riyadh pledged $6.4bn in investment and partnership deals with Syria.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The southern and eastern parts of Damascus sustained heavy damage during the fighting, with entire neighbourhoods being reduced to rubble. The new authorities in Damascus have sought international investment to kick-start the countrys economy.

According to its website, KSRelief has or is operating 422 projects across Syria worth more than $500m. The majority are in health and food security.

Saudi Arabia has been a major backer of the new government in Damascus, led by transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel who was born in the capital Riyadh, and went to the country for his first international visit.

In May, Saudi Arabia helped broker a meeting between al-Sharaa and United States President Donald Trump, who later pushed to remove all sanctions against Syria.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In July, Saudi Arabia announced that it would invest $2.9bn in the country, and pledged to cover Syrias debt to the World Bank along with Qatar.

Syrias gross domestic product contracted almost 70 percent from a 2011 high during the war, which left devastating destruction throughout the country.
This comes after a similar warning from the UAE, which stated that any annexation would be a red flag that could lead his country to exit the Abraham Accords.

Israels annexation of the West Bank would end any chance of normalization, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) said on Saturday, according to a report by Israeli public broadcaster, KAN News.

MBS's comments came during a meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) in Riyadh, according to the report.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

MBZ previously issued a similar warning, stating that any annexation would be a "red flag" that could lead to the Gulf country exiting the Abraham Accords.

The two leaders agreed in Riyadh that if Israel moves forward with West Bank annexation, then withdrawal from the Abraham Accords would be a real possibility, according to a source in the Saudi royal family cited by KAN.

The source added that annexation would also kill the chances of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. He further noted that by taking such steps, Israel is playing into the hands of Iran and Hamas, whose interest is to block ties between Israel and Arab states.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (L), President of the United Arab Emirates, stands for a photograph with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (R), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia September 3, 2025. (credit: Abdulla Al Bedwawi/UAE Presidential Court/Handout via REUTERS)

UAE, Saudi Arabia push for a Palestinian State

The report also specified how Saudi Arabias endgame goal seems to be the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution to the conflict.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Wednesday, MBZ wrote on X/Twitter: "In these challenging times, the UAE sends a clear message: annexation is a red line, and peace through a two-state solution must remain the path forward."

The Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the UAE in 2020, were signed on the basis that Israel would forgo applying sovereignty in the West Bank in exchange for normalized relations.

Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan are also signatories to the accords, which were signed during the first term of the Trump administration.

Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
A group of scientists has developed a sensor that can identify potential problems with wind turbine blades using only sound.

Two departments from the Fraunhofer Institute developed the unique solution to identify cracks and breakage in wind turbines.

The chip in the sensors uses acoustics to detect problems with the blades, the report explained. It can send those concerns to experts, eliminating the need for maintenance crews to travel to the turbines unnecessarily.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the scientists, this development is especially beneficial for offshore wind farms, as they have to endure more extreme weather conditions that can cause cracks, erosion, or breakage. These issues could cause turbine failure, which would be inconvenient for those relying on the energy source.

Additionally, because offshore wind farms are difficult to get to, inspections and maintenance can be expensive and time-consuming. The estimated costs could be up to 200,000 ($234,000) per blade for each incident.

The sensors make it easier to respond to a problem appropriately, which helps keep crews safe, save money, and lower maintenance costs. It can also eliminate the material waste generated by replacing a blade before it's necessary, helping reduce what's sent into the landfill.

Once the sensors are mounted inside the rotor blades, they can absorb the sound waves that travel throughout them, according to the researchers. The chip monitors "surface waves," which are sound waves that occur in the event of damage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When the sensors record these surface waves, they can transmit the data to workers on the mainland.

According to the press release, Bjorn Zeugmann, a group manager for the project, said, "Our chip is always listening, which means  it can classify and transmit information on potential damage from inside the rotor blade itself."

Another highlight is the invention's energy efficiency, as it only sends relevant data to workers, meaning it doesn't require broadband internet.

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.

Wind power plays a crucial role in the clean energy industry, too  which makes it all the more vital to keep turbines in top shape. American Clean Power explained that wind energy can create jobs and boost the economy while reducing air pollution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many groups have put effort into improving how wind power works. For example, one company created a floating wind farm off the Scottish coast. Another company built a large turbine that can create more energy at lower wind speeds.

The scientists who created the acoustic sensor plan to continue improving the technology. According to the research, the group hopes it can one day detect lightning strikes (and their consequences) on the turbines.

Zeugmann added, "I'm fascinated by working in a field of the future like energy transition and creating value for society in that way."

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.
Astronomers examining data from the James Webb Space Telescope say they've spotted what might be the oldest black hole in the universe, born less than a second after the Big Bang.

Their findings, published in a new study awaiting peer review, could offer the best evidence yet of the existence of what's known as a primordial black hole, a hypothetical object that's divided scientists for decades.

Potentially far smaller than their modern counterparts  perhaps as tiny as a planet or even an atom  this class of black hole is thought to only have been able to form in the earliest moments of the universe, long before stars and galaxies could come together. That defies our typical understanding that singularities are born from the collapse of large structures, like in a supernova, the violent implosion of a star. And that has huge implications for our understanding of how the universe evolved.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"This black hole is nearly naked," coauthor Roberto Maiolino, a cosmologist at the University of Cambridge, told The Guardian. "This is really challenging for the theories. It seems that this black hole has formed without being preceded by a galaxy around it."

Though the findings are stunning, Andrew Pontzen, a cosmologist at University of Durham, cautions that it's not a smoking gun. They haven't actually spotted the object existing moments after the universe was formed  since that's impossible  but some 700 million years after the fact.

"The researchers behind this study use new JWST observations to strengthen the case for primordial origins, but it's an indirect argument and it will take time for the debate to be settled," Pontzen told the newspaper.

The typical understanding is that black holes are born from the collapse of massive objects like stars. Some feed on nearby matter and grow to unbelievable sizes, becoming the supermassive black holes found at the center of galaxies. This tidy picture has run into complications, however. We've spotted numerous black holes that are so large and ancient that they wouldn't have had enough time to gain their size simply by starting as the humble byproduct of a star's death that gradually accretes matter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That's led astronomers to speculate about other means of black hole formation. A popular one is that they could be born from the "direct collapse" of incredibly dense clouds of gas, called heavy seeds, that coalesced together through the influence of invisible clumps of dark matter "halos."

Primordial black holes are considered an even more exotic and disruptive within our current cosmology, because proponents argue that they could only form in the immediate aftermath of the Big Bang, before matter had a chance to spread out evenly and cool down, with some regions being significantly denser than others. Given how early they form in this scenario, it's possible they could explain how some ancient black holes grew to their impossible sizes  they simply got a headstart. They're also a potential dark matter candidate, locking away loads of matter in objects too small for detection, the thinking goes.

Clues of this latest suspected primordial black hole's existence lie in a "little red dot" dubbed QSO1, one of a puzzling family of objects that were only spotted when the James Webb first came online nearly four years ago, originating from when the universe was less than a billion years old. Astronomers don't agree on what the little red dots are, but the leading theories are that the dots, which appear faint to us but must be bright to be visible at all, are an extremely compact form of galaxy, or that they're active supermassive black holes devouring matter at the center of one.

But the researchers' observations suggests there's practically no "galaxy" to speak of here. With the help of gravitational lensing  a magnifying glass-style effect caused by the gravity of a massive object in the foreground  they were able to observe the speed of the material swirling within the dot, a measurement known as a rotation curve. From there, the astronomers calculated that the black hole at the center must be around a staggering 50 million solar masses, or fifty million times heavier than the Sun. Bizarrely, it also contains twice as much mass as its surroundings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"This is in stark contrast with what we observe in our local universe, where the black holes at the centre of galaxies [like the Milky Way] are about a thousand times less massive than their host galaxy," Maiolino told the Guardian.

Maiolino previously published another study showing that the matter surrounding the black hole consisted of only hydrogen and helium, the newspaper noted, the first elements that emerged from the Big Bang. Heavier elements were formed later by the collapse of stars, so the fact that we're not seeing any suggests that the black hole resides in lonely, starless territory.

"Here we're witnessing a massive black hole formed without much of a galaxy, as far as we can say from the data," Maiolino told the Guardian. "These results are a paradigm change."

Again, it's too early to call it proof of primordial black holes. But it's tantalizing evidence that could be borne out in the near future.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"A decade from now the next generation of gravitational wave detectors, perfect for sniffing out black holes across the entire universe, will settle the matter," Pontzen told the newspaper.

More on black holes: Scientists Say Black Holes Could Form Inside Planets, Leading to Absolute Catastrophe
Scientists are seeing a concerning decline in insect biodiversity in tropical forests.

According to a study summarized in The Conversation, researchers suspect that changes in climate patterns, fueled by rising global temperatures, may be a large contributing factor to the fall of important tropical insects.

What's happening?

Scientists from the University of Hong Kong and Queensland's Griffith University reviewed 80 studies of insects, mostly in the tropical Americas, paying special attention to years with extreme temperatures, or containing El Nino events, which often coincide generally with the warmest years and are becoming more frequent and intense, according to The Conversation summary.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

El Nino events are natural climate patterns characterized by changes in wind patterns, which impact sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Normally, strong trade winds, which blow from east to west across the Pacific Ocean, carry warm sea surface water toward the shores of Asia and Australia.

Under El Nino conditions, these trade winds are weakened, which causes warm sea surface water to be pushed back east toward the western coast of the United States. This causes disruptions in natural climate patterns and can bring intense rain and flooding to usually drier areas, as well as warm and drought-like conditions to normally wet areas  such as the tropics.

The new study, published in the journal Nature, found that El Nino events are correlated with negative effects on the biodiversity loss of spiders and insects  particularly butterflies and beetles  and the health of tropical forests.

"El Nino events appear to cause a rapid decline in both insect biodiversity, and the ecological tasks they perform. These trends were persistent and highly unnatural," according to the study authors, per The Conversation. They continued, "Climate-fueled El Ninos are causing many [insect] populations to fall so far, they cannot recover."

Why is biodiversity loss concerning?

Protecting biodiversity in natural habitats helps protect the balance and order of operations in local ecosystems. When one part of the ecosystem falls out of balance, it impacts the rest of the food chain.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some insects, such as butterflies, which researchers have found are declining in population size and species, are important pollinators that contribute to healthy ecosystems. Pollinators help with plant reproduction, which supports the local wildlife by providing an abundance of food.

Other insects contribute to the ecosystem by helping to decompose leaves, which allows the nutrients to return to the soil, enriching it for healthy plants.

Though these tropical insects are small, they play an important role in protecting the health of tropical forests, which contain "62% of global terrestrial vertebrate species," according to a research article in the Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment journal.

What's being done to protect biodiversity?

Researchers at the Butterfly Pavilion in Colorado have assisted in the life cycle of native Colorado fireflies, which have been threatened by habitat loss and changing climate patterns.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This successful attempt to save these insects may inspire scientists and conservation groups to protect the biodiversity of insects in tropical forests.

Another exciting effort to restore tropical habitats is seen in a Brazilian startup's recent funding to restore forests in the Amazon rainforest. Re.green has successfully raised nearly $14.3 million to replant native plants and restore native habitats in the tropical rainforest.

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.
One of the biggest hurdles to expanding the global nuclear power sector is the concern over how best to manage nuclear waste. While some believe they have found sustainable solutions to dispose of nuclear waste, there is still widespread debate around how safe these methods are and the potential long-term impact of waste disposal and storage. In the United Kingdom, the government has put nuclear power back on the agenda, after decades with no new nuclear developments; however, managing nuclear waste continues to be a major barrier to development.

Nuclear waste remains radioactive for around 10,000 years, meaning it is vital that governments dispose of all waste effectively to ensure people and the environment are kept safe in the long term. As more governments welcome a new nuclear era, they must address nuclear waste concerns and establish clear guidelines and regulations on disposal to ensure that all nuclear power companies adhere to strong safety standards and practices.

There are three types of nuclear waste: low-, intermediate-, and high-level radioactive waste. Most of the waste produced at nuclear facilities is lightly contaminated, including items such as tools and work clothing, with a level of around 1 percent radioactivity. Meanwhile, spent fuel is an example of high-level waste, which contributes around 3 percent of the total volume of waste from nuclear energy production. However, this contains around 95 percent of the radioactivity, making adequate waste management of these products extremely important.

In the U.K., the government continues to battle with how best to dispose of its nuclear waste, as it looks to expand the industry over the coming decades. The U.K. has 700,000 cubic metres of radioactive waste from its previous nuclear power activities, a figure that will grow as more nuclear projects come online. The government is now considering the development of a massive underground nuclear dump, known as a geological deposit facility (GDF), to safely dispose of the waste. While no site has been confirmed for development, it is expected to be developed in one of two potential sites in Cumbria, in the north of England.

A U.K. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson stated, Constructing the UKs first geological disposal facility will provide an internationally recognised safe and permanent disposal of the most hazardous radioactive waste. They added, Progress continues to be made in areas taking part in the siting process for this multibillion-pound facility, which would bring thousands of skilled jobs and economic growth to the local area.

However, the U.K. Treasury believes the governments plan for the waste dump is unachievable, rating the project as red, or not possible, in a recent assessment. This means that, There are major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable. The project may need rescoping and/or its overall viability reassessed. In addition, there are concerns over the projected project cost, which is expected to be anywhere up to $73 billion.

Richard Outram, the secretary of Nuclear Free Local Authorities, explained, The Nista red rating is hardly surprising. The GDF process is fraught with uncertainties, and the GDF solution remains unproven and costly.

At present, the U.K. stores most of its nuclear waste at its Sellafield facility in Cumbria, which is viewed as one of the most complex and hazardous nuclear sites worldwide. However, with the planned decommissioning of several power plants and the development of new nuclear facilities, the government must address its imminent waste issue. This is a long-term problem, with it expected to take until 2150 to dispose of the countrys existing waste into a GDF, if one is developed, before disposing of new waste.

In June, Lincolnshire County Council withdrew from being a potential site for the GDF after engaging with communities about the proposal. This is a common problem with developing nuclear waste sites, as the pushback in proposed waste regions often prevents development due to a not-in-my-backyard perspective from residents in the area. It is still unclear whether communities in Cumbria will hold a similar opinion. Corhyn Parr, the CEO of Nuclear Waste Services, said, A GDF requires a suitable site and a willing community and will only be developed when both are in place.

Several countries around the globe are battling with how best to dispose of old and new nuclear waste, as a nuclear renaissance is starting to be seen, in line with global aims for a green transition. While nuclear power is now viewed as extremely safe and clean, there are pressing concerns around the adequate disposal of waste, which can be extremely harmful to human health and the environment if improperly managed, that must be rapidly addressed.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
In Italy, the Ventina glacier has experienced so much melting that it can no longer be visited or measured in person.

Due to the ongoing shrinkage, geologists can now only measure it remotely using sensors and drones.

What's happening?

As AP News reported, the Ventina glacier has melted by a mile in length since 1895. Recently, the melting rate has increased rapidly, with 471 yards lost over the past decade.

The stakes that geologists once used to measure the melting are so buried under debris that the terrain is now unsafe and unstable. The Lombardy Glaciological Service can't take measurements in person anymore and must rely on remote technology to monitor the Ventina glacier.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Andrea Toffaletti from the Lombardy Glaciological Service said that the region's hot summers are "no longer able to guarantee the survival of the winter snowpack" that keeps the glacier intact.

Why is accelerating glacier melt significant?

Melting glaciers are one of the most obvious signs of our changing global climate. It also has a profound impact on our planet, wildlife habitats, and communities.

When glaciers begin to melt faster than ever before, coastal areas face greater threats due to erosion and flooding. These extreme weather events displace people, destroy property, and make it difficult for homeowners to secure and afford insurance.

Meanwhile, glacier melt disrupts natural ecosystems and freshwater supplies, which people rely on for daily life.

What's being done to preserve our glaciers?

Scientists are actively tracking glaciers and monitoring their disappearance. Research groups have been emphasizing the fragility of glaciers and testing glacier samples to better understand how to mitigate future damage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is critical to address the root causes of glacier melt to prevent further acceleration. For example, reducing planet-overheating pollution can help protect communities and the environment from the continued impacts of rapidly melting glaciers.

As an individual, you can make a difference in curbing pollution and the steady warming of our planet by implementing daily lifestyle changes and household updates. Personal actions, such as using less plastic and installing solar panels, can make a difference in your community and inspire others to follow your example.

These changes can even save you money over time and are more affordable upfront than you might expect. For example, you can save up to $10,000 on solar system installations by using EnergySage's free quote comparison tool.

You can also increase public awareness about the impacts of our planet's melting glaciers by having discussions about critical climate issues with people you know. Greater knowledge about and understanding of these impacts can lead to local action, inspired advocacy, and positive policy change.

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 new study has revealed a startling side effect of rising global temperatures. According to reports by the Straits Times, tropical bird populations are experiencing significant declines due to extreme heat.

What's happening?

Published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, new research findings show that deforestation isn't the only change impacting bird populations. As countries continue to rely on dirty energy, pollutants are entering the atmosphere and causing temperatures to increase. For bird species, especially those in the tropics, the extreme heat is threatening their survival.

While previous studies have analyzed the impact of other factors threatening bird populations, such as deforestation, pesticide use, and invasive species, there has not been as much research isolating extreme heat, as the Times noted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the new study, the team of researchers evaluated more than 3,000 bird populations across the globe to identify the impact of extreme heat on diverse bird species, as the authors reported in the Conversation.

"The findings are pretty stark," lead author Maximilian Kotz, a researcher at the National Supercomputing Centre in Barcelona and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, told AFP, per the Times.

According to the study, increasing temperatures have led to a 25-38% decrease in tropical bird populations between 1950 and 2020, compared to a modeled scenario without human-driven temperature increase.

Why is the new research important?

During the mid-20th century, the tropics experienced three days of extreme heat per year. Now, those regions endure 30 days of extreme heat per year, according to Kotz, per the Times. That jump in extreme heat has major consequences for tropical bird species, including both heat stroke and dehydration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Declining global bird populations have numerous consequences. Birds provide important services such as controlling insect pests and pollinating plants, which can be significant for human food crops.

When bird populations decline, it also threatens biodiversity. What's more, population changes don't just impact one species; they can trigger a domino effect within food webs. Declining bird populations can offset the balance of entire ecosystems.

What's being done about declining bird populations?

By analyzing the impact of extreme temperatures on bird populations, scientists are providing the necessary evidence that reveals a reason why bird populations are decreasing. The new research ultimately highlights the "urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to conserve the remaining biodiversity," noted the researchers in the Conversation.

Moving forward, more research is needed so conservationists can better understand how to protect fragile bird populations from rising global temperatures.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We need long-term datasets like the authors used to understand how extreme temperatures impact avian populations." Dr. Aimee Van Tatenhove, a post-doctoral fellow at Cornell University's Center for Avian Population Studies, said, per the Straits Times.

Though she was not a part of the study, she explained her thoughts on the research: "This study is an important reminder that we need to continue examining different causes of population declines and apply those findings to conservation initiatives."

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.
Glaciers across Europe are melting faster than anywhere else on Earth, and as global temperatures continue to rise, this concerning phenomenon shows no signs of stopping.

What's happening?

NBC News reported on the dangers facing European glaciers, which are melting at a frightening pace.

As one example, it pointed to Morteratsch Glacier in Switzerland, which has lost more than 9,400 feet since researchers began observing it in 1881.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier this year, researcher Leo Hosli drilled seven stakes into the glacier's ice caves. By August, so much had melted away that only one stake remained, and the caves were too unstable for Hosli to enter.

"It's just too warm for the glacier to exist at this state right now," he told NBC News.

A study from the journal Nature corroborates that other research. Since 2000, the study found, glaciers in the Alps and Pyrenees have shrunk by about 40%. The biggest amounts of loss came in 2022 and 2023, years that were also the warmest in Earth's recorded history.

Why are glaciers important?

Melting glaciers are one of the most visible signs we have of our warming planet. As human actions cause the planet to break heat records virtually every year, these frozen masses simply can't survive the way they previously did.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As glaciers melt, they can create dangerous landslides. They cause global sea levels to rise, which could put coastal towns across the globe at risk. And these glaciers provide invaluable sources of fresh drinking water and agricultural irrigation, so if they disappear, communities will be left to scramble for basic necessities.

Although glaciers are melting faster in Europe than in other parts of the world, this is very much a global problem. An 18.6-mile-long glacier in Argentina is retreating much faster than expected, and a key Greenland glacier appears to be melting faster than it is flowing, causing its movement to slow drastically.

What's being done to save glaciers?

Without changes, experts say, this problem will only get worse. One-third of Austria's glaciers, for example, could evaporate by the end of this decade.

"The next 20 to 50 years will bring extreme changes for us living in the mountains, for all people living on the whole globe," Andrea Fisher, vice director of the Austrian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, told NBC News. "And we have to think about the consequences."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The only way to save them is to reverse the warming trend that has overtaken our planet. And while that will require bold action by world leaders and organizations, local action is just as important. That includes changes at home, like using less plastic or driving less often.

"There is no possibility to save glaciers without saving the climate," Fisher 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.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Two lucky New York lottery players are taking home $1 million after Saturdays Powerball drawing.

Two second-prize tickets worth $1 million were sold at a Shoprite in Monticello and Hillside Cigar Shop in Williston Park on Long Island, according to New York Lottery officials.

What to do immediately after winning the Powerball jackpot, according to experts

Four lucky New York players also hit big with $100,000 Powerplay wins. The tickets were sold in Constantia, Flushing, Newburgh and Ontario.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Twenty-third-prize-winning tickets were sold in New York ahead of Saturdays drawing, all worth $50,000. Seven of the tickets were sold in New York City.

The Powerball jackpot hit a whopping $1.79 billion before Saturdays drawing, and two players hit big. The jackpot will be split by winners in Missouri and Texas. The odds of winning the jackpot were stacked, one in 292,201,338.

The odds of winning a second-prize ticket are one in 11,688,053.

Now, the jackpot is at $20 million with the next drawing on Monday at 10:59 p.m.

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.

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 PIX11.
ROYSE CITY  A Royse City High School student was arrested Friday in connection with a threat made against the campus, marking the second unrelated incident in as many days, according to the Royse City Police Department.

Police said they were notified around 8:15 a.m. Friday about a potential threat posted to Instagram. The post was reported by two students to school administrators, who then alerted the campus school resource officers.

The investigation linked the post to a 14-year-old student at Royse City High School. Authorities said the student was immediately detained on campus and later confirmed to be responsible for the post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The student  whose name has not been released due to age  has been charged with making a terroristic threat  a Class A misdemeanor  and was transported to a juvenile detention facility.

The arrest came one day after a separate incident involving another 14-year-old student at the same school. On Thursday, police say the student threatened a teacher around 9:20 a.m. and while being questioned, made a second threat against the campus.

No weapon was involved and no injuries were reported in either case, police said.

The student in Thursdays incident was also charged with two counts of terroristic threat and taken to a juvenile detention center.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily.

When the lidocaine was injected into her cervix, Leah Wells said it felt like fuzzy lightning traveling up her body. In addition to numbing her cervix, the medication made her mouth tingle, and she felt a little stoned. It was during that brief high that Wells gynecologist inserted an intrauterine device, or IUD.

In terms of contraception, an IUD is arguably second to none, as it is more than 99 percent effective. But getting one can come with a cost. While some patients report only mild cramping from an insertion, others describe a stabbing or searing pain that rivals childbirth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These real-life tales of body horror had scared Wells off an IUD until this January, when President Donald Trump returned to the White House. The growing threat to contraception and abortion access changed her mind, as an unplanned pregnancy can be its own type of terror.

I wanted to protect my choice to not be pregnant, Wells told me.

It turned out that getting an IUD wasnt a big deal for Wells because the lidocaine did its job. She recalls that her pain reached what she would term a 3 out of 10, for a total of maybe 15 seconds. This is Wells first IUD, so she cant compare a medicated insertion to an unmedicated one. However, Wells experience might have been far more unpleasant if she had not gone to a gynecologist who was specially trained in abortion care.

A study published earlier this year in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill looked at which clinicians were most likely to provide a paracervical block like lidocaine for an IUD. The authors found that 79 percent of the patients who got the local anesthetic were treated by physicians who are board-certified in complex family planning, a gynecological subspecialty that focuses on pregnancy prevention, pregnancy loss, and abortion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In other words, if you want an IUD but are afraid of the pain, the cheat code is to call up your local abortion provider. These findings coincide with growing demand from patients for better pain management for IUDs and other in-office gynecological procedures, like endometrial biopsies and uterine aspirations.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists seemed to respond this spring by issuing updated guidelines stating pain management should be offeredeven though it may be perceived by health care professionals as unnecessary. Also, it told clinicians to take a collaborative, patient-centered approach in deciding the direction of care.

The fact that physicians had to be told this speaks to the paternalism that often permeates medicine, Udodiri R. Okwandu, a historian at Rutgers University who specializes in Black womens experiences within reproductive medicine and psychiatry, told me. Part of the reason that complex family planning residents are more likely to provide pain management for IUD placements comes down to training. For a first-trimester abortion that involves cervical dilation and suction, applying a paracervical block is standard. It was with this procedure that Danielle Tsevat, the lead author of the Chapel Hill study, learned how to administer it, which she told me is pretty straightforward and easy. Because IUDs involve the same anatomy as a miscarriage or termination, the same pain management methods apply.

However, while Tsevat observed several OB-GYNs placing IUDs during her residency, she says one of the only instructors who regularly applied lidocaine specialized in complex family planning. Wells didnt realize Colleen Krajewski was board-certified in abortion and contraception care when she scheduled her IUD. But she now recommends the gynecologist to her friends, as she found Krajewski to be the most empathetic physician shes ever had.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the start of the IUD appointment, Wells recalls that Krajewski explained the entire process in detail and emphasized that she could stop the procedure at any time. Krajewski says this is her practice for all procedures, including abortions, since she wants patients to fully understand the risks and benefits, and feel in control of their health care.

Also, after every IUD insertion, Krajewski offers patients a cup of teaa routine picked up while working for Planned Parenthood and similar clinics. Any abortion recovery room Ive ever been in has the good tea, Krajewski told me, adding that its usually staff who pay for these refreshments since clinics often operate on shoestring budgets.

Because applying lidocaine takes extra time, Krajweski says some gynecologists look at her sideways for using it for IUDs, as well as endometrial biopsies. This was even more the case 10 years ago, when evidence of the medications effectiveness was less comprehensive. But Krajweski says her patients responses prove that the medication does work, and shed rather take a little extra time if it reduces the risk of someone leaving her office feeling violated and traumatized.

Krajweskis approach gets to Tsevats second theory: People can feel vulnerable when seeking abortion caresome are dealing with economic instability, religious stigma, or domestic violenceand so these clinicians learn to prioritize patients autonomy and comfort.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pain management is absolutely linked to reproductive autonomy, because it puts a persons needs, experiences, and values at the forefront, Sadia Haider, president of the Society of Family Planning, told me via email. The onus not only falls on individual clinicians, argues Haider; health systems should also prioritize trauma-informed care and shared decisionmaking.

But as more abortion providers shutter, Okwandu warned that an insidious consequence might be that fewer clinics will offer pain management for IUDs. This means that more patients who want the contraception to manage periods, prevent pregnancy, or reduce pain caused by conditions like endometriosis might have to undergo painful procedures to receive oneif theyre able to receive one at all. Black women and people from other marginalized communities, along with rural and low-income patients, will feel an outsize impact, she said.

Wells wont have to worry about that for a while, as her IUD will last her through the next two presidential elections. Soon she wont have to deal with a monthly period either: Within a year of getting an IUD, most people stop menstruating. And not getting your period is a freedom in itself.
The sentencing of Ashley Dyrdahl this week will mark the only time someone is held criminally responsible in the fatal Burnsville shootings carried out by her boyfriend.

In February 2024, the suspect, Shannon Gooden, fatally ambushed a Burnsville firefighter and two police officers. Gooden then died by suicide.

Dyrdahl was legally allowed to buy firearms, but Gooden was not, so it was illegal for her to intentionally purchase firearms for him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A grand jury indicted Dyrdahl for straw purchasing the murder weapons, but should her purchases have set off alarm bells before Gooden fired more than 100 rounds at first responders from the Burnsville residence that Dyrdahl rented?

Authorities have said the two Burnsville businesses where Dyrdahl made the purchases cooperated with the investigation. The owners said she did not raise concerns.

Its always easy to look back in hindsight and think of what could have happened, said Rob Doar, Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus vice president. I think the challenge here is that (Dyrdahl and Gooden) made very strong efforts to circumvent current laws. I dont think there was anything in her behavior that would have been an immediate red flag.

Based on federal and Minnesota laws, it doesnt appear there were mechanisms in place that would have drawn law enforcement attention to her purchases.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This case really demonstrates the ways that gaps in firearm safety laws can put law enforcement at risk, said Spencer Myers, an attorney with the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Gun safety advocates point to laws in other states that limit the number of firearms people can purchase in one month, which would have affected Dyrdahl because she bought the two guns that Gooden used in the killings in a span of less than three weeks.

Meanwhile, supporters of gun owners rights say whats needed is harsher sentences for straw purchasing to deter others. Minnesota legislators made straw purchasing a felony on the state level after the Burnsville killings, though some say the penalties need to be strengthened.

The mother of Burnsville police officer Matthew Ruge said she is going to try to stand up to give her victim impact statement during Dyrdahls sentencing Wednesday at the federal courthouse in St. Paul. Also killed were officer Paul Elmstrand and Burnsville firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I will implore the judge to consider giving a sentence that will be a catalyst for change, Ruges mother, Christi Henke, wrote on social media. This is not about revenge for me. This is about justice.

My son sacrificed his life to save this womans children. All her children are alive, but one of mine is dead. She needs to be held accountable and be the example to deter others in her situation to not buy weapons for felons.

Prohibited from possessing guns, not from living with them

The debate over firearms has ramped up again since a shooter killed two Annunciation Catholic School students and injured another 21 people, mostly children, at church in South Minneapolis on Aug. 27.

Gov. Tim Walz has said he plans to call a special session to address gun policy. Walz and Democratic-Farmer-Labor lawmakers want new restrictions on firearms, but theyll have to get Republican support to pass bills like a ban on certain semiautomatic rifles and limiting the capacity of magazines, which appears unlikely.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Minnesota House Republicans said last week that if Walz calls a special session, their priorities include expanding school safety funding to non-public schools, making school resource officers available to every school, and boosting funding for mental health treatment beds.

The federal indictment against Dyrdahl accused her of lying on the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives form required when purchasing a weapon; the customer has to state they are buying the weapon for themselves.

The ATF form does not ask if a buyer lives with someone prohibited from possessing firearms, and federal law does not prevent a lawful gun owner from residing with someone who cannot legally have guns.

Federal law prohibits a national registry of firearms, owners or transactions. Businesses or people that sell or deal in firearms are required to be federally licensed by the ATF  theyre known as a federal firearms licensee  and they are mandated to retain records about gun purchases and transfers.

Related Articles

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Six states require licensed dealers to report all firearm transactions to law enforcement: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon and Rhode Island, according to the Giffords Law Center.

Some states have laws on the books that say gun owners are to store guns in ways that prohibited people cant access them. The Giffords Law Center said theyre not aware of any state laws that require a check on whether a gun owners address matches the address of a prohibited person.

Minnesota has a law about firearm storage intended to keep children from accessing them. The House passed a bill last year that would have required a person to store a firearm unloaded and equipped with a locking device or in a firearm storage unit, but it did not become law.

A Republican-offered amendment would have kept existing law in place, while adding a provision saying a person is also negligent if they allow a person prohibited from possessing firearms to gain access.

Prosecutors: She knew his penchant for violence

While Gooden, 38, had a lifetime ban on possessing firearms, Dyrdahl, 37, was legally free to purchase guns.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her past convictions were not for felonies, Minnesota court records show. She pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in 2010, driving while impaired by alcohol in 2012 and 2017, and obstructing legal process by interfering with a peace officer in 2013.

Goodens firearm prohibition came because he pleaded guilty to felony second-degree assault in 2008, according to a previous filing from the Dakota County Attorneys Office. The county attorneys office opposed Goodens petition to the court in 2020 to restore his firearms rights and a judge did not restore them.

Neither Gooden nor Dyrdahl were on probation at the time she bought the guns, so there were no check-ins from authorities.

When Dyrdahl purchased the two murder weapons in January 2024, weeks before Gooden opened fire, she was fully aware that Gooden was prohibited from possessing firearms, prosecutors wrote in a recent court filing about their sentencing recommendation. Indeed, she purchased the weapons for Gooden because he could not  the law prohibited him from doing so, for good reason.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was violent and dangerous. Dyrdhal knew all too well Goodens penchant for erratic violence. By her own admission, Dyrdahl lived in grave fear of Goodens volatile and violent behavior. Over the course of just five months in 2024, the defendant gave this dangerous man at least five firearms. She handed him the means to murder, literally placing these combat weapons in his hands.

Dyrdahls attorneys did not respond to recent messages seeking comment.

When she pleaded guilty in January, attorney Manny Atwal said Dyrdahl wanted to convey that she knows that she cannot say sorry or express her remorse enough and she hoped her acceptance of responsibility brought even a small amount of relief.

Some states limit gun purchases

If someone buys two or more handguns at the same time or within five consecutive business days, the ATF requires that firearms licensees report to them with a multiple sales record.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The notification might result in the ATF keeping an eye on the person to see if they purchase any more, Doar said. They might contact local law enforcement to notify them. The intent is to detect potential firearms trafficking.

Minnesota has no law restricting sales or purchases of multiple firearms. Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia have laws limiting how many firearms people can purchase in a month, according to the Giffords Law Center.

The indictment against Dyrdahl said she bought two firearms in October 2023 and another two in January 2024.

A law like the ones in place in some of these other states could have prevented this series of sales from going through, Myers said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, said bulk purchase laws are definitely worth looking at. The chair of the judiciary and public safety committee said hed like to review how other states have modeled their laws.

Doar, who lobbies for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, said a law restricting gun purchases per month poses practical challenges to perfectly lawful people.

For example, if someone intends to buy their two children each a shotgun for pheasant hunting, they wouldnt be allowed to unless they planned in advance to purchase the firearms in separate months.

California had a law that said most people could not buy more than one firearm in a 30-day period, but a federal court of appeals struck down the law in June.

Didnt raise suspicions

Dyrdahl pleaded guilty to straw purchasing a Franklin Armory FAI-15 firearm lower receiver at the Modern Sportsman in Burnsville on Jan. 5, 2024, and a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 lower receiver on Jan. 25, 2024, at the Burnsville Pistol & Rifle Range.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Roger Hird, Burnsville Pistol & Rifle Range owner, said Dyrdahl didnt raise suspicions to him. Hes about to retire and has sold his business, so hes no longer doing firearm transfers. When he did, people would buy a firearm online, have it shipped to his business, and he would handle the ATF paperwork for them to pick it up.

When people came in to pick up items, first off, they have to tell us what it is theyre picking up, Hird said. A lot of times, straw purchasers dont really know what theyre picking up, and so we always asked what theyre picking up, where did it come from?

Dyrdahl knew the answers to those questions.

She also inspected the lower receiver for the firearm, which with a straw purchase I wouldnt have expected, Hird said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The only thing that was not a regular occurrence was that a female was actually buying a receiver  its not unheard of, but its not usual, he said, adding that such firearms need to be built with the receiver as the base.

Dyrdahl also purchased the other lower receiver from an out-of-state online retailer and had it shipped to the Modern Sportsman for transfer, business owner John McConkey previously said. She passed the federal background check.

The Modern Sportsman had no way of knowing the lower receiver would end up in a convicted felons/prohibited persons possession, McConkey wrote in a 2024 email. The prohibited person was not there during the transfer process nor was his name on any of the enclosed documents.

Sentencing Wednesday

The maximum federal sentence for straw purchasing is 15 years in prison for each charge, but because Dyrdahl doesnt have a previous history of felony criminal activity, the sentencing guidelines recommend a shorter sentence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In this case, the guidelines are for a prison term of 2 years to three years and one month, followed by one to three years of supervised release. The U.S. Attorneys Office is asking for a prison term of 3 years and 5 months.

It will be up to U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell to decide Dyrdahls sentence, and hes not bound by the sentencing guidelines.

The incident began when Burnsville police were dispatched to a home in the 12600 block of 33rd Avenue South about 2 a.m. Feb. 18, 2024, on a report of possible child sexual abuse, according to a filing by the U.S. Attorneys Office about its sentencing recommendation.

Gooden barricaded himself in a bedroom, effectively taking the children hostage, the filing said. After hours of negotiation, Gooden told law enforcement he would come out peacefully; instead, he opened fire.

Straw purchasing now a Minnesota felony

When Dyrdahl was federally charged, straw purchasing was a gross misdemeanor under Minnesota law and has since been made a felony.

If the felony law was in effect at the time of Dyrdahls offense and she was convicted under the aggravated portion of the state law, it says a person may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to five years and to payment of a fine of not more than $20,000 if the transferee possesses or uses the weapon within one year  in furtherance of a felony crime of violence.

Judges use Minnesota state sentencing guidelines that take into account a persons criminal history and the severity of the offense. Because Dyrdahl didnt have a felony record, the presumptive sentence likely would have been a stayed sentence of 18 months in prison, up to 364 days of confinement and probation.

Rep. Peggy Scott, R-Andover, said she carried a bill for years that would have made straw purchasing a felony under state law, but it didnt move forward until the Burnsville shootings. It passed as part of a broader Democratic gun control package, Doar said.

The law previously said a person was guilty if they transferred a gun to a person and knew they were ineligible to have it. Lawmakers added new wording to include that the person reasonably should know, which Latz said was significant because it allows a jury to look at all the circumstances rather than rare direct evidence of actual knowledge.

But Scott said she thinks the language in the law became too watered down because it includes an affirmative defense if a straw purchaser bought a firearm for a family or household member under compulsion or threats, or if there were past acts of domestic abuse.

Scott, co-chair of the judiciary finance and civil law committee, said she absolutely believes there should be a mandatory three-year minimum prison sentence if a straw-purchased firearm was used to commit a rime.

Strong, high-profile prosecutions of straw purchases are needed to let the people know that they will be in trouble if they provide weapons to someone who is banned from having them, said Rep. Paul Novotny, R-Elk River, co-chair of the public safety finance and policy committee.

Tragic results

Related Articles

Investigating straw-purchasing cases can be challenging, said Joe Thompson, acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota. Prosecutors need evidence that the person buying the guns knew the person for whom they were buying was prohibited.

Federal charges arent always appropriate, so a state law allows an additional option for law enforcement and prosecutors, Thompson said.

The U.S. Attorneys Office in Minnesota charged three straw-purchasing cases in 2024, including Dyrdahls, and one in 2023, according to the office.

In the Dyrdahl case, the tragedy happened before we were able to figure out that straw purchasing had occurred, Thompson said.  When people straw purchase guns on behalf of felons,  that can have tragic results and Dyrdahls a horrible example of that.
President Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, intended to phase out tax credits for wind and solar by mid-2026. But its true impact extends well beyond incentives: OBBBA is unsettling the entire financial and insurance underpinning of the U.S. clean energy industry.

OBBBA has accelerated deadlines, with projects now required to begin construction by July 4, 2026, or be in service by December 31, 2027, to qualify for credits. It has also removed the 5% cost-based safe harbor starting September 1, 2025, meaning that only physical work counts toward eligibility. That change alone has lenders and insurers spooked, uncertain when or if returns will materialize.

Meanwhile, Trumps tariffs on essential materials like steel, copper, and solar components have pushed construction costs even higher. Were really now seeing the impacts of what the new reality in the U.S. has meant for investor confidence, says Meredith Annex, Head of Clean Power at BloombergNEF, after reporting that wind and solar investments plunged 36% year-on-year to $36.4 billion in H1 2025, with onshore wind collapsing 80 percent, the Financial Times reported.

At the same time, insurance is becoming a major issue. Underwriters are recalibrating risk models that now include political unpredictability. As Canaan Crouch of Jencap Specialty Insurance Services warns, Higher insurance premiums add another cost burden to contractors and developers already grappling with reduced subsidies, higher tariffs and volatile demand. Thats effectively redefining how projects are valued and bankrolled.

Related: Oil Rig Count Rises Amid Slide in Oil Prices



Insurers are tightening their terms in ways that directly reshape project economics. Premiums for utility-scale solar and offshore wind have climbed sharply over the past year, with underwriters increasingly carving out exclusions for mechanical failure and weather-related damage, according to Reuters. Industry brokers say some carriers have shortened policy durations from three years to one, forcing developers to renegotiate coverage annually at higher cost. In offshore wind, several European reinsurers have already reduced their U.S. exposure, leaving a smaller pool of carriers willing to underwrite billion-dollar projects and driving up rates for those that remain.

The disruption is being felt by the industrys biggest players. Denmarks rsted, once a clean-energy trailblazer, has approved a $9.4 billion emergency rights issue after its U.S. offshore wind projects, Sunrise Wind and Revolution Wind, hit policy roadblocks. Construction on Revolution Wind, almost 80% complete, was halted by a federal stop-work order citing national security concerns, prompting rsted to sue the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the company is burning millions weekly in holding costs, and S&P Global has already downgraded its credit rating though Equinor, a 10% shareholder, has pledged up to $941 million in support.

Nor is this limited to utility-scale clean energy.

In residential solar, firms like Sunnova and Mosaic have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid uncertainty over tax credits and a decline in demand. Canary Media reported that Sunnova laid off over half its workforce (over 700 employees) before filing, citing untenable debt and market retrenchment. Mosaic, a major residential solar loan provider, also went bankrupt, pointing to macroeconomic headwinds and policy unpredictability.

These are not small casualties. Analysts predict a 50-60% reduction in residential solar demand, risking over 250,000 jobs. As Ara Agopian, CEO of Solar Insure, put it, Theres going to be a 50 to 60 percent downturn in demand. Many of them will shut their doors as they cant stay in business without the tax credit. The Financial Times noted that Guggenheims Joe Osha underscored the long-standing difficulties.

In Sunnovas case, a July 31, 2025 court approval allowed the sale of substantially all assets to a creditor group highlighting how even bankruptcy is being managed to mitigate fallout for homeowners.

States are also feeling the heat, with Texas, once a renewable stronghold, seeing developers cancel or delay nearly $8 billion in projects, while BloombergNEF has tallied over $22 billion in clean energy development shelved nationally, costing more than 16,000 jobs.

Beyond wind and solar, OBBBAs implications also extend to battery and hydrogen sectors. The law phases out credits for battery manufacturing and accelerates deadlines for hydrogen projects under Section 45V. Experts at the International Council on Clean Transportation estimate U.S. battery production could fall 75 percent short of expectations by 2030, cutting into the clean energy value chain.

Banks that once offered competitive terms on project loans are now widening spreads to reflect heightened policy risk, while credit rating agencies have flagged uncertainty over future cash flows as a trigger for downgrades. Institutional investors that fueled the tax-equity boom of the past decade are becoming more selective, in some cases pausing commitments entirely until the regulatory landscape stabilizes. The result is a much smaller pipeline of available capital and steeper financing costs for developers.

Whats emerging is a clarity that OBBBAs biggest impact may be the erosion of the industrys financial ecosystem. Insurance premiums are climbing. Lenders are retreating or demanding new risk-adjusted returns. Developers are cannibalizing capital just to stay afloat.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
The Annunciation Catholic Church shooter wrote in a journal they were morbidly obsessed with mass shootings and had a deep fascination with the Sandy Hook school shooter.

On the firearms and magazines used in the attack, the shooter scrawled the names of other mass killers, ranging from the Unabomber to the Columbine attackers to the Tree of Life synagogue shooter. The goal was to honor past killers, the shooter wrote in the journal.

The attack on August 27 killed two schoolchildren  ages 8 and 10  and wounded 21 others, including students and elderly parishioners.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The writings indicate the shooter had what Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara described as a deranged fascination with previous mass shootings. Its a characteristic that makes the shooter like so many other mass shooters that we have seen in this country, too often, and around the world, he added.

Indeed, many mass shooters show a similar fascination or fixation on other mass shooters and their lives, according to experts in the psychology of school shooters.

For people who want to go down this pathway, they go out of their way to learn about previous attackers, to find role models, said Peter Langman, a psychologist who has written several books about school shooters. Theyre drawn to that.

But why that fascination? Experts on the psychology of school shooters in particular say the reasoning is an extremely disturbed version of something altogether human: a need to feel understood, to have role models and to be part of a community.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Understanding that mindset can better help the public spot warnings and concerning behaviors before they turn violent, as potential school shooters often exhibit leakage, a term for their specific hints or comments about their violent plans. While journal writings may be viewed too late, other hints may come in the form of a comment at school or in a video game chat online.

We often say one of the greatest red flags is an unhealthy obsession and fascination with past mass shooters, said James Densley, a professor of criminology at Metro State University in Minnesota and co-founder of The Violence Prevention Project.

History of fascination with mass shooters

From Columbine to Annunciation, many mass shooters have explicitly said in journals or interviews that they drew inspiration from other mass killers as murderous role models.

The Columbine attackers are a particular source of obsession. A subculture of people online known as Columbiners even romanticize and idealize a mythologized version of the shooters as hero outcasts, offering odes in the form of memes, fashion choices and music.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some school shooters have even been members of online forums that discussed their fascination with other mass shooters. The Sandy Hook shooter, for example, was part of an online community of mass murder enthusiasts for several years before the attack, according to a state report.

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter had been a member of an online community of mass murder enthusiasts before the attack in Newtown, Connecticut. - Brendan Smialowski/AGP/Getty Images

Others have copied and adapted other mass shooters writings and used them as part of their own.

This is not a new phenomenon, just in the last year or two, this has a long history, Langman said. People find role models to validate their own violent urges.

Adam Lankford, a professor of criminology at the University of Alabama, said he has found in his studies on school shooters that so-called copycat shooters are often personally similar to their role models in terms of age, sex, race and country of origin, as well as in the target of their violence.

The psychology behind this obsession

One key reason for this fascination is their desire to feel understood and to connect with a broader group of people.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its a case of identifying people who are just like them, Densley said. Its almost to a point where they feel like these are the only individuals who are truly like them or would understand them, and they want to feel part of something bigger. Its that sense of belonging that is often missing from their everyday lives.

This obsession with other shooters can even make them feel validated and even inspired.

Mass shooters very often want to follow in the footsteps of a previous attacker, Langman said. These are people who feel powerless and insignificant, and they want to feel powerful and significant, and they want to make a name for themselves.

There is also a desire for infamy and to have their names and faces splashed across the internet and newspapers for a spurt of violence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A lot of shooters study other shooters and want the same notoriety, Langman said.

Lankford likens this fascination with past mass shooters to celebrity worship, in which people with problems in their personal lives develop a fixation on certain celebrities.

The celebrity worship is filling a void for them, and I think its clear that its the same thing with people who become mass shooters, he said.

What you can do about it

Given this background, the experts said to be on the lookout for children with a fascination with school shooters or incidents of mass violence.

Thats a serious red flag. A healthy child should not be fascinated with these things, Densley said.

Kelli Muster places red roses at the Columbine Memorial in Clement Park on the 25th anniversary of the school shooting on April 20, 2024, in Littleton, Colorado. - Marc Piscotty/Getty Images

The challenge is that many of these online communities discussing these topics are unmoderated and anonymous. He recommended parents try to better track what their children are doing online and learn more about online forums that may discuss mass shooters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A lot of this is really just educating parents, teachers, community members to become a little more literate with the way in which the internet works, the way in which these apps work, so that they can better moderate whether their children are using them, he said.

In addition, experts in recent years have recommended the news media adhere to No Notoriety guidelines by avoiding glorifying the mass shooter or featuring their name or image more than is necessary. But with the rise of social media and anonymous forums, that may be trickier on the modern internet.

Weve made some progress in that regard, but nowhere near enough, Lankford said.

Further, many school shooters confide in others or drop hints about their violent plans or interests, the concept known as leakage. This can take the form of conversation with peers, school assignments, online behavior or interaction with parents, according to Langman.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Which brings us back to the Annunciation shooter. Before the attack, the shooter wrote in their journal about several instances in which they dropped a few warning signs to a few people.

The journal also details an incident around seventh grade in which the shooter claimed they were suspended from school after discussing school shootings with classmates.

We dont know what kind of indications the perpetrator gave in this recent incident, but based on the writings, it sounds like some kind of leakage was disclosed, Langman said.

CNNs Yahya Abou-Ghazala and Nina Subkhanberdina contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Israeli settlers have assaulted a Bedouin family near the village of Taybeh, east of Ramallah, while Israeli forces continue to carry out raids and arrests across the occupied West Bank amid the relentless pounding of the Gaza Strip.

Settlers also opened fire on a group of Palestinians and their property in an attack in the town of Sinjil, northeast of Ramallah, with Wafa news agency reporting that the attack took place as Palestinians were trying to prevent a settler incursion north of the town.

Local sources told Wafa that the settlers had fired bullets through the windows of Palestinian homes and shot at a vehicle. No casualties were reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two Palestinians were injured by settler gunfire during an attack on the Khallet al-Eis area in the town of ash-Shuyukh, northeast of Hebron.

The settlers fired shots at homes and set fire to areas of agricultural land, with the protection of Israeli troops who had stormed the area and fired live ammunition. They also stormed and vandalised the Hanbali Mosque in the city of Nablus.

Settlers are Israeli citizens who live illegally on private Palestinian land. More than 700,000 of them  10 percent of Israels population  live in 150 illegal settlements and 128 outposts spread across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. They have attacked Palestinian civilians and their property with increasing impunity, killing and injuring residents, backed by the Israeli army.





Israeli minister storms West Bank city

Also on Sunday, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir participated in the storming of the West Bank city of Umm al-Fahm, northwest of Jenin, with Israeli police and Border Police.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ben-Gvir made the move as he and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich push plans for annexing much of the occupied Palestinian territory despite condemnation from European and Arab leaders.

The Palestinian governments Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said Israeli forces and settlers carried out 1,613 attacks against Palestinians and their property across the West Bank in August, including 431 assaults by settlers. It said attacks take place almost daily as part of a broader push to force Palestinians from their land.

Israels National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (centre) [File: Amir Levy/Getty Images]

Israeli forces raids across West Bank

Israeli forces arrested seven Palestinians on Sunday in raids across the West Bank, according to the Wafa news agency.

In Ramallah, they raided a home and arrested a couple, while in Hebron, two Palestinian men were arrested in separate raids.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Jenin governorate, a woman was arrested following an Israeli raid on her home in the village of Kufeirit. Two more people were arrested in Jenin and al-Yamoun.

Israeli forces also arrested three people from the Bethlehem governorate, according to Wafa.

Wafa reported that Israeli forces stormed the Hindaza area in the east of the governorate and arrested Habib Salah Issa Qassem, 40, and Firas Ibrahim Ali Beit Rashid, 39.

In the western village of Husan, they arrested 18-year-old Salah Nabil Muhammad al-Shaer from al-Matina.

Israeli forces also bulldozed land in the western area of Farkha village, southwest of Salfit, to expand a settler outpost.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mustafa Hammad, head of the Farkha village council, told the Wafa news agency that the bulldozing operations were focused on the Jabal al-Batin area as part of Israels settlement expansion project.

An Israeli soldier during a military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus [File: Alaa Badarneh/EPA]

On Saturday, Israeli forces injured 26 Palestinians and arrested 18 during raids across the occupied West Bank, with reports of three young men shot in the town of Nilin, west of Ramallah, after clashes erupted during a military incursion.

In the town of Anata, northeast of Jerusalem, troops stormed houses in large numbers and arrested at least 16 Palestinians after field interrogations, Wafa reported.

Two others were taken from a taxi at an Israeli checkpoint near Nablus, while forces also carried out searches and set up roadblocks in Hebron, where residents reported property damage and harassment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since October 2023, when Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza, at least 1,018 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in the occupied West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.





Protesters in Hebron demand release of mayor

Palestinians in Hebron demonstrated against Israels arrest of the citys Mayor Tayseer Abu Sneineh, who was detained by Israeli forces on Tuesday.

Footage posted on social media and verified by Al Jazeera showed protesters in front of the citys Municipal Council holding a banner demanding Abu Sneinehs release from arrest, which they considered a crime against the city and its people.

Israeli forces arrested Abu Sneineh during a raid on his home in a move that drew criticism from the Municipal Council and Hamas, which called it a continuation of the occupations brutal and aggressive approach and its targeting of all components of our people.
President Donald Trump has promised to remove millions of people from the United States in the largest deportation program in American history. But his immigration agenda is facing various tests in the U.S. courts.

For example, a federal appeals court ruled last week that the Trump administration cannot use an 18th-century wartime law to speed deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members, setting up a likely return showdown at the Supreme Court.

Some of the president's policies affect hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people. Here are some Trump administration efforts that have come under court scrutiny:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alien Enemies Act

The Trump administration has used the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to remove people it accused of being in the Tren de Aragua gang, arguing it's an invading force.

The administration deported people it designated as members to a notorious prison in El Salvador and argued that American courts could not order them freed. The Alien Enemies Act was only used three times before in U.S. history, all during declared wars  in the War of 1812 and the two world wars.

More than 250 of the men who were deported by the U.S. to El Salvador were returned to Venezuela earlier this summer in a complex deal brokered between the three countries. But litigation over the matter has continued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Tuesday's ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, two judges on a three-judge panel agreed with immigrant rights lawyers and lower court judges who argued the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 was not intended to be used against gangs such as Tren de Aragua.

Lee Gelernt, who argued the case for the ACLU, said the ruling reined in "the administrations view that it can simply declare an emergency without any oversight by the courts.

But Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said the president has the authority to conduct national security operations in defense of the United States and to remove terrorists.

We expect to be vindicated on the merits in this case, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Birthright citizenship

President Trump issued an executive order that attempts to redefine birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment.

The amendment's Citizenship Clause says all people born or naturalized in the U.S., and subject to U.S. jurisdiction, are citizens. The Trump administration asserts that a child born in the U.S. is not a citizen if the mother does not have legal immigration status or is in the country legally but temporarily, and the father is not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

States that have sued over the order  Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon  argue that it ignores the plain wording of the Citizenship Clause as well as a landmark birthright citizenship case in 1898. The Supreme Court had found that a child born in San Francisco to Chinese parents was a citizen by virtue of his birth on American soil.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled in late July that Trump's order is unconstitutional, affirming a lower-court decision in New Hampshire that blocked the order's enforcement nationwide.

Third-country deportations

The Trump administration has been sending people to countries where they have no ties, including El Salvador in Central America and the African nation of South Sudan.

Trump officials have said these immigrants often come from countries that wont take them back or were convicted of violent crimes. Advocacy groups sued this year, arguing that people's due process rights were being violated and that immigrants were being sent to countries with long histories of human rights violations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In late March, a federal judge temporarily blocked third-country deportations of people without first being allowed to argue that it would jeopardize their safety. But in June, a divided Supreme Court halted that order, allowing the swift removal of immigrants to countries other than their homelands.

Lawyers for five men who were deported to the African country of Eswatini in July said Tuesday that the men have held prison for seven weeks without charges and no access to legal counsel.

Attorneys for one of the men, Jamaican national Orville Etoria, said his home country was willing to accept him back.

California immigration stops

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier this year, U.S. immigration authorities began conducting mass immigration raids in Southern California, rounding up predominantly Latino immigrants from locations like car washes, Home Depots, and bus stops, even sometimes ensnaring U.S. citizens.

The practice prompted a lawsuit by immigrant advocacy groups that accused the administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned people in the region. The Justice Department has argued that federal agents are allowed to consider factors like race or ethnicity and occupations in an area it considers a top enforcement priority.

A federal judge ordered the administration to halt such tactics in seven California counties, including Los Angeles, writing that they violated the U.S. Constitution. A federal appeals court upheld the judges temporary order.

The Trump administration filed an emergency petition in early August that asks the Supreme Court to halt the lower courts ruling, with Solicitor General D. John Sauer arguing that it puts a straitjacket on federal agents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Temporary Protected Status

The Trump administration has sought to end programs that offer legal yet temporary authorization for people to live and work in the U.S. if conditions in their homelands are deemed unsafe.

The efforts have prompted lawsuits across the country that say more than 1.5 million people are under what's known as Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, or humanitarian parole.

Temporary Protected Status allows people already living in the U.S. to stay and work legally for up to 18 months if their homelands are unsafe because of civil unrest or natural disasters. The status can be repeatedly renewed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela live in the U.S. under humanitarian parole, which allows people from countries where theres war or political instability to enter and temporarily live in the U.S.

To qualify, they had to fly to the U.S. at their own expense and have a financial sponsor. For most people, the designation lasts for two years.

In May, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to revoke TPS and humanitarian protections while the lawsuits proceed. As a result, its possible that people who had protections could be deported before the legal cases are completed.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen restored TPS protections for 1.1 million Venezuelans and Haitians, ruling that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had no legal authority to revoke extensions granted under the Biden administration. In August, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals backed him up in a related appeal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the East Coast, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is deciding whether to uphold a Boston judges order halting humanitarian parole terminations for roughly 430,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Fast-track deportations

The Department of Homeland Security announced in January that it was expanding the use of expedited removal, a fast-track deportation process for migrants who came to the country illegally and have been here less than two years.

It allows for their removal without appearing before a judge first.

Before Trump's second term, expedited removal was only used for migrants who were stopped within 100 miles of the border and who had been in the U.S. for less than 14 days.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The change has triggered lawsuits by the American Civil Liberties Union and immigrant rights groups. In late August, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb temporarily blocked the administration's expansion, suggesting that it's trampling on people's due process rights.

In another case, Cobb agreed in early August to temporarily block the administrations efforts to expand fast-track deportations of immigrants who legally entered the U.S. under humanitarian parole.

Cobb said the cases underlying question is whether people who escaped oppression will have the chance to plead their case within a system of rules.
Sep. 6Listen to "Talk-Line: Dallas Knack on upcoming chamber events" on Spreaker.

The TALK-LINE interview for Sept. 5 featured Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Dallas Knack discussing upcoming chamber events, including the 72nd Fiesta Days Parade on Sept. 20, with registration to participate through the chamber's website

Like what you hear? Be sure to visit WIXN, part of Shaw Local Radio.

We're also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Sep. 6QUINCY  While it's not scheduled to open until next summer, the new Quincy Aquatic Center will really start taking shape this fall. Construction crews started excavating the site in July, and Quincy Parks and Recreation Director Russ Harrington said there's been a lot of progress below ground level.

"I think all the concrete pours for underground are done," Harrington said.

Chervenell Construction out of Kennewick was awarded a $15.7 million for the construction of the pool, with completion scheduled in June 2026. Some of the progress is visible from F Street Southwest, where walls are going up for the front entrance, equipment rooms, locker rooms and a concession stand. Crews are also working on the concrete base for the new pool. The pool is a metal shell with a lining, and the panels that will make up the shell are scheduled to start arriving sometime this month, Harrington said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It gets shipped over from Italy," he said, and is welded together onsite. Backfilling is part of the installation, of course, and the contractor, Chervenell Construction, Kennewick, is working to get all that done before cold weather and frost make that task impossible.

Because that's a lot of metal and a lot of water, the underground concrete base is getting close and careful attention.

"It has to be well-prepared to drop in a very weighty object like a pool," said Quincy City Administrator Pat Haley.

Quincy City Council members approved changes to the contract Sept. 2 at the request of City Engineer Ariel Belino. The site is close to the water table, he said, and additional water barriers were needed to protect the concrete.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Construction crews are also working on the new parking lot, with the goal of laying down the asphalt in October.

"If they can get that done, they should be sitting in a good spot," Harrington said. "The weather  that's the key."

Relocation of a fiber conduit caused a short delay, Haley said, but otherwise the project is on schedule.

"The contractor makes the most money when things are done in the shortest amount of time," Haley said.

Attendance for the last season of the existing pool was a little lower than in 2024, Harrington said, but until poor weather conditions hit in August, attendance was running ahead of last year. He said he thought that was due in part to interest in the new pool.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"There are a lot of people we talked to who grew up with this pool. And there were a lot of people coming over (to go to the pool) and bringing their families, because this was the last chance they're going to get," he said.

Work on the entrance building is projected to continue over the winter. Harrington said the visible progress is sparking a lot of interest.

"Everybody is getting excited," he said.
By Tim Kelly

TOKYO (Reuters) -Shigeru Ishiba took over Japan's ruling party promising to revive it from scandal. Less than a year later he is stepping down as prime minister after three electoral losses shook the party's grip on power.

An unlikely premier who vowed to make Japan "smile again", Ishiba won the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election on his fifth attempt in late September 2024. That put him at the helm of a party that has dominated Japan's postwar politics but was at one of its lowest ebbs since its founding in 1955.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His brief tenure as prime minister and party president was marked by months of fraught tariff negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, details of which were finalised just days before he was set to stand down.

At home, the self-described lone wolf saw support for his administration steadily erode as his government struggled to contain consumer price rises that fuelled growing discontent over squeezed earnings and sluggish economic growth.

THIRD STRAIGHT LOSS

In the upper house election in July, voters handed Ishiba, 68, a resounding rebuke. Many backed opposition groups promising tax cuts and tighter controls on immigration blamed for depressing wages, including the far right Sanseito party. The LDP and its coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in the chamber.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was Ishiba's third straight electoral defeat, following setbacks in Tokyo's local elections in June and a lower house loss in October when his party was mired in a political donations scandal that forced his predecessor to resign.

A former defence minister who entered parliament in 1986 after a stint as a banker at the height of Japan's bubble economy, Ishiba was seen as a figure popular with the public who could revive the LDP's standing when he was elevated to party leader.

But within the party, he was seen by some as a contrarian and had clashed with previous leaders.

His first act as party leader was to apologise for any unpleasantness he had caused, but LDP lawmakers were not prepared to forgive him for the electoral defeats he oversaw.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With the LDP and Komeito now reliant on opposition support to stay in power, Ishiba's departure opens the door for leadership rivals like hawkish right winger Sanae Takaichi and the telegenic political scion Shinjiro Koizumi to revive their bids for the LDP's top job.

For now, Ishiba, who has also served as agriculture minister, will likely return to the back benches, where the awkward manner that earned him scorn as premier once helped him stand out in Japan's staid politics.

There he was known as a dissenting voice weighing in on contentious issues ranging from nuclear energy and the U.S.-Japan security pact to falling birthrates and separate surnames for married couples. As party leader he largely kept those views to himself.

Seen as an LDP intellectual heavyweight and expert on national security policy, Ishiba advocated for a more assertive Japan, less dependent on the U.S. for its defence. He also promoted the idea of Japan joining a NATO-like alliance in Asia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His retreat from front-line politics may give the ex-premier more time for his other passions, such as building the plastic models of ships and planes he displays in his office and steering parliament's ramen appreciation society.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by William Mallard)
With the Global Sumud Flotilla en route to Gaza, Colombian journalist Mauricio Morales, who has been covering the flotillas journey for Al Jazeera, describes a typical day at sea for the two dozen or so volunteers on board his boat.

7am

People begin to stir, grab their phones, and scroll for news. Most boats have a Wi-Fi connection: a lifeline for the volunteers and the mission.

As some get up, those who spent the night sleeping on the floor move quickly to the sofas or mattresses they vacated, hoping to eke out a little more rest. Others return from night watches, spent keeping a lookout for Israeli drones or other larger vessels that the ship must avoid so no accidents occur.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As rough seas and uncomfortable sleeping conditions take their toll on the volunteers, most of whom have no prior experience at sea, rest is valuable. The boat operates a buddy system, which pairs up the volunteers, who are aged between 24 and 73 and represent around 14 nationalities. The buddies periodically check on one another, making sure their partner is getting enough sleep and food, and that they are coping with the physical and emotional strains of the mission. Conditions are cramped on a boat built for a dozen people but carrying twice as many, and the knowledge of what has happened to previous flotillas that have been intercepted or attacked means anxiety is ever present.





9am

Food is rationed, and breakfast is usually only a cup of coffee or tea. But when the conversation drifts to the shortages, thoughts quickly turn to the man-made famine in Gaza, where people are dying daily of hunger, as others are killed waiting in line in the hope of getting food for their families.

The purpose of the mission is never far from the volunteers minds. Omar, a 73-year-old Palestinian whose family was displaced during the Nakba, leads lessons on Palestinian history on the boats deck. Although tragedy is woven through the accounts he shares, his conviction and years of involvement in efforts to break the siege of Gaza make the sessions not only informative but uplifting.

10am

Volunteers and crew gather for the daily meeting, where a headcount is taken and updates given.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tasks and chores are assigned. Theres a rotation where, after everyone has done a task or chore once, the cycle repeats. Everyone has to pitch in with toilet duty, dishwashing, cooking, and cleaning the decks and cabins. There are no arguments, and everyone willingly does what they are assigned.

News circulates, too. We are updated on developments, such as Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvirs threat to treat the flotilla volunteers as terrorists and to imprison them in the same high-security jails where many Palestinians are detained without trial and subjected to torture. It increases the urgency the volunteers feel about raising awareness of the mission among governments and civil society movements.

People rest on the boats deck during moments of calm [Mauricio Morales/Al Jazeera]

11am

Volunteers begin their tasks. Marcin, a 41-year-old Polish volunteer, has become the unofficial handyman, carrying out small repairs, fixing portholes, readjusting toilet seats, and refastening shelves. Others assist the sailors in spotting nearby vessels, fishing nets, or drones.

In between their own tasks, the journalists on board prepare their reports, while some volunteers give interviews to media outlets following the flotilla. Others update social networks with developments from the ship or find a quiet spot to get some sleep.

2-3pm

Training sessions teach the volunteers what to do in case of a fire, somebody falling overboard, or if the ship needs to be abandoned. But there are other training sessions as well: what to do if the ship is intercepted or attacked. The volunteers are taught how to raise their hands should Israeli soldiers board; the position should be comfortable enough to hold for an extended period of time, while in no way appearing threatening, which might offer the soldiers a pretext for violence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For some of the volunteers, the training provides an uncomfortable reminder of the very real risk of violence that may await them. During training sessions in Barcelona, before boarding the flotilla, training leaders shared previous flotilla experiences. They emphasised the importance of adopting a non-violent response to attacks, which all of the volunteers have agreed to.

During a training session, volunteers are taught how to keep their arms raised in a non-threatening but comfortable position [Mauricio Morales/Al Jazeera]

The cooking team begins preparing the ships only hot meal of the day.

Cooking for around 24 people in a galley meant for 12 is no small feat. Kubra, a German citizen of Turkish descent, is one of the main cooks. She is an activist deeply involved in the pro-Palestine movement in Germany, where she once spent 24 hours in police detention for taking part in a pro-Palestine protest.

5pm

The one hot meal is a highlight of the day for the volunteers. Some choose to eat together, while others prefer to find a quiet spot to eat and rest alone.

6pm

On the ships deck, volunteers discuss any challenges from the day and resolve any small issues that arose so that no tension builds among those on board.

The volunteers are taught safety techniques [Mauricio Morales/Al Jazeera]

8pm

Night watch begins as volunteers keep a lookout for other vessels that may impact the flotillas trajectory, as well as for Israeli drones. They will keep watch until dawn.

One of the boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla [Mauricio Morales/Al Jazeera]

10pm

After Omars evening session on Palestinian history, a discussion takes place about the meaning of mass action as volunteers share their experiences.

11pm

Bed rotation begins. With limited beds and cushions, volunteers give priority to the elderly or those with medical conditions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many others continue working with the media, adjusting to the time zones of their home countries. Uploading content can be slow. With so many people online, the connection flickers in and out.

12am

Some volunteers sleep, others call friends and family, or take advantage of a moment of quiet before trying to rest. From the portholes of the ship or the upper decks, some just sit and quietly observe the Mediterranean.

Despite the prospect of violence should the ship be intercepted by Israeli forces, spirits remain high. Theres a genuine hope that, after all the flotillas that were intercepted or attacked, this time might be different, and we may actually reach Gazas shores.




The NHS has issued a warning over an apparent rise in short men travelling abroad for leg lengthening surgeries to become taller.

The procedure breaks the leg bones and mechanically pulls them apart to elongate the femur or tibia over several weeks.

Invented in the Soviet Union in the 1950s, the method was used to treat people with deformities and injuries, but it is now being offered privately for cosmetic purposes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Clinics in Turkey offer the procedure for about 24,000 and claim it can add up to three inches to a persons height per bone operated on.

The operation involves sawing through bone, inserting titanium pins, and cranking them apart one millimetre at a time over several months.

It requires several months of recovery, is immensely painful and can result in side effects such as tightened muscles, shortened Achilles tendons, blood clots and infection.

Anecdotal evidence suggests this is becoming more common as people, mostly men, seek ways of becoming taller.

b'

0609 Leg Extension

'

NHS doctors are now urging people to reconsider undergoing such traumatic treatment for aesthetic purposes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Prof Tim Briggs, NHS Englands national director for clinical improvement and elective recovery, told The Telegraph: Leg lengthening surgery is not a quick fix  it is a serious, invasive procedure that can be beneficial for patients when there is a genuine clinical need but carries significant risks and requires informed discussions between patient and surgeon.

Patients face months of treatment, which can be extremely painful, with the possibility of infection, nerve damage, blood clots and even permanent disability.

Anyone considering this surgery for cosmetic reasons abroad should think very carefully about the long recovery and the risks, and I would urge against it unless well informed about where they are seeking treatment.

Dont gamble with your health or your life for a few extra inches without fully understanding the risks.

Cosmetic limb lengthening becoming more mainstream

Leg lengthening surgery to make men taller is becoming more mainstream and acceptable as men are now more comfortable with cosmetic treatments, such as Botox injections and hair transplants.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Limb lengthening for cosmetic reasons is not available on the NHS and private options can cost as much as 240,000, with many Britons choosing to travel to Turkey for a cheaper option.

The operation was featured in the recent film Materialists, where Pedro Pascals character Harry was considered the perfect man and dubbed a unicorn in the dating pool, with his six-foot height being a significant factor.

But this is only the case because the character underwent limb lengthening surgery to go from 5ft 6in to 6ft. The operation was discovered after telltale scars were spotted on his legs.

Men in the real world often feel the same, with patients saying taller people have an innate advantage in society and often have an easier time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But medical experts are urging people to place their health above their insecurities. The operation is major and requires people to relearn how to walk and endure months of constant, extreme pain.

And the NHS is often left to pick up the bill for patients who come home to Britain after going abroad for the treatment.

The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London is the nations foremost bone clinic and does limb lengthening for medical reasons, such as people with serious injuries or birth defects.

But they see many patients who need care due to botched operations abroad, which has a very real cost, a study found.

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 signing of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline deal by the presidents of Russia and China was perhaps the biggest news to come out of the two leaders meeting earlier this month. It was also the deal that may very well make the new global natural gas flow order permanent, potentially interfering with President Trumps energy dominance ambitions.

The Power of Siberia 2 project has been in the works for years. Yet China took its time deciding to commit to it. Now, the decision has been made, and although details have yet to be tailored, the signal is clear: China will be sourcing more natural gas from Russiaa lot more. The annual amount of gas Russia will be selling to China once the second Power of Siberia is completed would exceed 100 billion cu m.

Incidentally, this is a similar amount to that which Russia was supposed to be sending to Europe after the completion of the second branch of the Nord Stream pipeline. This will not be happening now, not with the EU leaders pledging to suspend all imports of Russian energy within two years, even as they keep buying Russian gas from TurkStream and step up LNG imports from the most sanctioned country in the world. This will have to stop if the EU is serious about ending all Russian energy imports.

Related: Oil Rig Count Rises Amid Slide in Oil Prices

As luck and geopolitics would have it, the EU has a ready and willing alternative supplier. U.S. gas producers have been on a roll, boosting production for the liquefaction plants along the Gulf Coast, eyeing the European market as a long-term demand source. The Trump administration has been encouraging this as part of its energy dominance agenda. For both, the Russia-China pipeline deal is a problem. It is, however, a bigger problem for the European Union.

European businesses have a competition problem. It stems from high energy costs that drive up final prices for things produced in Europe. China, on the other hand, has lower energy costs that boost the competitiveness of Chinese-made products. There is also the innovation issue, but thats a different topic. So, China enjoys low-cost energy to enhance the competitiveness of its products on international markets, while Europe struggles with the impact of high-cost energy on its competitiveness. Now, the struggle is about to become chronic.

Europe is already the largest market for U.S. liquefied natural gas. This is good in terms of supply security but not so good in terms of price. As has been repeated ad nauseam, there is no way in the physical world we inhabit for U.S. LNG to become cheaper for European buyers than Russianor indeed Norwegianpipeline gas for obvious reasons related to geography and the production costs of gas liquefaction. This automatically puts LNG-dependent Europe at a disadvantage compared to China, an even greater one than it is already facing.

The situation is somewhat problematic for the Trump administration as well, because the energy cost troubles of European businesses will eventually begin to affect their purchasing powerand the purchasing power of the governments responsible for securing energy supplies for, say, the heating season. This is not good for governments planning to dedicate billions in subsidies to specific industries and financial aid to households unable to afford current energy prices. Essentially, there is not enough money to cover all the expenses in Europe.

From the U.S. perspective, the Power of Siberia 2 deal is also bad news because it means China would be importing less LNG, including U.S. LNG, as Reuters Ron Bousso pointed out in a recent column. Yet China has not imported U.S. LNG for months. It stopped importing U.S. LNG in early spring, amid the tariff spat between Washington and Beijing. Meanwhile, U.S. LNG exports hit an all-time high last month, suggesting producers dont really need the Chinese market all that vitally.

The future may, on the face of it, seem uncertain for both U.S. LNG producers and European buyers. The latters governments have insisted they want to reduce and eventually phase out the consumption of all hydrocarbons. This, however, would take decades, if it ever happens. The reality of energy has helped motivate the surge in new U.S. LNG capacity expected to come online over the next few years. However, there are limits to how much new export capacity can be builtbecause demand for gas is on the rise in the U.S. itself as well.

With the boom in data center construction, domestic demand in the U.S. is rising for the first time in over a decade. As soon as this pushes prices high enough, more gas will be going into the domestic market, making LNG even more expensive for European buyers. Perhaps its time Europes leadership started looking into pipeline gas alternatives, from, say, Central Asia.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Sir David Den Davies as president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, 1996 - Royal Academy of Engineering

Sir David Davies, who has died aged 89, was one of the most influential engineers of his generation, a ground-breaking researcher in fibre optics, a respected academic leader and an advisor to government on higher education, rail safety and defence technology.

Den Davies  always known by his initials  enjoyed a varied career stretching from British Rails research department to the MoD. It took in four universities: Birmingham (his alma mater), University College London where he was vice-provost, Loughborough as an innovative vice-chancellor, and finally from 1998 to 2001 Sussex where he was pro-chancellor.

His internationally recognised research into antenna arrays, radar, signal processing and optical fibre was coupled with his invention of fibre-optic sensors to measure strain and temperature. This earned him the Rank Prize for optoelectronics in 1984, and the Institution of Electrical Engineers Faraday Medal in 1987.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Davies is best known, however, for his report to John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister, on how to improve railway safety in the wake of the crash at Ladbroke Grove in October 1999 that killed 31 people and injured 417. His reasoned, technically robust report provided a voice of calm in the clamour for immediate action.

He showed that the cheaper and less technically advanced train protection and warning system (TPWS) that the rail industry was already installing network-wide would save more lives over 20 years than far more expensive automatic train protection systems. These were still essential for high-speed lines but would take at least 10 years to fit to the entire network.

Daviess recommendations, published in February 2000, were endorsed by the ensuing public inquiries, and he was asked to chair Railway Safety, a new body to promote and oversee rail safety issues; in 2003 this was subsumed into the present Rail Safety and Standards Board.

Sir David Davies painted by Bryan Organ - Loughborough University/Bryan Organ

David Evan Naunton Davies was born in Cardiff on October 28 1935, the son of David Davies and the former Sarah Samuel. Schooled locally, he read electrical engineering at Birmingham University, staying on to take a PhD in 1960, then joining the academic staff. From 1965 he doubled as Senior Principal Scientific Officer at the Royal Radar Establishment, Malvern  his first involvement with the MoD.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 1967 he moved to BRs research base at Derby as assistant director of electrical research; the then Loughborough University of Technology engaged him as one of its first specialist industrial professors.

Davies in 1971 was appointed Professor of Electrical Engineering at UCL. During his time there, he strengthened his departments reputation for world-class research and innovation. From 1986 to 1988 he also served as vice-provost.

In 1988 he returned to Loughborough as the universitys vice-chancellor. During the five years of his leadership, student numbers increased rapidly, requiring four new halls of residence. Ambitious plans for the universitys science and enterprise park led in 1990 to British Gas locating its Gas Research Technology Centre there, and the university opened its on-site hotel and conference venue in 1991. Davies also oversaw the first royal visit to Loughborough University, by Queen Elizabeth II in 1989.

In 1992 Davies was chosen to chair the Governments Defence Scientific Advisory Committee, and a year later he left Loughborough to become the MoDs chief scientific advisor, playing a key role in shaping national defence research. This led in 1998 to his taking the chair of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (Dera) as Tony Blairs government prepared to privatise its establishments (including Malvern) as what is now QinetiQ. The Pentagon objected to Deras most sensitive activities, notably in the nuclear and biohazard field, being privatised, so these now form the MoDs Defence Scientific and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Davies left Dera in 2000, but later chaired the MoDs Nuclear Research Advisory Council. He chaired Railway Safety from 2001 to 2003 and the Hazards Forum from 2002, and from 2002 to 2008 was safety advisor to National Grid.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1979 and of the Royal Society in 1984. He was president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1994-95, and from 1996 to 2001 president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, leading the profession through a period of significant change at a time of growing national focus on engineering and technology.

Davies was also at various times vice-president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a non-executive director of Rover Groups Gaydon Technology subsidiary, a member of the Science & Engineering Research Council, a council member of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor and a liveryman of the Engineers Company (Master Engineer in 2003-04).

He was appointed CBE in 1986, and knighted in 1994.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Den Davies married, first, in 1962, Enid Patilla. She died in 1990 and in 1992 he married, secondly, Jenna Rayner. She survives him, with two sons from his first marriage.

Sir David Davies, born October 28 1935, died August 19 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.
Rural towns across the United States are offering cash incentives to help attract high-earning remote workers.

Small towns throughout the country continue to face shrinking populations as Americans continue to have fewer babies, despite the uptick in people leaving big cities for smaller locales since the COVID-19 pandemic financial fallout.

To help keep small communities alive and economically viable, companies like MakeMyMove are helping towns attract high-earning talent through incentives like cash bonuses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

MakeMyMove is a platform that manages relocation-incentive programs. Remote workers earning high salaries can find perks such as $10,000 in cash, fitness class vouchers, and other benefits to relocate to small towns across the nation.

While the companys COO Evan Hock says cash can be the initial draw, it takes more than a monetary incentive to convince someone to uproot.

Cash is the hook. But no ones getting rich off of a $5,000 cash incentive. And so thats not why theyre moving. The programs that are most successful at retaining people are the ones that really invest in getting those people woven into the local community, Hock said to Fortune.

The company has helped 4,000 people relocate since it was launched in 2021. California has seen the biggest share of people leaving through the platform, but residents of Texas and other states have also accepted offers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They cant buy a home, they cant start a family there. And in many cases, theyre able to keep their California salary and just operate on a Midwest cost of living, said Hock.

Of course, towns do not simply want high earners to leave after a short stay; they want people committed to making their new community a lasting home. MakeMyMove measures the success of the incentives in terms of long-term outcomes, like retention rates, tax revenue generated, and economic impact.

About 90% stay after their first year, said Hock.

We find that about 70% are still there after year three. For about every $100,000 of new income that we recruit, it generates about $83,000 of new economic output each year, he said.
NEED TO KNOW

Social media star Lola Doll is in critical condition after being shot multiple times outside her home in Guyana

Police said the influencer was shot by a male on a motorcycle, and they are now asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward

Lola Doll is best known for her bold and provocative posts and music videos

Lola Doll is in critical condition after being shot multiple times.

The shooting occurred in front of the 33-year-old influencers residence in Georgetown, Guyana, on Saturday, Sept. 6, at about 11:35 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) shared on Facebook.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lola Doll, whose real name is Lolita Callender, is in critical condition and is receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital, per the GPF.

Police said that she sustained gunshot wounds to her neck, face, hands and right leg.



Amanda callender/Instagram Lola Doll Lola Doll

Preliminary information indicates that the victim was seated in her [...] car when she was shot by a male on a motorcycle. Police ranks are actively pursuing the suspect, and CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed as part of the investigation, the GPF added.

Lola Doll is best known for her bold and provocative social media posts and music videos.

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.

Amanda callender/Instagram Lola Doll Lola Doll

Police said the investigation is still ongoing and they are asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

PEOPLE reached out to the GPF for comment on Sunday, Sept. 7, but did not receive an immediate response.

Read the original article on People
Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics.

Roof program

Why doesnt Mississippi have a FORTIFIED roof program like our neighboring states? Our insurance commissioner doesnt do enough for his constituents. He wants to abolish his elected office and be appointed. Also, our elected coastal representatives dont put forth enough effort when it comes to insurance.

The actual problem

A transgender adult recently committed a horrendous shooting of children in church. As a consequence some people have claimed that transpeople are especially dangerous. Statistics do not support that claim. Most mass shootings are committed by straight white males between ages 18 to 45. If we are going to reduce mass shootings we need to focus on how to forestall them.

Joy Reid

Crazy ex-MSNBC host Joy Reid doesnt think President Trump was shot and shes vocal about it. Its really not possible to engage in rational conversation or policy discussions with people that are that irrational and illogical.

Economy

Look, the tariffs may be crushing U.S. manufacturing, but at least we all get to pay more for everything.

Its literally your job

Who am I to tell you what to put in your body? says the surgeon general of Florida. You are a doctor, the surgeon general of Florida, thats who. Lay people look to our physicians with special training for such guidance. Like our bodies, being chosen to be a healer is another gift from God. You are squandering that gift, Dr. Surgeon General of Florida.

Our drinking water

It seems a lot of people have nothing better than to belittle President Trump and/or the Republican Party. Since they have so much energy, why not put it to good use and complain about the Carcinogens in our drinking water. Mississippi is one of 19 states that have dangerous amounts of this cancer producing toxins in our environment but you never hear about it. Lets start complaining about something important and maybe it can be fixed in five, ten or so years.

So unhealthy

It seems President Trump and Joe Biden are in a battle to see who can appear less healthy.

Get ready

I, for one, am looking forward to when insurance companies begin refusing to work with individuals who choose not to vaccinate. Good luck with that, deniers.

Epstein files

Every day that goes by without the full release of the Epstein files makes everyone involved look that much more guilty.

Get them all

ProPublica looked into President Trumps cabinet and found three members who claimed multiple properties as a primary residence, the same accusation made against Fed governor Lisa Cook.

Explosive video

In a hidden video, Trumps DOJ deputy chief brags the FBI is redacting Republican names and only leaving Democrats in the Epstein files; he also admits Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred to keep her mouth shut.

Democrats

Yes, Democrats, keep on supporting the transgender cause. Thats a real winner with most of America.

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.
SOUTH CAROLINA (WSPA)  A trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol has been released from the hospital Sunday afternoon after being hit by a vehicle.

Senior Trooper Mitchell Williams Jr. was assisting with a traffic stop on Interstate 77, near mile marker 9, midnight Sunday. During the assist, a truck hailing a trailer ran off the side of the road and struck Williams in the median, SCHP said.

Williams was transported to the hospital for treatment. SCHP said he was released Sunday afternoon.

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 WSPA 7NEWS.
SEOUL, South Korea  More than 300 South Korean workers detained following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia will be released and brought home, the South Korean government announced Sunday.

Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for President Lee Jae Myung, said that South Korea and the U.S. had finalized negotiations on the workers release. He said South Korea plans to send a charter plane to bring the workers home as soon as remaining administrative steps are completed.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is to leave for the U.S. on Monday for talks related to the workers releases, South Korean media reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

U.S. immigration authorities said Friday they detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals, when hundreds of federal agents raided Hyundais sprawling manufacturing site in Georgia where the Korean automaker makes electric vehicles. Agents focused on a plant that is still under construction at which Hyundai has partnered with LG Energy Solution to produce batteries that power EVs.

Cho said that more than 300 South Koreans were among the detained.

The operation was the latest in a long line of workplace raids conducted as part of the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda. But the one on Thursday is especially distinct because of its large size and the fact that state officials have long called the targeted site Georgias largest economic development project.

The raid stunned many in South Korea because the country is a key U.S. ally. It agreed in July to purchase $100 billion in U.S. energy and make a $350 billion investment in the U.S. in return for the U.S lowering tariff rates. About two weeks ago, U.S. President Donald Trump and Lee held their first meeting in Washington.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lee said the rights of South Korean nationals and economic activities of South Korean companies must not be unfairly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement procedures. South Koreas Foreign Ministry separately issued a statement to express concern and regret over the case and sent diplomats to the site.

Video released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday showed a caravan of vehicles driving up to the site and then federal agents directing workers to line up outside. Some detainees were ordered to put their hands up against a bus as they were frisked and then shackled around their hands, ankles and waist.

Most of the people detained were taken to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida state line. None has been charged with any crimes yet, Steven Schrank, the lead Georgia agent of Homeland Security Investigations, said during a news conference Friday, adding that the investigation was ongoing.

He said that some of the detained workers had illegally crossed the U.S. border, while others had entered the country legally but had expired visas or had entered on a visa waiver that prohibited them from working.

Kang, the South Korean presidential chief of staff, said that South Korea will push to review and improve visa systems for those traveling to the U.S. on business trips for investment projects.




By Cynthia Kim and Jeff Mason

SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Korea is moving to pick up Korean workers following a raid at a Hyundai Motor manufacturing facility in the U.S. state of Georgia last week, a Korean presidential official said on Sunday as the Trump administration promised more raids on businesses.

The negotiations to release about 300 South Koreans who were detained have concluded and processing for their release from custody is ongoing, South Korea's presidential office said late on Sunday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A chartered plane will be flown to bring them back as soon as the processing by the two countries is complete, the office said in a statement. It did not provide details of what administrative steps are being taken.

The Yonhap news agency quoted South Korean Consul General in Washington Cho Ki-joong as saying the workers will likely board a plane on Wednesday.

Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment, while White House border czar Tom Homan separately vowed to expand immigration raids on workplaces.

Later on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump sounded more conciliatory while still driving home a vow to enforce tough immigration policy, calling on foreign companies investing in the U.S. to "respect our Nation's immigration laws."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so," he said on his social media platform. Trump made the post shortly after telling reporters he would look at what happened but that the incident had not harmed his relationship with South Korea.

U.S. federal agents arrested about 475 workers at Hyundai's car battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia, on Thursday in the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security's investigative operations.

Trump campaigned on making immigration a pillar of his administration and has moved to ramp up deportations nationwide since taking office in January. He has also buttressed his economic plan in large part on wooing other countries and foreign businesses to invest in the United States.

The roundup of 475 workers including about 300 South Korean workers at the major Hyundai Motor car battery plant under construction caused shock and dismay in Seoul, as it came just 10 days after a summit between the U.S. and South Korean presidents where they pledged closer business ties.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

South Korea's government expressed regret about the arrests and the public release of the footage showing a major operation by U.S. immigration authorities involving armoured vehicles detaining the workers who were shackled and taken in.

The DHS earlier said the operation was executed under a judicial search warrant over alleged unlawful employment practices. A customs official has said many of those arrested did not have proper immigration authorization to work at the site.

AUTOS BIG PART OF SOUTH KOREAN INVESTMENT IN U.S.

South Korea's presidential chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, said on Sunday the government will seek ways to improve the visa system of Korean workers traveling to the U.S. to "prevent a similar incident."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

DHS has said the arrested workers were barred from working in the U.S. after crossing the border illegally or overstaying visas.

Relations remain fraught between Washington and Seoul, a key U.S. ally and investor, as both sides seek to hammer out final details of their trade deal announced in July.

The trade deal includes a $350 billion fund to help Korean companies enter the U.S. market, while Hyundai said it was boosting its U.S. investments to $26 billion, including a U.S.-based robotics facility.

The site of the raid was a $4.3 billion project to produce EV batteries, with Hyundai and LG Energy Solution each holding a 50% stake as part of one of the largest economic development projects in Georgia's history.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

LG Energy Solution has suspended staff business trips to the United States other than certain exceptional cases and will be recalling those employees now in the United States.

Trump may visit South Korea in October for the gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation event, Reuters has reported, citing sources.

(Reporting by Cynthia Kim, Hyun-joo Jin, Ju-min Park and Jack Kim in Seoul; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason, Trevor Hunnicutt, Ted Hesson and Susan Heavey in Washington and Costas Pitas in Los Angeles; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Stephen Coates)
South Korea has finished talks with US to release Korean workers

SEOUL, Sept 7 (Reuters)  South Korea has just wrapped up talks with the United States for the release of detained Korean workers in Georgia, a presidential official said on Sunday.

A plane will be on its way to bring back the Koreans once administrative procedures are completed, Kang Hun-sik, Presidential Chief of Staff, said in televised remarks.

U.S. federal agents carried out a raid at a Hyundai Motor manufacturing facility in Georgia this week in the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Securitys investigative operations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The majority of those hundreds detained were Korean nationals.

South Korean officials respond to ICE raid on Hyundai plant: Report

South Korea has recently reached a major trade deal with the U.S., which includes a $350 billion fund to help Korean companies enter the U.S. market.

U.S. President Donald Trump may visit South Korea in October for the gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation event, CNN reported on Saturday, citing three Trump administration officials.

The South Korean official on Sunday said the government will seek ways to improve the visa system of Korean workers traveling to the U.S. to prevent a similar incident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

(Reporting by Cynthia Kim, Hyun-joo Jin, Ju-min Park; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

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.
Seoul on Sunday said hundreds of South Korean workers detained by US immigration authorities will be flown back to Korea, after days of tense negotiations with Washington.

The workers were arrested on Thursday in a sweeping operation at a Georgia battery plant, sparking visceral condemnation from Korean media, one Seoul-based journalist wrote.

The raid highlighted a fundamental contradiction: the US demanding massive foreign investment while making it practically impossible to bring necessary skilled workers through proper visa channels, they wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Analysts noted another point of tension: US President Donald Trump desires to revive American manufacturing while also escalating his immigration crackdown, with the White House vowing to execute more workplace raids.
South Korea says it has completed talks with U.S. officials aimed at repatriating its nationals detained while working at a construction site for Hyundai in Georgia.

The government in Seoul is charting a plane to bring back South Korean nationals caught up in the ICE raid once administrative procedures are completed.

We will not let our guard down until we have our people safely back home, said Kang Hun Sik, the presidential chief of staff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Kang added that Seoul was trying to improve the visa system to prevent such incidents happening again in future.

US federal agents arrested 475 people this week during a raid at a Hyundai manufacturing facility in Ellabell, about 48km west of Savannah, in the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security's investigations. About 300 of those detained are South Korean, according to reports.

Homeland Security said the arrests were part of an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes".

A judge approved the warrant following a months-long investigation, according to Steve Schrank, a special agent in charge of Homeland Securities Investigations Atlanta. Donald Trump defended the arrests, saying: "They were illegal aliens and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] was just doing its job."

This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows manufacturing plant employees being escorted outside the Hyundai Motor Groups electric vehicle plant

Mr Schrank said many of the factorys workers were living and working in the U.S. without legal permission. This was not an immigration operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses, he said during a press conference Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"This operation sends a clear message that those who exploit the system and undermine our workforce will be held accountable," he added.

South Korean president Lee Jae Myung had called for all-out necessary measures to support the arrested nationals.

The ICE raid targeted a sprawling, 3,000-acre complex in a state under Republican leadership, which has previously hailed the $7.6bn (5.3bn) Hyundai Motor Group investment as one of the largest economic development projects in Georgias history. LG Energy Solution, which operates the plant with Hyundai, alleged that several LG employees arrested were on business trips under different visas.

Charles Kuck, an attorney representing two arrested South Korean nationals, said his clients arrived under the visa waiver program and were legally in the US for tourism or business. He told the Associated Press that one of them had been in the US for only two weeks, while the other had been there for 45 days.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

South Korea's biggest automaker began manufacturing electric vehicles last year at the plant, which employs more than 1,000 people.

On Sunday, a group of ruling party lawmakers urged the Trump administration to treat the arrested South Koreans properly. If the U.S. sincerely wants to win investment from South Korean businesses, such large-scale detainment of Korean citizens should not have happened, the group said in a statement, according to Bloomberg.

The South Korean government recently reached a major trade deal with Washington, which includes a $350bn (259bn) fund to help Korean companies enter the American market.

Mr Trump is expected to visit South Korea in October for a gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, CNN reported on Saturday, citing three Trump administration officials.
South Korea says the Trump administration has agreed to release the hundreds of Koreans caught last week in the largest U.S. immigration raid.

South Korean presidential chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, said Sunday that negotiators were finalizing talks with U.S. officials to secure the release of the workers arrested in a federal immigration crackdown at a factory that South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution and auto company Hyundai are building in Georgia.

The workers could return home on a chartered flight as early as this week, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The South Korean government will remain on guard and stay on the situation with responsibility until our citizens have safely returned home, Kang said at a meeting with senior legislators and Cabinet officials.

On Thursday, federal agents arrested 475 people at the factory site in Ellabell, Ga. More than 300 of those detained were South Korean citizens employed by LG and its subcontractors.

The crackdown came as South Korea's biggest companies have pledged billions of dollars in new investment to boost their manufacturing operations in the U.S. as part of a trade deal reached by President Trump and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung this year.

Trump announced in late July that tariffs on most imports from South Korea would be only 15% after South Korea agreed to invest $350 billion in key U.S. industries and purchase $100 billion worth of its liquefied natural gas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The fact that the raid targeted one of Koreas most ambitious investments in the U.S. at a time when the country is trying to rapidly ramp up its commitments prompted disbelief and indignation for some in Seoul.

In a news conference Sunday, ruling party lawmaker Oh Gi-hyoung stated that South Koreans should be treated with a level of respect commensurate with their countrys status as a major U.S. ally and investor.

The U.S. currently accounts for the greatest share of South Koreas overseas investments, receiving $26 billion last year, according to South Koreas Finance Ministry. South Korea is the U.S. 8th largest trading partner, with the two countries exchanging $242.5 billion in goods and services last year.

If the U.S. genuinely wants to attract investment from South Korean companies, things like this cannot happen, Oh said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement released Friday, the U.S. attorneys office in the Southern District of Georgia said the operation  which was the largest single-site raid in the Department of Homeland Securitys history  was part of a nationwide initiative, known as Operation Take Back America, to repel the invasion of illegal immigration.

ICE has said that those arrested were found to be working illegally, many on short-term or recreational visas, which do not allow visitors to work.

As of 2022, around 110,000 unauthorized South Korean immigrants were living in the U.S., representing 1% of the total, according to data compiled by the Pew Research Center.

Even if there is a swift release of the workers, experts in South Korea said this heavy-handed action could impact how the Asian nation sees its trade relationship with the U.S.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Industry experts say that the crackdown could lead to logistical challenges for both ongoing and future efforts by South Korean companies in the U.S.

South Korea recently announced a $150-billion project to help revive a declining American shipbuilding industry. In addition, nearly 10 other battery plant projects are underway across the U.S.

For years, companies here have dispatched their own technical specialists to oversee the construction of U.S. factories using nonwork travel permits such as ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), a visa waiver that allows tourists to stay in the country for up to 90 days.

Though technically the visas do not allow holders to work, it was tolerated for a long time by U.S. authorities, said Hwang In-song, an industrial policy expert at the Korea Electronics Technology Institute, a government think tank.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

South Korean companies have long complained that the visas legally required for their dispatched workers are too time-consuming and challenging to obtain.

For example, the H-1B visa, which allows people to work, is awarded through a lottery held once a year. And getting one has gotten increasingly difficult under Trump, who has limited its eligibility under the banner of Buy American, Hire American.

South Korean companies are reluctant to go that route because it takes at least 8 months of lead time before you can begin working on an H-1B, and there is no guarantee you will get it, said Chun Jong-joon, a Korean American immigration lawyer based in Washington.

Hwang said it is nearly impossible to find enough Americans with the skills needed to staff South Koreas U.S. factories, including for lithium-ion battery manufacturing or shipbuilding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As of now, theres no way other than sending experienced South Korean specialists to help, Hwang said.

After the release of the detained workers, South Korean officials said that they would pursue improvements to U.S. work permits for South Korean citizens.

Chile, Australia and Singapore have special work visa programs that allow their citizens to work in specialized roles in the U.S.

Until then, the arrests at the Georgia battery plant will probably mean months of costly delays, as the joint venture struggles to redeploy workers.

In the case of LG Energy Solutions, they will have to think twice before sending their workers to the Georgia plant, Hwang said.

Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
<body><p>STORY: :: Brittany Maldonado</p><p>:: A massive explosion levels three properties in California and injures at least six people</p><p>:: December 11, 2025</p><p>:: Hayward, California</p><p>:: A damaged underground gas line is reported to have caused the blast</p><p>Fire department officials said they were dispatched to the site of the explosion at 0938 am PST (1738GMT). Aerial images showed smoke rising from the site. Firefighters were seen walking through charred debris looking for victims of the explosion.</p><p>Alameda County Fire Department officials said two of the three properties were residential and one appeared to be used as a workshop. All six of the injured were taken to nearby hospitals.</p></body>
SEOUL, South Korea  More than 300 South Korean workers detained following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia will be released and brought home, the South Korean government announced Sunday.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said that South Korea and the U.S. had finalized negotiations on the workers release. He said South Korea plans to send a charter plane to bring the workers home as soon as remaining administrative steps are completed.

U.S. immigration authorities said Friday they detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals, when hundreds of federal agents raided Hyundais sprawling manufacturing site in Georgia where the Korean automaker Hyundai makes electric vehicles. South Koreas Foreign Minister Cho Hyun later said that more than 300 South Koreans were among the detained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The operation was the latest a long line of workplace raids conducted as part of the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda. But the one on Thursday is especially distinct because of its large size and the fact that it targeted a manufacturing site state officials have long called Georgias largest economic development project.

Video released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday showed a caravan of vehicles driving up to the site and then federal agents directing workers to line up outside. Some detainees were ordered to put their hands up against a bus as they were frisked and then shackled around their hands, ankles and waist.

Agents focused their operation on a plant that is still under construction at which Hyundai has partnered with LG Energy Solution to produce batteries that power EVs.

Most of the people detained were taken to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida state line. None has been charged with any crimes yet, Steven Schrank, the lead Georgia agent of Homeland Security Investigations, said during a news conference Friday, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

The South Korean government, a close U.S. ally, expressed concern and regret over the raid targeting its citizens and sent diplomats to the site.




A deal was reached between South Korea and the United States to release more than 300 workers detained in an immigration enforcement raid at a massive Hyundai plant in Georgia, the South Korean government announced Sunday.

During the raid on Thursday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 475 immigrants suspected of living and working in the U.S. illegally, authorities said at the time. According to South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, more than 300 of the detained workers were South Korean nationals.

South Korea's presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said that negotiations had been finalized on the workers' releases, and they would be returned to South Korea as soon as the remaining administrative steps are completed. South Korea plans to send a charter plane for them, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

CBS News has reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Hyundai for additional comment on the deal.

Hundreds of U.S. federal agents raided Hyundai's sprawling manufacturing site in southern Georgia last week, targeting a facility where the Korean automaker makes electric vehicles.

Steven Schrank, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama, told reporters at a Friday news conference that a majority of the people detained were Korean nationals, but he didn't know exactly how many. They worked for different companies, including subcontractors, Schrank said.

This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows a person being handcuffed at the Hyundai Motor Group's electric vehicle plant, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga. / Credit: Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP

The operation was the latest in a long line of workplace raids conducted as part of the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda. But the one on Thursday is especially distinct because of its large size and the fact that it targeted a manufacturing site that state officials have long called Georgia's largest economic development project.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Schrank said it was conducted as part of a month-long investigation into allegations of unlawful employment practices and other federal crimes. He described the raid as the largest enforcement operation at a single site in the history of Homeland Security Investigations, which is a unit within ICE.

Video released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday showed a caravan of vehicles driving up to the site and then federal agents directing workers to line up outside. Some detainees were ordered to put their hands up against a bus as they were frisked and then shackled around their hands, ankles and waist.

This image from video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via DVIDS shows manufacturing plant employees waiting to have their legs shackled at the Hyundai Motor Group's electric vehicle plant, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Ellabell, Ga. / Credit: Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP

Agents focused their operation on a plant that is still under construction, at which Hyundai has partnered with LG Energy Solution to produce batteries that power electric vehicles.

Most of the people detained were taken to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida state line. None has been charged with any crimes yet, Schrank said Friday, but he added that the investigation was ongoing.



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The South Korean government, a close U.S. ally, expressed "concern and regret" over the raid targeting its citizens and sent diplomats to the site.

NIH whistleblower says she was ousted after clashing with Trump officials on vaccines

13-year-old arrested, 23 guns seized after alleged school shooting threat

Inside Apple's 2025 launch event
By Hyunjoo Jin

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea said the U.S. government's release of images of the arrest of hundreds of Korean workers was regrettable, especially as the incident followed so closely after a summit between the two nations' leaders.

U.S. immigration officials raided a Hyundai Motor car battery factory on Thursday. On Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a video and photos of workers shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles getting on a bus after the raid.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The crackdown could risk damaging ties between Washington and Seoul, a key Asian ally and U.S. investor, when the two are trying to narrow their differences and complete a trade deal after the summit between President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo told U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker in a telephone call that it was regrettable the incident "occurred at a critical time, when the momentum of trust and cooperation between the two leaders, forged through their first summit, must be maintained," the foreign ministry said in a statement late on Saturday.

Park also asked Hooker to ensure a fair and swift resolution to the matter.

"The economic activities of our companies that have invested in the U.S. and the rights and interests of our citizens should not be unfairly infringed upon during the course of U.S. law enforcement," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The arrest of some 475 workers at the plant near Savannah, Georgia, included more than 300 Koreans, and was the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE.

The video and photos of the raid, which involved a helicopter and armoured vehicles, showed hundreds of workers standing in front of a building, some wearing yellow vests with the names "Hyundai" or "LG CNS." Two workers hid in a pond before they were arrested.

TRUMP CALLS WORKERS 'ILLEGAL ALIENS'

U.S. lawmakers from Georgia and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus said on Saturday they were "deeply alarmed" by the massive raid.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Instead of targeting violent criminals, the Trump administration is going after immigrants at work and in communities of color to meet its mass deportation quotas. These senseless actions rip apart families, hurt the economy, and undermine the trust of our global partners," they said in a statement.

President Lee ordered a swift, all-out response to the arrests, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told an emergency meeting on Saturday. Cho said he may go to Washington to meet with officials if needed.

LG Energy Solution, which is working with Hyundai to build the factory, said it had asked employees to return from U.S. business trips while suspending travel to the United States except for customer meetings.

The company said on Sunday it had sent a human resources executive to Georgia to "ensure the swift and safe release of those detained".

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hyundai Motor said it would investigate its suppliers and their subcontractors to ensure they meet regulations.

Trump, when asked about the raid, said on Friday: "I would say that they were illegal aliens and ICE was just doing its job."

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Edmund Klamann and William Mallard)
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- South Korea might send a government official to Washington to resolve issues after hundreds of South Koreans were arrested at an under-construction Hyundai battery plant in Georgia.

South Korean officials convened an emergency meeting following the Thursday raid by federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other law enforcement, who arrested 457 "unlawful aliens" working at the electric vehicle battery plant in Bryan County, Ga.

About 300 are South Koreans, who were working at the plant run by the HL-GA Battery Co., which is jointly owned by South Korean firms Hyundai Motor Co. and LG Energy Solution Ltd.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We are deeply concerned and feel a heavy sense of responsibility over the arrests of our nationals," South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said during the meeting.

"If necessary, I will personally travel to Washington to hold consultations with the U.S. administration," Cho said.

Homeland Security Investigations said the raid was the largest in its history and occurred after investigating the plant for several months, NPR reported.

Most of those who were arrested are being held at a Folkston, Ga., detention center, many of whom have expired visas or entered the United States via a waiver program that does not allow them to work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials with LG Energy Solution have suspended all the company's business-related trips to the United States and have encouraged employees in the United States to either stay at their places of residence or return to South Korea.

Construction on the battery plant has stopped, and HL-GA Battery officials are cooperating with U.S. investigators.
A Mexican man deported from the US and sent to South Sudan returned to Mexico on Saturday, according to South Sudanese officials.

Ambassador Apuk Ayuel Mayen, spokesperson for South Sudans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed J. Jesus Munoz Gutierrezs smooth and orderly departure during a press conference at Juba International Airport on Saturday.

Munoz was released into the custody of the Mexican ambassador-designate to South Sudan, Alejandro Estivill, Mayen said. CNN has reached out to Mexicos Foreign Ministry for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Addressing reporters in Juba before stepping aboard a plane, Munoz said he felt kidnapped by the US when he was sent to South Sudan.

I was not planning to come to South Sudan, but while I was here, they treated me well, Munoz told reporters. I finished my time in the United States, and they were supposed to return me to Mexico. Instead, they wrongfully sent me to South Sudan.

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin disputed Munozs characterization of his deportation, saying Munoz received due process and had a final order of removal.

All eight sent to South Sudan were egregious criminal illegal aliens, McLaughlin said. Aliens who commit these types of crimes are frequently not taken back by their home countries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Munoz was one of eight people deported from the US and sent to east Africa in May. He and the other deportees were initially diverted to Djibouti, where they were held in a converted Conex shipping container on a military base while the Trump administration fought for more than a month in federal court to send them to South Sudan.

Lawyers for the eight detainees  who came from Cuba, Laos, Vietnam and other countries, along with Mexico - had argued that they would face dangerous physical conditions in South Sudan, which has struggled with intercommunal violence since its independence in 2011.

By early July, a Supreme Court ruling and a subsequent interpretation by a federal court in Massachusetts allowed the government to send the eight to the war-torn east African nation.

Law and order prevails, McLaughlin said on X following the decision at the time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Six of the eight original deportees remain in custody in South Sudan, Mayen said, and the South Sudanese government is working with their respective home governments to repatriate them. One deportee, a South Sudanese citizen, was freed earlier, the Associated Press reported Saturday.

Beyond South Sudan, the Trump administration is also coordinating US deportations with other African countries including Rwanda, Uganda and Eswatini. While Rwanda recently reached an agreement to take in up to 250 migrants deported from the US, Uganda has publicly insisted it will only accept limited cases, and Eswatini has already received deportees despite mounting criticism.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNNs Veronica Calderon contributed reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
A Lancaster man was found guilty Friday of fatally shooting a man during a 2021 marijuana deal in Inglewood, marking the conclusion of an eight-day federal trial, authorities said.

Leandrew Raglin, 22, was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and multiple firearm charges related to the crime, including use of a firearm in a crime of violence resulting in death, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Evidence presented at trial showed that Raglin, along with co-defendants Mateo Paul, 23, of Long Beach, and Iysis Elanore Smith, 22, of Inglewood, planned to rob a marijuana dealer at gunpoint. The group reportedly lured the victim via a social media application to a meeting spot, where they intended to ambush him and steal his marijuana.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On March 15, 2021, Smith approached the victims vehicle to distract him while Raglin and Paul positioned themselves behind the car. Raglin then fired multiple shots at the passenger side before moving to the drivers side and shooting the victim fatally, according to prosecutors.

Raglin, who has been in federal custody since October 2023, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.

Paul previously pleaded guilty in February to Hobbs Act robbery and firearm charges and will be sentenced on Sept. 26. Smith has also pleaded guilty to felony robbery charges. Both co-defendants could face life in federal prison, officials 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 KTLA.
SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  A man driving a go-kart died after being hit by an SUV Saturday night in Suffolk, according to police.

Police say it happened around 9:40 p.m. in the 4900 block of Nansemond Parkway.

Upon initial investigation, officers determined an SUV crashed into the back of a go-kart driving in the roadway.

The driver of the go-kart, identified as 21-year-old Anton Smith, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nansemond Parkway was closed for approximately five hours due to the accident but reopened early Sunday morning.

A resident who wished to remain anonymous told 10 On Your Side that she and her family heard the crash from their home.

My daughter heard it. She heard the accident, said the resident. We came out, she told me to call 911. I called them before I even went outside. Got outside and really thought that there was just somebody lying on the road, but it ended up being somebody that was wedged between a go-kart and the car. Terrible accident.

The resident says she spoke with the driver of the SUV who says the go-kart was swerving in and out both lanes before the collision. She added this wasnt the first time shes witnessed an accident so close to her home.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lots of accidents have happened on this intersection, said the resident. We see racing on the road all the time. Unfortunately, it happens quite frequently, whether it be motorcycles, dirt bikes or go-karts. But for one to be out that late at night, with no lights, its definitely terrifying.

Despite the number of accidents, the resident says this is the first fatal one shes seen and is calling on the city of Suffolk to install measures to keep citizens safe.

On this particular intersection, you cant really see down the road very well, said the resident. So, its kind of hard to make a left turn out of this street. It really, really needs a light. We need to get it done. Theres a lot of kids on this road, and theres a lot of, young drivers, teenage drivers, and we just need to keep them safe.

This remains an active investigation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Continue to check WAVY.com 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 WAVY.com.
SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WKRN)  A Spring Hill family is receiving an outpouring of support from neighbors and businesses after a fire destroyed their home in the middle of the night last month.

Brandon and Ashley, along with their two young children, were inside the home along Charles Lane when the fire broke out around 4 a.m. on Aug. 25. At first, three of them made it out safely, but Brandon and Ashley couldnt find their son. That is when Brandon went back inside the burning home to rescue the child.

Even though all four made it out alive, the Spring Hill Fire Department told News 2 back in August that, in addition to Brandons critical injuries from heat exposure and thermal burns, the whole family suffered smoke inhalation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

PREVIOUS | Very miraculous: Father hailed a hero after rescuing family from Spring Hill house fire

Both Brandon and his son had burns, though the boy has since been released from the hospital, according to a neighbor. However, Brandon remains in the ICU.

Its just such a tragic situation, neighbor Kristi VanDrunen said. Lives are definitely the most important part of all of this, and thankfully, Brandons taking steps in the right direction, but hes got a long road ahead of him.

Neighbors said the community quickly stepped in to meet immediate needs, from clothing and shoes to temporary housing. So far, thousands of dollars have been raised for the family. Now, local restaurants are pledging fundraising events to help with medical and living expenses.

(Courtesy: Spring Hill Fire Department) (Courtesy: Spring Hill Fire Department)

Our community has come together in a really special way  seeing everyone just want to help them in any way that they can, VanDrunen said. Immediate needs were met by complete strangers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Brittney Howe, another neighbor, said her children have grown up with Ashley and Brandons kids. She has been there for the family since the moment sirens and lights were outside of their house on Aug. 25.

We have Texas Roadhouse, who has reached out to other restaurants and providing for the families, that is in a hotel right now, so they can get their meals and whatnotIts amazing and its beautiful to see, she said.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Ashley has been by her husbands side in the hospital. She told News 2 her family is deeply grateful for the thoughts, prayers, and support from the community as they focus on their recovery.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For more information on how to help the family, visit their GoFundMe page.

SHFD said the blaze began outside the home on a back deck and quickly spread inside. Officials announced on Aug. 25 the cause of the fire was undetermined but still 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 WKRN News 2.
CAMPBELL, Ohio (WKBN)  St. Michaels Byzantine Catholic Church held a Three Tier Auction on Sunday in Campbell to help raise money for their 103-year-old church.

The church began to host fundraising events in 2017 to help keep up with repairs and maintenance of the building.

Sundays auction had over 300 baskets that were donated for the event. The baskets included gift cards, homeware, decorations, smart watches, tablets and a few smart TVs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its amazing how excited our parishioners and, as you can see, a lot of people get excited about it. A lot of people really like going to these events, so we welcome them, said Annette Hospodar, chairwoman of the church. (Our church) may not be big, but were mighty. Wed love to have you come and share with us.

Hospodar said that if you were unable to attend the 2025 event, there will be another auction in September 2026.

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.
In the Sept. 3 edition of Journal Sentinel, buried on page 11, a headline reads, Milwaukee police arrest 3 during Labor Day weekend.

This article is disturbing on two fronts, not only because of the frequency of street takeovers, but because the word stalled is used twice when it comes to discussing both city and state legislation thats needed to combat the problem.

While takeovers should not be tolerated on any street throughout the Milwaukee area, Im particularly concerned to learn that takeovers are happening in and around Water Street, home to the Marcus Performing Arts Center and not far from the Milwaukee Repertory Theater and the Milwaukee Symphonys new home on Wisconsin Ave.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Law enforcement and government officials need to be reminded that the arts enrich our way of life immeasurably and have a huge economic impact on our area. If takeovers and crime in general keeps occurring in and around Milwaukees arts district, people will stop attending shows at our various performance venues.

Legislators in both Milwaukee and in Madison need to act now. Time is of the essence, especially since our Brewers could win the National League pennant and get to the World Series. That would generate celebrations on every street corner, and we need to keep those safe for all to enjoy.

The safety of Milwaukees streets is being threatened, as is our quality of life. Stalled legislation thats needed immediately is unacceptable.

Matthew A. Perta, West Allis

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Letters Latest mass shooting calls for better leadership on gun control

Opinion: Van Orden chose GOP party bosses over workers on Big Beautiful Bill 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: Takeovers should not be tolerated on any Milwaukee street | Letters
Sep. 6GRAND FORKS  The North Dakota Council on the Arts has announced the extension of Denise Lajimodiere's term as North Dakota Poet Laureate through June 2028.

Lajimodiere, an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in Belcourt, was appointed to a two-year term as state poet laureate in 2023. The extension of her term aligns with a bill, enacted earlier this year by the North Dakota Legislature, that established the position of state troubadour with a five-year term.

Lajimodiere is an accomplished poet, children's book author, academician and cultural artist. For 44 years, she has been involved in education, serving as an elementary school teacher and principal. She retired as an associate professor of educational leadership at North Dakota State University.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her published works include multiple poetry collections, the award-winning "Stringing Rosaries: The History, The Unforgivable, The Healing of Northern Plains Boarding School Survivors" and the children's book "Josie Dances."

In her extended term, Lajimodiere plans to expand her outreach across the state, according to the arts council. The honorary post promotes reading, writing and an appreciation of poetry through public appearances and teaching opportunities across the state.

"I'm so excited for the coming year," she said. "I plan on applying for the American Academy of Poet Laureate Fellowships. My goal is to travel to all four North Dakota reservations and work with Native students to develop a poetry anthology."

If she is awarded a fellowship, Lajimodiere hopes to include tribal language translations of student work by engaging fluent language speakers, she said in the news release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As Lajimodiere pursues her creative work, she is editing a middle-grade novel with Scholastic Press, New York City, loosely based on her father's boarding school experiences, and preparing a new poetry collection for publication.

She is also collaborating with an editor at Lee and Low Books, New York City, a publisher of children's multicultural books, on a forthcoming children's book. One of the few minority-owned publishing companies in the U.S., Lee and Low specializes in books featuring people of color.

"We are deeply honored that Dr. Lajimodiere will continue serving as North Dakota's Poet Laureate," said Jessica Christie, executive director, North Dakota Council on the Arts. "Her work carries power and purpose, and the impact she brings to this role is a gift to our state. We're grateful she has made time to share her experience, and we look forward to celebrating the projects that will grow from this continued service."

Lajimodiere, who holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from UND, is one of the founders of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. She is a traditional Jingle Dress dancer and Ojibwe Birch Bark Biting artist.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Former poet laureates, who have been appointed by the Legislature, include Corbin Waldron, who served from 1957 to 1978, and Larry Woiwode, who served from 1985 to 2022.

The NDCA is a state agency responsible for the support, development and preservation of the arts throughout North Dakota. It is funded by the North Dakota Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.
A state bill that could have established overnight parking programs for homeless students enrolled in California community colleges looks unlikely to pass in the legislative session ending Friday.

The bill by Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson (D-Perris), Assembly Bill 90, was held "under submission" by the Senate Appropriations Committee last month, meaning it didn't advance to the Senate floor.

The bill is intended to address the large number of students who live out of cars and RVs due to the punishingly high cost of housing in California.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jacksons bill seeks to create secure, overnight parking programs and designated bathroom and shower facilities at the state's community college system, which is made up of 73 districts that serve 2 million students annually.

The Assembly member said at a hearing this year that the harsh reality of homelessness hurts students' efforts to get an education.

He described the proposed safe parking program as a "last resort" when there is no access to housing vouchers or other types of shelter.

"The last thing we want to do is have students worrying throughout the day, 'Where in the world am I going to sleep?'... when we want them to be safe."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A 2023 survey funded by California Community Colleges found that 1 in 4 students reported experiencing homelessness, up from 19% in 2019.

Drilling down on that figure, 9% of respondents self-identified as homeless and 15% experienced living conditions associated with homelessness, such as temporarily sleeping on an acquaintance or family member's couch.

Critics of Jackson's bill cited concerns about the cost and feasibility of running the safe parking programs, estimated to cost each community college district between $550,000 and $700,000, or $40 million to $50 million statewide, if every district voted to adopt or implement a program, according to SFGate.com.

The Los Angeles Community College District was among scores of districts that opposed AB 90, as well as similar bills submitted in previous years that didn't advance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Steve Veres, a member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees, said the district has opposed such bills because it would rather connect students to providers that can offer housing.

Were not going to just let them park in a parking lot, we are going to give them a room, said Veres, adding that every student who asks for emergency housing will get it.

The district puts aside $700,000 to $1 million a year for homelessness-related services, but that money is not always fully spent, Veres said. About 300-400 students annually have taken advantage of the district's homelessness-related programs in recent years, he said.

Los Angeles Community College District is also focused on building housing, Veres said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some community colleges, including Long Beach City College, already offer safe parking programs. Launched in 2021 as a pilot program, Long Beach offers safe and secure vehicle parking, according to the college's website. Internet service, showers and referrals for long-term housing assistance are also available.

Cities and counties turned to safe parking programs in recent years to accommodate the state's rising homeless population and offer individuals and families a temporary alternative to affordable housing.

Santa Barbara, an early adopter, launched its safe parking program decades ago in an effort to connect homeless people to services and housing.

Safe Parking LA, which started in 2017 and connects people to secure lots around the region, has permitted more than 2,500 vehicles for safe parking, according to its website.

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.
DEERFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Several suspects were arrested on I-91 in Deerfield in connection with illegal firearms and drugs.

The Massachusetts State Police stated in a news release that troopers conducted a motor vehicle stop on I-91 in Deerfield. When speaking with the vehicles occupants, it was discovered that neither the driver nor any of the passengers had a valid drivers license.

Two injured, six without home following Amherst apartment fire

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The operator exited the vehicle to fill out the summons paperwork. When speaking with the operator and passengers, troopers suspected the vehicle was being used to transport narcotics and an illegal firearm across New England.

State police searched the car and found a stolen loaded Glock handgun with a high-capacity magazine, a Glock handgun with a defaced serial number, a high-capacity magazine, approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, and approximately 120 grams of pure fentanyl.

All occupants of the vehicle were arrested and charged with narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses. The names of the suspects have not been released at this time.

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.
University of Nebraska Regent Elizabeth O'Connor of Omaha. Oct. 5, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

OMAHA  A Nebraska state senator is taking the first steps toward pursuing impeachment proceedings against a University of Nebraska regent charged with driving drunk in a crash that caused serious injuries.

State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha confirmed Examiner reporting that she is exploring what the Nebraska Legislature needs to do to consider articles of impeachment against NU Regent Elizabeth OConnor of Omaha.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kauth confirmed Saturday that she has discussed her plans with the Governors Office and top legislative leadership.

This is such a grotesque abuse of public trust that it needs to be addressed, Kauth told the Nebraska Examiner on Saturday.

State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area. April 22, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, who served as an NU regent between 2013 and 2023, including four years with OConnor, told the Examiner that the charges against her are extremely serious while noting she remains innocent until proven guilty.

If she knows the allegations against her to be true, I urge her to reflect on whether she should remain in a position of public trust, Pillen said in a statement. In any event, the question of impeachment is entrusted by our Constitution to the Legislature, and I respect the judgment of that body on this matter.

Willing to start the proceedings

Kauth is expected to announce her plans Sunday in her regular email to her constituents and supporters. Kauth is an influential lawmaker and committee chair, and her push marks the first legislative move toward removing OConnor from office. Only the Legislature can do so if OConnor doesnt resign.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities allege that OConnor had a blood alcohol concentration of four times the legal limit, or 0.321%, at the time of a May 21 crash in Omahas Benson neighborhood in OConnors district.

Gov. Jim Pillen leads a news conference with State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of the Millard area. June 4, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Kauth noted that a criminal trial could take time to resolve and said the Legislature should act now because lawmakers do not condone OConnors alleged actions. Kauth said no one is above the law and that elected officials must be held to the highest standards.

Kauth added she is appalled that OConnor has not resigned or made any indication she would resign for allegations Kauth called absolutely inexcusable. The senator called resigning the honorable choice.

Im willing to start the proceedings so we can make sure that at some point in time she is no longer representing the university, Kauth said.

Impact of a felony charge

OConnor, reelected in November to a second six-year term, has pleaded not guilty. Neither OConnor nor her attorney had an immediate comment Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

My attorney has advised me of my rights, including the right to a jury trial; my right to confront accusers; to subpoena witnesses; to remain silent; to counsel;  and my right to be presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, OConnor said in an Aug. 28 filing in Douglas County District Court.

OConnor, 35, is charged with one Class IIIA felony alleging that she drove under the influence and caused serious injury. A passenger in the opposing car suffered a broken back and pelvis, according to police and court records. Four others were in that car, including three young children. Both cars were totaled.

The father of the children injured in the crash started an online petition in recent weeks calling for OConnor to lose her law license and resign as a regent after details of the case became public. As of Saturday, the petition had gathered nearly 800 signatures.

These actions will not only hold her accountable but also serve as a firm reminder that such behavior is unacceptable for someone in her position, the petition states.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Prosecutors filed charges against OConnor July 30. Investigators transferred the case from the Douglas County Attorneys Office, which normally handles felony charges, to the Omaha City Prosecutors Office because OConnor, until early August, had worked as a deputy county attorney.

Impact of a felony

OConnor and her attorney have yet to publicly discuss her fate as a regent. She has continued attending board meetings, including in June to approve the universitys budget.

NU campuses are considering more than $40 million in cuts. Regents are set to vote on the reductions package by the end of the year.

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents meets Oct. 5. 2023, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Under the Nebraska Constitution, someone convicted of a felony cannot hold public office. Constitutional officers can only be removed from office via legislative impeachment if they dont resign.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If the Legislature impeaches OConnor or she resigns, Pillen would choose her successor.

Speaker John Arch of La Vista had no immediate comment.

Impeachment steps

The Legislature can impeach an officeholder via a legislative resolution, which can be brought during a regular or special session. In the past, such resolutions have always followed a legislative investigation.

Past investigations have followed the formation of a special investigatory committee, a designated group of lawmakers who would investigate the incident and recommend whether to impeach a state official. Legislative rules require such a committee to be established during a legislative session, yet the committee could work only while lawmakers are out of session.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawmakers adjourned in June for the year and are not set to return until January.

Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature John Arch, left, talks with former Speaker Jim Scheer of Norfolk. Scheer now serves on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. June 6, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Another option: An existing legislative committee with jurisdiction  possibly the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee  could hold a public hearing on whether to pursue a legislative investigation. Both approaches could have subpoena power.

It would take 25 legislative votes to impeach, a simple majority. Nothing would prevent Kauth or another lawmaker from pursuing a vote for impeachment without first pursuing an investigation, but the Nebraska Supreme Court requires clear and convincing legislative evidence to convict on articles of impeachment.

Nebraskas 49-member Legislature, which is officially nonpartisan, has 33 registered Republicans, 15 Democrats and one nonpartisan progressive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If the Legislature impeaches a state official, that person is barred from performing official duties until the states high court weighs in. At least five of seven justices would need to agree.

The Nebraska Legislature last impeached a state official in 2006. Lawmakers passed 10 articles of impeachment against then-NU Regent C. David Hergert related to alleged campaign finance violations by a 25-22 vote. Six Supreme Court justices convicted Hergert, removing and disqualifying him from public office.

Second chances

OConnor was elected in 2018 as the youngest regent ever, at 28 years old, and as one of just a handful of women to serve. She is a former University of Nebraska at Omaha student regent.

Regent Barbara Weitz of Omaha has defended OConnor, saying the regent takes responsibility for making a bad choice, but shes also doing everything she can to make it right. Weitz has described OConnor as an outstanding regent who has NUs best interests in mind.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Of all the people I know who deserve second chances, she tops the list, Weitz said previously.

Regent Barbara Weitz of Omaha. Oct. 26, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

The NU Board of Regents is officially nonpartisan but consists of 6 registered Republicans and 2 Democrats. Weitz and OConnor are Democrats. Kauth and Pillen are Republicans.

Regents most often vote as one, and over the past seven years, across hundreds of votes, the board split 6-2 along party lines once. That was in April, when the regents amended NU bylaws to try to comply with an order from President Donald Trumps administration against higher education diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Weitz and OConnor opposed the changes.

Message of continued service

Kauth said OConnors continued service risks an appearance that elected officials get a free pass. She said she is also concerned about the message to college students, that if they get drunk, blitzed out of your mind and nearly kill someone it could be seen as no big deal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No state lawmaker believes a drunken driver should have more rights than injured victims facing a cascading effect of trauma, Kauth said. The senator said she would call for a Republican to resign if facing similar charges.

Everyone has hard times, Kauth said. It does not excuse anyone from drinking and getting in a car, period.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has accused Gov. Kathy Hochul of illegally excluding certain people from rehiring as her administration looks to rebuild staffing numbers in the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

In a letter sent to Hochul this week, Stefanik accuses Hochul and DOCCS of maintaining a no-call list of former department employees fired earlier this year. She says that the state is actively reaching out to some of the roughly 2,000 officers fired after the strike ended in mid-March.

But state officials say that claim is false. Thomas Mailey, spokesperson for DOCCS, said the department doesnt have a no-call list and isnt actively seeking to rehire fired personnel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The department does not have a no-call list, and is not actively contacting terminated correction officers following the illegal job action earlier this year, he said. If an individual wants to contest their termination, they must act, pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement between New York state and NYSCOPBA, and submit a grievance.

After state corrections officers and sergeants went on strike in mid-February, the state took various steps to try to bring people back to work. Under the terms of the Public Employees Fair Employment Act, known as the Taylor Law, state employees are generally barred from stopping work in protest, and the law is written to penalize unions and those who organize work stoppages. NYSCOPBA, the union representing corrections officers and sergeants, never sanctioned the strike, but did work to negotiate on the side of the officers to resolve it.

The final agreement was struck after over 20 days of the strike, and required that officers return to work by the morning shift on March 10. Those not back to work by then were summarily fired.

Officers and union officials have said that some of the 2,000 people fired were on approved leave, medical and family leave included. Some came in later that day, expecting to work their normal shift, but were told theyd been fired when they arrived.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Under the terms of the Taylor Law, striking employees must be penalized up to two days pay per day on strike, and the state can appeal to the courts for orders to get people back to work under penalty of fine or prison time. Unions are absolutely barred from participating in or encouraging the strike, and can be decertified by the state if theyre found to have done so.

The Watertown Daily Times reported in May that the department was proceeding with the grievance process for about 600 people; not everyone was going to get an offer to come back from that, and not all who did get an offer were going to take it. The union said they were working on 3,200 grievances.

People in the grievance process have to undergo an individual review that considers their personal and professional history, their conduct during the strike, and their willingness to agree to a settlement with DOCCS that includes restoration of their employment. For cases where a settlement is not agreed to, the applicant can take it to independent arbitration.

In Stefaniks letter, she says a list of about 200 people who Hochul and the DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III, have decided to bar from employment has been circulated among prison superintendents in an attempt to block those named from being rehired.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is important to note that these superintendents, who know what their facilities need best, have urged you and the commissioner to cease this retaliatory practice and rehire these individuals, Stefanik said.

Calling it a blacklist, Stefanik demanded answers from Hochul and Commissioner Martuscello, asking what the criteria to put someone on the list are, and if those named are being targeted for their opinions on the strike, state law or Hochul herself.

Commissioner Martuscello and you have engaged in coercive, unethical and illegal actions against thousands of correctional officers and prison staff, the Congresswoman wrote. This blacklist is just the latest in your abuses of power as you seek to bully and intimidate.

Stefanik said shes also flagged the issue with the U.S. Department of Labor, calling for the Trump administration to investigate the states handling of Family Medical Leave Act benefits for fired officers who claim they were using that benefit when the deadline to return to work came.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Matt Janiszewski, spokesperson for Hochuls office, said Stefaniks claims are not true.

Unlike Congresswoman Stefanik, Governor Hochul does not condone breaking the law, he said. Corrections officers who chose to participate in the illegal work stoppage earlier this year willingly put both the incarcerated population and their colleagues who remained on the job at risk. This administration follows the law and will do so if grievances are filed. The Governors commitment to reforming our correctional system is steadfast and she is grateful to all the COs who stayed throughout the strike and to those who returned to their duty.

The state has tried to rebuild its ranks after losing thousands of officers after the strike; on Jan. 1, the department had 14,095 security staff, and in May, the first month with a full staff report after the strike ended, they were down to 11,359 security officers, including sergeants and lieutenants.

The latest report from DOCCS shows theyve lost more officers since then, down to 11,319 as of Tuesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

State officials have tried to boost recruiting numbers by bumping up pay and other benefits for existing and new hires, lowering the hiring age to 18, opening the department to out-of-state hires, and pledging to restrict use of 24 hour shifts.

Numbers will have to increase soon to keep the system operating; before the strike happened, about 2,000 security officer jobs were open, and the state has been relying on a limited number of National Guard troops to maintain staffing levels in the interim.

It does appear that some efforts are paying off early on though, as theres been a 160% rise in applicants seeking to take the civil service exam to become a corrections officer.
Sep. 7Impact Prevention hosting events

Impact Prevention will be hosting their annual suicide prevention walk on Sept. 18.

Meagan Joseph, program manager with the nonprofit, said the event is planned by high school youth in their programs and will begin at the Lawrence County Courthouse at 6 p.m., where there will be a youth speaker.

"It is to bring everyone together to acknowledge this is a really important issue, and young people and other community members care about suicide prevention," she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Following the program at the courthouse, the walk will proceed to the Ironton riverfront, where Joseph says a "celebration of hope" will take place, featuring free Kona Ice, music and there will be resources available from local groups and community partners.

It will conclude with the release of biodegradable luminaries on the river, in memory of those who died from suicide, she said.

Impact Prevention, who hosts youth programs in Lawrence County schools and in afterschool groups, began the annual walk in 2019, in memory of Lawrence County Commissioner Bill Pratt, who died the preceding year.

You Might Like

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

News

Sheriff' seeks camera footage of woman found dead in Gallia County

News

Inspection of Ashland 12th Street bridge extended through Sunday

News

Body found in Gallia County thought to be missing woman

News

Free Alzheimer's Educational Conference set for Oct. 8
CHICAGO (WGN)  Chicagos legendary Sundays on State is back for its fifth year, transforming State Street into a vibrant, free block party celebrating art, culture, community and more.

Theres music and performers, arts and culture, over 50 food vendors, 200 retail vendors and over 400 participants, Ariella Gibson of the Chicago Loop Alliance, said.

The block party started as an initiative to revive the Loops economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing vital foot traffic to local storefronts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It has now grown into a citywide celebration of art, community, culture, food and connection.

A lot of things to see. A variety of food, vendors and everything. Shopping at the same time, Yvette Wheeler said.

For the Konkimalla family, the event has become a treasured tradition as they return year after year.

I love that its so family oriented, like we can walk around and see the wonderful things about our city, 13-year-old Vikram Konkimalla said.

Sundays on State is also close to Rosa Vasquezs heart.

As the owner of Olgas Aguas Frescas, shes been sharing her flavors and story since the very first year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I was coming out of a difficult situation. I had breast cancer. I had stopped and heard about this, and it motivated me to keep going, she said.

Everyone who comes together at the block party says they create memories while supporting businesses and the community.

The next Sundays on State is happening on Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 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 WGN-TV.
Americas colleges and universities ought to advance the public interest by serving as bastions of old-fashioned liberalism. If they did, they would champion free speech. They would establish communities of scholarship, teaching, and learning grounded in civility, toleration, and equality under law. And they would transmit knowledge about the sciences, social sciences, and humanities while cultivating students capacity to ask questions, listen attentively, examine evidence, formulate their opinions, and persuasively convey their views. Instead, Americas colleges and universities purvey illiberalism by punishing dissent from campus orthodoxy, rewarding intolerance and treating individuals unequally under the law, and politicizing the curriculum.

For decades liberals have dominated higher education in America. Why did they transform, or fail to prevent the transformation of, the nations colleges and universities into institutions for the advancement of illiberal education?

Several hypotheses spring to mind.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One possibility is that liberals subordinated education to promotion of progressive priorities. Convinced that they discovered the guiding principles for politics and the formulas for generating fair and effective public policy and the mechanisms for implementing it, liberals demoted rigorous study of America, the West, and the world. They marginalized messy and time-consuming debates about competing principles and rival preferences. They disseminated what they regarded as the final word about political norms, practices, and institutions. And instead of assisting students in gaining appreciation of their civilizational inheritance, they concentrated on equipping them to change the world in accordance with progressive theories of justice and jurisprudence.

Another possibility is that liberals suffered from a ruinous mix of conformism, complacency, and cowardice. Formally committed to a diversity of perspectives but identifying diversity with an openness to the varieties of progressivism, liberal professors in the 1970s welcomed a new generation of graduate students to campus who espoused a variety of left-wing doctrines and viewed scholarship and teaching as politics by other means. In the 1980s, liberal faculty tenured the post-1960s generation of scholars. In the 1990s, liberals stood idly by as the recently tenured professors institutionalized political correctness by promulgating speech codes, truncating due process for students accused of sexual misconduct, and exploiting the curriculum to inculcate progressive doctrine. In the 2000s, with the post-60s-generation professors students entering the professoriate, faculty discovered new weapons to enforce uniformity of opinion, including trigger warnings, microagressions, and bias-response teams. Few were the liberals who challenged these illiberal measures or contested the illiberal slogan, "Speech is violence," that justified them. Most campus liberals held their tongues for fear of that dreaded censure - "conservative." In the 2010s and 2020s, with critical-race theory and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs ripening into full-blown progressive wokeism, conventional campus wisdom proclaimed that "Silence is violence." Liberals evaded accusations of complicity with violence by openly embracing the fashionable theories according to which America is racist to its core and therefore government and private-sector organizations must give decisive weight to race, sex, sexual orientation, and gender in allocating rights, responsibilities, and benefits.

A third possibility is that liberals confused sophistication in moral reasoning with sound ethics. Under liberal supervision, college courses on moral reasoning proliferated. These typically provide students with fanciful moral dilemmas - should you pull a switch to divert a runaway trolley from striking five people tied to the track onto another in which it will kill one immobilized baby? - or divisive public policy questions about abortion, affirmative action, and same-sex marriage. Professors invite students to apply a variety of theoretical perspectives - from which professors typically exclude traditional conservative considerations - to resolve the moral dilemmas or settle the public-policy debates. Such courses in moral reasoning foster the delusion that the moral life consists in clever reasoning in support of progressive ends rather than in the exercise - in ordinary life as well as in extraordinary moments - of courage, self-restraint, integrity, generosity of spirit, friendship, and the other moral virtues. And they reinforce the prejudice among professors that only those who equate progressive moral reasoning with moral excellence deserve faculty appointments, administration positions, and a respectful hearing in the public square.

It would be useful for liberals to examine these hypotheses - and others - that endeavor to explain one of the great failures of liberalism over the last 75 years: the demise on liberals watch of liberal education in America.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cass Sunstein appears well-suited to the task. A longtime Harvard Law School professor, Sunstein is a distinguished and remarkably prolific scholar, by far the most cited in legal academia. He has written widely and influentially on law, politics, and economics. He possesses substantial government experience, having served from Sept. 2009 to Aug. 2012 as the Obama administrations head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. And he is the author of a short and lucid new book, "On Liberalism: In Defense of Freedom," that restates liberalisms core convictions and maintains that it deserves the allegiance of Americans of diverse viewpoints and persuasions.

Explaining where liberals went wrong in governing American universities is at this moment inextricably connected to understanding liberalism and defending freedom. Yet the closest Sunstein comes to even acknowledging the problem is the anodyne remark that liberals "do not like the idea of orthodoxy, including on university campuses." That, though, is like saying that corporate executives who bankrupt their companies do not like losing money. The issue is how those in charge contribute to their organizations downfall.

"Liberals," Sunstein states, "prize two things above all: freedom and pluralism." Liberal freedom means in the first place that "people are allowed and encouraged to establish their own path, to take it if they like, and to reverse course if they want to do that." Pluralism follows because people, possessing different backgrounds, skills, and interests, will choose different paths and proceed down them or alter course by their own lights. Liberalism so understood forms an enduring part of the American creed.

However, Sunstein writes, "More than at any time since World War II, liberalism is under pressure, even siege." New right critics "hold it responsible for the collapse of the family and traditional values, rampant criminality, disrespect for authority, and widespread immorality." Intellectuals on the left decry liberalisms inability "to handle the problems posed by entrenched inequalities, racism, sexism, corporate power, and environmental degradation."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sunsteins book responds to the "urgent need for a clear understanding of liberalism - of its core commitments, of its breadth, of its internal debates, of its evolving character, of its promise, of what it is and what it can be."

Liberalism, he observes, has roots in the pre-modern virtue of liberality, which encompasses generosity, openness, and public-spiritedness. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the thinking and practices that acquired the name liberalism in the 19th century came to be associated with religious toleration and limited government. In 20th- and 21st-century politics, some liberals emphasized negative rights, or freedom from coercion particularly by government; others stressed positive rights, or entitlements to government assistance - in housing, education, and health care. In academic political theory, John Rawls developed the leading account, which views liberalism as centrally concerned with basic political principles to which all reasonable citizens should agree; other academic liberals hold that liberalism consists in promoting autonomy as the highest human ideal.

Sunstein celebrates liberalism as a big tent and fighting faith while preferring a progressive liberalism that revolves around John Stuart Mills "experiments of living." Believing that the state should assist citizens to experiment adequately, Sunstein favors a government that, under limited circumstances, counters citizens expressed preferences to enhance their deliberations and make their choices more reasonable. He considers measures that extend from government information campaigns, accurate labeling, and mandatory seat-belt laws to tax incentives, cap-and-trade systems, and fuel-economy mandates.

Sunsteins sophisticated yet accessible discussions of the rule of law, free speech, markets, regulation, and governments role in ensuring the material and moral bases of security and opportunity provide a welcome corrective to the proliferating misunderstandings of the liberal tradition - its many faces and supple sensibilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His brief for freedom also reinforces liberal narrow-mindedness and smugness.

First, Sunstein mischaracterizes liberalisms core. It is not, as he asserts, experiments of living, but rather, as John Locke and Americas founders affirmed, the conviction that human beings are by nature free and equal. This conviction sustains liberalisms big tent - which hosts, among others, those like Sunstein who are drawn to experiments of living.

Second, Sunstein dismisses and deflects liberalisms critics, right and left, rather than learning from them. This is costly because liberalisms critics have much to teach about liberalisms tendency, like all schools of political thought and all regimes, to carry its principles to an extreme. Liberalisms vices include the dissoluteness bound up in the tempting belief that opposition to coercion entails overcoming the imperatives of morality, the complacency that stems from overreliance on formal procedures to mete out justice, and the arrogance that arises out of supposing that liberals have refuted faith and supplanted rather than supplemented classical teachings on ethics and politics. Brushing off critics, Sunstein fails to explore the extent to which liberalism finds itself "under pressure, even siege" because of its own shortcomings.

Third, Sunstein, idealizes liberal character. He depicts liberals as secular saints neither deficient in certain virtues nor prone to specific vices. Yet, to take one telling example, liberals, as Mill argues in "On Liberty" and elsewhere, tend to disregard the wisdom stored up in traditional writings, inherited beliefs, and established institutions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sunsteins disregard of essential wisdom stored up in the modern tradition of freedom - particularly its early appreciation of freedoms dependence on biblical faith and classical political philosophy - converges with the biases of many of his left-liberal friends and colleagues. This disregard begins to explain his and their failure to connect liberal educations demise to liberals departures from the liberal tradition in its richness and fullness.

The recovery of liberal education in America depends not least on liberals recovery of liberalism.

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."
The ongoing impact of the war in Gaza extends beyond those directly participating in the war efforts.

Two years of war have left a lasting mark on the families of Israel army reservists, with one-third reporting financial hardship as a direct result of their loved ones service, according to an Israeli survey released on Sunday. Beyond the battlefield, spouses and children have faced disruptions to work, education, and daily life.

The survey, conducted by Israels Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) in AprilMay 2025, focused on spouses of reservists who served routinely or under special mobilization orders between October 7, 2023, and February 1, 2025. The study was designed to provide data on the impact of reserve service on family members and guide policymakers in developing programs to support those affected by the exceptional challenges of the war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The results were released as thousands of reservists were called up for duty on Tuesday for an offensive into Gaza City, the last major Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip.

The survey found that employment was disrupted for many families. About a quarter of spouses reported harm to their work, and 73% of independent spouses of reservists experienced setbacks. Among those who had not worked before the war, 46% entered the workforce, primarily as employees, while only a small fraction of previously self-employed spouses were able to continue their businesses.

Education also suffered. Reservists enrolled in undergraduate programs canceled registration and dropped out at lower rates than other students, suggesting strong personal motivation despite military duties. Spouses pursuing studies were more affected: nearly half of female students married to reservists reported declining grades, 29% deferred courses, and 8% discontinued studies altogether. Academic institutions provided exemptions to 45% of these students in an effort to ease the strain.

IDF reservist soldier, Benjamin Sipzner, stands in the rubble within the Gaza strip in the midst of the Israel-Hamas war. (credit: BENJAMIN SIPZNER)

Financial pressure added another layer of hardship. Divorced women and single mothers with children by a reservist were most affected, with 58% and 48%, respectively, reporting economic difficulties. Families of soldiers serving in the ground forces also faced high levels of financial strain. The study found that economic hardship increased with the number of reserve days served, showing how repeated military obligations can destabilize households over time.

Unprecedented number of reservists called back to service

About 130,000 reservists and five regular divisions are expected to take part in the operation, which will unfold in stages and extend into 2026. Two divisions already maneuvering in the Strip have begun encircling Gaza City, while additional brigades are gathering in nearby staging areas. Not all reservists will be sent into Gaza; many will replace standing troops on other fronts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In August, the Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee authorized the army to summon up to 430,000 soldiers. The IDF said call-up orders would be staggered, with 40,000 to 50,000 reservists reporting on September 2, followed by additional waves in late 2025 and early 2026.

Reservists have faced repeated call-ups since Hamass October 7 attack. Emergency orders allowing the army to summon large numbers of civilians on short notice have been renewed every few months. In peacetime, such mobilizations are tightly limited, and soldiers must be given advance notice and shorter service terms.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamass attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 are believed to be alive.
A suspect was arrested for attempted murder after a stabbing left a restaurant worker hospitalized near the Santa Monica Pier.

The suspect was identified as Malvin Walker, 24, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

On Aug. 31, police responded to a stabbing outside of a restaurant on the 1600 block of Ocean Front Walk just before 5 p.m.

Officers found the male victim had been stabbed several times by the assailant. He was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening wounds. The suspect fled the scene before police arrived.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Witnesses said the victim was an employee at Pier Pizza and Subs and was on his lunch break when he was attacked from behind. The assault occurred at the top of a pedestrian staircase connecting Ocean Front Walk to Appian Way.

Following an investigation, on Sept. 3, officers identified Walker as the suspect and located him on the 1800 block of Ocean Front Walk where he was taken into custody. There was no indication that the suspect and victim knew each other.

A walkway with shops and restaurants on the 1600 block of Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica. (Google Maps)

He was arrested for attempted murder and was also booked on unrelated charges, including felony vandalism and a $51,000 warrant for battery. He remains in police custody. Authorities did not release his booking photo.

Anyone who witnessed the stabbing or has information on the case is urged to contact Detective Isaac Reyes at isaac.reyes@santamonica.gov or the Santa Monica Police Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.

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.
RICH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  A suspect is at large after crashing into a Rich County home early Sunday morning and fleeing the scene of the accident, according to the Rich County Sheriffs Office.

At around 2-2:15 a.m. on Sept. 7, a white Chevrolet pickup truck crashed into a house at 401 North Bear Lake Blvd. and fled the scene, police said. The truck had reportedly been speeding, slid off the road, and crashed into the house.

No one was inside the residence at the time, police said.

Rich County home where a driver crashed, fled the scene. (Courtesy of Rich County Sheriffs Office)

The vehicle reportedly also hit a telephone pole and snapped it off at the base. The truck sustained major damage to the front of the vehicle and the drivers side rear panel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The sheriffs office is now seeking any possible footage of the incident.

The Rich County Sheriffs Office is seeking any video footage and/or photos from the area of 401 North Bear Lake Blvd. on September 7, 2025 between 2:00 and 2:15 AM, the sheriffs office posted on Facebook. If anyone has any video footage or any information regarding this hit and run, please contact the Rich County Sheriffs Office at 435-793-2285.

No further information is available at this time.

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.
Marion County sheriffs report that 25-year-old Dmontae Shannon died after being shot by deputies during a pursuit that started with a disturbance call in Reddick.

The incident began when deputies responded to a disturbance call and Shannon led them on a chase. Investigators say Shannon stopped his car but then sped up, trying to run over a deputy, which led another deputy to shoot him.

Local resident Josh Dymerski expressed shock at the violence, saying, Pretty insane, man, especially freaking that early, like, especially around in this area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating if the shooting was justified. No deputies were injured. The pursuit ended near the intersection of N. Highway 329 and NW Gainesville Road, where deputies saw Shannons car speeding away.
Syrias new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is stepping up diplomacy, seeking stronger ties with Arab states, China, Russia, and the West while gaining Arab League backing.

Syria is increasing its diplomatic outreach. This is part of the focus that the new Syrian transitional President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and his foreign ministry have put on international relations. Syria knows that it faces hurdles on other fronts, such as the defense front, so it focuses on foreign ties.

Syria is biding its time and growing strength slowly; it knows that ties with other countries will be key to investment and support. Syrias Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani has been the point person on establishing more ties for Syria. Sharaa also leads the efforts personally.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He is working to improve Syria's ties with several countries. One circle is the Arab states. Another circle is the Western powers. He is also working on global powerhouses, such as the US, China, and Russia. In addition, he is working in the international circle to improve Syrias image.

The Arab League reaffirmed support for Syria at a recent meeting. Syrian state media noted on September 5 that the Arab League Council, at the level of foreign ministers, reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Syria, and condemned the Israeli incursions, which constitute a clear violation of the UN Charter and international resolutions.

On September 6th, Ahmad al-Sharaa met with a number of ambassadors from brotherly and friendly Arab countries and discussed ways to boost mutual cooperation, Syrias state media SANA said. The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani. During the meeting, President al-Sharaa affirmed the importance of expanding areas of coordination and developing channels of communication.

Syrias interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa looks on as he attends the Aleppo, Key to Victory celebration marking Syrias liberation, in Aleppo, Syria May 27, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/KHALIL ASHAWI)

The report added that the ambassadors, in turn, stressed their countries commitment to continuing joint efforts that serve mutual interests and strengthen fraternal and friendly ties.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Among the new ambassadors that were received in Damascus were two from North Africa. Sharaa met with the new ambassador from Algeria. Abdelkader Qasim al-Hasani, the new Algerian envoy, also met with Syrias Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani.

The two men also met with Mauritanias new ambassador to Syria, Taleb Mokhtar Sheikh Mohamed al-Mujtaba. Sharaa also received credentials from the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the Syrian Arab Republic, Sufyan Suleiman Al-Qudah.

In addition, Shaibani met with UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, and his accompanying delegation in the capital Damascus.

The two sides discussed recent developments in the region, emphasized respect for Syrias sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the need to create appropriate conditions for the return of refugees and the improvement of the humanitarian situation, SANA reported. This comes after Syria also received a report from Amnesty International on the July clashes in Sweida.

Outreach to China

Syria is also doing some outreach to China. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani received Saturday the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to the Syrian Arab Republic, Mr. Shi Hongwei, SANA noted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Syria also wants China to support its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

What this means basically is that it wants Chinas backing in the future against Israeli incursions and also any possible clashes in eastern Syria with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. Syrias president is biding his time, the way China slowly built its strength in the 1980s and 1990s.
The number of Syrian refugees returning from Germany since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad has been slowly rising, though it remains relatively small, the Interior Ministry told dpa.

By the end of August, 1,867 Syrians had left Germany with federal assistance, up from 804 at the end of May. Returns are also supported through state-level programmes, while others depart without official aid.

Since the overthrow of long-time ruler al-Assad in December, refugees have mainly returned to Syria from neighbouring countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Janine Lietmeyer, a board member of World Vision Germany who visited Syria in August, said families often struggle with the decision to return. She noted that relative normality in central Damascus contrasts sharply with hardship in other regions, making reintegration difficult.

Last year, around 83,150 Syrians became German citizens, Interior Ministry data showed. Figures for 2025 are not yet available.

At the same time, new asylum applications continue: between January and August, 17,650 Syrians applied for protection at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
A private Tacoma school thats struggled to stay afloat in recent months due to financial troubles announced its doors were closing Aug. 29, leaving families scrambling to find alternative options days before school was supposed to begin.

Sound Christian Academy, formerly known as Tacoma Baptist Schools, announced in March that the school was on the precipice of a full shutdown due to an inability to cover its expenses. Through a community fundraising campaign, the school raised over $213,000 to keep doors open through March, The News Tribune reported. The interim head of school told a reporter that most of the donations were going to pay teachers and staff, with some of the remaining funds going toward essential bills like utilities.

Later communications to families suggested the school was going to pull through. The formerly Pre-K to 12th grade school decided to restrict enrollment to Pre-K through 8th graders, The News Tribune reported, and the school held a back to school night Aug. 28. The first day of school was supposed to be Wednesday, Sept. 3, parents Isaac and Taylar Miller told The News Tribune.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The most recent announcement, shared with families in an email Aug. 29, had a sense of finality. Taylar Miller, whose fourth grader was enrolled in Sound Christian Academy for this upcoming school year, forwarded the email from the school board to The News Tribune.

It is with heavy hearts that we write this note to let you know that SCA is not able to proceed, as planned, with the opening of the 2025 school year, the email reads. This comes as a heavy blow to all of us  the Board, the staff, and for you the families who have committed to remain at SCA despite the turmoil we have already endured over the last year.

Former interim head of school Matthew Richey confirmed in a text message Saturday that he is no longer working for Sound Christian Academy and directed requests for information to the school board chair. Emails to the school board chair and the dean of elementary education on Wednesday and Friday were not returned. A reporter also called the schools office Thursday and left a voicemail that was not returned.

In May, the school arranged with an outside group to refinance their property and pay back money owed to creditors, the Aug. 29 email from the board reads. The school received $500,000 as an earnest money payment, which is an initial payment to demonstrate a partys good-faith intentions in completing a deal, and a letter of intent from the group to support the upcoming school years financing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The school shared all pertinent details ... outlining the exact needs and situation of the school with the group, and the deal was initially scheduled to close at the end of June. When that didnt happen, the school continued to anticipate the deals completion in time for school to reopen in the fall based on assurances from the group, the board wrote.

In August, it became apparent that the deal wasnt coming together, despite the boards efforts to set deadlines in an attempt to assuage the growing internal alarm over the opening of the 2025-2026 school year, the email reads. The needed funds were not received.

Its not clear who that outside group is, or whether the group is associated with the very generous supporter who reportedly stepped in earlier this year to save the school from closing.

On March 31, school leaders told families in an email that they were initially going to close the school in early May, but that they had received additional funding allowing them to finish the school year through June 13 before closing for good. On May 2, the school said that an individual had stepped in to help, allowing doors to remain open the next school year after all. The interim head of school did not directly respond to a reporters questions then about the amount of the financial support the school had received or the sustainability of the schools funding moving forward.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two people filed lawsuits against the school earlier this year, The News Tribune reported. Elizabeth Henning, a longtime supporter of the school with her husband Dwane Henning, alleged that the school owes her $500,000 for three loans she made in 2023. Ron Nelson, a former school board member who served as treasurer, alleged that he personally bore the consequences of the schools unpaid taxes when the Internal Revenue Service forced him to pay debts the school owed.

Randy Spaulding, executive director of the Washington State Board of Education, wrote in an email Friday that the board was reaching out to Sound Christian Academy for official confirmation that the school is closed. The Washington State Board of Education approves private schools in the state annually, under state law. Approved schools must maintain a program that ensures a sufficient basic education for students to meet usual state graduation requirements and meet reasonable standards for health and safety of private school students, the State Board of Education website says.

Sound Christian Academy applied to renew their approval status March 5, Spaulding wrote. The Board of Education granted that approval June 26.

While we were aware of some financial concerns reported in the press last year, our approval is limited to considerations of facility safety, teacher qualifications, instructional time, and subject area requirements, he wrote, citing standards outlined in state law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its unclear how many students were enrolled in the school for the fall. Enrollment data reported by private schools to the State Board of Education shows that Sound Christian Academy reported 284 students enrolled last school year.

Families left in uncertainty

Taylar and Isaac Miller said in a phone call with The News Tribune Saturday that they struggled over whether to re-enroll their fourth-grader at Sound Christian Academy, where hes attended for the past four years.

I think for us, with how it went down at the end of last year, we just felt like a lot of trust was kind of broken from the school, and so we had kind of a hard time committing to Sound even until a couple weeks ago, Isaac Miller said.

The family toured some schools but ultimately decided to re-enroll their son in Sound Christian.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 ... he obviously went to back to school night and got to see his friends, and so to find out that he wont be continuing with the classmates hes had for the past four years was really hard for him, Taylar Miller said.

She and her husband are also processing the loss of a place close to their hearts. The two are both alumni of what was then known as Tacoma Baptist Schools, and met through the schools drama program. Their Bible teacher officiated their wedding, she said.

Were still kind of dealing with the loss of it, and ... were talking to a lot of the other alumni who are feeling a little frustrated, hoping that theyll be able to walk the halls again, jerseys that they have memorialized on the walls, things like that, she said.

She plans to homeschool their son for at least the first half of the school year, putting her plans to move her small business into a new space on hold. Some of their friends were able to get their kids into other schools, but most private schools in the area arent accepting students now, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Isaac Miller said that if theyd heard the announcement of the closure just two weeks earlier, it might have been easier. There was zero communication from the school or board letting us know that the deal may be falling apart since they received the schools May 2 email about remaining open in 2025-2026, he wrote in a follow-up email.

Even to do the back to school night with feeling like theres a really good chance the school is going to close down, it just, it doesnt sit well with any of us, he said.

In their email Aug. 29, the school board said they were blindsided by the outcome as well.

Even during the back to school night hosted at SCA on August 28 the board and school principal were working behind the scenes to secure the needed financing, but these last ditch efforts did not result in the outcome we were hoping for, the board wrote. Shortly after back to school night the staff was informed that the school would be closing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Board members and staff had children enrolled at the school too, fully expecting the school to reopen in the fall, and also will have to scramble to make other arrangements for the school year, the email continued.

We are so very sorry that you, the families who have put your trust in SCA, will now have to scramble to make other arrangements. We are devastated that the gifted staff we have assembled will have to do the same.

The board promised to repay families for prepaid tuition as soon as possible, address outstanding payroll, sell the schools property to pay off any remaining debt and do whatever (they) can to help families and staff transition to whatever is next, including contacting other local Christian schools to see how they can come alongside our families.

We will work diligently to answer any questions as we continue to make our way forward in this difficult situation, the email reads.
Sugar the rescue dog was dealt a tough hand. Discovered on the streets of Tacoma with her front paw nearly severed in 2021, the pit bull terrier mix went through months of rehabilitation and surgery before she could run again.

Now, the 5-year-old pup is a finalist for People magazines 2025 Worlds Cutest Rescue Dog Contest. Sugar is one of ten dogs chosen out of thousands of entries nationwide. Voting runs online through Sept. 15 and if she wins, shell be featured in People magazine and a $1,000 prize will go to the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County, where she was adopted out of. The winner will be announced Oct. 8.

Sugars owner, Paige Calcagni, said she saw a photo of Sugar on the humane societys website and was immediately drawn to her unique striped coloring. Calcagni agreed to medically foster Sugar for about four months as she recovered from a tendon surgery on her front paw. At the time Sugar also had a torn ACL on her back leg and a sprain on her other back leg.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her front paw, basically, you could see all the way down to the bone, Calcagni said, as the two played in Irving Park on Wednesday. They dont know if something got wrapped around it and then tightened. Ferry Dog Mothers  Fay Krokowler and her husband  they were able to provide the funds to get that surgery  and the rehab. We did swim therapy [because] really she only had one front working leg for a while.

Sugar is Paige Calcagni's rescue dog, who is in the top 10 of People's World's Cutest Rescue Dog Contest, on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash.

Theres not much known about Sugars backstory, but her vets say Sugar likely had two litters of puppies before she was adopted. Calcagni said she worked from home, which helped her care for Sugar as she recovered.

At the beginning of it, we knew we were gonna sign on to have her forever, she said. It was really great to have everything funded and just kind of be a support for her.

Sugar has worked hard to get better with socializing with dogs and people and now is best friends with other dogs in the family, Calcagni said. Her favorite treats are chicken and chicken feet, and Sugar loves to run in the waves of the Pacific Ocean and play with her squeaky toys, Calcagni said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I always fall in love with her story, just because shes a little street dog. She is tough around the edges, but shes, like, the biggest cuddler, the sweetest, Calcagni said, who is pregnant with twins. She has loved my pregnancy more than me, just because we sit there and sleep all day. You see her smile, and its huge, and shes happy. Shes just a little ball of joy. I want everyone to see that.

Sugar is Paige Calcagni's rescue dog, who is in the top 10 of People's World's Cutest Rescue Dog Contest, on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash.

Sugar is already destined to be a star. Last year she won a contest to be adorned on the side of a Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County shelter van. The humane societys rooting for her to win the national cutest dog prize.

Were super stoked, said Lauren Green, the humane societys director of marketing and communications. To have a pit bull-type dog with an unknown history and a foster success story be on a world stage and represent Washington and shelter animals, both here in the state and across the nation, is really special.

Green said it can be challenging for larger breed dogs to be adopted, especially since some housing providers have size restrictions for pets on their leases. As one of the few open-admission shelters in the state, Green said the humane societys space is often limited, and Its never not a good time to adopt or foster, because even a few days outside of the shelter makes a tremendous difference for the animal, and for us to maintain space for our life-saving operations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You can find more information about volunteering, adoption and fostering on their website, as well as see photos and descriptions of pets ready for adoption.

Theres so many dogs and animals in shelters, and they all have something to give to a family. Whether thats a home you can give them, just love you can give them  I think every single dog in the shelter deserves that, Calcagni said. Theres really one you can find that will fit into your family any way you need.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Recess is over for Congress, but there is plenty on the agenda to work on in Washington, D.C.

Talk Business & Politics host Roby Brock met Arkansas 2nd District Congressman French Hill to discuss his work in the House Financial Services Committee and the redistricting battles that have escalated across the country, among other topics.

Roby then talks with Washington Regional Medical Center CEO Larry Shackleford about the health care system, celebrating its 75th anniversary, and the challenges ahead.

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.
HONG KONG (Reuters) -A tanker carrying liquefied natural gas from Russias sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project has departed from a Chinese port, shiptracking data showed, a day after it berthed there.

Sunday's LSEG data indicated that the Russian Voskhod LNG tanker was sailing southwards after leaving anchor at an LNG terminal in the port of Tieshan in China's southwestern region of Guangxi.

The Russian-flagged tanker, with a cargo of 150,000 cubic metres of LNG, was loaded up at the Arctic LNG 2 facility in Gydan in northern Siberia on July 19, LSEG data showed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The cargo is the second from the sanctioned project to dock in China after sanctioned tanker Arctic Mulan arrived at the Beihai LNG terminal in late August. Arctic Mulan's cargo was the first from Arctic LNG to reach an end-user since it started up last year.

Reuters was not able to immediately able to ascertain if the LNG was discharged at Tieshan port.

(Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
An abrupt decision by American artificial intelligence firm Anthropic to restrict service to Chinese-owned entities anywhere in the world has cast uncertainty over some Claude-dependent overseas tools backed by China's tech giants.

After Anthropic's notice on Friday that it would upgrade access restrictions to entities "more than 50 per cent owned ... by companies headquartered in unsupported regions" such as China, regardless of where they are, Chinese users have fretted over whether they could still access the San Francisco-based firm's industry-leading AI models.

While it remains unknown how many entities could be affected and how the restrictions would be implemented, anxiety has started to spread among some users.

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.

Singapore-based Trae, an AI-powered code editor launched by Chinese tech giant ByteDance for overseas users, is a known user of OpenAI's GPT and Anthropic's Claude models. A number of users of Trae have raised the issue of refunds to Trae staff on developer platforms over concerns that their access to Claude would no longer be available.

Dario Amodei, CEO and cofounder of Anthropic, speaks at the International Network of AI Safety Institutes in San Francisco, November 20, 2024. Photo: AP alt=Dario Amodei, CEO and cofounder of Anthropic, speaks at the International Network of AI Safety Institutes in San Francisco, November 20, 2024. Photo: AP>

A Trae manager responded by saying that Claude was still available, urging users not to consider refunds "for the time being". The company had just announced a premium "Max Mode" on September 2, which boasted access to significantly more powerful coding abilities "fully supported" by Anthropic's Claude models.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Other Chinese tech giants offer Claude on their coding agents marketed to international users, including Alibaba Group Holding's Qoder and Tencent Holdings' CodeBuddy, which is still being beta tested. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

ByteDance and Trae did not respond to requests for comment.

Amid the confusion, some Chinese AI companies have taken the opportunity to woo disgruntled users. Start-up Z.ai, formerly known as Zhipu AI, said in a statement on Friday that it was offering special offers to Claude application programming interface users to move over to its models.

Anthropic's decision to restrict access to China-owned entities is the latest evidence of an increasingly divided AI landscape.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In China, AI applications and tools for the domestic market are almost exclusively based on local models, as the government has not approved any foreign large language model for Chinese users.

Anthropic faced pressure to take action as a number of Chinese companies have established subsidiaries in Singapore to access US technology, according to a report by The Financial Times on Friday.

Anthropic's flagship Claude AI models are best known for their strong coding capabilities. The company's CEO Dario Amodei has repeatedly called for stronger controls on exports of advanced US semiconductor technology to China.

Anthropic completed a US$13 billion funding round in the past week that tripled its valuation to US$183 billion. On Wednesday, the company said its software development tool Claude Code, launched in May, was generating more than US$500 million in run-rate revenue, with usage increasing more than tenfold in three months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The firm's latest Claude Opus 4.1 coding model achieved an industry-leading score of 74.5 per cent on SWE-bench Verified - a human-validated subset of the large language model benchmark, SWE-bench, that is supposed to more reliably evaluate AI models' capabilities.

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.
Dakota Cody Trenkle Jr.  the teen who went missing for three days before a police dog found him severely injured at the bottom of a ravine in Missouri on July 30  is home after fighting for his life in a hospital.

The 13-year-old, who survived a 240-foot fall into the ravine, returned to his home in late August before Labor Day weekend for the first time since he went missing on July 27 while skateboarding in Goose Creek Lake.

Due to the fall, Dakota suffered severe head trauma, several brain bleeds, fractures on his skull, deep wounds to his body and weakened kidneys. Dakota was immediately airlifted to a St. Louis hospital and placed in a medically induced coma for two weeks before he woke up.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dakota and his mother, Stephanie Neely, gave PEOPLE an update on his recovery process since his homecoming.

Stephanie Neely Dakota Cody Trenkle Jr. (right) with his mom, Stephanie Neely, and another son after Dakota left the hospital Dakota Cody Trenkle Jr. (right) with his mom, Stephanie Neely, and another son after Dakota left the hospital

I am hopeful to return to school in the very near future and I am counting down the days until I can skateboard again, but I know my brain and skull need to heal, Dakota says, unafraid of skateboarding despite the incident.

Meanwhile, Dakotas mother told PEOPLE more about her sons progress.

Cody has been doing so well since coming home from the hospital, Stephanie says. He does still have some struggles physically with balance, coordination and strength as well as some short-term memory loss.

Stephanie Neely Dakota Cody Trenkle Jr. and his mom, Stephanie Neely Dakota Cody Trenkle Jr. and his mom, Stephanie Neely

He gets pretty frustrated with both, but we are taking the necessary steps to help him make a full turn around and get back to being 100% Cody, she adds. He has quite the extensive therapy and follow-up schedule.

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.

Dakotas healing journey will consist of physical therapy twice a week, weekly occupational and speech therapies, neurology and liver appointments as well as psychiatric visits.



courtesy Stephanie Neely Dakota Cody Trenkle Jr. and his mom, Stephanie Neely, in the hospital Dakota Cody Trenkle Jr. and his mom, Stephanie Neely, in the hospital

Stephanie previously told PEOPLE in August that upon Dakota waking up from his medically induced coma, he used sign language to tell her a heartwarming message: I love you.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That moment was pivotal to me. Its made the last couple weeks of stress, heartache, hope, gratitude, sadness, and pain worth it because that small gesture meant my boy was coming back to me, she said at the time.



Read the original article on People
In reportedly one of the largest protests in Jerusalem to date, tens of thousands of people rallied on Saturday outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence, demanding an end to the war in Gaza.

The forum representing families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza called on Netanyahu to immediately send a negotiation team to discuss ending the war and securing the release of all hostages. Hamas reiterated its agreement to a ceasefire proposal put forward by international mediators in the evening.

Three weeks have passed without an Israeli response to Hamas's reply to the mediators, the forum said, and urged Netanyahu's government to accept the current proposal and begin negotiations on a deal for the return of all hostages.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire, during which initially 10 living hostages would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

In a separate statement, Hamas said it remained open to "any ideas and proposals" that could lead to a lasting ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, delivery of humanitarian aid, and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners through mediated negotiations.

Netanyahu, however, insists on a comprehensive deal in which all hostages are released at once. Of the 48 hostages still in Gaza, Israeli authorities say 20 are alive.

It remains unclear from Hamas' statement on Saturday whether the group would agree to release all remaining hostages at once.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The prime minister is also pressing for Hamas' surrender and disarmament, and wants Israel to retain security control over Gaza.

According to Israeli broadcaster Kan, the mediating states  the United States, Qatar, and Egypt  are expected to present a new proposal this week for an agreement that would secure the release of all hostages and end the war.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is expected to sign legislation soon that will allow private citizens to sue anyone who prescribes, distributes or provides abortion medication to or from Texas.

Supporters and opponents of the bill believe it will serve as a template for other states that want to restrict abortion medication and trigger new legal battles between red states where the pills are banned and blue states where they are protected.

They also believe the bill could limit the availability of abortion medication even in states where it is legal, if distributors and manufacturers stop sending the drugs to the state to avoid legal repercussions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Senators approved House Bill 7 in a 17-8 vote late Wednesday. Before the vote, the bills sponsor, state Sen. Bryan Hughes (R), said the legislation would help protect the unborn and pregnant women from poisonous, illegal drugs.

In similar remarks on Tuesday, he also said the bill will hold Big Pharma accountable.

You manufacture and ship poisonous illegal drugs into Texas, and people are harmed; you will be held accountable, he said. We make no apology for that. Texas must defend our citizens, and thats what this bill is about.

Its unclear when Abbott will sign the bill. His office did not respond to a question on his timing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Heres what to know about the bill.

Texans can sue for up to $100,000 in damages

Under the bill, almost anyone in Texas can sue a prescriber, distributor or manufacturer of abortion medication. Plaintiffs in a successful lawsuit could receive up to $100,000 in damages, according to the bill.

Women who take abortion medication to end a pregnancy cannot sue, according to a revised version of the bill that was passed in the state House last week.

The revised version of the bill passed by the House does include some protections for distributors and providers of the drug.

Texas hospitals and physicians who live and practice exclusively in the state cannot be sued. Manufacturers and distributors of abortion medication for treating medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages or stillbirths would also be shielded from lawsuits under the revised bill.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some abusers, like people accused of domestic violence, are barred from suing abortion pill providers and manufacturers under the bill as well.

Latest Texas crackdown on abortion pills

Texas has almost entirely banned abortion and imposes heavy penalties on people who violate its abortion laws.

But abortions are still occurring in the state due to the availability of mail-order abortion medication which Texas can access via telehealth providers located in states with abortion shield laws in place.

HB 7 is Texas Republicans latest attempt to squash abortion pill access in the state after lawsuits against abortion providers in California and New York have yet to curb the flow of the drugs into Texas by overriding abortion shield laws enacted in both states.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They are very deliberately going after this, and this is part of a larger campaign, said Jessica Waters, senior scholar in residence at American University, who has an expertise in reproductive rights law.

In December, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against New York doctor Margaret Carpenter for allegedly mailing abortion medication to a woman in Texas. A state judge ordered her to stop providing abortion medication to Texas women and fined her $100,000.

Neither Carpenter nor her lawyer responded to the lawsuit or showed up for a court hearing in Texas.

Paxtons office then tried to force a New York county clerk to enforce a default judgment and to authorize the collection of the penalties. The clerk refused and told the Texas officials that New Yorks abortion shield law protected Carpenter from either action.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A Texas man filed a civil lawsuit against a California doctor for allegedly providing his girlfriend with abortion medication. Johnathan Mitchell, an attorney who has helped design many of the Lonestar states abortion laws, filed the lawsuit on behalf of his client Jerry Rodriguez.

Paxton and 14 other Republican attorneys general took the fight against abortion shield laws one step further by calling on congressional leadership to intervene in the interstate battles over abortion laws.

Blueprint for the rest of the country

Texas and Florida also asked a federal judge in late August to allow them to join a lawsuit seeking to restrict access to mifepristone nationally, one of two drugs typically needed for a medication abortion.

The lawsuitcurrently led by Missouri, Kansas, and Idahochallenges the Food and Drug Administrations approval of mifepristone and alleges it acted improperly when easy restrictions on the drug, including making it available through the mail.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The goal of Texass multiple lawsuits is to ultimately have the Supreme Court weigh in on abortion shield laws and how they impact conflicting state abortion laws, legal experts told The Hill.

These are all parallel efforts, and I think the theory is that one of them is going to stick, said Waters.

Backers and critics of the bill agree that the legislation will likely serve as a model for other state lawmakers, potentially resulting in a flurry of copycat bills and future lawsuits against providers and manufacturers.

After the bill passed, Texas Right to Life President John Seago called the legislation a blueprint for the rest of the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Texas Right to Life has worked with lawmakers since November to create the most effective Pro-Life defense against out-of-state companies and activists that send abortion pills to Texas, he said in a statement. This trend is killing tens of thousands of babies a year and harming their mothers, but today, our law became a blueprint for the rest of the country.

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.
Weve all heard the cliche about a glass being half full or half empty. At the Texas Capitol, though, Republicans and Democrats arent even looking at the same glass. One side swears its a soup can, the other insists its a plastic jug. And instead of water, they argue whether it holds apple cider, prune juice or kerosene.

The latest proof came in last weeks late-night debate of proposed new House rules to stiffen fines for breaking quorum and strip future quorum breakers of their seniority in the chamber (and the perks that come with it). The floor fight had been brewing for nearly a month and finally came to a head in the final hours before the second legislative special session of the year was gaveled to a close.

The House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, shortly before the session began. A quorum was not present after most Democratic state representatives left Texas to break quorum and block a vote on a Republican plan for Congressional redistricting. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)





We'll start with the Democrats because they're the ones who broke quorum in the House by flying off to Chicago in early August in a Hail Mary bid to derail a Republican-backed congressional redistricting bill designed to give the GOP more clout in Washington. The Democrats argued that they had not only the right, but the duty, to stop the House from advancing the measure on the grounds that it would disenfranchise Texans of color.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Their rationale was that because the Texas Constitution requires two-thirds of the members in each chamber to be present to act on legislation, the founders surely realized that the other one-third was free to simply not show up if they didn't like what the majority was about to do.

READ MORE: Republicans pass bill to bar fundraising during future walkouts

Republicans were buying none of that. They noted that the Constitution is pretty much silent on whether there's such a right, but it's loud and clear on the House's right to compel attendance during legislative sessions.

"We heard a lot about the constitutional right to break quorum. There is no constitutional right to break quorum," argued Republican Rep. Cody Vasut of Angleton, who authored the rule change. "You cannot have a constitutional right if in the same (section of the Constitution) there is a penalty for exercising it."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democratic Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins of San Antonio, who chairs the House Black Caucus, took umbrage at the notion quorum-breakers could be punished at all. She said the punishment measures under consideration would treat her and her Democratic colleagues who remained out of state for 15 days as if they were children at best, and as "runaway slaves" at worst.

"Let America know that democracy is under attack," said Gervin-Hawkins, her voice rising as she addressed the House. And she scoffed at the notion that she and the other absent Democrats had been shirking their duty by leaving the state during a legislative session.

"We were working every day, and talking to our constituents," she said. "We were working every day trying to save democracy. We were working every day to make sure people saw what was happening in this Texas House under a rigged, gerrymandering map (drawing)."

Republican Rep. Brett Money of Greenville said that if any legislative work was being done, it should have been done in Texas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Every day you were working in Chicago or New York or California, or wherever, we were here as called by the governor, as required by the Constitution to do the will of the people of Texas," Money told Gervin-Hawins.

Vasut noted that the House first adopted quorum-breaking penalties after Democrats fled to Washington in 2021 as they tried to kill legislation governing procedures for casting ballots each election day. And, he noted, those penalties proved far too weak. He made little secret that his rule change, which was adopted later in the evening on a party line vote, was intended to take quorum-busting as a legislative tactic off the table once and for all.

READ MORE: Democrats try different message in Texas culture wars

The heftier penalties could give cover to members who are being pressured by "outside influences"  meaning political donors and Democratic insiders  to break quorum. Such members could simply say the personal or political cost would be too high.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I think these penalties are reasonable," Vasut said. "I think they're strong to help deter a future quorum break. I hope that the availability of these penalties will give the members of both parties, in whatever circumstances they find themselves in, the ability to resist outside influences that would seek them to break quorum."

Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, who lead the House Democrats during the 2021 quorum break, couldn't resist poking back at Vasut's reference to forces outside of Texas seeking to influence the actions of Texas' elected officials.

"Something really struck me when (Vasut) talked about how the purpose of the resolution was to protect the House against 'outside influences,'" Turner said. "May I remind Chairman Vasut, and all of you, this whole thing started because of an outside influence named Donald J. Trump. Lest you forget, President Trump picked up the phone. He called Governor Abbott, said, 'Governor, I need five new seats in Texas.'

"That's how this started. An outside influence."
Police are searching for a retail theft suspect who used a stolen credit card to go on a shopping spree in Orange County.

Irvine Police said a victims vehicle was recently burglarized at Doheny State Beach and their personal items, including credit cards, were stolen.

The male suspect went to a local Apple store and used the stolen card to purchase $12,000 worth of merchandise. He left the store and remains at large.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Surveillance cameras captured the mans image as police continued searching for him.

Police are searching for a retail theft suspect who used a stolen credit card to go on a $12,000 shopping spree at an Apple store in Irvine. (Irvine Police Department) Police are searching for a retail theft suspect who used a stolen credit card to go on a $12,000 shopping spree at an Apple store in Irvine. (Irvine Police Department)

Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to contact Detective Mena at amena@cityofirvine.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.
Russia caused GPS and other satellite system disruptions that affected 122,600 flights over northern Europe in the first four months of 2025.

Source: a joint report by Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, seen by Swedish public service TV company SVT, as reported by The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet

Details: The countries stated that this situation poses a serious threat to international aviation safety.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In April alone, GPS and satellite disruptions impacted around 27.4% of flights in the region, nearly 43,000 in total, and exceeded 42% in some areas.

The interference in question is spoofing of navigation data and jamming of signals, which led to consequences ranging from incorrect positioning to system failures. In some cases, problems could not be fixed until the aircraft reached its final destination.

In total, aircraft from 365 airlines were affected.

The countries have submitted the report to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

"We assess the situation as serious, since the number of disruptions continues to grow and is not decreasing," said Andreas Holmgren, head of department at the Swedish Transport Agency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities determined that the sources of interference were located in Russia  in Kaliningrad, St Petersburg, Smolensk and Rostov.

European aviation authorities issued warnings for pilots and urged airlines to strengthen safety measures.

Background: On 1 September, a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was forced to land at the airport of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, using paper maps because of GPS failures.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Two men are protesting AI development outside the offices of Anthropic and DeepMind.

Activist Guido Reichstadter has been on a hunger strike for a week.

Reichstadter and another activist, Michael Trazzi, are demanding AI companies halt AI development.

As AI advances, so too does the desperation of those trying to stop it.

Two men, worried about the threat AI poses to humanity's future, are now on hunger strike outside the offices of Anthropic and DeepMind.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For Guido Reichstadter, a 45-year-old activist, Sunday marked a week of protest without food. Reichstadter told Business Insider he plans to remain until the company responds to his concerns about the direction of AI development.

"I am calling on Anthropic's management, directors, and employees to immediately stop their reckless actions, which are harming our society and to work to remediate the harm that has already been caused," he wrote in a post on LessWrong, an online discussion forum.

While AI leaders from Geoffrey Hinton to Elon Musk have sounded the alarm about the pace of AI development, it has done little to slow progress as companies compete to develop artificial general intelligence, a still theoretical form of AI that reasons as well as humans. Hinton recently said on the "One Decision" podcast that "many of the people in big companies, I think, are downplaying the risk publicly."

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei himself has issued dire warnings about the potential for white collar job losses. "AI may eliminate 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs within the next five years," he said at a developer conference in May.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming. I don't think this is on people's radar," Amodei later told Axios.

Reichstadter is asking Amodei to stop frontier development altogether. He told Business Insider in a phone interview that he delivered a letter to Amodei's desk on his first day of protest.

"In that letter, I asked him to stop developing that technology and to do everything in his power to stop the race that he's participating in," he said. "I told him I'd be out here in front of his office waiting for his answer."

Until then, he said he'll subsist on water, electrolytes, and multivitamins.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"In the concrete world in which we're living right now, all of the frontier labs are racing as quickly as they can to fully general superhuman systems. That's what needs to stop," he said. "I think great things could be done with very limited systems that don't pose the same kinds of risks."

Reichstadter said in 2022 he went on a 15-day strike without food outside the office of the Miami mayor to draw attention to the climate crisis, and felt like he could have kept going. He said he was so far "feeling good" this time around.

Reichstadter is the founder of Stop AI, a group that describes itself as a "non-violent civil resistance organization working to permanently ban the development of Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) to prevent human extinction, mass job loss, and many other problems."

He told Business Insider he had earlier been arrested for chaining shut the doors of OpenAI's offices in San Francisco. He said he was heading to trial this month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reichstadter has inspired others. Michael Trazzi, a 29-year-old former AI safety researcher from France, has been protesting for three days, without food, outside DeepMind's London headquarters.

Trazzi told Business Insider he studied computer science and artificial intelligence in Paris, and studied AI safety at

Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford, which shut down in April 2024. He spent time working as an AI and software engineer and now creates short-form content on TikTok and YouTube Shorts about AI policy.

Trazzi is also concerned about AI's rapid development. He told Business Insider that collective pressure on AI executives to make public statements could facilitate change.

"My only ask is, concretely, I want Demis to say that he would not release any more frontier models if the other frontier AI labs were to also stop doing so," he said, referring to Demis Hassabis, DeepMind's CEO and one of the pioneers of general intelligence. "If enough of those leaders say it publicly, then you get global coordination around a pause."

Anthropic and DeepMind did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Three people, including two children, have died in a serious road accident in Schwerte in western Germany.

A man and two children were travelling in an electric car that crashed into a tree and burst into flames, a police spokesman said on Sunday.

All three passengers were killed in the fire, he said, without providing further information on the identity of the victims.

The accident in the Unna district presumably occurred during an attempt to overtake another vehicle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A total of three vehicles are said to have been involved. There were initially no further details about the exact course of the accident.

The investigation is ongoing, and recovery operations at the scene of the accident continued until the evening.

Police and emergency services were deployed in large numbers, as well as two rescue helicopters. The relatives of the victims and the emergency services were receiving counselling by chaplains.
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Pima County starting at 6:39 p.m. Sept. 6. The warning expires at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6.

A flash flood warning also is in place through 10 p.m.

At 6:56 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located over Tucson Mountain Park, moving northeast at 15 mph, with 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail.

Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Locations impacted include Tucson, Marana, Casas Adobes, Drexel Heights, Flowing Wells, Pascua Pueblo Yaqui Reservation, Tucson Mountain Park, Tucson Estates, Saguaro National Park West, Valencia West and Ryan AirField.

This includes the following highways: State Route 86 between mile markers 160 and 169; State Route 77 near mile marker 70; Interstate 10 between mile markers 248 and 259.

Flash flood warning

At 7:06 p.m., gauge reports indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain near San Xavier Mission. Between 0.9 and 1.1 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. Life-threatening flash flooding is already occurring in creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include Tucson, Drexel Heights, Pascua Pueblo Yaqui Reservation, San Xavier Community, Valencia West, Tucson Estates, Tucson Mountain Park, Ryan AirField and San Xavier Mission.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This includes State Route 86 between mile markers 158 and 166.

This includes the following flash flood prone locations: Mark Road from Jeffery Road to Los Reales Road, Mission Road from Valencia Road to San Xavier Road and Black Wash at South Camino de Oeste.

For the latest watches and warnings, see our weather alert page.

What is a severe thunderstorm warning?

A severe thunderstorm warning means the area is experiencing or is about to experience a storm with winds of 58 mph or higher or hail an inch in diameter or larger.

Tips for driving in the rain

The Arizona Department of Transportation provided the following safety tips for driving in the rain:

Inspect windshield wipers and replace them if necessary prior to expected rainfall.

Turn on the headlights.

Reduce speeds.

Avoid sudden braking on wet pavement.

Create a "space cushion" between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.

Avoid areas where water has pooled in travel lanes.

How to protect yourself from lightning strikes

Here are lightning safety tips from the National Weather Service:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pay attention to the weather. If you see big blue clouds, otherwise known as thunderheads, go inside. These types of clouds could mean a thunderstorm is coming.

Get in a building with plumbing and wiring. If lightning strikes the building, the lightning will be conducted around and into the ground.

Stay in your car. A vehicle will give you protection as electricity from lightning will pass through the vehicle's structure instead of hitting you.

Get off open water. A boat out on the water is likely to be the most prominent object and you could be struck.

Do not shower or bathe. If lightning hits your pipes, it could be conducted into the water in your bath or shower.

Do not use electric appliances with plugs or cords. Wireless cellphones are OK, as are laptops that are connected to Wi-Fi but not plugged in.

Follow the 30-30 rule. If you hear thunder within 30 seconds of a lightning bolt, that means the thunderstorm's distance is threatening. Wait at least 30 minutes after you hear the last thunder to go out. That gives the storm enough time to move away or dissipate.

You dont have to be near a storm to get struck. Lightning strikes can easily travel 10 miles or more. A record lightning flash in Oklahoma in 2007 traveled nearly 200 miles. Seek shelter if you hear thunder.

Do not shelter under a tree. If lightning strikes the tree, the ground charge from the strike could travel into you.

Don't huddle in a group. If you are outdoors with friends or family during a thunderstorm, don't all clump together. Keeping separation could reduce the number of people injured if lightning strikes.

This article was generated by The Arizona Republic and USA TODAY Network using data released by the National Weather Service. It was edited by a staff member.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Thunderstorm, flash flood warnings issued for Tucson area
When you think about ticks, you might picture nightmarish little parasites, stalking you on weekend hikes or afternoons in the park.

Your fear is well-founded. Tick-borne diseases are the most prevalent vector-borne diseases  those transmitted by living organisms  in the United States. Each tick feeds on multiple animals throughout its life, absorbing viruses and bacteria along the way and passing them on with its next bite. Some of those viruses and bacteria are harmful to humans, causing diseases that can be debilitating and sometimes lethal without treatment, such as Lyme, babesiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

But contained in every bite of this infuriating, insatiable pest is also a trove of social, environmental and epidemiological history.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In many cases, human actions long ago are the reason ticks carry these diseases so widely today. And thats what makes ticks fascinating for environmental historians like me.

Ticks can be tiny and hard to spot. This is an adult and nymph Ixodes scapularis on an adults index finger. CDC

Changing forests fueled tick risks

During the 18th and 19th centuries, settlers cleared more than half the forested land across the northeastern U.S., cutting down forests for timber and to make way for farms, towns and mining operations. With large-scale land clearing came a sharp decline in wildlife of all kinds. Predators such as bears and wolves were driven out, as were deer.

As farming moved westward, Northeasterners began to recognize the ecological and economic value of trees, and they returned millions of acres to forest.

The woods regrew. Plant-eaters such as deer returned, but the apex predators that once kept their populations in check did not.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a result, deer populations grew rapidly. With the deer came deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) carrying borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. When a tick feeds on an infected animal, it can take up the bacteria. The tick can pass the bacteria to its next victim. In humans, Lyme disease can cause fever and fatigue, and if left untreated it can affect the nervous system.

The eastern U.S. became a global hot spot for tick-borne Lyme disease starting around the 1970s. Lyme disease affected over 89,000 Americans in 2023, and possibly many more.

Californians move into tick territory

For centuries, changing patterns of human settlements and the politics of land use have shaped the role of ticks and tick-borne illnesses within their environments.

In short, humans have made it easier for ticks to thrive and spread disease in our midst.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In California, the Northern Inner Coast and Santa Cruz mountain ranges that converge on San Francisco from the north and south were never clear-cut, and predators such as mountain lions and coyotes still exist there. But competition for housing has pushed human settlement deeper into wildland areas to the north, south and east of the city, reshaping tick ecology there.

While western black-legged ticks (Ixodes pacificus) tend to swarm in large forest preserves, the Lyme-causing bacterium is actually more prevalent in small, isolated patches of greenery. In these isolated patches, rodents and other tick hosts can thrive, safe from large predators, which need more habitat to move freely. But isolation and lower diversity also means infections are spread more easily within the ticks host populations.

People tend to build isolated houses in the hills, rather than large, connected developments. As the Silicon Valley area south of San Francisco sprawls outward, this checkerboard pattern of settlement has fragmented the natural landscape, creating a hard-to-manage public health threat.

Fewer hosts, more tightly packed, often means more infected hosts, proportionally, and thus more dangerous ticks.

A ticks mouth is barbed so it can hold on as it draws blood over hours. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Six counties across these ranges, all surrounding and including San Francisco, account for 44% of recorded tick-borne illnesses in California.

A lesson from Texas cattle ranches

Domesticated livestock have also shaped the disease threat posed by ticks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 1892, at a meeting of cattle ranchers at the Stock Raisers Convention in Austin, Texas, Dr. B.A. Rogers introduced a novel theory that ticks were behind recent devastating plagues of Texas cattle fever. The disease had arrived with cattle imported from the West Indies and Mexico in the 1600s, and it was taking huge tolls on cattle herds. But how the disease spread to new victims had been a mystery.

Editors of Daniels Texas Medical Journal found the idea of ticks spreading disease laughable and lampooned the hypothesis, publishing a satire of what they described as an early copy of a forthcoming report on the subject.

The ticks fluid secretion, it is believed, is the poison which causes the fever  [and the tick] having been known to chew tobacco, as all other Texans do, the secretion is most probably tobacco juice, they wrote.

Fortunately for the ranchers, not to mention the cows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture sided with Rogers. Its cattle fever tick program, started in 1906, curbed cattle fever outbreaks by limiting where and when cattle should cross tick-dense areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By 1938, the government had established a quarantine zone that extended 580 miles by 10 miles along the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas Brush Country, a region favored by the cattle tick.

This innovative use of natural space as a public health tool helped to functionally eradicate cattle fever from 14 Southern states by 1943.

Ticks are products of their environment

When it comes to tick-borne diseases the world over, location matters.

Take the hunter tick (Hyalomma spp.) of the Mediterranean and Asia. As a juvenile, or nymph, these ticks feed on small forest animals such as mice, hares and voles, but as an adult they prefer domesticated livestock.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For centuries, this tick was an occasional nuisance to nomadic shepherds of the Middle East. But in the 1850s, the Ottoman Empire passed laws to force nomadic tribes to become settled farmers instead. Unclaimed lands, especially on the forested edges of the steppe, were offered to settlers, creating ideal conditions for hunter ticks.

As a result, farmers in what today is Turkey saw spikes in tick-borne diseases, including a virus that causes Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, a potentially fatal condition.

Its probably too much to ask for sympathy for any ticks you meet this summer. They are bloodsucking parasites, after all.

Still, its worth remembering that the ticks malevolence isnt its own fault. Ticks are products of their environment, and humans have played many roles in turning them into the harmful parasites that seek us out today.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This article has been updated to clarify that ticks spread alongside the deer population.

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: Sean Lawrence, West Virginia University

Read more:



Sean Lawrence has nothing to disclose.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  This week on Capitol Report, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Fazio was endorsed by GOP Congressional leaders Sen. Stephen Harding and Rep. Vin Candelora.

Attorney General William Tong joins Rhode Island in taking legal action against the Trump administration for halting the Revolution Wind project.

Plus, News 8 political reporter Mike Cerulli with Rep. Matt Ritter and the Budweiser Clydesdales at the state Capitol.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Watch the show in its entirety in the video above.

CAPITOL 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 WTNH.com.
In our weekly list of business people on the move, we highlight Palm Beach County professionals who are making a difference. These are people from across the spectrum of public and private endeavors, those working in charities, court houses, private practices and beyond. They are moving up within their industry, advancing their careers and standing out for their services within our community.

Here are this week's professional standouts:

Quantum House adds five to board

Quantum House recently announced the appointment of five new members to its board of directors. Terra Brown, Timothy D. Burke, Corinne Penksa Izzo, Aimee Mangold and Dale Millner have joined the esteemed group. Izzo, a resident of West Palm Beach, is a vice president with Related Ross and focuses on the development management of the Class A office portfolio in West Palm Beach. Mangold serves as Vice President of Human Resources at Storage Rentals of America. Burke is the former publisher of The Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach Daily News. He currently advises companies and executives on leadership, media relations, digital transformation, HR/workforce management and technology. Brown, a resident of Jupiter, is an executive director and banker in the Palm Beach office of J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Millner leads the business development and client relations efforts in South Florida for the global accounting firm, BDO USA. These professionals bring diverse experience in development, human resources, finance, media and community-building. Quantum House is Palm Beach Countys only hospital hospitality house, offering lodging and support to families whose children are receiving serious medical treatment. Located on the campus of St. Marys Medical Center, Quantum House has served thousands of families since its founding in 2001.

Terra Brown

Timothy D. Burke

Corinne Penksa Izzo

Aimee Mangold

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dale Millner

West Palm Beach DDA names board of directors chair

The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority board of directors recently appointed Tim Harris as its new chairman. Harris has been on the organizations board since 2011 and previously served as vice-chair from 2012-2015. Harris was elected succeeds former chairman Richard V. Reikenis, who will remain as a board member. The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district whose mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant downtown for residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities.

Tim Harris

Palm Springs official receives League of Cities award

The Florida League of Cities, the united voice for Floridas municipal governments, has recognized Kimberly Glas-Castro, assistant village manager and assistant CRA director for the Village of Palm Springs, with the prestigious 2025 Home Rule Hero Award. Home Rule Hero Awards are presented to local government officials who consistently advocate for local decision-making and engage with legislators to provide context and feedback on key policy issues impacting Florida municipalities. Kim is a proven leader and one of the most respected professionals in her field, said Village Manager Michael Bornstein.

Kimberly Glas-Castro

Governor appoints Boca resident to transportation board

Governor Ron DeSantis recently appointed Boca Raton resident Albert J. Cacace to the governing board of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. Cacace is the founder and managing partner of R30 Agency. A U.S. Army veteran, he served in South Korea as a cryptography specialist with a Top Secret clearance. R30 Agency provides a full range of security and investigative services, including executive protection, identity fraud prevention and restoration, and private investigations.

Albert J. Cacace

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

West Palm Beach firm welcome new attorney to fold

Rudolph and Associates LLC recently announced the addition of Ashley Bustamante to their expanding family law firm. Bustamante, a graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University and University of Florida is thrilled to be working with the team of Rudolph and Associates. Based in West Palm Beach, the firm specializes in marital and family law with multiple Board Certified marital and family law experts.

Ashley Bustamante

Men's Only Medical announces staff additions

Mens Only Medical, a concierge clinic redefining mens health and wellness, recently announced the addition of director of clinical operations Edgerty Pierre-Louis and certified laser specialist Melissa Falcha. Pierre-Louis, a registered nurse with more than two decades of leadership in both acute and chronic care management, will oversee patient care delivery, innovation in health outcomes and operational excellence. Falcha has over 20 years of experience and provides tailored treatments in skin rejuvenation, intense pulsed light therapy, body contouring and laser hair removal. Mens Only Medical is a premier concierge healthcare facility in downtown West Palm Beach and provides comprehensive solutions for hormonal health, cardiovascular care, sexual wellness and long-term health optimization.

Edgerty Pierre-Louis

Melissa Falcha

Chamber welcomes board director, installs members

The Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce recently installed its 20252026 board of directors and welcomed Traci Rollins, shareholder at Gunster, as the new Chair of the Board. The evening marked the conclusion of a successful term by outgoing chair, Timothy D. Burke, who was recognized for his collaborative leadership and ongoing commitment to the Chambers mission. The event was held at the Pelican Club and brought togetherregional leaders and stakeholders for a night of connection and inspiration. Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest business organizations in Southeast Florida and serves the 11 municipalities that make up Palm Beach North.

Timothy D. Burke and Traci Rollins

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you are looking for more insight into the movers and shakers operating in the Palm Beaches, subscribe to our real estate newsletter, The Dirt, keep an eye out for stories and perspective from veteran reporters Kimberly Miller and Alexandra Clough. If you have an announcement for Business People on the Move, please send it to Pbbusiness@pbpost.com.

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Best businesses, professionals, business people in Palm Beach County
IMPACT, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  Tucked just north of Abilene, the town of Impact may be small, but its story is anything but quiet. From a controversial founding fight to its role in changing alcohol laws in Taylor County, Impact has left a mark far larger than its 47 acres.

From Cowboys Ball to Footloose: The History of Anson

A Controversial Founding

On February 1, 1960, a petition was presented to incorporate 47 acres north of Abilene into what would become the town of Impact. The judge set an election for February 13, but revoked it after the Abilene City Council tried to annex part of the land, worried that Impact would legalize alcohol sales in a dry county.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The election went ahead anyway, passing by a 240 vote, but the judge refused to canvass the results, according to the Taylor County Historical Commission. The City of Abilene, local churches, and even state legislators fought to block the incorporation.

That battle lasted more than three years. On April 17, 1963, the Texas Supreme Court finally ruled the towns incorporation legal.

Naming the town

Impact was named after Dallas Perkins Impact Advertising agency, which owned much of the flood-prone land that would become the town.

Sweetwaters past: From the Blue Goose to the WASP program

Population

41 in 1990

44 in 1995

41 in 2000

40 in 2005

35 in 2010

31 in 2015

31 in 2020

21 in 2024

Alcohol in the county after nearly six decades

On September 19, 1961, Impact residents voted to approve alcohol sales, though debates lingered over who could sell and where. Sales officially began on December 22, 1962, with Mayor Perkins himself buying the first bottle of whiskey.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the Taylor County Historical Commission, a Metroplex television station reported $25,000 in alcohol sales on that first day alone, as Abilene residents no longer had to drive 45 miles to Stamford to purchase liquor.

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.
Transgender women are at risk of female genital mutilation, the College of Policing has claimed.

New policing guidelines issued by the taxpayer-funded quango state that trans women could be forced to undergo female genital mutilation, despite them being biologically male.

The suggestion that they might be forced to suffer mutilation specifically intended for young girls has been branded as insulting to victims.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Female genital mutilation, which is illegal in the UK, includes the removal of the labia, clitoris and the almost total sealing of the vagina.

The College of Policings claims appear in guidance for officers investigating honour-based abuse, which sets out details of female genital mutilation protection orders, which are court orders officers can seek to protect potential victims.

Introduced in August, the guidance states that as well as women and girls, these orders protect any other person who has female genitalia and is at risk of harm from these practices and procedures.

This includes intersex, non-binary, trans men and women, with or without a gender recognition certificate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The college is now reviewing the guidance following the UK Supreme Court ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex under the Equality Act 2010.

As trans women are biological males, a sex-change operation would be necessary to provide them with simulacra of female genitalia.

But the circumstances under which a person who has undergone a sex-change procedure would then be forced to undergo a culturally-specific practice, which is reserved for young girls, is not made clear in the policing guidance.

Female genital mutilation is practised predominantly in Africa, as well as parts of Asia, principally Indonesia, and the Middle East. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that 99 per cent of women in Somalia have undergone genital mutilation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, has stated that the practice is usually performed on girls aged five to nine, although in some areas, female genital mutilation is carried out during infancy  as early as a couple of days after birth.

The practice has become a matter for British policing because girls from immigrant backgrounds can be mutilated during visits to their familys countries of origin, with Sudan, Egypt and Eritrea listed as among the most prevalent by the NHS.

b'

'

The inclusion of trans women in guidance on policing this issue has been criticised by author Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy of the charity Sex Matters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She told The Telegraph: It should be obvious to anyone with half a brain that men cannot be subjected to female genital mutilation  the clue is in the name.

The pretence that they can is insulting to the women who suffer this barbarity for nothing more than the crime of being female.

Women are subjected to these atrocities because of cruel cultural practices that subjugate women on the basis of their sex, not because of how they identify.

She added: Men who have their genitals removed in pursuit of a fantasy of becoming women dont end up with female genitals, only a superficial imitation. The idea that they are at risk of FGM is similarly fantastical.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ms Joyce has urged the College of Policing to focus on the real victims of FGM, in a row which comes after a number of controversies relating to the police and transgender issues.

A College of Policing spokesman said: We are currently re-examining all our authorised guidance following the UK Supreme Court ruling that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.

Applications to a family court for an Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order only apply to biological women and girls at risk of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Several police forces across the country, including the Metropolitan Police and the British Transport Police, had allowed transgender officers to search people if their gender matched the sex of the detainee.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This created a situation in which biological males could strip-search women, to the dismay of gender-critical campaigners. This practice was banned earlier this year.

Concerns have also been raised about the willingness of police forces to act on complaints made by transgender activists, with the recent arrest of Graham Linehan at Heathrow prompting outrage from free speech campaigners.

The Father Ted writer was believed to have been reported to the police by Lynsay Watson, a disgraced transgender former police officer.

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 following is the transcript of an interview with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sept. 7, 2025.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And we're joined now by Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth. She joins us this morning from Schaumburg, Illinois. Good morning to you, Senator.

SENATOR TAMMY DUCKWORTH: Good morning.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So you attended, as I understand, a demonstration yesterday in Chicago where thousands of people were out on the street protesting President Trump's vow to send in immigration agents. I know he's also posted on social media suggesting troops will go in. Quote, "Chicago is about to find out why it is called the Department of War." Vice President Vance says there aren't plans to send in troops. Do you have concrete indication, now, that there are plans to do so?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SEN. DUCKWORTH: Let's make it clear the president of the United States essentially just declared war on a major city in his own nation. This is not normal, Margaret. This is not acceptable behavior. No, we don't have any indications of them getting ready to send troops into Chicago. In fact, I was out at Great Lakes base yesterday, naval training base, and they were able to confirm that the only assistance they've been requested to provide is just office space for ICE, but that no barracks, no detention facilities, none of that is being requested or prepared in order to support troops into Chicago.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, so then is this just, you know, social media trash talk? When you say he's declaring war, is this tongue in cheek?

SEN. DUCKWORTH: I think he's renaming the Department of Defense the Department of War, and did he not just say that Chicago will find out what it means to be at war? I don't- I take what the President of the United States says very seriously, because that is the respect you have to give to the office. And if that's what he's declaring, then let me make it clear, it would be an illegal order to declare war on a major city, any city within the United States, by the President of the United States.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, I know you just mentioned you went out to the Great Lakes Naval training session- station, I should say, and you said the military leadership said they'll only get office space, ICE cannot bring in lethal munitions, and the resources will not be diverted from military training. So all of that together, did you breathe a sigh of relief and say this won't have a real impact on the military?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SEN. DUCKWORTH: Well, we're going to make sure that there's not an impact on the military. We need to make sure that- as, you know, Great Lakes naval training base is where every single recruit in the United States Navy goes through to get that basic training, and then later on, some advanced training. We need to make sure that not a single dollar, not a single penny of the resources that they have that should be- that should be directed towards training our nation's sailors and making them ready to dare- do their jobs, none of that money needs to be diverted in order to support ICE or any of Donald Trump's political, you know, theater efforts. We need to focus on making sure we turn out the very best sailors we possibly can out of the base.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So in terms of how Democrats are responding to this, this rhetoric, the Chicago Tribune faulted Governor Pritzker for his threats, to quote, "not stand idly by" if the guard went in. They wrote, "what does that threat actually mean? How about a conversation before the action or the response? Because it's all potentially harmful to collective health." It sounds like there's a lot of tension here. Is there an opportunity to work with the administration to avoid making this worse?

SEN. DUCKWORTH: Well, they've not- they've not responded to any of our requests. I mean, I'll give you a very concrete example. Senator Durbin, myself, Senator Schneider- Congressman Schneider, sent requests into DHS to ask them to explain what exactly are you going to be doing at Great Lakes? And can we come look at your facility so we have a better understanding of what your operations are? And they replied, no, you can't. And in fact, gave their staff the day off on the day that we went to go look at the facilities, and locked the doors and left the base. Basically, they fled the base. This is not the action of someone that's doing something legal or that they're- that they're proud of. They literally gave the people the day off, locked the doors and left. Now the Navy allowed us onto the post. They allowed us to tour the outside of the facility and also where they would be storing the non-lethal munitions. But DHS did not show up. And we certainly have sent the administration multiple inquiries about what they are planning on doing. Who are they bringing into Chicago? Are they planning to bring the National Guard in? They've- none, none of that. They've not even reached out to local law enforcement to try to coordinate. You know, if they were truly, truly interested in fighting crime, then they would work with local law enforcement and ask them, what do you need? What help do you need? And we've not gotten any- any communications or feedback from the administration, whatsoever.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you in your armed services role about what is a significant geopolitical meeting this past week. You had a lot of America's adversaries gathering together. Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un of North Korea, all of them in Beijing. And China and Russia seem to be deepening their work together. What do you think the signal to the United States here is?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SEN. DUCKWORTH: The signal to the United States is exactly what, you know, these authoritarian regimes want to send, which is that they are the new world power, that America is losing its ground, and that they have utter disrespect for the United States. I think it was very, very clear, and it, you know, it doesn't escape me, the fact that once this meeting happened, which was humiliating to Donald Trump, he immediately responds by saying, well, then I'm going to rename the Department of Defense the Department of War and declare war on Chicago. This is what Donald Trump does when something bad happens to him in the news cycle, or when the Epstein victims come together and have a very emotional press conference, he changes the topic and distracts us by saying things like, I'm going to send ICE into Chicago, I'm going to do this or do that. The American people cannot be fooled. We cannot be allowing him to distract us from what is truly happening, which is, this is a man who has driven our economy to a point where now there are more unemployed people than there are jobs. You know, we're not selling our agricultural products overseas. Our adversaries are united against us.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the unemployment rate is still low, but I hear you on a weaker than expected jobs number. Just very quickly, there was military action taken in America's backyard by the Trump administration. Vice President Vance says "killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military." He was talking about a strike on a drug boat- alleged drug boat, off the coast of Venezuela. What do you make of that show of force?

SEN. DUCKWORTH: It was an illegal- it was an illegal move by the Trump administration. There's a thing called due process in this country, and that needed to have happened. And the fact that it happened in international order- in international waters actually opens Americans to a similar action by our adversaries. You just- we were just talking about Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping and getting together and showing us- showing a show of force against the United States. Well, there's nothing now to stop them from doing something like that against Americans in international waters. And it could be civilians, and they could say, you know what? Those were drug boats. We're just going to go ahead and blow them out of the water. You're- he's setting a precedence here that puts Americans in danger.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Duckworth, thank you for your time this morning. We'll be right back.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Former CDC physicians speak out against new vaccine policies

Face the Nation: Sens. Marshall, Duckworth, Salvanto

Top word Americans use to describe economy is "uncertain," CBS News poll finds


By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

First, Oregon has failed to protect our school children from homeless camps and drug needle litter  now they cant protect our children from rioters.

Recent conflicts between protestors and federal agents as ICE headquarters on South McAdam Avenue in Portlands South Waterfront district prompted teachers and other staff at Cottonwood School to move into a leased middle school building for the safety of their students. School officials saw munitions, chemicals and other dangerous items on the school playground after people opposed to agents rounding up illegal immigrants started protesting outside the nearby U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. As the new school year approached and protests continued, school officials decided to lease the former Bridges Middle School building to serve Cottonwood students.
A Redditor's day at the beach became a little less relaxing after spotting an ad flying over the water.

A photo of the banner, seen flying above Ocean City, Maryland, was shared on Reddit's r/Anticonsumption subreddit, where readers decried advertising's reach into seemingly all aspects of life.

Photo Credit: Reddit

"Saw someone complaining about boat ads at the beach," the OP wrote. "May I introduce you to sky ads?"

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Although the site was viewed by some commenters as "dystopian," a number of social media posts have shown that advertising is now actually a regular occurrence at beaches.

Posts on Reddit and TikTok sparked outrage by showing a digital billboard moving across the water on a boat the size of a barge. Another Reddit post showed a similar digital billboard being towed across the water, also just off the Florida coast.

It's not just beaches, either. Whether you're stuck in traffic, pumping gas, or just going to school, you could now potentially be inundated with advertising.

Last year, money spent on advertising in the United States increased 5.6% over 2023 to an estimated $360 billion  and that doesn't even include political advertising. All that comes with a high cost.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertising pushes an overall culture of consumerism, where people strive to get the best and latest products. Companies, in turn, create more and more products to sell.

The manufacturing and production sector is responsible for roughly 20% of global carbon pollution, and more than half of the world's energy usage. It also contributes greatly to the trillions of pieces of plastic that pollute our planet and waterways.

Purpose Disruptors, a London-based organization dedicated to advertising, created a metric called "advertised emissions", which measures the carbon pollution that results from increased sales due to advertising. In 2022, its research found, the United Kingdom generated nearly 230 million tons of "advertised emissions."

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.

Not surprisingly, consumerism isn't favored by many r/Anticonsumption posters, and this beach billboard drew considerable ire.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I've heard of carrier pigeons," one commenter wrote, "but this is too much."

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.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A chase through neighborhood streets in Highland Heights early Saturday ended in a suspect crashing into a state troopers vehicle and a chase before his arrest.

Brian Talley, 39, was charged with evading arrest and aggravated assault against a first responder, in addition to a long list of drug, weapon and driving charges.

It happened around 3 a.m. on Baltic Avenue north of Summer, when a Highway Patrol trooper said he saw a Toyota Corolla with a license plate cover obscuring the license plates county sticker.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The trooper turned on his blue lights, but initiated a chase when the driver sped off at dangerous speeds.

Two on the run after trying to carjack driver at Raleigh gas pump

The Corolla lost control near Coleman Avenue, and spun around to face two troopers vehicles. The driver allegedly accelerated toward one troopers vehicle, causing significant damage.

Talley, the driver, tried to get out and run but was caught. Authorities say he admitted to smoking marijuana.

They also say they found marijuana, Percocet, Oxycodone and a Glock handgun in the car. Talley was not allowed to possess firearms and did not have insurance on the car, they 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 WREG.com.
President Donald Trumps approval rating has soared to 55%, marking his highest polling numbers ever.

The poll by the Daily Mail/J.L. Partners has a 3.3% margin of error and was based on the responses of 867 registered voters received between August 21 and September 1.

The milestone reflects growing public support for Trumps America First agenda as his administration points to achievements in crime reduction, border security, and economic growth, according to a White House Press release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is the highest approval figure we have ever shown for Donald Trump, pollster James Johnson told the Daily Mail.

The White House highlighted several policy victories contributing to the polling surge. These include a D.C. crime operation that has resulted in over 1,800 arrests, as well as new border wall funding secured through recent negotiations.

Economic indicators have also bolstered Trumps standing. The stock market has reached record highs while blue-collar wages have seen their largest increase in nearly 60 years.

Job growth among American citizens has outpaced immigrant worker losses, administration officials noted. Additionally, working families are anticipating tax cuts through the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the international front, Trumps team cited new peace deals and landmark trade agreements.

The 55% approval rating represents a significant increase from Trumps previous polling and exceeds his highest marks from his first term. The last poll conducted by J.L. Partners in July reflected a 49% approval rating.

The most recent survey comes as his administration prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration has launched an operation in Massachusetts to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants, the New York Times and Boston media reported on Saturday, quoting the Department of Homeland Security as saying it was targeting "criminal aliens" living in the state.

DHS and its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arm are calling the operation Patriot 2.0, modifying the name of a May deportation surge that led to the arrest of 1,500 people in the state, according to the reports.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The operation is expected to last several weeks, the New York Times said, quoting unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter. One of the sources told the Times that Patriot 2.0 was focused on targeting immigrants who had been released from custody despite ICE agents attempting to pick them up from local jails.

It was not immediately clear how many federal officers were involved in the crackdown, which comes as Chicago braces for a Trump administration ramp-up of deportations in the third-largest U.S. city.

NBC 10 Boston quoted a statement from a DHS spokesperson as deriding Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's so-called sanctuary policies.

"Sanctuary policies like those pushed by Mayor Wu not only attract and harbor criminals but also place these public safety threats above the interests of law-abiding American citizens. ICE is arresting sex offenders, pedophiles, murderers, drug dealers, and gang members released by local authorities," the statement reported by NBC 10 said.

(Reporting by David Lawder, Editing by Nick Zieminski)
The Trump administration launched a new federal immigration enforcement effort in Massachusetts focused on deporting criminals who entered the country illegally, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE launched Patriot 2.0 to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens living in the state of Massachusetts, following the success of Operation Patriot in May, a DHS spokesperson told CNN on Sunday.

The statement blamed Boston Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu for so-called sanctuary city polices that it said not only attract and harbor criminals but also place these public safety threats above the interests of law-abiding American citizens, vowing that DHS will arrest criminals released by local authorities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, nowhere is a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you will never return, the statement continued.

Wu told CNN in a statement on Sunday that local resources wont be used for this operation and the federal governments actions do not make our community safer.

No Boston police or local resources will be co-opted into federal immigration enforcement and their mass deportation agenda, Wu said. That does not make our community safer. We expect that federal law enforcement will abide by the constitution and laws of this City, Commonwealth, and country, and we are prepared to take legal action at any evidence to the contrary.

The Justice Department sued Wu earlier this month over Bostons sanctuary policy, which limits local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration efforts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What we have seen from ICE and from the administration really isnt about public safety, its about political theater. Its about a political power grab and an attempt to intimidate, said Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey in a Sunday interview with MSNBC.

White House officials told CNN that the Boston operation, timed in conjunction with the administrations immigration plans in Chicago, is a signal of its efforts to target sanctuary cities more aggressively in the coming months.

Both the Boston and Chicago operations are being modeled after the immigration arrests in Los Angeles in June. The president has reserved the right to call in the National Guard in both cities if a peacekeeping presence is ultimately needed, officials said.

CNN reported last month that Trump administration officials had discussed a major immigration enforcement operation in Boston in the coming weeks, according to two sources familiar with the talks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These moves to ramp up deportations in Democratic-led cities come after the Trump administration embraced aggressive enforcement actions earlier this year in Los Angeles. This week, the department announced it made 5,000 arrests in the Southern California city since June.

Wu faces a primary challenge on Tuesday from Josh Kraft, who is the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Also on the ballot are former Boston police officer Robert Cappucci and community organizer Domingos DaRosa.

Wu and Kraft are Democrats, though the position is officially nonpartisan, with all candidates running on the same primary ballot and the top two vote-getters advancing to the November general election.

CNNs Alayna Treene and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional information.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Jerry Schmitz, executive director of the South Dakota Soybean Association and South Dakota Soybean Checkoff, participates in a roundtable discussion hosted by Farmers for Free Trade on Sept. 6, 2025, at the Central States Fairgrounds in Rapid City. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

RAPID CITY  Jerry Schmitz is rarely at a loss for words about soybeans.

But when asked if farmers have faith in a good outcome from the Trump administrations trade standoff with China, his gaze shifted and his brow creased momentarily as he thought about the best way to answer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hope might be the better word over faith, he said.

Schmitz, of rural Vermillion, is the executive director of the South Dakota Soybean Association and the South Dakota Soybean Checkoff. A checkoff is a fee thats collected from soybean sales and used for research and promotion of the crop.

During and after a roundtable discussion Saturday at the Central States Fairgrounds hosted by a nonprofit called Farmers for Free Trade, Schmitz expressed concerns about the effects of trade disputes on farmers.

About 60% of soybeans grown in South Dakota are exported, with China formerly buying about 30%, Schmitz said. China imports soybeans largely for livestock feed to meet the growing demand for meat among its 1.4 billion people.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Now the country is boycotting purchases of U.S. soybeans in retaliation for tariffs on Chinese goods imposed recently by Republican President Donald Trump.

There is not a bushel sold to China right now, and were about to harvest, Schmitz said.

Trump has said hes wielding tariffs  taxes on imported goods  as a negotiating tool to correct trade imbalances with other countries.

The Chinese boycott has reduced demand for U.S. soybeans, which has influenced prices. Soybeans sold for about $10.50 per bushel one year ago in South Dakota, but are now $1 to $1.50 lower, and there are fears of further declines without a China trade deal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Another participant in Saturdays roundtable, South Dakota Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson, put the impact of lower prices in perspective. Noting that South Dakota farmers raise nearly 250 million bushels of soybeans annually, he said a price drop of $2 per bushel translates to a loss of $500 million.

U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, participates in a roundtable discussion hosted by Farmers for Free Trade on Sept. 6, 2025, at the Central States Fairgrounds in Rapid City. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

Johnson said hes spoken with the Trump administrations U.S. trade representative about the importance of resolving the China trade dispute quickly.

We need a deal sooner rather than later, Johnson said, because there is not an unlimited ability in farm country to be able to weather the storm.

Johnson and Schmitz said farmers are planning to store some of the soybeans theyll harvest this fall, in hopes of selling later at a higher price. Schmitz said grain elevators and soybean processors lacking buyers might have to store excess beans on the ground outside their facilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both also stressed the long-term importance of finding additional buyers for U.S. soybeans. That could include developing better trade relationships with countries that have large populations and growing economies, such as India.

It could also include capitalizing on new domestic markets, such as the possibility of converting soybean oil into sustainable aviation fuel. A $500 million processing plant that will open this fall in Mitchell, for example, will process soybeans and other oilseed crops for uses in renewable fuel, food, livestock feed, lubricants and more.

Those efforts could reduce dependence on Chinese demand but arent likely to wholly replace it.

Although we want to diversify away from China, you simply cant ignore China, Johnson said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

The congressman said many of the farmers he meets are still backing the presidents play to use tariffs in negotiations that could benefit agriculture in the future, but he said high tariffs cannot be business as usual on a go-forward basis.

The presidents trying to use them as a tool to get better deals, Johnson said. I understand that approach, but we do not want to just end with high tariffs.

The roundtable organizer, Farmers for Free Trade, is on a 14-state tour in an RV wrapped with pro-trade messaging. The group advocates for open markets and reduced trade barriers, said its executive director, Brian Kuehl, of Wyoming.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He referenced a statistic indicating exports account for 20% of the value of U.S. agricultural production.

So if you were to lose all your exports, youre going to lose farms, and youre going to lose farmers. Youre going to lose rural America and rural communities, Kuehl said.
Editor's Note: This story has been edited to include additional comments made later on Sept. 7 by U.S. President Donald Trump.

U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on Sept. 7 that he is ready to begin a new phase of sanctions against Russia in response to the war in Ukraine and plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin "very soon."

Trump's comments come a day after Russia launched a record-breaking drone and missile attack against Ukraine overnight  the latest in a series of mass strikes amid Washington's push to broker a peace deal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During a White House briefing on Sept. 7, a reporter asked Trump if he was ready to move into the "second phase" of sanctions against Russia.

"Yeah, I am," Trump said. He did not provide details on what this next phase would entail or lay out a timeline for U.S. action.

Later that same day, Trump told reporters that he plans to speak with Putin "very soon."

"Very soon. Over the next couple of days. Look, we're going to get it done. The Russia-Ukraine situation. We're going to get it done."

Trump also said he was "not thrilled" with Russia's latest mass attack, which damaged the Cabinet of Ministers Building in central Kyiv and saw the largest number of drones launched at Ukraine in the full-scale war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I am not thrilled with whats happening there," Trump said.

"I believe we're going to get it settled. But I am not happy with them. I'm not happy with anything having to do with that war."

Trump said that "certain European leaders" would visit the White House in the next two days to discuss a peace settlement, though he did not provide names or details.

Read also: Ukraine expects strong reaction from America, Zelensky says after Russias record-breaking attack

On the same day, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. was ready to partner with European allies to "increase pressure on Russia," primarily through expanding secondary tariffs on countries that purchase Russian oil.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bessent told NBC News that the move could weaken Moscow's already lagging economy and force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

While Trump has threatened to impose tough penalties on Russia on several occasions, his administration has not enacted any new sanctions against Moscow since Trump took office in January. In some cases, the Trump administration has even eased restrictions that were previously in place.

The White House has also threatened to impose widespread secondary tariffs on Russian oil importers, but has only taken this step once: In August, Trump imposed steep secondary tariffs on India, one of the major buyers of Russian oil since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Indian officials have said the U.S. tariffs will not stop the country's imports of Russian oil.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Though Putin held peace talks with Trump in Alaska on Aug. 15, he has since shown little interest in the peace process and has not agreed to meet directly with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Read also: He can come to Kyiv  Zelensky mocks Putins Moscow invitation

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
America has never been even close to perfect, a fact the Trump administration is going to great lengths to obscure. They insist that any mention of the countrys flawed history demeans and ignores what it has done right, and therefore any failures must not be mentioned at all. In truth, President Donald Trump probably believes the simplified fables he learned as a boy in the 1950s  like George Washington and the cherry tree  are all anyone needs to know about American history. The consequences of this ignorance are putting the country, and the entire world, in grave danger.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana famously wrote in The Life of Reason. For instance, if Trump had an understanding of the Vietnam War  perhaps if he had joined many in his generation in protesting Americas involvement, or if his father hadnt arranged for him to avoid the draft with a dubious medical deferment  he would know what led to nearly 60,000 Americans, and millions of Vietnamese, Laotians and Cambodians, losing their lives. He would understand that creating a pretext for war leads to disaster.

The U.S. became involved militarily in Vietnam in the 1950s as part of the growing anti-communist crusade during the Cold War. According to the domino theory, countries around the world would fall to communism one-by-one  unless America stopped its spread. By 1964, with U.S. military advisers on the ground supporting the South Vietnamese government against the communist insurgents of the North, President Lyndon Johnson and his advisers decided  foolishly, in retrospect  to commit U.S. troops. To do so, they used two isolated incidents of North Vietnamese patrol boats attacking a naval destroyer in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was only later the country learned there had only been one incidental attack, and the second was created as pretext to call it a provocation that required a massive American response. Johnson ordered U.S. Navy planes to bomb North Vietnamese torpedo boat bases and called on Congress to authorize the use of force. With congressional support, and within a few months, there were more than 100,000 American troops on the ground in Southeast Asia  and we all know how it turned out.

Unfortunately, some American leaders learned all the wrong lessons from that debacle. After 9/11, President George W. Bush had little trouble getting approval to invade Afghanistan to go after the perpetrators. But his administration then wanted to use the patriotism  and war fever  ignited by the terrorist attacks to invade Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 but had been on the radar of right-wing hawks ever since the 1991 Gulf War. They manipulated intelligence that was just as thin as the Gulf of Tonkin incident to fashion a pretext for war, and after a lengthy, vociferous debate, the administration managed to get Congress to authorize the use of force. And we all know how that turned out too.

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.

These have become infamous examples of how the government can lie the nation into war, and as bad as they both are, at least the administrations attempted to adhere to the notion of following domestic law; they knew they needed congressional authorization. While they failed to get actual declarations of war, as required by the Constitution, they realized it was important to preserve the idea of using actual legal authority for military force.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Tuesday, the Trump administration decided that such norms and measures were a waste of time. A U.S. naval ship blew up a vessel in the Caribbean that the president claimed belonged to a drug cartel and was being used to smuggle illegal narcotics. Its crew of 11 were killed. Trump proudly released the video of what can only be called a murder by the U.S. government, posting on Truth Social that it was done against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists.

This president has made it clear: He believes he has unlimited power, is answerable to no one and is not required to even pretend that he needs any authority other than his own to do anything. That odious power grab has now escalated to military action, and is the latest of the administrations moves in the Caribbean.

Over the last few weeks, the Defense Department has been deploying warships off the coast of Venezuela as part of an anti-drug-trafficking mobilization. The situation is serious; analysts recently told the BBC that the risk of escalation in the region is growing by the day.

The War on Drugs has always been a metaphor, not a real military conflict. Over the years, the U.S. government has authorized covert actions, but officially its always been a law enforcement issue in which the Coast Guard arrests suspected drug runners and turns them over to the authorities. Defending the administrations actions in the Caribbean, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the press this week that such deterrents havent worked. What will stop them is when you blow them up, he said. Instead of interdicting it, on the presidents orders, we blew it up. And itll happen again. Maybe its happening right now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Experts in international law are hard pressed to find any legal justification for the administrations action. Despite Trumps omnipotent view of himself, simply designating the Tren de Aragua gang a foreign terrorist organization doesnt do it just because the administration says so. Invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 wouldnt work either, especially since the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals just blocked its use for deportations, holding there is no predatory incursion or invasion by members of the gang. If the issue is just about drug dealers, then its a criminal matter and the U.S. has decided it has the right to summarily execute them without any due process, something that got former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte arrested by the countrys national police and Interpol in March after the International Criminal Court charged him with crimes against humanity and issued a warrant for his capture.

Back in the day, the government would have said the boat had tried to attack the American ship and it blew it up in self-defense. But now theyre no longer bothering with such old-fashioned justifications. When asked under what legal authority they took this action, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth simply said, We have the absolute and complete authority. Vice President JD Vance, when asked the same question, gave an equally vacuous answer: The legal authority is there are people who are bringing  literal terrorists, who are bringing deadly drugs into our country.

Blowing up alleged drug traffickers in the waters off of Venezuela and saying theyre invading the United States is ridiculous. What makes more sense is that this is really a provocation to try to get Venezuela to attack one of the warships and set off a regime-change operation. Rubio has apparently been pushing for this large military deployment to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The country, after all, has a whole lot of oil, and the alleged peacenik Donald Trump seems to have been itching for his own war for a very long time. Lets just hope that Venezuela doesnt take the bait.

The post Trumps deadly Venezuela boat attack takes us into dangerous waters appeared first on Salon.com.
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, speaks at Dakotafest in Mitchell on Aug. 20, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

On July 21, President Donald Trump wholeheartedly endorsed South Dakotas junior Republican senator, Mike Rounds, in the lawmakers quest for a third term in 2026.

But at what cost for Rounds?

Despite calling the senator a jerk some years ago and vowing never to support him (because he called the 2020 election fair), the president in July praised Rounds, in a 180-degree turnaround, as an incredibly strong advocate for the wonderful people of South Dakota and said he was giving Rounds a complete and total endorsement for re-electionHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What a difference several years can make.

For Rounds reelection campaign, the direct support of the authoritarian-minded leader of his party and the nation, and of the free world, was extremely valuable  even critical.

With Trumps endorsement, Rounds will be a clear favorite to win reelection next year in the solidly conservative-leaning state, according to The Hill, a leading political news source in the U.S. capital.

However, as with many interactions with Trump, it was more transactional than genuinely moral or fairly reciprocal. A deal, in other words. But a very bad deal for rural Americans, it turns out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For the presidents end of the deal, he wanted Rounds to vote yes in the Senate on a bill to cut $9 billion in previously congressionally approved funding that included $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The bill, which ultimately passed with Rounds support, removed all federal financial support for NPR, PBS and their member stations  and roughly $8 billion in foreign aid.

Trump signed an executive order in May demanding the cuts to the corporation, whose PBS and NPR outlets he has for years controversially complained have been spreading political and cultural views he disagrees with. Congress approved the cuts in July, and the corporation  a cornerstone of American culture for three generations, PBS fairly noted  was thus forced to shutter.

Initially, Rounds had expressed reservations concerning Trumps desire to cancel the funding, but decided to support the executive action after announcing that hed negotiated a deal with the administration to transfer $9.4 million of federal funding to some two dozen Native American radio stations in several states that depend on the subsidies for their survival. Indigenous South Dakotans are a key Rounds political constituency, comprising 78,000 people, about 9% of the states approximately 900,000 residents, many of them members of nine federally recognized tribes.

On his website, Rounds explained: In order for me to support this legislation, we had to find a way to continue support for these radio stations which offer potentially life-saving information in some of the most rural parts of our nation. These stations play a vital role in South Dakota, delivering critical emergency alerts and public safety information, and they needed to be protected.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 With nearly $37 trillion in federal debt, we must preserve essential services but also take meaningful steps to reduce wasteful spending. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to both rescind unnecessary spending and preserve funding for tribal radio in future appropriations bills.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

All well and good. But what about all the other Native (and non-Native) citizens throughout rural America? What about their public TV/radio stations  hundreds of them  that are presumably as critical for their communities and as deserving of federal support as those serving Indigenous South Dakotans?

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who voted against the cuts, stressed that more targeted means exist to address any alleged bias at PBS and NPR other than cutting all funding, in effect throwing the baby out with the bathwater. It could also be fairly argued that PBS and NPR have long been renowned for fair, balanced reporting and programming, though they arguably lean liberal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a perfect world, Rounds would have ultimately voted no to the cuts, thus tanking Trumps biased, mean-spirited executive order that will disadvantage millions of rural Americans. As it was, Vice President J.D. Vance had to deliver the tie-breaking vote to begin debate on the bill when Sens. Collins, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky each voted no.

If Rounds had joined those colleagues on their moral high ground, now-doomed PBS and NPR stations might have survived to serve the underserved another day.

But he regrettably chose self-interest over self-respect  reelection over uprightness.

More about public media funding


By Lars Larson

NW and national radio host,

You wanna bet Greg Johnson [I-5 bridge coordinator] didnt drop the Interstate Bridge ten-billion-dollar-price-bomb at Portland City Hall this week because the legislatures plan for a record tax hike got held up?

Only 5 years ago, Johnson told Oregon and Washington the new I-5 bridge would cost less than 5 billion. Two years later, his estimate jacked up 50-percent to 7-point-5 billion.

Standard practice for ODOTlowball the hell out of a project and tell the buyerscitizensthe bad news when its too late to shout stop.

Johnson has promised a new cost estimate over and over for the past 2 yearseach time delaying itlike someone who just doesnt have the guts to deliver bad news.

No one expects the new number to be less than 9 billionand most, like economist Joe Cortright, predict 10 billionmore than a 100 percent increase in just 5 years.

I bet if Oregon Democrats had delivered that historic record tax increase they planned last weekend, Johnson would have dropped the news this week.

Instead, he now promises the new estimate later this year or early next yearwhen he plans to start construction of this already failed project.

They dont have the money to build it.

The Coast Guard has not given its required approval

Public opposition to funding from freeway tolling remains fierce.

But as long as he hides the bad news, Greg Johnson can keep cashing the checks from his six figure salary.




In less than a year, the U.S. will celebrate its 250th anniversary. Whether you like him or not, there may be no better person than President Donald Trump to lead us in the celebration.

A decade after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a gathering of brilliant men put down on paper a plan for how our republic should function. Enough has been written about them to know they would be horrified by Trump, but they probably wouldnt be surprised he was elected. You can see their pessimism about human nature woven into their blueprint for our government  with its three equal branches, each suspiciously eyeing the other two.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They may have thought such an arrangement would contain the ambitions of selfish, incompetent men. But they were wrong.

Despite his flaws, Trump is exactly what America needs right now. A more competent leader  one better at managing his emotions and the affairs of state  might have lulled us into a false sense of security about the nagging, pressing issues we seem unwilling to address, such as climate change, economic justice and racism. Trumps performance in office is forcing us to confront questions about ourselves, about the sort of country we are, and about what sort of people we want to be.

Are we, for example, the sort of people who take advantage of the poor to benefit the rich? Based on the number of people who elected Trump to a second term, we may be.

Six months in office, Trump signed into law a bill that weakens the social safety net for needy Americans  and few of us objected. According to an assessment by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Trumps Big Beautiful Bill gives the top 10% of Americans an average income increase of $13,600, while it cuts the income of the bottom 10% by $1,200, and cuts social and healthcare assistance for low-income families.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Is that what Americans do to each other? Is that who we are?

Submit a letter to the editor

We want to hear from you. Click here to get started.

If Thomas Jefferson were alive today, what would he think of this nations role in all the suffering happening around the world? Jefferson was burdened with his own sins, but its hard to imagine him turning a blind eye to Americas complicity in the systematic starvation and killing happening in Gaza. Is it possible that is the sort of nation weve become?

Are Americans liars? Are we the sort of people who erase unpleasant details from our past to make ourselves feel better about our crimes? Are we the sort of people who think its OK to erect monuments to sworn enemies of the United States, to force Black Americans to remember their place? Is that us?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If God blesses America with another 250 years, will we continue being the sort of nation that alienates and segregates based on ethnicity or sexual orientation? Or the type that weaponizes benevolent concepts such as diversity, equity and inclusion out of angry spite?

The Trump presidency couldnt have come at a better time. It forces us to look at ourselves and to see who we really are  who weve become. The next time the president of the United States calls a veteran a loser, or mocks someone with a disability, each of us will be confronted with a 250-year-old question: Is that us?

The next time an innocent American is snatched off a public street and thrown into jail for being homeless, or for looking foreign; the next time a public health emergency is ignored by our leaders, or met with incompetence and insensitivity; the next time a federal employee is fired for simply telling the truth, or a group of torch-bearing neo-Nazis, shouting racist chants in the streets, are called very fine people by the men our children look up to, we will be forced to ask ourselves, Is that us? Is that America?

K. Ward Cummings is an opinion writer based in Baltimore and the author of "Partner to Power: The Secret World of Presidents and their Most Trusted Advisers."
President Donald Trumps administration has announced it will look into taking to take direct control of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, citing financial mismanagement and declining attendance at the privately run institution.

The takeover could put the memorial and museum  home to artifacts, oral histories, and unidentified remains from the 2001 attacks  under federal management for the first time. It is currently run by a board including private investors like former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The 9/11 Museum faced years of financial turbulence, including pandemic-era revenue losses, rising operating costs, and controversy over ticket price hikes. Trump said the federal action will secure this hallowed ground for future generations and promised to maintain free public access to the outdoor memorial plaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, officials say that the federal government cannot just take over the site as the land and museum are under jurisdiction of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Both New York Governor Kathy Hochul and current NYC Mayor Eric Adams have also voiced their opposition to a federal takeover.

Reaction has been mixed. Some 9/11 victims families welcomed the move, saying Washingtons involvement could stabilize funding and long-term operations as prayers answered. Others raised concerns that federal control could politicize the site or influence its exhibits. Federal officials said the transition intends to keep current exhibits and staff in place, with a formal handover expected as soon as early next year.

Fox News reports that Trump is scheduled to honor the 9/11 anniversary on Thursday by attending ceremonies at the Pentagon and taking in a Yankees game, skipping Ground Zero entirely.

[CORRECTION: This article has been edited due to remove an incorrectly attributed quote due a faulty link.]

The post Trump eyes federal takeover of 9/11 memorial site appeared first on Salon.com.
Jerome Adams, President Donald Trumps surgeon general during his first term in office, has joined the increasingly impassioned calls for Trump to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the sake of the nation.

When asked in an interview with CNNs Victor Blackwell on Saturday whether Trump should fire Kennedy, Adams responded, I absolutely believe that he should, for the sake of the nation and the sake of his legacy.

Im deeply concerned about the health and safety of our nation under RFKs current leadership, Adams said, adding, I absolutely believe he is uniquely damaging the credibility of federal agencies like the CDC (National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration) and hes putting us at risk.

President Trump is clearly the leader on foreign policy, clearly the leader on the economy and tariffs, but when it comes to health, hes doing whatever RFK says, and it blows me away whenever I think about all that we accomplished with Operation Warp Speed, said Adams.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I still am hopeful that President Trump will begin to see the danger that is presented not just to America but to his own legacy by continuing to have RFK in this position, making these horrific decisions, Adams told Blackwell.

Adams served as surgeon general from 2017 to 2021 during the first Trump administration, his tenure coinciding with the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Surgeon General Jerome Adams in 2018. In a recent interview, Adams said,

RFK Jr.s vaccine skepticism puts him at odds not just with the majority of medical professionals, but with Trump himself, who initiated Operation Warp Speed and the development of multiple COVID vaccines.

Trump also praised vaccines on Friday, telling reporters, You have some vaccines that are very amazing I think you have to be very careful when you say that some people dont have to be vaccinated. Its a very tough position.

Robert Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate Finance Committee. Kennedy once claimed in a deposition that a pork worm ate some of his brain, then died in his head. / Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

Calls for Kennedy to be fired have grown louder in recent weeks after a dust-up at the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control in which Trump-appointed director Susan Monarez was fired after less than a month in the job, and several top officials resigned in protest.

These calls came to a head just before RFK Jr. appeared in front of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, with every single Democrat on the committee calling for his resignation.
US President Donald Trump sparked a political firestorm on Saturday by hinting at a possible military intervention in Chicago, drawing criticism from the city's mayor and the governor of the US state of Illinois.

Trump, a Republican, shared an image generated by artificial intelligence (AI) on his platform Truth Social depicting the skyline of the Democratic-led city in a style reminiscent of the war film "Apocalypse Now."

The image included the line "Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR," alongside the caption, "I love the smell of deportations in the morning," echoing the famous film quote about napalm. It remained unclear whether the post was a serious threat.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump has previously vowed to take aggressive action against alleged crime surges in Chicago. In Washington, which he labelled a "rat hole," he recently deployed the National Guard and placed local police under federal control, even though data shows that crime has dropped in the nation's capital. Details of any Chicago plan, including potential National Guard deployment, were not disclosed.

Illinois Governor and Democrat JB Pritzker denounced the remarks, calling Trump a "wannabe dictator" in a post on X. He added: "The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson described the threats as "beneath the honor of our nation," saying that "the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution."

Chicago would be the third Democratic-led city targeted, after Los Angeles and Washington, where protests against Trump's military interventions resumed over the weekend. The president has also floated other major cities, including Baltimore, New York, and New Orleans - all run by Democrats - as potential sites for similar moves.
President Donald Trump spent much of his first term in office trying to carry out orders and policies that were unlawful, unconstitutional, or both. Federal courts routinely ruled against him, and he characteristically responded by denouncing the judges and courts responsible.

The Supreme Court did not uphold every lower court decision, but it sided with them on an institutional level against the executive branchs attacks. We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges, Chief Justice John Roberts said in a rare public statement in 2018. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.

Trumps second term could hardly be more differentat least in terms of how the courts respond. The White House and the high courts conservative majority now generally agree that Trump should be able to freely remake the federal government and the United States itself in his own authoritarian image. In doing so, some of the conservative justices have openly rebuked their fellow judges for obstructing him and defying the court.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lower court judges may sometimes disagree with this courts decisions, but they are never free to defy them, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in a separate opinion that Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined in full in a decision last month on funding freezes at the National Institutes of Health. The two justices effectively accused a lower court colleague of willfully disregarding the courts precedents, an extremely serious charge to level against one of their ostensible colleagues.

Discontent is simmering in the lower courts, as well. NBC Newss Lawrence Hurley interviewed a dozen federal judges who complained on background about the Supreme Courts approach to its shadow-docket cases, as well as the difficult positions into which the high court forces the lower courts in some notably high-stakes, high-profile cases. It is inexcusable, one unnamed judge told Hurley. They dont have our backs. The same judge, citing the rise in violent threats, said that somebody is going to die if trends continue at their current pace.

Gorsuchs rebuke came alongside a convoluted order in a Supreme Court case involving NIH grants. The Trump administration had frozen the already approved research grants shortly after taking office. Various recipients, including the American Public Health Association and other medical associations, sued to force the executive branch to disburse the funds to researchers, citing statutory arguments as well as the irreparable harm that their ongoing studies and projects would face.

A federal district court judge in Massachusetts vacated the NIHs decision to terminate the grants. The First Circuit Court of Appeals declined to stay the lower courts ruling, prompting the Trump administration to ask the Supreme Court to intervene. Solicitor General D. John Sauer claimed that the court in Massachusetts, as well as others around the country, were in open defiance of the Supreme Courts rulings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sauer pointed to the courts decision in April in Department of Education v. California, where the justices allowed the Trump administration to cancel billions in education-related grants to schools and universities around the country. A coalition of states had sued the federal government in response. A different federal district court judge in Massachusetts concluded that canceling the grants likely violated federal law. Accordingly, he issued a temporary restraining order, or TRO, that required the administration to keep making grant payments.

The Supreme Court stayed the district courts TRO. In its brief, unsigned order, five of the conservative justices disagreed with the lower court judges interpretation of federal law, argued that the states should have instead filed their complaint in the Court of Federal Claims, and claimed that the factors that courts usually use when deciding whether to grant a stay went in the Trump administrations favor.

Chief Justice John Roberts and the courts three liberal justices signaled that they would have sided with the lower court. Justice Elena Kagan described the majoritys decision as a mistake in her dissent. Nowhere in its papers does the government defend the legality of canceling the education grants at issue here, she noted, then added that the courts reasoning on the cancellations lawfulness was at the least under-developed, and very possibly wrong.

She also admonished her colleagues for their sloppiness in shadow-docket cases. The risk of error increases when this Court decides casesas herewith barebones briefing, no argument, and scarce time for reflection, Kagan wrote. Sometimes, the Court must act in that way despite the risk. And there will of course be good-faith disagreements about when that is called for. But in my view, nothing about this case demanded our immediate intervention.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is worth emphasizing here that the shadow docketor, as the court sometimes describes it, the emergency docketwasnt always like this. The Supreme Court typically let lower courts manage ongoing litigation through stays and orders except in exceedingly rare instances. It wasnt until 2016, when the courts conservative justices intervened to block the Obama administration from issuing carbon-emissions rules for power plants, that the shadow docket suddenly became a major forum for American governance.

Since then, litigants have challenged nearly every major domestic policy initiative by the executive branch in federal court, leading to a flurry of motions and orders on whether to let the policy go into effect. The Supreme Court became the final arbiter in these disputes, either by letting the policy go into effect or by blocking it indefinitely until the high court could issue a ruling on the merits after extensive litigation. The justices didnt rule on the EPA power-plant emissions case until 2022six years and two presidents later. (Ill give you three guesses on whether they upheld it.)

When the Supreme Court decides cases on its normal merits docket, it does so after extensive briefing from both sides and from third parties. The court holds oral arguments to fully discuss and refine the various points of law and their broader implications. Then it releases lengthy decisions that explain its reasoning and how it reached its conclusions. On the emergency docket, however, the justices effectively fly by the seat of their robes and often provide no written explanation of their decisions. (More on that later.) That opacity led legal scholars to describe it as the shadow docket, and the name stuck.

That brings us back to the NIH case and the district courts alleged defiance of the high court. Once again, the Justice Department asked the justices to intervene, claiming in hyperbolic terms that district-court defiance of this Courts decision in California has grown to epidemic proportions and that this sequel poses an even bigger affront to bedrock legal principles than the original. These claims might be more credible if the Trump administration had not itself defied court orders a few months ago in some of the deportation-related cases.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The courts eventual ruling in the NIH case is arcane and convoluted, with neither side getting everything they wanted. Suffice it to say that the conservative majority reversed enough of the lower courts order to allow Gorsuch to write a partial concurring/dissenting opinion chiding it for disobedience. He also claimed to spot a broader trend.

If the district courts failure to abide by California were a one-off, perhaps it would not be worth writing to address it, Gorsuch wrote. But two months ago another district court tried to compel compliance with a different order that this Court had stayed. That was a reference to Department of Homeland Security v. D.V.D., where the justices allowed the Trump administration to deport noncitizens to random countries despite federal law prohibiting it.

Still another district court recently diverged from one of this Courts decisions even though the case at hand did not differ in any pertinent respect from the one this Court had decided, Gorsuch continued. That was a reference to Trump v. Wilcox, where the conservative justices allowed Trump to fire a member of the National Labor Relations Board even though federal law and 90 years of Supreme Court precedent said he couldnt, and a similar later case where Trump fired the Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

So this is now the third time in a matter of weeks this court has had to intercede in a case squarely controlled by one of its precedents, Gorsuch claimed, quoting from Supreme Court precedents. All these interventions should have been unnecessary, but together they underscore a basic tenet of our judicial system: Whatever their own views, judges are duty-bound to respect the hierarchy of the federal court system created by the Constitution and Congress.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gorsuchs pointed opinion has already drawn rare pushback from the lower courts. Judge Allison Burroughs, a federal district court judge in Massachusetts, issued an 87-page ruling earlier this week where she found that the Trump administration had illegally canceled billions in federal funding for Harvard University. The president has singled out Harvard and other prominent universities for ideological retribution over the past nine months as part of a broader authoritarian campaign against traditionally liberal institutions.

Her ruling against the funding freeze will likely come under Supreme Court scrutiny in the near future, and she anticipated that Gorsuch and some of the courts other conservative justices might disagree with her interpretation of the relevant law and precedents. To that end, Burroughs explained that her ruling did not intend to defy the high courts own judgment.

The Court is mindful of Justice Gorsuchs comments in his opinion in APHA and fully agrees that this Court is not free to defy Supreme Court decisions and is, in fact, duty-bound to respect the hierarchy of the federal court system, Burroughs wrote, citing Gorsuchs opinion initially and then Supreme Court precedent later. Consistent with these obligations, this Court (and likely all district courts) endeavors to follow the Supreme Courts rulings, no matter how misguided [it] may think [them] to be.

That said, she continued, the Supreme Courts recent emergency docket rulings regarding grant terminations have not been models of clarity, and have left many issues unresolved. In the Department of Education case, she pointed out that the courts four-paragraph [unsigned] decision did not explain how that case was distinguishable from a previous Supreme Court ruling that leaned in the schools favor or other related, longstanding precedents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The NIH decision also had problems. Roberts and the courts three liberals sided with the grant recipients. Four of the conservative justices sided with the Trump administration. Justice Amy Coney Barrett split the difference. Burroughs noted that didnt amount to particularly helpful guidance for lower courts. The outcome, which no party had requested, was, thus, inconsistent with the views of eight justices and, again, provided little explanation as to how [a relevant Supreme Court precedent], which the controlling concurrence again cited as good law, applied or was distinguishable, she explained.

Burroughs acknowledged that the court was resolving these cases on an accelerated schedule without proper briefing or argument. Given this, however, the Court respectfully submits that it is unhelpful and unnecessary to criticize district courts for defy[ing] the Supreme Court, she continued, when they are working to find the right answer in a rapidly evolving doctrinal landscape where they must grapple with both existing precedent and interim guidance from the Supreme Court that appears to set that precedent aside without much explanation or consensus.

This is a reasoned and judicious way to disagree with Gorsuch. Burroughs could have been less diplomatic by noting, for example, that the Supreme Courts general approach to the shadow docket flipped like a light switch once Trump took office. While the court routinely blocked Biden administration policies from taking effect, even in cases where it ultimately sided with Biden on the merits, the justices now let Trump do virtually whatever he wants while litigation unfolds.

The Supreme Court even eliminated lower courts power to issue nationwide injunctions, in Trump v. CASA, after frequently allowing courts to use them against both Biden and first-term Trump policies. It also rewrote the balancing-of-equities calculus for cases involving the executive branch by holding that the government is irreparably harmed whenever it cant enact its preferred policies. The policy in question was an executive order claiming to deny citizenship to children born on U.S. soil to noncitizen parents, in direct defiance of the citizenship clauses text and history.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One could also quibble with Gorsuchs description of the federal judiciary itself. The federal courts are stratified, but they are not hierarchical. Federal judges do not work for each other (or for anyone else, save for the American people in an abstract sense), and they certainly do not work for the Supreme Court. They are each independently appointed by presidents and confirmed by the Senate. Constitutionally speaking, there is no difference between Neil Gorsuch and a federal district court judge in Massachusetts, except for the jurisdictions of the courts on which they serve.

If Gorsuch is unhappy that lower court judges are struggling to apply the Supreme Courts orders, it might be worth considering whether the high court itself is to blame. Lower courts appear to be more respectful of precedent than the Supreme Court itself. In the dismissal cases, for example, district courts have to choose between actual precedent like Humphreys Executor v. United States on whether the president can ignore for-cause removal protections or inferring the conservative majoritys preferred outcome from their assumed ideological views. Small wonder that they keep choosing the former over the latter.

Indeed, one problem is that the conservative justices also appear to have internalized the courts ideological dividethat is to say, they appear to recognize that there is a distinctly conservative majority on the Supreme Court, that it wont be going anywhere anytime soon, that its members share distinct goals for reshaping American law and precedent in their own image, and, most importantly, that the lower courts should act and anticipate accordingly.

The district courts ruling in the NIH case, for example, does not really amount to defiance of the Supreme Courts decision in the Department of Education case. As Roberts noted in his concurring opinion in the former, the lower courts in each case delivered substantially different rulings that raised different questions of law compared to the latter case. The lower court could therefore plausibly distinguish it from the earlier ruling.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These rulings do amount to defiance, however, if the courts real shadow-docket decisions are Trump can cut off federal funds and grants to whomever he wants and Trump can fire any federal official for any reason, except for Jerome Powell. Those may be the rulings that the conservative majority wanted to hand down. Since they didnt actually write them as such, the justices should not be surprised when lower courts dont follow them as such or when they dont leap to embrace maximalist views of executive power on their own. Even the most ardent supporter of judicial power does not think telepathy is among them.

The rebuke still prompted Judge William Young, who presided over the NIH case, to make a public apology to the justices if they think that anything this court has done has been done in defiance of a precedential action of the Supreme Court of the United States, during a court session earlier this week. Young, who became a federal judge the same year that Gorsuch graduated high school, explained that he can do nothing more than to say as honestly as I can: I certainly did not so intend, and that is foreign in every respect to the nature of how I have conducted myself as a judicial officer. Nothing in his storied career suggests otherwise.

Kavanaugh, for his part, also offered some recent public contrition. Its possible we screwed up, very possible, were human, he reportedly told a judicial conference this week. But its also possible, and oftentimes is the case, that its the product of nine of us, or at least five of us, trying to reach a consensus or a compromise on a particular issue that might be difficult. Im fully aware that can lead to a lack of clarity in the law and can lead to some confusion, at times.

Those are fair points. They also strongly counsel against the justices current approach to the shadow docket in general. The Supreme Court is not obligated to treat every motion for a stay from the Trump administration as an emergency worthy of its immediate intervention, nor does it have to use those motions as a vehicle to create significant and unsettling shifts in long-standing precedent. The justices are more than able to rewrite precedent on the merits docket. As long as the court continues to wreak jurisprudential havoc with its emergency rulings, it should not be surprised if lower courts struggle to consistently interpret them. Like more than a few other woes in modern American life, this is all a monster of the Supreme Courts own creation.




On a gray February afternoon at North Austins Guerrero Thompson Elementary, parents lingered after dismissal as four SUVs  two marked with Texas Department of Public Safety insignia and two unmarked with tinted windows  rolled onto campus. Some mothers and fathers bolted inside with their children, where staff hurried them into dark classrooms and supply closets. There, they waited, whispering behind shuttered windows for nearly an hour, long after the vehicles finally pulled away.

The fear that sent families running indoors had begun that morning. At 8:40 a.m., about an hour after drop-off, state troopers stopped a father of a Guerrero Thompson student at the intersection outside the campus while he was driving his older sons to high school. In full view of parents and teachers, they pulled him into the driveway and called in federal immigration agents to arrest him. Panicked calls flooded the school office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Principal Briana Garcia still remembers the suffocating weight of the air that day.

Guerrero Thompson Elementary School Principal Briana Garcia looks out the front doors on the first day of school in Austin, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)





What Garcia thought was the semesters low point proved instead to be a harbinger. Over the following months, as President Donald Trump settled into his second term and pursued one of the nations most aggressive immigration crackdowns, law enforcement became a steady presence on and near campus. DPS patrol cars often idled near entrances during pickup. On one occasion, Garcia said she saw U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents staged in the school parking lot, donning tactical gear, masks and weapons  though the agency denied to the American-Statesman that they had set foot on school property.

Immigration arrests have been prevalent in the Rundberg-Lamar corridor, home to Guerrero Thompson and a neighborhood where most residents are immigrants. State troopers and federal immigration agents are now fixtures in McDonalds parking lots and along busy thoroughfares, according to educators and photos reviewed by the Statesman. DPS has taken the lead, joined at times by ICE  a collaboration the state agency has touted as making communities safer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The only thing DPS is targeting is crime and those who break the law, agency spokeswoman Ericka Miller told the Statesman.

In the process, law enforcement has crossed a line once considered off-limits: operating on and near school grounds as state officers carry out directives to help enforce immigration laws. For years, sensitive locations such as schools, churches and courthouses were shielded from immigration enforcement. That protection ended when Trump revoked the guidance on his first day back in office.

Students walk through the halls at Guerrero Thompson Elementary School on the first day of school in Austin, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)





Last semester, the community at the high-performing school faltered under the weight of fear and stress. Teachers coped with students withdrawing into silence or erupting into tantrums after relatives were detained. They also saw more hungry children as families lost wage earners.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This may have always been a high-crime area, but kids always knew this was a safe campus, school counselor Claudia Villarreal said. Now theyve lost that sense of security.

She said families began to self-deport before the school year ended. By summers end, Villarreal had counted more than two dozen families that had left the country.

Now, with a new school year underway, administrators, staff members and parents at Guerrero Thompson worry the federal governments escalating deportation efforts could make the coming months as chaotic as last semester.

Its clear theyre targeting us and I dont think its going to stop anytime soon, Garcia said of DPS continued presence on and near campus.

Students struggle as deportations disrupt family life

One of Elizabeth Vasquezs fifth-graders had been among the best math students in her special education class: eager, with strong attendance. That changed in February after her mother was deported. The once-sharp girl became meek and unresponsive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For the rest of the semester, Vasquez struggled to make the student comfortable in class, limiting her participation requests to small groups. But her efforts were mostly in vain. The girl became timid, and her stutter  which Vasquez had been helping her overcome  returned.

She was in daydreams. I mean, she was in la-la-land, Vasquez said. Those days were no longer normal for her.

Guerrero Thompson Elementary School counselor Claudia Villarreal checks on a pre-kindergarten class on the first day of school in Austin, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)





At the end of last school year, Vasquez was surprised when the father of the fifth-grader, whose mother had been deported, said his daughter didnt need an advisory meeting to prepare for middle school. The family was returning to Guatemala.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Parents struggled with what to tell their children about their changing realities. Some avoided the conversation. Others, like Mily, the mother of a fifth-grader whose last name the Statesman is withholding because of her immigration status, tried to reassure their children by telling them the Trump administration would focus on deporting people who owed something.

Its unlikely children can be shielded from such a pervasive environment of stress and anxiety, said Joanna Dreby, a sociology professor at the University at Albany who has studied the long-term effects of immigration enforcement on children of immigrant households.

The child knows whats happening. Kids as young as 5 know whats happening, Dreby said.

Mily, who is an immigrant from Mexico, brushes the hair of her 10-year-old daughter, Emily, at their home in Manor before driving her to Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)





At Guerrero Thompson, spring brought a new normal. Teachers and staff recall children sobbing inconsolably, interrupting lessons to ask if they could call their parents, and frightening classmates with stories of relatives who hadnt come home.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A few teachers were asked in advance by parents to serve as childrens guardians in case of deportation, Garcia said.

The number of mothers volunteering daily  laminating papers, setting up bulletin boards and serving as lunch monitors  fell from about a dozen to just a few.

Mily continued volunteering at school to prove she would not be ruled by fear. But like others, she began cutting back on grocery trips and taking her children out less often.

Previously, the kids would say, I want to go to the trampolines for fun, I want to go get ice cream, and parents would take them, Mily said. Now the parents dont do that.

Immigration checkpoints in our state: DPS patrols unsettle Austin school community

With no notice or communication, DPS became a common presence at Guerrero Thompson.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Garcia estimates DPS came to campus at least a dozen times last semester, parking during about half of those visits but never entering the building. The state agency never communicated with administrators, Garcia said, though she suspects troopers were running license plates to find reasons for stops.

DPS wields broad authority, said Kristin Etter, director of policy and legal services at the Texas Immigration Law Council. Even without a record tied to a plate, troopers can pull drivers over for minor violations such as overly tinted windows or slightly deflated tires  making racial profiling hard to prove, she said.

The surge in stops in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods such as North Austin suggests DPS is shifting from a border role to interior enforcement after a January order from Gov. Greg Abbott directing state agencies to aid federal immigration efforts, Etter said.

We essentially have immigration checkpoints in our state with DPS, she said. Any car can be pulled over for an alleged transportation code violation almost at any time, at any point and anywhere.

Zeferino waves to his wife Mily, who are immigrants from Mexico, in the driveway of their home in Manor as she drives their 10-year-old daughter, Emily, to Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)





Before this year, Garcia said, DPS had been on campus only twice in her 12 years at the school, each time for safety inspections after the Texas Legislature passed a 2023 school security law in the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Responding to Statesman questions about its presence at Guerrero Thompson, DPS spokeswoman Sheridan Nolen said troopers are encouraged to be on campuses to offer additional, visible law enforcement presence, deterring unwanted visitors and reducing crime  something we should all agree is a positive outcome.

Nolen said troopers had logged hundreds of calls and traffic stops near Guerrero but not a single one has been on school grounds.

Nolen said troopers on Feb. 5 stopped a vehicle at an intersection adjacent to the school because it was unregistered or improperly registered. The troopers contacted ICE as part of standard procedure when a driver cannot provide legal identification. After the stop, Nolen said, the officer went onto campus to complete his report.

Garcia said staff and district officials have felt powerless to respond to DPS and ICEs actions. Early attempts to ask the agencies, through a district liaison, to stop operating on or driving through the campus went nowhere, so Garcia said she stopped reporting the presence of law enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Austin school district did not make Superintendent Matias Segura available for an interview.

Austin schools Police Chief Wayne Sneed stopped short of refuting Garcias claims but said he has seen no evidence of immigration enforcement on district campuses. ICE, he said, assured him and Segura during a March meeting that the agency had no plans to carry out operations at schools, only to complete stops already underway.

Sneed added that state and federal agencies dont need permission to enter campuses and restricting them would make schools havens for evading law enforcement.

We're not going to impede an investigation of a law enforcement agency no more than we would want them to do it for us, he said.

Emily, 10, whose parents are immigrants from Mexico, gets ready at her home in Manor to go to Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)





For her sons education, a mother stays despite deportation and hardship

In the weeks before the new school year, Mariela  the mother of a Guerrero Thompson first-grader who asked to be identified only by her middle name because of her immigration status  thought several times about returning to her native Honduras.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In July, state troopers stopped the truck carrying Marielas partner, the familys main breadwinner, on his way to a construction site. The stop occurred on Rundberg Lane, a few blocks from the school. Her partner, who Mariela said had no criminal record, was deported.

Mariela had already lost hours at the western wear store where she worked, dropping from about 50 a week to 20. She believes the cutbacks were due to a decline in immigrant spending. She had also been warned her two pending immigration cases were faltering.

Everything is tight  lights, electricity, phone. Everything that used to be [paid by] two people is now one, Mariela said in Spanish.

But the poor economic outlook in Honduras, along with her sons struggles with attention and hyperactivity, which she thinks can only be addressed by the American education system, have kept her from leaving. For now, Mariela has taken in relatives to split rent and begun using food pantries for the first time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im worried about the kids  their anxiety levels, their stress, their physical health levels because theyre not going outside  that theyre depressed, Vasquez, the fifth-grade teacher, said.

Staff and parents have rallied around families, collecting food and supplies and helping with daily tasks. Garcia said these efforts kept attendance stable and motivated students to learn. The school often sent support staff to convince parents to return their children to class after immigration arrests around campus.

Yet economic stress persists. At times, it mixes with the feeling of being, as Mariela put it, worse than the criminals.

Donated clothes are available to students in need at Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)





Kids here just want to learn: Fear lingers as new school year begins

In spring, a kindergartners family told the school not to expect him back after an immigration court appearance. School staff packed his backpack with snacks, crayons, Legos and a sweater. They wished the child goodbye.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Oh, that was hard, Garcia recalled. Luckily, he did come back.

With similar uncertainty, life at Guerrero Thompson is continuing. DPS and ICE remain constant presences. Nationally, ICE arrests and deportations increased over the summer, while the federal government launched a recruitment push.

The thought of another year like the last has weighed on teachers. During staff training before classes began, Vasquez questioned whether she could endure it.

You know how they say, Put on your oxygen mask before you help someone else? Vasquez said. Thats what I'm worried about: Are we putting our oxygen masks on first?

A week before the new school year began, school police put the campus on lockdown after a reported crime at the nearby H-E-B grocery store. Within minutes, state troopers drove through the site in pursuit of a suspect.

Although Garcia is accustomed to police presence because of the neighborhood's crime rates, she felt no reassurance as she counted the DPS vehicles. Instead, she felt dread, certain that troopers were present in larger numbers than ever  and would remain so.

Garcia said she knows she cant tell DPS what to do. But she knows what shed say if she could:

Kids here just want to learn, Garcia said. And the parents: They're the ones who are building the majority of downtown Austin. These are good people; these are hardworking people.

Mily, who is an immigrant from Mexico, drops off her 10-year-old daughter, Emily, at Guerrero Thompson Elementary School in Austin, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)




Israeli security officials denounced Trump's comments that there may be less than 20 hostages alive, according to KAN News, saying such statements are tantamount to permitting their blood to be shed.

There could be "less than 20" hostages, as they "tend to die," US President Donald Trump said at a press conference Sunday evening while preparing to board Air Force One.

However, he affirmed that he was confident he could return them all to Israel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Israeli security officials, cited by Israel's public broadcaster, KAN News, denounced this specific comment by Trump, saying that "there are 20 living hostages. Any other statement is tantamount to permitting their blood to be shed."

Trump also stated that he believes a Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange deal will be reached "very soon."

"It's a hell of a problem," he noted, adding that he wants to solve the problem for the Middle East, Israel, and the world.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump said that Israel has agreed to a new US-backed hostage deal and warned Hamas that it must accept as well, in a post on Truth Social.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter. DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," the post read.

A new US-backed proposal has been delivered to Hamas over the past few days in an effort to secure the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, sources told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. The initiative, conveyed through Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin and Dr. Bishara Bahbah, outlines a comprehensive framework aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.

Hamas claimed that it is ready to "immediately sit at the negotiating table to discuss the release of all hostages in exchange for a clear declaration of an end to the war, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the formation of a committee to administer the Gaza Strip from independent Palestinians, which will assume its work immediately," in an official statement published by the terror group on Sunday night.

Hamas also claimed that it "welcome[s] any move that contributes to the efforts being made to halt the aggression against our people."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition, Hamas told Sky News Arabia that it is considering Trump's proposal with "a positive spirit," and that relevant parties are handling the proposal with "great responsibility."

What does the Trump-backed deal entail?

According to the plan, Hamas would release all 48 hostages, including those believed to be alive and the bodies of the dead, on the first day of the agreement. In exchange, US President Donald Trump would offer a personal assurance that hostilities will not resume until negotiations between Israel and Hamas yield a resolution.

The proposal also calls for the release of between 2,000 and 3,000 Palestinian security prisoners, including those convicted of murder. It further stipulates the cancellation of Israels planned military operation in Gaza City, as well as the immediate start of talks to bring the war to a close.

Despite the proposal, Israeli troops would remain in parts of the Gaza Strip, maintaining a limited presence in designated zones.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sources familiar with the negotiations said Hamas is unlikely to accept the terms.

Hamas would essentially be giving up the hostages on day one in return for a presidential guarantee, one source told the Post. As important as that may be, what happens if the negotiations collapse? Hamas would have lost all of its leverage.

A senior official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is giving very serious consideration to the proposal, although he acknowledged the likelihood of Hamas continuing its refusal.

Hostage families respond to the deal proposal

The Hostages Families Forum responded to the news of the proposal, saying, "If the proposal attributed to President Trump has indeed been placed on the table, it represents a true breakthrough.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"President Trump has presented an agreement for the immediate release of all 48 hostages, alongside a full halt to the war for the duration of the negotiations."

"The personal guarantee of the president of the United States is a historic step without precedent. Such an agreement would advance a broader regional settlement, secure the release of all hostages, allow soldiers and reservists to return home to rebuild their families and livelihoods, and lay the foundation for Israels security - ending a war that has dragged on for nearly two years."

"We call on the Government of Israel to declare its unequivocal support for the emerging agreement and to provide President Trump with full backing until every hostage returns home- the living for rehabilitation, and the fallen for a dignified burial in their homeland," the statement concluded.
US President Donald Trump has issued what he called a "last warning" to the militant Palestinian organization Hamas in the search for an agreement on the release of Israeli hostages.

"Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.

"The Israelis have accepted my Terms," Trump claimed, without any explanation. "It is time for Hamas to accept as well."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The US president added: "I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!"

According to Israeli sources, there are still 48 hostages in the Gaza Strip, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt are mediating in the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza war.

On Wednesday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Hamas should release hostages immediately.
White House border czar Tom Homan is doubling down on President Donald Trump's stated plans to send the National Guard to Chicago, telling CNN that the next steps in the White House crime crackdown could come to the fore next week.

"Absolutely," he told Jake Tapper on Sunday on "State of the Union." "You can expect action in most sanctuary cities across the country. President Trump's prioritized sanctuary cities because sanctuary cities knowingly release illegal alien public safety threats to the streets every day. That's where the problem is."

Trump dispatched National Guard troops to Washington and took control of the city's police department in August  much to the chagrin of city residents who overwhelmingly oppose the takeover. But boasting that the nation's capital is "NOW A CRIME FREE ZONE," the president has looked to cities such as Chicago, New Orleans and Baltimore as perhaps next in his nationwide immigration and crime crackdown.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We're going in," he said of a coming National Guard deployment to Chicago last Tuesday.

"They're a force multiplier," Homan told Tapper. "They're on the table. I mean, they have been used by every administration since I have been working for the government starting in 1984. Every administration has used the Guard and the military on the border. And they have been very beneficial."

But Trump only further inflamed tensions on Saturday, when he took to Truth Social with an image depicting himself as Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore from the 1979 Vietnam War epic "Apocalypse Now."

"Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of War," the post read, referencing an order he signed Friday rebranding the Defense Department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Immediately, Democrats in Illinois and throughout the Windy City raised alarm at the veiled threat.

Homan played down their concerns, telling Tapper that Trump's quip was taken out of context, and that the president intends to go to war not with the city of Chicago, but with its criminal cartels.

"President Trump and this administration, yes, we're at war with the criminal cartels and those who want to murder and rape American citizens," he said. "You're damn right.
Related video: Trumps Working On Rules, Regulations: Sec. Rollins on Farms Relying On Migrant Labor | TRENDING (Posted Aug. 5, 2025)

A Trump administration plan to remove thousands of agriculture employees from Washington, D.C., is raising concerns among economists, who fear that such a move could erode expertise in a workforce reluctant to relocate.

The plan  a cost-saving strategy that would consolidate U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) operations and bring workers closer to their customers  would move 2,600 out of 4,600 D.C.-based employees to five regional hubs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The administrations preferred locations include Fort Collins, Colo.; Salt Lake City; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; and Raleigh, N.C. While all of these cities have existing USDA facilities, it remains unclear where each of the departments many subgroups would be headed.

Some of the issues these agencies are trying to address are national issues, Chad Hart, a professor of agricultural economics at Iowa State University, told The Hill.

Moving it from D.C. to Indianapolis doesnt necessarily make it easier for an Alabama cotton farmer to get a hold of  or someone who does aquaculture in Maine, he said.

The USDAs announcement, which came from Secretary Brooke Rollins at the end of July, justified the move by describing the departments D.C. headquarters as plagued by rampant overspending and decades of mismanagement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Following the reorganization, the USDA said that it expects no more than 2,000 employees to remain in the capital  enabling the department to vacate and return several of its buildings to the General Services Administration.

The move would also enable wage cuts, as the salary surcharge to account for the cost of living in Washington is 34 percent  greater than the 30.5 percent in Fort Collins, 22.2 percent in Raleigh, 19 percent in Kansas City, 18.1 percent in Indianapolis and 17 percent in Salt Lake City, the department noted.

While the USDA initially unveiled the plans for a 30-day public comment period ending on Aug. 31, the department ultimately extended that deadline to Sept. 30, amid flurries of skepticism on both sides of the aisle.

Much of that skepticism comes from fears that the dispersal of thousands of agricultural officials around the country could lead to widespread resignations and the resultant attrition of expertise.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Those concerns, Hart told The Hill, are based on precedent.

During President Trumps previous term in 2019, the administration ended up relocating both the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food Agriculture (NIFA) to Kansas City.

Hes done this before with other parts of USDA, and so now hes following that same blueprint here again, Hart said.

Outside of the USDA, the president that same year also decentralized the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) by moving its headquarters from Washington to Grand Junction, Colo.

Hart recalled that ERS and NIFA lost many people at the beginning of the moves. As such, he hypothesized that part of the motivation behind the current regionalization effort is also to shrink the total employment in these subagencies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Although a Government Accountability Office report about the relocations observed a temporary workforce decline that ultimately recovered, Hart stressed that the agencies are still missing a lot of institutional knowledge and operational knowledge.

The ERS, for example, saw a decline in the number of publications issued, while NIFAs ability to offer and evaluate grant applications decreased, according to Hart.

Such circumstances, he explains, require a fairly substantial upfront cost that takes several years, arguably, to diminish. He acknowledged, however, that over time, it should and will.

Dawn Thilmany, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at Colorado State University, said she believes the ERS and NIFA relocations were meant to be disruptive because they know theyre going to get attrition when they move something physically.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thilmany, who at the time was also a visiting scholar for rural economy at the ERS, noted that for part of that unit, it was actually more important to be near policymakers than producers.

Many of the ERS groups, she explained, have such strong policy analysis dimensions that she likened them to the Congressional Research Service  with staffers calling and expecting answers within 48 hours.

Looking outside the USDA at the BLM example, Hart recognized that after the Trump-era relocation to Grand Junction occurred, the Biden administration didnt necessarily just reverse those things. They opted to build upon what they had, instead of creating additional costs and uncertainty by pulling everything back again, he added.

Say you were to reorganize in three years and bring these institutions back to D.C., youre not likely going to get those seasoned individuals back, Hart said. Theyll have moved on to other jobs, other careers or other opportunities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One small upside that Thilmany observed from the previous USDA relocations was that because COVID-19 occurred soon after, the agencies were able to recruit a really talented set of young people who worked remotely.

Now Im seeing a huge swath of those young people exit again, she said.

And with the upcoming shifts now being the second round of relocations and constant volatility, Thilmany said she doesnt think anyone is going to have to think really hard about if theyre going to apply for government jobs.

If nothing else, its going to possibly lower the quality of job candidates again, she added, noting that government employment has never been seen as well paid. The trade-off was that you had stability.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thilmany also pointed out the units of the USDA that require proximity to producers already have facilities in those locations. Meanwhile, land grant universities like her own provide a bridge to whats going on in the states.

For example, one of the many hats she wears as a Colorado State University professor includes directing the USDAs Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Center.

Every agency should have a compelling reason why it does or does not need to be field-based, Thilmany said.

As far as the specific five hubs are concerned, Thilmany recalled feeling bewildered that the USDA chose these geographic-based hubs rather than announcing an agency-level reorganization.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A memorandum issued by Rollins at the time said the selection took into consideration existing concentrations of USDA employees and cost of living.

It feels like in the name of expediency, this administration has not been careful thinking about implications, Thilmany said. This may be a possibly OK move, but not at the speed it sounds like theyre going to try to do it.

Weighing the potential effects on the chosen communities, Thilmany said there is evidence certain region-based offices could provide advantages to their areas. Some of the hubs, she explained, would be situated closer to agriculture graduate students, who could benefit from working with government talent and vice versa.

Regarding Fort Collins in particular, Thilmany expressed some surprise the region was chosen, given its location in Colorado, the only blue state on the USDAs list.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were all scratching our heads, she added.

In a statement to The Hill, a USDA spokesperson said the proposed reorganization right-sizes the agencys footprint, eliminates unnecessary management layers and consolidates redundant or duplicative functions.

Most importantly, they added, it allows USDA to deliver on its mission to the American people within the bounds of its available financial resources.

All critical functions of the Department will continue uninterrupted, the spokesperson continued, adding the announcement was just a first step. Some aspects of the reorganization will be implemented over the coming months while other aspects will take more time to implement, the statement reads.

At the time of the announcement, Colorados two senators, both Democrats, voiced their approval in statements on social media, with Sen. Michael Bennet celebrating the forthcoming arrival of more USDA employees to Fort Collins.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Colorado is the best state in the country to work, raise a family, and recreate, Bennet wrote on the social platform X. If done right, Colorado farmers and ranchers will benefit from having more talented USDA employees living and working in Larimer County.

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) offered a similar perspective, noting on X that Fort Collins will be a great home for the USDAs new hub.

Done correctly, this will harness Colorados agricultural communities expertise and help better connect USDAs research to the folks on the ground, Hickenlooper stated.

For those locations slated to become regional hubs, Hart said he would expect mostly positive impacts, with local experts able to showcase their skills and farmers receiving improved services.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yet at the same time, he stressed that the regionalization strategy doesnt necessarily bode well for the national focus that many of the agencies need to uphold.

Taking a birds-eye view of the Trump administrations decision to relocate much of the USDA, Hart said from strictly his own perspective, the plan did not need to occur.

He expressed concern that as Congress builds federal agriculture and forestry policy, lawmakers will have a much smaller base of experts to rely on at home.

Like many of efficiency-oriented moves made by the Trump administration, Hart surmised the regionalization effort likely has a cost-reducing angle to it. But he questioned whether those savings will be able to occur while also maintaining or improving services.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The stated goal of connecting these agencies better with their audiences: Moving the national office doesnt help, Hart said. If anything, it might hurt.

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.
President Donald J. Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. Space Command will move its headquarters from Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

I am thrilled to report that the U.S. Space Command headquarters will move to the beautiful locale of a place called Huntsville, Alabama, Trump said at the White House. He joked the city will now be known as Rocket City.

Trump claimed the move would bring more than 30,000 jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in investments to Alabama. He also said the command will be central to building the planned Golden Dome for America missile defense system, stemming from his Jan. 27, 2025, executive order calling for a shield against foreign aerial attacks and a guaranteed second-strike capability.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We were losing the race in space very badly to China and Russia, and now were far and away No. 1 in space, Trump said. Were reestablishing Spacecom with a mission to protect American space assets and detect any threat to our homeland.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised Trumps decision, saying the move restores Spacecom to precisely where it should be for long-term strategic advantage. He added, Whoever controls the skies will control the future of warfare; and, Mr. President, today youre ensuring that happens.

Spacecom was originally established in September 1985, disestablished in 2002, and reestablished in 2019 during Trumps first term.
NEED TO KNOW

President Donald Trump expressed concerns about the new Florida policy that would eliminate school vaccine mandates

"I think you have to be very careful when you say some people dont have to be vaccinated. It's a very tough position," Trump said of the policy

Florida's proposal would lift mandates on vaccinations against diseases including measles, polio, hepatitis B and chickenpox

President Donald Trump expressed reservations about the new Florida policy that would eliminate school vaccine mandates, saying that some vaccines are "amazing."

Speaking to the press inside the Oval Office on Friday, Sept. 5, Trump, 79, said of the vaccine policy, "I think we have to be very careful. You have some vaccines that are so amazing."



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You have some vaccines that are so incredible," he continued, per The Hill, citing the polio vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine, which was developed during his first term in office.

"I think you have to be very careful when you say some people dont have to be vaccinated. It's a very tough position," Trump added of the Florida policy. "Just initially, I heard about it yesterday, and it's a tough stance."

Florida's proposal would lift mandates on vaccinations against diseases including measles, polio, hepatitis B and chickenpox, which have been required to attend public schools for decades.



Alex Wong/Getty Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Sept. 3, 2025. Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Sept. 3, 2025.

"Look, you have vaccines that work," the president added. "They just pure and simple work. Theyre not controversial at all, and I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people. And when you dont have controversy at all, I think people should take it."



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo first announced at a press conference, hosted by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, Sept. 3, that every vaccine requirement in Florida schools will be repealed.

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.

Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery," Ladapo, a longtime critic of vaccines, said during the press conference.

"Who am I as a government or anyone else, who am I as a man standing here now, to tell you what you should put in your body?" he continued. "Who am I to tell you what your child should put in [their] body? I dont have that right.

Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo speaks at a press conference in Sanford, Florida. Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo speaks at a press conference in Sanford, Florida.

Ladapo's announcement was quickly met with backlash by other Florida officials.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who is also running for Orlando mayor, said that getting rid of vaccines is reckless and dangerous and could quickly lead to outbreaks of preventable disease.

This is a public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State, she wrote on X.

House Democratic leader Fentrice Driskell also slammed the announcement and called the plan stunningly reckless.

DeSantis wants to trade the health of our kids for media headlines, she said in a statement. If this happened, Florida would be welcoming back child-killers like polio and measles with open arms.



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wednesdays announcement also comes shortly after DeSantis revealed the establishment of the Florida Make America Healthy Again commission, which will recommend state-level integration of Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s controversial Make America Healthy Again effort.

"The Florida MAHA commission will prioritize reforms that empower Floridians, reduce regulatory burdens and hold actors accountable for their conduct, while fostering incentives for healthy living and innovation," the governor said.



Read the original article on People
President Trump said Sunday hes not going to war with Chicago despite his recent social media post that depicted the city in an apocalypse and hinted at impending war.

Asked whether he was threatening to go to war with Chicago, Trump told reporters, Were not going to war. Were going to clean up our cities.

Were going to clean them up, so they dont kill five people every weekend. Thats not war. Thats common sense, Trump added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump has suggested in recent weeks that Chicago would be his next target for a large-scale immigration enforcement operations.

He has escalated his threats in recent days, and on Saturday he posted an artificially generated image of his likeness dressed in a military uniform. The AI-generated images background included a depiction of Chicago burning, with several helicopters and text that read Chipocalypse Now  a nod to the 1979 film Apocalypse Now and to the city of Chicago.

I love the smell of deportations in the morning Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR, Trump wrote, referring to his recent executive order renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) fired back in a social media post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city, Pritzker wrote. This is not a joke. This is not normal.

Donald Trump isnt a strongman, hes a scared man, he added. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

Trump border czar Tom Homan said Sunday that Chicago should absolutely expect to see immigration enforcement action in the city this coming week, saying such action could include National Guard troops.

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.
President Trump said Sunday hes ready to move forward with the second phase of sanctions against Russia amid stalled peace talks to end the war with Ukraine.

Yeah, I am, Trump told a reporter, who asked whether hes ready to move forward with Phase 2 of the sanctions.

Trump has bristled at the suggestion he has not taken action against Russia, which has continued to bombard Ukraine with drone strikes amid efforts by Trump and others to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Asked on Wednesday why hes not taken action against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump objected to the premise, pointing to the tariffs he imposed on India over its purchase of Russian oil, and he suggested that step was merely the first phase.

How do you know theres no action? Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India  the largest purchaser outside of China, theyre almost equal  would you say theres no action? Trump said, referring to the additional 25 percent tariffs placed on India for purchases of Russian oil.

That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia. You call that no action? And I havent done Phase 2 yet or Phase 3, the president added.

The move toward additional sanctions on Russia comes as progress has appeared to stall on efforts to broker a deal to end the war in Eastern Europe. The president has sought to arrange a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but there has been little progress on getting the two leaders together.

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.
WASHINGTON  Hes begged and hes pleaded. Hes cajoled and hes threatened.

Yet, more than seven months into his term, President Donald Trump has been unable to end two of the worlds bloodiest ongoing conflicts.

At one end, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has ignored deadline after deadline to end his war against Ukraine and joined authoritarian leaders recently in China for a massive show of force against the West.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More: Trump signs order renaming Department of Defense the Department of War

At the other, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose military offensive in Gaza has been accompanied by famine and has driven a growing list of countries to say theyll back Palestinian statehood.

In the middle, a president who promised to put both conflicts to bed  and whose talk of a Nobel Peace Prize is smacking up against the reality of the Gaza and Ukraine wars.

More: Russia hits Ukraine in biggest air attack of war, government HQ set ablaze

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, (2nd L-R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin walks with China's President Xi Jinping and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) speaks with China's President Xi Jinping after a group photograph before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) leave after their meeting in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Putin on September 3 thanked Kim for sending troops to oust Ukrainian soldiers from Russia's Kursk border region, saying they fought "heroically. Chinese soldiers ride in tanks during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, in Beijing, China. China's Victory Day military parade serves as a powerful display of national pride and military power. This year's parade carries heightened geopolitical weight with the attendance of 26 world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, underlining China's diplomatic alliances as it presents itself as an alternative global leader. Chinese troops march during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrive for a reception marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, (L-R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin walks with China's President Xi Jinping and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping stands in a car to review the troops during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025. Soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) march during the rehearsal ahead of a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin sees North Korean leader Kim Jong Un off following their talks after attending a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing on September 3, 2025. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin (2nd-R) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (2nd-L) meet after attending a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Putin on September 3 thanked Kim for sending troops to oust Ukrainian soldiers from Russia's Kursk border region, saying they fought "heroically. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a press conference, at the end of his visit to China for the Tianjin SCO Summit and the military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing on September 3, 2025. Soldiers march during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, in Beijing, China. China's Victory Day military parade serves as a powerful display of national pride and military power. This year's parade carries heightened geopolitical weight with the attendance of leaders like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Narendra Modi, underlining China's diplomatic alliances as it presents itself as an alternative global leader. Armored vehicles and soldiers are seen during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, in Beijing, China. China's Victory Day military parade serves as a powerful display of national pride and military power. This year's parade carries heightened geopolitical weight with the attendance of leaders like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Narendra Modi, underlining China's diplomatic alliances as it presents itself as an alternative global leader. Putin and Kim Jong Un join Xi in Beijing for China WWII victory parade 1 of 14 In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, (2nd L-R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin walks with China's President Xi Jinping and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025.

When it comes to his peacemaking efforts, Trump says he just wants to stop the killing. He has denied craving what is perhaps the most prestigious award in the world.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You cant put yourself in that position, Trump told The Daily Caller on Aug. 29. But I can say this, nobodys done in history what Ive done.

More: Did Trump end 7 wars? Here is what he says

Even as Trump has stalled in Ukraine and Gaza, he has said more than once that he deserves the prize for resolving smaller conflicts during his two terms as president. The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Oct. 10 in Oslo, Norway.

They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize, Trump said during a Feb. 4 meeting with Netanyahu in the Oval Office. It's too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More: Israeli military pushes further into Gaza City, forcing more displacement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hands over a nomination letter as he tells President Donald Trump he has nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, during a bilateral dinner, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 7, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Norwegian cold call?

In August, the Norwegian newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv reported that Norways finance finister, Jens Stoltenberg, had received an unplanned call from Trump to discuss tariffs  and the Nobel Prize.

Nobel Prize medal replica is on display inside the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway September 19, 2022.

Stoltenberg, a former prime minister, told Reuters the call was to discuss tariffs and economic cooperation. "I will not go into further detail about the content of the conversation," he added. (The five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards each years Nobel Peace Prize, is appointed by Norways parliament.)

The Nobel fixation has drawn ridicule from some of Trumps opponents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump is begging foreign leaders to put him up for the Nobel Prize. Have we ever had a president so pathetic? Does that sound like someone whos firing on all cylinders? Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a Sept. 2 post on X.

Trump the peacemaker

Trump says he deserves credit for ending seven wars. The White House says he is counting conflicts that would have broken out if he hadnt stepped in.

It listed the halt in fighting between Israel and Iran  which ended after the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites  and agreements between Thailand and Cambodia, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Serbia and Kosovo.

U.S. President Donald Trump holds the hands of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as they shake hands between each other during a trilateral signing event, at the White House, in Washington, D.C., August 8, 2025.

No president in history has done more to advance the cause of peace, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters on Aug. 29 as he brought up Trumps Nobel nominations in response to a question about the president's faith in Putin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Foreign policy experts have said several of the White House's examples do not qualify as wars. The Serbia-Kosovo deal is an economic normalization agreement from Trump's first term.

More: The latest group supporting Trump's desire for a Nobel Peace Prize? Cambodian monks

Trumps role in halting cross-border violence between India and Pakistan has been disputed by New Delhi. Still, Islamabad nominated him for the Nobel Prize for what it called stellar statesmanship. The leaders of at least four countries, including Netanyahu, have said they would put Trump up for the prize.

Rep. Claudia Tenney, a Republican from New York, has twice nominated Trump for the Nobel Prize for the 2020 Abraham Accords peace agreements between several Arab countries and Israel.

Nobel dreams and disappointment

Trump has groused that he wont win the ultimate recognition for stopping any of the conflicts.

Nobel Prize medals replicas are displayed inside the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway September 19, 2022.

No, I wont get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and thats all that matters to me! he said in a June 20 post on Truth Social.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Amid the Peace Prize talk, hes also moved to change the name of the U.S. Defense Department to the Department of War.

In Barack Obama's footsteps?

Only four U.S. presidents and former presidents have received the prize: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama.

Carter won in 2002, two decades after leaving office. Obamas 2009 award came just nine months into his presidency.

He's done a lot more to earn the Nobel Peace Prize than Barack Obama did when he got it. So I imagine that it is probably frustrating for him, Leslie Shedd, a former senior advisor to the House Foreign Affairs Committee whos now a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, said of Trump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jon Alterman, a former State Department official and current Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said many past winners had engaged in peace negotiations for years before receiving the award.

It's partly about timing. It's partly about circumstances. It's partly about relationships, he said. What it's not about is you just come up with a perfect formula, and we're done.

President Barack Obama sits during the Nobel Peace prize award ceremony at the City Hall in Oslo on December 10, 2009.

No capitulation prize

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost the 2016 election to Trump, said in August she would personally nominate him if the president could end the Ukraine war without ceding territory to Russia.

But a peace forged on Russian terms is unlikely to win Trump a Nobel Peace Prize: One doesnt get the prize for capitulation, Council on Foreign Relations President Michael Froman wrote in a recent column.

After his Alaska summit with Putin in August, Trump was caught on a hot mic telling French President Emmanuel Macron, I think he wants to make a deal for me.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since then, however, Putin has said he'll only meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if he comes to Moscow. (Zelenskyy responded that if Putin did not want to meet, inviting him to Moscow was a surefire way.)

More: Russia hits Ukraine in biggest air attack of war, government HQ set ablaze

President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025.

Touting his very good relationship with Putin, Trump reflected on Sept. 3 that he thought it would be much easier, to solve the war, which he famously bragged he could end in one day.

Is Trump 'too eager'?

Alterman, the analyst at CSIS, said that appearing too eager or too urgent to make a deal can become a tool that's used against you rather than leverage in your favor in negotiations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the case of Netanyahu, who has rejected calls from Trump and other world leaders to quit his campaign to eradicate Hamas amid the destruction of Gaza and the deaths of more than 60,000 Palestinians, Alterman said Netanyahu views the fight as one for Israels survival.

For a lot of Israelis, they say that October 7th reinforced that there's no cure for Palestinian hostility, Alterman said.

In March, Trump gave Hamas an ultimatum, saying there would be hell to pay and it will OVER for you if hostages were not released.

He took to social media on Sept. 3 to seemingly advise the Israeli government to tell Hamas to IMMEDIATELY give back the roughly 20 living hostages and things will change rapidly. IT WILL END!

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He issued yet another ultimatum on Sept. 7, writing, "The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!"

'What a bloody mess'

But after Trump noted that it was Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that began the war, he said it was time for Netanyahu to wrap up his operation.

Residents hide in a shelter during a Russian drone strike, amid Russias attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 7, 2025.

That was about as bad as it gets, and nobody can forget that, Trump said of Oct. 7, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed. With that being said, it's got to get over with.

Responding to the ongoing war, leaders of Australia, Britain, France, Canada, and Belgium have announced plans, some with conditions, to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, which Trump is set to address on Sept. 23.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As Putin blew past yet another of Trump's deadlines, the president lamented Sept. 2 that he was disappointed and said theyd speak soon.

Sometimes you never know with war, Trump said the next day. War is complex and dangerous and  and what a mess. What a bloody mess.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize. He may have to end more wars.
President Donald Trump tried to downplay a bizarre social media post in which he seemingly threatened to declare war in Chicago by stating he just wants to clean up the city.

Communities across the Windy City are bracing for Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids to begin, as the president has promised that Chicago is ICEs next target to fulfill his mass deportation agenda.

While addressing reporters Sunday before leaving the White House for the U.S. Open in New York, Trump appeared to try and backtrack on a bizarre social media post he made the previous day that read, Chicago is about to find out why its called the Department of WAR.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Saturday morning post was complete with an AI-generated image of Trump in a cowboy hat sitting in front of a burning Chicago, along with the phrase Chipocalypse Now, seemingly in reference to the 1979 Vietnam War movie Apocalypse Now.

When questioned about the post, and whether he was threatening war with Chicago, Trump replied: Were not going to war. Were going to clean up our cities.

President Donald Trump tried to downplay a bizarre social media post he made that seemed to threaten war in Chicago. (AFP via Getty Images)

Trump shared the bizarre AI-generated image of himself dressed as a cowboy in front of a burning Chicago on Saturday. (@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social)

Trump signed an executive order on Friday changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, a move he said was to indicate that America has the strongest military.

Despite the presidents clarification on Sunday, White House border czar Tom Homan doubled down on Trumps initial claims, telling CNN that a crackdown in Chicago would likely be underway this week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Absolutely, Homan told Jake Tapper on Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. You can expect action in most sanctuary cities across the country. President Trump prioritized sanctuary cities because sanctuary cities knowingly release illegal alien public safety threats to the streets every day. Thats where the problem is.

Trump dispatched National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., in August as part of his crime crackdown . Following the takeover, Trump declared the city was a crime free zone, and vowed to take similar action in other cities, including Chicago.

Homan said the National Guard would likely be deployed to Chicago, as well, calling the troops a force multiplier.

Theyre on the table. I mean, they have been used by every administration since I have been working for the government starting in 1984, Homan told Tapper. Every administration has used the Guard and the military on the border. And they have been very beneficial.

Protesters against Trumps immigration agenda have taken to the streets of Chicago in recent days. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Democratic leaders in Chicago did not take well to Trumps threatening post, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who called the president a wannabe dictator.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator, Pritzker wrote on X.

Homan, however, said Trumps message was taken out of context, saying that Trump will go to war with Chicagos criminal cartels  not the city itself.

President Trump and this administration, yes, were at war with the criminal cartels and those who want to murder and rape American citizens, Homan said. Youre damn right.
By Jessica Ware and her research team

The consequences of transphobia, racism and xenophobia being written into this years presidential executive orders, coupled with cuts to research funding, have a direct and likely long-lasting impact on scientific advancement  not just within our country, but globally.

When people suffer, science suffers.

We are scientists who study insects, and we see our own stories and conflicts reflected in their lives. Young dragonflies live and develop in freshwater sources like ponds and lakes, then emerge as flying adults after months or years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dragonflies require a healthy freshwater ecosystem that can support an abundance of species  plant life to hide in, microscopic organisms to clean up waste, prey to feed on, and larger animals that shape and buffer their environment.

If a pond becomes unsuitable due to human impacts like habitat degradation or pollution, young dragonflies may never reach adulthood. These individual deaths, however small, can be an indicator that the fragile natural balance of an ecosystem is heading towards collapse.

The dragonfly pond can be seen as a metaphor for our scientific discipline.

Much like dragonflies, scientists need habitats conducive to their development. In respectful, healthy workplaces, we can conduct research efficiently and creatively. In contrast, we can no longer conduct science when our working environment, like a polluted pond to a dragonfly, becomes untenable.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

White House decisions about federal funding, human rights, and the environment directly affect the ability of scientists to thrive as people which consequently hampers research productivity.

There are a myriad of ways that we scientists  especially those of us with marginalized identities  are impacted by national policies.

Transgender rights, protections, and identity recognition are being actively dismantled by the current administration. Without systemic and societal support, safely conducting research becomes increasingly challenging.

Many individuals have only a few locations in the country where healthcare coverage is secure and they can exist without threat, much less contribute to the growth of human knowledge.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Likewise, blatant racism and xenophobia put non-U.S. citizens and people of color at risk. In the sciences, such individuals now face added scrutiny when conducting fieldwork, going into their workplaces, and traveling for scientific conferences and collaborations.

International travel has recently increased non-citizens chances of being questioned, detained, or even deported at ports of entry to the U.S.; several universities are now issuing travel advisories for international students.

We are less efficient, effective, and creative in our science when we are also living in fear of bias-driven violence, fighting to get healthcare, and/or battling visa issues.

In addition to workplace fears and a general sense of hostility targeting specific groups, academic freedom, and freedom of speech in general, is also in dire jeopardy. For example, local university student Mahmoud Khalil was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for his protected speech in an academic setting; his case awaits trial in a New Jersey federal court.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several additional authors of this piece have chosen to remain anonymous due to the current threats to safety and livelihood we face when speaking out against unlawful administrative actions.

Just as a pond provides resources to a dragonfly and vice versa, so exists the reciprocal relationship between scientists and the government that funds their work.

Without support from government institutions like the National Science Foundation (NSF), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), it is impossible to do science.

With federal funding, scientists are providing a service to the American people and people around the world. Epidemiologists are researching viruses, agricultural scientists are working to protect food crops, geologists are monitoring earthquakes at fault lines, astrophysicists are exploring the possibilities of life beyond Earths horizon, biologists are catching dragonflies to monitor ecosystem health, and countless others are working to understand the science that shapes our universe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Their discoveries drive fundamental knowledge and applications that allow all life to thrive, locally and globally. Further, any projects deemed DEI relevant have been defunded, though marginalized groups and minorities are often disproportionately affected by environmental and systemic difficulties.

Federal funding supports both research activities and the people who conduct them. Paychecks, visa sponsorship, health insurance, affinity groups, a sense of belonging, and the future of science itself depend on public investment. We must come together to resist attempts to undermine our identities and our work.

Supporting science starts with supporting people. Efforts of the current administration to change the scientific landscape are short-sighted  innovation has always and will always come from diversity.

Jessica Ware, a Cranbury resident, is a curator and department chair of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History. Her researchers at the museum, PhD students Katherine O. Montana, Jessica L. Ware, Rebecca Jean A. Millena, Anna Eichert, Ellie Gamett, and Erin Krichilsky, co-authored this piece.

Read the original article on NJ.com.
Earlier this year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) moved forward with a significant policy change, requiring every traveler going through airport security to have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification.

For months and weeks leading up to the deadline, the TSA was urging travelers to update their driver's license cards to become compliant with the new standards, and millions of travelers across the country did just that, taking time and money to update their ID.

Unfortunately, a few months after that rollout, the TSA seems to have run into a problem with some of those IDs.

TSA Rolls Out REAL ID Requirements

On May 7, 2025, the TSA officially began requiring all passengers to have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification. This can include a REAL ID-compliant drivers license, a passport, or a number of alternatives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The REAL ID Act was actually originally passed by Congress in 2005 to set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as drivers licenses and identification cards. It took about two decades before it finally went into effect, but it's now a requirement.

A Problem With Some REAL ID Cards

After the TSA rolled out the new REAL ID requirements, some travelers went through airport security only to find that their new, REAL ID-compliant driver's license could not be scanned by the TSA scanners.

Late last month, a number of travelers from the state of Maine reached out to the Maine secretary of state's office after the TSA could not properly read the bar codes on their new READ ID-compliant IDs.

The office said that the issue has been remedied, and BMV and TSA staff traced the problem back to one instant-issue printing machine, which has since been repaired.

What to Do If You Might Be Impacted

While the problem has been solved, that does not change the fact that some people were given what they thought were REAL ID-compliant IDs and now have an ID card that will not scan if they bring it through airport security.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you or someone you know has problems using their REAL ID, the bad news is that they will need a new card. The good news, however, is that it will be sent to them free of charge.

Anyone who experiences scanning problems with their REAL ID should contact the Maine BMV at license.bmv@maine.gov. Replacement cards will be mailed at no cost, according to the Maine secretary of state's office.

The office did not share how many ID cards were impacted by the issue.

Similar Issues With Other States

While this is an isolated incident limited to one printing device in one state in the country, there has been at least one similar issue in another state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier this summer, New Hampshire residents faced similar issues with cards failing to scan at the TSA checkpoint after the state redesigned its identification cards. However, in this case, it was a problem with TSA technology, not the card itself.

Everyone who has received the new design should rest assured that their identification is valid, REAL ID-compliant, and was thoroughly reviewed and approved by a variety of stakeholders, including the Department of Homeland Security, before it was finalized and went into production, said New Hampshire DMV Director John Marasco back in May. The leadership team at the DMV, along with representatives from our license design vendor, will remain in close contact with the TSA until this issue is resolved.

The issue has since been resolved, but the TSA also noted that there are other ways to verify an ID if the system does not work correctly.

TSA has alternate measures in place for situations where the Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) system is unable to validate an ID as well as the ability to verify the identity of those passengers who do not have their ID, said TSA New England Region spokesperson Daniel Velez.

What You Should Do

It's important to note that even though the cards failed to scan, no travelers were prevented from traveling  they just had the ID card or their identification verified in other ways.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, if you are worried about the possibility that your ID might not be accepted at the TSA checkpoint, there are are few things you can do.

Pack a backup ID. The best thing to do is to pack a backup form of identification in case your primary identification does not scan properly. This can be a passport as well as a number of other alternatives.

Manual ID Verification: Ask the officer to perform manual ID verification. While this can take more time, it is possible for your identity to be verified if your card won't scan.

Give yourself Extra Time. Make sure to give yourself a little bit more cushion before your flight, as some manual checks add time.

And be sure to stay up to date on all of the TSA's policy changes.

This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Sep 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
By Bulent Usta and Umit Bektas

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's main opposition CHP called on citizens and residents of Istanbul to gather on Sunday, after police set up barricades in areas around its headquarters in the city, in what the party leader called a "siege".

The Republican People's Party (CHP) has been the target of a months-long legal crackdown, which has swept up hundreds of its members - including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival - whose March arrest set off Turkey's largest street protests in a decade.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The CHP has denied all accusations against it and said the legal measures are politicised attempts at eliminating electoral threats against Erdogan and weakening the opposition.

The latest moves against the CHP began on Tuesday when a court ordered the removal of the party's Istanbul provincial head over alleged irregularities in a 2023 congress.

Speaking at a CHP event in Istanbul, the party's chairman, Ozgur Ozel, called on Turks to gather and demonstrate against the court decision and the crackdown against his party, as well as the police measures to set up barricades around the headquarters and restrict public access to it.

"From here, I invite all democrats and CHP members whom my words and voice reach to, to protect the home of Ataturk in Istanbul," he said, referring to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, modern Turkey's founder.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Shame on those who have put our home under police siege, who brought police special forces to our Istanbul provincial headquarters ... to those trying to cancel our Istanbul provincial congress via unauthorised courts and seat an appointee there."

The CHP's youth wing also called on all Istanbul residents to gather at the party's provincial headquarters at 2000 GMT. The party will also organise another demonstration on Monday at 0700 GMT, it said.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the court had decided in its ruling on Tuesday to appoint an interim delegation to run the CHP's Istanbul team and that disregarding that decision amounted to obstruction of justice. He made the remark after Ozel said the appointment was null and void for the party.

"Disregarding court rulings, trying to pour people out onto the streets is openly challenging the law. Nobody is above the laws. The state will do what is necessary against any illegal initiative with determination," Yerlikaya said on X, adding that it would "never allow" public order to be disrupted.

(Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Paul Simao)
The blood moon, otherwise known as a total lunar eclipse, has been surrounded by superstition for centuries - often with dark or apocalyptic connotations.

In many cultures - from Babylon to China to Central America - the blood moon was interpreted as a threatening sign: for the death of rulers, impending wars, natural disasters or "divine punishments".

In some African cultures, on the other hand, it is seen as a sign of "renewal". The Batammaliba, a West African ethnic group in Togo and Benin, interpret a lunar eclipse - especially a "blood moon" - as a symbolic battle between the sun and the moon. They try to resolve conflicts - and "reconcile the sun and the moon" - by creating peace in their communities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For astronomers and astrologers of our time, this event is equally interesting - even if opinions are divided here again.

Longest lunar eclipse in years

On Sunday, we are now facing a total lunar eclipse - at around 82 minutes, the longest since 2022.

The Earth will be exactly between the sun and the moon. Its shadow will fall completely on the moon, darkening it. Only red-coloured light penetrates the Earth's atmosphere and falls refracted onto the moon - hence its reddish appearance and the popular term "blood moon".

Dr Florian Freistetter, an astronomer and science writer says from a scientific point of view, there is not much left to observe about the eclipses: "Astronomy has researched everything that can reasonably be researched in the last century. But that also means that I can enjoy the sight of an eclipse in peace without having to worry about science."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Keyword "science": In antiquity and the Middle Ages, astrology and astronomy were not separate - both were concerned with the observation of celestial bodies and existed side by side with their different interpretations. Astrology was practised from Babylon to Greece, India and the Arab world and was an integral part of medicine, philosophy, the church and politics.

The Age of Enlightenment brought about a turning point

This changed with the Age of Enlightenment, an era that lasted from around the 16th to the 18th century. It originated in Europe and later spread worldwide.

French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650) played a key role in this intellectual movement, which above all declared reason to be the basis of thought: "I think, therefore I am". Astrology, which deals with the significance of the position of celestial bodies for earthly events, contradicted a view of nature in which there was nothing that could not be explained physically and therefore no longer fitted in with the dominant view of science.

Rousseau: an outdated image of women today

Incidentally, many Enlightenment thinkers, including Kant, Rousseau and Voltaire, also held the idea that women were inherently less rational and therefore better suited to the family and raising children. For Rousseau, women were primarily mothers and companions, not equal citizens.

Image of the Moons shadow over England during a total solar eclipse on the morning of April 22, 1715. - University of Cambridge, Institute of Astronomy Library (Edmond Halley, astronomer, mathematician, cartographer, geophysicist, and meteorologist, 16561742)

Dr. Gerhard Meyer, a qualified psychologist and researcher in the Department of Empirical Cultural and Social Research at his Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology in Freiburg, explains that this was an era in which man's relationship with nature changed significantly. "The idea that the world can be understood as a machine that functions according to mechanical principles became dominant for science - with physics as a leading science."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Related

At the same time, however, a parallel current emerged at the end of the 17th century: the age of Romanticism. Its followers rejected a mechanistic view of the world and were interested in the soul, the unconscious and also the invisible and only tangible.

Dr Meyer believes that astrology can be scientifically investigated, as "the underlying planetary movements are regular and predictable. The problem is the high complexity of the interrelationships." He hopes that artificial intelligence (AI) will help to better deal with this complexity in the future.

"Esoteric nonsense"

For the astronomer Freistetter, astrology is simply esoteric nonsense: "There is absolutely no reason why the whole thing should work and why the apparent position in the sky of a few spheres of rock, metal and gas millions of kilometres away should somehow say something about our personal lives and our future."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Astrology cannot work because it is completely inconsistent: "There are no astrological rules that say which celestial bodies play a role in the horoscope and which do not," emphasises Freistetter.

Islamic clerics look for the new moon that marks the beginning of Ramadan at the observatory of Muhammadiyah University in Medan, Indonesia. 10 March 2024 - Binsar Bakkara/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.

Silke Schafer, one of the best-known astrologers in the German-speaking world, who runs her own astrology school, disagrees: "This is a classic statement that often comes from astronomers who only have a superficial knowledge of astrology."

The rules of astrology are by no means arbitrary, but are learnt step by step in comprehensive specialist studies. For Schafer, this is a cultural heritage that has existed "for over 2000 years with a clearly structured system of symbols". The basis is the zodiac with its 12 signs, which are based exactly on the ecliptic, i.e. the orbit of the earth around the sun. "There are clearly defined planetary rulers, aspect angles (conjunction, square, trine, etc.) and house systems."

Astrology vs. astronomy

And why should this work?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Astrology describes correlations of meaning, not causal mechanics," explains Schafer. "The planets don't 'cause' anything in the physical sense, but reflect rhythms, cycles and archetypes that can be observed in nature, history and biography."

The principle of analogy should not be confused with the causal logic of physics.

Psychologist Markus Jehle from Berlin, author of several specialised books on astrology, goes one step further: "We use planetary data from NASA for our software and the calculations we make are highly precise." The astronomers would use their arguments again and again to attract attention.

"After all, you can also measure air temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit, so it doesn't negate the accuracy of the other unit of measurement."

This artwork provided by NASA shows the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2). - AP/AP

Astronomers generally don't understand much about a "knowledge system of astrology", says Dr Mayer. "The ignorance here is on the part of the astronomers, because astrologers have known since ancient times that there is a precession of the vernal equinox: Astrology doesn't work with constellations, but with signs of the zodiac, which form a fictitious annual cycle divided into 30 sections."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Astrology is not a scientific experiment, adds Silke Schafer, but a "hermeneutic", an art of interpretation. As with literary studies or psychotherapy, there are rules, but also room for interpretation.

"Instead of devaluing each other, it would be fruitful to recognise each other: Astronomy and astrology both deal with the heavens. Astronomy with the measurable facts, astrology with the meanings for us humans and evolution as a whole. The two complement each other and belong together. They always have."

France's ex-President Mitterand went to an astrologer

Are there any examples of contemporary politicians who have gone to astrologers? Francois Mitterrand, the longest-serving French president to date (1981-1995), regularly sought advice from Swiss astrologer Elizabeth Teissier - both on personal issues such as his health and on decisions relevant to the state, such as the Gulf War or the timing of the Maastricht referendum.

This Sunday, 7 September, the blood moon will be a total lunar eclipse that will be clearly visible in many parts of Europe. Some astrologers regard this event as a powerful full moon that can bring individual turning points. That which has had its day in life would clearly show itself so that it can be left behind. In their opinion, this has nothing to do with superstition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For Dr Freistetter, eclipses are interesting and fascinating, but for a different reason: "Above all, it is an aesthetically impressive natural event and we are lucky to live on a planet where we can observe something like this. The Earth is in a unique position so that the sun and moon appear exactly the same size in our sky - coincidentally - and can therefore obscure each other."

One thing is certain: You can relax and enjoy this Sunday's lunar eclipse as a natural event: statistical studies show no connection between blood moons and (natural) disasters.
For Alison Joseph, watching her 9-year-old son Noah splashing around in the swimming pool this summer for the first time was bittersweet.

Overjoyed that Noah had learned to swim, the mom was simultaneously reminded that her other son, 10-year-old Hunter, couldnt join in.

Hunter sees his younger brother and how well he's doing, Alison told The Independent. And I think there is some sadness that he wants to be able to play outside longer, and do all the things that his brother is now finding so much easier.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Noah and Hunter both have Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most severe form of the genetic disorder. The disease causes muscle degeneration and weakness due to a mutation in the gene that produces dystrophin, a protein that protects muscle fibers from breaking down.

The disease, which mostly affects boys, gets worse over time. It makes it difficult to walk, run, jump, and play, with children often delayed in reaching milestones like crawling, walking and talking. The boys will likely use wheelchairs when they are teenagers, and life expectancy ranges between 30 and 40 years old.

Hunter, 10, (left) and brother Noah, 9, (right) were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2017. Noah received pioneering gene therapy in March this year, which has significantly helped his mobility, his parents said. But Hunters insurance claim for the same treatment was denied. (Alison Joseph)

In March, Noah received pioneering gene therapy to improve his mobility and quality of life through Alisons health insurance plan. But when Hunters application was submitted in late May, authorization for exactly the same treatment was denied.

The reason on our denial letters is that it's not medically necessary, the mom-of-three said from her home in Winnetka, just outside Chicago. It was very blindsiding. They didn't ever deny my other son, it was approved the first go. So I was very taken aback.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alison, a physician, and her husband William, who works in finance, are now grappling with how to move forward following the decision from health insurance giant, Blue Cross Blue Shield. They say they have been put in an impossible and heartbreaking situation.

The Independent contacted Blue Cross Blue Shield for comment, and asked why the treatment was only covered for Noah when both boys have the same disease. The Independent also asked the company whether it would reconsider the denial in Hunters case and to respond to accusations that the decision was unfair.

To protect our members privacy, we do not publicly discuss individual cases, a Blue Cross Blue Shield spokesperson said. We do want our members to know that medical experts, including doctors, are involved in reviews to ensure the treatments and services our members receive are evidence-based and not duplicative. Decisions are guided by nationwide best practices for care, helping to identify what has proven successful for members in the past.

With every passing day, Hunters condition gets worse.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His muscle is wasting away every day, Alison, 44, said. He's going to be in a wheelchair in the next few years and it just doesn't seem right that they are not going to allow him to get this treatment. They're wasting his time. And its just not fair.

The brothers were diagnosed with DMD in 2017 after tests showed Hunter had elevated liver enzymes, which is indicative of the condition. Three months later, when further tests showed the levels had not returned to normal, a specialist delivered the devastating diagnosis.

DMD is a genetic disorder and so Noah and 12-year-old brother Carter were tested following Hunters diagnosis. Carter did not have the disease, but Noahs results came back positive. It was a triple blow for Alison, who not only had to process the fact that two of her children had the life-limiting illness but that she was a carrier of the disease.

The parents and their eldest son Carter have had to go through the pain of witnessing Hunter and Noah gradually decline over the years, as DMD has no cure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But in 2023, there was a glimmer of hope when the gene therapy, Elevidys, manufactured by Sarepta Therapeutics, received accelerated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Alison and husband William, pictured with their boys Hunter, Noah and Carter. Both of the younger boys were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2017, which has no cure (Alison Joseph)

The new treatment, which comes with a $3.2 million price tag, helps improve muscle function and motor skills. So far, over 900 patients have had the treatment, the company says, but given how novel the medicine is, critics say there is limited evidence that the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks.

But doctors are cautiously optimistic.

All these newer gene transfer therapies are opening doors for these boys to possibly live longer and lead a good quality of life, said Dr Aravindhan Veerapandiyan of Arkansas Childrens Hospital. Its changing the trajectory of the disease, changing the trajectory of their lives, improving the quality of life for the boys and their families.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Elevidys is not without controversy. It was approved by the FDA in 2023 but limited to children between 4 and 5 years old, who are able to walk. In 2024, the treatment was expanded to include patients 4 years and older.

But Public Citizen, a nonprofit which acts an ethics watchdog for clinical trials, said the FDA approval was ill-advised because it was not supported by favorable FDA scientific reviews. Nor did clinical trials demonstrate that children with the disease maintained or regained gross motor abilities, the group added.

There was heightened concern in July when the FDA told Sarepta to suspend distribution of the drug while the agency investigated the death of an 8-year-old boy. The FDA subsequently concluded the death was unrelated to the gene therapy product itself but the agency has still recommended the company pause distribution of the drug in patients who cannot walk. However, this doesnt apply to Noah or Hunter, who can both still walk and play with their older brother, Carter.

For Alison and William, Elevidys was worth trying. We had very serious conversations with our doctors, but we also know the natural progression of the disease, Alison said. So we were willing to take that risk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Noah has had very obvious and noticeable improvements since his treatment in March at Arkansas Childrens Hospital in Little Rock, his parents said. Elevidys was administered as a one-time infusion.

End of day fatigue and leg pain was something that he complained of frequently, and he has not complained of it once since getting gene therapy, Alison said. He learned how to swim this summer. His overall endurance is so much better.

Hunter, meanwhile, continues to suffer.

So many people now will say, Oh my gosh, Noah's doing so well We can't believe he's swimming, he's this, he's that, Alison said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And, I'm like, Oh my gosh, please don't let Hunter hear because I know that he's thinking that he's not able to do those things. And it's just heartbreaking.

Before Noahs treatment was given the green light by the insurance company, both boys underwent their routine, annual cardiac MRIs to take a closer look at their hearts.

Noah has had very obvious and noticeable improvements since his treatment in March at Arkansas Childrens Hospital in Little Rock, his parents said. Noah (left) with his brothers, Hunter (right) and Carter (center) (Alison Joseph)

A cardiologist determined that the risk with the treatment was greater for Hunter than it was for Noah, whose MRI showed normal cardiac function for a child. Therefore, the family decided that Noah should have the treatment first.

We collectively made a decision that the safest thing to do is give it to his brother, Alison explained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The insurance company gave the green light for Noahs treatment on November 1, 2024, and he received it a few months later in March 2025.

After Noahs treatment went well, doctors, including cardiologists, then gave their approval in April for Hunter to have the same treatment. BCBS denied coverage for the treatment in June.

We were so excited that they gave us the green light. It was like, Oh my gosh, let's go. Let's do it, Alison recalled. We told Hunter, Its your turn, never expecting the insurance to say no.

The mom asked: I mean, how could they say no to him when they already said yes to his brother and he successfully had it?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A few weeks ago, after digging through health insurance paperwork, Alison and William claim that after Noah received approval from BCBS in November 2024 for Elevidys, the insurance firm quietly updated company policy on January 1, 2025 to exclude the childrens specific DND mutation from coverage for the gene therapy.

I don't think it's coincidence, Alison said. I think that they knew that we had another child and we were going to be seeking this out [again.]

The insurance company did not address the allegation when The Independent contacted them for comment.

The parents are running out of options to get their son the life-improving treatment unless BCBS reconsiders the claim.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They have appealed the decision with the insurance giant.

The couple has also contacted representatives in Arkansas, where Hunter would receive the gene therapy treatment, and in their home state of Illinois.

Arkansas state representatives Andrew Collins and Tippi McCullough both offered the family assistance, while Arkansas U.S. Senator Tom Cotton supported the family in reaching out to the federal Office of Personnel Management, Alison said. The parents have also consulted with a lawyer to weigh their options.

I am starting to feel helpless, said Alison. I feel like we have tried to make the best decisions for them all these years, and now the choice has been taken away from us.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Time is not on Hunters side and the gene therapy is his best chance of having the most comfortable life possible, his parents said.

This is the age when the boys really do start to decline pretty quickly, said Alison. We have seen a significant decline in him in the last few months, which is just so scary.

The therapy can stop the diseases progression. We are just watching him decline before our eyes.
Two people have been arrested in connection with an ongoing investigation into a string of handicap parking placard thefts.

55-year-old Andrea Doucette-Keating and 37-year-old Zachary Shelton, both of Brighton, are being charged with various property-related offenses.

According to Boston police, in 2025, in Brighton, 19 incidents of handicap placard theft have been reported in the district, prompting an extensive ongoing investigation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to police, investigators identified three incidents in which handicap placards were stolen: June 30, 2025, at 82 Glenville Avenue, and August 14, 2025, at both 95 Washington Street and 34 Fidelis Way.

Evidence recovered from these incidents led investigators to identify Doucette-Keating as a suspect, police said.

Further investigation established Doucette-Keating as the primary thief and Shelton as the organizer, supplier of tools, and distributor of the stolen placards.

On Thursday, August 21, Doucette-Keating was arrested at 35 Fidelis Way and later arraigned on charges including breaking and entering a motor vehicle, malicious damage to a motor vehicle, larceny from a motor vehicle, and possession of burglarious tools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Thursday, September 4, detectives executed a search warrant at Sheltons residence at 1662 Commonwealth Avenue. The search resulted in the recovery of multiple stolen handicap placards, a window punch, cocaine, and a Glock-style BB gun with the safety tip removed.

Detectives are in the process of executing a second search warrant on Sheltons motor vehicle, where another stolen handicap placard was observed hanging inside.

Shelton was arrested and is expected to be arraigned in Brighton District Court on charges including larceny less than $250 from a person over 60, stealing a handicap placard, breaking and entering a motor vehicle, possession of burglarious tools (Window Punch), malicious destruction of a motor vehicle, and consequences and how to report.

Residents who suspect a handicap placard may be fake or misused are encouraged to report it to the police.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

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
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Authorities responded to reports of a shots fired at a public park in the Southcrest neighborhood on Saturday night.

According to the San Diego Police Department, officers found two shooting victims around 11:12 p.m. in the area of Dorothy Petway Neighborhood Park, located in the 1300 block of Rigel Street.

New veterinary center for senior pets opens in Ramona

Police are seen responding to a shooting in the area of Dorothy Petway Neighborhood Park on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2025. (KSWB)

Police said that both individuals were transported to a local hospital and are reported to be in stable condition. No further information about the victims was immediately provided.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An investigation into the shooting remains ongoing. At this point, police have not disclosed the circumstances leading up to the incident.

FOX 5/KUSI will provide more information as it comes into the newsroom.

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.
The U.S. Marshals Service asked the public for help locating a Glendale homicide suspect on the loose since 2021 and offered up to a $3,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest.

In August 2021, Horace Gyles III, 38, shot and killed a man at a residence near Glendale and 67th avenues, according to the Glendale Police Department in a Facebook post. The unidentified man was believed to have owed Gyles money, according to Glendale police.

Considered armed and dangerous, the U.S. Marshals described Gyles as a Black man, about 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 165 pounds. He has brown eyes, black hair, and tattoos that include skulls on his neck and right arm and three dots near his eye, according to the Marshals Service.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He goes by aliases Lil Junya, Noah Taylor and V, the Marshals Service said.

A wanted poster for Horace Gyles III provided by the U.S. Marshals, who offered up to $3,000 for tips that led to the arrest of the 2021 murder suspect.

Gyles has ties to Arizona, Illinois, Nevada and Texas, according to the Marshals Service. His last confirmed spotting was in Kankakee, Illinois, in 2023, the Marshals Service said.

The U.S. Marshals Service said they were working in conjunction with the Glendale Police Department.

The Marshals warned that Gyles should not be approached if seen. Instead, anyone with information about the whereabouts of Gyles can call the U.S. Marshals Service's 24-hour line at 1-877-926-8332. Tips may also be reported 24/7 through the USMS tips app at www.usmarshals.gov/tips.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rey Covarrubias Jr. reports breaking news for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@gannett.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Glendale homicide suspect Horace Gyles III wanted since 2021
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are investigating a bogus email purportedly from a Republican lawmaker that contained malware apparently aimed at giving China insights into the Trump administration's trade talks with Beijing, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The malware in the email that appeared to be sent by Representative John Moolenaar in July to U.S. trade groups, law firms and government agencies was traced by cyber analysts to a hacker group - APT41 - believed to be working for Chinese intelligence, the newspaper said.

Moolenaar, a harsh critic of Beijing, is the chairman of a congressional committee focused on strategic competition between China and the United States, including threats to U.S. national security.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The email was the latest alleged Beijing-linked hacking operation aimed at giving China insight into recommendations to the White House for contentious trade talks with China, said the Journal, quoting people familiar with the matter.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said it was not familiar with the details of the reported attack and that all countries face cyberattacks that are difficult to trace.

"China firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber attacks and cyber crime," it said in an emailed statement. "We also firmly oppose smearing others without solid evidence."

The Journal said the first malware email was sent just before U.S.-China trade talks in Sweden that led to an extension of a truce on tariffs until early November, when U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping could meet at an Asian economic summit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Your insights are essential," said the email that asked recipients to review proposed legislation attached to it.

Opening the draft legislation would have allowed the malware to give the hackers extensive access to the targeted groups, the newspaper said, adding that it could not be determined if the attacks had succeeded.

The newspaper said the U.S. Capitol Police were investigating the emails. The Capitol Police declined to comment to the Journal.

"While we are not commenting on any specific information, the FBI is aware of the situation, and we are working with our partners to identify and pursue those responsible," the FBI told Reuters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement to the Journal, Moolenaar called the attack another example of Chinese cyber operations aimed at stealing U.S. strategy. "We will not be intimidated," he said.

The fake email came to light when staffers of Moolenaar's committee started receiving puzzling inquiries about it, said the Journal, quoting people familiar with the matter.

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay and Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Ross Colvin, Matthew Lewis and Jamie Freed)
Russia's latest nighttime attack on Ukrainian cities demonstrates Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's lack of seriousness about peace, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said.

Source: Starmer in a statement released on the UK government's website, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Starmer said he is outraged by Russia's latest brutal nighttime attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which killed civilians and damaged infrastructure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote: "For the first time, the heart of Ukraines civilian government was damaged. These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace. Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty."

Background:

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that Russia's attack on the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv demonstrates the futility of any delays or attempts to appease the Kremlin.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said that Russia is more interested in intensifying its attacks on Ukraine than in negotiating an end to the war.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko previously released a video showing the Cabinet building damaged by the Russian attack and urged Ukraine's partners to stop Russia.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Authorities in London have arrested nearly 900 people during a protest in support of the banned group Palestine Action, police say.

The new tally, announced on Sunday, highlights the strict approach that police have taken against the demonstrators, who organisers insisted were nonviolent.

The Metropolitan Police said they arrested 890 people on Saturday, including 857 on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed group. Thirty-three others were detained for allegedly assaulting officers and other public order offences.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Defend Our Juries, the campaign group that organised Saturdays protest, also rejected police claims that the demonstrators were violent.

Among the 857 arrestees were vicars and priests, war veterans and descendants of Holocaust survivors, retired teachers and healthcare workers, the group said in a statement.

It accused the police of making many false claims and attempts to smear the protesters to justify arresting peace demonstrators with signs that read: I oppose genocide  I support Palestine Action.

While the Met has failed to provide any evidence backing up their claims, video footage clearly shows the Met violently arresting people, wielding their batons and pushing people to the ground, Defend Our Juries said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were nonviolent, how about you?





The Press Association news agency reported that police drew batons during clashes with protesters. Officers forced their way through the crowd while carrying arrested demonstrators and were seen in shouting confrontations with demonstrators.

Water and plastic bottles were thrown at police, the agency said, while several protesters fell in a crush. One man was photographed with blood streaming down his face after being arrested.

Amnesty International UK, which deployed observers to monitor the protest, also disputed police claims that demonstrators had co-ordinated violence at the rally.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our observers witnessed the Defend Our Juries protest being entirely peaceful, the group said.

It called the scenes of the arrests a shocking demonstration of how the UKs overly broad terrorism laws are being used to suppress free speech.

Police officers, on a number of occasions, were aggressive towards supporters of the protests, Amnesty said.

This included violently shoving people away and pulling out batons to make space whilst protesters were arrested and hauled into police vans.

However, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart had earlier claimed that officers faced co-ordinated violence during the demonstration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week, she said in a statement.

Rallies were also held in Belfast and Edinburgh. Police Scotland said two men, aged 67 and 82, were arrested and charged with terror offences while a third man, 63, was charged with a hate crime.





The protests are the latest in a wave of demonstrations against the UK governments decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000.

The group, which has targeted arms factories and other sites linked to weapons exports to Israel, was banned after it claimed responsibility for spraying two Voyager refuelling and transport planes at a military base with red paint.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Being a member or expressing support for Palestine Action is now a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

In July, United Nations human rights experts raised concerns about what they called the unjustified labelling of a political protest movement as terrorist, arguing that acts of protest that damage property, but are not intended to kill or injure people, should not be treated as terrorism.

Meanwhile, the Home Office is appealing a High Court ruling allowing Palestine Actions cofounder Huda Ammori to pursue a legal challenge against the ban.

Ammori launched proceedings against the decision by former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to proscribe the group, arguing the move unlawfully criminalised political dissent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The weekend protests were held as Israel is intensifying its assault on Gaza, which academics, leading rights groups and UN experts have described as a genocide.

According to UK media reports, British forces have been flying surveillance drones over Gaza in support of Israeli operations.
Ukraine's cabinet building in Kyiv was among the targets of Russia's largest drone and missile attack of the war overnight into Sunday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine's air force said in a post to Telegram that Russia launched 810 drones and 13 missiles into the country in the latest barrage, of which 747 drones and four missiles were shot down. Nine missiles and 54 drones impacted across 33 locations, the air force said.

The total of 823 munitions made the attack Russia's largest to date, surpassing the 741 munitions reported by the air force on July 9.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At least two people were killed in the attack on Kyiv, local officials said. Elsewhere, impacts were reported in Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kremenchuk and Odesa regions.

At least eight civilians were killed and 59 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine, local officials said.

Scale of Russia's long-range attacks on Ukraine eases in August despite major strikes

Handout/Official Telegram channel of Ukr - PHOTO: This handout photograph posted on Sept. 7, 2025 on the official Telegram channel of Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko shows rescue personnel working to extinguish a fire at the Ukrainian government building in Kyiv, Ukraine.

MORE: Russia issues warning as European leaders, Zelenskyy speak to Trump from Paris

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram that the attack damaged the "roof and upper floors" of the cabinet building located in the historic Pecherskyi district in the center of the city, which is home to many government buildings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Rescuers are extinguishing the fire," Svyrydenko wrote. "I thank them for their work. We will restore the buildings. But lost lives cannot be returned. The enemy terrorizes and kills our people across the country every day."

Both the prime minister and president urged an immediate response from the international community and more military assistance for Kyiv.

"Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war," Zelenskyy wrote.

With Putin 'stalling' peace talks, NATO minister says US has 'powerful leverage'

Gleb Garanich/Reuters - PHOTO: Ukrainian defenders down a Russian missile as smoke rises from the city during a Russian missile strike on in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 7, 2025.

MORE: NATO scrambles jets as Russia launches more than 500 drones, missiles at Ukraine

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It has been repeatedly stated in Washington that there will be sanctions for refusal to talk. We must implement everything agreed upon in Paris," the president added, referring to last week's meeting with European leaders and virtual talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in the French capital.

Zelenskyy said he spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron, who in a post to X said Moscow was "locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror."

The Ukrainian president said in a post to Telegram, "Together with France, we are preparing new measures to strengthen our defense."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was "appalled" by the Russian strike.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity," Starmer said in a statement. "He is not serious about peace."

The overnight barrage prompted the scrambling of NATO fighter jets in Poland, the country's Armed Forces Operational Command wrote on X.

"Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have reached a state of maximum readiness," the command said. The alert last for around three hours.

Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement posted to Telegram that its "massive strike with high-precision weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehicles" targeted "facilities for the production, assembly, repair, storage and launch of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as military air bases."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Why Ukraine's ex-foreign minister believes Putin won't go for peace as Trump summit approaches

Serhii Korovainyi/Reuters - PHOTO: People look at smoke rise over a building of the Ukrainian government headquaters after Russian drone and missile strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 7, 2025.

Why a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting matters -- and why it might not happen

The Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 69 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Debris from one Russian drone fell on the territory of the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the Krasnodar region, local officials said, causing a fire at one of the technological installations which was quickly extinguished with no casualties.

Voronezh regional Gov. Governor Alexander Gusev said one farm worker was seriously injured when a downed drone crashed. Private homes, farm buildings and power lines were damaged, Gusev said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the border region of Belgorod, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said that one person was injured by a drone attack that also damaged an administrative building.

ABC News' Fidel Pavlenko, Natalia Popova, Anna Sergeeva and Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned a large drone attack by Russia that hit a key government building and killed at least two people in Kyiv.

Russia attacked Ukraine with 810 drones and decoys  the largest aerial attack on the country since the war began, Ukraine's Air Force said.

"Such killings now, when real diplomacy would have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war," Zelenskyy said in a statement online. He called for sanctions and for strengthening Ukraine's air defenses.

A column of smoke rises above the building of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine after a Russian drone and missile attack on Sept. 7, 2025, in Kyiv, Ukraine. / Credit: Oleksandr Magula/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC "UA:PBC"/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

"Every additional (air defense) system saves civilians from these vile strikes. The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed," Zelenskyy said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force, told The Associated Press that Russia also launched 13 missiles of various types in the attack.

Ukraine shot down and neutralized 747 drones and 4 missiles, according to a statement from the Air Force.

Hits from nine missiles and 54 drones were recorded at 33 locations across Ukraine, and the debris of shot-down targets fell at eight locations, the Air Force said.

Associated Press reporters saw a plume of smoke rising from the roof of Kyiv's cabinet of ministers building, but it was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit or debris, which would mark an escalation in Russia's air campaign, which has so far spared government buildings in the city center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The building is the home of Ukraine's Cabinet, housing the offices of its ministers. Police blocked access to the building as fire trucks and ambulances arrived.

Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a heavily damaged residential building following Russian drone and missile strikes in Kyiv. / Credit: GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said two people were killed and 20 were injured in the attack.

"For the first time, the government building was damaged by an enemy attack, including the roof and upper floors," said Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. "We will restore the buildings, but lost lives cannot be returned."

"The world must respond to this destruction not only with words, but with actions. There is a need to strengthen sanctions pressure  primarily against Russian oil and gas," she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The two people killed were a mother and her 3-month-old child, whose bodies were dug out of the rubble by rescuers, said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's city administration. Initially, Tkachenko said the child was 1 year old. At least 10 locations in Kyiv were damaged in the attack, he added.

The Russian military said Sunday that it used aviation, drones, missiles and artillery to strike military-industrial targets in Ukraine, including drone assembly and storage sites, military airfields, two air defense radar stations and troop positions.

A crying woman walks past a rescuer after a Russian drone and missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. / Credit: Oleksandr Magula/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC "UA:PBC"/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Sunday's attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv in the span of two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane.

The barrage came after European leaders pressed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to work to end the war after 26 of Ukraine's allies pledged to deploy troops as a "reassurance force" for the war-torn country once the fighting ends.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

NATO spokesperson Martin O'Donnell said Polish forces were on alert after the attack, German Patriots in Poland were placed on alert, and an aerial refueler from the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft fleet was launched.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Sunday's attack, saying it shows Putin is "not serious about peace."

"I'm appalled by the latest brutal overnight assault on Kyiv and across Ukraine," Starmer said in a statement. "These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace."

Zelenskyy has said he is ready to meet Putin to negotiate a peace agreement and has urged President Trump to impose punishing sanctions on Russia to push it to end the war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In an interview on ABC's "This Week" that aired Sunday, Zelenskyy said one way to put pressure on Putin is to stop countries from buying energy from Russia, something, he said, some European countries do.

"The most power has White House. And I really count that President Trump will do it, put pressure on Putin," Zelenskky said. "And, this is only one, one way how to stop the killer. You need to take off his, I mean, to take off his weapon. Energy is his weapon."

White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday that the Russian action was "disappointing" and he believes "there's going to be a lot of talk today and tomorrow about the level of sanctions and the timing of sanctions."

Justice Barrett on the Supreme Court's checks on Trump's power

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" turns 50: "Don't dream it, be it"

Stand-up Nate Bargatze on operating in "the chaos"
Ukrainian forces lost 5 square kilometers (2 square miles) but regained control of 26 square kilometers (10 square miles) in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast in August, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Sept. 7.

Throughout the summer campaign, Russian forces prioritized operations around Pokrovsk, deploying sabotage and reconnaissance units that briefly entered the city but were ultimately repelled.

According to Syrskyi, a similar ratio of lost and regained territory was observed near the town of Dobropillia, where Russian forces made a short-lived but dramatic advance in early August through the use of infiltration tactics.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the Dobropillia sector, Russia took 13.5 square kilometers (5 square miles) but lost 25.5 square kilometers (10 square miles), the chief commander said.

Overall, Ukrainian forces liberated 58 square kilometers (22 square miles) of its territory and several settlements over the past month, he added.

"The Pokrovsk axis remains one of the most challenging. Over the past week, our units have repelled approximately 350 (Russian) attacks," Syrskyi said.



"This is where Russian forces have concentrated their main efforts, assembling their largest offensive grouping in an attempt to break through our defenses," Syrskyi added.

A map of Russian forces' advances around the cities of Pokrovsk, Dobropillia, and Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast over summer 2025. (Nazar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent)

The news reflects an increased frequency of counterattacking operations on the Ukrainian side, which has been in a strategic defensive posture along the front line in eastern Ukraine for almost two years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These counterattacks are commonly led by units of Ukraine's Assault Forces, a new branch of the Armed Forces established by Syrskyi on Aug. 18.

In the first days of September, Ukraine's 425th Assault Regiment, better known as Skala, reported to have cleared two villages around Pokrovsk of Russian forces: Novoekonomichne and Udachne.

Russia has continued to intensify its ground offensives in eastern Ukraine, concentrating the bulk of its forces in the Pokrovsk sector in an effort to seize the key logistics hub.

This effort incurred significant losses to Russia, including 297,350 soldiers killed and injured since 2025, including 28,790 casualties in August alone, Syrskyi said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraine has also ramped up its aerial strikes, with Ukrainian drones hitting 67,000 targets in the past month, including 60 strategic industrial and military facilities struck as part of the "Deep Strike" operation, according to the commander.

With no ceasefire in sight, Russia's advances in the region help strengthen Moscow's hand in possible peace negotiations as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a deal to end the war.

The Kremlin's plan for a peace agreement reportedly involves Ukraine withdrawing all its forces from Donetsk Oblast, ceding the entire region to Russia in exchange for frozen battle lines on the other sectors of the front.

Read also: He can come to Kyiv  Zelensky mocks Putins Moscow invitation

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Key developments on Sept. 6-7:

Record Russian drone, missile attack kills at least 4, injures 44 across Ukraine, hits government building for first time

Ukraine hits 'strategically important' oil infrastructure in Russia, General Staff confirms

Trump signals support for security guarantees for Ukraine, stresses Europe's role

Russia preparing 'decisive breakthrough' near Pokrovsk, Ukrainian military says

Nearly 60% of Ukrainian forces' weapons domestically produced, Zelensky says

Over 2,500 Ukrainian POWs in Russian captivity, analysis finds

A record mass Russian drone and missile attack on cities across Ukraine overnight on Sept. 7 has killed at least 4 people and injured 44 others, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Kyiv, a woman and her newborn child were killed and 20 people were injured, according to local officials.

Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, reported at 12:50 p.m. local time that the death toll had increased to three, but later walked back the statement.

Multiple Ukrainian regions, as well as the capital, came under attack. The overnight strikes damaged multiple residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, causing power outages in some regions, and struck the Cabinet of Ministers building in central Kyiv.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 810 Shahed-type drones during the attack, making it the largest such attack of the full-scale invasion. Thirteen cruise and ballistic missiles were also launched.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"There was a young woman living on the 6th floor, who had recently given birth. She was thrown out into the street by the blast wave," Inna, a resident of a building in the Sviatoshynskyi district next to one that was struck by a Russian drone, told the Kyiv Independent.

"She was found under the slab of the building at 5 a.m. The child was also found dead."

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least seven people have been hospitalized, including a pregnant woman.

The pregnant woman injured in the Russian attack gave birth to a son after being transferred to Kyiv City Clinical Hospital, where she remains in extremely serious condition, public broadcaster Suspilne reported, citing doctor Olena Frantseva.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The woman was urgently induced into labor, and doctors are now fighting to save the newborn's life, Valentyna Hinzburh, the head of the Kyiv City Administration's health department, told Suspilne.

Hinzburh added that three other patients injured in the same attack are in serious condition and are being treated in the hospital's burn unit.

An elderly woman has also died in a shelter in the Darnytskyi district following the attack, although the cause of death was not immediately clear.

"Such killings, especially now when genuine diplomacy could have started long ago, are deliberate crimes that only prolong the war. Washington has repeatedly warned that sanctions will follow if talks are refused. We must fully implement all agreements made in Paris," Zelensky said, reacting to the recent Russian strikes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As of 2 p.m. local time, rescue teams and emergency services were still responding to the aftermath of Russian attacks across Ukraine, according to Zelensky.

"We have coordinated our diplomatic efforts, follow-up actions, and contacts with partners to ensure an appropriate response. Together with France, we are preparing new measures to strengthen our defenses," Zelensky said.

Officials reported that a fire broke out at the Cabinet of Ministers building in the central Pecherskyi district, the first time the main government building has been hit in such an attack.

A Kyiv Independent reporter on the ground said the fire appeared to have been extinguished by 9:25 a.m. local time. It's not presently clear if it was struck by a drone, missile, or debris. Sources told Ukrainska Pravda, a Ukrainian media outlet, that the building had been deliberately targeted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read also: This is Putins response to calls for peace  European leaders condemn Russias latest mass attack on Ukraine

Ukraine hits 'strategically important' oil infrastructure in Russia, General Staff confirms

Ukrainian forces struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and the "8-N" oil pipeline control station near the village of Naitopovichi in Bryansk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on Sept. 7.

Both facilities are involved in supplying fuel to Russian troops invading Ukraine, according to the General Staff.

In recent months, Ukrainian forces have intensified attacks against Russia's energy infrastructure in an effort to put economic pressure on Moscow and undermine its ability to finance the war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The "8-N" control station sustained multiple strikes, with a fire erupting near its pumping station and tank farm, according to Ukraine's military.

The strike was conducted overnight on Sept. 7 by Ukraine's Missile Forces and Artillery and the Unmanned Systems Forces, in coordination with other branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The facility is part of the "Steel Horse" oil pipeline complex, which has a pumping capacity of 10.5 million tons and is considered strategically important for transporting fuel to Russian forces, according to the General Staff.

Ukraine's top drone warfare commander, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, said the "8-N" facility is also strategically important for transporting oil products from Belarusian refineries to Russia, particularly from the Mozyr and Novopolotsk plants.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

0:00/0:581Footage of the Ukrainian strike and its aftermath at the "8-H" production line control station near Naitopovichi, Bryansk Oblast, on Sept. 7, 2025. (Robert Brovdi / Telegram)

Explosions and a fire were also reported at the Ilsky oil refinery, which processes 6.42 million tons of oil annually and supplies the Russian military, according to the General Staff.

The strike was carried out by the Special Operations Forces. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, the statement read.

Located roughly 500 kilometers (311 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory, the refinery is among the largest in southern Russia, producing over 6 million tons of fuel annually.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reports of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities surfaced on Russian social media prior to an official confirmation. Photos and videos circulating on social media appeared to show a large fire rising from the refinery in Krasnodar Krai.

Officials in the Krasnodar Krai previously claimed that a technological workshop had caught fire at the refinery, adding that no casualties had been reported.

Beyond targeting oil infrastructure, Ukraine's General Staff said Ukrainian forces also struck Russian personnel positions and logistics depots in Kursk Oblast.

Read also: India to continue Russian oil imports despite 50% US tariffs

Trump signals support for security guarantees for Ukraine, stresses Europe's role

U.S. President Donald Trump signalled on Sept. 5 that Washington would assist with providing security guarantees for Kyiv but emphasized Europe's leading role in the effort.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We'll work that out. We'll help them. Look, we want to save a lot of lives," Trump told journalists at the White House when asked about potential security guarantees.

"Europe will be first in by far, and they want to be first, and they want to see it end."

The statement echoes Trump's earlier declarations about the U.S. backing for European-led efforts to safeguard Ukraine against future Russian aggression in case of a ceasefire.. The U.S. president did not provide details on what the U.S. assistance would entail.

The remarks follow a Sept. 4 summit of the Coalition of the Willing, where Zelensky and European leaders discussed plans for a multinational reassurance force and commitments of weapons, logistics, and training to shield Ukraine from renewed Russian attacks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron said that 26 countries are ready to send troops or contribute other support as part of guarantees, but only after a ceasefire.

While Trump has ruled out the participation of U.S. troops in the reassurance force, the U.S. has reportedly signalled readiness to provide intelligence and air defense support.

Moscow has repeatedly rejected the presence of peacekeepers from NATO countries on Ukrainian territory, saying such troops would be "legitimate targets for destruction."

Despite initially pledging to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine in 24 hours, Trump's months-long efforts to end the war have failed to bring any tangible progress.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the press briefing at the White House, Trump acknowledged that the Russia-Ukraine war "turned out to be one that's a little bit more difficult" to solve. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that the conflict would come to an end.

"It'll end all of a sudden. It's going to come together. You watch," Trump said.

Read also: We are prepared to increase pressure on Russia, US Treasurys Bessent says

Russia preparing 'decisive breakthrough' near Pokrovsk, Ukrainian military says

Russian troops near Pokrovsk are attempting to secure new positions and expand the boundaries of the "gray zone," according to Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Airborne Assault Forces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukrainian military officials said Russia recently deployed experienced marine units to the Pokrovsk area. In recent weeks, Russian forces have shifted tactics, sending small groups to infiltrate deep into the city while avoiding direct clashes with Ukrainian forces.

The corps said Russia's main objective in Pokrovsk is to approach Ukrainian drone and mortar positions, disperse defense forces, and entrench new positions while expanding the gray zone.

On the flanks, Russian troops have increased assaults using armored and motorized vehicles in an effort to sever supply routes and encircle the Pokrovsk area.

At the same time, Russian forces have reduced airstrikes on frontline positions while intensifying attacks on civilian infrastructure. Nearly all housing in Pokrovsk has been damaged as of August, according to Ukrainian officials.

Despite the pressure, Ukrainian forces maintain full control of their defensive positions.

Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces also reported that Russia plans to concentrate troops and equipment in Donetsk for what it calls a "decisive breakthrough," with the goal of capturing the Pokrovsk-Kramatorsk-Sloviansk area.

Read also: Ukraine retook 5 times more territory than it lost near Pokrovsk in August, Syrskyi says

Nearly 60% of Ukrainian forces' weapons domestically produced, Zelensky says

Nearly 60% of the weapons used on the front line are produced in Ukraine, Zelensky said in his evening address on Sept. 6.

"During this war, Ukraine has already reached the level where nearly 60% of the weapons we have, weapons in the hands of our warriors, are Ukrainian-made, and they are strong weapons, many of them cutting-edge," Zelensky said.

Ukraine has significantly expanded its domestic defense industry in response to Russia's full-scale invasion.

In recent weeks, Kyiv has previewed various domestic productions initiates, including the launch of the country's first line of joint drone production in Denmark.

Ukrainian defense company Fire Point announced on Sept. 4 that it has developed two new ballistic missiles, along with air defense systems. The announcement comes just weeks after the company's Flamingo cruise missile entered serial production.

In its 2025 budget, Ukraine allocated Hr 55 billion ($1.3 billion) to defense manufacturing in an effort to reduce dependence on foreign deliveries.

"Of course, there are goals we must still achieve, in particular, the production in Ukraine and together with Ukraine of air defense systems, of different types. Its a challenge. And we must get there as well," Zelensky added.

Read also: Ukraine launches first joint drone production line in Denmark, Zelensky says

Over 2,500 Ukrainian POWs in Russian captivity, analysis finds

More than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers remain in Russian captivity, according to an analysis by an independent expert mission, the Interior Ministry announced in a Telegram post Sept. 5.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) led the investigation through its delegation to Ukraine and found that 2,577 soldiers remain in Russian captivity. The group's expert mission monitors the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).

Russia regularly violates international law, including the Geneva Conventions, with its treatment of Ukrainian POWs and civilians. Ukraine's Prosecutor General reported in July that at least 273 POWs have been executed by Russia while in captivity.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has not confirmed the status of 680 individuals, including 91 civilians, the Interior Ministry said.

Meanwhile, there have been eight instances POWs have been identified as deceased after initially being classified as imprisoned.

The OSCE's independent experts are set to publish a report outlining Russia's "violations of its commitments to the OSCE, abuses and human rights violations, war crimes, and other breaches of international humanitarian law" at the end of September, the announcement read.

In August, 33-year-old National Guard soldier Vladyslav Nahornyi survived five days crawling back to Ukrainian-controlled territory after Russian forces slit his throat and threw him into a pit, believing he was dead.

Nahornyi, unable to speak, documented his ordeal in a journal. He wrote that Russian soldiers gouged out eyes, cut off lips, ears, and noses, and mutilated Ukrainian POWs.

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.

Read also: Russia can produce up to 2,700 Shahed-type drones per month, intelligence says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Kyiv's partners must respond decisively to Russia's latest attack on Ukrainian cities, which involved a record number of drones, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said.

Source: Sybiha on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: The minister said that Russia has hit the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv for the first time since the start of the full-scale war.

"This alone is a serious escalation," Sybiha stressed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He emphasised that the greatest cynicism lies in the fact that "these brutal attacks come just as President Trump makes every effort to achieve peace".

"But instead of reciprocating these efforts and agreeing to a leaders meeting, Putin rejects diplomacy and escalates terror," Sybiha added.

The minister noted that only pressure on Russia can end the escalation of terror.

Quote: "The Russian war machine runs on oil and gas revenues. We urge our allies to defund it in order to end the war. Russian terror anti-records require strong responses."

Details: Sybiha called for new "severe" sanctions on Russia and measures to strengthen Ukraine, especially its air defences.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Waiting will not bring results  action is needed now," he said.

Background:

Following the large-scale Russian attack, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that "the Kremlin is mocking diplomacy".

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky has called Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin "a coward who attacks women and children".

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has had a conversation with his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand to brief her on Russia's escalating terror against Ukraine and priority needs.

Source: Sybiha in a statement released on the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's website on Sunday 7 September, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Sybiha said the two ministers had discussed how the G7 could respond to Russia's brutal attacks and its rejection of peace efforts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote: "We agreed on the need to increase transatlantic pressure, including a lower oil price cap, a full use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraines defence and recovery, restrictions against Russian energy, and other sanctions."

More details: Sybiha stressed that it is crucial to raise the cost of war for the aggressor in order to advance peace.

"No more time to wait. Putin must sense the direct consequences of his rejection of diplomacy and continued murders," he added.

Background:

After Russias latest drone and missile attack against Ukraine on the night of 6-7 September, European Council President Antonio Costa said that Ukraines partners need to "stay the course".

Following the attack, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Kremlin is "mocking diplomacy".

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Russia's attack on the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv demonstrates the futility of any delays and attempts to appease the Kremlin.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Russia plans to produce 57 modern fighter jets, nearly 250 tanks and almost 2,500 high-precision missiles of various types this year.

Source: Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), in an interview with Ukrinform

Quote: "We clearly understand the figures that the Russian Federation has planned for the production of new types of weapons. If we talk, for example, about modern aircraft  Su-57s, Su-35s, Su-34s, and Su-30s  they have planned to produce 57 units this year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Almost 250 T-90M tanks  brand new ones, not those overhauled. In addition, about 1,100 new BTR-3s and BTR-82As as well as 365 artillery systems, also new, not overhauled. Meanwhile, the modernisation and repair of weapons and military equipment means thousands of units of armament used by the Russian Federation."

Details: He noted that, similar to Ukraine, Russia is focusing on producing weapons that are effective on the battlefield: uncrewed systems, first-person view (FPV) drones and missile systems.

Quote: "In 2025, the aggressor has planned to produce nearly 2,500 of what are known as high-precision missiles of various types. These include Iskander cruise and ballistic missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and others. Russia intends to increase production. In addition, we have noticed a significant growth in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, primarily Geran, Garpiya and FPV drones."

Details: Meanwhile, Skibitskyi rejected claims that Russia is going to cut funding for heavy equipment and weapons in favour of drones and missiles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote: "This is absolutely incorrect. Military intelligence has data on the Russian Armed Forces armament programme for 10 years, from 2026 to 2037. The Russians have clearly defined the main requirements they set for the defence industry in terms of heavy weapons, warships, aviation and missile systems. We know that they will develop strategic and long-range aviation through modernisation and the creation of new aircraft."

Details: According to Skibitskyi, Russia's main battle tank lineup will consist of T-90, Armata and T-80 models. In addition, new artillery systems, such as Koalitsiya, Msta (various types), Malva, Giatsint and Magnolia, are planned.

Moscow is also planning new long-range missiles and modern hypersonic anti-ship missiles.

"They envisage three directions for improving missile weapons: first, increasing range, second, accuracy, and third, increasing warhead capacity," Skibitskyi said. "Striking Ukraine requires one combat radius, but in preparation for a potential war with NATO countries by 2030, the combat radius of such weapons must be greater. This is what they are embedding in their armament programmes."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He also reported that Russia aims to raise the share of unmanned and uncrewed systems on the battlefield to 40% in the future.

Background: Earlier, Skibitskyi said that Russia plans to produce 79,000 Shahed drones in 2025.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
The stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee in a random attack on a train has triggered uproar over crime in the US.

Iryna Zarutska, 23, had fled Kyiv and settled in Charlotte, North Carolina, before the stabbing on Aug 22.

Surveillance footage released by the Charlotte Area Transit System shows the young woman boarding the train and taking a seat in front of the suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr.

The 34-year-old homeless man has a history of mental health problems, arrests and convictions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The footage shows Brown appearing agitated and restless in his seat as Ms Zarutska sits in front of him wearing her pizzeria uniform.

Five minutes into her journey, Brown pulls out a fold-out pocket knife, stands up, and swings his arm high before allegedly stabbing her three times in the neck.

The following footage stops before the moment of the attack.

Warning: this video contains distressing images (credit: WBTV News)

Ms Zarutska collapsed in her seat and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Subsequent clips show the attacker moving down the train car, walking in circles, and removing his bloody hoodie before leaving the train. The pocket knife was recovered near the platform.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Right-wing influencers have taken up the case in America, accusing national news organisations of ignoring the crime.

If Iryna were black and her killer white, the media would be rioting non-stop, posted Benny Jonson, a conservative podcaster with the ear of President Donald Trump. But because shes white, they stay silent.

The case was covered extensively by local media outlets. However, a string of Twitter accounts pointed out that the New York Times, Washington Post, the BBC and other major news organisations had not covered the case.

Elon Musk was among those reposting the claims.

Case likened to murder of George Floyd

Other accounts compared the case with that of George Floyd, a black man murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, which quickly became the focus of Black Lives Matter protests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

George Floyd had a gold casket and international outrage for years, posted Kangmin Lee, a conservative YouTuber. Iryna Zarutska will be forgotten in a few days.

Their comments suggest Ms Zarutskas death could now become a new frontline in the nations culture wars. Crime and race are flashpoint issues.

However, Vi Lyles, the Democratic mayor of Charlotte, suggested the footage had not been shared widely out of respect for the victims family.

The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutskas life is now public, she said. I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Irynas family.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Brown has been charged with first-degree murder. He has served five years in prison for robbery with a deadly weapon, according to news station WSOC-TV.

Decarlos Brown Jr was charged with first degree murder

Records obtained by The New York Post also show arrests going back to 2011 for larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and communicating threats.

Earlier this year, Brown was charged with misusing the 911 emergency number. According to the Charlotte Observer, the man told police that a man-made material inside his body was controlling when he did things like eat, walk and talk  signalling mental health issues.

A GoFundMe campaign launched by Ms Zarutskas friends has so far raised nearly $46,000 (32,000) for her family.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ira had recently arrived in the United States, seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning. Tragically, her life was cut short far too soon, the page reads.

Iryna Zarutska had fled Kyiv and settled in Charlotte, North Carolina, before being stabbed to death

Zepeddies, the pizzeria where Ms Zarutska worked, also called her death a tremendous loss.

We lost not only an incredible employee, but a true friend. Our dear Iryna left this world far too soon, and our hearts are heavy with grief, reads an Instagram post.

The stabbing also drew the sympathy of Meaghan Mobbs, the daughter of Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia.

Ms Mobbs wrote on X: Women in Ukraine endure unimaginable violence, with Russia using rape as a weapon of war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many fled here seeking safety and survival. Her murder is our failure. No woman should face such violence on American soil.

In Ukraine, Russia launched its largest aerial assault since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, deploying 810 drones and decoys in cities like Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Kremenchuk, Odesa and Kyiv.

The drone strike killed at least four people, including a mother and her two-month-old baby, and injured 44 people.

Ukraines main government building in Kyiv was also damaged in the 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.
Ukrainian air defence troops have released a video showing Russian targets being shot down on the night of 6-7 September during what has so far been the largest Russian attack.

Source: Air Force of Ukraine

Details: The video shows the overnight combat work of the anti-aircraft missile Odesa-based brigade of the Air Command Pivden (South).

Background: On the night of 6-7 September, Russia carried out a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine using strike UAVs and ground-launched missiles.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia since Vladimir Putins invasion in 2022, and subjected to military training, sexual violence and detention in camps, according to a new report.

The report, based on 200 documented cases of recently returned children and young people, found that 41 per cent were forced to take part in weapons training or join paramilitary youth movements such as Yunarmiya.

Another 39 per cent experienced forced displacement to far-flung locations in Russia, Crimea or Belarus, with 17 per cent detained in filtration camps or police stations and 10 per cent subjected to torture or cruel treatment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Evidence compiled by War Child UK and Save Ukraine has found that Putins most likely long-term goal is to encourage or coerce Ukrainian children into their armed forces, and to participate in combat against their own country.

Young children have been transferred to recreation camps or fostered by Russian families (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The Foreign Office announced on Wednesday that eight individuals and three organisations would be sanctioned over their involvement in the deportations, described by the then foreign secretary David Lammy as despicable.

Speaking to psychologists, six per cent of children reported experiencing or witnessing conflict-related sexual violence, while included threats of rape, forced undressing and testimonies that minor girls have been raped by supervisors in camps.

For 17-year-old Kseniia, the Russian occupation of her hometown Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region meant that she and her 10-year-old brother Serhii were forced to be separated for the first time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both orphans, Serhii was taken to the Medvezhonok childrens camp in Russia, while Kseniia was pressured into attending a state-mandated trade school in a border town.

Her lessons were designed to erase Ukrainian identity, while her brother was eventually placed with a Russian foster family who informed him that his country had been destroyed, and that his sister had abandoned him.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has increased the budget for patriotic education from $50m to $459m in the last two years (AP)

Similar to the experiences of other Ukrainian children, he was bullied and humiliated by teachers in school, and gradually stopped sending desperate messages begging for help to Kseniia.

Every Monday, we would have mandatory lessons and sing the Russian national anthem, I didnt want to sing it, she told The Independent. After this anthem, they would also lift the flag and it would be a big ceremony and we would have lessons about telling us Russia is the best country in the world, its a paradise on earth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia was good, Ukraine was bad, if they hadnt attacked Ukraine would have attacked Russia, Ukrainians were planning it, that all of this is orchestrated by the West and Russia is fighting the West.

The report has found that 55 per cent of abducted children were subjected to pro-Russian indoctrination, including bans on the Ukrainian language and revised history lessons.

In several cases, children have been offered better grades or manipulated into believing they are less likely to receive military draft papers if they join paramilitary groups.

Families have been tricked into allowing their children to attend summer camps - only for them to be subjected to intense military training at one of the 200 camps researchers have identified as holding Ukrainian children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One 16-year-old girl said: Every day felt like we were being shaped into something we werent. They didnt treat us like kids. They wanted us to behave like their soldiers.

Firefighters working at the site of car garages hit by a Russian drone strike near Kyiv (Emergency Service of Ukraine)

After initially refusing to allow her children to join Russian schools, one anonymous mother was left terrified after Putins troops began punishing families who did not obey.

She said: In our village school, the Russians set up a real torture chamber: a pit, rods, chains, electric shocks. After the torture, people were brought to the hospital barely alive.

The deportation, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children is now believed to be the largest campaign of child rights violations in Europe since the end of the Yugoslav wars.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After several months of being held in Russia, Kseniia was eventually able to track down her brother with Save Ukraines help, but found him terrified at the prospect of returning alongside her.

I cant go with you, he had told her. "They told me Ukraine is destroyed. That Ill be left to starve. That you dont really want me.

He was eventually persuaded, with the siblings travelling for several tense days in May 2023 to return to Ukraine, where they have now started to rebuild their lives.

However, tens of thousands of children remain under Russian control which seen many of them issued draft papers to join the military.

Areas near the frontline such as Donetsk in the Donbas region have been heavily damaged over the course of the war (National Guard of Ukraine)

While the Ukrainian government has confirmed 19,546 cases of forcible transfers, data from Yale University believes the real figure to be around 35,000.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kseniia added: My life turned upside down is how I would described it. It ended up not the way I planned or dreamed, I never thought I would live in Kyiv. Save Ukraine inspired me to become a journalist and now Im studying.

With my story I want to share the experience I had and be the voice of those who are still stuck in Russia, and to people who dont know what is happening to Ukrainian kids. I feel strong now and Im a fighter but there are other kids who are more vulnerable. Some people dont have enough strength to fight until the end, Im sad about the fact that Russia is abusing these kids, especially young boys training them to be soldiers.

Helen Pattinson, CEO of War Child UK said: Protecting children in conflict is not optional; it is a fundamental obligation under international law. At War Child, we work to defend the rights of all children caught in conflict.

Its a terrifying experience for a child to be separated from their families, let alone be stolen by another state. The world cannot look away. Were calling for immediate and impactful action from world leaders to return these children to their homes as the absolute bare minimum.

Kseniia is now living in Kyiv and is hoping to spread awareness of what is happening to abducted Ukrainian children (Save Ukraine)

With Putin increasing the budget for patriotic education from $50m in 2022 to $459m in 2025, the NGO Save Ukraine, charity War Child and think-tank Human Security Centre have warned that Ukrainian children are being deliberately targeted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mykola Kuleba, CEO of Save Ukraine added: Save Ukraine has already rescued more than 800 children from Russia and the occupied territories. In each childs eyes, we see fear; in their voices we hear stories of being forced into military camps, punished for speaking Ukrainian or showing any trace of their heritage, and subjected to relentless psychological and physical abuse.

Their very identities are being systematically erased in order to turn them into 'Russian children'. Boys as young as 18 years old are being coerced into fighting for the Russian army and killed in combat.

These are not isolated cases. 1.6 million Ukrainian children are being held as hostages in Russia and occupied territories. We must stand together and demand with one voice: Help us let our children go.

Nathaniel Raymond, Executive Director at Humanitarian Research Lab continued: "This report is critical to understanding Russia's widespread and illegal militarization, indoctrination, and abuse of Ukraine's children.

The testimonials in this report not only raise the voices of these specific children, but the thousands of other children still held by Russia. This report emphasizes the urgent need for Ukraine's children to be returned as a precondition to any end-of-war negotiations."
The former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, has apologized for at times impulsive remarks made during his time in Berlin.

"That was a true state of emergency," he told Germany's Stern magazine with regard to the first months of the full-scale Russian war against Ukraine. "I often had to act very impulsively to persuade the Germans to help us."

In doing so, he said he was not always able to find "well-considered words."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Therefore, I ask for forgiveness if I offended people because emotions were running high."

Melnyk served as the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany from January 2015 to October 2022.

After the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, he repeatedly criticized the centre-left coalition government at the time with harsh words for what he saw as its hesitancy when it came to arms deliveries.

He once used a colourful German insult for then chancellor Olaf Scholz, whom he accused of sulking, or acting like a prima donna, literally "playing the insulted liver sausage" in German.

Nevertheless, Melnyk said he looks back on his time in Germany with great gratitude: "Germany is my second home - without exaggeration."

Since January, he has been the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Nations in New York, where he said he also notices that he cannot live or act without emotions and passion.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Ukrainian forces struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and the "8-N" oil pipeline control station near the village of Naitopovichi in Bryansk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on Sept. 7.

Both facilities are involved in supplying fuel to Russian troops invading Ukraine, according to the General Staff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In recent months, Ukrainian forces have intensified attacks against Russia's energy infrastructure in an effort to put economic pressure on Moscow and undermine its ability to finance the war.

The "8-N" control station sustained multiple strikes, with a fire erupting near its pumping station and tank farm, according to Ukraine's military.

The strike was conducted overnight on Sept. 7 by Ukraine's Missile Forces and Artillery and the Unmanned Systems Forces, in coordination with other branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The facility is part of the "Steel Horse" oil pipeline complex, which has a pumping capacity of 10.5 million tons and is considered strategically important for transporting fuel to Russian forces, according to the General Staff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraine's top drone warfare commander, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, said the "8-N" facility is also strategically important for transporting oil products from Belarusian refineries to Russia, particularly from the Mozyr and Novopolotsk plants.

0:00

/

1

Explosions and a fire were also reported at the Ilsky oil refinery, which processes 6.42 million tons of oil annually and supplies the Russian military, according to the General Staff.

The strike was carried out by the Special Operations Forces. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, the statement read.

Located roughly 500 kilometers (311 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory, the refinery is among the largest in southern Russia, producing over 6 million tons of fuel annually.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reports of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities surfaced on Russian social media prior to an official confirmation. Photos and videos circulating on social media appeared to show a large fire rising from the refinery in Krasnodar Krai.

Officials in the Krasnodar Krai previously claimed that a technological workshop had caught fire at the refinery, adding that no casualties had been reported.

Beyond targeting oil infrastructure, Ukraine's General Staff said Ukrainian forces also struck Russian personnel positions and logistics depots in Kursk Oblast.

Ukraine has intensified long-range strikes against Russian energy facilities, targeting refineries and depots to cut into Moscow's war funding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kyiv has previously struck the Ilsky Oil Refinery on multiple occasions  most recently on July 7 when a drone struck one of the facility's technological workshops, a source in Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent.

Krasnodar Krai, a strategic region along Russia's Black Sea coast, has increasingly come under Ukrainian drone attacks as Kyiv extends the range of its strikes deep into Russian territory.

In August alone, Ukraine struck at least 12 refineries, shutting down facilities representing over 17% of national processing capacity, or 1.1 million barrels per day.

Read also: Putin admits Russia faces gas shortage amid Ukraines strikes on energy infrastructure









Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Stalnoy Kon oil pipelines linear production and dispatch station was attacked again on the night of 6-7 September in Russias Bryansk Oblast, Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, Commander of Ukraines Unmanned Systems Forces, and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have reported.

Source: Magyar on Facebook; General Staff on Facebook

Quote: "Transnefts linear production and dispatch station 8-N in Naytopovichi [Bryansk Oblast, Russia]  good evening (not), we are from Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As part of the tour across the worm-ridden oil depots, on the night of 6-7 September 2025."

Details: Magyar added that this facility is of strategic importance for transporting petroleum products from Belarusian refineries to Russia, particularly from the Mozyr and Navapolatsk refineries.

Update: Later, the General Staff confirmed the information.

Multiple strikes and fires in the area of the pumping station and the tank farm were reported.

In addition, Special Operations Forces units hit the Ilsky oil refinery in Russias Krasnodar Krai.

Explosions and a fire were recorded in the area of the facility, but the consequences remain unknown.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For reference: The linear production and dispatch station 8-N is part of the Stalnoy Kon oil pipeline system, which has a pumping capacity of 10.5 million tonnes.

The facility is of strategic importance for ensuring the transport of petroleum products for Russian forces.

Background:

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he "does not understand" the attacks on the Druzhba oil pipeline.

The foreign ministers of Slovakia and Hungary complained to the European Commission about the attacks.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Editor's note: The article was updated with comments by U.S. President Donald Trump.

A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee was fatally stabbed in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Aug. 22, The Charlotte Observer reported.

The incident occurred at 9:55 p.m. while the victim, Iryna Zarutska, was on a train at the South End light rail station.

Zarutska had fled Kyiv in 2022 seeking safety from Russias full-scale invasion, and was described by family members as hoping for a new beginning.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is an irreparable loss for her family, a GoFundMe campaign started by Zarutskas aunt states.

Police arrested 34-year-old Decarlos Brown at the scene and charged him with first-degree murder.

Browns criminal record showed a long history of arrests dating back to 2011, with 14 prior court cases and a six-year North Carolina prison sentence for convictions including robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Court records show Brown displayed signs of mental illness earlier this year, and his public defender has filed a motion questioning his competency to stand trial.

U.S. President Donald Trump called the attack "horrible" when asked about the case by reporters on Sept. 7, adding he would "know all about it tomorrow morning."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a subsequent statement the following day, Trump called Zarutska a "beautiful, young Ukrainian refugee, who came to America to escape the vicious war in Ukraine" before she was attacked by a "mentally deranged lunatic."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump used the attack to denounce the "mainstream media" and his political opponents in the Democratic Party and said only the Republicans can deliver "law and order" in North Carolina and "every state."

This incident comes just weeks after a 16-year-old Ukrainian refugee was fatally pushed in front of a freight train in Friedland, Germany, on Aug. 11.

Read also: 5.2 million Ukrainian refugees remain abroad, less than half plan to return, poll says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has revealed that the unemployment rate for Black people is now at its highest level since 2021. According to the latest data, the unemployment rate for the demographic rose to 7.5% in August, increasing from 7.2% in July.

What is the reason for the increasing rate of unemployment for Black people?

Julie Su, former acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor under President Joe Biden, is one of many economists who blame Donald Trumps policies for the rising unemployment rate.

Once again, the proof is in the numbers: Donald Trump is the worst president for workers weve seen in generations, Su said, per The Grio. Donald Trumps War on Workers may be playing well with his billionaire buddies, but its leaving everyone else less stable, less secure, and poorer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Economists specifically point to Trumps tariffs and his effort to slash the federal workforce.

Trump told Black Americans that immigrants were a threat to their jobs. The truth is, its Trumps own policies that are crushing opportunity, Brandon Weathersby, a spokesperson for American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic research firm, told The Grio. Families everywhere are struggling, and no one is feeling that failure more than Black workers, especially Black women, who continue to bear the brunt of his broken promises. Trump promised prosperity, but what he delivered is an economy rigged against the most vulnerable.

Researchers have revealed that Black women are particularly impacted by the federal cuts. According to MSNBC, about 300,000 Black women lost their jobs in a three-month span this year. Many of them lost their jobs due to Trumps effort to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) intiatives and politices.

Speaking to The Grio, Democratic strategist Joel Payne said the current state of the economy was predictable when Trump was elected.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democrats talked about what Donald Trump was going to do. He was pretty transparent when caught on the hot mic a couple of times about who he was building this economy for, Payne said, per theGrio. He wasnt building this economy for Black workers, and I think were seeing the result of that.

What is the latest national unemployment rate?

The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the national unemployment rate continues to increase. Per the data, the national unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, with a mere 22,000 new jobs created on the job market.

Black unemployment is often routinely double white unemployment, but the gap has been narrowing in recent years following the pandemic, as unemployment fell for all workers, Angela Hanks, Chief of Policy Programs at The Century Foundation and former Department of Labor official, told theGrio. This jobs report concerningly shows that gap is widening, with rising Black unemployment disproportionately driving that gap.







The post Unemployment Rate For Black People Is The Highest Since The Pandemic appeared first on Blavity.
NEED TO KNOW

University of Kentucky senior Laken Snelling has dropped out of school after being accused of hiding her dead newborn baby in her closet

A university spokesperson said she withdrew from the Lexington-area school and is no longer a member of its cheerleading team

Snelling was arrested on Aug. 31 after her newborn was found "wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag"

University of Kentucky senior Laken Snelling has dropped out of school, just days after she last appeared in court for allegedly hiding her dead newborn baby in her closet.

According to the Lexington Herald Leader, university spokesperson Jay Blanton confirmed on Friday, Sept. 5, that Snelling withdrew from the Lexington-area school and is no longer a member of its STUNT team.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 21-year-old competed on the school's competitive cheer STUNT team for three years, according to an official team roster.

The school did not clarify when Snelling unenrolled.

Lexington Police Department Laken Snelling. Laken Snelling.

Snelling was arrested on Sunday, Aug. 31, after her newborn was found in the closet, "wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag," according to the arrest citation reviewed by PEOPLE.

She is charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant, the Lexington Police Department said in a news release.

Snelling, originally from White Pine, Tenn., was placed on house arrest at her parents' home in Jefferson City, Tenn., and appeared in court on Tuesday, Sept. 2, where she pleaded not guilty, KBTX reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The next day, Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn announced that the results of a preliminary autopsy were inconclusive.

The death investigation remains pending the results of further studies, he said.

Authorities previously identified Snelling as the newborns biological mother.

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.

With the cause and manner of death and other details still unknown, questions remain about when Snelling gave birth, if she had a miscarriage, if the baby was born alive or stillborn and if she knew she was pregnant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The alleged crime came to light when officers were dispatched to Snellings off-campus home on Wednesday, Aug. 27, after police received a report about an unresponsive infant who was pronounced dead at the scene, police said in the release.

Snelling allegedly admitted to giving birth, cleaning up afterward and throwing all the evidence in a black trash bag, "including the infant, who was wrapped in a towel," according to the arrest citation.

After her arrest, Snelling was held at the Fayette County Detention Center, but she was released on Sept. 2 on $100,000 bond, according to court documents previously reviewed by PEOPLE.



Read the original article on People
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:

Credit: NASA

Scientists have discovered that Mars has an interior structure similar to Earth's. Results from NASA's InSight mission suggest that the red planet has a solid inner core surrounded by a liquid outer core, potentially resolving a longstanding mystery.

The findings, which are published in Nature, have important implications for our understanding of how Mars evolved. Billions of years ago, the planet may have had a thicker atmosphere that allowed liquid water to flow on the surface.

This thicker atmosphere may have been kept in place by a protective magnetic field, like the one Earth has. However, Mars lacks such a field today. Scientists have wondered whether the loss of this magnetic field led to the red planet losing its atmosphere to space over time and becoming the cold, dry desert it is today.

A key property of Earth is that its core has a solid center and liquid outer core. Convection within the liquid layer creates a dynamo, producing the magnetic field. The field deflects charged particles ejected by the sun, preventing them from stripping Earth's atmosphere away over time and leading to the habitable conditions we know and enjoy.

From residual magnetization in the crust, we think that Mars did once have a magnetic field, possibly from a core structure similar to that of Earth. However, scientists think that the core must have cooled and stopped moving at some point in its history.

On the surface of Mars there is a tremendous amount of evidence that liquid water once flowed, suggesting more hospitable conditions in the past. The evidence comes in many forms, including dry lake beds with minerals that formed under water, or the dramatic valley networks carved by rivers and streams. However, the Martian atmosphere is thin today and the necessary amount of water is nowhere to be found.

Teams working with the seismometers on NASA's InSight Mars lander first identified the Martian core and determined that it was actually still liquid. Now, the new results from Huixing Bi, at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei and colleagues, show that there may also be a solid layer inside the liquid core.

The nature of the interior structure of Mars has been an intriguing mystery. Was it ever like Earth's, with a dynamic liquid layer around a solid center? Or did Mars' smaller size prevent such a formation? How big must a planet be to gain the protection of a magnetic field, like Earth's, and support a habitable climate?

To understand what happened, how Mars evolved, we need to understand Mars today. These questions about Mars' atmosphere, water, and core have motivated several high profile Mars missions. While the NASA Mars rovers, Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance have studied the surface mineralogy, the European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter is studying the water cycle, NASA's Maven spacecraft is studying atmospheric loss to space, and NASA's InSight lander was sent to study seismic activity.

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.

In 2021, Simon Stahler, from ETH Zurich in Switzerland, and colleagues, published a seminal paper from the InSight mission. In it, they presented an analysis of the way that seismic waves pass through Mars from Mars quakes in the vicinity of InSight, through the mantle, through the core, and then reflecting off the other side of the planet and reaching InSight.

They detected evidence of the core for the first time and were able to constrain its size and density. They modeled a core with a single liquid layer that was both larger and less dense than expected and without a solid inner core. The size was huge, about half of Mars' radius of 1,800 km, and the low density implied that it was full of lighter elements. The light elements, such as carbon, sulfur, and hydrogen, change the core's melt temperature and affect how it could crystallize over time, making it more likely to remain liquid.

The solid inner core (610 km radius) found by Huixing Bi and colleagues is hugely significant. The very presence of a solid inner core shows that crystallization and solidification is taking place as the planet cools over time.

The core structure is more like Earth's and therefore more likely to have produced a dynamo at some point. On Earth, it is the thermal (heat) changes between the solid inner core, the liquid layer, and the mantle that drive convection in the liquid layer and create the dynamo that leads to a magnetic field. This result makes it more likely that a dynamo on Mars was possible in the past.

With Simon Stahler and co-authors reporting a fully liquid core and Huixing Bi and colleagues reporting a solid inner core, it might seem as if there will be some controversy. But that is not the case. This is an excellent example of progress in scientific data collection and analysis.

Competing models of Mars

InSight landed in November 2018 and its last contact with Earth occurred in December 2022. With Stahler publishing in 2021, there is some new data from InSight to look at. Stahler's model was revised in 2023 by Henri Samuel, from the Universite Paris Cite, and colleagues. A revised core size and density helped reconcile the InSight results with some other pieces of evidence.

In Stahler's paper, a solid inner core is specifically not ruled out. The authors state that the signal strength of the analyzed data was not strong enough to be used to identify seismic waves crossing an inner core boundary. This was an excellent first measurement of the core of Mars, but it left the question of additional layers and structure open.

For the latest study in Nature, the scientists achieved their result through a careful selection of specific seismic event types, at a certain distance from InSight. They also employ some novel data analysis techniques to get a weak signal out of the instrument noise.

This result is sure to have an impact within the community, and it will be very interesting to see whether additional re-analyses of the InSight data support or reject their model. A thorough discussion of the broader geological context and whether the model fits other available data that constrain the core size and density fit will also follow.

Understanding the interior structure of planets in our solar system is critical to developing ideas about how they form, grow, and evolve. Prior to InSight, models for Mars that were similar to Earth were investigated, but were certainly not favored.

More information: Huixing Bi et al, Seismic detection of a 600-km solid inner core in Mars, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09361-9 Journal information: Nature

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The annals of aviation history are scattered with asymmetric aircraft designs, some of them notably more extreme than others. Perhaps less well-known among this diverse group is the U.S. Air Forces airlift specialist, the C-17A Globemaster III. The sheer size of this aircraft means that its lopsidedness is less often seen by casual observers, especially when its on the ground. But once spotted, the feature is hard to ignore and is worth a closer look.

A U.S. Air Force C-17 performs a flyby. In this view, the two distinctly different-length landing gear sponsons are obvious. U.S. Air Force photo by Heide Couch Heide Couch

In fact, this oddity is just one of many interesting features, capabilities, and operational exploits associated with the C-17. For example, TWZ has previously explored how the aircrafts thrust reversers, normally used to deflect the airflow from the main engines to provide braking when landing, can also be employed in flight, for a dramatic reverse idle tactical descent.

Meanwhile, wider attention was brought to the C-17s asymmetry in a recent thread on the social media platform X, posted by @SR_Planespotter, a friend of TWZ. A partial underside view of a C-17 was provided alongside a shot of the C-5 Galaxy, which features an offset aerial refueling receptacle.

Turning to the C-17, its immediately obvious from this angle that the two large fairings that run down either side of the lower fuselage are of significantly different lengths. These sponsons accommodate the main landing gear, which is itself worthy of note.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the C-17, the main gear has two struts, with three heavy-duty wheels on each. The complex mechanism that allows these wheels to be retracted is something of a technological marvel, as you can see in the videos below. Overall, the landing gear is designed to ensure the C-17 can make high-angle, steep approaches, allowing it to operate into small, austere airfields and short runways even when heavily loaded.

As for the discrepancy in length between the two sponsons, this is due to the C-17s auxiliary power unit (APU) being installed in the forward part of the sponson on the right-hand side.

A video showing a U.S. Air Force C-17 flying at low level through the Mach Loop in the United Kingdom provides another good view of the underside sponsons:

In the C-17, the APU is a self-contained gas turbine engine, drawing gas from the aircrafts main fuel system. The APU provides electricity as well as hydraulic pressure. In this way, all the aircrafts doors and the rear ramp, plus the various control surfaces, can be fully operated without using the four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan main engines. The same APU system also delivers pneumatic pressure, which is used for the environmental/air-conditioning and de-icing/anti-icing systems.

Shadows on the underside of a U.S. Air Force C-17 emphasize the asymmetric sponsons. Australian Department of Defense CPL Glen McCarthy

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As well as the APU, the right main landing gear sponson features a ram air turbine (RAT), which can be extended in the case of a major power failure, ensuring that theres hydraulic system power for the flight controls.

Paratroopers with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, jump from a U.S. Air Force C-17. Australian Department of Defense UNKNOWN

So, while the asymmetric nature of the C-17 may not always be obvious, theres a very logical reason behind it.

The same is the case for various other asymmetric fixed-wing aircraft through the ages (helicopters are a different matter altogether, with the majority using an asymmetric tail rotor as a matter of course). Similarly, many propeller-driven aircraft feature more modest asymmetry, such as offset vertical tail surfaces, to counteract torque produced by the rotating prop.

Messerschmitt Bf 109s have a vertical fin cambered to the left, to counter P-effect. On Hispano Buchons with Hispano Suiza engines, the engine turned in the opposite direction, so the camber had to be reversed. Later Buchons had RR Merlins, so the tail had to be reversed again. pic.twitter.com/GzL5hROEoA  Aeroweanie   (@aeroweanie) August 30, 2025

There have also been a surprising number of aircraft whose asymmetry is bestowed by having an offset cockpit. The Cold War-era British de Havilland Sea Vixen carrier fighter is perhaps the best example, with the pilots cockpit set on the left and the observers position more or less buried on the right. This was supposed to provide the observer (navigator) with a better working environment to monitor the radar scope, but it was otherwise hardly conducive to comfort.

A Sea Vixen, seconds before takeoff from the carrier HMS Eagle. Photo by George Lipman/Fairfax Media via Getty Images Fairfax Media Archives

Then there have been the various aircraft types with asymmetric landing gear, especially when it comes to the nose undercarriage. Most famous is perhaps the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, with the nose leg offset to accommodate the enormous GAU-8/A Avenger 30mm rotary cannon.

A-10 Thunderbolt II. U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot Vincent De Groot

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Less well known is the Hawker Siddeley Trident airliner, of the 1960s era, which had its nose gear offset by a full two feet to make space for the bulky, primitive automatic approach and landing equipment that was installed in the bottom of the forward fuselage.

The Scaled Composites ARES (Agile Responsive Effective Support), built to perform a similar close air support role to the A-10, ended up even more radically lopsided. In this case, a 25mm rotary gun was mounted on the right, with the engine intake on the left. A special recess in the nose was intended to divert gun gases, canceling asymmetric recoil. The engine was also set at an angle to avoid the same gases entering it, while various ducts redirected the engine exhaust, reducing the infrared signature. The aircraft is still active today as a testbed.

Scaled Composites ARES. Scott Lowe

This view of the ARES reveals its offset engine. Scaled Composites

We cant finish this brief study without looking at perhaps the most extreme example of all. The World War II-era German Blohm & Voss BV 141 was a wildly unorthodox tactical reconnaissance aircraft. In this case, to provide the crew with the best visibility, the fuselage was located entirely separately, starboard of the engine and tail unit.

Blohm & Voss BV 141. Bundesarchiv

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So, this is how the C-17 airlifter takes its place among some other standout asymmetric aircraft designs. Let us know which skewed flying machines we might have missed.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
JOHNSTOWN, Pa.  With its standalone police department understaffed, Upper Yoder Township is moving toward potentially joining the West Hills Regional Police Commission.

The Upper Yoder Township Board of Supervisors is awaiting a letter of intent from the West Hills Regional Police Commission to begin negotiations.

At a special meeting called by the supervisors Thursday, Supervisor Robert Amistadi made a motion to enter into discussion to possibly join the West Hills Police Commission as soon as the township receives a letter of intent from the commission.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Amistadis motion was unanimously supported by Supervisors Sue Konvolinka, Ed Barzeski and Paul Pioli. Supervisor Kyle Shaffer was absent from the meeting at the townships municipal building, 110 Sunray Drive.

The West Hills Regional Police Department is currently governed by an eight-member commission comprising members from each participating municipality  Westmont Borough, Brownstown Borough, Southmont Borough and Lower Yoder Township.

West Hills Regional police Chief William Newman said in a phone interview that he expects the commission to submit its letter of intent to further discussions with Upper Yoder Township at its next monthly meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Westmont Borough municipal building, 1000 Luzerne St.

The letter of intent follows a feasibility study for the potential merger that was recently completed and funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is often difficult for small municipalities with limited resources to positively impact problems faced in the community, especially public safety, said the study, provided to The Tribune-Democrat by Upper Yoder Township. It has become necessary in many locations to consider ways to improve police service while stabilizing current and future costs.

In light of a fatal shooting Aug. 31 in the separate, neighboring police jurisdiction of the city of Johnstown, Upper Yoder Township resident Teresa Lipuma urged the supervisors Thursday to take quick action to increase police coverage in the township.

Time is something you cannot play with, she said.

Upper Yoder Townships police force was reduced by two officers in June. Three full-time officers remain, but that includes police Chief John Blake, who has taken another job. His final day with the Upper Yoder department is Oct. 24. The department also has 10 part-time officers, supervisors said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Currently, the West Hills Regional Police Department has a sworn complement of 11 full-time officers and five part-time officers for a total of 13 full-time equivalents, and one civilian staff member, the study says.

For the potential inclusion of Upper Yoder Township, the feasibility study recommends increasing the West Hills Regional force to 18 to 20 total sworn officers.

The West Hills Regional Police Departments current budget of $1,523,123 is funded by the municipalities that form its governing commission  each municipality pays a percentage of the budget based on its percentage of the overall tax assessment of the participating municipalities, the study says.

Based on the departments current costs, increasing the force to 18 full-time officer equivalents would increase the budget to $1,972,152; increasing the department to 20 full-time equivalents would increase the budget to $2,191,280, according to the study.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The study determined that Upper Yoder Townships membership would reduce the percentages of the total budget paid by the municipalities currently composing the commission. However, a true cost comparison for Upper Yoder Township has not yet been determined.

If Upper Yoder Township joins the West Hills Regional Police Department, then its share of the budget would be about 32%, or $628,327 in the 18-officer scenario, or $698,141 in the 20-officer scenario.

Upper Yoder Township currently has a $594,875 budget for its standalone police department in 2025.

However, that figure, provided by Upper Yoder Township to the study consultant, excludes many of its current police- related costs, including pension obligations, legal fees, property insurance and utilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Upper Yoder Township would appear to have a higher cost for service joining the West Hills Regional Police Department, based on the Upper Yoder Township 2025 Budget, the study said.

However ... it is recommended that all costs relating to the Upper Yoder Township Police Department be calculated by the Township to accurately reflect that cost so that a true cost comparison can be made.

Barzeski, the supervisors board chairman, said the township is working on a true cost comparison with the West Hills Regional Police Commission.

It may be a little bit of an increase over our budget now, but we have trouble getting and retaining officers, he said. (Joining West Hills Regional) will be worthwhile in the long run because well have a full-time force.
GLEN JEAN, WV (WVNS)  A specific vendors presence at the West Virginia Trifecta Spartan Race sparked a protest in Glen Jean.

The United States Border Patrol was set up at this event recruiting.

West Virginia American Water invests in infrastructure upgrades in Mercer County

Some concerned citizens caught wind of this and began protesting down the road from the Summit Bechtel Reserve. One person who spoke was Mathew Anderson, a Democrat candidate for West Virginias District 50 in the House of Delegates. Another leader of this protest was Pam Garrison, the chairperson of the West Virginia Poor Peoples Campaign. They were voicing their concerns about President Donald Trump and Border Patrols handling of illegal immigration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The things that they are doing, the cover, their faces, no badges, no identification, no due process, the unconstitutional neutrality of just how theyre operating and what theyre doing, said Garrison.

Theyve kind of tore up America, tore up West Virginia. I know its hit Fayette County kind of hard, especially in my district in the in the Valley district., said Anderson.

We have been hollering, hollering, trying to get a pathway to citizenship for people that has done nothing but contribute to this country. Go about this with common sense, humanity, and Americanism, added Garrison.

Garrison believed they received a positive response from those driving by.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A representative of Indivisible New River Gorge, who also happens to be a former US Marine spoke, recounting a story of a father of 3 fellow Marines, who was allegedly arrested for not properly filling out his paperwork for citizenship, instead of being given an opportunity to fight the case in court.

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 WVNS.
A Holocaust museum in Los Angeles is facing backlash after deleting an Instagram post that suggested the phrase never again should apply to all people  not just Jews.

The post, shared with Holocaust Museum LAs 24,200 Instagram followers, read: Never again cant only mean never again for Jews. The slogan never again, long associated with Holocaust remembrance, is also invoked more broadly as a pledge to prevent future genocides.

The Instagram message was initially praised online and interpreted by some as an acknowledgment of Palestinian suffering amid Israels war on Gaza, which numerous United Nations experts, scholars and rights groups have described as a genocide.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was later deleted and replaced with a statement on Saturday saying the post had been misinterpreted.

We recently posted an item on social media that was part of a pre-planned campaign intended to promote inclusivity and community that was easily open to misinterpretation by some to be a political statement reflecting the ongoing situation in the Middle East. That was not our intent, it said.

Holocaust Museum LA also promised to do better and to ensure that posts in the future are more thoughtfully designed and thoroughly vetted.





The museum, which is currently closed for construction until June 2026, quickly faced criticism online after journalist Ryan Grim of Drop Site News reposted a screenshot of the deleted message, writing: Speechless. No words for this.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yasmine Taeb, a human rights lawyer and progressive strategist, called the museums move absolutely disgusting, saying that the museum is cowering under pressure from pro-Israel voices.

Countless genocide scholars and human rights organisations have confirmed what Israel is doing in Gaza is textbook definition of genocide, Taeb told Al Jazeera.

Its appalling that a museum established for the purpose of educating the public about genocide and the Holocaust not only refuses to acknowledge the reality of Israels actions in Gaza, but [is] removing a social media post that merely stated that never again is not intended for just Jews, in order for it to not be interpreted as a response to the genocide in Gaza.

The original now-deleted post did not mention Gaza, but it faced a barrage of pro-Israel comments expressing disapproval, including some that called on donors to stop funding the institution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By deleting the post and issuing the subsequent statement, the museum sparked accusations of backtracking on a universal anti-genocide principle.

We live in a world where the Holocaust Museum has to apologise and retract for simply appearing to sympathise with Palestinians, Palestinian American activist and comedian Amer Zahr told Al Jazeera.

If that does not illustrate the historic dehumanisation that Arab Americans have had to live with, I dont know what does.





Assal Rad, a researcher with the Arab Center Washington DC, called the controversy unbelievable.

Palestinians are so dehumanized that theyre excluded from never again, apparently their genocide is the exception, Rad wrote on X.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Political commentator Hasan Piker also slammed the museums decision. A real shame that even a tepid general anti-genocide statement was met with unimaginable resistance from Israel supporters, he wrote in a social media post.

The Holocaust Museum LA did not immediately respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment.
The US put forward new Mideast ceasefire principles that call for the immediate release of all hostages and the start of negotiations for a comprehensive end to the war, according to two Israeli officials familiar with the discussions.

The principles were conveyed to Hamas, the officials said. It is unclear if the plan is a series of principles or guidelines for resuming negotiations or a complete ceasefire plan.

Hamas on Sunday confirmed it had received through mediators some ideas from the US administration, aimed at reaching a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal with Israel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement, the group said it welcomes any move that helps efforts to stop the aggression against our people.

Hamas emphasized that its immediate readiness to sit at the negotiating table to discuss the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for what it described as a clear Israeli commitment to end the war. Including the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the formation of an independent Palestinian committee to administer the territory.

Hamas stressed that any deal must include a public and explicit commitment from Israel to ensure the agreement is not reversed or ignored later.

According to one of the Israeli officials, the principles call for Hamas to release all 48 hostages on the first day of the ceasefire and for Israel to freeze its assault on Gaza City. Under the proposal, Israel and Hamas would start immediate negotiations for a comprehensive end to the war, the official said, and the fighting would not resume as long as talks continued. President Donald Trump would ensure the ceasefire holds as long as negotiations persist, the official said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end!, Trump posted on social media on Sunday evening. The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. Trump said this would be his last warning.

Trump posted while attending the US Open in Flushing, New York, where he was seen with his son-in-law Jared Kushner and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who have both been involved in Mideast peace talks.

Moments after Israels Channel 12 first reported about the principles, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, Israel is seriously considering President Trumps proposal; it appears Hamas will continue its refusal.

Netanyahus quick response strongly suggests the new proposal was closely coordinated between the US and Israel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

CNN has reached out to the White House for additional details and to Hamas for comment.

Both the US and Israel have repeatedly stressed the close coordination between the two countries, especially after their surprise withdrawal from the last round of ceasefire talks collapsed the negotiations effort.

In response to news of the latest proposal, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a strong statement in support of the US effort, calling it a true breakthrough.

We call on the Government of Israel to declare its unequivocal support for the emerging agreement and to provide President Trump with full backing until every hostage returns home- the living for rehabilitation, and the fallen for a dignified burial in their homeland, the forum said.

Palestinians run for cover during an Israeli airstrike on a high-rise building in Gaza City on Friday after the Israeli army issued a warning. - Yousef Al Zanoun/AP

For weeks, Netanyahu did not respond to the ceasefire proposal put forward by Qatar and Egypt, which Hamas accepted. The proposal, which mirrored one Netanyahu had accepted only a month earlier, called for a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for 10 living hostages and 18 deceased hostages. In exchange, Israel would release a number of Palestinian prisoners.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After months of insisting Israel would only accept a partial deal that would allow Israel to continue the war, Netanyahu suddenly demanded a comprehensive deal that met his maximalist demands.

Hamas has called for a proposal that brings about a comprehensive end to the war in exchange for the release of the hostages. Israeli officials told CNN they doubted whether Hamas would accept the proposal.

CNNs Alayna Treene , Samantha Waldenberg and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
By Ted Hesson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration plans to target more businesses for immigration enforcement after a raid on a Hyundai facility in Georgia led to hundreds of arrests, a top White House official said on Sunday.

Speaking on CNN's 'State of the Union,' White House border czar Tom Homan said the administration would intensify the focus on workplaces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We're going to do more worksite enforcement operations," Homan said. "No one hires an illegal alien out of the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they can work them harder, pay them less, undercut the competition that hires U.S. citizen employees."

Opponents of Trump's crackdown and some business groups say major U.S. industries - including agriculture, hospitality and meatpacking - depend on immigrants without legal status.

U.S. immigration authorities arrested 475 people on immigration violations during the raid of the Hyundai facility on Thursday, most of whom were South Korean nationals. The South Korean government said on Sunday that the workers would be returned once administrative procedures were completed.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said during a press conference on Friday that some of the people arrested at the facility had crossed the border illegally and overstayed visas. A separate ICE official told Reuters that many had visas for tourists and business travelers that do not include a work permit.

The arrests in Georgia followed tougher rhetoric by Trump on illegal immigration. For weeks, Trump and his top officials have suggested the administration could send National Guard troops and federal officers to Chicago to target crime and immigration.

In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump posted a meme based on the 1979 Vietnam war movie "Apocalypse Now" that showed an image of the Chicago skyline with flames and helicopters, reminiscent of the deadly helicopter attack on a Vietnamese village in the film.

On CNN, Homan defended the meme, which has been heavily criticized by Chicago residents and others for its warlike imagery and suggestion that the city is a military target. He said it was being taken out of context and that the Trump administration was only going to war with criminals and those violating immigration laws.

(Reporting by Ted Hesson; Editing by Ross Colvin and Andrea Ricci)
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA)  The United States Postal Service will be hosting a job fair in Greenville on Wednesday morning.

The USPS job fair will be hosted Wednesday, September 10, at the Goodwill Industries in Greenville, located at 115 Haywood Road. It will be from 9 a.m. to noon

USPS said they are looking to fill immediate openings. The positions include Rural Carrier Associate and Assistant Rural Carrier, paying $20.38 an hour.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you are interested in attending, you can submit an application online.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a valid drivers license, use a personal vehicle, and must be able to pass drug screening and a criminal background check.

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.
RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY)  The Virginia Department of Education was recently awarded $510,000 in grant funding to launch a Principal Registered Apprenticeship program at six educator programs across the state.

The initiative, which is being funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, aims to provide a pathway for aspiring principals to earn their masters degree or a certificate with licensure to become endorsed in Administration and Supervision no later than June 2027. 37 participants are expected for the pilot program.

The awarded amounts provided to each educator preparation program from the grant are provided below:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

George Mason University: $154,162

Virginia Commonwealth University: $115,500

Virginia State University: $99,000

Regent University: $66,000

Shenandoah University: $45,611.63

Averett University: $29,726.37

This grant exemplifies the power of collaboration between education and workforce development, said Nicole Overley, Commissioner of Virginia Works. By investing in the growth of our future school leaders through the Principal Registered Apprenticeship Program, we are not only enhancing educational leadership but also strengthening our learning outcomes and the fabric of our communities.

This funding is part of the $6 million in competitive funds the Virginia Department of Education was awarded to support workforce development efforts in the field of education going forward.

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.
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:

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has described her plan to "maximize extraction" of the UK's oil and gas from the North Sea as a "common sense" energy policy.

Politicians are using language like this increasingly oftencalling themselves "pragmatic" on climate change and invoking "common sense." It sounds reasonable, reassuring, and grownupthe opposite of "hysterical" campaigners or "unrealistic" targets.

But new research my colleagues and I conducted, calling on a decade of interviews with UK MPs, shows that political "pragmatism" is fast becoming a dangerous form of climate delay. By framing urgent action as "extreme" and steady-as-she-goes policies as "pragmatic," leaders across the political spectrum are protecting the fossil-fuel status quo at the very moment scientists warn we need rapid, transformative change.

Badenoch's latest intervention is a perfect example. She said "common sense" dictates that every drop of oil must be extracted from the North Sea, and that net zero by 2050 was a policy pushed by "bullies." This came just a day after the UK Met Office declared summer 2025 as the hottest on record.

We found that members of parliament deploy the same language of pragmatism to defend fossil fuel companies and to insist to their constituents that nothing needs to change too fast. The paradox, of course, is that more urgent social and economic change is precisely what the world's climate scientists say is necessary to avert climate breakdown.

In our recent interviews with politicians, MPs from across the political spectrum tended towards gradual change in order to maintain political and public support. One said,

"First and foremost be pragmatic. Accept incremental change, because incremental change often accelerates, but you take people with you. If you didn't take people with you, you'll start getting resistance."

Another MP contrasted a pragmatic approach with the calls from some campaign groups for more rapid action:

"There are campaigns that say we've got to be net zero by 2025, or 2030. [laughing incredulously]  do you realize what the consequences of that will be  you'd have a revolution in Britain if you tried to do that, in terms of destroying people's quality of life."

Interestingly, despite rejecting more ambitious targets, later in the interview the same MP acknowledged that faster change was needed:

"We need to do more, we could do more, we are, you know, I'm sure the government will do more. I'm certainly pushing it to do more. But fundamentally we've halved our emissions since 1990."

Here we see the nuance, and the danger, of the language of pragmatism. It allows politicians to hold two positions at once. They can acknowledge the need for rapid change, while promoting a "pragmatic" position against it.

The calls for pragmatism appeared to stem from MPs' desire to present a reasoned and rational case for climate action that does not impinge on constituents' lives. They also used pragmatism to distance themselves from arguments they portrayed as "extreme" or "shrill."

The flawed assumption underlying these calls to pragmatism is that the public will not support ambitious, transformative climate policies. We concluded that whereas a few years ago MPs promoted climate policies "by stealth," meaning they did it on the quiet, now they turn to ideas of pragmatism in an attempt to maintain a fragile political consensus in favor of net zeroa consensus that is already fracturing.

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.

Top-down pragmatism

This turn to pragmatism can now be seen at the very top of British politics, threatening the UK's steady ratcheting up of climate ambition to date.

Former Labor prime minister Tony Blair recently wrote in the Blair Institute's report on climate change: "People know that the current state of debate over climate change is riven with irrationality."

Blair then asserted: "Any strategy based on either 'phasing out' fossil fuels in the short term or limiting consumption is a strategy doomed to fail." This is despite the widespread consensus among scientists that both phasing out fossil fuels and reducing consumption of at least some products are essential.

The report goes on to say, "A realistic voice in the climate debate is required, neither ideological nor alarmist but pragmatic." This language is intended to sound rational, reasonable and even scientific. The problem is that it can be used to justify actions that appear to ignore what the science is telling us.

Former Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak warned against treating climate change as an "ideology." Notably, Sunak referred to "pragmatic, proportionate, and realistic" climate action shortly after his government announced hundreds of new licenses for oil and gas fields in the North Sea.

His message coincided with ongoing road-building programs, plans for airport expansion, and insufficient action to insulate the UK's housing stock, all of which could jeopardize the UK's climate targets. Again we see the language of pragmatism working against the rapid societal changes that are necessary.

The pragmatic road ahead

In general, the MPs we spoke to were not using pragmatism in bad faith. Rather it was a way of navigating the complexities of climate politics where the huge changes demanded by climate mitigation are deemed too challenging to sell to constituents. But this political strategy is a very risky one and underestimates the public's appetite for "strong and clear" climate leadership from government.

The current government is already struggling to reconcile net zero commitments with its economic growth agenda, which includes a new runway at Heathrow airport. Not only is prime minister Keir Starmer facing divisions within the ruling Labor party over net zero ambitions, he is also dealing with increasingly prominent net zero skepticism from the leaders of the Conservative and Reform parties.

The political language of "pragmatism" therefore risks spreading from Badenoch to Starmer, becoming a discourse of delay that promotes non-transformative solutions.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
JD Vance pushed the art of sycophancy to new heights in a Saturday Fox News interview with President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law, Lara Trump on her show, My View with Lara Trump.

Trump broached Vances military background, saying: I imagine you still, in this big role you have in Washington D.C., are using what you learned in the Marine Corps today as vice president.

In ways big and small, actually, Vance replied, before pivoting the conversation to his favorite subjectthe president.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It would not have shocked me if I had learned, after knowing him, that your father-in-law was in the Marine Corps, Vance began. Of course, he didnt serve in the Marines, but he has a Marine Corps style of leadership, where hes very willing to delegate and he trusts certain people.

The president really does have this attitude of, Im gonna surround myself with good people, Im gonna give clear directives, Im going to check in, certainly, but Im going to let my people go and do what I tell them to do, what I encourage them to do.

That sort ofI wouldnt call it a hands-off leadership style, but a leadership style that trusts the people around youvery much is something I learned from the Marine Corps, and the greatest leaders that Ive served under, they all have this ability to set clear guidelines, to inspire people, but also to trust people, Vance said.

JD Vance (right) gives President Donald Trump a big hand. / Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Vance served in the United States Marine Corps for four years, from 2003 to 2007, as a military journalist; his service included six months in Iraq in a non-combat role.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Donald Trump, who attended New York Military Academy as a teenager, has never served in the military and famously avoided the Vietnam draft with five deferments due to a questionable bone spur diagnosis.

Trumps ability to delegate those around him to make decisions has come back to bite him in recent days, as calls for the president to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. grow louder as a result of Kennedys mismanagement of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and continued promotion of anti-vax views that appear unsupported by science.

Trump himself seemed unsure of what to say about Kennedy on Thursday, telling reporters that he means well but has some different ideas. The next day, Trump went even further by praising amazing vaccines, adding that people have to be very careful when you say that some people dont have to be vaccinated.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  This morning, Ontario County Deputies arrested a 29-year-old woman after investigating a car fire on Carter Road in Geneva.

Deputies, upon arrival at the scene of the reported vehicular fire, found several cars with doors open that had been rumaged through, and items were stolen from along the street.

With the help of a K9, Deputies were able to track the suspect to near her parked car before she attempted to flee from it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They arrested Victoria S. Gordon of Rochester at Station 19 on Carter Road. She is charged with fourth-degree arson.

After she was arraigned, she was turned over to another jurisdiction on an active warrant.

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.
Vice President JD Vance doesnt give a s*** if people consider the Trump administrations strike on an alleged Venezuelan gangs boat a war crime, he posted Saturday on his official X account.

The Trump administration has been under pressure to explain a lethal military strike it carried out September 2 on a boat allegedly carrying drugs and affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The strike killed 11 people.

Legal experts, former national security officials, and Democrats have raised concerns that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority by carrying out the strike in international waters, without giving those on board due process.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vance defended the strike Saturday, stating: Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.

Brian Krassenstein, a prominent social media personality, responded: Killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime.

Vice President JD Vance defended the Trump administrations recent strike on a boat allegedly affiliated with a Venezuelan gang (Getty Images)

The vice president shot back: I dont give a s*** what you call it.

Vances attitude earned a quick and stinging rebuke from GOP Senator Rand Paul.

"JD 'I dont give a s---' Vance says killing people he accuses of a crime is the 'highest and best use of the military.' Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird?" Paul asked. "Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation??"

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Paul added, "What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial."

Trump has long-promised to go after drug cartels, blaming them for drug overdoses and deaths in the U.S. Hes particularly focused on Tren de Aragua, a transnational organization that has a reputation for engaging in extreme violence, sex trafficking and drug smuggling.

Trump has designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization which allows him to bring financial or legal penalties, or sanctions, but does not automatically authorize the use of lethal force.

While the president has the power to use military force when it constitutes national interest, its unclear if that legal justification applies because cartel members, historically, have been treated as criminals with the right to due process.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a Navy veteran, told Axios he did not think U.S. military members should be put in a situation where theyre doing things that are outside of legal boundaries.

An image of the boat just seconds before it was blown up by a U.S. strike. President Donald Trump posted the video on his Truth Social after announcing the strike this week. 11 people died (White House)

Juan S. Gonzalez, a former National Security Council official in the Biden administration, wrote on X that the attack was legally questionable under both U.S. and international law.

The Trump administration has offered few details about the strike. Those killed have not been identified, nor have any details about the drugs they were supposedly carrying.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has maintained that U.S. officials were certain that members of Tren de Aragua were on the boat and intended to poison the U.S. with drugs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed they had identified those on board as Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists who were operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, the president of Venezuela.

On Friday evening, Maduro condemned the boat strike and urged Trump to engage in respectful dialogue over the two countries differences, according to PBS.

A White House spokesperson said the strike against a designated terrorist organization was fully consistent with armed conflict law and done in defense of vital U.S. national interests.

Senior administration officials have made it clear they intend to continue carrying out strikes against cartels.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We've got assets in the air, assets in the water, assets on ships, because this is a deadly serious mission for us, and it won't stop with just this strike," Hegseth told Fox & Friends last week. "Anyone else trafficking in those waters who we know is a designated narco terrorist will face the same fate.

Vances comment comes one day after, the president signed an executive order to informally rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War.
CHEYENNE  Paul Elwood was a major musical inspiration for Aimee Neimann.

Originally from Greeley, Colorado, Niemann is a New York-based violinist and educator who was taught byx Elwood, a composer, banjoist and longtime professor of composition at the University of Northern Colorado. They graduated in 2012.

Things have changed (since I graduated), but when youre a musician, and a violinist especially, youre kind of expected to get a (bachelors) degree, and then your masters, and then practice orchestral excerpts to try and get into a professional orchestra or get a job at a college, said Niemann. I always felt like that wasnt what I wanted to do. You spend so long just practicing these little excerpts and hoping that you win an audition somewhere, and I just knew early on that wasnt how I wanted to spend my career.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Throughout his career, Elwood had his works performed nationwide and internationally, and has received numerous honors, including the Inter-American Music Award and commissions from the Jerome Foundation.

Paul Elwood

Paul Elwood was a banjoist and educator at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley before he died.

Elwood died in February; however, his legacy lives on in the form of his music at a memorial celebration concert being held in his honor on Tuesday and Wednesday at UNC. Both concerts will be free to attend and were organized by the College of Performing and Visual Arts.

Tuesdays concert at Campus Commons will feature Elwoods chamber and concert works, performed by UNC students and faculty, as well as guest artists from around the world, including Niemann.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Wednesday, he will be honored through screenings at The Kress Cinema of his newly remastered operas, Snow White Under the Knife and Perdida, followed by a reception.

His work was my first experience with new music by a living composer, said Niemann. A lot of times in the classical world, you play Mozart and Beethoven, and people that dont actually get to connect with composers face to face. That sort of opened my world up. ... He also started the Open Space Music Festival, which was a festival where they brought in a (contemporary) composer from somewhere and had days of contemporary music. It was always amazing. He opened up my world a lot.

Elwood also had previously asked Niemann numerous times to play on some of his music while they were a student, and eventually hired them to fly to Greeley and perform and record some of his music as well. They said he became a friend and mentor to them during that time.

He also was just really generous, said Niemann. He was totally himself, really authentic, and had a way of bringing a lot of different people together. ... And if someone was interested in his music, hed write a piece for them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The song that Niemann will be performing is a spin on a composition that Elwood wrote for Niemann in 2022 called Prairie eclat #2, which uses a map of Wyoming as its foundation, combining musical notation, text instruction that they may sing or speak during the performance, and visual graphics.

Many of Elwoods works entrusted performers to shape parts of the composition in real time, ensuring that no two realizations of the music would be the same.

The way that one of Niemanns students described the type of composition theyll be playing on Tuesday was like a graphic novel, but for music. Similar to Elwood, Niemanns work is mostly experimental and contemporary, and often engages with graphic scores, collaboration and environmental approaches.

Graphic scores are essentially visual representations of sound that leave the pieces up to interpretation, as well as room for improvisation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the piece, Elwood collaged out different images, texts, colors and numbers along with a written melody and notes. Using their imagination of the piece, Niemann adventured across Wyoming to record sounds that they felt represented each area of the state they visited. Those sounds and visuals will be woven into the track that theyll play over the original composition.

Seeking inspiration before performing the piece, Niemann flew into Jackson and followed along with the map/graphic score they had. From there, they drove through Dubois, Wind River, Thermopolis and Casper, eventually reaching Cheyenne on Friday.

I was surprised by how quiet Wyoming is, said Niemann. So, a lot of what Ive heard has been human-made noise, which is cool. Ive also gathered some sounds of the river and various birds and laundromat sounds from an art show in Dubois. I feel like the piece has shifted from what my main goal originally was. ... Its just been a way to feel closer to him and experience the state. I didnt realize how beautiful Wyoming was, and it wasnt what I was expecting, which I think is cool.

The piece is still coming together, but Niemann said traveling the Cowboy State has given them a way to connect more visually to the music and experience the stillness, which will likely be translated into whatever they end up making to go along with Elwoods original composition. They want the performance to feel in the moment, so the next time they play it, hopefully it will feel different and organic.
UPDATE 10:05 P.M. 9/8/2025  Gilberto Hernandez Rodriguez was arrested in Park Forest, Illinois, according to the Roanoke Police Department.

The U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Taskforce took the suspect into custody.

Hes accused of shooting 31-year-old Jose Eduardo Buenostro-Vazquez on Sept. 7. Authorities say Buenostro-Vazquez died in the hospital.

UPDATE 6:27 P.M.  Roanoke Police Department says the Kia has been located. Officers are still searching for Rodriguez.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)  The Roanoke Police Department is searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred overnight.

Officials say the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, September 7. Officers responded to the 5300 block of Williamson Road NE for the report of a shooting at 1:54 a.m.

Officers report finding 31-year-old Jose Eduardo Buenostro-Vazquez, of Roanoke, with gunshot wound injuries in a parking lot of a bar when they arrived on scene.

Reports say that Buenostro-Vazquez was taken to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Detectives say an arrest warrant for second-degree murder has been issued for 20-year-old Gilberto Hernandez Rodriguez, of Roanoke. He is believed to be driving a silver 2012 Kia Sorrento with a Virginia license plate TJM-4257.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to officials, the preliminary investigation determined that Buenostro-Vazquez and several others got into an argument inside the bar. Then security kicked out the group, and the group then fought in the parking lot, where, during the fight, Buenostro-Vazquez was shot.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Roanoke Police Department at 540-344-8500.

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.
(The Center Square)  Trump administration border czar Tom Homan says Democrat leaders in sanctuary states and cities hate President Donald Trump more than they care for their communities.

Homan spoke to the State Freedom Caucus Network Summit in Dallas, Texas, Friday night and reiterated the plan to deport illegal aliens in Chicago. While Democrats say President Donald Trump is targeting Democrat run cities for political reasons, Homan said thats not the case.

Its not because theyre blue, its because theyre sanctuary cities and theyre releasing criminals every hour, so thats where were going, Homan said. Thats where were going to flood the zone.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Weeks ago, Homan had said they will flood the zone with immigration enforcement in Chicago. Last month, President Donald Trump said he would send in the National Guard to address public safety, but later hedged that and insisted Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker call for help. Pritzker said he would not call Trump to ask for help, saying there is not an emergency.

Saturday, Trump posted a graphic to Truth Social, depicting him as a character in the film Apocalypse Now, but it said Chipocalypse Now, I love the smell of deportations in the morning and Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR.

Pritzker posted on social media in response that this is not a joke and this is not normal.

Pritzker and other Democratic leaders also posted on social media over the weekend know your rights campaign messaging, with tips like remaining calm, denying entry without a warrant, remaining silent, and declining to sign anything.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Homan tried to make sense of the Democrats resistance to cooperating with ICE.

They hate President Trump more than they love their communities, theres no other reason, Homan said. I cant think of why you would not join forces with us.

Illinois law prohibits state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials. State law also prohibits police from inquiring about an individual's immigration status.

Pritzker said if Trump deploys the National Guard in Chicago, they will immediately take the administration to court.
Results from advanced water testing in Palma Sola Bay traced horse DNA to bacteria found around the causeway, adding fuel to a long-standing debate that horses contaminate the bay.

Scientists with the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) and Suncoast Waterkeeper recently began the advanced sampling to pinpoint percentages of fecal indicator bacteria sources around the Palma Sola Causeway.

The groups collected water samples from all four sides of the causeway and, in three out of four sites, horse DNA was found as a source of fecal bacteria. For the water sample collected from the southeast site, birds were also identified as a source.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the new samples provided some insight, the results also raised more questions, and the need for more tests.

We had hits for horses as a source for bacteria in three of the four sites, including the bathing beach site, said Dave Tomasko, the executive director of the SBEP. At all three sites, the level was low enough that we couldnt actually even quantify it.

This means that, while there was a trace of horse DNA in the bacteria, the reading was so low that scientists arent able to accurately estimate if the bacteria was 50% or 0.5% horse-related.

Its like you hear a noise in the woods, but you dont know how loud it waslike you dont have a decibel reading, Tomasko said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Suncoast Waterkeeper and SBEP plan to conduct four more samples, and Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Abbey Tyrna said the research could help direct municipalities for potential regulation.

Horseback riding along Bradentons Palma Sola Bay has been debated over the years. Tiffany Tompkins/ttompkins@bradenton.com

Need for specific DNA source sampling

Horseback riding in Palma Sola Bay has been a long point of contention between the horse riding companies, scientists and the community.

About two years ago, Tomasko gave a presentation to the Bradenton City Council on the potential impact of horses on the City of Bradenton. Part of the presentation focused on what impact, if any, the horse fecal bacteria has on the local waterway.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Suncoast Waterkeeper conducts weekly monitoring of fecal bacteria indicators throughout Manatee and Sarasota Counties. One of those sites is the north side of Palma Sola Bay, which has high levels of fecal indicator bacteria 80-90% of weeks, according to Tyrna.

The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) designated the south side of the causeway as a bathing beach and, because of that, FDOH conducts regular testing of the southeast side.

Both FDOH and Suncoast Waterkeepers sampling looks for the presence of enterococci bacteria.

Enterococci is one of the main fecal indicator bacteria, but Tomasko said the indicators arent specific enough to pinpoint a source. Sometimes higher levels could mean more decomposing vegetation, not animal feces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

None of them are specific to humans or mammals, or even animals, Tomasko said. Finding high levels didnt necessarily mean the horses were the reason. So we suggested some source identification work should be done.

Last year, Suncoast Waterkeeper took the next step. The samples confirmed that horse DNA was found in the fecal bacteria, but the question remained about how much horse feces was contributing to the issue, which is what the latest testing is trying to do.

Horseback riding along Bradentons Palma Sola Bay has been debated over the years. Dave Tomasko, executive director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program said more research is necessary to determine whether horses impact water quality. Tiffany Tompkins/ttompkins@bradenton.com

Were the results a surprise?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When we found the genetic indicator of horses as a source of some of the bacteria at three of the four sites, we thought it was important enough to let our policy board members know about it, Tomasko said.

While the SBEP and Suncoast Waterkeeper expected to find evidence of horse DNA where horses enter the water on the north side, it was alarming to find it on the opposite side of the causeway.

We dont want to suggest its terrifying to dip into the waters. Horse manure is not as problematic as coming into contact with human fecal material, Tomasko said. Nonetheless, we do think finding evidence of the horse-related bacteria making it across the causewaythats a little different than saying, Dont swim next to the horses.

On the day SBEP and Suncoast Waterkeeper collected water samples, Suncoast Waterkeeper also conducted its routine monitoring for enterococci.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tyrna and Tomasko noted it was interesting that, while enterococci levels were low that day, the more advanced samples still found traces of horse DNA.

But Tyrna said it didnt surprise her that they found traces of horse DNA.

We were wading in the water each week and moving horse manure out of the way in order to get a sample, Tyrna said. We knew the problem was horses.

Local horseback riding company rebuttals

Carmen Hanson owns C Ponies Horseback Riding, a company that uses Palma Sola Bay about four to five times a week for horseback riding.

She argued the coin can be flipped either way. While some may find the detection of horse DNA alarming, Hanson says the low numbers are a sign that the horseback riding companies are doing a good job of keeping the bay clean.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For it to be tested so mildly that they cant put a percentage on it, to me thats good news, Hanson said. The testing is so minimal that they couldnt even say it was 0.05%...its so minimal that obviously were doing our job.

Horse droppings are scooped up by a worker with a net and a basket while riders participate in a group ride at Palma Sola Bay. Tiffany Tompkins/ttompkins@bradenton.com

Hanson said the company has cleanup crews that start cleaning the beach before they unload the horses, picking up any trash on the beach before the horseback walks begin.

Then, the crews have horses walk along the beach line first in case the horses need to defecate before getting in the water. Once groups are in the water, other crew members follow along to clean up any feces that the horses may drop.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We use pool nets so that we try to get 99.9% of the waste, Hanson said.

Hanson also pointed out that, at one of the sites, bird DNA was also found in an unquantifiable amount.

Palma Sola Causeway looking west in May 2020. Tiffany Tompkins/ttompkins@bradenton.com

Regulation possible moving forward

While horseback riding companies and scientists may not agree on how harmful horse manure is, both sides see a possibility for compromise on regulation.

Were not opposed to regulation. Weve never been opposed to regulation, Hanson said. Weve never been opposed to working with the city on regulating anything.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, Hanson added that regulating horseback riding now would be jumping the gun.

I think they need to continue to do the testing. When that south side does get shut down with a no swim advisory, thats the perfect time to test, Hanson said.

While the SBEP is not a regulatory board itself, there are regulatory stakeholders on its policy board. Tomasko said he plans to present findings to Bradentons city council in September.

Tyrna said Suncoast Waterkeeper has never thought horseback riding should be eliminated entirely from Palma Sola Bay. Some regulation options could mean prohibiting horses from certain areas, diapers for horses or a permitting system to limit how many groups are allowed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking to fishermen, Tyrna said shes heard stories about how some fishermen have pulled up horse poop in cast nets, and how the manure may have other impacts.

Tyrna hopes the right management practices in the future could strike a balance between all stakeholders on Palma Sola Bay.

We hope to see Palma Sola Bay be a bay where one use is not excluding another use, Tyrna said. Right now we have one use that is creating problems for other uses.
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:

Credit: SHOX art from Pexels

Speculation swirls about fugitive accused double murderer Dezi Freeman's potential ties to prepper groups and possible doomsday beliefs. There are even questions over whether he's hiding in a homemade underground bunker.

One Facebook user in a prominent Australian Preppers group wrote:

"I don't like that the prepper community will now be made to look nuts again [] There is zero reason to shoot at police [] We may disagree with some laws but we are also not the law."

So, now is a good time to take a step back and think about what prepping looks like in contemporary Australia, and what it means for our culture more generally.

Who are the people actively living for the end times? Are sovereign citizens the same as survivalists? Are survivalists different from preppers? And what precisely do people mean when they talk about "The End of the World as We Know It?"

One of us, Tom Doig, has conducted in-depth interviews with 50 preppers across six countries: Australia, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Sweden and the United States. The other, Jordan McKenzie, is a sociologist whose research areas include dystopian emotions, climate anxiety and doomsday prepping.

We have found that people's identities, beliefs and everyday practices in this realm sprawl and overlap. It makes sense to differentiate between climate-crisis preppers, religious-fundamentalist preppers and magnetic pole shift preppers (those preparing for catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis caused by Earth's magnetic poles suddenly reversing). Yet people canand doidentify with multiple categories at once, with varying degrees of engagement and seriousness.

Australian preppers exist across the political and class spectrum. Left-wing climate preppers envision ever-increasing floods, bushfires and droughts. More conspiratorial preppers are influenced by various movementsfrom the anti-vaccination movement that grew during COVID, to chemtrails or secret digital surveillance. Religious preppers tend to be motivated by apocalyptic and end-of-days scenarios.

While far-right, conspiratorial and anti-government (anti the concept of government, not simply anti this government) preppers are a real problem in Australia, they are comparatively rare compared with the US, from where much of the apocalyptic "culture" is imported.

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.

Prepping in Australia is distinctive: less about guns and militias, more about food, water and community. This difference matters, because the threats most Australians imagine are not urban shootouts or civil war. Increasingly, they imagine frequent floods, bushfires, heat waves and supply-chain breakdowns.

The most "common-sense" form of prepping is basic civil-defense preparedness. Luis Merlo, a Brisbane suburban dad who works as a welder, preps to avoid getting caught out in the next big flood, as he was in 2009. "We lost power for three days," he said. "I didn't even have a flashlight." He had watched prepper videos but felt unprepared. "And I cursed myself! I thought, 'How could you let this happen?'"

Other threat scenarios are more baroque. One prepper, "Guy" (not his real name) said he was "working on fitness and my health and getting ready for the shit storm that's coming." He worried about "the threats of WW3 and the like." Guy sent Tom a link to a YouTube video with the title "EMERGENCY BROADCASTWorldwide Soft Coup Imminent!"

Many people in this space reject, or resent, having the labels "prepper," "survivalist" and "sovereign citizen" applied to them, seeing the terms as cliches or harmful stereotypes. Nevertheless, we suggest that four distinct groups can be identified in an Australian context.

Preppers, survivalists and sovereign citizens

It's hard to estimate how many preppers there are in Australiapartly because the term itself is hard to define, and partly because no quantitative studies have been made.

While roughly 10% of Australians make basic disaster preparations, only a much smaller proportion would qualify as fully-fledged preppers. By comparison, 6% of US citizens self-identify as preppers; the figure in Australia is likely to be significantly lower.

Many preppers are secretive or paranoid about their activities and don't readily admit to being preppers. There are 40,500 members of the Australian Preppers Facebook group (founded by Dezi Freeman's neighbor, Stephen Mallett). And there are 10,900 members of the "Australian preppers no conspiracies allowed" Facebook group.

Preppers can be defined as people who expect to experience some form of major disruptionfrom a natural disaster to widespread societal collapsewithin their lifetime, and who are taking active steps to prepare for that eventuality.

Many of these scenarios have nothing to do with a malevolent government; rather, preppers often see the state as lacking the capacity to protect its citizens. UK-based geographer Kezia Barker argues "prepping is driven not by a paranoia assumed of survivalists that 'the government is coming for me," but by the belief that 'the government isn't coming for me.'"

Preppers are also more likely to stay put in a disaster scenarioto "bug in"and hunker down with supplies. Depending on money and motivation, preppers can store smaller or larger amounts of food, water and tools for an imagined catastrophe; in some cases, they invest in actual bunkers.

Preppers can imagine "the end" as a discrete event, or as an ongoing process, or as both at the same timethat is, ruptures within a longer trajectory of decline and collapse.

For example, Te Wehi Ratana, a Maori climate activist and prepper in Aotearoa New Zealand, admitted "such a huge part of me is waiting for the apocalypse to happen." When asked, "When is the collapse going to begin?" he responded, "It's already begun, man!"

Small-"S" survivalists practice bushcraft: shelter-building, fire-building, path-finding, food-foraging. Think scouts; think Alone Australia. At its simplest, this is about going out into the wilderness and not dying.

When newspaper articles quote survival experts saying Dezi Freeman could last for "several weeks" in Victoria's mountain country, they're talking about small-"S" survivalism. These practices aren't ideological in and of themselves, although survival skills can be deployed for a variety of ends, from pig-hunting to "bugging out."

Big-"S" survivalism is a far-right, anti-government philosophy that originated in postwar US culture, as part of the militia movement. These kinds of survivalists see the future as dystopian, if not apocalyptic. The state is the primary threat. In the face of perceived governmental oppression and "tyranny"exemplified by conflicts such as the siege of Waco, Texassurvivalist groups believe they need to "bear arms" in self-defense.

Survivalism has a view of history with echoes of colonialism: it fetishizes the idea of "surviving" in nature, outside of industrial society.

Sovereign citizens are anti-authority and anti-law. They believe Australia's laws don't apply to them (or only apply selectively). They sometimes generate and attempt to enforce their own pseudolaws, or cite archaic legal jargon out of context. For example, "Bunnings Karen" is a sovereign citizen who quoted the Magna Carta as an excuse to not wear a face mask during COVID lockdowns.

Sovereign citizens have a tendency toward confrontation, especially directed at police officers, as the most obvious embodiment of "the law." The "SovCit" movement originated in the US in the 1970s; it is a reasonably new group in Australia, where it has grown rapidly since COVID.

The divide between preppers, survivalists and sovereign citizens can be understood through each group's relationship with the nation state.

While preppers may be inclined to work with the state in an emergency, sovereign citizens and (in some cases) survivalists see their practices as in ideological opposition to the state. Attitudes toward the use of violence are arguably key here.

For sovereign citizens, the authority of the state is fundamentally illegitimate, so acts of violence against state representatives (such as the police, but also the courts, politicians and state bureaucracy) are both justified and ethical.

'You cannot prep in prison'

On Stephen Mallett's Australian Preppers page, the chat about Dezi Freeman has been heated, to put it mildly. People are already suggesting the shooting was a "false flag" operation. One anonymous user claimed the whole event is "100% psyop" masterminded by "the gruberment," with "new gun laws incoming" as a result.

Other preppers are expressing more measured views. "It's one thing to home school, grow your own food and mind your own business," they wrote; "it's another when you think that the common laws [] of the land you live on don't apply to you and go about breaching those laws."

But one user's comments best sum up the tensions within these subcultures:

"I love prepping but this group is not about that, is it. You're sovereign citizens by the sounds. I'm out. You're nut jobs []"

Prepping in Australia vs. the US

In the US, prepping is inextricably tied to gun ownership and use. The figure of the armed prepper is central to how threats (urban crime, civil unrest), safety (self-defense), freedom (Second Amendment rightsor, the constitutional "right to bear arms," as interpreted by the NRA), and even "the good life" (guns are fun for the whole family!) are imagined.

But in Australia, where gun ownership is comparatively rare and tightly controlled, this imported discourse sits awkwardly. Yes, some Australian preppers echo US rhetoricespecially online. But many go out of their way to distance themselves from it, preferring a more communal, less militarized approach.

For example, the advice from the Australian People's Survival League is focused on collaboration and prosocial behaviors; more akin to a backup State Emergency Services than a militia. John Scarinci, secretary general of the League, has speculated that a full-scale societal collapse would give rise to "The Marauder Effect"individuals with caches of weapons disregarding the law and preying on fellow citizens to survive.

"We don't promote that side of things," Scarinci said. "We don't promote breaking the law as a prepper. It's a great way to potentially land yourself in jail. We are not America. We're Australia. It's something to be proud of here."

In the US, preppers, survivalists and sovereign citizens all tend to prioritize weapons for the simple fact that in a SHTF (shit hits the fan) scenario, those with resources such as food, medicine and shelter are vulnerable to everyone else with a gun. (There are more guns than people in the US.)

In Australia, the comparative lack of gunsless than one tenth of US ratesand radically different ideological connection to guns means those in the prepper and survivalist communities tend to see things differently.

This is an important difference between preppers and sovereign citizens. While preppers are likely to feel the state would fail to protect or provide for them in a SHTF scenario, sovereign citizens oppose the legitimacy and legality of the state altogether. They exist in opposition to the nation state and, in extreme cases, are willing to use violence in an attempt to destroy it.

Crucially, US-style visions of societal collapse, often mediated via Hollywood movies and TV series like 28 Days Later, The Walking Dead and The Last of Us fixate on "urban chaos." Densely populated areas experience disasters and/or run out of food, before quickly devolving into civil war scenarios, with desperate citizens taking up arms and attacking each other. In this context, "zombies" function as a metaphor for the unprepared masses who become threats to more organizedand, by implication, more deserving of lifepreppers.

These narratives are legible within the US, where riots and armed uprisings (such as the January 6 Capitol insurrection) are relatively common occurrences. But they are also imported to Anglosphere countries such as Australia, where some preppers will parrot sentiments about needing to get out of the city "before it's too late"; (a recent Guardian article on preppers quotes a Facebook comment that "traffic jams and gunfire don't mix"). This flies in the face of Australian lived experience, where riots and shootings are comparably rare events.

This contradiction came to a head in the 2022 Wieambilla shootings, where the Train familydescribed in media as "Doomsday Preppers"murdered two police officers (Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow) and a civilian (Alan Dare). Brothers Gareth and Nathaniel Train, and Gareth's wife Stacey Train, were conspiracy theorists and religious fundamentalists; they ambushed the police officers who had visited the property to investigate a missing persons report about Nathaniel Train.

Their motivations, however, had more to do with far-right religious radicalization from an online US preacher than with mainstream Australian prepping culture.

Meanwhile, Tom Doig met a senior police officer in Tennessee in 2024, "Joel," who didn't see anything wrong with the Trains stockpiling weapons, even after the fatal shootings. He seemed to think the Wieambilla tragedy was just "one of those things": regrettable, but unavoidable. "Just in general, everybody has a right to bear arms!" he laughed, "there's no issue with preppers. It's kind of accepted here. People have a right to do what they wanna do. Until they're buying high-grade explosives []"

German sociologist Max Weber argued (Politics as a Vocation) that the state is defined by its monopoly of legitimate violence. This means the group (there can be only one) able to use violence and be deemed legitimate gets to be the state. Only the state can have police, prisons and armiesand when non-state actors use violence, they must be punished to maintain the state's monopoly of power.

While Dezi Freeman remains at large, his ability to escape arrest presents a very public challenge to state authority, which could inspire others to do the same.

Ultimately, undermining the authority of the state is how sovereign citizens can seek to establish their own rules and regulations.

Slow emergencies

The Dezi Freeman story has already become a mirror for our wider anxieties about social polarization and state power. The task of figuring out what to do with these anxieties leads many to prepping and other forms of future-oriented actions.

Prepping in Australia shades into something more mainstream: ordinary households storing extra food, checking their emergency kits or drawing on community networks during a blackout. These practices speak to a growing sense of climate anxiety, but also to possibilities for resilience and solidarity.

The real question, perhaps, is not whether Freeman is hiding undergroundbut how the rest of us will prepare for the slow emergencies already unfolding above ground.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The WCR Center for the Arts has announced that Adam Void has been appointed as its new executive director. A Reading native, Void brings extensive experience in the performing arts, community engagement and nonprofit leadership to the role.

Adam Void is the new executive director of the WCR Center for the Arts. (Don Carrick-Studio 413 Photography(

On behalf of the board of directors, I am thrilled to welcome Adam Void as the new executive director of the WCR Center for the Arts, said Jayme Rhoads, president of the board of directors. Adam brings both vision and passion for the arts, and we are confident his leadership will guide our organization into an exciting new chapter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His commitment to fostering creativity and community aligns perfectly with our mission as we continue to contribute to the revitalization of Downtown Reading. We look forward to the energy and ideas he will bring to our historic center, fostering the arts as a driving force for community growth and connection.

Void received his bachelor of arts degree in theater and English from Muhlenberg College and a masters of fine arts in performance from Arizona State University. He is also a graduate of United Ways 202425 Leadership Berks program and serves on the board of Co-County Wellness Services.

Since returning to the Reading area in 2021, Void has held leadership positions at two of the regions premier arts organizations  first as theatre manager of the Boscov Theatre at GoggleWorks, and most recently as director of school and community engagement at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education.

Prior to his return, he worked in Denver with Mirror Image Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to using theatre to help youth build social-emotional learning skills in schools, after-school programs and juvenile detention centers, with a focus on anti-bullying initiatives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im passionate about serving the community where I grew up, said Void, an Exeter High School graduate and city resident. To me, thats the heart of our mission: preserving this historical building and making our exceptional gathering space accessible to everyone. Whether its through global music, performance or cultural programming, the WCR Center is a place where people of all ages can unite, share stories, and create beautiful and harmonious moments together.

Void is eager to deepen partnerships and expand community involvement.

Im most excited about building a bigger table so that anyone passionate about the arts, our community, and the revitalization of Reading has a seat at it, he said.

As the WCR Center prepares for a new season of performances and programs, Void emphasized one message to the community: the importance of presence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a world that keeps changing faster and faster, my hope is that we can rekindle the power of showing up  of sharing space, experiencing liveness and knowing we are part of something bigger, he said. Thats what makes it so exciting to be here now: the WCR, like the city around it, is at the unique intersection of preserving our rich past and building toward an exciting future, and the secret to our success will be to show up in the present. And I cant wait to see you there.

Art

A showcase of fine art photography reflecting the artistic community living in Berks County and beyond will be on display at Montgomery County Community College.

The Montco Cultural Center will host the Berks Photographic Society Members Exhibition, which runs through Oct. 24, in the Montco Cultural Center North Hall Gallery on the Pottstown Campus, 16 E. High St., Pottstown.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Free parking is available at 101 College Drive.

An opening reception is scheduled for Friday from 6-8 p.m. in the Gallery. For more information, visit mc3.edu/cultureevents.

Majextic by Vince Pellegrini is part of the Berks Photographic Society Members exhibition at Montgomery County Community Colleges Pottstown campus. (Courtesy of Vince Pellegrini)

Eighty pieces of traditional, digital and mixed media photography will be on display during the exhibition.

The members of Berks Photographic Society show the amazing possibilities and diversity of photographic media today, said Patrick Rodgers, manager of the Montco Cultural Center. They take us to shooting locations from Portugal to Patagonia, to Philadelphia, and capture both natural and built environments in dramatic and compelling ways. Anyone interested in the expressive power of photography should have a look at this exhibit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The exhibition reflects the Berks Photographic Societys more than 100 diverse and talented members, said Rebecca Carpenter, the exhibitions coordinator and a Society member.

There is figure work, landscapes, really talented macro and wildlife photographers, she said. There will be a few pieces that are three-dimensional. Really innovative work. So, it will be a truly diverse collection of work from our group.

The Berks Photographic Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which, according to its website, provides opportunities for amateur and professional photographers to engage in their pursuit of the most satisfying and inspiring hobby: capturing light.

The organization meets twice a month, both in-person and online, with presentations focusing on numerous photographic topics, Carpenter said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The group welcomes all styles of photographers and all levels of experience, she said. We take lots of field trips and host workshops, so people can learn more. People can do it in a nonjudgmental way, among a very great group of photographers. Our members love creating with their cameras, getting together, learning from each other and having fun.

The Montco Cultural Center North Hall Gallery on the Pottstown Campus is free and open to the community Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Gallery is closed Saturdays and Sundays and on holidays. View the College Calendar for details.

For more information about the Berks Photographic Society Members Exhibition, contact Patrick Rodgers, manager of the Montco Cultural Center, at prodgers@mc3.edu.



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quilt artist Kevin Devine of Sinking Spring has had a quilt selected for judging in this years Quilt Competition at the 2025 Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza. The event will be held at the Great Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks from Thursday through next Sunday.

Kevin Devine of Sinking Spring stands in front of one of the quilts he made. (Courtesy of Mancuso Show Management Inc.)

Devine described himself as a serial crafter; if theres a craft out there, hes probably tried it. Hes always sewn, as a teenager he would do small sewing projects. However, he came to quilting much later in life. Seven years ago, after his sewing machine broke and he bought a new one, Devine looked for projects. Someone suggested a quilt, and although he thought it might be too hard he gave it a shot. Within a year he purchased a long arm machine.

Devine then became president of the Philadelphia Modern Quilt Guild, jtepping down in January. He remains involved in the guild.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Being part of a guild has been a great inspiration for me and has challenged me creatively, with the added benefit of meeting a great group of people who share a passion for creativity, he said.

Following acceptance by the competitions jury, a quilt created by Devine will be displayed at the show. Winners will be selected and publicized on the shows website, www.quiltfest.com, starting Thursday.



Artist Steven J. White of Birdsboro will hold his first solo exhibition in Berks County. The show, titled Who Are You?, will be held during the month of September at The Art Plus Gallery in West Reading.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Artist Steven J. White

There will be an opening reception on Friday from 5-8 p.m.

White has been juried into national exhibitions in Escondido, Calif.; the Hudson Valley in New York; Steamboat Springs, Colo.; and Wichita, Kan. His landscape paintings have won awards including three Best of Shows.

White has earned signature status in the Philadelphia Watercolor Society, the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society and recently in the Oil Painters of America.
A leading public boarding school has appointed a chair of compassion to clamp down on cancel culture.

Wellington College in Berkshire said it created the new role to help pupils learn to disagree agreeably and to lessen the influence of harmful social media figures such as Andrew Tate.

The role will build on existing wellbeing lessons, which were introduced to the school timetable in 2006 by former headmaster Sir Anthony Seldon in response to bullying claims.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

James Dahl, the schools current headmaster, told The Telegraph that his decision to appoint a chair of compassion reflected the increasingly divisive nature of the world in which we live, cancel culture, the inability of young people, I think, to be able to disagree agreeably, for them to judge far too quickly in their online lives.

Naima Charlier, a teacher at Wellington College, has been appointed to help pupils turn personal troubles into teachable moments in and around empathy. She will work across various existing areas of the school curriculum, including its respectful relationships programme, global citizenship lessons, chapel services and in subjects such as English and history.

Pupils will be taught about respectful relationships in a world where online porn is readily available, where incel culture and the Andrew Tates of this world are very prevalent, Mr Dahl said. If schools arent going to engage with that work then I think we will find that our young people will just turn to their phones, theyll turn to TikTok  and, that way, I suspect disaster lies.

Private schools have been quietly introducing lessons on consent to counter the steady creep of misogyny in the classroom influenced by figures such as Tate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The British-American YouTuber, who faces 10 charges connected to three alleged victims, including rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain, has become an influential social media figure for young people in recent years. He regularly tells his followers that women belong in the kitchen and owe their male partners service.

Labour announced last month that it would update the relationships, sex and health education guidance for state schools to stop the spread of sexist online content from manosphere influencers such as Tate. Secondary school children will be given lessons on incel culture  short for involuntary celibate  as well as on the harms of artificial intelligence and deepfake pornography.

The guidance is yet to be implemented, leaving state school teachers in limbo on how to tackle these issues. Private schools, who do not have to follow the national curriculum, have been filling the void in the interim.

Teenagers at the Berkshire boarding school, which charges up to 62,250 in annual fees, are allowed graded access to smartphones throughout the day, meaning those in younger years are granted limited time to call their parents in the evening, while older children are taught to use technology in a responsible way.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mrs Charlier said she hoped to reduce academic pressure on pupils, and that while the school would maintain top standards we dont want to produce robots who are only good at achieving high grades in exams. She added: Modern education needs to be about the whole human being and we want our young people to be well-rounded adults. Its a fundamental shift from simply focussing on getting ready for exams  we are looking at the purpose of education in a wider sense.

The school celebrated its best ever GCSE results this summer, with 40 per cent of exams awarded the top possible grade 9  equivalent to a high A* under the former marking system. Thirteen students achieved straight grade 9s this year, while more than two-thirds of pupils achieved all grade 8s or grade 9s, the equivalent of straight A*s. Mr Dahl insisted the new role was not a response to low morale or significant academic pressure facing pupils but a solution to a changing context facing children more broadly.

Founded in 1859, Wellington College counts the novelist Sebastian Faulks, the late actor Sir Christopher Lee and Pop Idol winner Will Young among its alumni. Established as a memorial to Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, the school was originally founded to educate the orphan sons of army officers. The first girls were admitted into the sixth form in the 1970s, and the school became fully co-educational in 2006. Only a minority of the children at the school now come from military families.

Wellington College hiked its fees by about 20 per cent this year after Labour hit private school fees with VAT for the first time from January 1. It means the school chose to pass the cost of the tax levy on to parents in full through fee hikes, with termly boarding fees rising from 17,370 last year to 20,750 in 2025/26, and day fees rising from 12,700 per term last year to 15,250 this year.

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.
LIBERTY HILL, TEXAS (KXAN)  Just over two months after catastrophic flooding devastated Central Texas, family members held a joint funeral for their loved ones who lost their lives.

Flash flooding claimed more than 130 lives in Central Texas. Heres what we know about the victims

The funeral was hosted at Glad Tidings Church in Liberty Hill and remembered:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All three died after the flooding that hit Sandy Creek in Leander on July 5th.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: We knew they were gone: Big Sandy Creek flood kills mom, two brothers still missing

Picture of Betty (Left), Gary (Upper Right), and Doug (Bottom Right)

Sherry McCutcheon and Terry Traugott are Bettys daughters and sisters to Gary and Doug.

They were a huge part of our lives, Traugott said. We always talked to them. We always had our holidays together.

Even though they were in their 50s, 60s, theyre still our baby brothers, said McCutcheon when asked about Gary and Doug. We still call them the boyswe remember the day they were four.

Dawn Slack, who was a pastor at Glad Tidings Church in Liberty Hill from 2010 to 2021, said she remembers Bettys loving nature.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Back in December she was very ill, so we went and visited her, and she said, Dawn, do you remember what you promised meyou promise that when I pass away, youll do my funeral,' Slack said. I wasnt ready for her to leave us, because she had so much life in her.

Following the funeral, Betty, Gary and Doug were buried at the Bagdad Cemetery in Leander.

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.
The alumni group for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point abruptly canceled an award ceremony honoring actor Tom Hanks. Hanks, 69, was set to receive the Sylvanus Thayer Award later this month for his civic contributions.

The Washington Post first reported on the news, citing an internal West Point Association of Graduates email sent by Mark Bieger, the groups president and CEO. The event, set for Sept. 25, would feature a parade as well as a ceremony where Hanks would receive the award. According to Biegers email, the group will not hold the annual ceremony this year. NPR reports that Hanks will still receive the award, but its unclear when and how that will be presented to him.

This decision allows the Academy to continue its focus on its core mission of preparing cadets to lead, fight, and win as officers in the worlds most lethal force, the United States Army, Biegers email said, per the Washington Post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its unclear how the award presentation and the one-day ceremony would interfere with West Points operations or training for Army cadets. The West Point Association of Graduates did not immediately respond to questions from Task & Purpose.

Hanks, who has played fictional soldiers in Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump and produced shows that adapted true stories from World War II such as Band of Brothers and The Pacific, has also been an advocate for veterans.Its an abrupt and sudden cancellation and comes three months after the alumni group first announced Hanks would receive the award.

Tom Hanks has done more for the positive portrayal of the American service member, more for the caring of the American veteran, their caregivers and their family, and more for the American space program and all branches of government than many other Americans, Board Chairman Robert McDonald said in a release from the group in June.

Hanks in turn called being selected for the award both humbling and meaningful.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Sylvanus Thayer Award has been given annually since 1958 to an outstanding citizen of the United States whose service and accomplishments in the national interest exemplify personal devotion to the ideals expressed in West Points motto: Duty, Honor, Country, according to the West Point Association of Graduates. Past winners have included diplomats, actors such as Hanks Forrest Gump co-star Gary Sinise and several presidents. Barack Obama received the award in 2024. The ceremony includes a parade, a review of West Point cadets by the award recipient and a formal dinner.

Top Stories This Week

News 101st Airborne Division soldiers deploy to southern border By Jeff Schogol News Space Force announces timeline for ordering new service dress uniform By Jeff Schogol News Hueys make their last flight at Yokota Air Base as the Air Force retires them By Nicholas Slayton

Alongside his production and acting work, Hanks has been an advocate for veterans. The West Point Association of Graduates specifically cited his help fundraising for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C. and his work as the national spokesperson for the World War II Memorial also in the capital. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the country, by President Barack Obama in 2016. He also endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

West Point has seen several major firings and changes this year since the start of the second Trump administration. In February, Trump fired the boards of visitors at several military academies including West Point, accusing them of being infiltrated by leftists. In July, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll rescinded the appointment of Jen Easterly to an academic post after far-right activist Lara Loomer criticized her. Easterly, a West Point graduate herself, had served as director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency under President Joe Biden.
High school history teacher Katharina Matro often pulls materials from the Smithsonian Institution website as she assembles her lessons. She trusts its materials, which don't require the same level of vetting as other online resources. She uses documents and other primary sources it curates for discussions of topics like genocide and slavery.

As the White House presses for changes at the Smithsonian, she's worried she may not be able to rely on it in the same way.

We dont want a partisan history," said Matro, a teacher in Bethesda, Maryland. "We want the history thats produced by real historians.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Far beyond museums in Washington, President Donald Trump's review at the Smithsonian could influence how history is taught in classrooms around the country. The institution is a leading provider of curriculum and other educational materials, which are subject to the sweeping new assessment of all its public-facing content.

Trump is moving to bring the Smithsonian into alignment with his vision of American history. In a letter last month to the Smithsonian Institution, the White House said its review is meant to assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals. Its part of Trumps agenda to celebrate American exceptionalism by removing divisive or partisan narratives, it said.

Those opposed to the changes fear they will promote a more sanitized version of American history.

In celebration of the countrys 250th anniversary next year, the Education Department recently launched the White House's Founders Museum in partnership with PragerU, a conservative nonprofit that produces videos on politics and history. Visitors to the museum in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, as well as the White House website, can read biographies on the signers of the Declaration of Independence and watch videos that depict them speaking.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Real patriotic education means that just as our founders loved and honored America, so we should honor them, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a PragerU video introducing the project.

The project mentions some signers favoring abolition and includes Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved woman who became the first published Black female poet in the U.S. But critics say it brushes over some of the nations darker past.

Those are the kinds of things that teachers are really leery of because they don't see partisanship in the sources that we're using as being good educational practice, said Tina Ellsworth, president of the National Council for the Social Studies.

History teachers use supplemental resources over textbooks

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Like many other history teachers, Matro said she turns to materials from the Smithsonian because she doesn't have the time to create lessons from scratch or the budget to buy the latest books. She favors the museum's digitized collections to guide her classes.

I dont have to figure out is this real? Is this not real? I can trust the descriptions of the artifact, she said.

More than 80% of history teachers report using free resources from federal museums, archives and institutions including the Smithsonian, according to an American Historical Association survey last year.

The federal institutions' materials have been widely trusted partly because they are thoroughly examined by professionals, said Brendan Gillis, the historical association's director of teaching and learning. Some teachers have out-of-date history textbooks, and online resources from institutions like the Smithsonian can fill the gaps, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats been one of the most influential and profoundly important ways that the federal government has invested in social studies education over the last couple of decades, Gillis said.

While education always has been part of the Smithsonian's mission, developing materials specifically for classrooms became more prevalent after World War II, said William Walker, a State University of New York, Oneonta, professor who has researched the Smithsonians history. The museum organizes professional development workshops for teachers and offers materials ranging from worksheets to videos.

Russell Jeung, an Asian-American studies professor at San Francisco State University and co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, took part in a Smithsonian video series in 2020 meant to educate high schoolers and adults on racism and discrimination against Asians during the COVID-19 pandemic and other points in American history.

Jeung said he expects the project will be shelved by the White House review.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think the story will be told, Jeung said. But the tragedy again and the loss is that we wont get the national recognition that we deserve.

In recent years, many states have passed laws adopting guidelines on how schools can address topics including racism, sexism and other topics. And professional groups say teachers will continue to adapt and find resources to put historical events in due context, regardless of what happens at the Smithsonian.

Education is always political, so we know that as social studies teachers, its our job to navigate that terrain, which we do and we do well, Ellsworth said.

Educators worry students will be turned off on history

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Michael Heiman, a longtime social studies teacher in Juneau, Alaska, said he typically had his students do a scavenger hunt of artifacts in a virtual Smithsonian tour.

He said the exhibits always have been culturally inclusive and if that changes, he worries it would affect students of color he's taught, including Native American children. It could discourage them from pursuing careers in museum sciences or engaging with history at all, he said.

We are further quieting voices that are important to our country, Heiman said. We are also restricting certain kids in those underrepresented populations to really understand more about their past.

About a decade ago, graduate students of history professor Sam Redman at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, had the opportunity to collaborate with the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for a blog series commemorating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The exercise connected objects in the Smithsonian collection to the civil rights law. The experience for his students was really incredible, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Each year, hes heard students say they want to get a job in the federal government or work at the Smithsonian after graduation. But not this year. Redman said he hasnt heard a single student express interest.

This is a pressing concern, no doubt about it, he said.



The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
In a recent viral incident at Yellowstone National Park, a group of tourons ("tourists" + "morons") made a reckless decision after they encountered a newborn elk.

The incident took place on U.S. Highway 191, where visitors decided to put the elk calf in their car and take it to the police department in West Yellowstone, Montana, as reported by Outsider and USA Today.

Despite their intentions, park officials took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of respecting wildlife by not interfering with the animals and maintaining a safe distance from them. And if you're thinking about putting one in your car...please don't.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yellowstone National Park regulations warn visitors to stay 100 yards away from bears and wolves at all times, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals like bison and elk.

Since disturbing wildlife in their natural habitat can endanger the safety of humans and animals alike, violators of these regulations face major consequences, from hefty fines to serving jail time.

These types of wildlife-human interactions are, unfortunately, often guided by cluelessness or a sense of entitlement rather than a deeply held appreciation of nature.

By choosing to show appreciation and thoughtfulness for all parts of the natural world, including its wildlife species, we can all learn more about our planet to protect its ecosystems from abuse.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tourons ruin the sanctity of observing nature by putting themselves in the center of the situation without considering the well-being of the animals, with some even having an aggravated elk charge at their car or getting ridiculously close to a grizzly bear.

Although the state of the elk calf remains uncertain as it ran off into the forest after the incident, park authorities have expressed concern over inappropriate behavior like this.

Yellowstone National Park Service officials, in a strong warning on their website, stated, "Yellowstone's scenic wonders are sure to take your breath away: don't let them take your life."

"If you see someone, in person or online, whose behavior might hurt them, others, or the park, tell a ranger. If you're in the park, dial 911. And to those who abide by federal laws and park regulations, thank you," noted the author of the Outsider article.

Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Baskin maintains contact with senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad, with whom he negotiated while aiding negotiations for the release of Gilad Shalit in 2011.

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff conveyed a set of principles to Hamas for ending the war in Gaza through Israeli activist Gershon Baskin, KAN News reported Sunday morning.

Witkoff's proposal included several other principles in addition to the release of all 48 hostages in exchange for ending the war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Baskin maintains contact with senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad, with whom he negotiated when he aided negotiations for the release of Gilad Shalit in 2011.

A Hamas delegation concluded a visit to Egypt on Saturday evening, the terrorist organization said in a Sunday statement.

The purpose of the visit was to build a roadmap for a ceasefire agreement and the post-war period. The delegation was headed by Zaher Jabarin and included Husam Badran, Kamal Abu Aoun, Ghazi Hamad, and Mahmoud Mardawi.

Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas and mourners attend the funeral of Al-Qassam fighters who were killed during the war between Israel and Hamas in the Al-Shati camp, in Gaza City, February 28, 2025. (credit: Khalil Kahlout/Flash90)

The Jerusalem Post previously reported that Witkoff was working behind the scenes to renew negotiations for a hostage deal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The efforts have been focused on finding an efficient mechanism for talks and solutions to bridge the gaps between the sides. Some sources believe that if negotiations for a full deal begin, the mediators will try to ensure the talks proceed at a faster pace than before.

As part of the talks, Witkoff met with Qatari officials in Paris.

After Hamass statement outlining its demands for a comprehensive deal, weve reached a point where both Israels and Hamass demands regarding a deal for the release of all hostages are clear, one of the sources said.

Washington in 'very deep' negotiations with Hamas, Trump says

President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington was in "very deep" negotiations with Hamas and urged them to release all hostages held in Gaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We said let them all out, right now let them all out. And much better things will happen for them, but if you don't let them all out, it's going to be a tough situation, it's going to be nasty," Trump said, adding that Hamas was "asking for some things that are fine."

This is a developing story.

Reuters and Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
SPRINGFIELD  As the first in his family to attend college, Springfields Jyaire Oates was worried about what was in store for him.

As a first-generation college student, I was lost, he told The Republican.

A chatbot named Spirit came to the rescue. The artificial intelligence system used by Western New England University detected that something could be wrong, based on its interactions with Oates, a 19-year-old sophomore.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I was flagged because I was uncertain about a lot of things and Im like, Okay, let me talk to a human to figure things out so Im more comfortable on campus. We had a meeting, and it was great, he said.

WNE has deployed Spirit to its 2,500 undergraduate students. Officials say 94% of them are using the chatbot to ask basic questions, like where the dining hall is located, when is the library open and who handles financial aid.

Spirit scours WNE resources like the universitys website, delivering near-immediate responses if it has the answers. If it doesnt, the chatbot tells students whom to call for more information.

Someone asked if there was an elevator in one of the dorms. That informations not in there but (Spirit said) Heres the number to residence life. Theyll be able to answer that question for you, said Jeanne Powers, executive director of Student Hub, which gives students live help during business hours.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Spirit is always on the clock, reaching out and responding to students with texts to their phones. It was rolled out last year, and in its first year of operation, Powers said students sent the system more than 17,000 messages.

Humans as backup

While Spirit is largely automated, humans are watching. Spirit flags texts when it thinks undergrads are distressed about finances, their health, social life or other concerns.

We have had students respond theyre feeling lonely, said Amanda Charter, director of student outreach and support. Theyre open and honest because they feel they wont be judged by a bot.

While WNE encourages students to openly share their concerns with Spirit by offering a measure of anonymity, students arent cut loose to manage their lives alone with a bot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Charter said she and Powers clearly express to students that they look for red flags and will contact students who they believe may be in trouble.

It is important to let students know there are humans who read your responses, because we dont want anyone to feel theyre confidence is betrayed. We want to be transparent, because they might share something private, and we would never want them to feel they shouldnt have done that, said Charter.

Beyond providing practical answers, Spirit helps WNE gauge student happiness and satisfaction by intermittently sending texts that ask how theyre feeling about school. Are they enjoying their courses? Are they homesick, and do they need help?

Margo Thompson is a 19-year-old sophomore from Rutland, Vermont, majoring in biomedical engineering. She opened her phone one day to see a message from Spirit asking if she is OK.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I knew it wasnt a person talking to me, but it got me to sit down, pause my life and take a moment to reevaluate how Im doing, how my academics are going, she said in an interview. Am I making friends, am I being involved?

Officials dont read every text that comes through, because many are only looking for basic information. School officials jump in when Spirit signals trouble, based on what students are asking, writing or how they are answering questions.

You respond with a number correlated to different answers. It could be, Im doing really great, or Im nervous, and depending on your response, it would generate a different output, said Thompson.

Spirit gives potentially at-risk students immediate access to available resources, with an SOS team from WNE following up as soon as possible.

Red flags

University officials say Spirit has so far helped them flag 15 students struggling with (a) sense of belonging, 26 worried about not doing well in classes and 36 unsure about returning to WNE.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Out of the thousands of texts, the vast majority from students ask non-urgent questions about academics, student life and campus events.

This helps us see patterns of what students want to know, which allows us to refine the questions they are able to ask, said Powers.

The steady stream of questions also helps the staff and administration refine its practices, guidelines and offerings, according to Powers. It works much like a live, ongoing focus-group.

When the Chatbot was introduced last year, Spirit received 75 texts during the first week of classes.

Because students are increasingly aware of the AI aid, first-week questions have exploded to 850, Powers said. All of those queries and comments, however, are giving the administration a troubling look at young people who feel left out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One of the biggest things we see is (students) wanting to have a sense of belonging, feeling like theyre connected, not only to a peer group, but to their majors, said Powers.

WNE is continuing to learn when and whether to step in, if students reveal private concerns.

Oates, the business major who is the first in his family to attend college, said he tested the system with a response he knew would get flagged  and was pleased with the response.

It was good to talk to the bot. But knowing there are humans behind it makes it better. It shows people actually care, he said. Im not just talking to AI that has programmed answers.

Read the original article on MassLive.
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:

Infographic explaining different map projections and the advantages and limits of three projections: the Mercator, the Gall-Peters and the Equal Earth projections.

The Mercator world map, long a fixture in classrooms globally, makes the European Union appear almost as large as Africa. In reality, Africa is more than seven times bigger.

It is a distortion that has prompted a new African initiative, "Correct the Map," calling for depictions that show Africa's true scale.

"For centuries, this map has minimized Africa, feeding into a narrative that the continent is smaller, peripheral and less important," said Fara Ndiaye, co-founder of Speak Up Africa, which is leading the campaign alongside another advocacy group, Africa No Filter.

Accurately translating Earth's sphere into a flat map always calls for compromises, requiring parts to be stretched, cut or left out, experts told AFP.

Historically, maps have reflected the worldview of their makers.

Babylonian clay tablets from the sixth century BC placed their empire at the center of the world, while medieval European charts often focused on religious sites.

Choices must be made: a world map will look very different depending on whether Australia, Siberia or Europe is placed at its center.

Today's most-used map was designed for maritime navigation by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569.

It focused on accurate depictions of the shapes and angles of land masses, but their relative sizes were often inaccurate.

Mercator's projection inflated northern regions and compressed equatorial ones, making Europe and North America appear much larger, while shrinking Africa and South America.

The distortions are stark: a 100-square-kilometer patch around Oslo, Norway, looks four times larger than the same area around Nairobi, Kenya.

Greenland appears as large as Africa, even though it is 14 times smaller.

Striking a balance

Alternatives to the Mercator emerged in the 20th century, including one from 1921 by Oswald Winkel and another in 1963 by Arthur Robinson that reduced distortions but sacrificed precision. The 1970s Gall-Peters projection restored proportional sizes but stretched shapes.

To strike a balance between accuracy and aesthetics, cartographers Tom Patterson, Bojan Savric and Bernhard Jenny launched the Equal Earth projection in 2018.

It makes Africa, Latin America, South Asia and Oceania appear vastly larger.

"Equal Earth preserves the relative surface areas of continents and, as much as possible, shows their shapes as they appear on a globe," Savric told AFP.

This is the projection now endorsed by the African Union.

Speak Up Africa says the next steps of their campaign are to push for adoption by African schools, media and publishers.

"We are also engaging the UN and UNESCO (its cultural body), because sustainable change requires global institutions," Ndiaye said.

'Naive' controversy

Some critics reject claims of bias.

"Any claim that Mercator is flagrantly misleading people seems naive," Mark Monmonier, a Syracuse University geography professor and author of "How to Lie with Maps," told AFP.

"If you want to compare country sizes, use a bar graph or table, not a map."

Despite its distortions, Mercator remains useful for digital platforms because its focus on accurate land shapes and angles makes "direction easy to calculate," Ed Parsons, a former geospatial technologist at Google, told AFP.

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.

"While a Mercator map may distort the size of features over large areas, it accurately represents small features which is by far the most common use for digital platforms," he said.

Having accurate relative sizes, as with the Equal Earth map, can complicate navigation calculations, but technology is adapting.

"Most mapping software has supported Equal Earth since 2018," Savric said. "The challenge is usage. People are creatures of habit."

Some dismiss the whole thrust of the African campaign.

Ghanaian policy analyst Bright Simons says the continent needs more than a larger size on maps to "earn global respect."

"South Korea, no matter how Mercator renders it, has almost the same GDP as all 50 African countries combined," he said.

But advocates remain convinced of their cause.

"Success will be when children everywhere open their textbooks and see Africa as it truly is: vast, central and indispensable," Ndiaye said.

 2025 AFP
(KRON)  A tripped alarm at a Fairfield business soon led officers to an early morning arrest Friday, said the Fairfield Police Department.

Drive-by shooting in Fremont leaves 2 dead

FPD said officers arrived at the business on Beck Avenue at 2:35 a.m. and immediately noted a glass break, as well as a tell-tale brick just inside of the door.

Fairfield PD said an interior drone was used to search the store but turned up no results. Police said a surveillance video provided a description of the suspect.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The culprit matching the description was located behind Target/Home Depot following an extensive search, police confirmed in a social media post.

The woman was booked into Solano County Jail where she faces burglary and vandalism charges.

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.
NEED TO KNOW

A pregnant woman was forced to give birth on a couch in a hospital waiting room due to overcrowding and staffing issues

There were also no beds available in the hospital's maternity ward after she delivered her baby, the woman said

The hospital told PEOPLE in a statement that its "birthing unit was very busy and experienced a higher than average number of births"

A pregnant woman was forced to give birth on a hospital waiting room couch due to overcrowding and staffing issues.

The woman, whose identity has not been shared publicly, told News 9 Australia that she went to the Westmead Hospital in Sydney, Australia, on July 31, after her water broke while she was walking her dog.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There, the woman said she and her husband were told to stand in a hallway after they were admitted.

At one point, I felt as if the baby [wasnt] moving much, so I asked to get monitored. So they [put us] in a waiting room, and there were two couples already in the waiting room monitoring their babys heartbeat, the woman said in a video interview with News 9 Australia.

When the woman's labor quickly began to progress, a quick-thinking hospital midwife jumped into action, throwing towels onto a couch and laying the then-expectant mother down on it.

I feel really bad about it, but she kicked out everyone from that waiting room, the woman recalled to the Australian outlet.

The woman eventually gave birth, but she quickly learned that there were still no available beds for her in the maternity ward.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She was eventually transferred to the gynecology ward at the Westmead Hospital.

The midwife who was in charge told me that there are 17 people in this gyno unit and there are only three [employees], so that ratio is very off. That was my exposure to the staffing problems, the woman told the outlet.



Getty Hospital waiting area (stock image) Hospital waiting area (stock image)

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.

A midwife, who spoke anonymously to News 9 Australia about the incident, said of the hospital, Conditions are the worst [theyve] ever been."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We need more midwives, but who would want to work for or value a hospital that doesnt value or listen to them under harsh working conditions?" she added.

In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for the Western Sydney Local Health District said, Over the evening of 31 July, Westmead Hospitals birthing unit was very busy and experienced a higher than average number of births with 24 women in the birthing unit."

"Birthing can be unpredictable, with patient needs and clinical urgency fluctuating rapidly due to the spontaneous nature of labor and delivery," the representative continued.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The spokesperson went on to thank the midwives on staff that day for their professionalism and dedication.

Read the original article on People
A German mountaineer has fallen to her death in the Austrian Alps, the local police said on Sunday.

The 50-year-old woman from the Bavarian district of Erding was climbing with her husband on a route in Tyrol the previous day.

The woman fell from a great height below the 2,741-metre-high peak known as Griessspitze. Her body was later recovered by rescue workers.

The 56-year-old husband abseiled down himself after his wife's accident, the police said. He was brought to safety by an emergency medical helicopter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The police said investigations into the accident are not yet complete.

Rescue after panic attack

Another woman from Bavaria and a Russian climbing companion were rescued uninjured by helicopter from the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain, on Saturday. According to the police, the women had suffered panic attacks and alerted the rescue services.

The 57-year-old woman from the district of Passau on the Austrian border and the 47-year-old Russian woman intended to climb the nearly 3,800-metre-high mountain with four fellow climbers.

In the early evening, the two women remained exhausted at the Glocknerscharte wind gap, while the rest of the group continued to the summit.

After about half an hour, the women reportedly felt panic. A police helicopter rescued the climbers and brought them, slightly hypothermic but uninjured, to a mountain hut.
Some Floridians are known for their knack for wrangling reptiles, but this year's Florida Python Challenge has set the bar even higher.

Armed with grit and patience, one woman from Naples walked away with bragging rights and a cash prize after turning the Everglades' biggest problem  Burmese pythons  into her biggest win.

Taylor Stanberry captured a record-setting 60 Burmese pythons, which earned her a $10,000 grand prize, according to Naples Daily News.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Each year, the challenge brings together wildlife officials, seasoned python hunters, and volunteers to restore Florida's natural balance by hunting invasive pythons. The 10-day contest drew over 900 participants, who came together to collectively hunt and remove a record 294 pythons from South Florida's ecosystem.

Stanberry runs several social media accounts dedicated to showing her work as an invasive species remover and venomous snake relocator.

This record-setting effort underscores how coordinated public action can tackle even the toughest environmental challenges.

"The Python Challenge is not just catching pythons," said Ron Bergeron, a South Florida developer and board member of the South Florida Water Management District, per CBS News. "It's educating the public, so that when you're in the Everglades, all of the groups that recreate in the Everglades learn how to remove a python safely year-round."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Burmese pythons are a vicious threat to the Everglades, and officials estimate there are 300,000 of them in the swampland. These massive constrictors can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh about 200 pounds, and they reproduce quickly.

According to The Times, the pythons' rapid spread has led to population declines of up to 90% in native mammals, including raccoons, opossums, and bobcats, which they strangle and eat as they spread across Florida.

The 2025 contest not only removed hundreds of snakes but also raised awareness and gave citizens like Stanberry direct roles in conservation efforts.

This challenge is not the only attempt to wrangle invasive pythons in Florida; high-tech tools, such as solar-powered robotic rabbits, are being deployed to detect and lure pythons for removal. Since 2000, coordinated efforts have removed more than 23,000 Burmese pythons, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While state and local governments continue to battle the spread of Burmese pythons, locals like Taylor Stanberry can take pride in fighting back against invasive species.

Just as Burmese pythons wreak havoc on Florida's wildlife, invasive plants can choke out native greenery in backyards. One way that all individuals can make an impact on invasive species is by choosing eco-friendly landscaping options, such as native plants, which also save water, lower bills, and create healthier habitats for pollinators that safeguard our food supply.

Active conservation, from removing invasive plants to rewilding habitats, is paramount to safeguarding biodiversity and keeping local communities engaged in environmental progress.

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.
NEED TO KNOW

Natasha Marie ODell set fire to Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church, burning it "beyond repair," on Aug. 25, 2023

Two years later, ODell was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to three charges: arson, damage to religious property and obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs

O'Dell took an Uber to the church to set it on fire, and surveillance footage showed her pouring gasoline on the building

A Texas native will spend six years behind bars for burning down a church in an act of arson that a judge described as devastating and dangerous.

In August 2024, Natasha Marie ODell was arrested for setting fire to Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church  a church in Maltby, a suburb of Seattle  12 months earlier.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Thursday, Sept. 4, about two years after the devastating blaze, ODell, 38, was sentenced to six years in prison for three federal felonies, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington.

The sentencing comes months after ODell, a Temple native, pleaded guilty to three charges  arson, damage to religious property and obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs  in April.

This offense was devastating and dangerous, U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said of the blaze at the sentencing. Ms. ODell deliberately set fire to a church causing complete destruction.  The scope of the destruction is staggering.

You burned down the spiritual home of a congregation, Whitehead continued. The wounds you have inflicted deepen for each day they are away from their home.

U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington The aftermath of the August 2023 fire that destroyed Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church The aftermath of the August 2023 fire that destroyed Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church

According to the news release, one person  a firefighter  was injured in the blaze in 2023. The Washington church building, however, was burned beyond repair" after 40 years, the churchs website states. Google now lists the Seattle-area church as permanently closed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ms. ODell acted with extreme disregard for community safety when she poured more than a gallon of gasoline on the church building and used a lighter to start the blaze, U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller said in the news release. This conduct put anyone inside the church, the neighbors around the church, and the firefighters who responded in extreme danger.

It is fortunate that only one firefighter suffered injuries, Miller added.

Part of the churchs video surveillance system survived the blaze and showed ODell moving around the church with the red gasoline container, the news release stated.

In the footage, she empties the container on the exterior walls of the church and items around the church, before moving out of frame as fire erupted in the areas where she poured the liquid.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to the surveillance footage, ODell was also linked to the arson through her cell phone and credit card records, the release stated, citing the plea agreement and federal indictment.

Investigators learned that ODell had bought just over a gallon of gasoline in a container and some lighters at a service station in the area, according to the news release. She took an Uber to the church to start the fire.

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.

The Texas native was visiting relatives in Woodinville at the time of the arson, and had told an acquaintance that she planned to burn a nearby church," per the release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As for her motive, ODell admitted in her plea agreement that she told various acquaintances that she was angry about churches and specifically with Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church, the release states. No further motives were given.

The arson damage was totaled at $3.2 million, plus the costs the church has accumulated while holding services in a nearby middle school, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington.

ODell will owe restitution, which will be determined during a separate hearing.



Read the original article on People
South Korean workers detained during a massive immigration raid on a Hyundai facility in Georgia will be returned to South Korea on a chartered flight, President Lee Jae Myungs office said Sunday.

Federal and immigration agents arrested 475 people on Thursday  mostly South Korean nationals  while executing a judicial search warrant as part of a criminal investigation into alleged unlawful employment at the facility.

Negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded, a presidential spokesperson announced Sunday. Only the administrative procedures remain, and once they are completed, a chartered flight will depart to bring our nationals home.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 300 South Korean nationals were detained, according to the spokesperson.

The spokesperson added that South Korea will push forward measures to review and improve the residency status and visa system for personnel traveling to the United States.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, President Donald Trump denied that the incident had strained ties with South Korea, the worlds 10th-largest economy and a key U.S. ally in Asia.

We have a great relationship with South Korea, he said.

Trump added that ICE was doing right, because they were here illegally. But we do have to work something out where we bring in experts so that our people can be trained, so that they can do it themselves.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In post on Truth Social, he called on foreign companies to please respect our Nations Immigration Laws.

Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products, and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so, Trump wrote. What we ask in return is that you hire and train American Workers. Together, we will all work hard to make our Nation not only productive, but closer in unity than ever before.

The U.S. raid, part of the Trump administrations escalating crackdown on immigrants, was the largest single-site enforcement operation in the history of the Department of Homeland Security.

A sea of agents from HSI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies showed up Thursday to the site in the town of Ellabell where Hyundai and LG Energy Solution, a battery company based in Seoul, are jointly building a plant next to the manufacturing facility for electric vehicles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

LG Energy Solution said Saturday that 47 of its employees were detained, 46 of them Korean. Another 250 personnel from equipment partner companies, most of them Korean, were also being held, it added.

The raid came just 11 days after a summit between Trump and Lee at the White House, where South Korean firms pledged $150 billion in U.S. investments. In July, Seoul pledged another $350 billion in U.S. projects in an effort to reduce Trumps threatened tariffs, which he later set at 15%.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
By Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The World Health Organization on Sunday called for the "protection of public health excellence" at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"No institution is perfect and continued improvements are always needed to make sure the latest science and evidence is applied to emerging challenges in real time, but the work of the US CDC has been invaluable and must be protected," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His comments come amid leadership changes at the CDC and concerns that decisions by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are putting Americans' health at risk.

Ghebreyesus did not echo those concerns or calls by some for Kennedy to resign. He instead pointed to how the CDC's reputation as a "center of excellence" has inspired other countries to adopt its best practices.

Ghebreyesus said the WHO's longtime relationship with the CDC has ensured that people in the United States and around the world benefited from the best U.S. science "while at the same time providing the U.S. with access to global health data, alerts, experience and guidance from other countries."

The Trump administration has been critical of the WHO for its handling of COVID-19, with Kennedy dismissing the organization as "moribund."

In January, Trump ordered the United States to leave the WHO.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Ross Colvin and Matthew Lewis)
CHEYENNE  The state of Wyoming will host a free public event commemorating Constitution Day from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 17 in the Wyoming State Capitol Auditorium.

Part of the states preparations for Americas 250th anniversary, the event will honor the United States Constitution and highlight Wyomings significant role in constitutional history.

Constitution Day is observed annually on Sept. 17, marking the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 by 39 delegates from the original 13 colonies, including foundational figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and George Washington. One hundred two years later, in September 1889, delegates met in Cheyenne to draft Wyomings own constitution, which featured groundbreaking provisions that set it apart.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The program will include:

 A welcome from Nathan Doerr, Capitol curator, Wyoming State Museum.

 Opening remarks by Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Kari Gray.

 Remarks by Gov. Mark Gordon.

Following the program, guests are invited to a light reception and to visit a new interactive kiosk located in the Capitols Historic Supreme Court. This innovative exhibit allows visitors to explore the Wyoming Constitution and discover the revolutionary aspects that made it unique.

The kiosk also encourages visitors to explore featured amendments, compare Wyomings constitution to those of other states and the U.S. Constitution, and even flip through a digital copy of the 1889 handwritten document page by page.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All are welcome to celebrate the U.S. Constitution and explore Wyomings enduring contributions to its unique constitutional legacy.

The Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, which has representation on the Wyoming Semiquincentennial Planning Task Force, is actively involved in planning and supporting related events and initiatives across the state.

For more information, visit wyoming250.com or wyospcr.wyo.gov.
CHEYENNE  Lawmakers met again this week to continue discussing how to adjust state spending on education as part of the typical five-year reassessment of the funding model, but no clear direction has emerged so far.

Conversations this year have been made more tense after a district court judge ruled earlier this year that Wyomings education system is unconstitutionally underfunded.

The 2025 recalibration of Wyomings K-12 public school funding model represents an effort to ensure the states educational finance system remains constitutionally compliant and effectively serves all students. Led by consultants from Picus Odden & Associates and APA Consulting, this extensive process, presented to the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration earlier this week, addresses a range of complex issues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Issues discussed included funding for school counselors and mental health support, school resource officers and laptops for students. Several issues, however, were still under active review at the time of the committees September meeting.

At its core, the recalibration aims to update the Evidence-Based (EB) Model, which is the foundation for the Wyoming Funding Model. This EB Model employs a three-tier approach of offering core instruction for all students, providing services to students struggling to achieve standards before being given an individualized education program (IEP) and providing all special education services.

In its current form  which is not yet finalized, and some items are still under review  the EB Model would be approximately $64.5 million more expensive than the Wyoming Funding Model for FY 2025-26.

It proposes $97.4 million in savings, but $161.9 million in additional costs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several critical elements of the funding model were still undergoing significant scrutiny at the meetings in Casper on Thursday and Friday.

Technology and equipment

One of those was technology and equipment. Analyses are continuing to ensure that funding is sufficient for a modern educational environment. This includes providing computers for every student, as well as robust technology infrastructure and resources for technology used in school operations. The EB Model provides one school computer technician for every 630 students, with a minimum of 0.5 positions per district.

If I had to pick, other than salary levels, the thing that we got the most feedback that funding is inadequate in the model, it would be this, said school finance consultant Larry Picus about technology in schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the EB Model he presented, the cost per year for each student for computer hardware, district networking equipment, non-instructional software, productivity software, etc. comes to around $500 per year, though thats not yet completely finalized.

Food services

Driven by the court ruling, the topic of food services was one of the more prominent ones discussed this week. The ruling, issued by Laramie County District Court Judge Peter Froelicher in February, requires that a school funding model must include a nutrition component as it is an essential component of a quality education.

The court also mandated that school districts should not be required to use its general fund money ... to cover feeding its students. Data indicated a significant $18 million difference between revenues and expenditures for school food services in school year 2023-24.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Professional judgment panels that have met several times this year across the state have expressed concerns about inadequate federal reimbursements, diseconomies of scale, high food costs and the challenges faced by small rural schools. Making no changes to the current program would likely violate the court order, underscoring the urgency of this review.

The consultants came before the committee to ask for guidance on certain strategies like whether to fund meals for all students, how to reimburse districts for financial losses incurred in providing food services, or whether districts should be required to participate in the National School Lunch Program.

The argument that weve used in the evidence-based model everywhere, and actually the intent of the National School Lunch Program, they should be self-supporting  that is, between the subsidies that the federal government provides for meals for children and the payments that children make, or their families make, for meals, that should fully fund a food services program, Picus said to the committee.

Carla Banks, who oversees all child nutrition programs for the state with the Wyoming Department of Education, detailed some of the options to alleviate spending on meals through federal reimbursement. She said currently 34% of students in Wyoming receive free or reduced-price lunch, but that does not include seven school districts that do not participate in the National School Lunch Program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time the documents were drafted for the September meeting, the EB Models specific changes to achieve compliance for food services were still under review and discussion.

This is a terribly important issue, said committee chairman Sen. Tim Salazar, R-Riverton. ... Theres a lot that we still need to find out about this issue. I have a number of questions that I wont take up now, but this is going to take some thought, this particular issue, and its something that we need to get right and do it right. And so, I think theres still a great deal of work that needs to be done on this particular issue.

Picus also referenced several states, including Colorado, that have essentially funded all school meals for children, which has reduced paperwork in getting families enrolled in assistance programs and increased student outcomes so far.

Mental health and safety

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A third topic that received heavy consideration this week was school resource officers and mental health counselors.

These were another court-ordered element for recalibration, deemed needed for a proper education for all Wyoming public school students and established as appropriate for the times. However, SROs were not included in the EB Model to date, as local law enforcement has so far been assumed responsible.

The discussion by the committee involved questions about who should employ SROs, whether they need to be sworn and armed officers, and if alternatives like school counselors or unlicensed security would satisfy the courts mandate.

Similarly, the increasing need for mental health professionals (nurses, social workers, psychologists, mental health providers) due to the declining social, emotional and mental conditions of children was also another discussion point, with the EB Model providing additional pupil support staff based on at-risk student counts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Michael Griffith, with Picus Odden & Associates, presented some data about SROs nationwide.

He said there are 23,426 SROs nationally, which averages out to be about one school resource officer for every four schools. He said 60% are assigned to a single school, and SRO employers tend to be local police or sheriffs offices, but some school districts run their own police force, around 18.6%, he said.

For mental health counselors, the EB Model has a defined proposal that Picus believes achieves compliance, involving increased core elementary counselor funding and additional pupil support. For SROs, while mandated by the court, the EB Model did not initially include them, and the consultant is currently in the process of determining the best way to integrate and fund these positions to meet the legal requirements.

The committee will meet again in the final week of October, again in Casper, before a final meeting in January in Cheyenne to finalize the funding model.
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:

Credit: Black ice from Pexels

Mathematics has been the broccoli of school subjects for generations of Australian teenagers.

Often pushed aside, dreaded, or even feared, nearly one third of students opt out of any senior math courses.

This has serious implications for Australia's future. As an Australian Academy of Science report warned on Thursday, we need people with math skills to support a whole range of careers in science. This includes agricultural science, artificial intelligence, data science, biotechnology and climate science.

The skills we gain during school mathematicsproblem-solving, pattern-finding, reasoning logically, and computational thinkingare essential to the work of many STEM careers.

The challenge is turning math from broccoli to the ingredient every student wants on their plate for their future. So, what can we do?

What has been happening with high school math?

Across Australia, there has been a decline in students studying math in years 11 and 12 since the 1990s. Today, only 8.4% of Australian high school students study the most difficult level of math.

There are diverse reasons explaining why students opt out of math during school.

Many students struggle to see the relevance of the math they are learning for their future. Others have low self-confidence and avoid math, believing they are not capable. An increasing range of senior subjects has also led to students being drawn to more enticing alternatives.

What can parents do?

Research shows parents' attitudes towards math can predict the attitudes their children will have towards the subject.

This means we need to be careful as parents. If we have negative attitudes towards math due to our own anxieties or past struggles, this can affect our children's attitudes and performance too.

Instead, parents should try to focus on the positive aspects of math.

For example, this is a subject where you learn about the mechanics of the world, rather than a subject to be endured before moving to the "fun" stuff. Math can come alive once we notice how we use it in sports, art, cooking, travel, money management and games.

Parents can also be curious co-learners with their childrenwe never need to have all the answers ourselves. But showing interest, having a growth mindset (a belief you can improve your abilities through effort), and asking questions can support students' positive attitudes and performance in math.

You can also talk to your child about why mastering math is central to a wide range of occupations, from coding to trades, retail, nursing, animation and architecture.

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.

What should schools do?

Research suggests 20% of 15-year-old boys and 33% of 15-year-old girls do not think math will be relevant to their future.

So we need a new approach to careers advice in schools. Students need adequate support from informed adults to make accurate judgments about career pathwaysemphasizing how math can help.

On top of this, schools could consider the ways in which mathematics is celebrated and promoted in schools. While music, drama, and sport days are regular features of the school calendar, math is rarely included. Exciting math competitions and math days are prime opportunities to show students how important math is in our world.

What about teachers?

Some of us may remember math lessons as rather dry with a focus on lots of questions and whether something was "wrong" or "right."

So teachers who make math engaging for students and maximize opportunities for success are crucial.

This involves making abstract mathematics real (how does this concept apply to something physical in the real world?).

Teachers should also provide step-by-step support to students (what educators call "scaffolding"), so young people experience a sense of achievement and success with math. Success builds motivation, creating an upward spiral of positive math experiences.

What can governments do?

The alarm bells over math participation have been raised for 30 years, with government funding supporting research into this phenomenon.

Despite this, the declines persist, and gender gaps in math have widened, with more boys doing math and more boys achieving higher marks.

So while governments should continue to support research into this matter, they should prioritize translating it into practical strategies for schools and teachers.

Some evidence-based approaches include:

high-expectation teaching, where teachers set ambitious goals, create supportive classrooms, and believe all students can achieve

relevance interventions, where teachers show students the practical implications of their learning

mindset interventions, which help students believe in their abilities.

Getting kids back into math

Math participation is both a national concern and something we should all be personally attuned to.

The lifestyles of future generations will be dependent on our capacity to be STEM innovators.

At an individual level, when students opt-out of mathematics, they are potentially closing many doors in their lives and career.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
A drone launched from Yemen has come down near the Israeli airport of Ramon in the south of the country, the military said on Sunday.

"No sirens were sounded, the incident is under review," the army said on Telegram.

Israeli news site ynet reported that one person was slightly injured in the incident.

According to Israel's aviation authority, the airport's arrival hall was hit and the airspace above Ramon Airport, located to the north of Eilat - Israel's southernmost city on the Red Sea - has been temporarily closed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It comes after the military said three drones launched from Yemen had been intercepted by air defence.

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for several drone attacks across Israel on Sunday evening. A spokesman for the Iran-backed group said Ramon Airport was among the targets hit.

In early May, a missile launched by the Houthis came down near Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport.

Since the start of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Iranian-backed Houthi militia has been regularly attacking Israel with rockets and drones in support of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas militia in the Gaza Strip.

Israel, in turn, repeatedly targets sites in Yemen. In a recent airstrike on Sana'a, Houthi premier Ahmed al-Rahawi, nine of his ministers and two other Houthi representatives were killed.
Israeli president Isaac Herzog is reportedly set to meet Keir Starmer, so Labour MPs are inevitably calling for the meeting to be cancelled. Rotherham MP Sarah Champion, who chairs the select committee on international development, demanded to know what message are we sending and accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, now an independent, posted on X that she was beyond disgusted, described Labour as The Genocide Party, and said Herzog should be arrested for war crimes the moment he sets foot on UK soil.

It is an indication of how completely Britain has been swept up by the anti-Israel hysteria tearing through the West that comments such as these are taken seriously. Make no mistake, though: they are. Champion will be far from the only Labour MP outraged at the prospect of the prime minister sitting down with Israels president. Many MPs, and not just those on the left, have become unmoored from their critical reasoning faculties during the latest Gaza war.

Some with no prior investment in this conflict have been radicalised by mainstream and social media coverage, both of which have skewed more heavily anti-Israel the longer the conflict has gone on. Some with pre-existing sympathies have allowed their pro-Palestinianism to sour into toxic anti-Israelism, while those who have long harboured animus feel they can now be more open about it. Others simply see which way the wind is blowing and following its trajectory makes strategic sense.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The total propaganda victory of the Hamas-Iran-Qatar axis, aided by activists in the NGO-academia-media complex, will be studied by war scholars for years to come. Aggression has been successfully framed as victimhood and self-defence as aggression. Anti-Israelism has come from the margins to colonise the mainstream of Western politics with remarkable speed since October 7, 2023. It should give heart to fringe movements everywhere: never underestimate the power of perseverance and shooting up music festivals.

Herzog is Israels head of state and no longer involved in politics, but when he was he was a man of the centre-left, leader of Labours sister party, Labor (now The Democrats). Starmers MPs want him to snub not only the representative of a friendly state but a fellow social democrat who has been a vocal campaigner for peace with the Palestinians.

Acquiescing to these calls would not only tarnish those parts of the Israeli-UK relationship not yet tarnished by Starmer and David Lammy, it would send an ominous message to ordinary Israelis: Britains enmity is not only with Benjamin Netanyahu or right-wing extremists in his government like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich; it extends to the pro-peace Bougie Herzog. Encouraging Israels siege mentality in this way could be a gift to the very nationalist parties the Starmer government condemns and sanctions.

The humanitarian toll of Operation Iron Swords is dreadful and Palestinian suffering must be brought to an end. The invasion of Israel and murder of 1,200 of its citizens by Gazas de facto government Hamas was an act of war. In war, attacked states get to fight back, and they especially get to take necessary steps to free their citizens from captivity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hamas knew this. It understood that the outrageousness of its pogroms would bring a punishing Israeli response. It was aware that Gazas population density and the routine placement of terrorists and weapons in civilian areas, around hospitals, schools and houses, would maximise Palestinian fatalities. This was and remains its strategy: get as many Gazan civilians killed as necessary to make Israel an international pariah. The civilians might be coming to realise this: Palestinian support for October 7, which stood at 72 per cent in the wake of the massacres, has dropped to 50 per cent.

This is what Israel is up against, and while its government might be objectionable and some of its military decisions hard to stomach, Britain should be in no doubt about the necessity of Israeli self-defence against Arab and Islamic supremacism. If we are going to take positions on this conflict, we should back the nation state fighting to maintain its sovereignty, preserve regional order, and sustain Jewish civilisation over those who wish to harm any or all three.

Keir Starmer should meet President Herzog. He should meet him and apologise for his governments craven failure to stand with Israel.

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.
 This story first appeared in New York Focus, a non-profit news publication investigating New York state politics. Sign up for their stories at nysfocus.com/newsletter.

For years, Susanna Saul has been reassuring some of her clients that its safe to apply for public benefits, even if theyre not citizens. Now, she isnt sure what to say.

Saul directs legal programs at Her Justice, a Manhattan-based nonprofit that provides free legal assistance to impoverished women and their children. Its clients include victims of trafficking and domestic violence who, unlike most undocumented people, are eligible for Medicaid under decades-old federal exceptions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Theyve always been worried about the immigration consequences of accessing public benefits, even before Trump won, she said. They always ask us if thats going to hurt their ability to pursue a pathway to legal status. Weve always said, no.

But as President Donald Trumps administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, she has more often found herself having to say, I cant answer that question, because I dont know.

This summer, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement was quietly granted access to sensitive Medicaid enrollment information as part of the agencys efforts to root out the location of aliens. Federal officials have also begun collecting more detailed information from households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, including immigration status.

New York and other states are challenging the new data-sharing policies in court, arguing that if members of our community cannot trust that the government will keep their medical history and other personal data safe, they will think twice about going to the doctor when needed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advocates say theyre seeing a chilling effect, with immigrants across the state delaying or avoiding health care to protect themselves  or others in their households  from immigration enforcement.

This is literally about life and death, Saul said. We have clients who are cancer survivors who are in active treatment. We have clients caring for children who have special needs.

Saul shared the story of one long-time client who has lived in the US for decades and is working toward a green card. The client reported intimate partner violence to the police and has undergone several surgeries as a result of the abuse. Her injuries require ongoing physical therapy, which is covered by Medicaid because shes a domestic violence survivor  but shes stopped going to appointments, out of fear of being detained by ICE.

She basically doesnt go anywhere, Saul said. She stopped going to church. She relies on her son, who is a US citizen, for a lot of things. She relies on neighbors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Adding to the uncertainty, hundreds of thousands of immigrants could soon lose their health coverage. In July, Trump signed a bill enacting over $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Starting January 1, the federal government will rescind support for certain legal immigrants enrolled in the states free Essential Plan. Over 200,000 immigrants could go uninsured as a result.

Trump also issued an executive order that would cut off access for many immigrants  including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients and people granted temporary protected status  to a wide array of federally funded social services, from mental health clinics to substance abuse treatment to child care. The Trump administration paused enforcement of the new policy pending a court challenge led by New York State Attorney General Letitia James; a judge is expected to rule in that case soon.

Governor Kathy Hochul and state legislators have so far declined to say how they plan to deal with federal cuts to public benefits, and have tabled the matter until next year.

Meera Venugopal, communications director for the Asian American Federation, said rampant misinformation coupled with a lack of proactive communication from state leaders has fostered extreme uncertainty.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We are in a low-information environment while people are completely panicked and anxious, she said of benefit recipients concerned about changes to eligibility, new work rule requirements, and increased immigration enforcement.

A silhouette of an elderly person sitting alone in a chair in a warm living room. Cracks appear over the image, indicating precarity.

Her organization represents nonprofits serving the states 2.1 million Asian residents, 63 percent of whom are foreign-born. Its estimated that 24 percent of the states unauthorized immigrants are from Asia.

Nobodys gotten a single letter from the government or anyone, really, about whats coming, Venugopal said. We are always the intermediary, and we dont have the staff or capacity to handle all the people coming to our doors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Venugopal is urging state leaders to communicate a clear path forward about how they plan to handle federal cuts so that community organizations  which serve as hubs for public benefit recipients with limited English proficiency and poor digital access  can adequately prepare.

Meanwhile, some organizations are afraid they could be swept up in the immigration crackdown themselves.

The Trump administration has signaled increased interest in investigating nonprofits and has issued a flurry of executive orders canceling grants and contracts, as well as directing federal agencies to block funding for sanctuary cities. In New York, Republican Congressmembers have urged the IRS to investigate prominent nonprofits for pushing a statewide sanctuary bill, among other actions the lawmakers said may aid unlawful residents.

A director from one Queens nonprofit that works closely with immigrant groups said that his organization is laying low and asked to not be identified in this story for fear of reprisal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier this month, his organization made its annual round of calls reminding clients of the upcoming deadline to renew their Medicaid coverage. The routine calls were met with suspicion, even from longtime clients.

Three people just hung up. One of them turned off their cell phone, he said. Many had questions they havent had before: What are you going to do with my information? Is my information safe? Should I recertify?

More clients are requesting home-delivered groceries, he said, fearing that ICE agents could be waiting for them at the organizations food distribution line.

People on the Essential Plan have questions he cant answer about what will happen to their coverage next year, like one client undergoing dialysis.

What happens to this individual? he asked.
The United Nations recently announced its third Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change. Among those joining the cohort is Farzana Faruk Jhumu, now the UN Secretary-General's first-ever youth advisor from Bangladesh, according to bdnews24.

The advisory group, including representatives from countries such as Kenya, Bolivia, Samoa, Sweden, and Barbados, grew from seven to 14 members this year.

"That means more space for young voices at the table, more space for youth leadership and more space to shape climate action," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a press release. "To young people everywhere, don't give up."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The UN hopes that the diversity of perspectives in this cohort and members' connections to local groups can help steer larger policy decisions in a productive direction.

Jhumu is an accomplished activist, having founded KaathPencil, a nonprofit advocating for children's rights, gender equality, and climate justice. She has also worked with Greta Thunberg's youth-led organization Fridays for Future. Jhumu currently works with the People's Climate Diplomacy Program, which provides young people with tools and training to fight the climate crisis.

Previous cohorts of the Youth Advisory Group have developed reports outlining policy recommendations based on the priorities of youth in their respective member regions. Some of these recommendations have included support for green jobs, prioritization of Indigenous rights, and addressing public debt as a barrier to climate action.

Bangladesh is at the frontlines of the human and environmental costs of fast fashion, but it also faces challenges with agriculture, deforestation, and air pollution. With a voice at the UN, Jhumu will have the opportunity to bring those national perspectives to the global stage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I'm honoured to be appointed by the UN Secretary-General," Jhumu wrote on social media in August. "I will put my energy and dedication for my mandate to continue strengthening the bridge with the UN and youth movement."

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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's suggestion to meet in Moscow, calling the choice of such an unrealistic meeting place a sign that Russia is not genuinely interested in negotiations.

The Ukrainian leader said in an interview with US television channel ABC News, "I can't go to the capital of this terrorist" because Ukraine is "under missile attacks, under fire every day."

"(Putin) can come to Kyiv," Zelensky said in response.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

US President Donald Trump has been pushing face-to-face talks between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents. A bilateral or trilateral meeting was one of the main goals of Trump's summit with Putin in Alaska last month.

Trump later said Putin and Zelenskyy would meet after the Ukrainian president visits Washington and talks with European leaders, but Moscow has been putting additional conditions on the table, stalling a decision and stepping up shelling of Ukrainian cities.

This week, Putin said he was "ready" to meet with Zelenskyy, but in Moscow. On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explained that Zelenskyy had been invited to the Russian capital "to talk, not to capitulate".

The day before, speaking in Paris after the summit of the "coalition of the resolute," the Ukrainian president commented on Putin's invitation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I believe that if you want the meeting not to take place, you should invite me to Moscow," Zelenskyy said, adding that the fact that the Russian leadership voiced any options for a personal meeting at all is an accomplishment on its own.

"Something will happen, but they are not ready yet ... We're going to do it," Trump told CBS News the same day, without specifying any timeline for talks that Washington would find acceptable.

'Turning diplomacy into an outright farce'

On Saturday, Zelenskyy wrote on social media that Russia launched more than 1,300 drones, nearly 900 guided bombs and some 50 missiles of various types at Ukraine during the first five days of September.

He said the strikes hit 14 regions of the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Russia is seeking to prolong the war, trying to turn diplomacy into a blatant farce," the Ukrainian leader said.

"And there should be a common response to this: to shelling and destruction, to ignoring diplomatic efforts and civilised dialogue," he added.

Zelenskyy called on Ukraine's partners to strengthen sanctions against Moscow, increase arms supplies to Ukraine and impose effective restrictions on Russian oil and gas trade.
Four people were killed in heavy Russian airstrikes on Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday morning.

Dozens were injured in the capital Kiev alone, he wrote on the social media platform X.

He said that people lost their lives in the capital, the border region of Sumy and in Chernihiv.

According to the authorities, a mother and her 3-month-old son were killed in Kiev. Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said earlier on Sunday that at least two people were killed in the capital, including a child, and another 11 people were injured.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 20 houses and a kindergarten were damaged in Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhya, Zelensky wrote.

In his home city of Kryvyi Rih, warehouses were destroyed, and a high-rise building was hit in Odessa.

In Odessa, drones struck homes and civilian infrastructure, Governor Oleh Kiper was quoted as saying by the Kyiv Independent newspaper.

Additionally, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko reported that the Ukrainian government building in Kiev was hit for the first time.

Attack featured more than 800 drones, cruise missiles and rockets

"The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop the killings  all that is needed is political will," Zelensky wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He also criticized the United States. "It has been repeatedly said in Washington that sanctions will follow a refusal to talk," Zelensky said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin has been stalling in arranging a meeting to discuss peace talks with Zelensky, a meeting which US President Donald Trump has been actively promoting.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three and a half years.

Russia launched more than 800 combat drones, cruise missiles and rockets in its latest massive attack on Ukraine, according to Ukrainian reports. This was the largest drone attack since the beginning of the war, the Ukrainian sources said.

Ukrainian forces have also attacked targets in Russia, particularly energy facilities, though civilian casualties and destruction remain far higher in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that President Donald Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska gave the Russian leader what he wanted.

"It's a pity that Ukraine was not there, because I think that President Trump gave, gave Putin what he wanted," Zelenskyy said. "He had -- he wanted, you know, he wanted very much to meet with President Trump, with the president of the United States. And I think that, and I think that Putin got it. And, it's a pity."

The Ukrainian president added, "Putin doesn't want to meet with me, but he wants very much to meet with the president of the United States, to show everybody video and images that he is there."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

MORE: Zelenskyy rejects Putin invitation: 'He can come to Kyiv'

Zelenskyy spoke to ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz Friday in an interview that aired on ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday.

ABC News - PHOTO: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with Martha Raddatz of ABC News.

Zelenskyy's comments came days before Russia launched more than 800 drones and other munitions across Ukraine overnight Saturday, including the capital city of Kyiv, where the government's cabinet building was struck. The attacks left at least eight civilians dead and injured 59 others across the country. Ukraine's Air Force described the attack as a record assault.

As the war in Ukraine drags on, Trump has continued to push  so far, unsuccessfully  for a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy as he seeks to bring the yearslong conflict to a close. This week, a Trump-imposed two-week deadline for peace talks between Putin and Zelenskyy came and went.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking with Raddatz from a bombed-out American-owned factory in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said that he believed that to end the war, more pressure from American and European allies against Russia is needed.

"You talk about more sanctions and more tariffs and more help from President Trump. And you have told him you think he has the power to do this. And yet the deadlines pass again and again and another one has passed," Raddatz said.

"We all understand that we need additional pressure on Putin. We need pressure from the United States. And I said that I think that President Trump is right about the Europeans -- I am very thankful to all the partners. But some of them, I mean, they continue to buy oil and Russian gas. And this is not fairSo we have to stop buying any kind of energy from Russia," he said.

"This is only one, one way [of] how to stop the killer. You need to take off his, I mean, to take off his weapon. Energy is his weapon," Zelenskyy added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On a possible meeting with Putin, Zelenskyy said the Russian president proposed terms for a meeting that he could not accept, and that Putin was "playing games with the United States."

"He said he will meet if you come to Moscow," Raddatz said to Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy scoffed.

"He can come to Kyiv," he said.

"I can't go to Moscow under -- when my country is under missiles, under attacks each day," Zelenskyy said. "I can't go to this capital of this terrorist. It's understandable. And he understands it."

"It's the same proposition, as I said, that he has to come to Kyiv. So it's understandable that he is doing it  to again, to postpone the meeting we set," he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But Zelenskyy noted that the possibility of a bilateral meeting between the two warring leaders is not out of the question -- just not on Russian territory.

"I said, look, Mr. President, I'm ready for any kind of meeting -- but not in Russia -- any kind of meeting, bilateral, trilateral. We'll be happy if you will be in," he said.

As for the long sought after security guarantees that Ukraine has requested from American and European allies in the event of an end to the war, Zelenskyy said that "any security guarantees in Ukraine can be based only on our army."

"I think that, that President [Trump] wants to finish this war. But if we speak about just and lasting peace, it's important to finish and not to have possibility  to have aggression again in six months, in one year, in two years. It's not only important only to stop the war. Yes, it's very important, but to have a lasting peace, to have security," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Asked by Raddatz what victory looks like for his embattled country, Zelenskyy said the survival of Ukraine.

"Putin's goal is to occupy Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

"[Putin] wants, of course, to occupy us totally. For him, this [is] victory. And until he can do it, the victory is on our side," he said. "So that's why for us to survive is a victory. Because we are surviving with our identity, with our country, with our independence."
Support Local News Reporting

Journalists at the Yakima Herald-Republic bring you timely, in-depth and credible local news. Your generous donation supports their work.
Ramesh Bidhuri Controversial Speech: Danish Ali himself has given a statement in the case of BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri abusing the BSP MP. He said that India has been embarrassed in the world due to Bidhuri's statement, I am being threatened continuously, I have been verbally lynched. On BJP's allegations, he said that the allegations leveled against me are baseless, please prove the allegations. Let us tell you that BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has demanded from the Lok Sabha Speaker to take action against Danish Ali.
By Yuliia Dysa and Max Hunder

KYIV (Reuters) -President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday thousands of troops could be deployed to Ukraine under security guarantees proposed by its allies once Russia's war on his country ends.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that 26 countries had pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including an international force on land and sea and in the air.

Macron initially said those countries would deploy to Ukraine, but later said some of them would provide guarantees while remaining outside Ukraine, for example by helping to train and equip Kyiv's forces.

"It is important that we are discussing all this ... it will definitely be in the thousands, not just a few," Zelenskiy said after meeting European Council President Antonio Costa in Uzhhorod in western Ukraine on Friday.

He said in response to a journalist's question that it was too early to comment on specifics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Moscow to attack.

In Uzhhorod, Zelenskiy said he had "coordinated steps" in Ukraines European Union accession talks with Costa.

Kyiv sees EU membership as key to its security and recovery after the war.

Zelenskiy was also due to meet Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Friday. Deputy energy minister Roman Andarak said in Copenhagen that Zelenskiy was expected to discuss a phase-out of Russian oil deliveries via Ukraine with Fico.

Slovakia is heavily reliant on supplies of oil from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline, whose infrastructure Ukrainian drones have attacked, causing repeated disruptions in supply that angered Bratislava.

Fico met Putin on Tuesday in Beijing, and said Bratislava wants to normalise relations with Moscow.

Ukraine has urged other countries to stop buying Russian oil to deprive Moscow of funds for its war.

U.S. President Donald Trump told European leaders on Thursday that they must stop purchasing Russian oil, according to a White House official.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa and Anastasiia Malenko; writing by Max Hunder; editing by Tomasz Janowski and Timothy Heritage)
Chamber of Commerce supports Royal Caribbean investments in Costa Maya Port of Mahahual

Mahahual, Q.R.  The Chetumal National Chamber of Commerce (Canaco) says they are in favor of the Royal Caribbean investment. Canaco President Amir Efren Padilla Espadas says the Mahahual investment will generate a considerable number of jobs during the remodeling of the port.

Padilla Espadas explained that the Royal Caribbean investment is an opportunity to revitalize the public services infrastructure for the town of Mahahual as well as attract more investors and entrepreneurs.

Amir Efren Padilla Espadas

According to the President of Canaco (Camara Nacional de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo) of Chetumal, the Royal Caribbean port project will not only create jobs, but will also generate income in the transportation centre, the commercial village and tour centre.

Royal Caribbeans investment will be essential in the reactivation of the local and regional economy, strengthening the supply chain in various business areas that will meet both the demands of the staff who will be working there and the requirements for building the infrastructure,  he said.

Efren Padilla also said the company is making the changes with respect to the environment as agreed upon with the state government.

It will be based on environmental protection criteria, one of the fundamental commitments negotiated by the governor to attract this multi-million-dollar project. In fact, we know that Royal Caribbean considers respect for the environment and community social inclusion, he added.

For years, we have asked for capital to come to the southern part of the state, so we must identify areas of opportunity and join the governments efforts to attract more capital at this level, he noted.

Padilla Espadas added that other investements in hotels are also being made in Mahahual, reaffirming the areas position as a driving force for the southern regions economy.

From this business chamber, we applaud the investments being made thanks to Governor Mara Lezamas administration. We understand that this Royal Caribbean project isnt the only one that will be implemented, but also a hotel and residential complex.

A developer submitted approval for 24 boutique hotels outside Mahahual.

At the end of June, a developer submitted environmental impact statements (MIAs) for two real estate developments. The developments, Lotes Norte Costa Maya and Lotes Sur Costa Maya, are for the construction of 24 boutique hotels.

These projects are set to boost the region because they will provide many jobs, which is why they are of great importance, he said.

The Chamber President says all sectors of Mahahual will benefit from the Royal Caribbean project.

He says the creation of jobs will require services, housing, food, recreation, transportation and other benefits, which will be a catalyst for the development of Mahahual and not one exclusive only to Costa Maya, but will extend to Chetumal.

In November of 2024, Governor Mara Lezama lead the Royal Caribbean Groups announcement of $600 million USD investment for the redevelopment of the port in Mahahual.

Governor Mara Lezama lead the local Royal Caribbean announcement in November of 2024.

At the time, she said the project will allow the economic growth and development of rural communities through new tourism experiences and provide an opportunity to unleash Mahahuals potential with greater infrastructure, better services and higher quality of services.

We are excited about the announcement of this new investment in the state, which follows other recent investments made by the consortium, such as the Royal Beach Club in Cozumel last year.

This new impetus for the development of the Mahahual cruise port is a project that will not only transform this beautiful Caribbean destination, but also reaffirms our commitment to sustainability and community well-being, said Governor Mara Lezama in November.

The investment presentation in November was led by Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International in which he explained that the project promises to transform the destination experience through Perfect Day Mexico, and elevate Quintana Roo as a modern and sustainable tourism benchmark.

During that presentation he reported a daily capacity of 21,000 guests and regional cruise tourism they expect to grow from 2.6 million visitors in its first year to more than 5 million by 2033.

In addition to seeking to strengthen tourism infrastructure and provide destinations with quality amenities, it reaffirms the Consortiums confidence in Mahahuals tourism potential and its commitment to the local community.

The project will be developed in coordination with the State Agency for Strategic Projects and the University of Quintana Roo, ensuring that social and community impact is a priority.

More than 1,000 jobs are expected to be created with the upcoming mega-project.

This investment will generate more than 1,000 jobs between 2025 and 2027, and nearly 1,000 direct jobs to operate the new tourism experience.

A direct connection to the Limones Tren Maya station is also planned, facilitating access to the Maya Train and promoting visits to destinations and experiences throughout the state, reinforcing the strategy in the new era of tourism in the Mexican Caribbean.
Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here.

Dear Care and Feeding,

Whats the general protocol for toddler get-togethers with friends or family when one parent has fewer rules for their kid than others do for theirs? Im the one with fewer rules. I have set good boundaries for my kid (whos 4), which I enforce, but as far as rules go, I just dont have that many. You want to be barefoot outside? Great. You want to climb on the roof of my car and do a little dance? Sure. Stomp in puddles? Have a cookie? Yeah, why not?

I dont want to make my kid follow rules I dont believe in just because their friends or cousins have to follow them. But sometimes I feel like I get the look from the other parent(s). Toddlers are too young to understand why some kids have wildly different restrictions on their behavior, and I get that when my kid is going barefoot and the other kid wants to take their shoes off too, but their parent is making them keep them on, it might cause a meltdown. But is the other kids meltdown reason enough for me to force my own kid to wear shoes outdoors when we hang out with my shoes-ruling friend? I personally dont think so.

Always the Lax Parent

Dear Lax,

I, too, was always the lax parent, so I know the look. Heres the deal: If youre going to be the parent who allows your kid to do some things that other parents you know dont, you cant be the parent who stresses over the look.

So Option One is to ignore it and learn not to be shaken by it. (I practiced this response with parents who were not my friends and with unpleasant in-laws. And certainly in public places, where what my kid might be up togetting her clothes dirty, saywas nobodys business but my own.) If the other parent is a friend, someone you care about and whose life you really dont want to make miserable, Option Two is to respond with sympathy and have a conversation with them, out of earshot of the children. Come up with a plan together. (If you know from past experience that you differ when it comes to bare feet versus shoes, or getting wet or dirty versus staying perfectly clean, do this in advance of seeing each other.) If a compromise is possible, do that; if not, you might agree to switch off (e.g., bare feet for both kids when playing in your backyard, shoes on for both in theirsor taking turns at every visit).

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its not at all a bad thing for kids of any age to learn that different families have different expectations and ideas. (I remember conversations with my 3-year-old about why Barbies werent allowed at her friends house but were OK in oursand also about leaving Barbie and company tucked inside their big plastic bin, out of respect, when that friend visited.) Option Three, which I employed pretty frequently, was to note a tantrum brewing and speak quietly to my own kid about being thoughtful and kind to her envious, frustrated friend and, just for a few hours, follow the rules they were obliged to live by.

The one thing I dont advise is digging in your heels no matter what the circumstances. It sets a lousy example for your kid.

Oh, there is one other thing: Id rethink that business of letting your 4-year-old dance on the roof of a car. Thats not an example of Im relaxed and theyre uptight; its a safety hazard.

Advertisement

Get parenting and family advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear Care and Feeding, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to Care and Feeding following up) Submit

Dear Care and Feeding,

Recently, my wife, Beth, put our 12-year-old daughter, Chloe, in a dangerous situation that has me doubting whether I want to remain married to her. We live a little over four miles from a shopping center, and last week Beth was there with Chloe and our 8-year-old son, Jack. From what my daughter later told me, as they walked back to the car, Beth began talking about how Chloe ought to grow her hair out (my wife has a history of making unwanted suggestions to our daughter about her appearance). She wouldnt let it go, Chloe said, and I got fed up. When they got to the car, Chloe refused to get in. Beth ordered her to, and when she still refused to, Beth drove home, leaving Chloe stranded at the shopping centers parking lot.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Chloe had left her phone in the car, so I only found out what happened when I was driving home from work and saw her walking home alone! There was still about a mile to go to our house when I picked her up and drove her the rest of the way home as she told me what had happened.

Advertisement

When I confronted Beth about it, she said it was Chloes fault for being disrespectful. She disapproved of my driving her that last mile home! When I told her that making a child Chloes age walk that far all by herself put her at serious risk, Beth dismissed my concerns, insisting that we live in the safest town in America. Chloe is still upset and hurt and says she doesnt believe her mother cares about her. I think my wifes actions were unacceptable; she firmly believes she is in the right. Should I insist we see a family therapist, or are her actions grounds for divorce?

Long Road Home

Dear Road,

Yes, this punishment was way out of line, if not downright abusive. Your wifes drastic overreaction to her 12-year-olds frustration and anger (which, it seems to me, was expressed in an annoying, frustrating but not over-the-topand not particularly disrespectfulway) is concerning. But if you are considering a divorce, I have to assume that your wifes behavior in this instance was the straw that broke the marriages back: It must have already been in trouble. (And for what its worth, the only grounds for divorce you need are not wanting to be in your marriage anymore.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Have you been seething silently over Beths history of badgering Chloe about her appearance? Or have you and she argued about this? (What do you argue about, and how do these arguments go?) Have there been other waysbesides abandoning her child in a parking lot four miles from home, and giving her a hard time about how she looksthat Beths parenting has fallen short? Whats your role in parenting Chloe and Jack?

Advertisement

Given all the aspects of this incidentBeths refusal to let up on Chloe; Chloes lack of resources to protect herself, or even to protest, other than with the tween version of a tantrum; Beths driving off without her and doubling down on this outrageous response after the fact; Chloes feeling that her mother doesnt care about her (I cant imagine any child who wouldnt feel that way watching her mother drive off without her) and Beth seeming not to care about that (I assume youve communicated Chloes feelings to Beth if Chloe doesnt feel she can do so herself); and your contemplating ending your marriageId say family therapy is the very least you should insist on. Pronto. If Beth refuses, you and Chloe (Id bring Jack too) should go without her. I suspect Beth will join you after the first session or two, if only to make sure her side of the story is aired.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ill be honest: I have no idea if this will help. There are too many things I dont know about your family to say for sure. But its the place to begin, to try to sort this out and to offer your kids a safe space to talk about what goes on at home and how they feel about it.

And I must point out that if youre worried that Beth is a negligent or abusive parent, youll need much more than a divorce to protect Chloe and Jack. They dont get to divorce their mother. A family attorney can walk you through the ins and outs of what that particular custody battle would entail.

Send Your Questions to Good Job!

Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir want to help you navigate your social dynamics at work. Does your colleague constantly bug you after hours? Has an ill-advised work romance gone awry? Ask us your question here!

Advertisement

Advertisement

Dear Care and Feeding,

My husband and I have a daughter, Vanessa, who is now 2. The issue I have is that my in-laws have a miniature schnauzer-mix that they take everywhere with them. When they came over when Vanessa was a year old, she didnt really notice the dog, but when they visited last month, she was terrified of it. The dog wasnt aggressive, but Vanessa panicked when she was on the floor and the dog drew near. She cried and begged to be picked up or taken out of the room. It didnt help matters that the dog began to bark when she started crying.

Advertisement

Advertisement

My in-laws are now retired and will soon be moving to our area to be closer to us. I have asked them not to bring the dog over, given how frightened Vanessa is of him. They responded that she needs to be exposed to the dog so she can get over it. But some people are afraid of dogsthey cant help it. Maybe this fear will be a passing thing for Vanessa, and maybe it wont. In the meantime, Im certainly not going to traumatize her! My husband is trying to get me to come around to his parents way of thinking, but Im not willing to upset my daughter in this way. How can I get my husband to understand that placating his parents is not worth the ongoing traumatization of our daughter?

No Dog Around the Scaredy Cat

Advertisement

Dear No,

I dont think that conversation with your husband is going to be a productive one. It sets up a false equivalency while at the same time going on the attack. You dont want to imply that he cares more about keeping his parents happy than he does about the well-being of his child.

Advertisement

Youre right: Some people are just afraid of dogs. Who knows why? Phobias arent always easy to make sense of. But children often go through phases of fear. Many of them pass quickly (some do last into adulthood, of coursebut there is no reason to believe that your child will still be afraid of dogs six months or a year from now). Tell your in-laws you want to take it slow. Ask them to visit you without the dog for now. Spend time with them and their dog outdoors, where dog and child can be at a distance from one another and at least one of the two is leashed (please let that be the dog). And make an effort to introduce your daughter to other dogs at a comfortable distance.

Advertisement

If they continue to insist that exposure therapy is whats needed, tell them politely that you dont agree. (Your house, your child, your rulesI hope they will infer that from your response and you dont have to spell it out.) Tell your husband you dont want to make your daughter cry and that you know he doesnt either (leave out the sneer and the accusation, OK?); assure him that youll revisit the idea of dog as a welcome guest a little later.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And if his parents will not leave their dog at home for an hour or two in order to spend time with the grandchild theyve moved homes for, while everybody waits for her to grow out of a perfectly ordinary passing toddler phase, then they arent very loving grandparents, are they? (Maybe they shouldnt move to be nearby, then.)

Michelle

More Advice From Slate

My son recently received an award at work, which was presented at a dinner. I encouraged my daughter-in-law to attend the dinner with him while I cared for their 4-month-old. Since hes started to do better with bottles (hes breastfed and previously had been refusing bottles), she agreed (if nervouslyand I did have to make the offer multiple times).
Contract agreement close to being finalized between the Senegalese midfielder and the Saudi club.

Pathe Ciss

Pathe Ciss is on the verge of leaving Rayo Vallecano for Saudi Arabia. Al-Shabab has reached a contractual agreement with the Senegalese midfielder and is preparing to submit a new offer to secure his services. The Saudi transfer window closes on September 11.

Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Al-Shabab, who finished sixth in the Saudi Pro League last season, has reached a personal agreement with Pathe Ciss for a move to Saudi Arabia. The 31-year-old is eager to leave Spain and join the Saudi league, attracted by this new sporting and financial challenge. The Senegal international, under contract with Rayo Vallecano until 2027, has a release clause set at 10 million.

This amount remains the main stumbling block in negotiations between the two clubs. After seeing two previous offers rejected by Rayo Vallecano, Al-Shabab is preparing a third bid. The Riyadh-based club is set to propose 7 million, a figure significantly higher than previous attempts, which hovered around 4 million.
Steadview Capital Mauritius Limited Vs CIT (ITAT Mumbai)

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Mumbai, has set aside a revision order issued by the Commissioner of Income Tax (CIT) against Steadview Capital Mauritius Limited. The tribunals ruling, delivered on August 18, 2025, determined that the original assessment order was not erroneous or prejudicial to the interests of the revenue, as the Assessing Officer (AO) had conducted adequate inquiries during the initial assessment proceedings. The case centered on the CITs invocation of Section 263 of the Income Tax

Please become a Premium member. If you are already a Premium member, login here to access the full content.
You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber.



Not a subscriber?



Subscribe today for access to:

Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles).


NEW BEGINNINGS: National Enterprises Ltd (NEL) outgoing chairman Ingrid Lashley, from left, Joanne Webb, practice leader of the Corporate and Governance Department at Aegis Business Solutions Ltd; and NEL outgoing general manager Charles Maynard pose for a photograph before the start of NELs annual general meeting at the Radisson Hotel, Port of Spain, yesterday. Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
Business / Companies

by Gideon Madzikatidze/Simbarashe Sithole in Mutare

In a heartwarming moment that will be etched in her memory forever, 72-year-old Gogo Annah Mawoneke Jambe from Bocha in Manicaland province experienced the thrill of flying for the first time on Air Zimbabwe's inaugural Mutare-Harare flight. This milestone event marked a significant moment not only for Gogo Mawoneke but also for the province, as it welcomed the relaunch of a crucial air link that promises to boost tourism and economic activities.Gogo Mawoneke's journey from her rural home to the skies was nothing short of serendipitous. Having attended a tombstone unveiling ceremony, her life took an unexpected turn when her grandson surprised her with an air ticket to Chihota, where she is married. The one-way ticket, costing a mere US$21, was a promotional offer that made her dream of flying a reality. As she boarded flight 148, seat 4D, Gogo Mawoneke was among dignitaries, including Ministers of Transport and Tourism, Honourable Felix Mhona and Honourable Barbara Rwodzi, respectively, international tourists, and media personnel.In an interview with Bulawayo24.com, Gogo Mawoneke expressed her joy and gratitude to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration for its efforts in developing the aviation sector and tourism infrastructure."I am happy that this is my first time at such an age to board an aeroplane, an experience I had always been dreaming of," she said, acknowledging the impact of the government's initiatives on her life.Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Honourable Felix Mhona, highlighted the significance of the Harare-Mutare-Harare route's relaunch (including Victoria Falls), emphasizing its role in enhancing business efficiency, inclusivity, and the movement of goods and services."This launch is a clear testimony that the Second Republic is sincere and unstoppable in ensuring ease of doing business and efficiency in transport networking," Mhona said.The relaunch of the Harare-Mutare flight route coincides with the 18th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi World Expo, scheduled to take place in Mutare, Manicaland province.Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Barbara Rwodzi, noted that hosting the expo in Mutare marks a historic moment, underscoring the government's commitment to devolution and inclusivity in tourism development."This is aimed at emphasizing unity, participation, collective engagement, and cultural inclusivity in the local context," Rwodzi added.The expo, themed "Devolving Sustainable Tourism Development - Our Future," is expected to have a significant economic multiplier effect on the province, creating jobs, boosting demand for local services, and stimulating infrastructure development.With Air Zimbabwe's flight schedule already published and the National Railways of Zimbabwe introducing a luxurious passenger train service linking Harare and Mutare, the stage is set for a thriving tourism sector that benefits all stakeholders.For Gogo Mawoneke, the experience of flying was more than just a mode of transport; it was a dream fulfilled, thanks to the Second Republic's development initiatives. As she looked out of the airplane window, she knew that she was not just traveling; she was part of a larger narrative of growth, inclusivity, and progress in Zimbabwe's aviation and tourism sectors.
Lifestyle / Travel and Tourism

by Simbarashe Sithole in Manicaland

Lakes Resort's Manager, C Kiara Shumba

MUTARE - As international buyers and tourists continue flocking into the country, particularly, Manicaland province for the 18th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi world tourism expo; there are diverse facilities offering tourists' escape paradise.Imagine escaping to the breathtaking Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, where two exceptional tourist venues await your arrival. Musangano Lodge and Mountain Lakes Resort are featured prominently in the Sanganai Hlanganani Kumbanayi catalogue, showcasing their unique offerings to travelers.Musangano Lodge is a true haven of tranquillity as it is tucked away amidst the magnificent green hills of Africa. Musangano Lodge is a serene getaway that promises complete tranquillity and spectacular scenery.This eco-friendly resort boasts stunning views of the Odzi River Valley and offers a range of accommodation options, from cosy chalets to spacious self-catering lodges.During the ongoing Sanganai Hlanganani Kumbanayi expo, guests can unwind by the pool, explore marked nature trails, or enjoy a meal at the PaMuchakata Restaurant, which serves a fusion of African and European cuisine.The lodge's commitment to sustainability and community engagement is reflected in its community visit projects, allowing guests to gain insight into local life. With its rich history, beautiful surroundings, and warm hospitality, Musangano Lodge is an ideal destination for those seeking relaxation and cultural immersion.As for Mountain Lakes Resort, it offers a serene retreat for travellers and due to its location in the picturesque town of Juliasdale, the Mountain Lakes Resort and Spa offers a tranquil escape amidst two charming man-made lakes.Speaking to journalists during a visit and familiarisation tour of their facility, Mountain Lakes Resort's Manager, C Kiara Shumba emphasised that it is a multi-million project that will complement sustainable tourism."This facility was established with the expectations including offering best tourism and hospitality sustainability requisites. It has become a centre for promoting the country's tourism and continues to be one of the top resort facilities in the country," Shumba said.The resort's 16 cozy villas, each with two bedrooms and a loft, provide ample space for families and groups. Tourists and guests can enjoy private terraces with breathtaking views of the serene waters and lush peach orchards, or unwind at the spa and indulge in locally sourced meals.Mountain Lakes Resort's natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere make it an ideal setting for relaxation and rejuvenation. Whether one is looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life or simply need a romantic getaway, Mountain Lakes Resort is a perfect choice.Both Musangano Lodge and Mountain Lakes Resort are featured in the Sanganai Hlanganani Kumbanayi catalogue, highlighting their exceptional offerings and commitment to sustainable tourism. The catalogue showcases a range of tourist attractions and experiences across Zimbabwe, and these two venues are sure to captivate travellers seeking unique and unforgettable experiences.Organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the annual tourism event has grown to be the continent's premium tourism marketplace.
HA NOI  Companies have been reporting issues with the Government's administrative reform, noting that in practice, many procedures are still opaque and often overlap with each other, hampering production and business activity.

According to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in just under two months, there were 220 reports from businesses flagging obstacles with laws, decrees and circulars.

Problems cluster around taxation, invoicing and administrative procedures that are unclear, unnecessary or lack implementation guidance, creating hurdles in day-to-day operations.

The VCCI cites the reports as noting that paperwork still dominates and lags behind the digital transformation push. Some rules directly intrude on the freedom to do business, such as caps on maximum promotional discounts or provisions governing contract-based passenger transport.

Bottlenecks also arise from new documents as well as older ones, driving up costs, lengthening timelines and eroding competitiveness, according to the chamber.

A representative from a wood-processing firm in Binh Duong said that to obtain a licence to produce supporting industry products, the company had to submit nearly 10 different dossiers, many of which had already been filed with other agencies.

We completed the e-filing and still had to submit paper copies. The process dragged on for more than three months, delaying an export contract, a company representative said.

Promotion procedures also leave retailers exhausted. A supermarket operator said: Every time we roll out a major promotion, we must notify authorities and wait for approval. In a fast-moving market, that delay costs us a competitive edge at home.

Beyond being cumbersome, many provisions lack transparency, leaving businesses unsure of the correct course of action.

According to the Viet Nam Real Estate Association, guidance remains unclear as to whether land-lease rights with annual rental payments can be used as collateral. This makes it difficult for enterprises in industrial parks to obtain bank loans because their largest asset is not clearly recognised in law.

VCCIs Deputy Secretary-General au Anh Tuan said legal reforms for business must be faster and more comprehensive, because many procedures remain overlapping, contradictory or outdated.

Despite multiple rounds of reviews to resolve conflicts in laws on investment, land, construction and the environment  efforts that have simplified some procedures and reduced certain costs  the legal framework remains complex, opaque, fragmented and not fully aligned with reality, according to Tuan.

Experts said that while the Government has worked to improve the business climate, overlaps and inconsistencies persist and pose major barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises, which make up the bulk of the economy.

One typical example is the licence for supporting industry production, which demands numerous documents and paper copies even where e-filings exist, underscoring the gap between policy and practice.

Secretary-General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers Nguyen Hoai Nam listed barriers holding firms back, from taxes and specialised inspections to labelling, traceability and logistics.

As an example, he cited seafood by-products, for which deep processing incurs 10 per cent VAT but preliminary processing does not. This means that companies are forced to split invoices and consignments in ways that do not reflect the goods true nature.

In addition, a ban on mixing imported and domestic raw materials in the same container raises logistics costs and risks contract losses, Nam said.

As for food safety management, Nguyen Hong Uy from EuroCham said that tightening oversight after several high-profile counterfeit goods cases is necessary, but complex and non-transparent procedures can inadvertently burden compliant businesses, while counterfeit goods still slip through.

Resolving legal bottlenecks is both urgent and difficult. It requires close coordination among regulators and a balance between firm oversight and genuine facilitation for business.

Tuan emphasised that a legal environment that is transparent, stable and workable is a key driver of economic growth and sustainable development. VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam is seeing a surge in imports from the US, with fruit, seafood and raw materials leading the way.

In the first seven months of 2025, Viet Nam imported more than US$10.5 billion worth of goods from the US, up nearly 23 per cent year-on-year, according to the General Department of Customs. Leading the surge are fruit, seafood and raw materials.

Fruit is among the fastest-growing import categories. While overall fruit and vegetable imports to Viet Nam dropped, shipments from the US bucked the trend, rising 47 per cent to around $354 million. Grapes, apples, cherries and citrus fruits are now common in supermarkets, alongside newcomers like California nectarines.

The US is currently the second-largest fruit supplier to Viet Nam, close behind China.

Customs data show that by 15 August, total fruit and vegetable imports had fallen nearly 18 per cent year-on-year to around $1.5 billion.

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, domestic supply has been plentiful in 2025, with strong harvests of durian, mango, dragon fruit and longan. Competitive local prices reduced the need for imports. A stronger US dollar and high transport costs also pushed up prices of imported produce, further dampening demand.

Even so, US products bucked the trend. Lower tariffs on apples, cherries, almonds and pistachios, together with steady quality and strict food safety standards, helped American fruit win more market share.

Other US farm goods are expanding.

Imports of animal feed reached $447 million, up 27 per cent while soybeans totalled $248 million, up 8 per cent. High-end beef and seafood are attracting Vietnamese consumers even though beef still faces import duties of 14 to 20 per cent.

Industry groups say that if tariffs fall to zero, imports of US beef could rise 20 to 30 per cent within six months.

In raw materials, cotton remains the largest US export to Viet Nam, valued at nearly $940 million, up 56 per cent. Plastic resins rose 49 per cent to $656 million while steel scrap doubled to $125 million, reflecting recovery in construction and steel production.

Trade events have also boosted visibility. A US Food Week held in HCM City this year introduced beef, poultry, California cheese, New York wine, Washington apples, blueberries and seafood to local consumers. US officials stressed the role of agricultural trade in the 30-year partnership between the two countries.

Experts say that while US imports give consumers more choice and support industries with new inputs, they also pose rising competition for local producers. Balancing open markets with domestic protection will remain a key issue in the years ahead.  BIZHUB/VNS
HA NOI  Last weeks three brief trading sessions, coming after an extended holiday break, were enough to send investors on a financial rollercoaster.

After a strong August, the Vietnamese stock market opened the week on a high, posting record liquidity as the VN-Index surged beyond its August peak and crossed the psychological barrier of 1,700 points.

But shrinking liquidity soon raised concerns over profit-taking, triggering heavy selling pressure towards the weeks end.

By Fridays close, the VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) had dropped 29.32 points to 1,666.97, while the HNX-Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) slipped 3.32 points to 280.67.

For the week, the HoSE fell 0.91 per cent, whereas the HNX inched up 0.25 per cent. Market liquidity slumped in the first two sessions of September before staging a rebound in the final session.

The pattern underscored limited profit potential as demand for many stocks failed to recover after recent gains, intensifying selling pressure.

Foreign investors maintained their sell-off, with a net outflow of more than VN5 trillion (US$191.3 million) from the HoSE during the week.

According to Bao Viet Securities Company (BVSC), the downward pressure may continue early this week, with the VN-Index likely to test the support zone of 1,630-1,650 points.

"We expect a potential recovery after the index approaches this support level," BVSC said, adding that investors are advised to maintain their positions and manage risks by adjusting trailing stop levels for short-term holdings.

For trading activities, it is recommended to focus on existing positions during market fluctuations.

Saigon - Ha Noi Securities JSC (SHS) noted the recent market dynamics.

"With the recent price increases occurring alongside low liquidity, we observe a strong rise in selling volumes. The VN-Index appears to be forming a short-term peak around the 1,690-1,710 point range, indicating a shift from a robust uptrend to a phase of consolidation and adjustment," said SHS.

The previous months remarkable gains, with an average trading volume of 1.67 billion shares per session, have led to signals of a potential peak.

Historical trends suggest that following such robust growth, the market typically experiences a correction phase to validate previous highs, the securities firm added.

Similarly, Vietcap Securities JSC (VCSC) expressed concerns regarding the last sessions decline, saying that this creates momentum for adjustment in the VN-Index.

"Any technical rebound in subsequent sessions may face resistance around the 1,675-1,680 point range, necessitating a re-evaluation of the 1,645 point support level to facilitate low-price buying opportunities," VCSC said.  BIZHUB/VNS
HA NOI  With the Philippines hitting pause on imports of Vietnamese rice for 60 days from September 1, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has moved swiftly, issuing instructions to provincial and municipal Peoples Committees, the Viet Nam Food Association (VFA), and rice export traders.

The ministry clarified that the suspension applies to regular milled and well-milled rice but not to specialty varieties that are not widely cultivated by Vietnamese farmers.

MoIT requested that Peoples Committees review and promptly gather feedback from businesses on any difficulties or obstacles, then report and propose appropriate solutions.

The VFA has been tasked with quickly notifying rice export traders so they can adjust production and business plans.

In addition, the VFA is expected to strengthen information updates, market monitoring and forecasting of domestic and global rice trends to keep the Government, ministries and relevant authorities informed, while also proposing measures to boost domestic rice consumption and exports.

Additionally, VFA needs to collaborate closely with the Philippine rice importers association to actively monitor and capture market information and policy changes from the Philippines in order to promptly report and propose appropriate solutions.

VFA should support member businesses in diversifying export markets, strengthening trade promotion especially with traditional trading partners.

The MoIT also recommended that rice export traders, in addition to maintaining traditional markets, proactively seek and exploit new potential markets to diversify risks and improve adaptability.

In particular, they should actively purchase rice for temporary storage to support farmers and strictly comply with the provisions of Decree No 107/2018/N-CP of the Government regarding rice export business and other related regulations.

Statistics show that Viet Nams rice exports reached approximately 9 million tonnes last year with a value of US$5.7 billion. This is an important achievement that reinforces Viet Nams position in the global rice market.

In recent consultations many international partners including the US, Singapore and Brazil have highly appreciated Viet Nam's role in the global rice supply chain.

Thus, the country is fully capable of maintaining and enhancing the value of its rice exports, especially as the demand for high-quality rice continues to rise.

It is essential to tighten cultivation processes to ensure safety and quality so that Vietnamese rice maintains its reputation and competitiveness in international markets.

Rice exports reached 6.3 million tonnes and $3.17 billion in the first eight months of this year, an increase of 2.2 per cent in volume but a decrease of 17.5 per cent in value compared to the same period last year.

The average export price of rice in the eight months is estimated at $504.9 per tonne, down 19.3 per cent year-on-year, according to the MoIT.  VNS
HA NOI - Legal growth is taking root as Viet Nams Ministry of Agriculture and Environment plans to revise the Law on Biodiversity, aiming to weed out outdated regulations and plant stronger protections for the country's fragile ecosystems.

Deputy Minister Phung uc Tien told Vietnamplus that safeguarding biodiversity is not just about nature, it's essential for sustainable development.

To achieve green development, it is imperative not to trade the environment for economic gains, he said, emphasising the need for a modernised legal framework.

If we have not yet ensured a proper legal framework for conservation and biodiversity, it must be revised and updated.

Viet Nam is home to remarkably rich biodiversity, but growing environmental concernsdriven by rapid urbanisation and industrialisationare putting increasing pressure on natural habitats. Tien pointed out that lessons from other countries show how expensive and difficult restoration can become once ecosystems are degraded.

To protect and conserve biodiversity, the first priority is to ensure a sound legal framework, he said, adding that upcoming amendments will cover not just the Law on Biodiversity but also related decrees and circulars.

Once revised laws are in place, enforcement will be critical. Tien said strong implementation must follow, backed by qualified personnel, adequate technical capacity, and sufficient financial support.

Citing haunting images of cranes flying through smoke from straw burning in the Mekong Delta and the limestone mountains scarred by mining in Kim Bangnow part of Ninh Binh ProvinceTien called on local authorities to give conservation the attention it deserves as part of Viet Nams green development strategy.

We have biodiversity and rare wildlife, but if we cannot protect, maintain and enhance them, they will affect not only socio-economic development but also national defence and security. The images of the cranes and of the limestone mining also serve as warnings that we need to be responsible and raise awareness about conservation, he said.

Deputy director of the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Dr Le Van Huu said Viet Nams biodiversity is highly diverse and serves as a crucial 'green home.'

When the country was still poor, many people considered biodiversity or wildlife as ordinary. But once conditions improve, it becomes extremely important. Therefore, conservation must receive due attention, he said.

Regarding proposals by conservation agencies and organisations to establish a reserve for the critically endangered Delacours langur, which exists only in the Kim Bang area, Huu affirmed that the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity supports the establishment of the Kim Bang Species and Habitat Conservation Area for the Delacours langur.

According to the Forestry Department and Forest Protection Department, the Kim Bang Species and Habitat Conservation Area for the Delacours langur must be established independently.  VNS
HCM CITY  A Vietnamese real estate magnate is set to go on trial in HCM City later this month, accused of unlawfully profiting nearly VN970 billion (US$38 million) from the transfer of prime state-owned land, in one of the latest high-profile cases in the countrys sweeping anti-corruption drive.

inh Truong Chinh, 51, former chairman of state-linked developer Housing Development and Trading Company (HDTC) and founder of Viet Han Group, allegedly colluded with executives at Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood II), a state-owned firm, to acquire a 6,300-square-metre site in central HCM City in 2015 without a public auction.

Investigators said Chinh paid 730 billion ong for the land, which sits on Nguyen Du and Chu Manh Trinh streets in the citys commercial district, and resold it only 33 days later for VN1.68 trillion.

Prosecutors allege he pocketed nearly VN970 billion in profits through a series of transactions designed to disguise the resale.

Vinafood II, which had originally been allocated the site for a hotel and office project, is listed as the victim in the case.

Former CEO Huynh The Nang and deputy CEO Nguyen Tho Tri will also face trial on charges of violating regulations on state asset management, though authorities say there is no evidence they personally benefited.

The trial is scheduled to open on September 17 and run until September 19, with nearly 20 defense lawyers and 45 individuals and organisations summoned as related parties.

Chinh, once dubbed Viet Nams M&A property king for his aggressive acquisitions, rose to prominence with large-scale projects across the nation.

The scandal highlights growing scrutiny of the real estate sector, which has been hit hard by tightened credit and an anti-graft campaign that has ensnared top business leaders and senior officials.

Vietnamese top leader, Party chief To Lam said at a recent meeting that Viet Nam has made fighting corruption a top priority, warning that mismanagement and abuse of state assets risk eroding public trust and undermining economic growth.  VNS
HA NOI  Party General Secretary To Lam on Sunday underscored the need for Vietnam Television (VTV) to accelerate comprehensive digital transformation and develop a multi-platform media ecosystem with the goal of becoming a modern national digital media hub and one of the leading broadcasters in the region.

He made the remarks while attending a ceremony marking three milestones: the 55th anniversary of VTVs first broadcast (7 September 1970  7 September 2025), the official launch of the national external television channel Vietnam Today, and the presentation of the First-class Labour Order to VTV.

Speaking at the event, the Party leader said these occasions represent an important milestone in VTVs proud journey, shaped by generations of leaders, staff and journalists.

Over the past 55 years, VTV has grown from modest technical beginnings into a national broadcaster and a leading multimedia institution, serving as a core voice in communicating the Partys policies and the States laws. Its programming has contributed to public education, enriched cultural life, raised awareness and amplified the voice of the people in the cause of building, defending and developing the nation.

VTVs productions have offered multi-dimensional and objective reflections of political, economic, cultural and social life; inspired innovation; highlighted positive examples; exposed corruption, wastefulness and misconduct; and fulfilled its role in public oversight, social criticism and policy recommendation.

In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and rapidly shifting geopolitical and geo-economic dynamics, General Secretary Lam stressed that VTV must reaffirm its role as the nations leading multimedia institution, standing as a pillar in shaping trust and social consensus. This, he said, requires strong determination and effort.

He urged VTV to remain a trusted voice of the Party, State and people, taking the lead in defending the Partys ideological foundation, spreading positive information and nurturing national confidence and aspirations.

He emphasised the importance of building a team of reporters, editors and technical staff with firm political integrity, professional excellence, technological expertise and ethical standards while rejecting individualism and serving as pioneering defenders of the Partys ideology in the digital era.

The broadcaster, he added, must enhance content quality, highlight Viet Nams cultural identity, reflect social realities with honesty and celebrate positive models and values to foster a humane knowledge-driven society.

VTV should also play a key role in shaping a core value system of patriotism, compassion, integrity, solidarity and creativity as a foundation for sustainable national development, he said.

The Party chief further called for VTV to operate under an integrated, fully digitalised model, leading in the production and distribution of high-quality multi-platform multilingual content and applying advanced technologies to serve audiences at home and abroad. Such efforts, he said, would help safeguard national information sovereignty and elevate Viet Nams presence on the global media map.

In particular, he instructed VTV to develop Vietnam Today into a modern professional and engaging external channel with a distinct identity that embodies Vietnamese culture.

In todays context, he concluded, VTV must advance boldly and sustainably, driven by comprehensive digital transformation and content innovation.

At the ceremony, General Secretary To Lam presented the First-class Labour Order to VTV.

The national external television channel Vietnam Today was also officially launched. Broadcasting around the clock in English, the channel uses advanced technology to provide multilingual subtitles tailored to the countries and regions where it is aired.  VNS
News / Regional

by Staff reporter

Two City of Harare councillors, Zodiac Duri and Austin Munamba, allegedly threatened Acting Chamber Secretary Warren Chiwawa with death after he refused to authorise allowances for a trip to Victoria Falls, raising tensions within the capital's local authority.The dispute stems from a trip undertaken by the councillors to attend the COP15 Convention in Victoria Falls. Chiwawa said he refused to approve their travel and subsistence allowances because the trip lacked ministerial approval, making the request unprocedural and in violation of a directive from the Ministry of Local Government."There are two councillors who came to my office in the morning, Councillor Duri and Councillor Munamba threatening me with death and unspecified action because they were trying to force me to authorise their travel and subsistence allowances," Chiwawa told ZiFM Stereo after raising the matter during a full council meeting."I said I couldn't process that because they went there without ministerial approval so I said I couldn't process for their allowances in violation of the ministerial directive."Chiwawa said councillors should ordinarily raise concerns through their Chief Whip or the Mayor, rather than resorting to intimidation.The two councillors later failed to attend the council meeting where Chiwawa made the allegations, raising suspicion among some members that they may have sought to silence him through threats.Chiwawa said he intends to report the matter to both the police and the Ministry of Local Government for further action.The allegations come amid growing scrutiny of local authorities across Zimbabwe, where disputes over allowances, travel expenses and procurement have frequently led to accusations of abuse of office, infighting, and misconduct among councillors.
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Sunday called on the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) to continue renewing its mindset and approach and to develop action plans to realise its aspiration to become one of the regions leading radio broadcasters.

He made the remarks at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of VOVs founding (September 7, 1945  2025) and the broadcasters third conferment of the Ho Chi Minh Order.

Addressing the event, VOV General Director o Tien Sy said that over the past eight decades, VOV has truly served as a vital communication bridge, promptly conveying the Partys policies and the States directives in both wartime and peacetime. It has acted as an open forum for the peoples voices and as a cultural exchange platform that has helped elevate the nations international standing.

Moving into a new phase, VOV is making strong strides to affirm its position as Viet Nams leading multimedia outlet, particularly in radio and digital journalism. It continues to maintain and expand its traditional radio coverage while also leading in podcasts, improving content quality and strengthening its reach and interaction with audiences through digital platforms.

The broadcaster has set the goal of being among the worlds top 100 media organisations by 2045 and becoming one of Viet Nams foremost external communication agencies.

PM Chinh highlighted that VOV has grown into a multimedia, multi-platform, multilingual broadcaster, with modern infrastructure, advanced technology, a streamlined organisational structure and a professional workforce with strong political integrity, technical expertise and dedication to the mission.

VOV has been building a solid communications network across radio, print, online and digital platforms, increasingly affirming its role as a leading multimedia agency and a recognised brand in the region and the world, he said.

PM Chinh stressed that with its proud traditions and the strength and prestige gained over 80 years, VOV must continue innovating in thought, awareness and action to achieve breakthroughs and enhance its effectiveness across all areas of operation.

He laid out six key priorities for VOV.

First, the broadcaster must define a clear vision and build concrete strategies, programmes and plans to achieve its ambition of becoming a leading regional broadcaster.

Second, it should put audiences at the centre, taking creativity as the driving force and science, technology and digital transformation as the foundation.

Third, VOV needs to enhance the application of modern communication technologies to improve both the quality and effectiveness of its content.

Fourth, the Prime Minister stressed that the broadcaster must carry out its mission under a guiding motto expressed in these key words: Authoritative, objective, timely  Proactive, flexible, creative  Dedicated, responsible, companionable  Distinctive, scientific, modern  Resolute, timely, effective.

Fifth, he emphasised the importance of continuously renewing content, ensuring political sensitivity, economic sharpness, technological depth and a close connection with reality.

Finally, VOV must expand its coverage, particularly in remote, border, island and ethnic minority areas, while at the same time strengthening international cooperation and modernising its operations to meet global standards in a manner suited to Viet Nams conditions.

PM Chinh also instructed VOV to play a greater role in enriching peoples spiritual and cultural lives, promoting Vietnamese values, identity and humanity and inspiring patriotism, pride, confidence and aspirations for a prosperous and thriving nation.

At the same time, the broadcaster should help bring the image of Viet Nam and its people to the world and expand programmes in ethnic minority languages.

The Prime Minister emphasised the need to invest more in high-quality human resources, building a team of professionals with strong character, capacity, prestige, passion and dedication.  VNS
Thanh Nga

Viet Nam is a treasure trove of cultural and natural wonders, showcasing numerous UNESCO-recognised world heritage sites.

From the ancient streets of Hoi An to the breathtaking landscapes of Ha Long Bay, these sites reflect the countrys rich history, diverse traditions and stunning biodiversity. Each heritage site tells a unique story, inviting both locals and visitors to explore the essence of Vietnamese identity.

As the urgency to preserve and promote these invaluable assets grows, local communities are stepping forward to play an active role. By engaging the public through awareness-raising activities, they aim to ensure that heritage is protected and serves as a source of pride and benefit for all.

Preserving and promoting heritage values is one of the most pressing issues today, not just in Viet Nam, but globally, Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son, a Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education told Viet Nam News.

Heritage embodies the soul, historical memories and the essence of our national identity. Each piece of heritage serves as a witness to history, allowing current and future generations to connect with the past and nurture a sense of national pride.

In this era of globalisation and rapid urbanisation, ancient structures face overwhelming challenges. Modern high-rise buildings encroach upon traditional cultural spaces, while sacred festivals often become overly commercialised to cater to tourism demands. Climate change and natural disasters further threaten natural heritage, including coral reefs and primeval forests. Thus, conservation has evolved into a strategic necessity for sustainable national development.

Localities across Viet Nam have recognised that heritage conservation cannot rely solely on state agencies, it requires active participation from the community. Solutions now focus on empowering local people, blending scientific approaches with indigenous values.

Son emphasises that successful initiatives follow the principle of state creation and people's companionship, with the community at the heart of the process.

When individuals are educated about heritage and given opportunities to benefit from it, preservation becomes more sustainable, and its value is passed down through generations, Son said.

In Ngoc Ha Ward in Ha Noi, Nguyen Van Loi recalls the profound experience of conducting a ceremony for ancestral spirits to mark the transition from the old year to the new year in 2025.

Ive served as the chief celebrant at the Tong communal house for years," Loi said.

"This year, I was honoured to perform rituals at Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Initially, my career had no ties to culture, but as I grew older, I became involved in our local spiritual practices. Wearing the official uniform and performing rituals at the Citadel filled me with pride."

Since its recognition as a World Cultural Heritage site, the Thang Long-Ha Noi Heritage Conservation Centre has revitalised royal rituals at Thang Long Imperial Citadel. These ceremonies, including the Tien Xuan Nguu (Spring Buffalo Offering) and others, are considered the soul of the citadel.

The restoration efforts involve a diverse group of community members, from retired officials to construction workers, showing that heritage truly belongs to the people.

Thang Long Imperial Citadel, once perceived as distant due to its royal history, has grown closer to the community through active participation in its conservation. For students in Ha Noi, the citadel has become a popular site for extracurricular activities, with tens of thousands visiting each year.

Community awareness is very essential, it fosters a sense of responsibility in protecting heritage. In Thanh Hoa Province, Ho Dynasty Citadel has similarly transformed into a space for educational activities.

Nguyen Ba Linh, Director of the Ho Dynasty Citadel Heritage Conservation Centre, said, We recognise the communitys role in managing heritage sites. Our centre collaborates with schools to create programmes that nurture a love for heritage in children.

While each type of heritage demands its own conservation strategies, they share a common need for public support. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Tri Province illustrates this challenge well, as the park is home to over 60,000 residents from various ethnic groups whose livelihoods depend on natural resources.

With assistance from the government and international organisations, Quang Tri has made strides in balancing livelihood needs with conservation efforts.

Deputy Director inh Huy Tri of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Management Board states, Our focus is on sharing benefits while minimising impacts on world heritage.

In 2024, the park initiated a sustainable forestry development programme that provided local communities with trees and seedlings, supported livelihood models, and offered payments for forest protection - totalling approximately VN20 billion (US$769,000) annually. Additionally, thousands of locals find employment in tourism-related services, such as photography and souvenir sales.

Hoang Van Binh, head of the Farmers' Association in Bong Lai 2 Village said, Our members have received livelihood support from the National Park, allowing us to raise livestock under the forest canopy and take part in forest conservation. Our lives have improved, and now we actively participate in protecting our natural heritage.

As of now, Viet Nams UNESCO-recognised heritage sites have made significant progress in preserving and promoting their values. Many sites have become vital contributors to local socio-economic development, exemplified by Thang Long Imperial Citadel, which attracted 745,000 visitors in 2024, solidifying its status as a major tourist destination in Ha Noi.

Other notable destinations like Hoi An and Ha Long Bay continue to drive tourism in their respective provinces. In recent years, Viet Nam has improved its legal framework, notably through the amended 2024 Law on Cultural Heritage, ensuring alignment with international standards.

However, challenges persist. Economic development poses risks of encroachment on heritage sites. For instance, Ha Long Bay has seen construction projects encroach upon its natural beauty. Experts emphasise the need for a balanced approach that harmonises interests among all stakeholders involved in heritage conservation.

Associate Professor ang Van Bai, Vice Chairman of the National Cultural Heritage Council, said, When communities engage, they develop a deeper, long-term understanding of cultural heritage. We need to implement education programmes in schools and through media to shift community perceptions.

A standout example of effective collaboration in preserving heritage is the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh. With around 10,000 direct workers and 20,000 indirect workers, the complex plays a crucial role in the province's socio-economic structure.

Director Bui Viet Thang said, Our public-private partnership model involves various stakeholders: the state manages and plans, enterprises invest in infrastructure and the community operates services and protects the environment. This collaborative framework respects the integrity of heritage while harmonising interests.

In 2014, Trang An welcomed 2.2 million visitors, a number that has since skyrocketed, generating tourism revenue of VN6.5 trillion ($250 million) in 2024. Heritage has thus become a dual resource, enhancing both material and spiritual lives.

Ultimately, when heritage is well-preserved, it transforms into a shared treasure - no longer viewed as distant relics of the past, but as integral parts of community identity that foster both remembrance and future aspirations. VNS

Wealth of recognised locationsViet Nam boasts nine UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Sites: Hue Monuments Complex, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, Ha Long Bay  Cat Ba Archipelago, Phong Nha  Ke Bang National Park, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Ho Dynasty Citadel, Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, and the Yen Tu, Vinh Nghiem, Con Son and Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes.
GBA Oktoberfest Vietnam 2025 will bring back the countrys largest annual German festival experience while commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany and the 30th anniversary of the German Business Association in Vietnam (GBA).

The press conference about Oktoberfest Vietnam 2025. Photo: GBA

At the press conference held in Hanoi on September 4, GBA representative said that GBA Oktoberfest, first held in Vietnam in 1992, is among the longest-running Oktoberfest celebrations outside Germany. The 2025 edition in Hanoi is co-hosted by the GBA, the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam), and JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi, with support from the German Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.

As Vietnams biggest and most authentic German cultural festival, GBA Oktoberfest has attracted tens of thousands of visitors each year, bringing the sights, sounds, and flavours of Bavaria closer to the Vietnamese public while fostering business links, cultural exchange, and friendship between the two countries.

Building on the success of the 2024 edition, which welcomed more than 10,500 guests and poured over 20,000 litres of beer, GBA Oktoberfest 2025 is set to reaffirm its place as Southeast Asias largest beer festival, taking place inHanoi, Danang (October 3), and Ho Chi Minh City (October 9-11).

Festival-goers can look forward to savouring four iconic imported German brews: Erdinger Stiftung Lager, Erdinger Weissbier, Erdinger Dunkel Draught, and the non-alcoholic Erdinger Weissbier. Each is crafted in the traditional Bavarian style, using only imported ingredients and brewing equipment to ensure an authentic taste.

GBA Oktoberfest Hanoi 2024. Photo: GBA

This year, guests will once again be immersed in a vibrant Bavarian atmosphere, featuring electrifying performances by the renowned German-Austrian band Ozapft, authentic German delicacies prepared by skilled chefs, premium craft beers imported from Germany, and a wide range of non-alcoholic options. Food and drinks will be served throughout the night, keeping the energy high as guests enjoy an unforgettable festive experience.

According to GBA, GBA Oktoberfest is more than a cultural celebration; it stands as a symbol of strong bilateral relations and a platform where businesses, communities, and friends come together.

"As we mark the 30th anniversary of the GBA and advance our strategy to expand activities in the Northern and Central regions, the Hanoi edition of the festival is especially anticipated," said Torben Minko, vice chairman of the GBA. "With a remarkable number of registrations already received, we are confident it will leave a lasting impression on what promises to be a truly meaningful milestone year. We look forward to celebrating these achievements with an unforgettable Oktoberfest season across Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City."

Bjorn Koslowski, deputy chief representative of AHK Vietnam, added,"GBA Oktoberfest embodies the spirit of cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and Germany. We remain committed to serving as a bridge for economic ties, investment, vocational training, digital transformation, and sustainable development. With 50 years of friendship and 30 years of close partnership as our foundation, we believe the two nations can continue to write the next chapters together  stronger, more creative, and more meaningful."

Oktoberfest Vietnam to be held in Hanoi The event will feature a traditional opening ceremony presenting the tapping of the first beer keg and the wearing of traditional Bavarian attire.

GBA Oktoberfest represents cultural gateway and business connection More than just a cultural event, GBA Oktoberfest, the largest annual event organised in Vietnam by the German Business Association (GBA) and its partners, serves as a platform for German and Vietnamese businesses and organisations to explore collaboration opportunities across various sectors.
This trip will show you Russia, the Russia we travel in as we go from Moscow to our Russian Village and back. This trip was perfect and we timed it good for traffic. Yet as always, so sad to leave the Tiny Russian Village

Home is where the heart is and now we are back in Moscow

My heart is always with my SweetPea

WtR
This article is old - Published: Sunday, Sep 7th, 2025

Wrexham.com has invited local Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home  you can find them all here. 

In this months column Clwyd Souths Member of the Senedd, Ken Skates writes:

From this week, young people aged 16-21 in Wales can take full advantage of a 1 bus fare pilot scheme  with prices capped at 3 a day.

Those eligible are encouraged to sign up for a free mytravelpass, which you can do here.

Single fares cost just 1 and 3 day tickets are available too, allowing young people to access unlimited travel with any participating bus services.

This Welsh Labour Government scheme will make a real difference to young people across Wales, especially in rural areas, so if youre aged 16-21 and want discounted journeys for work, education and leisure then Id urge you to sign up.

Funding of 15m is being provided over two financial years (2025-26 and 2026-27) to support the scheme, and the Welsh Government will invest a further 7m to extend the scheme to those aged five to 15 from November. Existing reduced child fares will apply until

then.

Reducing the cost of travel for young people and providing better transport for all is a key Welsh Government priority, and Im pleased that we have delivered on our commitment.

We will be working closely with operators to monitor trends in young peoples travel, and the use of smart (but anonymous) barcode tickets will allow the use of multi-operator day tickets to be evaluated. An evaluation of the effectiveness of the wider scheme will also be carried out.

It is important to pilot a scheme like this to understand if it has the intended positive impact and remains affordable. We have committed to a 12-month pilot and provided the funding to support this it, but it will be for the next government to determine whether the scheme will be made permanent.

I have been contacted by a number of local people regarding the T12 bus. The service is commissioned by Powys Council, not the Welsh Government or Transport for Wales, so I would urge Wrexham Council to make their representations to Powys (as I am).

As the new academic year begins, I want to encourage local families to check if they are entitled to up to 200 per child to help meet the cost of school essentials.

The Welsh Labour Governments School Essentials Grant helps families on lower incomes who qualify for certain benefits with the cost of essentials such as uniforms, shoes and bags.

As families continue to face cost-of-living pressures, help is at hand to ensure that every child has access to the resources they need to learn. More than 62m of funding has helped over 170,000 families across Wales in the last two years alone.

This grant continues to be a vital source of support for families across Clwyd South, and I would encourage you to check your eligibility here.

Eligible families can apply for a grant of 125 per child, per year. Families with children entering Year 7 can apply for 200 to help with increased costs associated with starting secondary school. All looked-after children qualify and local schools also receive additional funding as a result of claiming this grant.

Applications are open now and close on May 31, 2026.

I have been contacted by a number of people over the past few months confused about constituency boundary changes, so I wanted to help clarify who represents you for those who arent sure.

Following changes to the UKs parliamentary constituencies at last years General Election, Clwyd South was divided into a number of seats at Westminster.

The northern part of Clwyd South  places like Brymbo, Coedpoeth, Minera and surrounding villages  are now part of the Wrexham constituency. Represented by Andrew Ranger MP. The expanded Wrexham constituency also covers the eastern part of Clwyd South, including

areas such as Bangor-on-Dee, Overton and Penley.

A new constituency, Clwyd East, includes Llangollen and the Llangollen Rural ward and is represented by Becky Gittins MP.

Steve Witherden was elected as the Labour MP for another new constituency, Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, which includes the spine of Clwyd South from Rhostyllen down to Chirk. It also includes Cefn Mawr, Rhos and Ruabon.

The communities west of Llangollen such as Corwen, Carrog and Glyndyfrdwy are now part of Dwyfor Meirionnydd.

You can check who your MP is and write to them by visiting www.writetothem.com.

I will remain MS for Clwyd South until the Senedd election in May, when Senedd constituencies will also change to match the UK Parliament and Clwyd South will cease to exist.

If you are a constituent of Clwyd South and need help or advice, please email ken.skates@senedd.wales or call my office 01978 869058. My next surgery will be held on Friday, September 19, so please get in touch for details or to book an appointment.
News / Regional

by Staff reporter

Youth Empowerment and Development Minister and ZANU-PF politburo member, Tinomudaishe Machakaire, has made explosive claims that some senior party officials are involved in drug smuggling and distribution, using the ruling party as a shield to protect themselves from accountability.Speaking at a ZANU-PF inter-district meeting in Hwange recently, Machakaire did not mince his words as he warned against the devastating impact of narcotics on society."It's high time we call a spade a spade. Drugs are killing us. Drugs are destroying our nation," he said.His remarks come at a time when Zimbabwe is grappling with what health experts and community leaders describe as a deepening drug crisis. According to the 2025 Afrobarometer survey, most citizens believe substance abuse is widespread in their communities.The problem is particularly acute among young people aged 16 to 25, who account for nearly 80% of drug-related psychiatric admissions nationwide. Observers have compared the crisis to the HIV epidemic of the 1990s, with many noting that almost every household has been affected in some way.In an effort to combat the scourge, government authorities have intensified their crackdown on illicit substances. Between March and June 2025, security forces carried out 206 raids and made 1,445 arrests linked to drug trafficking and abuse.Machakaire's revelations have added a new dimension to the debate, highlighting fears that entrenched political protection may be fuelling the crisis. His bold stance is likely to spark further calls for accountability within the ruling party as Zimbabwe struggles to contain the growing drug epidemic.
Wrexham residents warned over scam Winter Fuel messages

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Sep 7th, 2025

A warning has been issued after a number of local residents were targeted by Winter Fuel Payment fraudsters.

Scam text messages that claim to have been sent by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been circulating in the area.

The fake messages claim that the recipient can make an application for the UK Governments Winter Fuel Payment by following a link in the text.

However the messages are a scam.

Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically to those who are eligible  you do not need to do anything.

Wrexham Council is urging those who receive one of the scam texts to follow the below advice:

Dont click on any links

Dont give your personal or bank details

Forward the text to 7726  this is free and tells your mobile phone provider about the scam

Delete the message

You can report fraud or cybercrime to Action Fraud.

Everyone over the State Pension age in England and Wales with an income of, or below, 35,000 a year will receive the one off payment this year. It is estimated that the change will benefit nine million pensioners.

More information can be found on the UK Governments website.
Wrexham University unveils name of its new engineering building

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Sep 7th, 2025

Wrexham University has unveiled the name of its pioneering new engineering building  CanfodAu  Canolfan Peirianneg ac Arloesi (Centre of Engineering and Innovation).

Canfod is a Welsh word meaning to detect, find, identify, perceive, or determine  all concepts at the heart of engineering and innovation. While, Au is the chemical symbol for gold  a nod to AUR/GOLD and a subtle tribute to the buildings distinctive golden roof.

The building  which is North Wales Growth Deals first construction project  will provide the region with a centre for collaboration and skills development in sustainability, renewables, and high value manufacturing.

The facility will serve as a hub for skills, innovation and collaboration between students, businesses and the community. It will focus on composites, hydrogen technologies, and the use of optics and photonics in manufacturing.

Professor Joe Yates, Vice-Chancellor of Wrexham University, said: We are delighted to announce the new name for our new engineering building, CanfodAu  Canolfan Peirianneg ac Arloesi, which has been made possible thanks to funding from the North Wales Growth Deal.

We felt that choosing a Welsh name celebrates our universitys commitment to the Welsh language and heritage, an important part of our identity.

While, also honouring our regions proud industrial heritage, where engineering and innovation played a central role in shaping our communities and industries.

By naming the building Canolfan Peirianneg ac Arloesi  CanfodAu, we are reinforcing our position as a Welsh university with global ambition, grounded in the history and innovation of our nation.

This announcement comes just a matter of weeks away from the building officially opening for the start of the new academic year, which we are incredibly excited for as it will play a major role in realising our ambitions of it being a specialist centre for research and development, and a hub for industry engagement, here in North Wales.

Hedd Vaughan-Evans, Head of Operations at Ambition North Wales, added: We welcome the naming of CanfodAu  Canolfan Peirianneg ac Arloesi, a name which reflects both ours and the Universitys commitment to promoting our language, culture and heritage as well as capturing our future ambitions for the region.

The project is a prime example of the sustainable economic development we aim to deliver through our Innovation in High Value Manufacturing programme  securing high-value jobs and training opportunities while helping manufacturers to decarbonise.

Delivered at pace officially opening within a few weeks, the project has a strong focus on social value, and will be a catalyst for innovation, skills and industry collaboration across North Wales.
BEST Inducts 17 New Electric Buses, Launches Coastal Road Route from Oshiwara to South Mumbai 2

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has expanded its fleet with 17 new 12-metre electric buses, introducing a fresh route via the Coastal Road from Oshiwara depot to South Mumbai.

The buses, manufactured by Nagpur-based Mumbadevi Mobility Private Limited, were flagged off at the Colaba depot on Saturday by IAS officer Asheesh Sharma, who holds additional charge as BESTs general manager. The new service commenced on Sunday.

Among the latest additions, the AC route A-84 will operate between Oshiwara depot and Dr Shyamaprasad Mukherji Chowk (Museum), covering Worli to Marine Drive through the Coastal Road with four new halts.

The PMI-brand electric buses are equipped with modern facilities including a public address system, laptop and mobile charging points, and improved passenger amenities.

With this addition, BESTs fleet now stands at 2,711 buses, of which 2,293 are on hire. Over 1,000 of these are electric, including 50 double-deckers, while 1,225 run on CNG.

As part of its fleet electrification drive, BEST had floated a tender for 250 electric buses in 2023. Deliveries began in May, and over 50 buses had been supplied by August, though several remained unused for months due to the absence of charging facilities.

Currently, all electric buses are operated on a wet lease model, under which the operator bears the cost of fuel, drivers, and maintenance.
Harold Rashad Dabney III is charged with two counts of capital murder in the Sept. 6, 2025, sharp force trauma death of retired Auburn University professor Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle. (Contributed)

An Auburn University professor emerita was killed in the citys Kiesel Park Saturday, apparently while walking her dog.

Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton on Sunday identified the victim as Dr. Julie Gard Schnuelle. She was 59. In a brief statement the same day, Auburn called Schnuelle a beloved member of the local veterinary and university community.

Sexton said Schnuelles injuries appeared to be consistent with the use of a sharp force instrument.

Harold Rashad Dabney III, a 28-year-old from Montgomery, has been charged with two counts of capital murder in Schnuelles slaying.

Schnuelle was a professor emerita in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Auburn Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine.

According to her bio, she studied veterinary medicine at Auburn and biology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

She received her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences at Auburn. Her specialties included dairy production, bovine embryology and canine reproduction.

Auburn police were called to Kiesel Park about 2 p.m. Saturday after receiving a 911 call of a person who appeared to be dead. Officers found Schnuelle in a wooded area of the park. Her dog was unharmed.

Schnuelles red Ford F-150 was discovered missing from an area near the crime scene.

About 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Auburn police responded to a call reporting a suspicious person near the 2300 block of Beehive Road.

The suspicious person was located by officers and identified as Dabney.

Officers in contact with Dabney made observations that led them to believe Dabney had involvement with the homicide that occurred the previous day, police said Sunday afternoon.

After further investigation, Dabney was confirmed to be the suspect responsible for the homicide, and he was charged with two counts of capital murder.

Dabney was taken to the Lee County Jail where he is being held without bond.

Schnuelles Ford F-150 that police said was stolen by Dabney after the killing was later recovered off Wire Road.

Auburn University officials released this statement Sunday morning:

She served as a faculty member in the Department of Clinical Sciences in the Large Animal/Food Animal section from 2003 to 2021, when she retired as a professor emerita.

Auburn sends our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Dr. Gard Schnuelle during this unimaginably difficult time, the statement read.

News of her death quickly spread among the Auburn veterinary community.

Schnuelle was a frequent visitor to Kiesel Park and its dog park, which is a popular spot for Auburns veterinary students, said Dr. Ashley Rutter.

She ran there every day, Rutter, a former student of Schnuelles, told AL.com.

Rutter, a Birmingham veterinarian, said Schnuelle was supportive of students studying to care for large animals, a field Rutter said is hard to break into.

She was always so welcoming. She was spunky and ready to make jokes. But if she saw something she didnt like, she would always stand up for you and for herself, Rutter said.

Shed be there to defend you and help you out.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville and his wife, Suzanne, offered their condolences in a social media post.

Suzanne and I are devastated by the news of this tragic loss in our community. We are praying for the victims family and loved ones and for justice to be served.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call police at 334-501-3100. Tips can also be submitted through the tip line at 334-226-1391 or via email at police@auburnalabama.org
Greer Underwood-Cash honoring Noah Worthington, an 11-year-old from Terre Haute, Indiana, whose donated heart gave Greer new life. Courtesy Greer Cash

It was a beautiful day for a wedding.

Greer Underwood married Peyton Cash just a month ago in Florence, Alabama. Greers heart pounded as she exchanged vows.

Greer glanced at her mother in the front row. She glanced at the two people sitting next to her mother, the people who helped give her life.

The bride's brother, Bauer Underwood, escorts Wil and Rhena Worthington down the aisle of the Aug. 9, 2025 wedding of Peyton Cash and Greer Underwood. Greer was the recipient of a donor heart from the Worthingtons' son, Noah, in 2011. Courtesy Greer Cash

Groomsman Bauer Underwood escorted Wil and Rhena Worthington to the front row, where they sat next to the brides mother. Wil and Rhena have been part of the brides family since Mothers Day 2011.

That was the day Wil and Rhenas son, Noah, gave Greer his heart.

It was the day they wept.

It was the day their son made them proud.

Just east of the Illinois state line sits the small town of Terre Haute, Indiana. It was 2011, and 11-year-old Noah Worthington was breathing in his wonderful life alongside the Wabash River. Noah was a creative, gifted student. He loved to read and write. He read the entire Harry Potter book series by the 4th grade.

Noah was an all-star baseball player and loved playing the piano. And oh, how Noah loved to run. He loved to hear his perfect heartbeat.

His perfect heart of gold.

Noah Worthington in August of 2010, nine months before his death and his family's decision to donate his organs. Courtesy Rhena Worthington

She was 9 years old in the spring of 2011. Muscle Shoals, Alabamas Greer Underwood loved playing the piano. She was into music and baking and family.

Greer came down with a sinus infection and then pneumonia. And when further tests were done?

Greer was hospitalized at UAB with late-stage heart failure.

Within 30 minutes of being admitted, Greer had a stroke, Greers mom, Dawn Woodall, told me.

Greer was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, and while doctors resolved the blood clot in Greers brain, her heart failure continued.

Thats when UAB heart surgeon Dr. James Kirklin came into the picture.

It was a heart pump that was new on the scene, only approved for use by children in Germany. Dr. Kirklin helped Greer become the first adolescent patient in the United States to use the Heartware VAD, a pump that would help prevent another stroke before a new heart could be found.

Noah Worthington in a 2011 photo. The 11-year-old from Terre Haute, Indiana, was a creative, gifted student who loved to read and write, was an all-star baseball player and loved playing the piano. His death and his family's decision to donate his organs gave Alabama native Greeg Underwood-Cash new life. Courtesy Greer Cash

It was May 6, 2011. Terre Hautes Noah Worthington was so excited. He was heading to a baseball game with the family of a buddy. The vehicle swerved into oncoming traffic.

Wil and Rhena Worthington rushed to the hospital. We were told that Noah probably wouldnt make it, Wil told me. They asked us if we wanted Noah to be an organ donor, and I was very angry, and I told them no.

Suddenly, a feeling washed over me. I felt it was coming from Noah, who was telling me not to let a tragedy breed another tragedy. I called the doctors back into the room and we told them we approved of them donating Noahs organs.

It was May 7, 2011, when Noah Worthington was pronounced brain dead. It was Wil and Rhenas 17th wedding anniversary.

They were inconsolable, but a piece of them was comforted knowing their son would soon help save the lives of five people.

One of those people was Greer Underwood.

Mothers Day arrived, May 8, 2011, and 9-year-old Greer Underwood received her new heart.

Dr. Kirkland told us the heart came from a boy from Indiana, and the heart was perfect, said Greers mom Dawn.

Said Greer, I dont remember much about that time. I remember I got a haircut before the surgery, and I remember it being a God thing. I was in the 4th grade, I needed a heart and a heart came my way on the first try.

It didnt hit me until later that while I was thrilled, a family was mourning the passing of their child.

Peyton Cash and Greer Underwood celebrate on their wedding day with Wil and Rhena Worthington, left, and Dr. James Kirklin. Kirklin led the team that transplanted into Greer Underwood a donor heart from the Worthingtons' son, Noah. Greer Cash is thriving and has now had the heart longer than Noah lived. Courtesy Greer Cash

Their own hearts heavy, Wil and Rhena kept their faith.

We knew deep inside that when something tragic happens, there is often a good side, Rhena told me.

That good side was watching Greer Underwood grow with their sons heart of gold inside of her.

It was amazing how perfect the heart was, the blood type, the tissue type, everything, Greer told me. You hear a lot about heart transplant patients having issues, but I didnt have a single problem, nor do I have a single problem today.

Greer Underwood in May 2011 during the early stages of her recovery after a heart transplant at UAB. Courtesy Greer Cash

It was less than a year after Noahs passing and Greers rebirth that they met.

Dawn Woodall worked alongside the Legacy of Hope to contact the Worthington family. In 2012, Dawn and Greer made the trip to Terre Haute to meet Noahs parents.

It was a very emotional time, Wil Worthington told me. Dawn made us feel like family, and we became great friends. Seeing Greer grow with Noahs heart made us proud.

Added Rhena, Watching Greer reminded us of the many things we were missing with Noah, but at the same time we were so happy that Greer had her life back.

The years marched on, and the families from Alabama and Indiana grew closer.

Greer Underwood (center) and family at an Indiana Donor Network 5K run. Greer Underwood and her family and friends grew close to the Indiana parents of her heart donor. Courtesy Greer Cash

The Indiana Donor Network had a run each year, and for years, Dawn and Greer would drive up and take part in the run, Wil told me. Visits between the families were many. As much as it hurt thinking of Noah, the Worthingtons learned the visits were cathartic. They could see their sons creativity and grace shining through Greer.

Today, Wil and Rhena Worthington live in Terre Haute. Their daughter Abby is now 27 years old. Their two younger children Maze and Grace, 13 and 11 respectively, bring light to their current lives (yes, their younger children are named Maze and Grace).

To see our younger children grow is a blessing, said Wil. Im grateful for each day, even days when I have a bad day.

Peyton and Greer Cash on their wedding with Wil and Rhena Worthington and their children, Maze and Grace. Courtesy Rhena Worthington

It was a beautiful day for a wedding.

Aug. 9, 2025, brought together Greer Underwood and Peyton Cash at the Sweetwater Depot in Florence. Wil and Rhena Worthington were ushered to the front row to sit next to Greers mother, Dawn. Greers stepfather, Greg, performed the ceremony. Dr. James Kirklin sat a few rows back.

Greer Cash on her wedding day with her brother Bauer, mother Dawn, and stepfather Greg Woodall. Courtesy Greer Cash

The moment brought tears of joy and tears of sorrow, tears of pride and tears of hope.

Its hard to believe that I have had this heart longer than Noah had his heart, Greer told me.

And inviting Wil and Rhena to the wedding?

It was the least I could do, Greer told me. Their son saved my life.

Greer Cash and her father Greg Underwood on her wedding day. Courtesy Greer Cash

While life in many ways is just beginning for the newly wed Greer Cash, life still moves slowly for the Worthingtons, who remain heartened by their sons gifts to five different people.

To see Greer healthy and happy and walk down the aisle make us proud of Noah, Rhena said.

Proud of their 11-year-old who loved music and baseball and running in the wind.

Proud of Noahs heart of gold, too.

If you or someone you love would like to be an organ donor, visit www.OrganDonor.gov. Rick Karle, who writes a weekly story for AL.com, is a 25-time Emmy winner and a 43-year veteran of broadcast news who has lived and worked in Alabama for 35 years. You can find his work on Facebook at Rick Karle Good News. Send your story suggestions to: RickKarleGoodNews@Gmail.com
A legal aid group has sued to preemptively block any efforts by the U.S. government to deport a dozen Honduran children, saying it had credible information that such plans were quietly in the works.

The Arizona-based Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project on Friday added Honduran children to a lawsuit filed last weekend that resulted in a judge temporarily blocking the deportation of dozens of migrant children to their native Guatemala.

In a statement, FIRRP said it had received reports that the U.S. government will imminently move forward with a plan to illegally remove Honduran children in government custody as soon as this weekend, in direct violation of their right to seek protection in the United States and despite ongoing litigation that blocked similar attempted extra-legal removals for children from Guatemala.

The organization did not immediately provide The Associated Press with details about what information it had received about the possible deportation of Honduran children. The amendment to the organizations lawsuit is sealed in federal court. The Homeland Security Department did not immediately respond to email requests for comment on Friday and Saturday.

The Justice Department on Saturday provided what is perhaps its most detailed account of a chaotic Labor Day weekend involving the attempted deportation of 76 Guatemalan children. Its timeline was part of a request to lift a temporary hold on their removal.

Over Labor Day weekend, the Trump administration attempted to remove Guatemalan children who had come to the U.S. alone and were living in shelters or with foster care families in the U.S.

Advocates who represent migrant children in court filed lawsuits across the country seeking to stop the government from removing the children, and on Sunday a federal judge stepped in to order that the kids stay in the U.S. for at least two weeks.

The government initially identified 457 Guatemalan children for possible deportation, according to Saturdays filing. None could have a pending asylum screening or claim, resulting in the removal of 91. They had to have parents or legal guardians in Guatemala and be at least 10 years old.

In the end, 327 children were found eligible for deportation, including 76 who boarded planes early Sunday in what the government described as a first phase, according to a statement by Angie Salazar, acting director of the U.S. Health and Human Services Departments Office of Refugee Resettlement. All 76 were at least 14 years old and self-reported that they had a parent or legal guardian in Guatemala but none in the United States.

The Justice Department said no planes took off, despite a comment by one of its attorneys in court Sunday that one may have taken off but returned.

Children who cross the border alone are generally transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which falls under the Health and Human Services Department. The children usually live in a network of shelters across the country that are overseen by the resettlement office until they are eventually released to a sponsor, usually a relative.

Children began crossing the border alone in large numbers in 2014, peaking at 152,060 in the 2022 fiscal year. Julys arrest tally translates to an annual clip of 5,712 arrests, reflecting how illegal crossings have dropped to their lowest levels in six decades.

Guatemalans accounted for 32% of residents at government-run holding facilities last year, followed by Hondurans, Mexicans and El Salvadorans. A 2008 law requires children to appear before an immigration judge with an opportunity to pursue asylum, unless they are from Canada and Mexico. The vast majority are released from shelters to parents, legal guardians or immediate family while their cases wind through court.

Justice Department lawyers said federal law allows the Department of Health and Human Services to repatriate or reunite children by taking them out of the U.S., as long as the child hasnt been a victim of severe human trafficking, is not at risk for becoming so if he or she is returned to their native country and does not face a a credible fear of persecution there. The child also cannot be repatriated if he or she has a pending asylum claim.

The FIRRP lawsuit was amended to include 12 children from Honduras who have expressed to the Florence Project that they do not want to return to Honduras, as well as four additional children from Guatemala who have come into government custody in Arizona since the suit was initially filed last week.

Some children have parents who are already in the United States.

The lawsuit demands that the government allow the children their legal right to present their cases to an immigration judge, to have access to legal counsel and to be placed in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interest of the child.

Honduras immigration director referred questions about the possibility of unaccompanied minors being returned to Honduras to the ministry charged with protecting children and families, which has not responded to messages left beginning Friday. Honduras Foreign Affairs Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.
News / Regional

by Staff reporter

The Government has cancelled the operating licence of a gold mining company that had been carrying out gold leaching activities near the newly built US$600,000 Globe and Phoenix Primary School in Kwekwe. The decision takes immediate effect.The move follows an outcry from parents, community leaders, and education stakeholders who raised alarm over the potential danger posed by mining operations so close to the school premises. Concerns centred on the safety of pupils and staff, with fears that unregulated activities could compromise the learning environment.Mining has long been a source of concern in the area. In 2023, a classroom block at the old Globe and Phoenix Primary School collapsed after illegal miners dug tunnels beneath the premises, forcing authorities to decommission the school.The new institution was constructed to provide a secure environment for learners and features seven classroom blocks, an administration block, modern ablution facilities, and amenities for children with disabilities.Kwekwe District Development Co-ordinator, Fortunate Mpungu, dismissed reports of illegal mining taking place adjacent to the new school. He clarified that the operations in question involved licensed gold leaching, but the operator's permit had since been revoked."There is no illegal mining there. In fact, there was a miner conducting gold leaching nearby, but his licence was cancelled and he will be relocating soon. The Office of the Minister of State is seized with the matter," Mpungu said.Presidential Special Advisor on Monitoring Government Programmes and Projects, Jorum Gumbo, urged authorities to expedite the introduction of strict regulations to curb illicit mining activities. He stressed the importance of decisive action to protect communities and preserve public infrastructure.Meanwhile, more than 1,300 pupils from the old Globe and Phoenix Primary School continue to attend classes temporarily at Russell Primary School grounds while the new facility is being prepared for occupation.
Staff at Hartselle High School are mourning a 17-year-old student who was killed Saturday in a vehicle crash after a high-speed police chase that left several others seriously injured.

The 17-year-old was reportedly not in the car being chased.

The school did not name the student, but one bus driver remembered him on social media as kind and humble.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 6, a police chase entered Hartselle. At least one vehicle crashed and six people were transported to area hospitals, according to local authorities.

Hartselle Police released a statement about the incident.

Priceville Police Department was engaged in a vehicle pursuit that entered the jurisdiction of the City of Hartselle on Highway 36, Hartselle Police said.

As the pursuit approached the intersection of Highway 31 the suspect vehicle entered the intersection and a vehicle crash occurred, resulting in multiple injuries and six transported to local hospitals. The suspect has been taken into custody.

Hartselle High School issued the following statement:

In light of the recent tragedy impacting our school and community, we want our students and staff to know they are not alone, the school posted on Facebook. Extra support personnel will be available on campus tomorrow for anyone who needs someone to talk to.

The school also scheduled a memorial vigil.

We will hold a community prayer gathering at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 8, in the Hartselle High School Auditorium. All are welcome as we come together in support, strength, and healing.

My heart is broken for our community, said Missy Evans, mayor-elect of Hartselle, who said she had been in contact with local police about the incident.

The Decatur Daily reported that the fatal wreck comes less than two weeks after another Priceville police pursuit reached 120 mph and went 28 miles before ending with the chased vehicle crashing into other vehicles in Huntsville.
Construction is underway to replace the westbound span of the Tensaw River Bridge on the U.S. 90 Causeway as pictured on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in Mobile, Ala. The $78.8 million project, which got underway in January, is expected to last for two years. The project involves building a replacement bridge to modern standards. John Sharp

Cranes are in place, steel is rising, and a bridge is slowly taking shape over the Tensaw River.

But its not that bridge.

A $78.8 million project visible just east of the USS Alabama Battleship is a replacement span along the U.S. 90 Causeway, set to be completed by January 2027. Meanwhile, the long-promised, $3.5 billion I-10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway looms in the background  still in planning, and still without a firm construction start.

Its a separate project, said Edwin Perry, pre-construction engineer with the Alabama Department of Transportation. It has nothing to do with it.

A rendering of the $78.8 million bridge replacement project underway on the new Tensaw River Bridge, which is part of the Spanish Fort Causeway. The project began in January 2025 and is expected to last two years. rendering by Alabama Department of Transportation

But the two are tied by proximity and a lingering question: When will Alabamas most expensive infrastructure project finally break ground?

Perry and other ALDOT officials say there is no definitive timetable for the start of construction. Perry told members with the Mobile Metropolitan Planning Organization on Wednesday that a groundbreaking could occur in early 2026.

While we are hopeful that construction can be underway next year, we remain cautious about committing to a specific groundbreaking date, said Tony Harris, spokesperson with ALDOT, in an email to AL.com.

The massive project remains estimated at the same cost that has been in place for several years. It also remains a tolled road, with a cost at $2.50 for a one-way trip with an ALGO Pass. That price has been in place since 2022.

Perry said the Mobile bridge portion of the project is almost fully designed. The 215-foot-tall cable-stayed bridge design is 80% complete. Design work on the new 7.5-mile Bayway is less than 50% completed, Perry said.

Harris said the I-10 project continues to make progress. He said the design and field activities that include geotechnical investigations and pile testings are underway and advancing.

Each step brings us closer to delivering a vital infrastructure project that will serve the regions for decades, Harris said. The project continues to advance on all fronts, and we will provide periodic updates as milestones are reached.

This year, the two biggest pieces of news related to the project occurred in May:

Financing the overall costs of the bridge remains unresolved. Also unknown is the projects guaranteed maximum price. At an estimated $3.5 billion, the project would be the most expensive in Alabama history.

Local officials affiliated with the Mobile and Eastern Shore MPOs  the two entities that have placed the I-10 project in their short- and long-term plans -- say that major questions about financing and costs remain out of their hands.

We want them to give us the right guaranteed maximum prices, said Fairhope City Councilman Jack Burrell, chair of the Eastern Shore MPO. It all has to do with financing and the guaranteed maximum price.

Harris said the financing is moving forward, along with the design work. He said a loan process remains underway through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), which provides low interest borrowing to pay for the project.

Alabama state officials plan to finance 49 percent of the entire project through TIFIA loans, which would amount to around $1.75 billion under the current estimates.

The states toll plan also remains in place. Users along the new Bayway, who do not have an ALGO Pass, will be charged $5.50 for each trip. For drivers with an ALGO Pass -- which state officials believe will be those who take frequent trips between Mobile and Baldwin counties -- will drop the toll to $2.50 each way. A monthly pass for frequent users will also be available, at $40 per month.

The entirety of the U.S. Causeway, the Wallace and Bankhead tunnels, and the Africatown Bridge will remain toll free.

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, chairman of the Mobile MPO, said he is pleased with the bridges progress from a geotechnical standpoint. He said the design work is moving forward, but he also realizes that the entire project has been a symbol of patience.

I was reminded that when I was the chair of the (Mobile) Chamber, the outgoing chair said, in a couple of years, I look forward to the ribbon cutting of that bridge, said Stimpson, who is retiring as mayor in November. That was 14 years ago. I thought wed have it open by now. But we are where we are. There is progress being made, and Governor (Kay) Ivey has been steadfast in her support.
A Mexican grandmother who first crossed the United States border as a toddler is among hundreds of Alabamians defrauded by a discredited attorney.

Now she and dozens of other immigrants are finally getting permission to stay in the country legally  thanks to another lawyer who volunteered to help and found a creative solution.

Everybody told me that what I was doing was not going to work, attorney Danny Upton told AL.com.

Upton is trying to get about 100 people U visas, a status awarded to immigrant victims of crimes who help law enforcement. After three years with a U visa, immigrants can apply for permanent legal status.

He argues that the immigrants were defrauded by a disbarred attorney, Douglas Cooner, who charged for legal work that harmed their chances of staying in the country.

So far, Upton has helped about 50 people get visas and says 50 more are on a positive track.

What happened?

A decade ago, word spread among Alabama immigrants that Cooner, who worked in Jefferson County, was quickly getting his clients green cards. He seemed like a miracle worker. Many of his clients had waited decades to get work authorization or had been told they werent eligible for it.

The problem was, Cooner was also handling his clients cases in a way that made it likely they would be deported. None of them realized they were in removal proceedings  and that he wasnt actually allowed to practice law.

Cooner was disbarred as an attorney in 2013 for ethics violations.

A Mexican woman who paid Cooner for legal services first came to the U.S. as a 3-year-old in the early 1980s, according to court filings. She grew up in Texas and later moved to Alabama with her own children. In 2008, she got a speeding ticket and was sent to immigration detention.

I have a total of three grandchildren, and just thinking of getting separated from my family hurts me, said the woman in an affidavit for her case. She has custody of her niece and nephew. I must look after them and protect them. My children, grandchildren and stepfather need me.

Cooner seemed friendly at first, the woman recalled. He told her her case was so easy he would finish it within two years. But soon Cooner started missing her court hearings in Atlanta. She and hundreds of his other immigrant clients did not know he had already been disbarred.

Cooner charged immigrants thousands of dollars to file amnesty applications that made false claims about gang-related threats they faced in Mexico. He used the same generic statements on his clientsapplications, according to court filings in his prosecution.

I was threatened by gang members in my neighborhood to sell drugs and commit crimes or my family would pay a horrible price, Cooner wrote in all of his clients asylum applications. Most of his clients were never eligible for asylum, said Upton.

Another man, born in Mexico, sought help from Cooner. In his U visa application he described falling for a scheme created by Cooner.

I had paid thousands of dollars to have myself and my wife put into deportation. Mr. Cooner that he would have our money and that we would be deported before we ever realized what had happened, he said.

Cooner ultimately served time for perjury, theft and unauthorized practice of law for his handling of immigrant cases. He lost an appeal.

The worst times in our lives, we go to lawyers, Deputy District Attorney Patrick Lamb said during the trial against Cooner. The public should be allowed to rely on lawyers.

Finding help

In 2015, after Cooners arrest, Upton took on about 100 of the 300 people on Cooners client list who had not yet been deported.

For years, Upton traveled back and forth to Atlanta to represent the clients, taking their cases pro bono.

He realized he could help them apply for U visas based on Cooners perjury in their immigration cases  which made them victims of his crime.

About 10,000 U visas are granted each year. The system has faced many delays.

She was in my office yesterday signing her green card application, Upton said of the woman from Mexico.

In Alabama, just 24% of immigrants facing deportation have access to a lawyer, according to a Syracuse University analysis.

Many people also fall prey to bad actors. Someone who helps a person file immigration papers does not have to be a lawyer, but they should not take money for their assistance. A lawyer who is not in good standing with the court is also not allowed to file paperwork on the behalf of any client.

Non-attorneys who allow immigrant clients to falsely believe they practice law, are a problem nationwide, according to experts. Many are commonly called notarios.

AL.com was unable to reach Cooner for comment before publication.
More than 300 South Korean workers detained following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia will be released and brought home, the South Korean government announced Sunday.

President Lee Jae Myungs office said that South Korea and the United States had finalized negotiations on the workers release. He said South Korea plans to send a charter plane to bring the workers home as soon as remaining administrative steps are completed.

U.S. immigration authorities said Friday they detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals, when hundreds of federal agents raided Hyundais sprawling manufacturing site in Georgia where the Korean automaker makes electric vehicles. Agents focused on a plant that is still under construction at which Hyundai has partnered with LG Energy Solution to produce batteries that power EVs.

South Koreas Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said that more than 300 South Koreans were among the detained.

The operation was the latest a long line of workplace raids conducted as part of the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda. But the one on Thursday is especially distinct because of its large size and the fact that state officials have long called the targeted site Georgias largest economic development project.

The raid has stunned many in South Korea because the country is a key U.S. ally. It agreed in July to purchase $100 billion in U.S. energy and make a $350 billion investment in the U.S. in return for the U.S lowering tariff rates. About two weeks ago, U.S. President Donald Trump and Lee held their first summit talks in Washington.

Lee had called for an all-out response to the raid, saying that rights of South Korean nationals and economic activities of South Korean companies must not be unfairly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement procedures. South Koreas Foreign Ministry separately issued a statement to express concern and regret over the case and sent diplomats to the site.

Video released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday showed a caravan of vehicles driving up to the site and then federal agents directing workers to line up outside. Some detainees were ordered to put their hands up against a bus as they were frisked and then shackled around their hands, ankles and waist.

Most of the people detained were taken to an immigration detention center in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida state line. None has been charged with any crimes yet, Steven Schrank, the lead Georgia agent of Homeland Security Investigations, said during a news conference Friday, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

He said that some of the detained workers had illegally crossed the U.S. border, while others had entered the country legally but had expired visas or had entered on a visa waiver that prohibited them from working.

Kang, the South Korean presidential chief of staff, said that South Korea will push to review and improve visa systems for those traveling to the U.S. on business trips for investment projects.
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.

Dozens of men and women remove their shoes and step into the prayer hall.

Some wear formal attire, like abayas, while others sport Crimson Tide gear.

At the Hoover Crescent, the largest mosque in the Birmingham area, worshippers from all around the world find unity, said Shahnawaz Mohammed Ameer.

Thats the whole intention of having a place of worship  people can come and connect because youre from the same faith, said Ameer who attended a recent Friday afternoon prayer service with his two children.

If someone needs your help, theyre the first one to jump in, Ameer told AL.com. If someone comes in prayer in the morning, and they are having trouble with their car, probably five people would go and help them right away without questioning.

31 1 / 31 Hoover Crescent

The masjid has been a staple for Birminghams Muslim community since 2007. Services were originally held at a rental facility in Hoover. In 2007, the Birmingham Islamic Society purchased a vacant church building that is now the Hoover Crescent. The site serves as the administrative home of the Birmingham Islamic Society, which has been active since 1990.

Rashmee Sharif, a Tuscaloosa native and civic engagement liaison of the Birmingham Islamic Society, said her faith is still sometimes misunderstood or misconstrued.

There are two things that I grew up with, you know, like Muslims are terrorists and, the women are oppressed, said Sharif. Those are categorically false. That has not been my experience at all.

In fact, anybody that personally knows Muslims, anyone that has Muslim neighbors, Im confident would tell you that we are great neighbors, were kind people, were orderly in general, we dont have very many vices.

After a recent Friday afternoon prayer service, Sharif spoke with AL.com about what the mosque and faith mean to Muslim worshippers in Birmingham.

Heres what she told us:

Describe the congregation in one word.

Textured. I would say that its a very textured community in the sense that, just like with any community, there are a lot of gradients. We are not a monolith. There are people that have certain customs that they bring from their countries of origin. And there are people that were born and raised here.

And its not necessarily a bad thing. I think how varied the community is is one of our strongest assets. As a kind of leader in the community, it is allowing me to exercise that leadership muscle and account for perspectives that I am not necessarily accustomed to or even agree with. Its pushing me and growing me in ways that are both comfortable and uncomfortable in a way. Its also an exercise in patience and forgiveness and all of the things that make up any major world religion.

Are there any misconceptions you would like to address?

For the record, no, were not terrorists. I cant believe Im even having to say that. Its indicative of the post 9/11 era that I came of age in.

...anybody that personally knows Muslims, anyone that has Muslim neighbors, Im confident would tell you that we are great neighbors, were kind people, were orderly in general, we dont have very many vices. Rashmee Sharif

In terms of females and women being oppressed, I think that is categorically false. I mean, my religion, if anything, has encouraged me to be active, to be involved, and youll find that most of our most prominent, active, civically engaged congregants are often female, lots of professionals. Muslim women are amongst the most educated women in the country. I think oftentimes people see women who choose to wear the headscarf as some sort of symbol of oppression, but in our religion, that is a symbol of identification that you are a woman of faith. That is to be honored and respected, and thats certainly how I felt when I wore the head scarf, I loved it. And people that get it, get it and people that dont, dont.

What is the mission of this mosque?

So for me and my husband, the vision and mission of the house of worship that we are congregants at is really about building up the next generation of American Muslims, bearing in mind that there are so many cultural forces that were having to navigate through because we just dont want our boys to lose sight of their Muslim identity. At the end of the day, its up to them if they want to continue to practice Islam into adulthood. But were doing everything we can to lay a very strong foundation that starts with the mosque, and that also starts with us being very intentional about the community and the friends, the Muslim friends that we build around ourselves. And many of those friends we met at the mosque. So were often hanging out on the weekends outside of the mosque. But still, its still in the spirit of building that Muslim community.
This is an opinion column

Click here to sign up for the Comeback Town newsletter.

On August 12, IKEA announced its first Alabama storein Huntsville, opening in early 2026.

That means one of the worlds most respected and disciplined retailers evaluated Birmingham and Huntsville and chose Huntsvilleeven though Birminghams metro population is roughly twice as large.

The day the IKEA announcement broke, the Birmingham Business Journals big business story was Exotic dancers gain $1.25M settlement. Right below that headline was IKEA chooses Huntsville for Alabama debut.

The juxtaposition felt like a punch in the gut.

What is IKEA telling us?

It wasnt that long ago that Birmingham was the largest city in Alabama and fretted Huntsville might one day pass us by.

Then in 2021 Huntsville did that dastardly deed.

We were #2.

The next year Mobile unexpectedly jumped ahead of us.

Suddenly we were #3.

Today, Huntsvilles population is shockingly 50,000 more than Birmingham.

Residents write me at ComebackTown about what we could be, what amenities we need, which companies we should recruit.

The retailer at the top of the wish listyear after yearis IKEA.

And yet, when IKEA made its move to Alabama, it didnt pick us.

Why Huntsville?

Huntsville executes a simple playbookunity.

When I chaired the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce 2005, we flew to Washington, D.C., to present our federal priorities. We brought a carefully crafted regional list.

But we werent the only delegation.

The City of Birmingham had its own trip, UAB had another, Shelby County had anothereach with different priorities.

Our senators and representatives gave us the same message: Go home, agree on one list, and come back. Translation: divided requests are easy to ignore.

Meanwhile, Huntsville and Madison County sent plane loads of corporate and political leadersone team with one agenda.

They didnt just get meetings. They got results.

Now some of you may be thinking, Huntsville is successful because of all its federal government campuses. Well, focus and unity is the reason the federal government has confidence in Huntsville.

Look what Huntsville accomplished since my Birmingham Chamber Chairmanship in 2005:

It was just announced that the U.S. Space Command is coming to Huntsville.

FBI Redstone Arsenal campus major facilities opened in 2022 with more coming.

Army Materiel Command HQ relocation completed in 2011.

Army Contracting Command HQ stood up 2008; colors uncased at Redstone in 2011.

Missile Defense Agency buildout Von Braun Complex III opened 2011.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville Center new 205,000-sq-ft facility opened 2024.

DIA Missile & Space Intelligence Center new facility work underway since 2023.

And on the corporate side: Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, Meta (Facebook) data center, Blue Origin engine plant, Polaris, and Boeing expansions.

That is success built on alignment.

Birminghams weaknesses are magnified because we approach our state legislators and governor with the same lack of unification we lobby the federal government.

Incredibly, the Birmingham Mayor and the Birmingham City Council each have competing lobbyists in Montgomery.

We have city vs. city, county vs. city, institution vs. institution.

IKEAs choice isnt an obituary for Birmingham; its a diagnosis.

The prescription is to get our act together.

Huntsville is proof of what happens when a community rows in the same direction.

We can do the sameif we decide to do it together.

Until then, Huntsville gets the IKEAand Birmingham gets a headline about happy exotic dancers.

Id rather write the column about our next unified win.

David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. Hes past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com
This story has been modified to remove a reference to the Jefferson County Personnel Board.

Several Jefferson County residents will soon join an exclusive club, one that wields significant power over people, property, and what happens when a tornado strikes.

They may even hold the power to fix what experts have been saying for years is wrong with the Birmingham area - the lack of regional cooperation.

Who is this powerful group of Birmingham area leaders hiding in plain sight?

Its the Jefferson County Mayors Association, a coalition of the top city administrators in every municipality in the county.

And thanks to the results of the recent municipal elections, the group is about to get several new members. At least 12 cities in Jefferson County will have new mayors after the election, with more potential changes after runoffs this fall.

Theyll be joining the ranks of a group whose members - despite their power and potential dont always get along.

Heres a recent example. As the former Birmingham Water Works Board began circling the drain earlier this year, a side issue arose that showcased the regional fragmentation that many see as the metro areas biggest obstacle to long-term success.

In this case, it was highlighted by a conflict between members of the Mayors Association.

The fight erupted between mayors in filling what was then, their unfilled seat on the BWWB.

The mayor of Midfield, who had nominated the former mayor of Fairfield to fill the post, accused several other mayors of intentionally delaying the process to avoid making the new appointment.

The point is moot now that the Legislature has intervened and completely reconfigured the utilitys board - and eliminated the mayors association seat entirely - unless the city of Birmingham prevails in its effort to overturn that law.

Midfields Mayor Gary Richardson lost in the August 26 election. And there is no representative from the Mayors Association on the new Central Alabama Water board at all.

But that small, mostly forgotten fight between mayors is an example of what has plagued the Birmingham area for years: the inability to get along.

People in the Birmingham metro love to say we all need to get along, but the fragmented local collection of municipal governments just cant seem to pull it off.

I always say strong economies are regional economies, said Steve Ammons, president and CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance. And our region in many instances, especially Jefferson County, is very fractured.

Tom Spencer of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama wrote a report for PARCA in 2017, funded by the Community Foundation, called Together We Can: Charting a Course To Cooperation for Greater Birmingham. It detailed research that clearly shows that metro areas succeed when the governments within them work together on common interests.

Those governments  grow faster and generate greater prosperity than metro areas that are governmentally fragmented, the report said.

For example, in metro areas with more unity between governments, job growth since 2000 ranged from 20 percent to 50 percent, the report noted. In the fragmented metros, job growth ranges from 5 percent to -12 percent, the report showed.

The Birmingham metro was in the other category - not working together, it said.

Our history has been one of competition over cooperation. We remain one of the most fragmented communities in the South which has led to economic stagnation and stunted growthand the future does not bode well for us unless we do things differently, the PARCA report notes.

In Jefferson County alone there are 36 municipalities, 13 different 911 facilities, 54 different fire stations. And the Birmingham metro encompasses not just Jefferson, but seven contiguous counties.

In PARCAs 2017 report, Spencer said the balkanization was hurting the metros job and population growth.

The PARCA report also made it clear that while other communities have succeeded in regional cooperation, it also looks different depending on whether youre talking about Pittsburgh or Denver, for instance.

But what Pittsburgh, Denver and Louisville, have figured out, Birmingham area leaders havent been able to accomplish - cooperation on common goals in the region.

That may be changing a little - courtesy of the conflicted mayors association.

Mayors - united?

We do have an organizational structure in this community that is fragmented and we dont have everybody at the table, Spencer said. And we need to do a better job of pulling together people across agency lines, public, private lines and, working together, forming coalitions of the willing, if you will.

After that report came out, Spencer said, metro leaders found a way to work together on at least a few projects.

That effort faces challenges - maybe the regions strongest regional cooperation initiative these days is the Jefferson County Mayors Association.

One outgrowth of the 2017 report was the reenergizing of the Mayors Association as a group of leaders from around the county who have come together to work on common concerns.

On its website, the non-profit group describes itself as a network of mayors to act as a sounding board for each other. At monthly meetings, the mayors discuss a variety of issues, including how their cities are being affected by the wider economy and political climate.

The association in its current form came together in 2002. Among other things, it oversees the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency, the organization responsible for cooperative emergency response when there is a tornado or other widespread disaster.

According to the JCEMA, the governing body is actually Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency Council which is comprised of the mayor or authorized representative from each municipality or township in Jefferson County, and one member of the Jefferson County Commission.

The Mayors Association also appoints board members to regional authorities:

four members of the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority

three members of the Jefferson County Flood Control Authority

two members of the Red Mountain Greenway and Recreational Commission

After the 2017 PARCA report, they took a significant step toward their stated goal of working together for the greater good of Jefferson County by agreeing to stop stealing business from each other.

We had an incentive war going on between the municipalities in Jefferson County and businesses were pitting cities against one another and moving from place to place and getting incentives to move their businesses - and with adding no net new jobs to the region, but costing us taxpayer income dollars and such, Spencer said.

But that problem has largely gone away since 2017, he said. The early success of that was that no-poaching agreement that has basically ended or at least greatly decreased this, Spencer said.

That success of the mayors caucus has also spun off another benefit. It inspired a similar cooperative among city council members, the Jefferson County City Councilors Association. That group has cleared the way for some visible benefits in the metro.

For example, leaders across municipal boundaries recently worked together to expand greenspaces throughout the county - the consolidation and cooperation of Red Mountain Park, Ruffner Mountain and Turkey Creek, basically creating a system of regional parks that are cooperatively supported by state and local government and private contributors, Spencer said.

So regional cooperation exists in Birmingham already to a degree. And those efforts have been implemented through or inspired by the latest iteration of the Mayors Association.

To show what a change that is, consider this: that same group once opposed a well-known effort, years in the making to merge the countys municipalities into a single government - the One Great City campaign. That effort almost combined all of Jefferson County into a regional city like Nashville, Charlotte or Jacksonville. But it died - by one vote - in the Alabama Legislature in 1970.

There is clearly more work to do on the regional cooperation front, Ammons said. The dispute over the erstwhile water works board seat shows that the association is hardly consistently united.

Jack Fields, executive director of the Mayors Association, couldnt be reached for comment. Neither could the current president of the group, Irondale Mayor James Stewart.

We have to find out how are we doing it better together. How are we starting to have more conversations, better substantive conversations that will help us be more efficient. And people have to recognize also that theyre not giving something up, he said. Theyre doing something to make our community and our region better.

How much will the spirit of regional cooperation take hold in the Birmingham area? Its hard to predict the future, but the PARCA report pointed to whats at stake:

Ultimately, the final chapter of this report will not be written by the Community Foundation or PARCA. It will be written by all of usthe citizens and leaders of Jefferson County.

Will we do nothing and run the risk of our metro area becoming less and less competitive? Or will we recognize our shared fateand our shared potentialand work together toward a future that will be more prosperous for all?
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

The Groomsmen trilogy is set to premiere on the Hallmark Channel this month, with the first of the three films, The Groomsmen First Look, set to premiere on the network Saturday, Sept. 6 at 8/7c.

Starring fan-favorite Hallmark Channel stars, The Groomsmen First Look follows a pediatricians budding romance with an overseas doctor as they do their best to navigate long-distance.

How to watch The Groomsmen First Look

Cord cutters looking to catch the upcoming trilogy can find the Hallmark Channel available for streaming through a variety of streaming services, including cost-saving platforms such as Philo.

Philo is considered one of the most affordable traditional cable alternatives out there. At just $28 a month after a 7-day free trial, subscribers can enjoy over 70 top-rated TV channels such as TLC, MTV, BET, AMC, CMT, Investigation Discovery and more.

Fubo is another popular live TV streaming service that appeals to cord cutters. Starting at $84.99 a month after its 5-day free trial, this popular streaming service offers users over 100 live TV channels through its base package and includes helpful features like unlimited DVR.

Streaming Platform Promotion Price Philo 7-day free trial $28/month after free trial Fubo 5-day free trial $84.99/month after free trial DirecTV 5-day free trial $86.99/month after free trial Sling No active promotions $45.99/month

DirecTV is one of the leading streaming platforms taking the industry by storm. With plans starting at $86.99 after its 5-day free trial, DirecTV offers a plethora of live TV channels, tailor-made genre packs to slim down filler overload, and a load of other appealing features.

Sling is another great streaming platform replacing basic cable. By offering users a stellar selection of popular TV channels, Sling is a great alternative to the hassle of traditional cable. Sling is also introducing day, week and weekend passes which allow users to choose how long they can access the platform. Plans start at just $45.99 a month after the first month and the new passes start at $4.99.

More on The Groomsmen First Look

The first film in the trilogy stars B.J. Britt, Heather Hemmens, Jonathan Bennett and Tyler Hynes and follows a cautious pediatrician and an overseas doctor who meet at a wedding in Philadelphia. After falling for each other, the pair decide to give their relationship a try.

Despite their eagerness to make it work, the long distance, family and their friends may hinder the couples chances at making things work.

More on The Groomsmen triology

Following the network premiere of The Groomsmen First Look on Sept. 6, the second film in the collection, The Groomsmen Second Chances, is set to premiere on Saturday, Sept. 13.

The Groomsmen Second Chances follows Danny, who finally finds the courage to admit his romantic feelings to his best friend. Despite the sudden bout of courage, Danny finds himself at a screeching halt when he is asked to be the best man at his friends wedding in Greece.

To close out the trilogy, The Groomsmen Last Dance will premiere on the Hallmark Channel Saturday, Sept. 20.

The final film follows Jackson who moves to Italy to be near his daughter, but a chance meeting with cafe owner Gabriella, and some meddling friends, may lead to a second chance at love.










English News China drives global energy transition through green cooperation

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 4 Septembre 2025



Building a clean and beautiful world is a shared responsibility of all nations. China stands ready to work with the international community to develop innovative low-carbon solutions, create favorable conditions for global green cooperation, and chart a greener course for the planet toward a cleaner and more sustainable future for all humanity.

By He Yin, People's Daily China will achieve key energy development targets for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) on schedule, which include overall energy production capacity and the share of non-fossil energy, according to a recent press conference held by China's State Council Information Office on the achievements in high-quality energy development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.



The country holds over 40 percent of the world's new energy patents, and its exports of wind power and photovoltaic products have helped other countries cut carbon emissions by around 4.1 billion tons.



The press conference highlighted that China is making remarkable strides in green and low-carbon development, emerging as an important force in the global shift toward clean energy. Its efforts have not only advanced domestic green growth but also earned widespread recognition for its contribution to the world's low-carbon transformation.



Charting a distinctive path to green transition



In recent years, China has charted an energy transition path tailored to its national conditions, aligned with global development trends, and responsive to the imperatives of the times.



At Tianjin Port, the world's first intelligent zero-carbon terminal has achieved record-breaking productivity. At Meizhou Bay coal terminal in southeast China's Fujian province, oil-powered equipment has been converted to electricity-driven ones, berths now run on green power, and bulk cargo handling has shifted to containerized operations.



In northwest China's Qinghai province, the Longyangxia hydro-solar hybrid power station reduces annual carbon emissions by about 1.23 million tons through its clean energy output.



From hydrogen-powered ports to high-altitude power projects, China's clean energy development is rapidly expanding. Today, China has established the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) charging network, with two charging posts for every five vehicles. It has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, with the share of renewable energy in its total installed power generation capacity rising from 40 percent to roughly 60 percent.



Gim Huay Neo, managing director of the World Economic Forum, observed that China has made remarkable progress in its domestic energy transition and is set to play an even greater role in shaping a sustainable, secure, and inclusive energy future.



Global leadership in clean energy



China's green transformation is accelerating the global energy transition. The country has ranked first worldwide in wind power installation for 15 consecutive years and in solar installation for 10 years in a row. In May this year, China became the first country to surpass one terawatt in cumulative photovoltaic capacity, marking a new milestone in global new energy development and earning broad international acclaim.



China's growing green capacity is also driving global energy cooperation. In Thailand, Chinese inverter technology has helped Mahidol University build a nearly zero-carbon campus. In Ghana, the agro-photovoltaic model introduced by China is promoting the integration of solar power and agriculture. In Kiribati, Chinese-invested solar-powered water farms are improving local livelihoods while advancing clean energy adoption.



By continuously upgrading technology and expanding applications, China is making green energy more accessible worldwide and delivering tangible benefits to other countries.



A global endeavor shared by all



Green transformation is a path humanity must walk together. It should not be framed as a zero-sum competition. China's green development is not the outcome of an "energy race," but an inclusive effort that emphasizes cooperation over competition and empowerment over suppression.



As the world's largest exporter of clean energy technologies, China's wind and photovoltaic products have reached over 200 countries and regions. The country has partnered with over 100 countries and regions in green energy projects and steadily advanced cooperation in fields such as clean energy, infrastructure upgrading and transformation, and power interconnection, creating 46 percent of renewable energy jobs worldwide.



According to the UK-based website Carbon Brief, China's exports of solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicle batteries in 2024 alone reduced carbon emissions abroad by 1 percent.



Over the past decade, China has helped reduce global average costs of wind power by 60 percent and solar power by 80 percent, making clean energy more affordable for all.



Attempts to politicize clean energy and suppress China's green industries will only raise costs globally, particularly for developing countries, and hinder global progress in low-carbon development.



Building a clean and beautiful world is a shared responsibility of all nations. China stands ready to work with the international community to develop innovative low-carbon solutions, create favorable conditions for global green cooperation, and chart a greener course for the planet toward a cleaner and more sustainable future for all humanity.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Tang Xianzu and Shakespeare: Theater as a bridge for global cultural dialogue Shanghai seed bank hits 100 million samples in biodiversity conservation push China unveils world's first mid-infrared solar magnetic-field telescope Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
Opinion / Columnist

was blatant praise-singing for Makuruwane, celebrating his trips to the Vatican and his presence at China's national celebrations. Knowing Jonathan well, his attempt to flatter was so exaggerated it reeked of desperation. He believes that by singing louder this time, he might be granted safe passage back home. It won't work. Hokoyo mfanekhaya! Ziza lala ngawe!

I strongly advise Jonathan Moyo never to make the mistake of thinking he can return to Zimbabwe. Makuruwane is still alive and kicking. Dr. Walter Mzembi's incarceration is a clear warning of what awaits Jonathan should he come back. Years ago, he admitted it was "cold outside the ZANU PF bubble," and indeed, Mugabe admired Jonathan's political prowess. He is a political animalaunparalleled among Zimbabwe's political stalwarts. But Mugabe and Makuruwane are not the same.While Mugabe occasionally showed a human element and could be forgiving - if he saw strategic advantage - Makuruwane is different. He is openly unforgiving. That means Jonathan's life would not be spared. Dr. Mzembi is languishing in prison; Jonathan's fate would likely be worse. Strangely, he seems blind to the danger he's inviting upon himself and his family.Jonathan's recent article on BYO24Despite Jonathan Moyo's eloquence and intelligence, his actions are painfully short-sighted and self-destructive - even to his own family. What's disturbing is his repeated mistakes. He once plotted a coup against Mugabe alongside Makuruwane, known as the Tsholotsho Declaration. Makuruwane bolted prematurely, leaving Jonathan exposed and vulnerable.One would expect him to have learned from that betrayal. Instead, he formed the G40 faction, this time with Grace Mugabe, aiming to seize power through her before Mugabe's death. The 2017 coup revealed that G40 had done no proper risk analysis - no SWOT assessment. What was the fallback if Plan A failed?Jonathan and George Charamba are known adversaries. Reading Jonathan's praise for Charamba left me cold. His writing rambled, and the economic and political situation in Zimbabwe has deteriorated to an all-time low. Makuruwane has achieved nothing in seven years as President. He is busy looting alongside Chinese nationals, who are also destroying the environment. Resources are being plundered at the expense of poor Zimbabweans.We had hoped Jonathan would use his position in exile to highlight the plight of the voiceless and powerless. Instead, he praises Makuruwane's maladministration and his international engagements, which bring nothing to the tables of ordinary citizens. Watching the China celebrations on TV, Makuruwane was embarrassingly sidelinedaand returned home empty-handed.Zimbabwe is behind on debt repayments. The government seems to hope China will cancel the debt. African governments often prefer to admit poverty rather than repay what they owe. But China will demand every last cent - or Zimbabwe will be forced to surrender strategic infrastructure as repayment. It happened in Zambia. It will happen in Zimbabwe too.I am deeply incensed by Jonathan's article. He knows how desperate Zimbabweans are for change. He has served in government before. To call Makuruwane's leadership "progressive" is an insult to the nation. Jonathan is thinking only of his stomach - not the common man. The pressure to return home must be mounting. Exile is not for the faint-hearted. Perhaps his resources are dwindling. But his intelligence, though formidable, is not enviable - it carries the hallmarks of someone deeply short-sighted and self-harming.I may be reading Jonathan incorrectly. Like many of us who were in exile, he may be traumatized by personal experiences in Mgagau or Morogoro in Tanzania during the liberation struggle. He survived the brutal ZANU-ZAPU conflicts of the 1970s, which claimed many lives. The Morogoro conflict arose when frontline states forced ZANU and ZAPU fighters into a single training camp-igniting tribal tensions. The rest is history. I wasn't there, but Jonathan could tell you more.Another side of Jonathan I struggle to understand is how he copes with the loss of his father, uBaba uMlevu. To mourn him within ZANU PF - rubbing shoulders with perpetrators of the Gukurahundi genocide, the very people who murdered his father - is surely a manifestation of trauma. We judge him quickly, but we cannot comprehend the weight of the shadows he carries.
Opinion / Columnist

In 2010, Inspector Chigoba, the then Officer-In-Charge and Sergeant Dube (MHSRIIP) of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Milton Park Public Relations Department approached me with a serious concern. The Milton Park policing area was experiencing a sharp rise in theft from cars (TFC). The trend was straightforward but worrying, people were leaving handbags, laptops and other valuables visible in their vehicles, making them easy targets.As an ICT specialist, Sgt Dube initially asked if technology could provide a solution. My response was simple, not every problem requires an ICT system. Sometimes, public awareness is the strongest defence. Together, we developed the idea of creating posters that businesses could display prominently to remind people to safeguard their belongings.We then engaged Mr George Chimhini, who kindly assisted by printing the first posters. Soon, they were visible in shopping centres, offices and community spaces. Their message was clear and direct, Help to Reduce Crime - Do Not Leave Valuables in Your Vehicle.More than a decade later, the problem sadly persists. Economic hardships have only increased opportunistic crime and theft from cars continues to cost people dearly. This is why the campaign remains as important as ever. We do not need to reinvent the wheel. What we need is for every business, school, shopping centre and office park to adopt and display these posters widely.As a Hansole we believe in using both technology and community action to fight crime. But in this case, awareness is key. Crime prevention is everyone's responsibility. By taking simple steps, such as never leaving valuables in vehicles, Zimbabweans can make a real difference.Let us continue to spread the message: *Help to Reduce Crime and share this article*Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi+263772278161
Its official: Google has finally provided a detailed look at the usage limits for its Gemini app. This move sheds light on what users can expect from the free and paid tiers. Previously, there were no exact details about these limits for the AI-powered chatbot. Now, the company has shared a breakdown of the general capabilities for each plan.

A breakdown of Google Gemini apps usage limits, from the Free plan to AI Ultra

Googles Gemini app offers three main tiers: a free plan, Google AI Pro, and Google AI Ultra. The free version is designed to provide an optimal experience with caps on usage. Meanwhile, the paid plans, which are part of select Google One subscriptions, offer significantly higher access.

Free Plan: The free tier of Gemini has some specific limits to be aware of. Users can access up to 5 prompts per day with the 2.5 Pro model. They can also generate up to 100 images daily. Plus, they can get up to 20 audio overviews. For the Deep Research feature, free users are limited to 5 reports per month. Deep Research will only use the Gemini Flash model to work.

Google AI Pro: For users who need more power, the Google AI Pro plan notably increases the limits. This tier gives you up to 100 prompts per day with the 2.5 Pro model. You can also generate and edit up to 1,000 images per day and create up to 3 videos per day using the Veo 3 Fast model. For research, you can run up to 20 Deep Research reports per day. The Deep Research reports in AI Pro use the Gemini 2.5 Pro model, so they will be of higher quality.

Google AI Ultra: The highest-tier plan, Google AI Ultra, is for power users who need the most advanced capabilities. With this subscription, you get up to 500 prompts per day with the 2.5 Pro model. It also includes access to a specialized reasoning model called Deep Think, with a limit of 10 prompts per day. For video generation, you can create up to 5 videos per day using the latest Veo 3 model. And, for research, you get a massive boost to 200 Deep Research reports per day, powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro.

Google also notes that features not listedlike Canvas, Gems, and moreare generally available to most users.

Its important to note that these limits may change over time. Free users may be subject to stricter caps if capacity becomes an issue. However, this new clarity gives users a much better idea of what to expect from their Gemini experience.
Remember that old promise from Google to get rid of fences in your photos? Back at Google I/O 2017, the company showed off a demo that looked like magic: a tool that could erase a chain-link fence from a photo. For years, that feature was a running joke. But now it seems that with the power of modern AI, that eight-year-old promise of fence removal in Google Photos is finally a reality.

Thanks to two new AI toolsHelp Me Edit in Google Photos and Geminis new Nano Bananayou can now remove all kinds of obstructions from your pictures, including those pesky fences. The results are pretty impressive.

Google Photos fence removal available for US users

For those with a Google Pixel 10 in the US, the process is as simple as it gets. You just open Google Photos, find a picture with a fence, tap Help Me Edit, and tell it what you want to remove. The AI handles the rest, often with stunningly clean results. It can remove thin, simple fences and even complex, large ones from photos of animals. In most cases, the tool wont leave behind noticeable artifacts. You can still expect less-than-perfect results in some picturesespecially under certain lighting conditions. However, overall, the feature works quite well.

Below, you can check out some samples courtesy of Android Authority:

Global users can remove fences from pictures using Gemini

But what if you dont have a Pixel 10 or live outside the US? Thats where Gemini Nano Banana comes in. This feature, available in the Gemini app, can also remove fences from your pictures, and its available globally. The process is similar: you upload a photo and tell Gemini to remove the fence. The results are also very impressive, with the AI doing a great job on everything from a complex birdcage to a large wooden fence.

There are some differences, though. The Google Photos Help Me Edit tool is better optimized for professional-grade edits. This means it keeps the original image resolution and avoids the creative liberties that Gemini Nano Banana sometimes takes with the background or other elements. Geminis tool also compresses the final image, which is not ideal for high-quality photos.

Below you will find samples of Geminis Nano Bana performance on fence removal, also from Android Authority.
More Americans are missing their full-time jobs due to military or civic duties this year than they have in nearly two decades  coinciding with President Donald Trumps deployment of the National Guard and other military branches.

So far this year, there have been 90,000 instances of full-time employees calling out of their full-time jobs to report for military or other civic duties  such as jury duty and voting, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While not all of those absences can be attributed to military deployment, especially specific to the National Guard, at least some of the data can be explained by comparing it to months when the National Guard was being used more.

In January, approximately 22,000 absences were recorded  the highest number so far this year. That same month, the National Guard was deployed to California during the wildfires and Washington, D.C., to assist in the peaceful transfer of power between former president Joe Biden and Trump.

There were approximately 10,000 absence incidents in June when Trump ordered the National Guard and some Marines into Los Angeles to help control anti-immigration protests.

President Donald Trump has threatened Democratic-run cities with the prospect of deploying the National Guard to help control crime and assist in immigration raids (Getty Images)

Military-related work absences fluctuate throughout the year. They often spike during certain disaster seasons, for example, during hurricane season, the Washington Post reported.

But 2025 has already surpassed the number of military or civic-duty-related work absences in any year after 2006.

The last time the U.S. saw a high number of this type of absence was in 2006, when former president George W. Bush deployed a large number of National Guard troops to the U.S.Mexico border, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Trump has threatened to use the National Guard in other cities to help immigration enforcement agents conduct large-scale raids without interruptions and to help local law enforcement curb violent crime.

2025 has already surpassed the number of military or civic-duty-related work absences in any year after 2006

Deploying the National Guard into a city without the state governors consent is a controversial move that has already landed Trump in some legal snafus. A federal judge in California said the presidents decision to federalize the California National Guard this past year was unlawful and violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents the government from using the military to conduct domestic law enforcement.

The attorney general of Washington, D.C., has used a similar argument to claim Trump violated laws when he deployed the National Guard into the nations capital last month to help control crime. However, unlike individual states, the National Guard of D.C. does fall under federal authority.

However, Trump has vowed to appeal Californias ruling and will likely fight D.C.s lawsuit. The president has continued to threaten cities, mainly run by Democrats, with National Guard deployment.

In a statement to the Washington Post, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the president has rightfully deployed the National Guard to cities like Los Angeles, which was ravaged by violent riots while strengthening small businesses and revitalizing our economy,

There are more than 430,000 people in the U.S. Army and Air National Guard. Recruitment to the National Guard also increased this past year after Trump signed an executive order that made it easier for individuals to apply to join the National Guard.
Almost 900 people were arrested at a major demonstration in Londons Parliament Square on Saturday as hundreds defied the controversial decision to ban Palestine Action.

The Metropolitan Police said the majority of the 890 arrests were made under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act for supporting the direct action group, which was designated as a proscribed terrorist organisation in July.

A total of 519 people were taken into custody, while 341 people were arrested and processed at a reception point in Westminster and then released on bail.

Hundreds of peaceful protesters were hauled away by officers to chants of Shame on you after they wrote signs declaring I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action in a display of mass defiance at 1pm.

A protesters is hauled away by police (AP)

A further 33 people were arrested for other offences, including 17 for alleged assaults on police officers, after pockets of the demonstration descended into chaos.

The Met has condemned violence it says was directed at officers from a group which was masked and intent on creating as much disorder as possible.

But organisers, campaign group Defend Our Juries (DOJ), insisted the rally was the picture of peaceful protest and called on new home secretary Shabana Mahmood to drop the unenforceable ban.

A DOJ spokesperson said allegations of violence towards police were false claims smearing the protesters and noted it took officers 11 hours to arrest 857 out of an estimated 1,500 people who took part.

Rather than arrest thousands more ordinary citizens, from vicars and priests, war veterans and descendants of Holocaust survivors to retired teachers and healthcare workers, who are predominantly elderly and many disabled, the new home secretary must rethink what is becoming Labours poll tax moment, which is making the UK the subject of condemnation and ridicule around the world, they added.

Police were seen brandishing their batons during clashes with some demonstrators, and one protester was seen with blood streaming down his face as he sat on the floor handcuffed.

However, Parliament Square Garden remained largely peaceful as many sat holding placards as police hauled them away one by one.

The arrests were met with chants from protesters of: Met Police, you cant hide  youre supporting genocide.

Police scuffle with protesters at the demonstration in Parliament Square (James Manning/PA Wire)

Protester Mike Higgins, 62, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, joined the protest after making headlines last month as one of 522 people arrested at a previous demonstration.

He said: What choice do I have? Nothing is being done about the genocide other than by us. And Im a terrorist? Thats the joke of it.

All 857 individuals arrested for Terrorism Act offences will now be investigated by the Mets Counter Terrorism Command, the force said.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart added: The violence we encountered during the operation was coordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Many of those individuals have now been arrested, and we have begun securing charges.

The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark.

You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.

We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly.

Protesters on Parliament Square displayed signs which read I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action (Getty)

Kerry Moscogiuri, of human rights campaign group Amnesty International UK, said it was shocking to see people hauled from the street for holding up signs.

When the government is arresting people under terrorism laws for sitting peacefully in protest, something is going very wrong here in the UK, she added.

However, defence secretary John Healey has said Ms Mahmood will be just as tough on Palestine Action as her Home Office predecessor, Yvette Cooper, who moved to the Foreign Office as part of Sir Keir Starmers wide-ranging cabinet reshuffle on Friday.

Asked whether there would be a shift in government policy on the group, Mr Healey said: I expect Shabana Mahmood to be just as tough as Yvette Cooper and I expect her to defend the decision the governments taken on Palestine Action, because of what some of its members are responsible for and were planning.

If we want to avoid a two-tier policing and justice system in this country, when people break the law, there have to be consequences, he told Sky Newss Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

Palestine Action was banned in July (PA Wire)

Palestine Action was banned in July after the group claimed responsibility for a protest in which two Voyager planes were sprayed with red paint at RAF Brize Norton in June.

It means showing support for the direct action group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

The Home Office is set to appeal against the High Court ruling allowing Palestine Actions co-founder Huda Ammori to proceed with a legal challenge over the ban.
The Arizona state senator Analise Ortiz speaks during a state senate session in Phoenix on 24 April 2025. Photograph: Samantha Chow/AP

A Democratic lawmaker in Arizona who is facing calls for expulsion for resharing an Instagram post warning of immigration enforcement activity near an elementary school said that state senate Republicans absolutely are trying to make an example out of me.

Analise Ortiz, a Democratic state senator in Arizona, shared an Instagram post from a community organization that warned, in text only, that immigration enforcement agents were near a local elementary school.

Alert/Alerta: ICE activity near Southwest Elementary, the post in early August said, adding the cross streets of the school. ICE is present. La migra esta presente.

Related: Nightmare: family in shock after Ice moves LA teen out of state without their knowledge

That post is at the center of an ethics complaint filed this week against Ortiz and a viral rightwing campaign against her.

The ethics complaint very clearly says that they want to stop other people from sharing this type of information, she said, calling it a stunning escalation of intimidation.

The controversy began when Libs of TikTok, the X account known for going after liberals online, posted about Ortizs reshare, claiming she was actively impeding and doxxing ICE by posting their live locations on instagram and that law enforcement officials should charge her.

No photos of agents were shared, nor were names or other identifying information about agents.

I was not there, Ortiz said. There were no pictures of anybody taken. It was simply a post that said Ice presence is possible outside of an elementary school. And I think that the fact that they are outside of sensitive locations where kids should be able to learn in peace is something that people should know about. They should know how the government is acting on their behalf.

The Libs of TikTok post went viral, leaving Ortiz with an inbox full of harassing and threatening messages. The mischaracterization that she doxed agents had led to the vast majority of the threats she had received, she said.

Jake Hoffman, a Republican state senator, and a handful of other Republican leaders in the chamber filed a formal ethics complaint that seeks to expel Ortiz from the chamber or, failing a vote to expel, remove her from all committees and take away her office and administrative staff. The ethics committee chair also referred the complaint to the US attorneys office in Arizona for a potential investigation, saying Ortizs actions may implicate federal law.

After the ethics complaint was filed, Libs of TikTok egged on Arizona senate Republicans. Make an example out of her! Enough is enough, the account tweeted.

What surprised me about the ethics complaint was the level of punishment they want to inflict upon me for simply exercising my first amendment right, Ortiz said.

As immigration enforcement agents have ramped up activity across the country, activists have shared locations where they see raids or Ice agents as a way to warn people to avoid the area. In Arizona, a southern border state, fear of deportations  and of detaining people who are in the US legally  is a facet of daily life in the second Trump administration. Ortiz said she had heard from constituents who are terrified to drive without a passport on hand because they fear law enforcement wont believe they are US citizens if they are pulled over.

Ortiz said she would not be intimidated by the ethics inquest or attempts to criminalize her sharing of information.

If the United States of America is going to continue as a free and fair democracy, it demands that people speak out against constitutional violations, she said. It demands bravery, so I am going to continue to be brave in this moment.

Hoffman claimed Ortizs reshare was reckless and dangerous, saying that by publicly posting alerts about federal law enforcement activity, she actively tipped off individuals being pursued by Ice, jeopardizing the safety of officers and law-abiding citizens. He wanted the committee to investigate her for behavior unbecoming of an elected official and embarrassing to the entire Arizona legislature on a state and national stage.

Hoffman was charged for his role as a fake elector after the 2020 election. Earlier this year, he was pulled over for driving 89mph in a 65mph zone in his Tesla Cybertruck emblazoned with the word Freedom on the back, though he was not cited because of a legal provision called legislative immunity.

The ethics complaint details how Ortiz did not back away from her reshare after Libs of TikTok posted about it. Instead, she wrote that she would alert her community to stay away when Ice is around and that she was not fucking scared of you nor Trumps masked goons. After Hoffman wrote on X that he would bring an ethics complaint and wanted her expelled, she said: Bring it on, Jake.

Warren Petersen, the Republican state senate president, previously asked for a federal investigation into Ortizs reshare, claiming she may have broken a federal law that prevents assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees.

The US attorneys office in Arizona did not respond to a request for comment.

Ortiz said Republican lawmakers want to deprive her legislative district of its voice in the senate and silence her and others who want to stand against deportations.

The fact they are trying to escalate it and are blatantly lying about my actions proves that this is really about authoritarianism and wanting to have a system where masked men carry out police operations in secret, and that should really concern anyone who cares about the United States constitution, Ortiz said.

Free speech experts and other elected officials, including the states Democratic attorney general, have spoken out against the attacks on Ortiz for her post, which they say is well within her first amendment rights.

Senator Ortizs post is clearly protected speech under the first amendment, Arizonas attorney general, Kris Mayes, said in a statement. This ethics complaint is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to intimidate and silence a democratically elected legislator. Warren Petersen and Jake Hoffman should be ashamed of themselves for weaponizing the ethics process just because they disagree with Senator Ortiz politically.

The ethics committee has not met yet this year and does not have operating rules in place, but will consider the complaint once those are established, said its chair, Shawnna Bolick, a Republican. An expulsion would require a two-thirds vote of the chamber, an unlikely prospect.

Ortiz previously faced an ethics investigation after she and another Democratic lawmaker shouted shame and protested on the state house floor against their Republican colleagues over an abortion vote in 2024. She was found to have violated house rules for conduct, but no official action was taken against her.
The Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal has mocked a deal announced by Donald Trump that allows powerful artificial intelligence chips to be exported from the U.S. to China in return for a small cut of the revenue. The papers editorial board questioned why the president approved a deal that will let Nvidia sell its H200 chip, one of the companys most advanced AI processors, to a top U.S. adversary and economic rival in exchange for the Treasury receiving a 25 percent cut of the sales. Th
Founder Charles Robinson says Water2 is on mission-led growth with his direct-to-consumer business.

Im always astonished by the ways in which water affects peoples lives, says Charles Robinson, the 24-year-old founder of Water2.

To prove a point, Robinson, who launched his water filtration company to market in 2023, is recalling an email sent several hours earlier on the day that we speak.

It came from the mother of a neurodiverse family of four, ranging from nine to 19 and highly sensitive to taste and smell. Before, they wouldnt drink tap water and she was spending on bottled water. Now they had the simple fix of Water2 and I could never have expected that, says Robinson.

Read More: 'I started my cookie dough idea aged 50  if people believe in your passion, go for it'

Some dogs also wouldnt drink tap water due to levels of chlorine. I would never have expected pet owners would benefit from the product in the same way.

Robinson, who grew up in West Sussex, moved to London in 2020 to study philosophy at University College London (UCL), but didnt gel with the course and dropped out two weeks later.

At the time he was reading articles on microplastics, tap water and how UK water could be better quality. I was intellectually interested but didnt know how to go about it, he admits.

Having shunned university, the entrepreneur started selling hand sanitiser at the start of COVID. Gelcard, a premium credit card-thin hand sanitiser, sold units to Google, top corporate firms and hotels such as The Wolseley.

Water2 is seen as one of the fastest-growing UK consumer brands, built with zero VC funding and in 180,000 homes.

The teenager made 100,000 within the first six months and expanded the business to Tokyo and Kuwait. He admits: I was learning everything but not making that much money at a crazy level. I wanted to build a long-term, multi-decade business and brand.

He decided to take profit from the hand sanitiser and returned to UCL to work on developing a product. Several episodes of good fortune then took hold. Firstly, on a trip to Milan where the sanitiser was manufactured, he happened to peruse an industry-first water filter catalogue and took back some prototypes from the nearby facility.

I was a philosophy dropout and distinctly unqualified on the technical side, he adds.

He searched for experts on water at UCL and wrote a lengthy email to professor Luiza Campos. I learned quickly that academics can be very receptive to young people who want to change the world, says Robinson.

Read More: Dryrobe founder turned mum's 1980s design into 22m success

Finding her was amazing and having the access when students went away for the holiday. It was deeply fortunate but good luck paired with that email and trying to convince her to do it with me.

Over two summers he undertook independent research with Campos on testing London water, running it through the product filter and he soon pivoted to a water-first business after developing a filtration system capable of removing harmful contaminants.

Water2 went to market with a first generation product in early 2023. I still had some university debt and most of my friends were getting jobs in the City, says Robinson. I was on around 1,000 per month from the small revenue I had. It was at a time where everything had to work and nothing did.

Charles Robinson dropped out of university after discovering links between tap water, contaminants like microplastics and PFAS 'forever chemicals'. (Clynt Garnham Environmental)

Robinson says he went direct to retailers, housing developers and then door-to-door but felt he couldn't get the messaging right on his product.

He then hit upon the type of communication style that worked: social media videos where he filmed himself talking about UK water news, why he had dropped out of university and the story behind his water filter product.

People really resonated with the raw authenticity of it all and we flew with it, adds Robinson.

In early 2024, British adventurer Bear Grylls became a customer  around Water2s 8,000th, says Robinson  who expressed interest in the start-ups purpose. A deal was struck where Grylls would become co-owner and investor in the business.

The pair speak as friends on WhatsApp most days. The relationship has been amazing and the type of awareness it has given us, says Robinson. He is a customer, owns part of the business and can talk candidly about the product."

Bear Grylls purchased a Water2 filter and became a co-owner and investor alongside Charles Robinson, left.

By the end of this year, Robinson believes that the fast-growing UK consumer brand will be in around 1% of all UK homes. Thats around roughly one in every 100 families who use our water every single day which is incredible really, he says.

I never had this unwavering belief that this idea will work, its rather that every single day I doubt the idea, says Robinson. I wake up and think about what might not be successful. It means that I am trying to find the holes and weaknesses until I get things working.

Water2 currently employs five staff in the UK, with 15 people outsourced in Asia for manufacturing, customer service and video editing.

Read More: 'In our workplace, we look for passionate, slightly unhinged mountain climbers

Robinsons product is designed to be self-installable and has a price point of 129 with only one filter change per year. The company says it has sold into 180,000 homes while revenue has grown from six to an eight-figure business in two years.

Water filters had been a sterile and antiquated industry. When I dropped all defences and spoke humanly about the problems in water and what we could do to save it, it took bravery to tell it.

Those honest social media videos have proved a marketing winner in propelling the business.

Perhaps I should have started to tell my story sooner, he adds, but it was the birth of Water2 about being a super prominent, digital first and simple to understand brand in the water filter industry.

Behind the brand: Water2 founder on...

Purpose

"Were reducing peoples exposure to chemicals and microplastics in the water which might not see the benefit now, but in years to come that will have a real effect upon people in this country. I think we are having material effect upon outcomes in the UK and thats what I care about.

Brand

It is a confusing industry for a normal consumer to distinguish between distillation, reverse osmosis and infiltration and there was a distinct lack of brand awareness other than Britta, but where you could name several bottled water brands.

Key to success

The biggest secret has been saying no to many things. VCs and big retailers have wanted to come on board and Amazon (AMZN) also approached us early. The power of no mean you have complete focus, clarity and real mission within the business. When you do one thing at 100% its worth so much more than doing two things at 50%."

Read more:

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Androi
Brian Cox has slammed Nigel Farage as a bully who is "misinformed in a scathing assessment of the Reform UK leader.

Appearing on BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the Scottish actor said that he is dazzled by the way a lot of people have been seduced by him. Mr Farages party is currently 10 points ahead in the polls, according to Techne UK.

He said that Mr Farage, who was interviewed by Kuenessberg earlier in the episode, was a bit of a bully. He said: You can tell by the way he conducted that interview with you I thought a lot of it was badgering. I just don't trust the man.

Slamming Brexit, Mr Cox also said that he believes there has never been a more positive time to be in Europe due to the ongoing Ukraine war.
Reform politicians sing the national anthem in Birmingham, September 6, 2025 - Oli Scarff/AFP

This has to be the most right-wing government of my lifetime. Reshuffled, re-set Labour intends to deport asylum seekers, cut welfare and raise defence, while Yvette Cooper, next Thursday at Hampstead registry office, will enter into a civil union with a flag. The centre is dead. Were all nationalists now.

As Im in a hyperbolic mood, let me claim last week as the most significant since Labour came to power. Arguably, Reform was done a favour. Had Angela Rayner not gone, forcing journalists to hot-foot back to Westminster, more people mightve noticed that its conference was near-identical to the previous years, that fresh policies are lacking, philosophy is light, and Andrea Jenkynss singing made Peter Lilley sound like Caruso (Im still having nightmares about Insomnia).

As she murdered God Save the King on the final night, some on the stage looked unfamiliar with the words; a few resisted the temptation to raise their right arm. It was hoped that Reform: the Next Step would stage a maturation of theme, perhaps a senior defection from Labour. Instead the unveiling of Nadine Dorries cemented this as the continuation of Red Wall conservatism, Farage doubling-down on the Trumpish vibe of Lucy Connolly and vaccine denial.

Why bother to play the moderate? One hundred miles away, the PM was relaunching His Majestys government as a Reform Party tribute act.

Keir Starmers career is built on treasons. He advanced through the shadow cabinet as a Remainer under Corbyn  a friend he said  and won the leadership as a socialist. All that was jettisoned; Angela Rayner remained as a rare sop to the Left. She was his John Prescott in that she embodied forces the party had rejected - working-class, trades-union  but so long as she was in cabinet, the party looked like a progressive coalition rather than a path to power for drippy Oxbridge graduates.

Her loss rips off the mask, the reshuffle moving almost every major office to the Right bar Ed Miliband (who cares?) and Rachel Reeves (already emasculated by Darren Jones relocation to No 10). Even Reeves sister, Ellie, got the chop. Labour might be nepotistic but its also fratricidal.

It is significant that joining Rayner in the motability queue is Justin Madders, former employment rights minister and an architect of the workers rights bill. The legislation is likely to be watered down by in-coming business secretary Peter Kyle, arch-Blairite MP for the posh town Ange bought her flat in, its value now reduced by the graffiti outside (Im afraid Hove is going to the dogs).

Online thickos immediately launched a tirade of racist abuse at new home secretary Shabana Mahmood, apparently unaware that shes socially conservative  favours castration for nonces  and was brought in to speed up deportations, not set them in reverse. Ground work has been laid by Cooper, who signed off a returns agreement with France, closure of hotels, fast-tracked deportations and restrictions on family renewals, including limitations based upon wealth and fluency in English (the terrified wife of an Afghan peasant need not apply).

Labour wants us to know that it will stick asylum seekers into army barracks, a tacit acknowledgement that Britain has run out of soldiers to house. Our transformation from imperial power to migrant processing centre is arguably the reason our politics is in this mess.

Today, Labour, Reform and the Tories are offering variations on Make Britain Great Again. What I grew up thinking was the centre-ground, of economic and social liberalism, is gone  thought this is both natural and overdue. The blessed centre is not, as its high priests insist, a fixed point of pragmatism and decency. It is something that repositions and reconstitutes itself across generations, from the Gold Standard to Keynes, from neo-liberalism to populism, each time rooting its authority in a dubious claim to common sense that is entirely contingent upon circumstance and fashion.

Neo-liberalism had to end because it no longer reflects human desire for stability, order, identity, and its death was presaged by Ukip and Brexit. If you find Reform astonishing, if you cannot comprehend why TV pundits keep being elected mayor of Hiccup, then youve not been watching: each Euro election told us Brexit would happen, the Leave victory told us politics would turn nationalist, and if Farage wins the next general election, it will be in keeping with the direction of travel.

Hence, Labour chasing public opinion is an intelligent survival strategy. The problem is that its evolution looks cynical and it always gets to where the voters are several months too late. A third challenge is that it will inevitably leave part of its old coalition behind. A poll in August found that 64 per cent of party members believe Starmer is heading the wrong way, his personal rating at minus nine.

Will a left-wing candidate run for deputy leader? Rosena Allin-Khan is rumoured - but she needs the endorsement of 80 MPs, and Starmer did such a good job of driving Corbynites out that Im not sure she has the numbers. Louise Haigh, who led the welfare rebellion is said to be interested; a fraud allegation stands against her. Emily Thornberry, well-known and superb at media, arguably has the best chance.

No matter. A new force is growing outside the party. Last week  I told you it was eventful  I also attended the election of the Green Partys leadership collective, which is the very antithesis of Reform. It comprises a gay, Jewish hypnotist, a posh lady who couldve stepped off the catwalk, and a Muslim activist, his wife modelling a full-length niqab.

Hardly anyone mentioned the climate (if the Greens are over it, can the rest of us move on, too?) Rather this was about picking up the strays abandoned by Labour  wealth tax, trans, pro-Gaza, British history is problematic  and coalescing into a resistance that, for all its contradictions, might amount to a serious force at the polls.

Journalistic attention has been focused on Reform because the Tory crack-up happened first, but now that Labour is hurtling towards its own civil war, I am convinced that the next election will be not four-way but five-way. Modern politics, like Greta Thunberg after her controversial make-over, is all fringe.
Located in Goddard, Kansas, the Tanganyika Wildlife Park is home to an internet-famous baby pygmy hippo named Mars, and his parents, Posie and Pluto. Mars became a star because of his feisty playfulness and very stubborn personality; it's clear who runs the show, and it's not his caretakers!

We've seen lots of adorable videos of Mars and his mama, Posie. But we never see him interact with his dad, Pluto. Viewers wondered why, so Tanganyika shared a video of one of the hippos' caretakers explaining not only why, but where Mars' dad is.

Since pygmy hippos live a solitary lifestyle, there would be no reason for Mars to interact with his dad. Posie has her hands full with Mars, and so do his caretakers. We love watching them interact, but it sounds like putting Mars and Pluto together is not a good idea!

Related: Baby Pygmy Hippo Adorably Tries to Hide in Pool to Avoid Having to Go Inside

Hilarious Reactions to Why Baby Mars Can't Meet His Dad

While reading through viewers' comments, some of them made us laugh out loud. @PandaConnoisseur deadpanned, 'So, what youre saying is that Mars acts out because his parents are divorced."

Commenter @Angie B asked, "So hes a deadbeat dad? Is that what youre saying? Absentee father?" @YouGotOneofThemFaces replied, "Well, hippo dads will commit infanticide if they are allowed around their young, especially if they are males. Sooo yup!! Def a deadbeat, LOL!"

Others had questions about the hippos' names, like @a.k who said, "Pluto and Mars?!! Why's momma a Posie? Shouldn't she be Venus? LOL!" @RealMsRaisa said what we were all thinking, "We need to see this Pluto maam." @Jesse joked, "So what you're saying is that Sierra is daddy?", in reference to Mars' caretaker, who has to chase him down every night to get him to go back inside.

Pygmy hippos are solitary animals, though it isn't unheard of to find a male and female living together during mating season. Males are also territorial and very aggressive; they will fight other males who enter their domain. Eventually, Pluto will view Mars as competition for the ladies, so they will never be together in the same enclosure.

Another commenter asked how long Mars will stay with Posie. Tanganyika actually shared the answer in a recent Facebook post, "Pygmy hippo babies stay with their moms for the first 68 months, learning essential skills like walking in water, finding food, and staying safe." Google shared that pygmy hippo calves typically stay with their mothers for several months to up to three years. Mars is only 2 months old right now, so he still has a way to go before he has to be separated from his mama!

This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Sep 6, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A Ukrainian soldier inspects a Russian tank that sank into mud outside Kyiv - Narciso Contreras/Anadolu

Russian forces would have reached Kyiv in four hours had their tanks not got stuck in the mud, Donald Trump claimed last month.

The reality was not so simple. As Moscows troops marched towards the Ukrainian capital in February 2022, Ukraine took a desperate gamble. It blew a hole in a dam that had choked the Irpin river north of Kyiv, flooding a long-lost wetland basin. The land turned into an almighty, impassable swamp that helped shield the city as Russian tanks languished in thick, black sludge.

The drastic measure sent a message: let nature fight for you in war. Countries along Natos frontier took note.

Polish and Finnish officials have now told The Telegraph they are considering restoring their nations bogs and marshes to sink heavy vehicles such as tanks and combat climate change at the same time.

Russian forces assault on Kyiv was stymied by the swampland outside the city - Serhii Mykhalchuk/Getty Images

Peat-rich bogs coat huge swathes of EU land from the Finnish Arctic, down through the Baltic states, across the Suwalki Gap and on to eastern Poland.

Bogs are natures most effective carbon dioxide stores  but if drained, they release centuries worth of carbon into the atmosphere, dramatically fuelling global warming.

Half of the bogs in Europe have been lost or converted to farmland, and in response, the EU is prioritising reviving 30 per cent of degraded peatlands by 2030 to combat climate change and promote biodiversity.

But the idea of restoring bogs and marshes as a defensive strategy is new.

As part of Polands 1.9bn, Eastern Shield fortification project, peatland and forests close to its borders will be revived and expanded.

The natural environment in the border areas is an obvious ally of any actions enhancing the elements of Eastern Shield, a spokesman for Polands ministry of defence said.

In Finland, a bog-restoration pilot has begun close to its border with Russia, The Telegraph has learnt.

Wetlands have remained undrained as an important defence strategy in Europe.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, they provided natural borders and were valued as defensive obstacles. Now we recognise this importance for wetlands again, said Wiktor Kotowski, a wetland ecologist who advises Polands government on conservation.

The treacherous, waterlogged terrain is literally un-crossable for heavy vehicles, he said. That was evident this year, when four US soldiers stationed in Lithuania were killed during a training exercise when they drove a 63-ton armoured vehicle into a swamp.

Environmentalists, politicians and defence officials are increasingly seeing the opportunity that emerges when policies to protect the environment intersect with defensive strategies.

Pauli Aalto-Setala, an MP in Finlands governing National Coalition party and former tank officer, was the first politician to call on the government to restore the wetlands that cover its eastern border as a dual climate and defence strategy last year.

There are not many things that environmental activists and defence officials agree on and here we find great common ground, Mr Aalto-Setala told The Telegraph.

Boggy terrain accounts for around one-third of Finlands land mass, half of which has already been drained. But the country has been carrying out a large-scale restoration drive.

Finlands boggy terrain could provide the country with a natural defence against the Kremlins tank columns - OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty Images

Mr Aalto-Setala said tests to restore bogs close to the border have already begun.

Its not rocket science, it can be done relatively easily and quickly, unlike reforesting, which will take decades. He estimated it could take as little as a year to flood the countrys bogs on its eastern border once again.

Nature has always been an important part of Finlands defence, said Pekka Toveri, a Finnish MEP and retired general, citing the difficulties Soviet tanks faced traversing Finlands marshy and wooded terrain when they invaded in 1939.

Bringing back bogs will be seen as a win-win, he said. It is a good example of innovation in defence and I hope it is taken seriously.

The retired general argued that a lot can be learnt from Moscows failures in manoeuvrability in Ukraine. Russia has had huge problems crossing even narrow water obstacles. The simple and cheap measure of rewetting the wetlands will do the same thing here.

Finnish soldiers blend into the landscape during Russias invasion in 1939 - Hulton Archive

The Baltic states, which share a 600-mile border with Russia and Belarus, are also listening to the proposals.

Estonias climate ministry told Politico last week that it was actively exploring whether to restore its swamps and marshes to help protect against a Russian attack and battle global warming.

Along with Lithuania and Latvia, the country is already planning to integrate existing peatlands into their new Baltic Defence Line to keep Russia at bay, although the plans do not yet involve peatland restoration.

But bog-based defence plans will not work in every European Nato country. For example, Germany, which has had most of its peatlands drained or otherwise destroyed, appears far less keen.

The rewetting of wetlands can be both an advantage and a disadvantage for ones own operations, Natalie Jenning, of the federal defence ministry, told The Telegraph.

A key concern is that if Nato is attacked, the alliances forces would need to move quickly through Germany to the east.

However, hindering an enemys movements through flooding and swamping has been used in warfare for a very long time and is still a viable option today, Ms Jenning added.

There are also other evident issues, including having to deal with privately owned land and stopping forestry or agriculture in some areas, affecting potentially thousands of livelihoods.

The flooding of the Irpin basin helped win the battle for Kyiv, but it was hugely ecologically destructive and painful for those whose homes and lands were flooded.

Finland and Polands proposals are likely to focus on state-owned land for now, but if plans become reality and are scaled up, that problem cannot be avoided.

Prof Kotowski, the Polish ecologist, argued that despite resistance, there is not a good enough reason not to revive Natos bogs as a defensive shield.

War is not what we scientists would like to link our biodiversity agenda with, but we must restore the peatlands, and now we have a new impetus to do this, he said.
Siham Lachgar holds a poster of her sister, Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, who was jailed in Morocco on blasphemy charges over a T-shirt slogan (Siham Lachgar)

The family and friends of a woman jailed in Morocco over a T-shirt saying Allah is lesbian have expressed fears over the cancer survivors health in prison.

Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, 50, a Moroccan feminist activist and psychologist, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after she was convicted on blasphemy charges.

Ibtissame first posted the photo on her social media channels in 2022, her family said (Ibtissame Lachgar)

She was arrested on 10 August at her home in the capital Rabat after a picture circulated online showing her wearing the T-shirt, her sister Siham Lachgar told The Independent. She explained the shirt was inspired by the quote: I saw God. She is black, communist, and lesbian, attributed to the French feminist Anne-Marie Fauret.

Siham said her sister was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in her twenties. She has ongoing health issues, with a prosthesis replacing the bone in her upper left arm. Siham fears her sister may not have access to healthcare in prison, and that she needs urgent treatment for her prosthesis or risks having her arm amputated.

Describing the sentencing on Wednesday as a shock and an injustice, she said: Not taking her health into consideration is simply inhumane.

Im very worried because she has no medical follow-up in Morocco  all of her doctors are in France  and she doesnt seem to have seen a doctor in prison.

Ibtissame posted the photo on her social media in 2022 in response to the conviction and death sentence of two LGBT+ activists in Iran. She had never worn the T-shirt in Morocco, where same-sex relations are illegal, her sister said.

The photo was shared by a stranger on the social media platform X in July, accompanied by a message calling for her arrest, her family says. The post was reportedly shared by hundreds of other users, many tagging the official X account of the Moroccan police.

Ibtissame was held in pre-trial detention before appearing in court in Rabat this week, wearing a headscarf and appearing exhausted. According to her lawyers, she has been kept in isolation in prison and is forbidden from speaking to other inmates.

Friends and family are calling for Lachgars release (Nederlandse Leeuw/Wikimedia)

Loubna Rais, an activist in Rabat who has known Ibtissame since they were teenagers, has only seen her three times since her arrest, during her court appearances.

We can see each time her health is deteriorating," she told The Independent. Her mental health has suffered, and her physical condition is getting worse.

Her sentencing on Wednesday was also Loubnas birthday. When I saw her in court, she said happy birthday, because she didnt forget, she said, her voice breaking. She is a very generous and loyal person.

Ibtissame told the court she had no intention of offending Islam, but she was found guilty of violating part of Moroccos penal code that outlaws offending the monarchy or Islam.

Maryam Namazie, a close friend, said she believes the photo was taken in London, where the activist has frequently taken part in LGBT+ and human rights campaigns.

Maryam Namazie (left) and Ibtissame have taken part in campaigns on LGBT+ and human rights in London (Maryam Namazie)

She is known in Morocco for her provocative activism, having called for the decriminalisation of sex outside of marriage, which also remains illegal, and organised a demonstration outside Moroccos parliament where couples kissed to support two teenagers facing indecency charges over a photo of themselves kissing on Facebook.

Shes a well-regarded activist and feminist who has fought for peoples rights for so long, Maryam said. She does so much at such a great risk to herself. She has a great deal of empathy and is kind, caring and thoughtful.

The fact that someone can be arrested for a T-shirt is outrageous.

A member of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, which aims to break the taboo that comes with leaving Islam, Maryam said supporters will continue to demand her release while she plans to appeal her conviction.

The Moroccan General Directorate of National Security has been contacted for comment.
Shabana Mahmood has hit out at the utterly unacceptable number of migrants arriving in the UK in small boats after the number of Channel crossings this year passed 30,000 in record time.

The newly appointed home secretary has been hit immediately with the scale of the crisis she has inherited just 48 hours after taking over from Yvette Cooper.

The worst ever figures recorded in a single year to this point have underlined why Sir Keir Starmer felt he needed a clearout of ministers from the Home Office and a new team put in place, with Labour trailing Reform UK by 10 points in the polls.

The news that the 30,000 mark has been hit earlier in a single year under the Labour governments watch will only add fuel to Nigel Farages push for power as he completed a exuberant party conference in Birmingham over the weekend.

Shabana Mahmood will host her Five Eyes counterparts (PA)

In her first intervention as home secretary, Ms Mahmood vowed to take firm action on immigration after a difficult summer dominated by criticism of the small boats crisis, and will host the so-called Five Eyes security alliance for talks on tackling people smuggling in her first major engagement in her new role.

But the size of the task became clear over the weekend as it emerged that some 1,097 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 boats on Saturday, bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100, Home Office figures show.

That is up 37 per cent on this point last year (22,028) and 37 per cent higher than at this stage in 2023 (21,918), according to PA news agency analysis.

It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.

Ms Mahmood said vile people smugglers are wreaking havoc on our borders and vowed a returns deal with France will bring the numbers under control.

This week she will host her counterparts from some of Britains strongest allies  the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to discuss new proposals to smash the smuggling gangs.

The group will also discuss measures to punish those perpetuating child sexual abuse online and how to stop the spread of deadly synthetic opioids, officials said.

It comes amid Ms Mahmoods wider crackdown on immigration policy, with the new home secretary also expected to set out plans this week to move asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks after a summer of protests over migration.

She is working with the Ministry of Defence to identify sites to house people, with military planners scoping out potential sites, defence secretary John Healey confirmed on Sunday.

Ms Mahmood, who was justice secretary before Sir Keirs reshuffle, said: Rebuilding our reputation on the world stage is how we tackle serious organised crime and secure our borders.

Small boats crossing the Channel have hit the 30,000 mark in the quickest time this year (Getty)

We have already reset our relationship with the EU, struck a people-smuggling deal with the G7 and operationalised a first-of-its-kind returns agreement with France.

Today, we will agree new measures to protect our borders with our Five Eyes partners, hitting people smugglers hard.

The Five Eyes might be drawn from different corners of the globe, but we are united by our alliance. As the security threats we all face become more complex and span continents, we are stronger and safer together.

Ms Cooper became foreign secretary in an emergency cabinet reshuffle on Friday following the resignation of Angela Rayner over her tax affairs.

Sir Keir will be hoping to draw a line under the fallout from his former deputys departure as well as a difficult summer dominated by criticism of the small boats crisis.

In her first full day in the job, Ms Mahmood met the head of Scotland Yard on Saturday to receive a briefing on the policing operation in response to Gaza protests in London.

Supporting Palestine and supporting a proscribed terrorist group are not the same thing, she said.

An honour to visit Sir Mark [Rowley] and the Metropolitan Police to see them at work policing protests.

Almost 900 people were arrested at the central London rally protesting against the banning of Palestine Action as a terror group, the force said earlier.
Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his decision to step down, less than two months after his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost its majority in the countrys upper house election.

Mr Ishiba has been in power for less than a year, but faced calls to resign from the right-wing faction of his own party after a bruising defeat in Julys vote, amid discontent from the public over the rising cost of living and economic stagnation.

The conservative LDP and its junior partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats to retain control of the upper chamber but took 47, as the coalition saw its vote eroded by an increase in support for far-right nationalist parties.

Mr Ishiba called a press conference at 6pm (local time) on Sunday in Tokyo, where he said he intended to resign as LDP president and would stay on as prime minister until a new leader is elected.

He told the press conference that he had decided this is the right timing to step down, having agreed a deal to alleviate US tariffs on Japanese imports. He said he had asked the LDPs general secretary to begin organising a party leadership election immediately.

A former defence minister, Mr Ishiba came to power last October as the face of the LDPs moderate faction. He then called a snap general election, hoping to cash in on public backing during his honeymoon period. Instead, his party lost its majority, throwing the country into the kind of political uncertainty not seen for many years.

Mr Ishibas decision to resign came one day before the LDP was due to meet to decide whether to hold a special leadership election  effectively a no-confidence vote in his administration.

US president Donald Trump shakes hands with Ishiba during their first White House meeting on 7 February this year (Reuters)

In recent days, polls of LDP parliamentarians and regional representatives had shifted significantly against Mr Ishiba. Of those contacted by the Yomiuri newspaper on Friday, 149 said they were in favour of a leadership vote, while just 48 said they were opposed.

In truth, Mr Ishiba has struggled to project confidence in his leadership from the moment he entered office. He replaced Fumio Kishida, who was in office for three years, at a time when a scandal over political slush funds had deeply eroded trust in the ruling party.

Mr Ishibas name will now be added to the relatively long list of Japanese prime ministers to have enjoyed brief tenures in office. While he became leader thanks to the support of grassroots members, he only ever had a very weak support base among LDP MPs, says professor Yu Uchiyama, a political scientist at the University of Tokyo. His power base was so weak that he was unable to do what he wished, he told The Independent.

Most of Mr Ishibas spell in power has been dominated by the threat of US tariffs on the Japanese economy. On 7 February, Mr Ishiba became one of the first world leaders to travel to the White House to meet Donald Trump after the Republican entered office for his second term, and the two met again in April as Mr Ishiba sought to avoid steep reciprocal tariffs on Japanese goods.

Shortly after Julys bruising upper house election, those efforts to spearhead trade talks personally seemed to have paid off, with Mr Trump announcing a massive agreement involving a reduction in tariffs in exchange for $550bn of Japanese investment in the US.

Mr Ishiba described the deal as a win-win development but said implementing its terms would be the biggest challenge, and vowed to stay in office to see it through.

Yet weeks of uncertainty for key industries have followed. Japanese officials only discovered days after the deal was agreed that it appeared to add 15 per cent to existing tariff rates, rather than replacing them. Washington later acknowledged a mistake had been made, but that it would take another two weeks for an order correcting the matter to take effect.

In his press conference on Sunday, Mr Ishiba referenced the economic challenges that the country has been facing, saying his administration had worked to help those who are suffering, to strengthen the struggling yen and to bring down the soaring cost of key daily staples like rice.

"The US-Japan alliance is making progress, he said. I had calls and meetings with US president Donald Trump many times. We will strengthen our relationship with the United States, that is, of course, something that we need to do. He said it was a pity that he had to step down now rather than continue his diplomatic efforts, but that he would pass the torch to the next leader.

He said it was a very difficult decision to step down, but he took responsibility for Julys election loss and admitted that he was concerned about growing internal divisions within the LDP. He warned that an erosion of trust in the countrys moderate conservative party risked seeing Japanese politics slide towards popularism.

There are now two frontrunners to replace Mr Ishiba. One is the more right-wing Sanae Takaichi, who came second in last years leadership election and would have become Japans first female prime minister had she won. She is likely to have the backing of the LDPs powerful hardline faction and might be able to bring back the voters who are now supporting more right-wing parties like Sanseito, Professor Uchiyama notes.

The other leading candidate is Shinjiro Koizumi, a more moderate, pro-reform figure who would be better placed to attract centrist voters.

Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, says the direction the LDP turns could have significant ramifications for foreign policy in the region, where Japan and South Korea are vital strategic partners for the United States.

Japans next prime minister could have unexpected interactions with Trumps burden-sharing demands and South Korean historical sensitivities, whether the leader is more nationalistic like Takaichi or next-generation minded like Koizumi, he said.

The endurance of trilateral cooperation among Tokyo, Washington, and Seoul will be closely watched after Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong-un so visibly displayed solidarity in Beijing.
Jeremy Clarkson (Ben Birchall/PA) (PA Archive)

Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that cyber criminals stole 27,000 from the pub he owns in the Cotswolds.

The TV presenter, who earlier this year admitted to sleepless nights over the future of his Diddly Squat farm, said he had become the latest victim of hacking.

Writing in The Sun, Clarkson explained: So, Jaguar Land Rover had to shut down its production lines this week after systems were breached by computer hackers. And we are told similar attacks were launched in recent months on both M&S and the Co-op.

But no one thought to mention that my pub, The Farmers Dog, has been hit too. It was though. Someone broke into our accounting system and helped themselves to 27,000.

It is unclear how the hackers accessed the pubs computer system, or whether police have had any success in tracing the culprits.

Jeremy Clarkson at the opening of his pub, The Farmers Dog, in Asthall (PA Archive)

The theft is the latest in a string of setbacks for Clarkson, who has frequently clashed with local councils over his attempts to earn money from ventures in Chadlington and Chipping Norton.

The motoring star turned farmer and publican  who has documented his struggles on the hit Amazon series Clarksons Farm  was forced to shut down the restaurant at Diddly Squat after receiving an enforcement notice, following complaints from neighbours about traffic congestion.

Although the restaurant remains closed, visitors can still shop at Diddly Squat, which only sells produce made in Oxfordshire. Clarkson has previously admitted farming is a money pit and a financial burden, saying he makes far more from television and other projects.

In August 2024, Clarkson spent 1 million buying and renovating The Farmers Dog pub in Burford, Oxfordshire. Since opening, he has described running it as more stressful than managing the farm.

Like his farm shop, the pub only serves food sourced locally, with no Coca-Cola or coffee on the menu. While some tourists have grumbled about missing staples, Clarkson insists: We only do British food.
Angela Rayner, champion of the workers' rights bill

It wont make much of a difference to illegal immigration, or foreign policy, nor will it do anything to stop the crushing tax rises that are heading our way in the November Budget. As the dust settles, it is clear that the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmers desperate reshuffle of his failing government will have about as much impact as shifting the paperclips from one side of his desk to another. And yet, buried within the detail, there was at least one small nugget of significance. With Angela Rayner, its main champion, dispatched to spend more time decorating her swish new apartment in Hove, the government may be about to water down its Workers Rights Bill. In reality, that cant happen quickly enough. The legislation had already caused a catastrophe, and the sooner we sweep it away the better.

Justin Madders was not exactly a household name. But as the employment rights minister he was one of the key architects of the new deal for working people being pushed through Parliament. Over the weekend, he was quietly sacked. In his place, Peter Kyle, a close ally of the PM, will take charge of employment rights within an overall business brief. With both Rayner and Madders gone, the opportunity is there to at least water down the legislation.

For the sake of the economy, we should all hope that is taken. The Bill pledges a huge increase in the power of employees. Workers would have full rights from day one, regardless of whether they are any good at the job. Zero-hours contracts would be banned, even if many staff like the flexibility, while firing and re-hiring would be restricted, even though companies sometimes have to respond to rapid changes in demand to stay afloat. The list went on and on. When it was all added up, it amounted to a huge rebalancing of power towards labour, and especially the unions, and essentially brought to an end the flexible labour market that has been one of the strengths of the British economy since the 1980s.

Sure, we all believe that everyone should be treated with respect at work, and that they are entitled to protection from unscrupulous bosses. The catch is this. If companies cant control their staff numbers then they wont hire anyone at all. We are already seeing the hard evidence of that basic truth. Even before the legislation came into force, businesses  and small businesses in particular (where entrepreneurs often live in dread of being taken to an employment tribunal), have slammed the brakes on hiring. Job openings fell by 5.5 per cent in the latest quarter, and now stand at the lowest level since the Covid pandemic. Meanwhile the unemployment rate has hit its highest level in four years.

Even worse, there has been a full-scale collapse in graduate recruitment. According to data from the jobs site Indeed, there has been a 33 per cent fall in vacancies over the last year and graduates face the toughest job market in almost a decade. The hundreds of thousands of students coming out of university this summer are going to be kicking their heels at home for a lot longer. No one wants to give them that crucial first break. But then why would anyone be surprised? If you cant try someone out, and give them a few months in the office without being able to get rid of them if they dont work out, then the only rational response is not to hire them in the first place.

The mere threat of the legislation has proved enough to crash the labour market. Making it a reality would be far, far worse. Of course, if you have a cushy job in the public sector, or your career is already established, youd be fine. But for young people starting out it meant opportunities were destroyed. And for anyone who relies on part time gigs to make ends meet, it meant that the work would dry up.

The best way to protect workers is to create a buoyant, growing economy, with lots of jobs, so that if anyone doesnt like their employer, they can simply switch to a better one. Heavy handed legislation only destroys opportunities for everyone. The Labour government may have finally worked that out  the only trouble is, it may already be too late.
(Matt Tebbutt via Instagram)

Gregg Wallaces MasterChef replacement has finally been announced, with Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt set to take over for the next series of MasterChef: The Professionals. The 51-year-old TV chef is a well-liked, pub-loving family man and has been described by The Telegraph as the safe pair of hands the show needs.

This will come as a relief to MasterChef fans. The show has been in turmoil since Wallace stepped down in 2024 following accusations of sexual harassment. An independent investigation substantiated 45 of 83 total complaints against Wallace  mostly involving inappropriate sexual language and humour.

Former MasterChef presenters John Torode and Gregg Wallace (BBC)

Then, in July, a second scandal hit the MasterChef studio, with remaining presenter John Torode sacked after a complaint of racism was upheld. Torode has said the accusation related to the use of a severely offensive racist term in 2018. In a statement, the BBC said: John Torode denies the allegation. He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.

Who is Matt Tebbutt?

Matt Tebbutt with his Saturday Kitchen co-host Helen McGinn (Matt Tebbutt via Instagram)

Matt Tebbutt was born on Christmas Eve 1973 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. His childhood was primarily spent in South Wales, where he moved at six months old. He attended Rougemont School in Newport before pursuing Geography and Anthropology at Oxford Brookes University, where he considered a career in the RAF.

But Tebbutt always loved food. I grew up greedy. I loved coming home from school, getting a jar of Hellmanns mayonnaise and dipping Twiglets into it, which is probably why I was so fat, he told The Times in 2024.

Tebbutt earned his culinary stripes at the esteemed Leiths School of Food & Wine in London. His early training included working under heavyweights like Marco Pierre White (at The Oak Room and Criterion), Bruce Poole, Sally Clarke, and Alastair Little  whom he credits as the greatest culinary influence behind his cooking.

(Getty Images)

In 2001, Tebbutt and his wife Lisa returned to Wales and transformed the Foxhunter pub in Nant-y-derry into a celebrated restaurant. It was awarded the AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales in 2004. In 2012, Matthew Norman reviewed the restaurant for The Telegraph, calling the food top notch and describing the atmosphere as one of raucous merriment.

Tebbutt has been effusive about his love for pubs, calling them one of the last melting pots there are in life.

I will disappear on a Friday and go and do Saturday Kitchen. And then Ill meet some quite famous faces sometimes, get back to the pub [near his home in Monmouthshire], and nobody gives a monkeys! They really dont care, and its great, he told The Independent last year.

Tebbutt ran and owned The Foxhunter until 2014, when he decided to switch focus to his television career.

From kitchen to camera

(Matt Tebbutt via Instagram)

After guest-presenting on Saturday Kitchen in 2009, standing in for James Martin, Tebbutt eventually took over the mantle permanently in 2016.

His screen presence extends well beyond Saturdays. He co-presents Food Unwrapped on Channel 4 and has appeared on Market Kitchen, Drop Down Menu, Great British Menu and Save Money: Good Food. In lockdown, he hosted Daily Kitchen Live, offering practical cooking advice to families in need, alongside anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe.

In addition to his TV work, Tebbutt has authored several cookbooks. His 2008 debut, Cooks Country: Modern British Rural Cooking, was followed by Guilty Pleasures, in 2013, Weekend in 2021, and, most recently, Matt Tebbutts Pub Food in August 2024  an ode to pub-style cuisine, grounded in his years running the Foxhunter.

Matt Tebbutt will join Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti on MasterChef: The Professionals (BBC/PA)

Off-camera, Tebbutt still lives in Monmouthshire with his wife Lisa and their two children, Jessie and Henry, who are both in their 20s. Hes described his daughter as a keen cook. My daughter is 21 and she loves cooking, he told the Independent in 2023. Shes like me  shell wake up in the morning thinking: What am I going to have for lunch? and then shell think: Where am I going to go for dinner? She loves food, she loves cooking.

However, Jessie apparently refuses to take her fathers culinary advice. My daughter wont be told anything  fair enough, Tebbutt said in the same interview. And my son  embarrassingly or not, I dont know  he wanted to go on a cookery course as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Award, so we sent him away for five days. I was like  I could have told you this!

A pub-loving family man may be exactly what MasterChef needs. Tebbutt will join the chefs Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti for the 18th series of MasterChef: The Professionals, with a transmission date yet to be confirmed.
Migrants sit on a dinghy as they wait to cross the English Channel from France - Getty/Carl Court

The number of migrants crossing the Channel this year has topped 30,000 in record time, Home Office figures show.

As many as 1,097 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 dinghies on Saturday, the highest daily number for four months and bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100.

In her first public statement on the crisis since becoming Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood said the numbers were utterly unacceptable, adding that she expected the first deportations of Channel migrants under the new one-in, one-out deal with France to take place imminently.

These small-boat crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people-smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders, she said.

Thanks to our deal with France, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France and I expect the first returns to take place imminently.

Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.

The 30,100 crossings are up 37 per cent on this point last year (22,028) and 37 per cent higher than at this stage in 2023 (21,918).

It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since the first arrivals were recorded in 2018. Last year, the figure was not passed until Oct 30 and in 2023 it was never reached as crossings totalled 29,437 for the whole year.

In 2022, the previous record year with a total of 45,755 crossings by the end of December, the number was reached on Sept 21.

It was confirmed on Sunday that Ms Mahmood will shortly unveil plans to move asylum seekers from hotels into prefabricated buildings on military and industrial sites as Sir Keir Starmer seeks to toughen the Governments approach to illegal migration.

Ms Mahmood will this week also host the so-called five eyes security alliance for talks on tackling people smuggling in her first major engagement as Home Secretary. She said the intelligence-sharing group would agree new measures to protect our border.

She will meet Kristi Noem, US homeland security secretary; Gary Anandasangaree, Canadian public safety minister; Tony Burke, Australian home affairs minister; and Judith Collins, New Zealand attorney-general.

Shabana Mahmood is set to announce the use of Ministry of Defence sites for migrant accommodation - James Manning/PA

The group will also discuss new measures to tackle child sexual abuse online, as well as the spread of deadly synthetic opioids, the Home Office said.

We have already reset our relationship with the EU, struck a people-smuggling deal with the G7 and operationalised a first-of its-kind returns agreement with France. We will agree new measures to protect our borders with our five eyes partners, hitting people-smugglers hard, she said.

It comes as a policing chief admitted Frances efforts to stop the migrant boats are dysfunctional in face of extreme violence orchestrated by people-smuggling gangs.
The NHS has issued a warning over an apparent rise in short men travelling abroad for leg lengthening surgeries to become taller.

The procedure breaks the leg bones and mechanically pulls them apart to elongate the femur or tibia over several weeks.

Invented in the Soviet Union in the 1950s, the method was used to treat people with deformities and injuries, but it is now being offered privately for cosmetic purposes.

Clinics in Turkey offer the procedure for about 24,000 and claim it can add up to three inches to a persons height per bone operated on.

The operation involves sawing through bone, inserting titanium pins, and cranking them apart one millimetre at a time over several months.

It requires several months of recovery, is immensely painful and can result in side effects such as tightened muscles, shortened Achilles tendons, blood clots and infection.

Anecdotal evidence suggests this is becoming more common as people, mostly men, seek ways of becoming taller.

0609 Leg Extension

NHS doctors are now urging people to reconsider undergoing such traumatic treatment for aesthetic purposes.

Prof Tim Briggs, NHS Englands national director for clinical improvement and elective recovery, told The Telegraph: Leg lengthening surgery is not a quick fix  it is a serious, invasive procedure that can be beneficial for patients when there is a genuine clinical need but carries significant risks and requires informed discussions between patient and surgeon.

Patients face months of treatment, which can be extremely painful, with the possibility of infection, nerve damage, blood clots and even permanent disability.

Anyone considering this surgery for cosmetic reasons abroad should think very carefully about the long recovery and the risks, and I would urge against it unless well informed about where they are seeking treatment.

Dont gamble with your health or your life for a few extra inches without fully understanding the risks.

Cosmetic limb lengthening becoming more mainstream

Leg lengthening surgery to make men taller is becoming more mainstream and acceptable as men are now more comfortable with cosmetic treatments, such as Botox injections and hair transplants.

Limb lengthening for cosmetic reasons is not available on the NHS and private options can cost as much as 240,000, with many Britons choosing to travel to Turkey for a cheaper option.

The operation was featured in the recent film Materialists, where Pedro Pascals character Harry was considered the perfect man and dubbed a unicorn in the dating pool, with his six-foot height being a significant factor.

But this is only the case because the character underwent limb lengthening surgery to go from 5ft 6in to 6ft. The operation was discovered after telltale scars were spotted on his legs.

Men in the real world often feel the same, with patients saying taller people have an innate advantage in society and often have an easier time.

But medical experts are urging people to place their health above their insecurities. The operation is major and requires people to relearn how to walk and endure months of constant, extreme pain.

And the NHS is often left to pick up the bill for patients who come home to Britain after going abroad for the treatment.

The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London is the nations foremost bone clinic and does limb lengthening for medical reasons, such as people with serious injuries or birth defects.

But they see many patients who need care due to botched operations abroad, which has a very real cost, a study found.
Democratic New York mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani (left) co-hosts the town hall event with US Senator Bernie Sanders. Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/EPA

Zohran Mamdani, the New York City mayoral frontrunner and Democratic nominee, joined the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders in a rousing town hall in Brooklyn on Saturday evening where the two addressed the growing threat of oligarchic control across the US and how to fight it.

The event, held at Sanders alma mater Brooklyn College, drew an audience of about 1,700 people. Mamdani and Sanders co-hosted the town hall as part of Sanders Fighting Oligarchy tour, which has included rallies in 20 states. Throughout the tour, the senator has been actively supporting and recruiting progressive candidates to run for office.

Related: A roadmap to beat Trump? How rise of Zohran Mamdani is dividing Democrats

Speaking to the Guardian before the event, AjiFanta Marenah, vice-president of the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, said Zohran resonates with us because the policies hes fighting for directly impact our communities.

We want a government that represents working people, low-income people. A government thats going to fight for housing, justice and immigration  We dont want a mayor thats only going to work to represent billionaires.

Inside the auditorium, Mamdani and Sanders were met with thunderous applause as they walked on stage, with students and older people alike standing and cheering. Mamdani opened his address by condemning the City University of New Yorks decision to dismiss four professors, who said they were fired for their anti-war Palestinian solidarity. Immediately, the crowd began an energized chant: Free, free Palestine!

Mamdani, who has been backed by a slew of celebrities and lawmakers including Cynthia Nixon and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, went on to push back against capitalistic greed, saying New York City is not for sale to Donald Trumps billionaires  not for sale to corporations, it is not for sale to corrupt politicians as the crowd erupted into applause.

He condemned what he called a nationwide attack on working people. This is a fight where we make clear that this is a city where we will choose our name, Mamdani said, before turning to Sanders and saying: It is an honor to be here alongside an icon of our struggle.

The 33-year-old Democratic socialist, who has been highly favored by progressives, has been a thorn in the side of the citys billionaires as he vows to freeze rent prices, increase housing and raise taxes for New Yorks richest 1%.

Echoing similar sentiments, Sanders hailed Mamdanis campaign: It is not ugly 30-second TV ads. It is a grassroots movement. He called the campaign a test case of whether democracy is still able to prevail as he pointed to billionaire donors and tech and media oligarchs who have allied with Trump, including Bill Ackman, Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch and Elon Musk.

What you are seeing now is an oligarchy with enormous economic power and political power in both political parties [and] they are afraid of Mr Mamdani becoming an example of what can happen all over the country  They are scared to death, Sanders said to rousing applause.

What we are here tonight to say is, to hell with you. We are going to take you on! he continued, bringing the crowd to its feet.

The senator also pointed to the fairly muted response from mainstream and centrist Democrats, including those of New York state, who have been slow to embrace Mamdani and his progressive policies.

I find it hard to understand how the major Democratic leaders of New York state are not supporting the Democratic candidate, Sanders said. If a candidate started at 2% in the polls, gets 50,000 volunteers, creates enormous excitement, gets young people involved in the political process, gets nontraditional voters to vote, Democratic leaders would be jumping up and down!

Weve got another fight on our hands, which is the future of the Democratic party, Sanders added, as business owners and wealthy donors across New York City rally to fundraise against Mamdani and in support of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo and current New York City mayor Adams, two Democrat turned independent candidates.

Mamdani and Sanders took a handful of questions from the crowd, including one on how Mamdani plans to defend immigrant communities who have come under attack by the Trump administration.

One of the key things that we can do here in New York City is to actually start to provide legal representation to New Yorkers in detention, said Mamdani, who moved to the US as a child from Uganda where he was born to parents of Indian descent. To increase funding by tens of millions of dollars, to scale up this program such that we do everything in our power to ensure that immigrant New Yorkers are not living in fear.

Sanders chimed in, calling the masked raids by federal agents in migrant communities unspeakable and disgusting.

With growing concerns over Trumps threat to deploy national guard troops to New York City, Mamdani replied to a question on what he would do should such deployment happen: The first thing is we have to prepare for the inevitability of that deployment, We cannot try and convince ourselves that because something is illegal, Donald Trump will not do it.

Related: Bernie Sanders demands that RFK Jr step down as health secretary

Partnership is critically important in fighting back against Donald Trump. Can you imagine Andrew Cuomo working together with [New York attorney general Letitia] James to  fight back against the deployment? Why would he fight back when its Donald Trump trying to get him elected right now?

Saturdays event followed shortly after New York City mayor Eric Adams reaffirmed his plan to remain in the closely watched mayoral race. Adams decision came despite reports that Trump has been allegedly encouraging him to drop out of the race in order to help Cuomo beat Mamdani.

Mamdani emphasized the need to mobilize ahead of Novembers elections, saying he aims to scale up the record-breaking 52,000 volunteers who rallied behind his campaign during the primaries to 90,000 volunteers this fall.

As Mamdani and Sanders prepared to head off stage, Sanders addressed the crowd one last time, pointing to the American oligarchy and saying: They have wealth. They have the power. You know what we got? We have the people.
Ray Winstone has said it was a no-brainer to participate in a live sculpting event in support of a veterans charity.

Royal sculptor Frances Segelman created a bust of the English actor, 68, best known for The Departed, King Of Thieves and Sexy Beast, at an event held in London on Sunday for Blesma, a military charity that supports limbless veterans.

Winstone described the event as an honour, adding that his participation was not about supporting a war but about supporting our kids.

Speaking about the charity and what it meant to the actor, Winstone told the PA news agency: Everything really, I went out to Camp Bastion back in the day when the troops were out there.

I had friends who were serving there and I got cleared by the MoD (Ministry of Defence) to go, but they cant insure you. They cant cover you with insurance, but you still go anyway.

I came back on a flight with the injured people that lost limbs, had shrapnel damage, gunshot wounds and I went to the hospitals in Birmingham and visited and then on to the rehabilitation centres.

Actor Ray Winstone during the event at The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea Barracks in London (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

Winstone described a project that encouraged people from the rehabilitation centres into theatre by putting on a play that was written and performed by those who were injured as a way to help them gain their confidence back again.

He said: Its difficult enough to walk into a strange room on your own, youve got to stick your chest out and front it, but when youve lost your legs or arm or part of your face its very difficult to do, but we found that through the arts, through theatre, that these people grew.

Actor Ray Winstone during the live sculpting (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

When this came up, I thought it was the real proper thing to do, to amalgamate the two together, because its about art.

Were doing something with ex-soldiers, ex-soldiers that have been injured and bringing them in and bringing them back to society through the arts. And its amazing how that kind of works.

So this was a no-brainer for me.

A lot of the kids that join the forces, whether theyre from London, Coventry, Durham, wherever in the country, join because they havent got a job. They want to learn. They want a career.

Then all of a sudden, the f****** war comes. These kids are in the middle of a warzone. Its not about supporting a war but supporting our kids.

Held at The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea Barracks, the live sculpting event comes after Segelman created a bust of Dame Judi Dench to celebrate the actresss 90th birthday.

Ray Winstone with sculptor Frances Segelman (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

Sculptor Segelman, who has created busts of members of the royal family as well as figures from across industries including theatre, music, sport, politics and business, is able to create a sculpture in just two hours.

Winstone said: Its quite an honour, especially with Frances doing it.

Im a bit out of my league here. But its amazing, the speed she actually works in.

Speaking about the live sculpting method, Segelman said she is able to work faster with more people in the audience watching her.

She told PA: I have to concentrate, and the more noise, the more focused I get. And also, it gives me a buzz.

Its for a wonderful cause. I think its just an amazing cause.

Im so glad to be doing something for them.
Reform UK has been criticised for allowing a vaccine sceptic cardiologist to address its conference, where he claimed Covid vaccines may have caused the King and Princess of Wales's cancer.

Health secretary Wes Streeting said it was "irresponsible" of the party to allow Dr Aseem Malhotra to speak from the stage in Birmingham, where he made a series of claims about the pharmaceutical industry, politicians and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday.

Dr Malhotra, who described himself as a friend of controversial US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, said hundreds of studies showed the harms of mRNA vaccines and that they were interfering with genes.

Dr Aseem Malhotra made a series of claims about the pharmaceutical industry, politicians and the World Health Organisation at the Reform conference (Getty)

"It may be a risk factor for cancer," Dr Malhotra told the event at a talk titled Make Britain Healthy Again at the NEC.

He said: "Many other doctors feel the same way", adding: "It's highly likely that the Covid vaccines have been a factor, a significant factor, in the cancer of members of the royal family."

Mr Streeting said: "When we are seeing falling numbers of parents getting their children vaccinated, and a resurgence of disease we had previously eradicated, it is shockingly irresponsible for Nigel Farage to give a platform to these poisonous lies.

"Farage should apologise and sever all ties with this dangerous extremism."

Medical experts also criticised Dr Malhotra. Brian Ferguson, professor of viral immunology at the University of Cambridge, said the speaker had indulged in "meaningless pseudoscience".

Health secretary Wes Streeting hit out at the party after the doctors remarks (PA)

The link between the Covid jab and cancer has previously been dismissed by academics and oncologists after claims it had led to "turbo cancers".

Prof Ferguson said: "There is no credible evidence that these vaccines disrupt tumour suppressors or drive any kind of process  biochemical or otherwise  that results in cancer.

"It is particularly crass to try to link this pseudoscience to the unfortunate incidents of cancer in the royal family and is reminiscent of the 'died suddenly' trope which attempted and ultimately failed to link the death of any young person to their vaccination status.

"This kind of outlandish conspiracy theory only serves to undermine the credibility of those spreading it."

During his 15-minute speech on the final day of Reform's conference, Dr Malhotra also said taking the Covid vaccine was more likely to cause harm than the virus itself.

He said: "What does that mean? It is highly likely that not a single person should have been injected with this. Nobody is immune to medical misinformation.

He went on to say the World Health Organisation had been "captured" by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and urged for it to be replaced.

Nigel Farage led Reforms party conference over the weekend (PA Wire)

A separate fringe event at the conference on Saturday, also featuring Dr Malhotra, on behalf of the organisation The Together Association, said the UK should "leave" the WHO.

He hit out at health minister Stephen Kinnock, who had criticised Dr Malhotra in advance of his speech, calling him an "anti-vax conspiracy theorist".

On the stage, he asked the audience: "Have you heard anything anti-vax or conspiracy theory so far here?"

He continued: "What do we do about this? I think it's time to just say no, to all drugs that are being proved, unless they are independently evaluated. Everybody just needs to say no.

"Over the last few years, it's very clear that, with the evidence, the drug industry are responsible for probably killing millions of people.

"The Covid vaccine, if one in 800 is a figure of serious harm, and you translate across the world from the best quality of evidence, then it means the Covid mRNA jabs have likely killed or seriously harmed millions of people across the world."

Prof Ferguson said: "There are repetitions of often-used anti-vax tropes that have been extensively disproven."

He said it was untrue that the drug industry, or Covid jabs were responsible for killing millions.

"There are numerous, high-quality studies that prove the Covid vaccines, including mRNA vaccines, saved millions of lives, he added.

"Evidence that mRNA vaccines have done more harm than good just does not exist and claims that they did do not stand up to scrutiny."

Penny Ward, visiting professor in pharmaceutical medicine at Kings College London, said: "Dr Malhotra has provided his own interpretation of scientific evidence on Covid vaccines, but his view is not shared by the majority of medical practitioners."

She said the WHO is staffed by clinical and scientific experts who "take very seriously their responsibilities to ensure the quality of information reviewed and advice given meets the highest ethical and scientific standards".

"It is profoundly to be hoped that the Reform Party will do the same should they in future become responsible for the management of the nation's health, she added.

A Reform spokesperson said: "Dr Aseem Malhotra is a guest speaker with his own opinions who has an advisory role in the US government. Reform UK does not endorse what he said, but does believe in free speech."
Russia launched its largest aerial attack since the beginning of the war, killing four people across the country and striking a key government building in Kyiv for the first time.

Smoke could be seen rising from the building, which is the home of the countrys cabinet and ministers, with the area cordoned off as fire engines and ambulances attended.

The attack on the Ukrainian capital killed four people and wounded 20 others, according to city officials.

Those killed were a mother and her three-month-old child, whose bodies were dug out of the rubble, Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyivs city administration, said.

Vladimir Putins forces had launched 810 drones and decoys, with Ukraines air force stating that it had shot down 747 drones and four missiles.

A woman reacts outside a damaged building in Kyiv (AP)

The strike on an official government building marks an escalation in Russias air campaign, which has so far spared such buildings in the city centre.

Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Putin to negotiate a peace agreement, and has urged US president Donald Trump to impose punishing sanctions on Russia to push it to end the war.

The New York Post reported Mr Trump confirmed on Sunday that he is ready to push ahead with fresh restrictions on the country.

He was asked by reporters whether he was ready to move to the second stage of sanctions against Russia, and he replied yes - but did not specify what this would mean in practice.

Yuriy Ihnat, an air force spokesperson, confirmed to AP that Sundays attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Overall, Mr Zelensky said four people were killed and 44 wounded and called for sanctions on Russia and for strengthening Ukraines air defences.

Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war, he said.

The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed.

An explosion of a missile lights up the sky during a Russian strike in Kyiv (Reuters)

He said he had spoken on the phone with French president Emmanuel Macron about the attack.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Macron accused Russia of striking indiscriminately and said Moscow is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer also condemned the attack, saying: These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace.

Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty.

Direct drone hits struck a nine-storey residential building in Kyivs Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-storey residential building in Darnytskyi district.

Emergency workers extinguish a fire in a Kyiv apartment building (Reuters)

I just have no more words left to express what I feel towards Russia, said Olha, a 77-year-old Kyiv resident whose apartment was damaged. She did not give her last name.

Although Im an ethnic Russian myself, from outside Moscow, Ive never thought my people would be capable of this.

Ukraines prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted a video of herself inside the damaged government building, where she said a fire covering 800 square metres was put out.

For the first time since the start of full-scale invasion, Russians struck our government headquarters in the centre of Kyiv, she said.

It looks like Russia is not seeking peace and is not ready for negotiations. We call our partners to help close our sky. Lets strengthen sanctions against Russia. Lets create the security guarantees system that will help stop the enemy, she said.

Rescue personnel working to extinguish a fire at the Ukrainian government building in Kyiv (Ukrainian prime ministers official Telegram channel)

The Russian defence ministry said on Sunday that it used high-precision weapons and drones to strike drone assembly and storage sites, military air bases in central, southern and eastern Ukraine, an industrial facility and a logistics facility on the outskirts of Kyiv.

The ministry said that all designated objects were hit and said that no strikes were carried out on other objects within the borders of Kyiv, in what could be a reference to the damaged government building.

Sundays attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv within two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane.

It comes after European leaders pressed Putin to work to end the war after 26 of Ukraines allies pledged to deploy troops as a reassurance force for the war-torn country once the fighting ends.

Keir Starmer has condemned the latest aerial attack (AP)

Moscow has repeatedly objected to any Western troop deployments to Ukraine and pushed back against a Putin-Zelensky summit, saying lower-level talks must take place first.

Russias defence ministry said its air defences intercepted a total of 100 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Azov Sea between 8pm on Saturday and 6.30am on Sunday.

Most were downed over the Belgorod, Voronezh and Krasnodar regions near the border with Ukraine, according to the statement.

In the Krasnodar region, falling drone debris sparked a brief fire at an oil refinery, local authorities said.

The Russian defence ministry also said on Sunday that its troops had seized the village of Khoroshe in the Dnipropetrovsk region. There was no immediate confirmation from Ukraine.
The new Skoda Epiq should cost around 26,000 when it goes on sale next year (Skoda)

Skoda is back with a bang in the small SUV space  and its gone electric. The new Epiq show car previews what will become the Czech brands most affordable EV to date, promising funky looks, clever packaging and a range of up to 264 miles  all for around 26,000 when it launches in 2026.

The Epiq is Skodas first car to fully embrace the brands Modern Solid design philosophy, delivering a bold, boxy shape that  in profile  is more than a little reminiscent of the much-loved Skoda Yeti. Measuring just over 4.1 metres in length, the Epiq is compact on the outside but promises to be seriously roomy inside, with space for five and a decent 475-litre boot.

The boxy proportions of the Skoda Epiq are similar to the legendary Skoda Yeti small SUV (Skoda)

At its core, the Epiq is designed to be a practical, no-nonsense urban SUV  but one thats fully electric and future-facing. It made its debut at the Volkswagen Group media workshop ahead of the Munich Motor Show, joining other small EVs from VW and Cupra as part of the Groups new Electric Urban Car Family.

Although its labelled a show car for now, Skoda says the production version of the Epiq will remain close to whats been revealed. Its built on the same all-electric platform as the Volkswagen ID.2 and Cupra Raval and is expected to feature front-wheel drive and a usable range of around 264 miles on a single charge  plenty for a weeks worth of commuting for most people or a weekend away.

But its the price thats arguably the most eye-catching. Skoda is targeting a starting figure close to that of its petrol-powered Kamiq, meaning around 26,000 in the UK. That would place it among the most affordable electric SUVs on the market  and give it a unique edge with that Yeti-style upright stance and trademark Simply Clever storage solutions.

The new Epiq is the first Skoda to fully embrace the company's Modern Solid design language (Skoda)

From the outside, the Epiq sets a new tone for Skoda design. Theres no traditional grille  instead, a black Tech-Deck Face flanked by distinctive T-shaped LED lights dominates the front end.

A pronounced tornado line runs down the flanks, visually separating the glassy upper cabin from the chunkier body below and giving the car a confident, planted stance. A robust front bumper, matt Cashmere paint and grey accents finish off the rugged aesthetic.

Inside, its all about functionality. The minimalist interior houses plenty of traditional Skoda Simply Clever touches, including wireless phone charging, configurable compartments, physical buttons, haptic scroll wheels and loads of family-friendly storage. The brands Mobile First approach is evident throughout, with a stripped-back digital experience that still feels intuitive and connected.

When production begins in 2026, the Skoda Epiq will be manufactured at Volkswagens Navarra plant in Spain, alongside its VW and Cupra siblings. Its all part of the wider Group strategy to bring affordable EVs to the masses  what VW calls the democratisation of e-mobility.

Skodas take will appeal to buyers looking for something both functional and characterful  and with prices likely to start around 26k, it sits right in the target market where a modern-day Skoda Yeti would sit. The Epiq should go on sale in the UK towards the end of 2026.
Nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia since Vladimir Putins invasion in 2022, and subjected to military training, sexual violence and detention in camps, according to a new report.

The report, based on 200 documented cases of recently returned children and young people, found that 41 per cent were forced to take part in weapons training or join paramilitary youth movements such as Yunarmiya.

Another 39 per cent experienced forced displacement to far-flung locations in Russia, Crimea or Belarus, with 17 per cent detained in filtration camps or police stations and 10 per cent subjected to torture or cruel treatment.

Evidence compiled by War Child UK and Save Ukraine has found that Putins most likely long-term goal is to encourage or coerce Ukrainian children into their armed forces, and to participate in combat against their own country.

Young children have been transferred to recreation camps or fostered by Russian families (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The Foreign Office announced on Wednesday that eight individuals and three organisations would be sanctioned over their involvement in the deportations, described by the then foreign secretary David Lammy as despicable.

Speaking to psychologists, six per cent of children reported experiencing or witnessing conflict-related sexual violence, while included threats of rape, forced undressing and testimonies that minor girls have been raped by supervisors in camps.

For 17-year-old Kseniia, the Russian occupation of her hometown Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region meant that she and her 10-year-old brother Serhii were forced to be separated for the first time.

Both orphans, Serhii was taken to the Medvezhonok childrens camp in Russia, while Kseniia was pressured into attending a state-mandated trade school in a border town.

Her lessons were designed to erase Ukrainian identity, while her brother was eventually placed with a Russian foster family who informed him that his country had been destroyed, and that his sister had abandoned him.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has increased the budget for patriotic education from $50m to $459m in the last two years (AP)

Similar to the experiences of other Ukrainian children, he was bullied and humiliated by teachers in school, and gradually stopped sending desperate messages begging for help to Kseniia.

Every Monday, we would have mandatory lessons and sing the Russian national anthem, I didnt want to sing it, she told The Independent. After this anthem, they would also lift the flag and it would be a big ceremony and we would have lessons about telling us Russia is the best country in the world, its a paradise on earth.

Russia was good, Ukraine was bad, if they hadnt attacked Ukraine would have attacked Russia, Ukrainians were planning it, that all of this is orchestrated by the West and Russia is fighting the West.

The report has found that 55 per cent of abducted children were subjected to pro-Russian indoctrination, including bans on the Ukrainian language and revised history lessons.

In several cases, children have been offered better grades or manipulated into believing they are less likely to receive military draft papers if they join paramilitary groups.

Families have been tricked into allowing their children to attend summer camps - only for them to be subjected to intense military training at one of the 200 camps researchers have identified as holding Ukrainian children.

One 16-year-old girl said: Every day felt like we were being shaped into something we werent. They didnt treat us like kids. They wanted us to behave like their soldiers.

Firefighters working at the site of car garages hit by a Russian drone strike near Kyiv (Emergency Service of Ukraine)

After initially refusing to allow her children to join Russian schools, one anonymous mother was left terrified after Putins troops began punishing families who did not obey.

She said: In our village school, the Russians set up a real torture chamber: a pit, rods, chains, electric shocks. After the torture, people were brought to the hospital barely alive.

The deportation, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children is now believed to be the largest campaign of child rights violations in Europe since the end of the Yugoslav wars.

After several months of being held in Russia, Kseniia was eventually able to track down her brother with Save Ukraines help, but found him terrified at the prospect of returning alongside her.

I cant go with you, he had told her. "They told me Ukraine is destroyed. That Ill be left to starve. That you dont really want me.

He was eventually persuaded, with the siblings travelling for several tense days in May 2023 to return to Ukraine, where they have now started to rebuild their lives.

However, tens of thousands of children remain under Russian control which seen many of them issued draft papers to join the military.

Areas near the frontline such as Donetsk in the Donbas region have been heavily damaged over the course of the war (National Guard of Ukraine)

While the Ukrainian government has confirmed 19,546 cases of forcible transfers, data from Yale University believes the real figure to be around 35,000.

Kseniia added: My life turned upside down is how I would described it. It ended up not the way I planned or dreamed, I never thought I would live in Kyiv. Save Ukraine inspired me to become a journalist and now Im studying.

With my story I want to share the experience I had and be the voice of those who are still stuck in Russia, and to people who dont know what is happening to Ukrainian kids. I feel strong now and Im a fighter but there are other kids who are more vulnerable. Some people dont have enough strength to fight until the end, Im sad about the fact that Russia is abusing these kids, especially young boys training them to be soldiers.

Helen Pattinson, CEO of War Child UK said: Protecting children in conflict is not optional; it is a fundamental obligation under international law. At War Child, we work to defend the rights of all children caught in conflict.

Its a terrifying experience for a child to be separated from their families, let alone be stolen by another state. The world cannot look away. Were calling for immediate and impactful action from world leaders to return these children to their homes as the absolute bare minimum.

Kseniia is now living in Kyiv and is hoping to spread awareness of what is happening to abducted Ukrainian children (Save Ukraine)

With Putin increasing the budget for patriotic education from $50m in 2022 to $459m in 2025, the NGO Save Ukraine, charity War Child and think-tank Human Security Centre have warned that Ukrainian children are being deliberately targeted.

Mykola Kuleba, CEO of Save Ukraine added: Save Ukraine has already rescued more than 800 children from Russia and the occupied territories. In each childs eyes, we see fear; in their voices we hear stories of being forced into military camps, punished for speaking Ukrainian or showing any trace of their heritage, and subjected to relentless psychological and physical abuse.

Their very identities are being systematically erased in order to turn them into 'Russian children'. Boys as young as 18 years old are being coerced into fighting for the Russian army and killed in combat.

These are not isolated cases. 1.6 million Ukrainian children are being held as hostages in Russia and occupied territories. We must stand together and demand with one voice: Help us let our children go.

Nathaniel Raymond, Executive Director at Humanitarian Research Lab continued: "This report is critical to understanding Russia's widespread and illegal militarization, indoctrination, and abuse of Ukraine's children.

The testimonials in this report not only raise the voices of these specific children, but the thousands of other children still held by Russia. This report emphasizes the urgent need for Ukraine's children to be returned as a precondition to any end-of-war negotiations."
Unions are urging the Government not to water down its flagship Bill on workers rights following ministerial changes in recent days, saying people expected Labour to deliver on the promises it made during the general election.

The Employment Rights Bill, which is in its final parliamentary stages, was championed by former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and former employment rights minister Justin Madders.

Both have left the posts they were in as the legislation was taken through the Commons, which has raised concerns among some union leaders.

Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, said on Sunday he had seen no evidence that the Bill was going to be watered down.

Ahead of the opening day of the TUC Congress in Brighton, he said: The Government must, and should, deliver on the promises it gave to the British people last July.

The Bill will level the playing field  extending the standards already set by the best employers, working with unions, to millions more.

It will stop good businesses being undercut by the cowboys and it will help build a modern economy that raises pay, boosts productivity and improves well-being.

Tory and Lib Dem peers are desperately trying to water this Bill down.

Weve got the shameful sight of hereditary peers blocking carers and cleaners from getting fair treatment at work. This isnt the 1800s. Its 2025.

My message to these blockers is simple: get out of the way. Youre lucky enough not to face financial disaster if you take a day off sick.

Youre lucky enough not to have to face abusive customers.

Youre lucky enough not to worry about paying the bills if your boss cuts your shift with no notice.

Millions of workers arent that lucky and working people have waited long enough for change.

The Employment Rights Bill is a vital first step in tipping the balance back toward workers.

So today, my message to all parliamentarians is simple: do the right thing. Listen to the public, stand with working people, deliver the Bill in full.

The TUC published new analysis which showed that four million people are in insecure work in the UK, such as those on zero-hours contracts, agency, casual and seasonal workers and the low-paid self-employed who miss out on key rights and protections.

The TUC said insecure work exploded under the Conservative government, increasing by 800,000 from 2011 to 2024.

Asked about the Bill on Sky News, Defence Secretary John Healey said: Im really confident that well deliver what we promised in the manifesto, the biggest upgrade of workers rights for a generation.

The Bills been set out.

Unite said that under new provisions, local government and public sector employers could fire and rehire workers.

General secretary Sharon Graham said: Labours promise to ban fire and rehire is now a burnt-out shell. By amending the Employment Relations Bill to allow councils to use fire and rehire, has them given them the green light to push down workers pay to cut debt. Yet again workers pay the price.

This along with the Governments reshuffle, taking out all ministers who have worked with unions on the Bill, signals a move in the wrong direction. Workers will feel duped when they realise the Bill is a paper tiger.
FREDERICKSBURG, Texas  A nearly $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot finally found winners during Saturday nights draw, the Multi-State Lottery Association said.

The jackpot winners hailed from Texas and Missouri, resulting in a two-way split of a $1.787 billion jackpot, the association said in a statement late Saturday.

Winners will be able to choose one of two ways to claim their half of the jackpot: an annuitized prize of $893.5 million or a lump-sum payment of $410.3 million. The annuitized prize would come in 30 payments over a 29-year span.

The winning ticket in Texas was sold at a gas station convenience store, Bigs 103, in Fredericksburg, according to the Texas Lottery. Fredericksburg is located in the Hill Country, about 35 miles northeast of Kerrville, the small city that was hit especially hard during devastating flooding that killed more than 100 people statewide in July.

Bigs 103 manager, Melanie Carter, said she learned of the stores role in the Powerball jackpot early Sunday when employees reached out to her with the news.

Were a new store, she said, so we never would have expected it to be us.

Like some of her customers, she hopes the winner is a local.

We see people from all over, so theres no telling who won, Carter said. But I do hope it was a local and I do hope it was somebody that needed it. Its a blessing whoever won.

Customer Carson McCoy said hes from flood-devastated Kerrville and has similar hopes for the Texas winner.

We need all the help we can get over there, he said during a break from working with sheep. Its a lot of money you can do some good with.

The Texas Lottery said in a statement the store is eligible to receive $250,000 for selling the co-winning ticket. It was unclear where the winning ticket in Missouri was sold, and the identities of the winners have not been released.

Saturdays drawing was for the second largest in Powerball history, lottery officials said.

It was also "the largest prize involving a Texas Lottery player, the Texas Lottery said.

The jackpot had grown because there were no winners since May 31. The only jackpot worth more than Saturday's was the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in California on Nov. 7, 2022, they said.

The winning numbers Saturday were 11, 23, 44, 61, 62 and Powerball 17.

Dennis Romero reported from San Diego and Ryan Chandler from Fredericksburg.
Getty Images / InStyle

As fashion editors, one thing thats a non-negotiable for us is a good pair of jeans. And with so many options on the marketdifferent cuts, washes, and risesits important to stay on top of what kinds of denim are trending. In the last few years, its been all about wide-leg, baggy, and most recently, low-rise styles. But one fit that never really goes out of style (and one that everyone should own) is a pair of high-waisted jeans.

High-waist, also known as high-rise, denim are jeans that sit above the natural waistlinetypically above the belly button. This style is one of the most flattering types of jeans for three reasons: they create a natural hourglass silhouette, they can also make legs appear longer, and they provide extra support over the stomach area. High-waisted jeans have always been a go-to because of how versatile they are. Not to mention, you can wear them year-roundespecially during the fall season.

Since the styling possibilities are truly endless, we've rounded up 13 of our favorite ways to wear high-waisted jeans below.



01 of 13

With Voluminous Sleeves

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

The only thing we love more than a pair of fitted high-waisted jeans is one with a bit of bold volume to them. By having jeans that fasten high on the waist, you give your outfit a central focus point that anchors the volume of the legs. To balance the bagginess of the jeans, we recommend pairing them with an equally puffy top. These pieces together will create a head-turning outfit that'll make you stand out for all the right reasons.

02 of 13

With A Going-Out Top

Christian Vierig/Getty Images

High-waisted jeans can either be dressed up or down depending on how you style them. A simple way to make them evening-ready is by pairing them with a strapless going-out top. A tube top with a cut-out can create more visual interest in addition to a cool pair of dark-wash jeans with a double waist. Add a small buckle bag and your favorite strappy sandals and youll be ready to go.

03 of 13

With Pops of Color

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

High-waisted jeans serve as the perfect backdrop for bolder pieces. When the autumn season rolls around, it'll be hard to resist dressing in the colors of the fallen leaves, but a rich, bold pop of color, like the ravishing red coat above, will pair perfectly with the denim hues of your high-waisted jeans.

04 of 13

With A Suede Jacket

Christian Vierig/Getty Images

If you dont already own a suede jacket, hurry up and add one to your cart ASAP. One of this seasons biggest trends goes perfectly with a classic pair of high-waisted blue jeans. All you need to nail this is your favorite white t-shirt and cute accessories like silver statement earrings, sunglasses, and a roomy clutch.

05 of 13

With Some Sequins

Moritz Scholz/Getty Images

Our favorite part of the fall season is all the festivities that you can look forward to. Although, high-waisted jeans may seem like a casual item at first glance they're effortlessly easy to dress up for more formal affairs. Our recommendation? Sprinkle in some shiny sequins to your ensemble, like this embellished vest above, to take your high-waisted jeans to impossibly chic territory. Layer up as much or as little as you want but just keep the sparkle front and center.

06 of 13

With A Blazer

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

A black blazer and high-waisted jeans make for an outfit formula that you can always rely on. Our advice is to find a cinched-waist, tailored blazer to put even more emphasis on creating that beautiful hourglass silhouette. The top of your jeans and your blazers button should meet in the middle for optimal flattery.

07 of 13

With A Tweed Jacket

Valentina Frugiuele/Getty Images

If anyone can show you how to rock high-waisted jeans, its celebrity stylist Shiona Turini, the stylist behind some of Beyonces greatest looks. Turini was spotted at Milan Fashion Week wearing a pair of distressed wide-leg jeans. She paired them with a fuschia crop top with a multicolor tweed jacket on top. Turini made sure to add a black leather belt with gold hardware and a matching black clutch to complete her fashion show-ready look.

08 of 13

With A Matching Denim Top

Valentina Frugiuele/Getty Images

Denim on denim is always a good idea, in my view. One way to make it look extra chic is by being super buttoned upliterally. A collared denim button-up or shacket will work best tucked into a pair of straight-leg jeans. Break it up by adding a brown leather belt in the middle of the outfit. Want to take it one step further? Throw a trench coat over your shoulders for maximum style.

09 of 13

With A Collared Shirt

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

A classic look that never goes out of styleand I mean neveris a crisp white button-down. Tucked into high-waisted ankle-cut jeans you have a perfectly polished everyday outfit. Styling with equally classic accessories like ballet slippers, a Hermes Kelly clutch, and a pearl necklace is a foolproof way to be as chic as Italian influencer Gabrielle Caunesil Pozzoli.

10 of 13

With Stilettos

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

Upgrade your high-waisted jeans with pointed-toe stilettos. This is another combination that should be filed under your go-to styles for when you want to appear a little more dressed up. And it really doesnt take much other than a white t-shirt, a leather blazer, and a belt to get the look. Swap your heels out for a pair of sneakers and this look would still work.

11 of 13

With A Crop Top

Christian Vierig/Getty Images

Say hello to crop tops because with high-waisted jeans youll want to wear them over and over. One of the reasons that high-rise denim is so great is because it gives you extra coverage over your mid-section. So if you thought you were someone who could never pull off a crop top, think again. Add a sharp heel and an on-trend vanity purse for peak coolness.

12 of 13

With a Cardigan Sweater

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

A cardigan sweater is everything youll need to create a great high-rise jeans outfit. Wed recommend a sumptuous cardigan in a neutral color to create a chic, effortless look. You can keep your cardigan buttoned up or opt for a wrapped look, like the outfit above, for extra style points.

13 of 13

With A Sleek Trench

Christian Vierig/Getty Images

Its important to invest in a good trench coat for fall and heres why: Not only can you wear it again and again, but it adds so much style to any outfit. Look for one in a deep color with a shiny liquid finish, like this burgundy version, for an eye-catching look. Pair it with high-waisted black jeans, and a bandeau top.

Read the original article on InStyle
Matt, Sam, Matilda and Debbi on one of their family road trips - Debbi Marco

With the drivers-side door mirror attached with gaffer tape, the electric window on the passenger side that never quite shut properly and the door seal which fell off every time anyone got in or out, you might think I would be desperate to upgrade my battered old Ford S-Max, but nothing was further from the truth.

With most British drivers owning their car for just over nine years, we were way above average as we had bought the car from a stereotypically seedy used-car dealer 15 years ago, when it was already five years old. My husband Matt and I were young, naive and hadnt done the basic checks on who we were giving our 8,000 to. Within two weeks of buying the S-Max, it sat on our driveway refusing to start and the dealer had mysteriously closed suddenly.

The nice man from the RAC cheerfully informed us the battery was way too small and was amazed wed got the engine started at all. After forking out for a battery of the correct size, we finally had a car we could actually drive.

Keeping in mind its less-than-auspicious beginnings, it should have been no surprise when my petrolhead brother-in-law noticed that the car had a slightly different coloured navy panel welded into the side, meaning it had been in an undeclared (to us, at least) accident.

By this point I just sighed and moved on: the S-Max, in a few short weeks, had become part of our family. It was flawed but it was ours.

Flawed but family-friendly

There was a lot that endeared it to us. It comfortably seated my now 14-year-old son, Sam, and my daughter Matilda, now 12, both with all their baby paraphernalia (then) and their long legs and many friends (now). All seven seats were in regular use.

Back then we thought nothing of packing the large boot with a supply of clothes, toys, scooters and buggies before heading for a day trip or on holidays abroad, with the navy blue, dented and scraped S-Max enduring endless snacking, the resulting crumbs and the inevitable bouts of travel sickness from our brood in the back.

Sam enjoys a sizeable snack - Debbi Marco

We made many visits to the Isle of Wight where my in-laws live, driving on to the ferry before tackling the narrow country lanes of the island. So its probably no surprise that when we drove too close to a hedge our door mirror was shorn clean off.

Benefits of owning a banger

But one of the benefits of having an old banger means that nothing can make it worse  not even a smashed mirror. Instead of paying the necessary 300 to fit a new one we spent a few pounds on a roll of gaffer tape which sorted the problem effortlessly, if not stylishly.

As the kids grew older, we ventured farther afield and took our S-Max on the ferry to rural France  where we had to deal with a puncture and replacement tyre  with Matt relying heavily on Google Translate to establish that France requires all four tyres to be the same brand, not just the same size as in the UK.

During an expensive pit stop in France, Debbi discovered that all of her tyres had to be from the same brand - Debbi Marco

Trapped in a lift

Undeterred, for our next holiday we drove to Holland where we spent an hour trapped underground in a car lift in Amsterdam with our S-Max wedged halfway between the underground car park and street level, while engineers worked desperately to free us. Eventually they managed to wedge open the lift doors as we climbed inelegantly out of the S-Maxs windows, to the applause of a handful of spectators who had gathered on the street. While no harm was done, it did leave me wary of lifts for quite a while.

The Ford S-Max trapped in a car lift in Amsterdam - Debbi Marco

As the S-Max grew older, it was less able to cope with the demands we placed on it. It suffered regularly with flat tyres, even when it had just been sitting on our driveway  although when the helpful guys at Kwik Fit sanded the rust off the wheel rims it stopped  but not before we had a 500 bill for four new tyres.

Overheating

The scariest incident came most recently when I was driving the kids along the M25 motorway to visit my parents and the car wouldnt exceed 40mph. It was terrifying.

When I reached my parents house, my dad promptly informed me the engine had overheated as the radiator cap had split and we were lucky the engine hadnt seized. A mere 3.50 and a top-up of water later, the S-Max was ready to go again. It really was the car that refused to die.

Darren, whose garage performed my cars annual MOT roadworthiness check, would always laugh as I bemoaned the Ford, promising me it had many years left in it.

The final curtain

But sadly that wasnt to be. When I returned home one Sunday afternoon, I discovered a huge dent along the drivers door and running into the rear door: clearly, a van had driven into the S-Max. With two doors damaged, it would cost more than 3,000 to repair the damage  and since our insurer valued the car at only 1,500, it was a write-off.

The dent that marked the end of the road for this much-loved family car - Debbi Marco

I felt strangely sad as I cleared the scratched CDs from the glove box and watched it being loaded on to a transporter before being driven to the scrapyard. We had had so many adventures in the old banger, good and bad, that it really was a part of our family.

Sad times, as the car is driven away to the scrapyard - Debbi Marco

Reasons for our attachment

It turns out Im not alone in becoming so attached to my dented old banger, as psychotherapist Kamalyn Kaur explains: Often its not the car people are getting attached to, its the feelings, memories and identity connected with the car.

For many people a car will have been with them through big milestones in life such as a promotion or driving back from a break-up with a partner, so its all wrapped up in the memories and emotions of a certain time or place. For other people it could be a reliable companion and a consistent space.

And it seems I was more connected to a battered old S-Max than I realised, because although my husband and I spent a few weeks discussing its replacement (a sexy new Volkswagen ID. Buzz perhaps, or a steady Skoda Kodiaq), in the end we knew what we needed.

So when my brother-in-law found an equally battered S-Max for just under 3,000 we knew we had to have it. While the parking camera flickers on and off, rendering it useless, the electric windows glide effortlessly up and down and I dont have to jam the door seal back on every time I get out. In many ways this one does feel like an upgrade. However, despite looking nearly identical, it didnt quite feel like ours.

But with a quick holiday to Belgium providing a fresh coating of dog hair and crumbs, along with some fresh dents and scrapes, it has quickly become our new family banger.

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.
Marc Brenner Billy Porter is withdrawing from Broadway's 'Cabaret' due to illness

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club is cutting its Broadway run short after star Billy Porter pulled out of the show to recover from sepsis.

The Tony Awardwinning revival of the classic John Kander and Fred Ebb musical will take its final bow at the August Wilson Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 21, wrapping up a run that spans 592 performances and 18 previews since beginning in April 2024. The production was originally slated to conclude on Oct. 19.

Porter, who has been starring as the Emcee since July 22, is recovering from a "serious case of sepsis," according to the musical's producers. "His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule," read a statement shared to the show's official Instagram page.

Mike Marsland/WireImage Billy Porter attends the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards

The post also announced that the role of the Emcee will be played in rotation by Marty Lauter and David Merino, the production's longtime alternates. The exact performance schedule for Lauter and Merino will be announced at a later date. Marisha Wallace, who joined the show with Porter in July after playing the Sally Bowles to his Emcee in the West End production in London, will remain with the show through closing.

"It is with a heavy heart that we have made the painful decision to end our Broadway run on Sept. 21," producer Adam Speers said in a statement. "On behalf of all the producers, we're so honored to have been able to bring this version of John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Joe Masteroff's important masterpiece, Cabaret, to New York and to have opened the doors to our own Kit Kat Club for the year and a half we have been here."

Speers continued, "Billy was an extraordinary Emcee, bringing his signature passion and remarkable talent. We wish Billy a speedy recovery, and I look forward to working with him again in the very near future."

News of Cabaret closing comes after the show's grosses recently entered a slump, with capacity falling to below 70 percent. This was especially dire considering the immersive production had a reported budget of $26 million, much of which was used to renovate the theater and create the Kit Kat Club ambience.

Marc Brenner Billy Porter in 'Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club'

The show opened with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin starring as the Emcee and Sally, before they turned the roles over to Adam Lambert and Auli'i Cravalho, then Orville Peck and Eva Noblezada. Cabaret earned nine nominations at the 77th Annual Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. It ultimately won the award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical.

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

In London, the Olivier Awardwinning West End production is continuing its run, now in its fourth year at the Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse. It currently stars Hannah Dodd and Rob Madge, but next month it will welcome Hadestown alums and real-life couple Reeve Carney and Noblezada into the lead roles.



Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
The Chicago area is bracing for additional immigration enforcement over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson pushed back against President Donald Trump Saturday after the president increased his threats to send in federal troops to the city with a social media meme.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump reshared an image that places him in front of Chicago that insinuated he was going to take action against the city, referencing his recent rebranding of the Pentagon the "Department of War."

Pritzker slammed Trump and said that the president threatened to go to war with the city by posting the memes.

Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during a press conference, Sept. 2, 2025, in Chicago.

Chicago braces for expanded ICE enforcement over the weekend

"This is not normal. Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois won't be intimidated by a wannabe dictator," Pritzker wrote in an X post.

Johnson echoed the governor's sentiment, saying the president's "threats are beneath the honor of our nation, but the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution."

"We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump," the mayor wrote in an X post.

A White House spokeswoman criticized the Illinois leaders in a statement, citing Chicago's murders during the Labor Day weekend.

Jim Vondruska/Reuters - PHOTO: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, in front of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, speaks during a press conference on reports of federal deployments in Chicago, September 2, 2025.

"Local Democrat leaders are more upset about a post from the President -- that tells you everything you need to know about the Democrats' twisted priorities," Abigail Jackson, White House spokeswoman, said in a statement to ABC News.

Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, told CNN on Sunday that there would be "action" in most sanctuary cities this week.

President Trump's prioritized sanctuary cities because sanctuary cities knowingly release illegal alien public safety threats to the streets every day. That's where the problem is," Homan said. "We don't have that problem in Florida, where every sheriff and chief works for us, right? Or Texas. So, we got to send additional resources to the problem areas, which are sanctuary cities."

On Sunday, ICE launched an immigration enforcement operation in Boston, dubbed Patriot 2.0. A DHS spokesperson told ABC News the operation is meant to target "the worst of the worst" in Massachusetts.

The back and forth between Trump and Chicago Democrats has increased over the last week as the president has vowed to step up federal enforcement of crimes and immigration enforcement, including by deploying the National Guard .

Pritzker warned that there has been a surge in ICE agents in the city and that there could be as many as 300 ICE agents this weekend, according to local officials.

In response to the possibility of added ICE enforcement, city officials from neighboring communities say they are bracing for the increase of agents in communities, according to Gregory Jackson, who serves as the Chief of Staff in North Chicago, Illinois. Agents and officials are expected to operate out of the Great Lakes Naval Station for about 30 days, he said.

Andy Manis/Getty Images - PHOTO: Protest Held Outside Naval Station Great Lakes As Trump Administration To Increase ICE Raids In Chicago

MORE: Trump says cities should be asking for National Guard troops as he mulls more deployments

Fencing was seen going around the federal courthouse in Chicago, in anticipation of the enforcement actions occurring, according to city officials.

El Grito Chicago, the city's festival for Mexican Independence Day, postponed the event scheduled for next weekend citing ICE activity.

"It was a painful decision, but holding El Grito Chicago at this time puts the safety of our community at stake  and that's a risk we are unwilling to take," the event posted on its website.

On Saturday, a crowd of protesters gathered outside Naval Station Great Lakes to protest the expected immigration crackdown.

Trump has repeatedly singled out Chicago as he has mulled sending the Guard to other major American cities following his federal takeover of Washington. Trump has said he preferred that cities ask for his administration's assistance.

Andy Manis/Getty Images - PHOTO: Protest Held Outside Naval Station Great Lakes As Trump Administration To Increase ICE Raids In Chicago

Pritzker has pushed back on the Trump administration's involvement in Chicago, saying "I will not call the president, asking him to send troops to Chicago. I've made that clear already," Pritzker said.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told ABC News that the enforcement is targeting the "worst of the worst" criminals.

"It is no surprise that these criminals flock to sanctuary cities where politicians protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets putting American lives at risk," the spokespersons said. "DHS will go to wherever these criminal illegal aliens are -- including Chicago, Boston and other cities. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, nowhere is a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you will never return."
John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP; Netflix Lori Vallow; Colby Ryan

NEED TO KNOW

Lori Vallow, the Idaho woman convicted of killing two of her children, sent a message to her sole surviving child, Colby Ryan

Vallow sent the message from prison to a journalist to deliver to her adult son during a panel at CrimeCon on Sept. 5

Vallow killed two of her kids and conspired to kill again in 2019 as part of what she claimed was a religious prophecy

Lori Vallow, the Idaho woman convicted of killing two of her children and conspiring to kill several others as part of what she claimed was a grand religious prophecy, sent a message to her only surviving child.

Colby Ryan, an adult, appeared on a panel at CrimeCon 2025 in Denver on Friday, Sept. 5. The panel was hosted by journalist Nate Eaton, and during the conversation, Eaton said that Vallow had found out about the panel and sent him a message to share with her son.

If you talk to Colby, please tell him that I love you very much, no matter what,  Vallow said in her message read by Eaton, per a clip he shared on X and Instagram.

Lori Vallow Daybell found out I would be talking to Colby and sent me a message for him. pic.twitter.com/dXD3UBeMvZ  Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) September 6, 2025

She continued, You can ask him about [Bible verse] Matthew 25.

Eaton then said he had looked up the verse and told the audience that it was in reference to the parable of the wheat and the tares, and the parable of the 10 virgins, I believe.

Any idea what that scripture reference means? he asked Ryan.

Ryan replied that he believed the message was simply an attempt for his mother to appear godly.

Its her trying to talk about the wicked and the good being sifted apart, basically. So its her way of trying to say she is still good and, basically, godly, Ryan explained.

Kyle Green/AP Lori Vallow listens as jury verdict is read in 2023

Eaton then asked Ryan if he had a desire to talk to his mother again, to which Ryan replied, No.

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.

In 2023, Vallow was convicted of the 2019 murders of her other two children, 7-year-old Joshua Jaxon "J.J." Vallow, and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan. She was sentenced to life in prison. Her then husband, Chad Daybell, was also convicted of murder in relation to their deaths.



Rexburg Police Department (2) Joshua Jaxon "J.J." Vallow; Tylee Ryan

At one point, Vallow allegedly told a friend that Tylee and J.J. were "zombies" and that she and Daybell were on a mission to eradicate zombies before the second coming of Jesus Christ.

"[T]he term 'zombie' refers to an individual whose mortal spirit has left their body and that their body is now the host of another spirit," Rexburg Police Department Lt. Ron Ball wrote in an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. "The new spirit in a 'zombie' is always considered a 'dark spirit.' "



Vallow has also been convicted of conspiracy to kill Chads previous wife, Tammy Daybell. In June, she was additionally found guilty of conspiring to kill Brandon Boudreaux, the ex-husband of her niece, according to the Associated Press. Both incidents took place in 2019.

Vallow is serving multiple consecutive life sentences, per CNN.

Read the original article on People
Getty A photo of the "kissing bug."

NEED TO KNOW

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the triatomine insect  called the kissing bug  has been found in 32 states

Eight states have reported human infection, including California, where about 45,000 people in Los Angeles County may be infected with Chagas disease

The CDC has recommended that Chagas disease be classified as "endemic in the U.S.

Chagas disease, which is spread through an insect known as the kissing bug, has spread to 32 states in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the triatomine insect  called the kissing bug because it bites people on the face  has been found in several southern U.S. states, and that hundreds of thousands of people could already be infected without knowing.

Human infections have been identified in eight states  Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and California  according to a map on the CDCs website. Cases of Chagas disease in animals have also been found in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and Maryland.

cdc.gov A map of where Chagas disease infections have been reported, via the CDC.

The CDC said, per UCLA Health, that more than 300,000 people in the U.S.  including 45,000 people in Los Angeles County  could be affected with Chagas disease. However, fewer than 2% of those people know they carry the parasite transmitted by the kissing bug.

Judith Currier, MD, chief of infectious diseases at UCLA Health, explained, Most people living with Chagas disease are unaware of their diagnosis, often until its too late to have effective treatment.

The disease spreads through triatomine insect bites, per UCLA Health. Once the insect bites people on their face, they defecate and deposit a parasite called T. cruzi onto the skin. When the bite begins to itch and people scratch it, the parasite then gets into the persons bloodstream.

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.

Infected people can experience common symptoms including fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting. However, one of the key signs of the disease is particularly severe swelling of the eyelid, per UCLA Health.

Getty A photo of the "kissing bug" on a leaf in Texas.

[Severe eyelid swelling is] almost a hallmark of acute Chagas infection, said Shaun Yang, PhD, a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Those who are infected could also risk getting more chronic symptoms, which often affect a persons cardiovascular system. Between 20% and 30% of people who contract Chagas disease could develop serious heart or digestive problems, risk getting an enlarged heart, colon or esophagus, or risk heart failure or cardiac arrest, per the CDC.

The CDC recommended in its report that Chagas disease be classified as "endemic in the U.S. The agency defines "endemic" as having a "constant presence and/or usual prevalence in a population within a specific geographic area.

Chagas disease is currently considered endemic to Latin America.

Read the original article on People
The hottest trend in the apparel world right now is a staple of many American wardrobes  denim.

Retailers such as American Eagle (AEO), Gap (GAP), and Kohl's (KSS) have all called out the strength of jeans in recent results. Shares of Levi Strauss (LEVI) are up more than 30% this year.

"Denim is having a moment," Bryant University professor of marketing Sharmin Attaran told Yahoo Finance. "Retailers are not ... following it, but they're amplifying it."

This summer, Sydney Sweeney's ad campaign for American Eagle touched off a controversy with its key slogan  "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans"  and garnered 40 billion impressions in just six weeks. In the company's latest earnings report, results beat forecasts across the board.

"Let me be very clear, Sydney Sweeney sells great jeans," American Eagle CEO Jay Schottenstein told investors on an earnings call. Schottenstein said the campaign led to a quarter of "record-breaking new customer acquisition and brand awareness, cutting across age demographics and genders."

American Eagle stock rose nearly 40% after the results.

Or take the Gap campaign that launched two weeks ago. It leans into millennial nostalgia with the girl pop group Katseye dancing to the 2003 song "Milkshake." The spot has over 16 million views on YouTube.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Gap CEO Richard Dickson said the campaign had received a "record-breaking" response, adding that it's "not a cultural conversation, it is a cultural takeover" as fashion meets entertainment.

"[Gap is] killing it, going back to their roots of embracing dance, and that's what we knew them for," H2 Marketing Group founder and CEO Hillary Herskowitz said.

'It's back'

The world of apparel retail is always subject to shifting tastes and new trends.

The recent surge in denim is no exception.

"This a different, slower time, and that really reset expectations for comfort now that we're back in offices and back to our lives, classroom, social spaces," Attaran said. "Denim returning is a way to kind of look put together."

Billboards of actress Sydney Sweeney are seen outside an American Eagle store on Aug. 1 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) (Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images)

The recent resurgence of jeans has also seen wider, fuller cuts emerge as consumers move away from the skinny jean fad that defined the pre-pandemic era.

"If anybody thought denim was dead because stretchy pants made us all too lazy and comfortable, they're wrong. It's full force. It's back," SW Retail Advisors president Stacey Widlitz told Yahoo Finance.

The flip side is that athleisure is in retreat as a growth area in the apparel world. This reversal is most clearly seen in Lululemon (LULU) stock, which fell nearly 20% on Friday after the company cut its annual profit outlook. With Friday's decline, Lululemon stock was trading at a six-year low.

On a call with investors, Gap CEO Dickson noted strength in baggy jeans alongside other "easy pull-on styles," essentially the opposite of skinny jeans.

Kohl's interim CEO Michael Bender called the development in denim "interesting," with "anything baggy, wide leg, those types of features in denim ... showing strength."

Target (TGT) reported same-store sales growth for women's denim of 28% in its latest quarter. Executive vice president Richard Gomez told investors this growth was "driven by new styles, new silhouettes, new washes." Gomez added that the company remains focused on delivering "newness at an affordable price."

This increasing demand for denim has seen pricing for wider, fuller cuts outpace skinnier jeans. In a note to clients, Dana Telsey of Telsey Advisory Group wrote that skinny jeans, which typically cost around $70 per pair, are more likely to be marked at a steeper discount than barrel, baggy, or low-rise jeans, which cost closer to $90 per pair.

Over the next several years, the US denim jeans market alone is expected to grow by mid-single digits, Telsey said. That's compared to the low-single-digit growth from 2019 to 2024, when total sales ranged from $20 billion to $22 billion.

Levi Strauss CFO Harmit Singh told a Goldman Sachs conference this week that the denim market is a $100 billion global opportunity. The company has a long-term target of reaching $10 billion in annual sales. In its most recent quarter, sales totaled $1.45 billion.

As part of this focus, Singh said Levi's amplified its efforts to be not just a purveyor of jeans, but a denim lifestyle.

"We are known for denim bottoms. Let's be known for denim shirts," Singh said.

"The ... world is becoming a lot more casual, right?" Singh added. "And denim is a key driver of that casualization phase."

A construction worker walks next to a poster of Beyonce's Levi's campaign on Oct. 23, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) (Michael Blackshire via Getty Images)

Brooke DiPalma is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com.

Click here for all of the latest retail stock news and events to better inform your investing strategy
Experts have proposed categorizing narcissists into a variety of different subtypes, but a popular breakdown in the zeitgeist of late is grandiose (or over), vulnerable (or covert), communal, antagonistic and malignant. Maria Korneeva via Getty Images

Encountering a narcissist can present a range of challenges and leave you feeling emotionally drained and manipulated. When that person is a close relative or romantic partner, the issues compound.

If youve had a narcissist in your life, you probably felt that you didnt have a voice, Virginia Gilbert, a licensed marriage and family therapist, told HuffPost. In extreme cases, you may not know who you are apart from the narcissist because everything you did was about accommodating them.

Relationship: There Are Different Types Of Narcissists. Any Of Them Sound Familiar?

Thats why its helpful to spend time trying to understand narcissism, either by working with a professional or reading about the ways it manifests. Giving yourself the space to grieve and learn can help you set boundaries and reclaim your own self-worth.

To be clear, the term narcissism can refer to a personality trait or to the official diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder, as defined in the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

Those who study narcissism sometimes categorize narcissists into different subtypes to explain the various tendencies people might display, but these are not official categories outlined in the DSM-5. Different parties have proposed varying numbers of categories, but a popular breakdown in the zeitgeist of late is five  grandiose (or overt), vulnerable (or covert), communal, antagonistic and malignant.

Below, experts explain the characteristics of these five types of narcissists and share their advice for dealing with people who fit these categories.

Life: This Is The Most Dangerous Type Of Narcissism

Grandiose Or Overt Narcissism

Grandiose narcissism is the most well-known subtype of narcissistic personality disorder, as its the one most people think of when they hear the word narcissist, said Hannah Alderete, a licensed mental health counselor and the author of Break Free From Narcissistic Mothers: A Step-by-Step Workbook for Ending Toxic Behavior, Setting Boundaries, and Reclaiming Your Life.

She noted that this type of narcissism is characterized by arrogance, entitlement, unstable self-esteem, low empathy and a need for attention and validation. They usually display an inflated sense of self-importance and tend to dominate conversations.

These types of narcissists are showboaters who love to brag, inflate their achievements, name-drop, and use grand gestures to call attention to themselves, said Gilbert, who specializes in high-conflict divorce. They exploit others because they believe someone as special as they are deserves whatever they want, and they dont care about who gets hurt in the process.

Grandiose narcissists can be very charming and charismatic as they display outward confidence.

Relationship: 6 Common Phrases You May Not Realize Are Condescending

Common signs of a grandiose narcissist include always wanting to be the center of attention, having an unrealistic view of their abilities, belittling others opinions or accomplishments, lashing out when they arent praised excessively and seeming preoccupied with status, money, appearance, or superficial topics, said Chelsey Brook Cole, a psychotherapist specializing in narcissistic abuse.

How to deal with grandiose narcissists:

For those dealing with an overt or grandiose narcissist, its crucial to establish firm boundaries and limit the amount of personal or emotional information you share with them, Alderete said, adding that you should not expect any emotional authenticity or reciprocity, even in close relationships with overt narcissists.

Narcissistic people crave and seek narcissistic supply from others to fuel their inflated sense of self-importance. So try to avoid providing that.

This supply can range from provoking arguments to elicit a reaction, to seeking external admiration to reinforce their grandiosity, Alderete explained. The less reactivity you give them, the better. This is where strategies like the gray rock method can be useful, presenting yourself as dull and uninteresting so that they lose interest in engaging with you.

Relationship: 20 Of The Funniest Tweets From Couples This Week (Sept. 2-8)

This method can be emotionally draining over time, however. You might also try shifting conversations by giving them a sense of what they crave without investing your emotional energy.

If you want to keep the conversation light and avoid sharing too much about your personal life, you can give them a compliment, ask for their opinion, or talk about a subject they enjoy, as this will boost their ego and help you stay firm in your boundaries, Cole said.

Vulnerable Or Covert Narcissism

Covert narcissism is more challenging to identify because the individual doesnt display the same grandiose behavior that most would expect a narcissist to have, said licensed marriage and family therapist Natalie Moore. Rather, the covert narcissist tends to play the victim or adopt a martyr mentality in order to manipulate, gain sympathy and garner attention from others.

She added that people-pleasers can be particularly vulnerable to covert narcissists manipulation tactics  like guilt tripping and emotional neediness  due to their conflict avoidance, difficulty setting boundaries and aversion to feelings of guilt.

Whereas the overt narcissist might cheat with someone elses spouse because they believe theyre fabulous and should have what they want, the covert narcissist might feel entitled to someone elses partner because theyve suffered so much and the world now owes them, Gilbert said.

While grandiose narcissists outwardly display self-importance and attention-seeking behaviors, vulnerable narcissists hide their entitlement beneath a facade of insecurity and meekness. Jonathan Knowles via Getty Images

So like grandiose narcissists, vulnerable narcissists also feel entitled to special treatment  they just dont show it overtly. Instead, this narcissism hides beneath a facade of insecurity.

They may appear introverted, shy, withdrawn, vulnerable or self-deprecating, yet harbor feelings of superiority. Their manipulative behaviors are less apparent, often expressing entitlement and self-importance in passive-aggressive ways, said Marie-Line Germain, a professor of human resources and leadership at Western Carolina University and author of Narcissism at Work: Personality Disorders of Corporate Leaders.

Relationship: 5 Signs Youre In A Relationship With A Covert Narcissist

Covert narcissists often engage in the silent treatment and give backhanded compliments, she added. They may appear withdrawn, meek and anxious, and they can be hypersensitive to perceived criticism and hold onto grudges  which allows their sense of victimhood to persist.

How to deal with vulnerable narcissists:

Covert narcissists lack agency, believe bad things just happen to them and feel wronged when people have understandable responses to their out-of-line behavior, Gilbert said. Resist the urge to call the covert narcissist on their crap. They will just feel persecuted  another person whos against me!  and go on the offensive.

A good way to handle your relationship with a covert narcissist is to differentiate what you are responsible for from what they are responsible for.

Covert narcissists often project their self-responsibility onto others, making those around them feel guilty or obligated to take care of their emotional well-being, Alderete said.

Remember that unless someone is an elderly relative and youre their actual caregiver, you are not in fact responsible for them in this way. Any help from you should come from a place of choice and care, not obligation.

Boundaries are your best line of defense, Moore said. If you dont have the emotional capacity to caretake, be sure to limit the frequency, length and emotional depth of your interactions with the covert narcissist.

She also recommended developing a guilt-tripping radar to grow more resilient to the idea of being guilted and take the edge off the intensity of the emotion.

Covert narcissists frequently use toxic guilt as a means of manipulation, Alderete said. Responding with something simple like, Im not available for that, or I hear you, but I wont be able to meet with you today, helps set clear and respectful boundaries while disengaging from their guilt-traps.

Communal Narcissism

Communal narcissism is a type of narcissism that focuses on gaining validation and praise for the appearance of altruistic efforts, Cole said. Despite their outward appearance, which is often that of an extremely generous, selfless person, communal narcissists exhibit all the typical narcissistic traits  entitlement, lack of empathy, superficiality and a grandiose sense of self.

Basically, a communal narcissist gets involved in charitable work and volunteer opportunities in their community  but not out of genuine care for others or a desire to do good. Their true motivation is the attention, admiration and validation they expect to receive as a result.

Communal narcissists only give their time, effort and money if they have an audience to praise them for it or if they can document it and share it later, Cole said. And if they dont get the applause theyre looking for, then they will become irritable, angry, sullen, or lash out at those closest to them.

Despite appearing to be model citizens, communal narcissists can be incredibly two-faced, displaying emotional neglect, rage or even abuse toward their family and friends behind closed doors.

These individuals build their identity around being selfless or morally superior. They often hide behind community roles, activism or parenting personas, but the motivation is self-serving, said Tina Swithin, author of Divorcing a Narcissist: One Moms Battle.

How to deal with communal narcissists:

If you have to engage with a communal narcissist, its important to maintain strong boundaries and recognize that their public displays of care and generosity do not necessarily extend to personal relationships, Alderete said. They are often more concerned with how they are perceived than with genuinely supporting others.

She noted that many cult leaders display communal narcissism by using their charisma to position themselves as spiritual and moral authorities. Thats why its best to keep an emotional distance and take what people with these tendencies say with a grain of salt.

Perhaps the trickiest part about interactions with communal narcissists lies in the fact that they cultivate good reputations.

This means when youre dealing with a communal narcissist, there might be a lot of people who believe the narcissist is their selfless, altruistic image, Cole said. So if you directly or publicly call out a communal narcissist, you could receive a lot of backlash.

She recommended getting your interactions with them in writing and avoiding situations in which you would be alone together  as this could lead to an issue where its their word against yours.

Establishing boundaries and limiting the amount of personal or emotional information you share is helpful in dealing with a narcissist. Vera Atchou via Getty Images

Antagonistic Narcissism

Antagonistic narcissists thrive on power and conflict, Swithin said. They can be aggressive, hyper-competitive and dismissive of others.

Some researchers describe antagonistic narcissism as an element of overt narcissism rather than its own subtype, but its an important characteristic to consider regardless.

Antagonistic narcissism is the facet of narcissism that is characterized by the maladaptive and antisocial traits of this personality style, including being entitled, manipulative and aggressive, Cole said. When a narcissist is exhibiting their antagonistic side, they appear exploitative, aggressive, difficult, hypercritical and impulsive.

Antagonistic narcissists view much of life as a battlefield and feel a compulsive need to dominate and win. They seek to outdo others to establish superiority and get hostile when their ego is threatened.

They tend to view the world in binary terms  people are either good or bad, weak or strong, smart of dumb, winners or losers, and they abhor those they perceive as inferior or losers, Germain said. Their interpersonal relationships are often adversarial, as they prioritize personal gain and dominance over mutual respect or well-being. These dysfunctional patterns are often rooted in childhood experiences, including unresolved trauma.

How to deal with antagonistic narcissists:

If youre dealing with a narcissist who exhibits strong antagonistic behaviors, the best approach is to disengage as quickly as possible and limit interactions to what is absolutely necessary, Alderete said.

She emphasized that this kind of antagonistic personality style can manifest as poor emotional regulation and interpersonal skills, a lack of empathy, blame-shifting and denial. Dont try to reason with someone who displays these tendencies. Maintaining emotional distance, rather than getting dragged into conflict, is a good method of self-protection.

Dont take the bait, Swithin advised. Communicate in writing when possible and focus on logic over emotion. Prepare for them to weaponize your words in adversarial environments.

Malignant Narcissism

Malignant narcissists look a lot like grandiose narcissists, although they have a more intense and sinister feel to them, Cole said. Theyre extremely calculating and vindictive. They use coercive control, or threats, intimidation, and humiliation to get what they want. Theyre constantly suspicious and paranoid about people watching, harming, exploiting, or deceiving them, even without rational evidence.

Alderete noted that malignant narcissism is the most severe form of narcissism and can closely resemble psychopathy.

Theres a saying that all psychopaths are narcissists, but not all narcissists are psychopaths, she explained. However, malignant narcissists come the closest, as they are highly sadistic, entitled, devoid of empathy, and incredibly psychologically abusive.

These kinds of narcissists derive pleasure from mistreating others and have no regard for the consequences of their actions.

Malignant narcissism combines narcissism with antisocial traits like aggression, paranoia and a complete lack of empathy, Swithin said. These individuals often engage in long-term abuse tactics, including gaslighting and character assassination.

How to deal with malignant narcissists:

The best approach is to avoid engaging with a malignant narcissist entirely, Alderete said. However, if thats not possible, maintaining extremely strong boundaries, documenting interactions and fostering a solid support system within your community is essential.

She emphasized the potential danger posed by malignant narcissists, who can manipulate systems and people. You should take precautions to protect your physical and psychological well-being.

Adult children of malignant narcissists may benefit from going no contact as this is the only way to heal from narcissistic abuse, Gilbert said. If you want to disengage from a malignant narcissist, dont announce or explain what youre doing as that will likely yield attack and ridicule. Just quietly stop responding or engaging and block their number on your phone.

If you have to co-parent with a malignant narcissist, she recommended focusing on self-soothing, setting clear limits and aligning your communications with the BIFF protocol, which stands for brief, informative, friendly and firm.

This type of narcissist has no concern for your feelings, goals, or well-being, so avoid sharing personal information with them, Alderete said. Keep interactions superficial and high-level to prevent them from gaining access to your personal world.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost

If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
A healthcare system center in California terminated several employees for posting inappropriate and insensitive photos of themselves posing with patients bodily fluids on social media.

Sutter Health, which operates Sansum Clinic, an urgent care facility in Santa Barbara, California, where the content was purportedly filmed, said in a Sept. 3 news release that the employees responsible were terminated after the videos came to light.

Protecting the trust of those we serve is our highest priority, and when that trust is violated, we take swift action to address it, Sutter Health said. Within 24 hours of becoming aware of the posts, we placed the employees on administrative leave, and within another 24 hours, we terminated those involved as part of this ongoing investigation.

This unacceptable behavior is an outright violation of our policies, shows a lack of respect for our patients, and will not be tolerated, Sutter Health added in the news release.

Sutter Health did not clarify how many employees were fired but told USA TODAY that any employee seen (and) who knowingly took part in the inappropriate photos, they are no longer employed with us.

What was in the Sansum Clinic video?

About eight people were purportedly seen in the video at the Sansum Clinic, mocking and posing with patients bodily fluids inside medical exam rooms.

Text on one image being circulated on social media reads, Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts? The text is followed by slides showing staff laughing, pointing, and posing around the stains with the caption: Guess the substance!

In the last frame of the post, the text above a group photo reads: Make sure to leave your healthcare workers sweet gifts like these!

Former employee posted video, Sutter Health says

Sutter Health told USA TODAY on Sept. 4 that the video was posted to TikTok by a former employee who left the organization in late July, clarifying that the individual was not employed with the company at the time the video was posted. The video has been removed by the individual who originally posted it, but it remains on the internet.

We expect all team members to live our patients-first mission and uphold the highest standards of compassion, professionalism and respect, Sutter Health said. We are using this inappropriate incident to reinforce our comprehensive policies with all our team members across the organization as part of our commitment to providing all patients with high-quality, compassionate care.

The photos were not taken at an OB/GYN clinic, Sutter Health said, clarifying they were taken at Sansums urgent care clinic in Santa Barbara.

Sutter Health patients concerned about the incident and want to discuss their health care experience at the facility can email patientadvocacy@sutterhealth.org for assistance. Patients who believe their privacy or dignity was violated within or outside of the Sutter Health network can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Health clinic fires employees after posting 'inappropriate' photos
Hurricane Kiko in a satellite view Sunday. (NOAA)

Hurricane Kiko is weakening but remains a hurricane in the central Pacific Ocean and could bring potentially life-threatening surf to Hawaii early this week.

Kiko was downgraded from a Category 3 to a Category 2 storm Sunday evening. It was 555 miles east of Hilo, with 105 mph maximum sustained winds, according to an 11 p.m. ET update from the National Hurricane Center. It was moving northwest at 14 mph.

Kiko had intensified into a Category 1 hurricane in the eastern Pacific last week. Over the past few days, it strengthened into Category 4 before it weakened again.

Kiko is expected to further weaken over the next few days, the center said. It is expected to become a tropical storm by late Monday as it steers north of Hawaii. While a direct hit is not forecast, some rain, gusty winds and rough surf will affect the islands through the first half of the week.

Swells generated by Kiko "will gradually build and are forecast to peak along east-facing exposures of the Hawaiian Islands late Monday through midweek, potentially producing life-threatening surf and rip currents, the center said.

Kikos center is expected pass north of the main Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday.

While no hurricane watches or warnings are in effect, the hurricane center advises the Hawaiian Islands to continue monitoring Kikos progress.
Pylon CEO Marty Kausas said that off-sites in South Korea or Hawaii were good for recruiting. Marty Kausas

Pylon CEO Marty Kausas said the company spent $42,000 on a Seoul trip, and will spend some $170,000 to go to Hawaii.

"If you're well-funded, then you can definitely afford it and the money's well worth it," Kausas told Business Insider.

The CEO said the off-sites help recruit talent, reward hard workers, and differentiate from a big company.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Marty Kausas, the 28-year-old CEO of Pylon, which has raised $51 million from Y Combinator, General Catalyst, and Andreessen Horowitz. It's been edited for length and clarity.

Pylon was started by myself and my two cofounders, Robert Eng and Advith Chelikani. We went through Y Combinator with a very half-baked idea. Three months later, we raised our $3.2 million seed round from General Catalyst. A year later, we raised a $17 million Series A from Andreessen Horowitz. We just announced our Series B last month.

The team now is around 55 people. At the start of the year, we were 20, so we've more than doubled.

Around a year and a half into the company, we went to Seoul, South Korea. It was a nine-day trip, and we rented an Airbnb that we could all be in, which was really fun. We had people sharing rooms.

During the days, we would be working. We set some very ambitious work goals while we were there. During the evenings, we would go get food and try to have fun. One night we went to karaoke. We visited the North Korean border. We bought color-matching  that was the team's favorite activity, where everyone got their personal color profile of the colors they should be wearing.

We were 14 people, and it cost $42,000. We paid for flights, we paid for the stay, we paid for the activities and food. The only things that were not paid for were if people wanted to go shopping or get food on their own.

We can celebrate our wins in more expensive ways than bigger companies can. At the time, we had just hit a revenue milestone and raised some more money.

Marty Kausas said Pylon spent $42,000 to take the team to Seoul, South Korea. Marty Kausas

We're going to be spending about $150,000 to $1700,000 to go to Hawaii. There are going to be about 50 people who attend. We basically booked out all the spare rooms in a hotel that we could find.

We're going to O'ahu, and it's a seven-day trip. We're still going to be working normal hours on Pacific Time. The sales team is geared up to wake up at 5 a.m.

We've grown so quickly  this is a good opportunity to bring people together and have them focused on the team and the company. Usually, you don't make the time while working extremely hard to be social with your coworkers. This is going to give everyone the chance to do that.

We have some activities planned, like team dinners. You can choose between parasailing, ATVs, and turtle snorkeling.

For Korea, we made a poll on Slack. The three top choices: Seoul, Bali, and Rome. For Bali, someone started complaining about mosquitoes, so that vetoed it. People didn't have a strong preference between Italy and Korea, but Italy was going to be twice as expensive.

For Hawaii, we gut-checked with everyone and asked around. Hawaii seemed like an option everyone would be excited about.

Why expensive off-site trips are worth it

Other startups should do more off-sites. If you're well-funded, then you can definitely afford it and the money's well worth it.

We have people who come in six days a week now. I think you should reward people really hard work with really great rewards that are not typical of a bigger company.

Think about the word-of-mouth. Our whole team is going to go tell their friends, "Hey, I'm going to Korea for nine days with our team." They're obviously going to be like, "That's crazy. That's so exciting." They're going to look at Pylon and be like, "That's a cool company to work at."

That fun is translated to everyone we want to hire or sell to, or will see on LinkedIn later.

Pylon paid for flights, food, and an Airbnb for its staff. Marty Kausas

You're paying an engineer minimum $150,000, and recruiting them is extremely hard. The cost for this trip to create signal and branding for us to prospective candidates is definitely worth it. It spells out the startup energy, versus being in a big company and working in a machine.

Some people are more stingy than they should be. They might be like, "Let's not buy certain office snacks because they're more expensive." In reality, the real spend is on hiring great people and retaining them.

It's hard to exactly say, "This many dollars into this type of activity leads to this outcome." But my vibe-based finance here is that it's definitely worth it to encourage people  both to stay at or join the company.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Linda Stermer, a Michigan woman accused of setting a fire to her family home and murdering her husband, discusses her case in her only broadcast interview with "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty in "The Death of Todd Stermer," reairing Saturday, Sept. 6 at 10/9c on CBS.

On Jan. 7, 2007, Linda Stermer says she was doing laundry in the basement of her family's Michigan home when she heard her husband Todd Stermer let out a chilling scream and ran upstairs to find their living room engulfed in flames. Todd Stermer, says Linda, was in the middle of the room attempting to fight the fire. Unable to get to him, she says she fled the burning house with no shoes, jacket or cellphone.

In an interview for "48 Hours," correspondent Erin Moriarty asks Linda Stermer, "You didn't think about calling 911?" "That wasn't my first thought," Linda Stermer replies. "My first thought was to get out. Todd's gonna get out  As long as he knows I'm out  he's gonna get out."

Linda and Todd Stermer

The Stermer home was in a rural area outside Kalamazoo, Michigan, with an electrified fence surrounding the large property to help keep the couple's 31 horses safe. Without a cellphone, Linda Stermer says the only way for her to get help that day was to jump into her husband's van, which always had the keys inside, and drive to the nearest neighbor. But just as she was about to take off in the van, she says she saw that her husband had escaped the burning house, and that she got out of the van to help him. "He's jumping around and he's patting himself. His skin is burnt terribly  I'm screaming at him, get in the van ... And he won't get in the van," Linda Stermer tells Moriarty. "I can't touch him  And, so, I get back in the van  And I lost sight of him."

According to weather reports for that day, there was some light rain and snow in the area. Linda Stermer says their driveway was so wet and muddy that it was hard for her to get the van moving. "The tires were just spinning  so I couldn't get any traction," she says  but what happened next is something she still cannot explain. "Did you know you had run over your husband," asks Moriarty. "No," says Linda Stermer. Investigators would later find Todd's blood on the van's front bumper and undercarriage. Linda Stermer had hit her husband with his own van.

Emergency workers tried to save Todd Stermer, but he died on the scene from his burn injuries. Van Buren County sheriff's detectives investigated the fire and Todd's death for a little over two years. Then, on June 5, 2009, the prosecutor's office felt it had enough evidence to arrest Linda Stermer and charge her with arson and the murder of her husband. Linda Stermer maintains she is innocent, but the couple's sons say that over time they came to feel that their mother was guilty.

On Jan. 7, 2007, while Linda and Todd Stermer were in their Lawrence, Michigan, home, their house burst into flames. / Credit: Michigan State Police

"What do you believe happened," Moriarty asks 28-year-old Trevor Stermer.

"Our mother murdered our father," he replies. "She set the house on fire, doused him in gasoline, then after the fact when he managed to get out of the house, she ran him over with her van."

The evidence presented at trial was mainly circumstantial. Among other things, a gas station clerk testified that she saw Linda Stermer on the morning of the fire seemingly pumping gas into a gas can at the back of her SUV. Her sons testified that when Linda got home from the gas station, she woke them and gave them money to go to the movies. A former close friend testified that Linda Stermer had talked about wanting to kill Todd Stermer by running him over, and accused Linda of having an affair with a coworker.

Linda Stermer's defense countered with testimony from the brother of that former friend, who told the jury that his sister has a history of psychiatric illness and cannot be trusted. As for pumping gas into a can that morning, Linda Stermersays it was cold out and she went to the back of her SUV to get gloves to pump gas into her car. Nothing more. She also insists that the reason she sent her sons to the movies that day is that she and Todd were in the throes of a heated argument. She was planning on leaving Todd that day, says Linda, and did not want her sons there to see it.

On Jan. 13, 2010, the jury convicted Linda Stermer. A month later, she was sentenced to life in prison without parole  but after serving nearly 9 years, she was once again free, at least temporarily.

Erin Moriarty and I first met Linda Stermer and her new attorney Wolfgang Mueller at the 2019 Innocence Network Conference. A federal judge had overturned Linda's conviction in December 2018 and set her free. Judge Arthur J. Tarnow declared that Linda did not get a fair trial and said he found prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel.

The State of Michigan immediately filed an appeal to reinstate Linda's conviction and put her back behind bars. Prosecutors declared that if they lost, they would retry her.

On May 15, 2020, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Linda Stermer and upheld Judge Tarnow's decision to overturn her conviction. The Van Buren County Prosecutor's office then refiled murder charges against Stermer.

Through the next nearly five years of pretrial hearings and delays, Linda Stermer remained a free woman. Then, on March 27, 2025, she was back in court facing a second jury of her peers.

In a family divided, Linda's sons testified against her. Their half-sisters  Linda's daughters from a previous marriage, Ashley and Brittany  believe their mother is innocent and say they prayed that she would remain free. But after seven-and-a-half hours of deliberation, a jury of six men and six women once again found Linda Stermer guilty of the murder of her husband, Todd Stermer. Stermer is now serving a mandatory life sentence, without the possibility of parole.

U.S. deploying 10 fighter jets to Puerto Rico in drug cartel crackdown

These United States: Golden Gate Bridge

Justice Barrett on the Supreme Court's checks on Trump's power
DNASolves Robert Whitsett

NEED TO KNOW

Authorities said a man's body was discovered floating in the water under the Coast Guard Island Bridge in 2003

The man could not be identified and became known as Oakland John Doe,

In 2024, law enforcement submitted evidence to Othram, which later led to the positive identification of Robert Craig Whitsett



The body of a man found floating in the water under a Bay Area bridge 22 years ago has now been identified, authorities said.

The Alameda County Sheriffs Office said that thanks to DNA testing, the remains discovered in September 2003 were identified as belonging to New York man Robert Craig Whitsett, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Othram, a Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy services company that was involved in Whitsetts eventual identification, said that his body was found under the Coast Guard Island Bridge, near the 1800 block of Dennison street in Oakland, Calif.

In addition to his skeletal remains, officials found and gathered a number of clothing items, including a blue denim jacket, a red pullover, a button-up checkered shirt, blue denim trousers and running shoes.

Despite a long investigation that followed, the man could not be identified and became known as Oakland John Doe, the company stated. His details were submitted to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) in 2017.

Last year, the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, in conjunction with the California Department of Justice - Missing Persons DNA Program, provided evidence to Othram to see if advanced DNA testing could provide a breakthrough in the mystery of Oakland John Doe.

Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive SNP [single-nucleotide polymorphism] profile for the man, which enabled Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team to conduct a genetic genealogy search and develop new investigative leads in the case, the company said in its news release.

After Othram provided those leads to authorities, a follow-up investigation led to the victims potential relatives, said the company. The comparison of a DNA sample collected from a relative with the mans DNA profile resulted in the positive identification of Whitsett, who was born in New York and went by the name Craig.

The identification of Robert Whitsett represents the 68th case in the State of California where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othran, the companys news release stated.

PEOPLE contacted the Alameda County Sheriffs Office on Thursday, Sept. 4, for additional information.

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.

Othrams services were also used in a case involving human remains that were found in a wooded area in Knoxville, Tenn., five years ago. Subsequent DNA testing helped identify the remains of Gerald J. Forsman, of Livonia, Mich., according to an Aug. 26 news release shared by the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.



Read the original article on People
The area is believed to be where God spoke to Moses from the burning bush (Getty Images)

One of the worlds most sacred religious sites  Mount Sinai  where amid thunder and fire, God is said to have handed over the 10 Commandments to Moses on tablets of stone, is now on course to become home to a luxury mega resort.

The entire area, also believed to be where God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, is sacred to three world religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, but now, the isolated location is at the centre of a row over rapid development of the site for tourism.

Luxury hotels, restaurants, shopping bazaars, high-end villas, a cable car, and expanded airport facilities nearby are planned or already under construction in this mountainous area of the Sinai Peninsula, a site which is already home to the 6th Century St Catherine's Monastery, the world's oldest continuously used Christian monastery.

Mount Sinai in Egypt is one of the worlds most sacred religious sites (Alamy/PA)

According to a BBC report, the Jebeleya, a traditional Bedouin community living in the area, have had their homes and existing tourist eco-camps demolished and have even been forced to exhume bodies from their graves in a local cemetery to make way for a new car park.

Ben Hoffler, a British travel writer who has previously worked with tribes living on the Sinai Peninsula, told the broadcaster: "This is not development as the Jebeleya see it or asked for it, but how it looks when imposed top-down to serve the interests of outsiders over those of the local community.

"A new urban world is being built around a Bedouin tribe of nomadic heritage.

"It's a world they have always chosen to remain detached from, to whose construction they did not consent, and one that will change their place in their homeland forever."

Saint Catherine's Monastery with Willow Peak, traditionally considered Mount Horeb, in the background (Joonas Plaan/Wiki Commons)

Around 4,000 people live locally, but are unwilling, or feel unable, to speak about the scale of the development and what it means for the region, the report suggested.

The development  known in Egypt as the Great Transfiguration Project  has been described by Egypt Today  a state-run newspaper  as an opportunity to harness the magic of this region and elevate it into a must-visit future global destination, honouring its spiritual, religious, archaeological, and historical significance as a haven for heavenly beliefs.

But the rapid advance of works has sparked international concerns for the Unesco World Heritage-listed site.

In July, the organisation World Heritage Watch sent an open Letter to Unesco calling for the Saint Catherine area to be added to the list of world heritage sites considered to be in danger.

At the time, World Heritage Watch Chair Stephan Doempke said: Egypt has continued to provide misleading, inconsistent or incomplete information to Unesco, and it is time now that Unesco is very clear that they are running out of patience.

In the letter he drafted with help from site experts and using up-to-date information from local informants on the ground, he added: The remoteness and serenity of the area, a key value of the World Heritage, must be preserved under all circumstances in order to maintain the sacred character of the landscape and enable the spiritual retreat of the monks.

In contrast, reports in Egypt Today describe the development as a multi-billion-pound masterpiece, which align with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's vision to nurture and develop this extraordinary region.

In March, prime minister Mostafa Madbouly expressed Egypt's intention to present this project as a gift to the entire world and all religions.
The author and her family spent 11 days in Europe, touring four countries. Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

My family took an 11-day trip to Europe and spent time in four countries.

I was worried at first, after planning our itinerary, that our 11-year-old twins wouldn't have fun.

But the trip was a hit, and there were activities for everyone.

I plan my family's annual summer vacation during the hottest time of year in many popular destinations. It's the reality of traveling with school-age kids: We're bound to their vacation schedules.

In the past, that's meant sweating through summers in Greece, Rome, Amalfi, and the south of France. Gorgeous, yes  but also brutally hot in peak season. Every time we stepped outside, it felt like gearing up for battle with the elements. This year, we knew we wanted to visit Europe again, but we also knew we had to pivot to a cooler northern itinerary instead.

Eventually, I mapped out a route that strung together four cities in four different countries over 11 days  three of them brand-new to us  mostly traveling by train. The plan was ambitious, and I started to doubt myself before we even left.

I was worried they wouldn't enjoy the itinerary.

The family traveled throughout Europe mostly by train. Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

Why did I think my twins could get excited about medieval history and leafy canals, with nary a beach or theme park in sight? Obviously, there's a reason the throngs flock to southern Europe in July; that's where the energy is  lively piazzas, beach scenes, endless gelato. But would my kids be into that energy? What were we thinking, dragging two 11-year-olds through fortresses, history museums, and subdued waterways?

I needn't have worried. In the end, this more grown-up circuit of historic cities and cultural highlights turned out even better than I imagined. The kids loved it. What seemed at first like an ambitious sprint across Europe became one of our most memorable family adventures yet.

We spent the twins' birthday in Amsterdam.

They made a short trip to Zaanse Schans. Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

We kicked things off in Amsterdam, staying at the Conservatorium Hotel, an ultra-chic and walkable property with an indoor pool that offered kids' hours in the mornings. It quickly became the twins' favorite way to start the day.

The city's canals became their playground. We rented a paddle boat, which let them steer us through the waterways while dodging tour boats. We also made a short trip to Zaanse Schans, where the kids climbed inside historic wooden windmills and watched the gears creak to life.

For their 11th birthday dinner, the hotel surprised them with cakes and balloons in their room. Then we celebrated with an Indonesian rice table  a festive Amsterdam restaurant tradition of countless small plates.

One of the most moving stops of the trip was our visit to the Anne Frank House. I wasn't sure how they would respond to such a heavy history lesson, but they were engaged and thoughtful throughout.

Bruges was a highlight for everyone.

The family took a chocolate class in Bruges. Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

Next we took the train to Bruges, Belgium, where we checked into Relais & Chateaux Hotel Heritage, a historic mansion-turned-hotel just steps from the main plaza. I worried Bruges might feel too medieval and dry for kids, but it was a highlight for all of us.

At the Historium Bruges, we explored immersive exhibits and a virtual reality tour that brought the city's medieval heyday as a shipping port vividly to life. The kids loved climbing the belfry tower, counting every step to the top. And a chocolate-making class turned out to be both hands-on and delicious  though by the end, we were so stuffed we swore we couldn't eat another confection.

Bruges' winding canals and storybook squares felt like a movie set, and instead of being bored, the kids leaned into the magic of exploring it on foot.

We had underground adventures in Luxembourg.

Though it was their shortest stop, the family enjoyed Luxembourg. Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

Luxembourg was our shortest stop, just two nights, but it made a big impression. We stayed at Place d'Armes, a boutique hotel right on the main square, which meant everything was supremely walkable.

The highlight was exploring the Casemates du Bock, the city's centuries-old underground fortifications. The kids explored the tunnels like a maze. Above ground, we took in sweeping views and strolled the old town. Even with just one full day, Luxembourg delivered plenty of discovery.

We'd been to London before but still loved it.

They had tea at the Stafford Hotel in London. Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

Our last stop was London, where we checked into a gracious family suite at The Stafford London. It was the only city we'd all visited before, but it still offered surprises.

We saw "Matilda" in the West End  the kids' first major stage production  and they adored it. We also indulged in a whimsical "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"-themed afternoon tea at One Aldwych, complete with candy-colored desserts worthy of Willy Wonka. (So much for being chocolated out after Belgium!)

Of course, we fit in the classics too: the Tower of London, a double-decker sightseeing bus, and long walks through Hyde Park. After so many smaller, new-to-us cities, London felt familiar yet thrilling, a comfortable finale before our flight home.

Our itinerary worked for everyone.

The author didn't focus the itinerary on the kids, but it worked. Courtesy of Alesandra Dubin

Looking back, I think this ambitious itinerary succeeded because we didn't try to force it to be kid-friendly. We built a trip that interested us as adults  history, culture, food, theater  and trusted the kids to rise to the occasion. To our delight, they did, and then some.

Every stop offered something hands-on or surprising that spoke directly to them: paddling canals, climbing towers, making chocolate, exploring tunnels. The grown-up activities weren't watered down  they just turned out to be more engaging than expected. The train rides were novel and fun. And because we weren't battling summer heat or long lines, everyone had energy left to enjoy it all.

Read the original article on Business Insider
President Trump has just made perhaps his most dangerous assault on the rule of law. He proudly announced that he directed the U.S. military to kill 11 alleged drug smugglers in their boat on the high seas of the Caribbean, excitedly showing a video of the lethal strike.

The strike involves the unlawful use of the military for law enforcement, something Trump is also doing in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. by federalizing the National Guard for domestic law enforcement. Just on a few occasions in our nations history have federal troops been called out to restore order, such as enforcing federal courts desegregation decrees being forcibly resisted by state authorities or honoring requests from localities to help suppress riots.

Not surprisingly, therefore, District Judge Charles Breyer recently ruled that Trump had acted unlawfully in assigning Marines and federalized National Guardsmen to Los Angeles.

The DEA, Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies working with their local counterparts have properly treated drug smuggling as a law enforcement issue, not a military challenge. Conventional law enforcement must address the drug problem aggressively  without looking for easy but unacceptable answers.

With brazen candor, Secretary of State Marco Rubio conceded that U.S. authorities could have interdicted the alleged smugglers boat, but, on Trumps orders, we blew it up  And itll happen again. All this to send a message.

Rubio later stated during a news conference in Ecuador that partner governments will help us find these people and blow them up. They might do it themselves, and well help them do it.

The presidents commissioning of the U.S. military to kill alleged drug smugglers adds a terrifying dimension to this misuse of the armed forces for law enforcement purposes.

What the president ordered  and military commanders carried out  is unacceptable. It is known in international law as extrajudicial killing and is universally condemned as a crime, including under federal law.

Extrajudicial killing is the use of deadly force by agents of a government absent the ordinary processes of criminal law  most basically a trial at which guilt is adjudicated by a fair tribunal. In the U.S., that means a judge and a jury.

This an essential element of our constitutional system. The Fifth Amendment directs that no person shall be deprived of life  without due process of law. The Constitution contains no exception allowing the president to deprive any person, even an alleged drug smuggler, of his life without due process.

Dropping a missile on a speed boat on the high seas, with the intent of killing everyone on board, is hardly due process as any rational person would understand that fundamental concept.

Even if the 11 men blown up on the presidents order were in fact on their way to the U.S. with drugs, the only legitimate course was to intercept and arrest them  as Rubio admitted could have been done  and then put them on trial, where their guilt or innocence could be established.

Extrajudicial killing is also often misguided. How do we know that all 11 men on who were slaughtered were in fact guilty? Intelligence estimates? Surveillance? Anyone aware of the history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam or Iraq recognizes that even bona fide estimates by intelligence experts may be wrong.

We do not allow a police officer or a district attorney  or the president or an Air Force pilot  simply to declare a person guilty of a capital crime (which drug smuggling is not) and summarily execute him.

The Supreme Court has insisted that deadly force may not be used even to arrest fleeing felons unless their flight poses an immediate, serious danger. Even less tolerable would be a decision simply to kill a suspect without even attempting to capture him for trial in court.

Nor can the president and his subordinates evade these constraints by labeling the targeted drug smugglers as terrorists. The law of armed conflict allows some room for the targeted killing of terrorists, but this narrow exception applies only to combatants or unprivileged belligerents in a military sense.

Unilaterally affixing a terrorist label to a group of alleged Venezuelan gang members no more legitimized their assassination than it would be allowable to condemn as terrorists other alleged criminals, such as Jan. 6 rioters or child pornographers  or detested political opponents. Simply labelling a person a terrorist does not confer a license to kill.

In the Philippines, former President Rodrigo Duterte became infamous for his own drug-control campaign, unleashing massive numbers of extrajudicial killings of suspected drug traffickers  and political opponents  whom he characterized as terrorists.

After Duterte was eventually ousted, his successors recognized that his culpability could not be excused. They cooperated with the International Criminal Court, which had charged him with complicity in these extrajudicial murders. Earlier this year, the new Philippines government turned Duterte over to the court for trial on charges of crimes against humanity.

When the Supreme Court created presidential immunity for Trump (and all future presidents) to commit federal crimes, it seemed like hyperbole to declare that this aberrant decision would allow Trump to get away with murder. Now, perhaps that is so  in the U.S. at least.

But his subordinates  such as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who prizes lethality above all other values  enjoy no such immunity for their complicity.

Dutertes fate should serve as a warning even to Trump. Extrajudicial killing is a crime under international law, and the International Criminal Court has a long memory.

Philip Allen Lacovara formerly served as U.S. deputy solicitor general for criminal and national security matters, counsel to the Watergate Special Prosecutor and president of the District of Columbia Bar.

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.
Russia launched its largest aerial assault of the Ukraine war overnight into Sunday, deploying more than 800 drones and striking a government building in Kyiv for the first time.

The attack hit the Cabinet of Ministers building, which houses the prime ministers office, as well as some government ministries, for the first time since the war began.

An infant was among at least two people killed in drone strikes on several residential buildings in the capital, which was under an air-raid siren for 11 hours, Kyivs city office said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X that a total of four people had been killed across all of Ukraine Sunday and 44 had been injured.

Moscows forces launched a total of 810 drones, four ballistic missiles and nine cruise missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force said. While most were shot down by air defenses, 54 drones and nine missiles hit targets across Ukraine, the air force said.

That surpasses the size of a July attack by Moscow that was previously the largest of the war, which began with Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

The assault comes after recent attempts by Kyivs Western allies to broker a peace deal as momentum to end the war stalls, leaving the White House frustrated. In an interview with ABC News aired Sunday, Zelensky said that US President Donald Trump gave (Russian President Vladimir) Putin what he wanted at last months Alaska summit between the two world leaders which ended with no concrete deal.

Trump told reporters on Sunday he will speak with Putin very soon to address the Russia-Ukraine conflict and expressed his disapproval with anything having to do with that war, amid mounting frustrations over stalled peace efforts.

I am not thrilled with whats happening there, he told reporters.

The US president also appeared to suggest that some European leaders will visit the White House early this week.

The presidents comments come after he signaled to reporters earlier in the day that his administration is ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia.

Also on Sunday, Zelensky described the latest attack as vile, saying such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started a long time ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war.

The world can make the Kremlins criminals stop killing, all we need is political will, Zelensky said.

Keith Kellogg, the Trump administrations special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said later on Sunday that Moscow appears to be escalating its war, adding that the attack on Kyiv was not a signal that Russia wants to diplomatically end this war.

Earlier this week, Putin said any Western troops in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets for defeat, a day after it was announced that dozens of Western countries have pledged to contribute to a potential peacekeeping force there if a ceasefire deal is agreed.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko called it a massive attack, saying the cities of Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Kremenchuk, and Odesa all came under fire, as well as Kyiv.

For the first time, the government building, its roof, and upper floors were damaged by the enemy attacks. Rescuers are extinguishing the fire. I thank them for their work, Svyrydenko said.

The building is in Kyivs government quarter, next to the parliament and close to the office of the president.

We will rebuild the buildings. But the lives lost cannot be brought back. Every day, the enemy terrorizes and kills our people across the country, said Svyrydenko.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said that in the coming week, a meeting will be held focusing on strengthening air defense and enhancing Ukraines capability to respond with strikes deep into the aggressors territory.

Ukraine said Sunday that it had attacked two Russian energy facilities overnight in Russias Bryansk region and the southern Krasnodar Territory.

Residential buildings targeted

Rescuers found the body of an infant under the rubble of a building in the western Kyiv neighborhood of Sviatoshynskyi, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the citys military administration.

The child was under the age of one, according to Kyivs mayor Vitali Klitschko, who said a young woman was also killed.

A nine-floor apartment building in the Sviatoshynskyi district was severely damaged, Klitschko said in a Telegram post, adding that four floors of the building were partially destroyed.

Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 7, 2025. - Efrem Lukatsky/AP

Also in Sviatoshynskyi district, debris hit a 16-story residential building, causing a fire on the 15th and 16th floors. Klitschko said. There were fires at two additional multistory apartment blocks in the same district, and at another building in the eastern Darnytskyi district, he said.

At least 18 people were wounded, Ukraines State Emergency Services (SES) said, describing the drone strikes on the capital as a massive attack. The agency released images showing several buildings with large holes in the side and firefighters working at the scene.

Russias attack also hit a bridge in Kremenchuk over the Dnipro River, in a rare attack far from the frontlines. The bridge is a main crossing point over the river dividing the country into its left and right banks.

From strike to strike

Residents were left reeling from the attack, with some telling CNN it was the most terrifying attack of the war. Yulia, a local resident, said she woke up to explosions that left whistles in her ears as her building shook. Everyone feels the same way, everyone is shaking, everyone hopes that it will fly past and not hit them. We dont feel anything anymore, except anger, she said.

Olha Biliashova, another resident who lives near a hit building, said that in all four years of war, this was the first time it was extremely scary.

Thats how we live, from attack to attack, from strike to strike.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack, saying in a post on X that Russia is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror.

By Ukraines side, we will continue to do everything to ensure that a just and lasting peace prevails, Macron said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said once again, the Kremlin is mocking diplomacy, trampling international law and killing indiscriminately.

The head of the European Unions executive arm said on X that Europe stands fully behind Ukraine, adding that we are reinforcing Ukraines armed forces, building lasting security guarantees, and tightening sanctions to increase pressure on Russia.

Earlier on Sunday, aircraft had been activated to ensure the safety of Polish airspace following Russian attacks in western Ukraine near the border with Poland, the countrys armed forces said, according to Reuters.

Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness, Polands operational command said in a post on X.

CNNs Billy Stockwell contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
By Lidia Kelly and Olena Harmash

KYIV (Reuters) -Russia launched its largest air attack of the war on Ukraine overnight, setting the main government building on fire in central Kyiv and killing at least four people, including an infant, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the drone and missile barrage killed four people and caused damage across the north, south and east of the country, including the cities of Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa, as well as in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

"Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war," Zelenskiy said in a post on X, issuing a fresh appeal to allies to strengthen Ukrainian air defences.

Just after sunrise, thick smoke could be seen rising into the clear blue sky from the burning top floor of the main government building, located in the historic Pecherskyi district, Reuters witnesses said.

Elsewhere in Kyiv, residential apartments were hit and damaged, with dozens of residents wrapped in blankets gathering on the streets outside to survey the damage to their homes as rescue workers fought to extinguish the flames.

The attack underlined growing pessimism in Ukraine and among allies that the war can be ended any time soon, with Russian President Vladimir Putin resisting calls for a ceasefire and emboldened by strengthening relations with China.

U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has expressed growing frustration with Moscow since he met Putin last month, but has so far resisted imposing tougher sanctions on Russia.

On Friday, he said he was still working on security guarantees for Ukraine that he said would help bring an end to the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two.

Kyiv's European allies have vowed to stand by Ukraine politically and militarily, but concrete offers of assistance, including the possibility of troops on the ground, are still being discussed.

Zelenskiy said he spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron, coordinating diplomatic efforts, next steps, and contacts with partners.

WAR'S BIGGEST DRONE BARRAGE

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said it was the first time in the war that the main government building in Kyiv had been hit, a symbolic blow to a well-defended part of the city.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a post on X that the Russian attack on Kyivs government showed "again that the continued delaying (of) a strong reaction against Putin and the attempts to appease him made no sense".

Russia launched 805 drones against Ukraine overnight and 13 missiles, with Ukrainian defence units downing 751 drones and four missiles, the Ukrainian air force said.

That was the highest number of drones Russia has used to attack the country since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia's defence ministry said it had carried out strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial complex and transport infrastructure, according to the Tass news agency. Both sides deny targeting civilians.

Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said an infant's body was pulled from the rubble in the Darnytskyi district, where a four-storey apartment building was damaged. A young woman was also killed in the attack on the district, which lies to the east of the Dnipro River, he said.

The interior ministry said more than 20 people were wounded in the attacks on the capital. Air alerts lasted for more than 11 hours in Kyiv and the surrounding region.

In Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district in the west, several floors of a nine-storey residential building were partially destroyed, Klitschko said. Falling drone debris set off fires in a 16-storey apartment building and two more nine-storey buildings, he added.

UKRAINE TARGETS RUSSIAN ENERGY

Svyrydenko called for more weapons for Ukraine and for the world to respond to the Russian attacks.

"We will rebuild the buildings," Svyrydenko said. "But lost lives cannot be brought back. The enemy terrorises and kills our people across the country every day."

Ukraine's defence ministry said that a new meeting of Kyiv's allies was planned for next week and air defences and supplies for Kyiv's deep strikes on Russia would be discussed.

Ukraine's military said it attacked the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russia's Bryansk region, inflicting "comprehensive fire damage" during an overnight attack on Sunday.

It is part of a strategy to target Russia's vast energy complex, which is the financial backbone of its economy and helps fund the war.

Dozens of explosions also shook Ukraine's central city of Kremenchuk, cutting power to some residents and damaging a bridge across the Dnipro River, Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi said on Telegram.

Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih, also in central Ukraine, targeted transport and urban infrastructure, city officials said, but no injuries were reported.

In the southern city of Odesa, civilian infrastructure and residential buildings were damaged, with fires breaking out in several apartment blocks, regional governor Oleh Kiper said. Three people were wounded, he said.

(Additional reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Yuliia Dysa, Valentyn Ogirenko in Kyiv and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Alex Richardson)
In September 2023, Duane Keith Keffe D Davis was indicted for the murder of Tupac Shakur, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996.

Prosecutors in Clark County, Nevada have described Davis as the man who called the shots for the South Side Crips street gang in Compton, California. They allege that although Davis didnt pull the trigger, he is responsible because one of his underlings did so at his command.

Davis has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. As part of his defense, his lawyer filed records detailing interviews he did with law enforcement officers in 2008 and 2009. A defense motion asserts that the charges against Davis should be thrown out because he was granted immunity in exchange for telling investigators what he knew about Shakurs murder.

Tupac Shakur's legacy lives on decades after his death: See his career in photos In the months following Shakur's fatal shooting, 24-year-old rapper Notorious B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was gunned down as he left a party in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997, police said. He became the second high-profile rapper slain in a six-month span.

More than 500 pages of transcripts from the grand jury hearing that resulted in the charges are now public. During the testimony, several allegations about the shooting and the events leading up to it were made under oath for the first time. Here are some of them:

Duane Keith "Keffe D" Davis, appears in court in Nevada in this file photo. Davis has pleaded not guilty on charges of killing Tupac Shakur. His trial is set for 2026.

Gangs played a role in the rivalry between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records

The South Side Crips street gang routinely hung out with several high-profile artists signed to the Bad Boy label, including The Notorious B.I.G. (who also performed under the name Biggie Smals), Lil Cease of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and the R&B girl group Total, according to testimony from Crips member Denvonta Lee. The only well-known Bad Boy artist they didnt hang out with was Lil Kim, Lee testified. A faction of the Bloods street gang, Mob Piru, was allegedly affiliated with Death Row.

The theft of a Death Row medallion preceded Shakur's death

For Christmas 1995, Marion "Suge" Knight gave gold and diamond Death Row medallions to some of his closest friends, including members of Mob Piru, according to grand jury testimony. A Crips gang member allegedly stole one of the medallions from around a rival's neck at a California mall in the days before Shakur was murdered in Las Vegas.

Sean "Diddy" Combs allegedly put out a hit on Shakur and Knight

After Knight insulted Combs at the 1995 Source Awards, Combs and Knight were involved in a heated exchange at a party, where Combs allegedly asked Knight, Why you dissing me in front of everyone like that? Davis told police Combs offered a $1 million bounty for the heads of Shakur and Knight. Combs denies this, and according to police, he has never been a suspect in Shakur's murder.

What happened the night Tupac Shakur was shot?

On the night Shakur was fatally shot, he was on his way to perform at Club 662, managed by Knight. The club got its name because the numbers 662 spelled out Mob (Members of Bloods) on a 1990s-era telephone keypad. As Shakur headed there in a black BMW, a group of women yelled, Tupac! Tupac! We love you, Tupac! The rapper leaned out the front passenger window to talk to them, and Davis wrote in his book that his crew saw an opportunity.

Who killed Tupac Shakur?

Davis has named Orlando Baby Lane Anderson as the man who shot Shakur. But Lee testified that his roommate, Deandre Big Dre Smith later admitted he pulled the trigger because Anderson couldnt get a clear shot. Both Smith and Anderson have since died.

Gina Barton is an investigative reporter at USA TODAY. She can be reached at (262) 757-8640 or gbarton@gannett.com. Follow her on X @writerbarton or on Bluesky @writerbarton.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who shot Tupac Shakur? Transcripts from grand jury reveal new details
Thomas' / Allrecipes

Everyone who knows me knows that I'm not a breakfast person. Even though it's not my favorite meal of the day, my go-to dish has always been an extra crispy bagel. Whether you opt for a savory bite like an everything bagel smothered in cream cheese, a towering breakfast sandwich, or a seasonal version flavored with pumpkin spice, you truly cant go wrong with a bagel, in my opinion.

When I lived in New Jersey, my family would visit a local bagel shop to get our bagels, but these days, the grocery store is my main supplier. My weekly shopping list always includes my favorite flavor (a classic everything bagel), yet Im always excited to try something new. Trends like last years viral chopped bagel or Thomas high-protein bagels will most definitely find their way onto my plate.

Now, Thomas is bringing my favorite breakfast food to the snack aisle, and Im counting down the days.

Thomas' Bagels Is Releasing New Bagel Chips

Bagels arent just for breakfast anymore, thanks to an exciting new partnership between Thomas and CaliBagels Inc. The two companies are teaming up to release bagel chips, in a tasty move to expand the popular breakfast brands reach. The lineup will include the most loved bagel flavors in a crispy bite-sized snack, and Im salivating at the thought.

Philip Gorman, the CEO of CaliBagels, expressed his enthusiasm over the upcoming launch, sharing, "Were excited to lead the way with a chip that starts with real bagel flavors and delivers the authentic Thomas experience in every bite."

If youre looking for inspiration on how to enjoy bagel chips (aside from devouring them straight from the package), there are endless ways to do so. Serve them up with a savory or sweet dipperfect for gameday hosting. Or add a few to your lunch if you find yourself wanting something on the side of your salad. You can even use them to elevate your fancy charcuterie boards during the holiday season.

Although an official release date has not been announced, the new products are reportedly set to join the snack aisle in 2026. The chips will be sold nationwide at select grocery and retail locations. And while I wait for these to hit shelves, I may just have to try my hand at making bagel chips myself. I already have the perfect dip in mind to pair them with.



Read the original article on Allrecipes
By Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he is ready to move to a second phase of sanctioning Russia, the closest he has come to suggesting he is on the verge of ramping up sanctions against Moscow or its oil buyers over the war in Ukraine.

Trump has repeatedly threatened Moscow with further sanctions but withheld them as he pursued peace talks.

The latest comments suggest an increasingly aggressive posture, but Trump stopped short of saying he was committed to such a decision or what a second phase might entail.

Asked by a reporter at the White House if he is ready to move to "the second phase" of sanctions against Russia, Trump responded, "Yeah, I am." He did not elaborate.

Trump has been frustrated by his inability to bring a halt to the fighting after he initially predicted he would be able to end the war in Ukraine swiftly when he took office in January.

The White House did not immediately respond to an email on Sunday seeking comment about what steps Trump was contemplating.

The exchange was a follow-up to Trump's comments on Wednesday defending the actions he had taken already on Russia, including imposing punitive tariffs on India's U.S.-bound exports last month.

India is a major buyer of Russia's energy exports, while Western buyers have cut back in response to the war.

"That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia," Trump said on Wednesday. "You call that no action? And I haven't done phase two yet or phase three."

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that the U.S. and the European Union could heap "secondary tariffs on the countries that buy Russian oil," pushing the Russian economy to the brink of collapse and bringing Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

China is a major buyer of Russian energy exports.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Writing by Ted Hesson; Editing by Ross Colvin, Lisa Shumaker and Matthew Lewis)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned a large drone attack by Russia that hit a key government building and killed at least two people in Kyiv.

Russia attacked Ukraine with 810 drones and decoys  the largest aerial attack on the country since the war began, Ukraine's Air Force said.

"Such killings now, when real diplomacy would have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war," Zelenskyy said in a statement online. He called for sanctions and for strengthening Ukraine's air defenses.

A column of smoke rises above the building of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine after a Russian drone and missile attack on Sept. 7, 2025, in Kyiv, Ukraine. / Credit: Oleksandr Magula/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC "UA:PBC"/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

"Every additional (air defense) system saves civilians from these vile strikes. The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed," Zelenskyy said.

Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force, told The Associated Press that Russia also launched 13 missiles of various types in the attack.

Ukraine shot down and neutralized 747 drones and 4 missiles, according to a statement from the Air Force.

Hits from nine missiles and 54 drones were recorded at 33 locations across Ukraine, and the debris of shot-down targets fell at eight locations, the Air Force said.

Associated Press reporters saw a plume of smoke rising from the roof of Kyiv's cabinet of ministers building, but it was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit or debris, which would mark an escalation in Russia's air campaign, which has so far spared government buildings in the city center.

The building is the home of Ukraine's Cabinet, housing the offices of its ministers. Police blocked access to the building as fire trucks and ambulances arrived.

Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a heavily damaged residential building following Russian drone and missile strikes in Kyiv. / Credit: GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images

Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said two people were killed and 20 were injured in the attack.

"For the first time, the government building was damaged by an enemy attack, including the roof and upper floors," said Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. "We will restore the buildings, but lost lives cannot be returned."

"The world must respond to this destruction not only with words, but with actions. There is a need to strengthen sanctions pressure  primarily against Russian oil and gas," she said.

The two people killed were a mother and her 3-month-old child, whose bodies were dug out of the rubble by rescuers, said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's city administration. Initially, Tkachenko said the child was 1 year old. At least 10 locations in Kyiv were damaged in the attack, he added.

The Russian military said Sunday that it used aviation, drones, missiles and artillery to strike military-industrial targets in Ukraine, including drone assembly and storage sites, military airfields, two air defense radar stations and troop positions.

A crying woman walks past a rescuer after a Russian drone and missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. / Credit: Oleksandr Magula/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC "UA:PBC"/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Sunday's attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv in the span of two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane.

The barrage came after European leaders pressed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to work to end the war after 26 of Ukraine's allies pledged to deploy troops as a "reassurance force" for the war-torn country once the fighting ends.

NATO spokesperson Martin O'Donnell said Polish forces were on alert after the attack, German Patriots in Poland were placed on alert, and an aerial refueler from the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft fleet was launched.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Sunday's attack, saying it shows Putin is "not serious about peace."

"I'm appalled by the latest brutal overnight assault on Kyiv and across Ukraine," Starmer said in a statement. "These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace."

Zelenskyy has said he is ready to meet Putin to negotiate a peace agreement and has urged President Trump to impose punishing sanctions on Russia to push it to end the war.

In an interview on ABC's "This Week" that aired Sunday, Zelenskyy said one way to put pressure on Putin is to stop countries from buying energy from Russia, something, he said, some European countries do.

"The most power has White House. And I really count that President Trump will do it, put pressure on Putin," Zelenskky said. "And, this is only one, one way how to stop the killer. You need to take off his, I mean, to take off his weapon. Energy is his weapon."

White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday that the Russian action was "disappointing" and he believes "there's going to be a lot of talk today and tomorrow about the level of sanctions and the timing of sanctions."

Justice Barrett on the Supreme Court's checks on Trump's power

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" turns 50: "Don't dream it, be it"

Stand-up Nate Bargatze on operating in "the chaos"
Photo of JD Vance; Photo of US strike footage; Photo of Nicolas Maduro

Vice President JD Vance defended the U.S. strike that sank a Venezuelan drug boat and killed 11 suspected traffickers this week, arguing the action represented the proper mission of the US military.

Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military, Vance wrote Saturday on X.

He followed up with a shot at Democrats: Democrats: lets send your kids to die in Russia. Republicans: actually lets protect our people from the scum of the Earth.

Vice President JD Vance defended the strike on X, calling the killing of cartel members the highest and best use of our military. Getty Images

The comments came as allies on Capitol Hill warned of a broader threat. Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry said Saturday that Venezuela is acting as a puppet state for Russia and accused both nations of working together to flood the U.S. with fentanyl.

Those are acts of war and we simply cant just stand for it, Perry told NewsNation.

President Trump also raised the stakes, warning this week Venezuelan jets would be shot down if they endanger U.S. warships.

The U.S. strike killed 11 people aboard a vessel allegedly tied to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that Washington has designated a foreign terrorist group. TruthSocial / @realDonaldTrump

Trump told reporters Friday in the Oval Office if Venezuelan jets fly over and put the U.S in a dangerous position theyll be shot down,

Earlier in the week, American forces blew up a vessel carrying alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang Washington recently labeled a terrorist group. All 11 aboard were killed.

Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The strike was followed by two Venezuelan F-16 flyovers of the USS Jason Dunham on Thursday  maneuvers the Pentagon blasted as highly provocative.

Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets twice flew near the USS Jason Dunham in international waters this week, according to the Pentagon. Getty Images

The White House continues to bolster its military presence in the region.

Ten F-35 stealth fighters are being deployed to Puerto Rico as the president cracks down on narcoterrorists, sources told The Post this week.

They will join eight Navy warships, as well as Tomahawk missiles, an attack submarine, several aircraft and more than 4,000 US sailors and Marines, anonymous sources told CNN.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed the mission wont stop with just this strike, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised more smugglers would face the same fate.

Democratic critics have raised alarms.

The White House has ordered 10 F-35 stealth fighters to Puerto Rico to reinforce U.S. forces already deployed in the Caribbean. REUTERS

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said he is reviewing whether the strike bypassed Congress, Politico reported, while human rights groups warned of possible violations of international law.

Vance brushed off those concerns after anti-Trump social media influencer and podcaster Brian Krassenstein called the strike a war crime, firing back on X: I dont give a st what you call it.

Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro insisted his country is open to dialogue, but U.S. officials say his regime runs one of the worlds largest narco-trafficking networks.

The Justice Department last month doubled its bounty for Maduros capture to $50 million.
Vietnam to spend nearly $470B on rural development, poverty reduction in next decade

Around VND12.35 quadrillion (US$468 billion) will be mobilized for new-style countryside building and poverty elimination in Vietnam during 20262035, officials said at a recent meeting.

Of the sum, about VND4.93 quadrillion is expected to fund efforts during 20262030, and the other VND7.42 quadrillion for 20312035, heard a recent meeting between National Assembly Vice Chairman Le Minh Hoan and representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

Funding will come from the central budget, local budgets, capital from national and local programmes, credit, businesses' support, and contributions by people, according to an investment policy proposed for the national target programme on new-style rural area development and sustainable poverty reduction for the 20262035 period.

According to the NA Vice Chairman, the programme must adopt a flexible and effective implementation mechanism to truly reach every citizen. He stressed the need for stronger coordination among ministries, sectors and, particularly, local authorities.

The programme should continue prioritizing investment in infrastructure facilities and roads while also promoting and preserving cultural values and identities of each locality, especially ethnic minority communities, he said, adding that to ensure effective implementation, it is essential to boost training and capacity-building for local officials, particularly at the commune level.

In addition to recognizing communes that meet all new-style countryside criteria, Hoan suggested considering rewards for those excelling in specific areas such as agro-tourism, cooperative economy development, or digital transformation, which will provide encouragement and motivation for communes.

Ngo Truong Son, head of the Central Coordination Office for New-Style Rural Area Development, stated that merging the two national target programmes on new-style rural area development and sustainable poverty reduction into one demonstrates a strong political will to streamline the apparatus, enhance state governance efficiency, integrate multi-sectoral goals, strengthen interregional and inter-level coordination, and promote the central role of the people.

According Son, the new programme provides a framework for fruitfully carry out the Politburo's important resolutions, including the ones on making breakthroughs in science - technology development, innovation, and digital transformation; international integration; law building and enforcement; and private sector development. It incorporates critical elements such as improving grassroots institutional quality, supporting rural startups, and enhancing region  market  value chain connection.

It will be carried out nationwide, spanning all 34 provinces and cities with 2,621 communes, 687 wards, 13 special zones, and every village.

Beneficiaries include poor and near-poor households, those newly escaping from poverty, and relevant individuals, communities, cooperatives, enterprises, and other organisations nationwide, with priority given to rural areas and disadvantaged communes.

The programme focuses on developing the rural economy toward higher value and sustainability by supporting the development of OCOP products, and distinctive forms of agrotourism, ecotourism, and community-based tourism linked with local and regional strengths. It will continue to promote the central role of people and businesses in new-style rural area building and sustainable poverty reduction.

Crucially, attention will be paid to strengthening inspection, supervision, and evaluation across all levels and sectors, while empowering communes and communities through transparent oversight mechanisms.

A review of new-style countryside development after July 1, 2025, for the 20262030 period, shows that 1,719 of 2,621 communes (65.6%) are likely to meet the 20212025 new rural standards, with 362 communes (21%) expected to qualify as advanced new-style rural areas, and 59 communes (3.4%) as model ones.

Regarding sustainable poverty reduction, if the 20262030 national multidimensional poverty standards are applied, the countrys multidimensional poverty rate is projected at 11.7%, with around 350 communes having this rate above 50%.
Getty Images

While I always bummed at the end of the stone fruit season, the sight of piles of glossy grapes, apples, pears, and other fruits at the supermarket always makes me appreciate the start of fall. When it came to shopping for pears, I always gravitated toward the softest ones in the bunch, assuming theyd be in the perfect condition to bite into or bake into a tart when I brought them home. But I was wrongthe pears were almost always bruised, mushy, and overripe by the time I got home.

This year, I finally figured out the right way to pick, ripen, and store pears, which completely changed how I shop for them (and how long they actually last on my counter). Heres what I learned.

The Surprising Mistake Most People Make When Buying Pears

Pears are one of the few fruits that dont ripen on trees (like bananas and avocados). Growers harvest the fruit when it is mature but still hard, allowing them to ripen and sweeten after picking. That means that pears in a firm state are actually more ideal to buy than their ripe, softer counterparts. So if you buy a pear that is soft to the touch, the interior is probably past its prime, resulting in a mushy or even mealy texture.

Because firm pears last much longer than soft ones, giving you more flexibility to ripen them on their own timeline, according to USA Pears, an organization that supports pear growers in Washington and Oregon and promotes the fruit in the United States and around the world.

How to Ripen Pears

To ripen pears, USA Pears recommends simply leaving them out on the countertop. To speed up the process, you can store them in a paper bag, which traps the natural ethylene gas (what causes fruits to ripen). Once your pears are soft, store them in the refrigerator to slow down ripening and keep them fresh for three to five days.

How to Tell When Pears Are Ripe

To check for ripeness, press gently near the stem, according to USA Pears. If it gives slightly, the pear is ripe. The softer the neck, the riper the pear. As we like to say, It's easy, peasy, squeezy!

If your pear is soft around the middle, its already overripe.

The color and type of the pear in question might also indicate ripeness. For example, sweet and juicy Bartlett pears change from green to yellow as they ripen, while non-Bartlett varieties, including the subtly tangy Anjou and crisp Bosc, do not change color as they soften.

What to Make with Ripe Pears

Allrecipes/Qi Ai

Try these tried-and-true pear recipes to make the most of your fruit:



Stuck with overripe pears? It happens! Instead of tossing them in your compost bin, try Steves Fall Pear Sauce recipewhat Ill be making this fall to pair with pork chops and spoon over vanilla ice cream.

It's fall and there are a lot of overripe pears around, so make this incredibly easy pear sauce to enjoy, says Steve Zazulyk. Day-old, ugly, ripe pears that you would never eat are great for this recipe. I like to add cinnamon, but I encourage people to make their own creations.



Read the original article on Allrecipes
USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change.

"The Daily Show," starring Jon Stewart, is returning to the airwaves after a brief summer hiatus.

The Emmy and Peabody award-winning late-night comedy series began its extended summer break in late July, which co-host Desi Lydic assured nervous fans was not the result of a similar situation to the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert by CBS in May.

"Were going on a production break for August, which was planned months and months ago. So dont freak out," Lydic said in July.

The break comes after Jon Stewart, who propelled to fame during his first stint as host, returned as a one-day-a-week anchor in 2024. Trevor Noah (Stewart's first replacement) bridged most of the gap in hosting duties before leaving the desk in 2022. In addition to Stewart, episodes are hosted by comedians Ronny Chieng, Josh Johnson, Jordan Klepper, Lydic and Michael Kosta.

Here's what to know about catching new episodes as they return this week.

Jon Stewart and the rest of the "Daily Show" team.

When does 'The Daily Show' return?

The series will return to the air on Sept. 8, 2025, at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT after a "pre-planned" hiatus, show representative Parker Moreno confirmed to USA TODAY.

Who is hosting 'The Daily Show' on Monday, Sept. 8?

Jon Stewart will host the Monday, Sept. 8 show, representative Nicole Platt told USA TODAY.

How to watch 'The Daily Show'

"The Daily Show" airs weeknights, Monday through Thursday, at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT on Comedy Central. Viewers can stream new episodes the next day on Paramount+.

A standard Paramount+ subscription with ads runs $7.99 a month. A Paramount+ Premium account with no ads costs $12.99 a month.

When did the latest 'The Daily Show' episode air?

The series' latest show aired July 31 with Desi Lydic assuming hosting duties, according to Comedy Central's website. The host spoke with actor Tony Hale while promoting the film "Sketch."

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'The Daily Show' is back. Date, time, host, where to watch.
There are many decisions to weigh when booking a flight  timing, airline, seat location, fare class, and more. d3sign via Getty Images

Air travel can be a stressful experience. Even before its time to depart for your trip, you have to navigate seemingly endless options and weigh competing factors as you select your flight itinerary.

But the booking process doesnt have to be so overwhelming.

Travel: This Is The Best Time To Check In To Your Flight To Get The Best Seat Possible

HuffPost reached out to travel advisers to ask about the common mistakes people make when booking their flights for vacation and why they try to avoid these errors.

Here are some helpful rules of thumb to make your decisions easier and your travel day run more smoothly.

They dont choose an airline based solely on price.

I always compare different airlines, not just for pricing but also for schedules, layovers and overall service quality, said Ronit Margolis, a travel adviser with Fora. Sometimes a slightly higher fare can save hours or provide a better experience.

Additional research can go a long way, especially if youre considering a less familiar airline in another country.

Travel: We're Travel Agents. Here Are 10 Things We'd Never Do When Booking A Flight.

Flying with low-cost carriers comes with certain risks, noted Jonathan Alder, founder of Jonathans Travels. They arent obligated to offer re-accommodation or refunds the way commercial airlines do, which is why theyre classified and ranked differently. Sticking with major carriers ensures a smoother travel experience, especially when things dont go as planned. When you hear about travelers that have been stranded at an airport for a week, they are generally not on the mainstream carriers.

Although major air carriers certainly face their share of headline-making hiccups, theyre generally a little better equipped to bounce back from unexpected delays and might offer a more comfortable experience.

Oftentimes the lowest-priced flight will come with trade-offs like long layovers and inconvenient travel times, noted Fora travel adviser Chirag Panchal. Its always smart to compare the pros and cons before deciding.

They dont book connecting flights  especially not on separate airlines  when theres a nonstop option.

I always try to book nonstop flights, even if more expensive, said Ashley Lancer, a travel adviser with Valerie Wilson Travel. Its worth it.

Travel: We're Travel Agents. Here's What We'd Never Do When Booking A Hotel.

If she has to take a connection, she tries to choose a flight that is earlier in the day so that there are other connecting options in the event of a delay or other issue.

Lancer also tries to keep her connecting flights to one airline whenever possible.

Never book an itinerary on two separate carriers unless you have to, she urged. Always book connecting flights on the same carrier.

They dont book tight connections.

I make sure to avoid any flights with tight layovers, especially when it comes to certain airports where I know there can be a lot of walking  or running  from one terminal to another, Panchal noted. These days flight delays are far too common, and I would rather spend a few extra hours in an airport lounge than be stuck at an airport trying to figure out how to get on the next available flight out.

Travel: Mistakes People Make When Booking Travel Through Third-Party Websites

The same goes for connections between planes and other modes of transportation, like your flight to the departure city for a special cruise or long-distance train journey. Building in some buffer time can make the travel experience more relaxing.

I never book a layover for less than 90 minutes at a minimum on an international flight both into or out of the United States, said Fora travel adviser Caroline Weilert. Rather than assume everything will be on time, travel assuming everything will be one hour late. In doing so, [you] minimize stress and that internal conversation that inevitably happens  What am I going to do if I miss my flight?

Building in buffer time for a connection can help reduce stress. d3sign via Getty Images

They dont travel with loved ones without linking reservations.

Although I love using my earned miles to redeem flights, its often the case that I have to purchase at least one for others traveling with me, Weilert said. When I do this, I always call the airline and ask them to link the reservations.

So when you book one party on a miles redemption ticket and then another with a full fare ticket, youll need to take steps to ensure the reservations are joined together. If you and your travel companion book your flights separately, you can also link them.

Travel: Passport Stamps Are Going Away. Here's What To Know.

Without linkage and in the event of a canceled or delayed flight, the airline has no visibility into who your travel companions are and this can result in parties split during the rebooking process, Weilert explained.

Kareem George, founder of Culture Traveler, emphasized the importance of choosing seats next to each other ahead of time when possible. You cant always assume a friendly fellow passenger will be willing to swap with you so that you can sit together.

As a travel expert, I never forgo the opportunity to make advanced seat reservations, especially if I am traveling with someone, he said.

They dont choose seats before fully analyzing their options.

I never choose seats without consulting a resource like SeatGuru, Weilert said. Exclusively relying on the seat maps provided by airlines is a rookie mistake. Its vital to have another level of protection against non-reclining seats, reduced under seat space, and the nasty smells from the lavatories.

In addition to drawbacks like lavatory smells and long lines, the back of the plane is not ideal when you have a connection thats less than a couple of hours. Consider your individual needs for the flight to ensure you choose the right seat.

If youre thinking about booking that exit row seat for the extra legroom on your overnight flight, think again, said Michael DeLucca, a travel agent and founder of Otsy. Many exit row seats dont recline, which can make it difficult to sleep and leave you more uncomfortable than a standard seat.

They dont repeatedly search for flights while logged into their browser.

I never search for flight prices while logged into my browser or check them repeatedly in the same session, DeLucca said.

He instead uses a virtual private network (VPN) or incognito browsing mode.

A VPN masks your location and anonymizes your browsing activity, DeLucca said. This prevents airlines from tracking your search behavior, which they use to increase prices based on your activity. The additional benefit of a VPN is that it allows you to set your IP address to different regions, giving you access to market-specific promotional rates that can be significantly lower.

They dont book the cheapest fare class without checking the restrictions.

Basic economy fares can be tempting, but they often come with significant restrictions  like no carry-on luggage, no seat selection, and no flexibility to change plan, said Brianna Glenn, CEO and travel adviser at Milk + Honey Travels. I always check the fare class details, and avoid basic economy. You want to ensure you wont face surprises at the airport that could disrupt the trip, or make for an inconvenient experience.

Indeed, you might find that you hardly save any money at all by booking the lowest fare after having to pay extra fees for checked or carry-on bags or losing out on the cash you spent on your ticket when plans change.

I never book basic economy, Lancer said. There are too many things that could go wrong. As soon as I [were] to purchase a nonrefundable and/or noncancelable ticket, thats when I would need to cancel or change!

They dont overlook time zones and jet lag when choosing their outbound flight.

Flight arrival times can significantly affect your overall experience in a new destination, Glenn said. I like to avoid flights that arrive late at night if the first day is important or if Im prone to jet lag, and really early if I know that I wont even be able to check in or freshen up at the hotel after a long flight.

She recommended planning transit around the goal of minimizing fatigue and maximizing enjoyment at the destination from the start. That means considering time zones and jet lag.

I avoid booking red-eye flights when traveling to a destination where Ill need a hotel check-in, DeLucca said. Most hotels dont have rooms ready until 2 p.m. or later, which means arriving on an early flight can leave you stranded and exhausted, especially after a sleepless night.

Of course, overnight flights are often the only option, especially for international trips. But there are circumstances when you can avoid it.

However, I do book red-eye flights for the return leg if Im traveling home on a Friday night, as it allows me to have my full Saturday and Sunday with family, DeLucca added. Im willing to take that risk because Im heading home and can take an early nap if needed.

They dont forget to check nearby airport options.

I would never limit myself to one airport but rather search nearby airports, said Fora travel adviser Angela Marini. Searching for nearby airports can give you access to better flight deals, more flexible travel options, and sometimes even shorter travel times. Many nearby airports may offer lower fares, different airlines or more convenient schedules, especially if youre flying to a major city with multiple airports.

So next time youre traveling to Miami, consider checking the Fort Lauderdale options too. If you live in New Jersey, you might find better deals out of the Philadelphia airport for certain trips.

They dont use online third party bookers.

I would absolutely 100% never book a flight on an online travel agency like Expedia, Marini said. Should you have to make changes, cancel or speak to someone, it is nearly impossible. If the flight is canceled or delayed, you have no one to help you.

Using a third party booker often means less flexibility. If something goes wrong with your flight, the airlines customer service might not be able to help you and will likely direct you to the company you booked with and its potentially limited resources.

The best way to book airfare is directly on the airlines website or via a professional travel agency air desk that has a dedicated team who can provide air support, Panchal added.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
Bettmann Archive/Getty Janet and Jack Smurl are shown with their twin daughters Carin and Shannon on front porch of their home

NEED TO KNOW

The Smurl family consisted of patriarch Jack, matriarch Janet and their four daughters: Heather, Dawn, Shannon and Carin

In the '80s, the Smurls began reporting paranormal activity in their Pennsylvania home and sought help from the Catholic Church and Ed and Lorraine Warren

The Conjuring: Last Rites was inspired by the Smurl family's experiences



The Smurl family is at the center of The Conjuring: Last Rites.

The Smurls led a normal, quiet life in their West Pittston, Pa., duplex for over a decade until strange occurrences began.

The horror franchise's latest release follows Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) as they take on a demon that terrorizes patriarch Jack Smurl (Elliot Cowan) and his wife Janet Smurl (Rebecca Calder), while also targeting their four daughters: Heather (Kila Lord Cassidy), Dawn (Beau Gadsdon), Shannon (Molly Cartwright) and Carin (Tilly Walker).

The case became the last that the Warrens would take on together.

So what happened to the family who inspired The Conjuring: Last Rites? Here's everything to know about the Smurls' experiences and where they are today, three decades after their lives were changed forever.

What is the story of Jack and Janet Smurl?

AP Photo/Wilkes-Barre Times Leader/Carolyn Bauman Janet and Jack Smurl hold a press conference at their home in West Pittston, Pa., Aug. 23, 1986

Jack and Janet moved into their house in West Pittston, Pa., in October 1973, and told Lorraine in an interview that they began experiencing paranormal activity in the home in 1985.

Janet told Lorraine the first occurrence was the night of their daughter Heather's confirmation on April 9, 1985. Janet, Shannon and Heather were in the kitchen, and Janet was pinning the collar onto Heather's confirmation robe when a ceiling light, which was affixed to the ceiling with two chains and several eye hooks into a beam, crashed down onto the kitchen table without warning.

"It was very frightening because it was unexpected and it wasn't like a light that had broken naturally," Janet recalled. "It didn't tip, it didn't sway  it just came crashing down. It gouged Shannon in the forehead and left a mark on the refrigerator."

Subsequently, Janet claimed, the family heard and witnessed other unexplained activity, including doors opening, closing and unlocking by themselves and lights turning on and off. In particular, the accordion-style closet door in Jack and Janet's bedroom opened and shut rapidly on its own. They also stated hearing loud banging and pounding in threes, and items going missing.

According to the 2020 documentary Devil's Road: The True Story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, Jack and Janet claimed that their bed shook and they saw a black shadow lurking around their bedroom. In another instance, Janet was reportedly yanked out of bed and on a different night, the couple levitated "as high as the ceiling," Ed recalled.

The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reported that the family also experienced foul odors and heard pig grunts in the home. The occurrences grew more aggressive over time, with the Smurls' 75-pound German shepherd getting slammed into a wall and Jack getting attacked while praying.

Jack also claimed to have been sexually assaulted by the spirit, which Ed later deemed a succubus, on several occasions.

How did Ed and Lorraine Warren get involved in the Smurl haunting?

AP Photo/Wilkes-Barre Times Leader/Carolyn Bauman Lorraine and Ed Warren address the press from West Pittston, Pa. home of Jack and Janet Smurl, Aug. 25, 1986

Jack and Janet initially sought help from their local Catholic Church.

"We went to our local priest and said, 'Father, there's something very strange going on here,' " Janet recalled on Larry King Live. "So he came over, he blessed the home and said, 'There's no one here who can help you.' "

They then reached out to the Warrens by phone for assistance. The Warrens attempted to vanquish the succubus with prayer, crosses, holy water and a police officer with them for protection.

Ed claimed that the demon attacked him and "threw [him] back 10 feet" and was too strong for them to defeat on their own. They approached the Catholic Church again for help, but were denied once more. Ed took to the media to appeal to the church and asked for "two or three priests" to exorcise the demon.

"You can not even imagine what has gone on in this home," Lorraine said in a press conference.

Lorraine determined that there were four spirits haunting the Smurl house: three human spirits and one demon.

The public pressure succeeded, and the Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger  who would later become Pope Benedict XVI in 2005  assigned an exorcist to the Smurl case. According to Ed, the exorcist went to the Smurls' home and performed an exorcism on the property, and the home was "clear" ever since.

What happened to the Smurl family's house?

AP Photo/Wilkes-Barre Times Leader/Fred Adams Janet Smurl and Jack Smurl with a family member at their Chase St. home in West Pittston, Pa., Aug. 22, 1986

The Smurl family's house is still standing in West Pittston.

According to The Citizens' Voice, the Smurls moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in 1988. Richard Bridle purchased the property and initially had difficulty renting it out due to its notoriety, he told UPI.

"It's hurting me as far as renting the property. There is a stigma attached to the house," Bridle explained, adding that he thought the haunting claims were "ridiculous."

Debra Owens, who moved into the West Pittston property in 1988, told the Times Leader that she never experienced anything unusual in the house, and a man who lived on the other side of the duplex home also said he had no strange occurrences while residing there.

Where is the Smurl family now?

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures 'The Conjuring: The Last Rites'

The patriarch of the family, Jack, led a quiet life after becoming a reluctant media sensation from the hauntings, working for the Topps Chewing Gum company in Duryea, Pa., for over 30 years and remaining active in his local church. He died at age 75 on June 22, 2017, per an obituary.

His daughter Carin told the Citizens' Voice, "It was so quick. We didn't expect it because he had been doing so well. He told my mom ... one of his biggest regrets was that he wasn't going to make it to their 50th anniversary."

Janet Smurl lives in Laporte, Pa.

As for the couple's daughters, Heather and Dawn live private lives. Heather is a mom of two adult children, and today, she's a teacher in Wilkes-Barre. Dawn also raised her son Mark Glowinski II in Wilkes-Barre, and he has gone on to play as an offensive linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts, WVIA News reported.

Similarly, Shannon has a life outside of the public eye  working in health, per her LinkedIn  but she revealed on X that she's still interested in the paranormal and ghost hunting.

Carin, also a professional in the social work field, maintained that they did not fabricate the haunting.

"That we did it for fame or money is the most ridiculous statement ever. We were a normal family with normal lives that went through a tragedy and prevailed by staying strong and faithful," she told Citizens' Voice in 2016. "It's everyone else that blew it up into a nightmare. We battled the demons inside and the public outside. They made it worse."

Carin added, "We never made money from the book or movie. Who would want to go through all that media and public bashing?"

She is also a part-time paranormal investigator, an endeavor she pursued because of what she endured as a child.

"The reason I have been involved in paranormal investigating is so no one has to go through what we did," she said. "In me they get judge-free, discreet, legitimate, honest, professional help and counseling. No one going through tragedy should be treated like we were."

Read the original article on People
If you happened to spot Chris Evans and Anya Taylor-Joy in Greece of late, they weren't just there to admire the scenery.

The two A-listers were on-location to shoot their new movie Sacrifice, which is currently featured in this year's iteration of the Toronto International Film Festival.

More specifically, Evans, 44, and Taylor-Joy, 29, began many of their production days by hiking up the side of a volcano in Santorini, Greece, Variety reports.

The film's script, by Will Arbery (of Succession fame), reportedly has meta components and explores themes of celebrity, wealth and radicalism, as the outlet noted. But that wasn't the only reason Taylor-Joy  who plays a cult leader seeking to stop a volcano from erupting  joined the project.

"I was becoming a real bummer at parties, Taylor-Joy, who apparently has had climate-change anxiety, told Variety. "And the script came by and I realized, like, 'Oh, this is what you do with big feelings. You go away and you make art about it.' Even though it might not change the outcome of whats bothering you, it allows you a different way of releasing it."

The Furiosa actress continued, "It put me in a better place. Spending all that time outdoors gives me a lot of peace. To know my scale, to be around landscapes that have been there for a long time before me and will be there a long time after me, that just relaxes me."

Evans, meanwhile, opened up about how he saw the active volcano before them as an allegory.

"The volcano represents transformation," he told Variety. "Surrender. Its peace. Its freedom. Its realizing that true liberation doesnt come from money or power or even control; it comes from letting go of the things that we think define us."

Outside of TIFF, Taylor-Joy has been enjoying her summer in Europe. The celebrated performer was spotted last month at an Oasis concert in Europe with her husband Malcolm McRae, packing on the PDA in an Instagram video he posted.

This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 6, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Ryan Emberley/Getty Channing Tatum at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 5

NEED TO KNOW

Channing Tatum stars in writer-director Derek Cianfrances biopic Roofman, about the real-life Jeffrey Manchester, premiering Sept. 6 at the Toronto International Film Festival

Currently serving a sentence in a maximum security prison for various robberies, Manchester shared his story via phone with Tatum and Cianfrance as they developed the movie

Tatum tells PEOPLE that he would take Manchesters 15-minute calls wherever he was, including mid-conversation with his daughter Everlys teacher

Channing Tatum spent quite a bit of time on the phone with an inmate at a super-maximum security prison to prepare for his new movie.

Roofman (in theaters Oct. 10) stars Tatum, 45, as real-life convict Jeffrey Manchester, who became notorious for robbing 45 McDonald's restaurants and once evaded capture by secretly living in a Toys "R" Us store. Manchester, currently serving a 40-year sentence at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina, repeatedly called Tatum and director Derek Cianfrance to give them his stranger-than-fiction story.

It's a wild thing when you can't call somebody and they call you from a supermax prison and you have 15 minutes with them, Tatum tells PEOPLE at the PEOPLE/EW and Shutterstock studio at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, Sept. 6.

You basically have to pick up, almost wherever you are, the actor-producer adds. I was talking to my daughter's teacher one time, and literally Jeffrey Manchester is calling and you're just like, One second, prison's calling. And then you just go have this 15-minute conversation and then that's it. He's gone and you don't know when he's going to call back or what time.

Roofman follows Manchesters six-month stint hiding inside a Toys R Us, including his falling in love with a divorced mom (played by Kirsten Dunst). Per an official synopsis, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.

Davi Russo/Paramount Pictures Channing Tatum in 'Roofman'

Tatum says he had no idea really what to expect when he read Cianfrance and Kirt Gunns script, allowing his phone calls with Manchester to guide his development of the biopic. Hes a wildly charismatic and warm human. He takes care of you on this phone call.

A smiling Dunst, 43, cuts in: I wonder why you were cast.

Adds the Magic Mike star, I never got to meet [Manchester]. So hopefully when he gets out, or at some point I'm allowed to actually go see him.

Cianfrance, 51, says he spoke with Manchester about four times a week for four years for research. The more I heard his story, the more I just couldn't believe it was actually real. I talked to the police that arrested him, and sure enough, they said, Yeah, that's what happened.

Tatum, who shares 12-year-old daughter Everly with his ex-wife Jenna Dewan, had personal inspiration to draw from when playing scenes involving the incognito Manchester watching his daughter from afar. I wasn't acting, he says of those emotional onscreen moments. It's the easiest thing in the world.

He adds, I remember the first time that my daughter [rode a bike] and I was pushing her on the bike, and I can't imagine watching... I mean, I did imagine watching my daughter and not being able to go and have that moment with her. It just crushed me. Absolutely crushed me.

Mat Hayward/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty (Left-right:) Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst and Derek Cianfrance at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 6

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.

Roofman, costarring Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Uzo Aduba, Peter Dinklage and more, is in theaters Oct. 10. The 2025 Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 414.

Read the original article on People
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that President Donald Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska gave the Russian leader what he wanted.

"It's a pity that Ukraine was not there, because I think that President Trump gave, gave Putin what he wanted," Zelenskyy said. "He had -- he wanted, you know, he wanted very much to meet with President Trump, with the president of the United States. And I think that, and I think that Putin got it. And, it's a pity."

The Ukrainian president added, "Putin doesn't want to meet with me, but he wants very much to meet with the president of the United States, to show everybody video and images that he is there."

MORE: Zelenskyy rejects Putin invitation: 'He can come to Kyiv'

Zelenskyy spoke to ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz Friday in an interview that aired on ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday.

ABC News - PHOTO: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with Martha Raddatz of ABC News.

Zelenskyy's comments came days before Russia launched more than 800 drones and other munitions across Ukraine overnight Saturday, including the capital city of Kyiv, where the government's cabinet building was struck. The attacks left at least eight civilians dead and injured 59 others across the country. Ukraine's Air Force described the attack as a record assault.

As the war in Ukraine drags on, Trump has continued to push  so far, unsuccessfully  for a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy as he seeks to bring the yearslong conflict to a close. This week, a Trump-imposed two-week deadline for peace talks between Putin and Zelenskyy came and went.

Speaking with Raddatz from a bombed-out American-owned factory in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said that he believed that to end the war, more pressure from American and European allies against Russia is needed.

"You talk about more sanctions and more tariffs and more help from President Trump. And you have told him you think he has the power to do this. And yet the deadlines pass again and again and another one has passed," Raddatz said.

"We all understand that we need additional pressure on Putin. We need pressure from the United States. And I said that I think that President Trump is right about the Europeans -- I am very thankful to all the partners. But some of them, I mean, they continue to buy oil and Russian gas. And this is not fairSo we have to stop buying any kind of energy from Russia," he said.

"This is only one, one way [of] how to stop the killer. You need to take off his, I mean, to take off his weapon. Energy is his weapon," Zelenskyy added.

On a possible meeting with Putin, Zelenskyy said the Russian president proposed terms for a meeting that he could not accept, and that Putin was "playing games with the United States."

"He said he will meet if you come to Moscow," Raddatz said to Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy scoffed.

"He can come to Kyiv," he said.

"I can't go to Moscow under -- when my country is under missiles, under attacks each day," Zelenskyy said. "I can't go to this capital of this terrorist. It's understandable. And he understands it."

"It's the same proposition, as I said, that he has to come to Kyiv. So it's understandable that he is doing it  to again, to postpone the meeting we set," he added.

But Zelenskyy noted that the possibility of a bilateral meeting between the two warring leaders is not out of the question -- just not on Russian territory.

"I said, look, Mr. President, I'm ready for any kind of meeting -- but not in Russia -- any kind of meeting, bilateral, trilateral. We'll be happy if you will be in," he said.

As for the long sought after security guarantees that Ukraine has requested from American and European allies in the event of an end to the war, Zelenskyy said that "any security guarantees in Ukraine can be based only on our army."

"I think that, that President [Trump] wants to finish this war. But if we speak about just and lasting peace, it's important to finish and not to have possibility  to have aggression again in six months, in one year, in two years. It's not only important only to stop the war. Yes, it's very important, but to have a lasting peace, to have security," he said.

Asked by Raddatz what victory looks like for his embattled country, Zelenskyy said the survival of Ukraine.

"Putin's goal is to occupy Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

"[Putin] wants, of course, to occupy us totally. For him, this [is] victory. And until he can do it, the victory is on our side," he said. "So that's why for us to survive is a victory. Because we are surviving with our identity, with our country, with our independence."
by Nirmala Carvalho

St. Andrew's School in Mumbai - where teachers of different religions work side by side - has promoted a trip in the name of the historic document signed in 2019 by Pope Francis and Imam al Tayyeb. Headmaster Fr. Magi Murzello: A common religious response to the challenge of pluralism and the promotion of diversity as a value rooted in religious freedom.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - St. Andrew's School in Bandra, Mumbai, is currently promoting a Tour of Fraternity to Abu Dhabi with its teachers, inspired by Pope Francis' signing of the Document on Human Fraternity. A journey into diversity and in a spirit of fraternity.

The group left on the morning of 5 September, the day on which India celebrates Teachers' Day, which also coincides with the liturgical feast of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Speaking to AsiaNews, Headmaster Fr Magi Murzello explains: "Pope Francis' signing of the Document on Human Fraternity was historic and left a deep impression on our staff and students. St Andrew's is a Catholic educational institution, serving children of all faiths through our educational apostolate. Furthermore, in April 2024, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) asked schools to promote religious and cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity not only among students but also among staff members. It also suggested offering training on inclusive practices to create a welcoming and harmonious working environment in educational institutions."

For this reason, continues the headmaster of St. Andrew's School, "we planned this tour to Abu Dhabi for our teachers, with the specific aim of taking them to the place where, in 2019, the historic Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together was signed by Pope Francis and the Sheikh of al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayyeb. It was a common religious response to the challenge of pluralism and the promotion of diversity as a value rooted in religious freedom."

Given the multicultural and pluralistic nature of Indian society, St. Andrew's aims to promote the spirit of diversity, tolerance and harmony. Not only are Catholic students a minority in our institutions, but our teachers also come from different religious denominations, comments Fr. Magi Murzello.

Professor Rachna Bhanushali, one of the teachers on the trip, told AsiaNews: "It is a privilege for me to teach at St. Andrew's School, where, in addition to offering quality education, we transmit values for character building and nation building. After the signing of the Document on Fraternity, a seminar was organised at our school with the staff to explain what had happened between two great religious institutions: the Catholic Church and Al-Azhar. Since then, many members of the teaching staff had expressed their desire to participate in a Fraternity Tour."

Professor Avdesh Tiwari, another teacher, added: "It's a wonderful initiative: in India, we live in a multicultural and multi-religious society, and Pope Francis was highly respected by people of all faiths. Whenever he spoke, he did so for everyone, not just for Christians. His words and actions had universal appeal. This tour will also strengthen the sense of fraternity among the staff at St. Andrew's.

Saint Mother Teresa was also a teacher, concludes Fr. Magi Murzello. She believed in unity among people of different religions, promoting interreligious harmony by emphasising that compassion and love transcend religious boundaries."

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.
Veteran scientists warn EL PAIS of the dismantling of Americas scientific strength and the risk posed to democracy: It could take decades to recover

In recent weeks, EL PAIS contacted most of the Nobel Prize winners in Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine from the United States over the past 20 years with a questionnaire about Donald Trumps policies on science, research, and health. The vast majority are established researchers  some even retired  who should not fear retaliation; but only a handful of them agreed to respond.

Why am I sad? writes Roald Hoffmann, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. We came to the U.S. when I was 11. Even as my parents could not work making full use of their training and talents, the country gave their child, me (and my sister, born here), a chance to get an education and to do wonderful research with talented coworkers from all over the world. If the Trump policies are carried through, the full flow of what I experienced will be very unlikely in the generation of my scientific grandchildren.

Hoffmann was born in Poland in 1937 and bears the surname of his stepfather. His father, Hillel Safran, was a Polish Jew murdered by the Nazis in 1943 for organizing a rebellion in the concentration camp where he was imprisoned. Most of his family also perished in the Holocaust. In 1949, after several years living in refugee camps in Austria and Germany, Hoffmann, his mother and stepfather managed to emigrate to the United States.

Roald Hoffmann, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, photographed in Madrid on December 16, 2002.

This theoretical chemist won the Nobel Prize for clarifying how chemical reactions take place while he was a researcher at Cornell University, which, along with Harvard and other Ivy League institutions, is now facing Trumps multimillion-dollar cuts. Aside from the effect on science, explains Hoffmann, we are seeing democracy attacked from the top down, but more importantly, a general endorsement of bullying, incivility, and illegal action. Also, an erosion of many steady years of encouragement for minority populations and immigrants that we all valued.

Joachim Frank says one of his earliest memories is seeing his house burn down after being bombed by the Allies in Siegen, the hub of steel production in Nazi Germany. Frank moved to the United States in the 1970s. In 2017, he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing cryo-electron microscopy, a breakthrough for studying the function of molecules essential to life.

At 85, now retired, he writes: I have not seen such a situation in my life, but the closest analogy is with the Hitler regime, which forced many scientists to leave the country because of its racial policies. It marked the end of scientific world leadership by Germany, he warns. Having been born in Germany during World War II, I feel absolutely terrible to see my life being bookended by two fascist regimes

Joachim Frank, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, in the Spanish city of Valencia. Monica Torres

Rich Roberts, born 81 years ago in the United Kingdom, spent much of his scientific career in the United States. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1993 when he was a director of New England Biolabs, based in Massachusetts.

The biochemist warns of the economic impact of Trumps attacks. I work at a company that sells reagents to molecular biologists and a variety of companies that depend on enzymes for the work. This is already reducing our sales and can be expected to do so going forward, although we are likely to continue being a solid company because of both overseas trade and also the number of companies who buy reagents from us.

Roberts believes that not only is science in danger, but also healthcare, the biotech industry and every other profession that relies on scientific knowledge and the students who pursue it.

Roberts confesses: I feel terrible that the science which I have pursued and loved for the last 60 years is being threatened by politicians who know little or nothing about what is entailed in performing science. They dont even seem to appreciate the great benefits to society in general that have come as a result of basic research, which is what they fund mainly. The companies that benefit the general economy rarely do a lot of research themselves and they depend on the basic research that leads to discoveries like the ones that I and my colleagues have made. If this stops, then the companies themselves will likely underperform or go out of business.

Hoffman, Frank, and Roberts are not the only immigrant scholars to have won a Nobel Prize. Thirty-five percent of all academic Nobel Prizes in the United States since 1901 have been won by immigrants, according to George Mason University.

A recent study estimated that if even Trumps proposed cuts are imposed in a reduced version, the U.S. gross domestic product will fall by 3.8% over the long term, a figure similar to what was seen in the 2009 recession. Major research and health promotion agencies are facing the most drastic cuts since World War II, as well as thousands of layoffs.

The scientific community in the U.S. has responded with several manifestos signed by hundreds of researchers, including those who contributed to this article, but it has been rare to see prominent individuals openly take a stand, due to the likely reprisals that the Trump administration could impose on them, their teams, or their research centers.

Barry Barish, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2017 for the discovery of gravitational waves, speaks of a complete rift between the White House and universities. A very large reduction in direct support is proposed for LIGO, my research project [for which he won the Nobel Prize], and one of the most successful programs at the National Science Foundation, he explains.

The traditional partnership with universities, including mine, are threatened by the proposed reduction in overhead from 60% of grant, to 15%. This arrangement has been in place since soon after WWII, he says. The U.S. research enterprise has thrived for decades through this model and has led the world in many areas of research and attracted top scientists around the world. This partnership is coming to an end!

Barish believes that the U.S. is facing the end of an era. We have been living in a golden age of science, both fundamental discovery science and advancing practical applications. I believe that this will continue, but not with the U.S. leading the way. China and, to some extent, Europe, will emerge as the leaders of basic science and applications, he predicts.

Barry Barish, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. Alvaro Garcia

Trumps policies to eliminate equality programs will prevent low-income Americans from receiving a decent education, or even from engaging in top-level scientific research, they warn. The new administrations immigration policies are also jeopardizing the careers of thousands of young people from other countries who come to the United States to pursue a career.

In addition to the short-term effects of decreased funding, writes Harold Varmus, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1989, there are the terrible long-term effects on the previously favorable view of the U.S. as a place to be trained and to perform scientific work. It could take decades to recover.

Most of the laureates interviewed are hopeful that Congress will push back against the cuts. Trumps 2026 budget is currently under debate, and they say its likely that some of his massive proposed cuts will be watered down. If this budget is approved, it will be a catastrophe, says Carl Wieman, professor emeritus at Stanford University and winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics. In the past, including in the first Trump presidency, large cuts for science were proposed, but Congress never went along with them. That could still happen.

The budget debate ends on September 30.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
7 September 2025 22:04 (UTC+04:00)

Russian scientists have developed a new cancer vaccine that is now ready for clinical use, according to the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA). The announcement was made by FMBA head Veronika Skvortsova at the Eastern Economic Forum, as per a report by Russian news agency TASS, Azernews reports.

The vaccine, called Enteromix, is based on mRNA technology  the same approach used in some Covid-19 vaccines. Instead of using a weakened virus, mRNA vaccines teach the bodys cells to produce proteins that trigger an immune response against cancer cells.

Skvortsova said the vaccine has completed years of research, including three years of required preclinical trials. The trials showed that the vaccine was safe even with repeated doses and was highly effective. In some cases, tumors shrank or grew more slowly by 60% to 80%, depending on the type of cancer.

Researchers also noted improved survival rates among test subjects.

The first focus for this vaccine will be colorectal cancer, which refers to the cancer of the large intestine. Work is also advancing on vaccines for glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain cancer, and certain types of melanoma (a serious skin cancer), including ocular melanoma, which affects the eye.

The announcement came during the 10th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, which drew more than 8,400 participants from over 75 countries.
7 September 2025 13:30 (UTC+04:00)

Warm congratulations to the Government and People of #Brazil on the occasion of the #IndependenceDay !  @ItamaratyGovBr pic.twitter.com/mqbFtnvknt

In a message shared on its official social media accounts, the ministry stated: "We sincerely congratulate the government and people of Brazil on Independence Day!"

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has extended congratulations to Brazil on the occasion of its Independence Day, 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!
7 September 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

At least two civilians were killed and 18 others injured in massive Russian airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, Azernews reports via the head of the Kiev City Military Administration, Timur Tkachenko.

A series of powerful explosions shook the city, with destruction and fires recorded in several districts. Search and rescue operations are still underway, and authorities have warned that the death toll could rise.

According to the State Emergency Service, several multi-storey residential buildings were damaged in the Svyatoshyn district. A fire broke out in a nine-storey building from the 6th to the 9th floor and the ceilings were partially collapsed. A hangar and cars also burned, the agency said.

In the Darnytskyi district, a fire and partial destruction occurred on two floors of a four-storey residential building.

It should be noted that the strikes, which began on the night of September 7, were carried out using strike drones and missiles.
7 September 2025 11:30 (UTC+04:00)

The British government is preparing to house illegal immigrants in former military bases while their asylum applications are being reviewed, Azernews reports citing The Daily Telegraph.

The initiative, expected to be officially announced in the coming weeks, has been assigned to the new Home Secretary, Shaban Mahmud, who took office on September 5 following Prime Minister Keir Starmers cabinet reshuffle.

According to the report, the main objective is to reduce the financial burden of accommodating migrants in hotels, which has sparked public discontent in recent weeks. For this purpose, two former military bases located in Essex and Kent, near London, are being considered.

These facilities were initially identified under the previous Conservative government, though the plans faced sharp criticism from human rights groups, who argue that military barracks resemble prison-like conditions.
7 September 2025 12:00 (UTC+04:00)

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has described the latest Russian attack, which set fire to the countrys government building in Kiev, as a serious escalation, Azernews reports.

Sybiha made the remarks in a post on the X social network, writing: For the first time since the start of a large-scale war, Russia has damaged the Ukrainian government building in Kiev. This alone is a serious escalation. The greatest shame is that these brutal attacks are taking place at a time when President (US Donald) Trump is making every effort to achieve peace.

He urged the international community to step up pressure on Moscow, stop purchasing Russian energy, adopt tougher sanctions, and take additional steps to support Ukraine.

The minister believes that waiting will not work, the report noted.
7 September 2025 13:00 (UTC+04:00)

US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea and could hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the event in October, Azernews reports citing CNN.

The summit, chaired by the Republic of Korea, is scheduled to take place in Gyeongju from October 31 to November 1. According to the report, discussions are ongoing regarding a potential meeting between Trump and Xi, though no final agreement has been reached.

The White House confirmed to CNN that the presidents visit to South Korea is possible, noting that the trip would focus on strengthening cooperation in the economic, trade, defense, and civil energy sectors.
7 September 2025 14:35 (UTC+04:00)

Official Yerevan has confirmed the upcoming meeting between the special representatives of Armenia and Turkiye as part of the ongoing normalization process, Azernews reports.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, A meeting between Ruben Rubinyan and Serdar Kilic is planned in the near future within the framework of the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey.

Turkish media had earlier reported that the discussions will focus on the Margara-Alijan border crossing. For the first time, the talks will be held at the delegation level, with the meeting expected to take place early next week.

The sides are set to review previously adopted decisions and consider new steps to advance the normalization of bilateral ties. The Turkish delegation will be led by Serdar Kilic, Ankaras Special Representative for the Normalization of Relations with Armenia
7 September 2025 17:07 (UTC+04:00)

The minister emphasized that Turkiye remains committed to supporting the voluntary and dignified return of refugees to Syria.

According to Yerlikaya, since the change of power in Syria on December 8, 2024, a total of 474,018 Syrians have voluntarily gone back. Overall, since 2016, the number of returnees has reached 1,213,620.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced that Syrian refugees are increasingly returning to their homeland, 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!
7 September 2025 19:40 (UTC+04:00)

Japans prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, is to resign less than a year after taking office, throwing the countrys politics into turmoil and setting in motion a potentially messy contest to replace him as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP), Azernews reports via The Guardian.

The softly spoken centrist has presided over two disastrous elections since being elected to lead the LDP last autumn. In October, the party and its junior coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in the lower house and met the same fate in upper house elections this July.

Speaking to the media on Sunday evening  a day before his opponents inside the party were expected to attempt to force him out  Ishiba said he would resign to take responsibility for the election debacles, saying he wanted to avoid opening up a decisive split in the LDP.

He announced the decision at a time of uncertainty for the worlds fourth-biggest economy as it wrestles with the impact on exports of Donald Trumps tariffs. Last week the US president announced he would lower tariffs imposed on Japanese cars from 27.5% to 15%, in a rare moment of guarded optimism for the embattled Ishiba.

Now that negotiations on US tariff measures have reached a conclusion, I believe this is the appropriate moment [to resign], Ishiba told reporters. I have decided to step aside and make way for the next generation.

Opposition to Ishiba, 68, has mounted in recent weeks, with media reporting that disaffected MPs would attempt to force him out by voting on Monday to bring forward a party presidential election not due until 2027.

Ishiba had reportedly generated even more anger, particularly among those on the right of the LDP, by resisting the move, and threatening instead to call a put up or shut up snap election.

Ishiba conceded that he could no longer lead the LDP  a position that automatically makes the holder of that office prime minister as it is the largest single party in the lower house  after talks with senior colleagues on Saturday, the Kyodo news agency reported.

Now that Ishiba has vowed not to seek re-election in the party contest, attention will turn to his potential successors, with a leadership vote among lawmakers and rank-and-file party members expected to take place in early October.

Sanae Takaichi, the ultra-conservative former economic security minister, who lost to Ishiba in last Octobers leadership election, is expected to make another attempt to become Japans first female prime minister.

Some analysts believe the LDP will turn to its youthful and photogenic agriculture minister, Shinji Koizumi, who has led attempts to reduce soaring rice prices since he was appointed in May. As the environment minister, Koizumi, the son of the former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, once insisted the fight against the climate crisis could be sexy and fun.

Much will depend on how lawmakers who have led the charge against Ishiba cast their votes. They include the former prime minister Taro Aso, who remains an influential figure in the LDP, and other MPs who were close to the former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in July 2022.

Ishiba won the LDP presidency at his fifth attempt last October, but was quickly brought back down to earth when his coalition government lost their majority in the powerful lower house later the same month.

Stripped of their majorities in both houses, the coalition must work with opposition parties to pass legislation or face the constant threat of no-confidence motions. Japans perennially splintered opposition parties have been unable to exploit the LDPs predicament to form a grand coalition, however.

Japan is confronting rising regional tensions, a cost of living crisis and growing public unease over migration that has fuelled a rise in support for the populist Sanseito party.

Ishibas successor will also face the task of restoring public trust in the LDP  which has governed Japan almost without interruption since the mid-1950s  after it was rocked by a major funding scandal.
Several specimens of Liguus fasciatus preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid.

The National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid houses one of the largest malacology collections in the world. The scientific team that curates the seashells shows EL PAIS the most emblematic pieces from its collection

Here, look at this carefully, Fernando Garcia says, as he opens his hands and reveals a treasure. This is proof that humans, in reality, dont invent anything. Rather, they copy it from nature, he adds.

Between the biologists fingers, a perfectly round shell gleams: a spiral shaped like a tiny staircase descending on itself, until it disappears into the center of the shell. Its an impeccable golden ratio, he notes, before returning it to a shelf thats crammed with other shells. This particular shell was from a sea snail  specifically, the species Architectonica maxima  and is now part of the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN) in Madrid, where Garcia works as an archivist.

Malacology is the branch of zoology that studies mollusks, a very diverse group of invertebrates that includes snails, octopuses and clams. And, of course, their shells, too. On the second floor of the Madrid museum, one of the worlds largest collections is housed, organized into three major ecosystems: marine, freshwater and terrestrial. In total, there are nearly two million specimens.

Detail of the formation of a specimen of 'Architectonica maxima' preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez

It all began in 1771, Francisco Javier de Andres explains. Hes also a curator of the MNCN archive. It was then that Carlos III of Spain received the donation of Pedro Franco Davilas collections of natural specimens, which were used to found the Royal Cabinet of Natural History  the seed that led to the current museum.

Since then, the shell collection has continued to grow. It was fueled, at first, by Spanish scientific expeditions to the Americas  especially Cuba  and the Philippines. When these missions returned, they were laden with exotic species, turning the archive into one of the most comprehensive on the planet.

Some of the pieces are preserved in a dry state. Others are kept in fluids: there are jars filled with alcohol that preserve the bodies of the mollusks that once inhabited those shells. They now rest in a dark room in the museums basement. Some have been there for centuries. The oldest piece is a Pinctada margaritifera, also known as the black-lip pearl oyster. It was collected in 1758. We believe that it may have belonged to the Royal Cabinet of Natural History since the institutions founding, De Andres notes.

The most beautiful of all shells

Many of the shells are shrouded in myths and legends. Between the aisles, Garcia stops in front of a long shelf and decides to reveal a secret. Its one of my favorites, he says.

What he shows EL PAIS is a Conus gloriamaris, brought from the Philippines in 1777. The region is a paradise for shells because its a tropical archipelago thats highly-fragmented, producing currents with a lot of calcium carbonate  the raw material from which mollusks make their shells, De Andres explains.

A specimen of Conus gloriamaris, preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. MNCN

Since the 18th century, the Conus gloriamaris has been the most valuable and coveted snail on the planet. Its been said that it wasnt only the most beautiful and rare of the Conus, but also had the most beautiful of all shells, wrote the Spanish naturalist Florentino Azpeitia, in a 1927 scientific publication. A closer look is enough to understand why: a slender, cone-shapped silhouette  measuring just under six inches  is covered in a delicate network of dark lines on a yellowish background that appears hand-painted.

Until 1949, only 22 specimens of Conus gloriamaris were known in the world. In 1927, the price of one shell reached 6,000 French francs. In 1934, the MCNC obtained its own specimen from Azpeitias personal collection. Word of mouth has it that, before the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the museum kept the specimen in a bank safe, so as to prevent it from being stolen. We only know this through the oral tradition here at the museum, because we havent found any documents to prove it but it would have made sense as a way to avoid temptation, De Andres clarifies.

Fernando Garcia Guerrero, technical staff member of the malacology collection, holds and explains a specimen of 'Tonna galea' at the Natural Sciences Museum in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez

This isnt the first time the value of a shell has been equated with that of a precious metal. Throughout history, various cultures have used shells as a form of payment. The best-known example is cowrie shells, which were used as currency in Africa, Asia and some Pacific islands. These shells were valued for their durability, portability and beauty. Their use as currency is explained by the fact that they were relatively scarce, easy to transport and difficult to counterfeit  fulfilling many of the functions that, today, we attribute to money.

Artistic inspiration

The collection is transformed into a labyrinth of stainless steel cabinets. Fireproof and waterproof, theyre designed to withstand flames and floods. Each shell is stored in an acid-free polystyrene plastic container.

Previously, they were housed on wooden shelves, which released vapors that  combined with [high] temperatures and humidity  were capable of dissolving the calcium carbonate in the shells, Garcia sighs. The room isnt air-conditioned, but they hope to install equipment soon to maintain a constant temperature of 69.8F and recreate an optimal ecosystem to preserve the shells.

A specimen of 'Murex pecten'  also known as the Venus comb murex  preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez Detail of the formation of a specimen from the 'Cypraeidae' family, preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez Several specimens of 'Papustyla pulcherrima,' preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez A specimen of 'Nautilus pompilius,' preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez Specimens of 'Voluta musica,' preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez A specimen of 'Voluta musica,' preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez A drawer in the malacology collection at the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez A specimen of 'Pinctada margaritifera,' the oldest specimen preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. MNCN A specimen of 'Harpa major,' preserved in the malacology collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid. Its shine and texture are reminiscent of porcelain. MNCN

Tell me, what does this remind you of? Garcia asks, taking a pale pink shell in both hands and extending it forward. It looks like porcelain, right? Hes holding a Harpa major and yes, it could easily be mistaken for the finest porcelain. Mollusks have historically served as inspiration for various human disciplines, the curator details. The fields of fashion, architecture, ceramics and even dance have used the shapes, colors and textures of snails to compose or design works of art.

Colors for camouflage

At the end of the tour, the scientists head to a small room. In the center, theres a wooden table piled high with small snails and papers. This belongs to a colleague whos researching a topic for his thesis; thats another function of the collection, Garcia points out. With a careful gesture, the scientist moves the materials aside to make room for what he truly wants to show EL PAIS. This is where the terrestrial specimens are kept, he comments. Suddenly, the collection begins to reveal another kind of exoticism.

One highlight, for example, is the Papustyla pulcherrima  a gastropod that lives in tropical rainforests and is endemic to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Its a small, bright green snail that resembles a precious stone. Shells, Garcia begins, usually take on the colors of their environment, which is why marine shells have shades like sand. But in the case of terrestrial ones, things are different.

Each shell is a living architecture that the mollusk builds throughout its life, secreting minerals and proteins. In the case of the Papustyla, its not known for certain where it gets its distinctive color. However, its suspected that it processes plant-derived compounds and  using its metabolic machinery  transforms them into the green pigment thats deposited on the shell and gives it its color.

Francisco Javier de Andres Cobeta, curator of the malacology collection at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid. Cesar Vallejo Rodriguez

Its all about trying to camouflage yourself, so you dont get eaten, Garcia explains, while picking up a new shell. The Liguus fasciatus is a small, elongated, cone-shaped snail with a thin, smooth and shiny tip. Against a pearly background, brightly-colored bands  green, yellow, brown, pink, or even purple  unfold, running irregularly around the spiral, creating unique patterns.

After viewing a good portion of the collection, one question seems unavoidable. Which is our favorite piece? Well, for us  as biologists  talking about a favorite piece is very complicated: theyre all emblematic, Garcia concludes.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
7 September 2025 23:39 (UTC+04:00)

South Korean Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik announced on Sunday that a deal has been struck with the United States to have the workers that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained in a raid on Hyundai Motor Company's plant in Ellabell, Georgia, returned to their home country, Azernews reports.

"Negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded, after swift responses by the relevant ministries, business agencies, and companies," Kang told the media. "However, some administrative procedures remain, and once they are completed, a chartered plane will depart to bring back our citizens."

Earlier in the week, the ICE raided Hyundai Metaplant in Ellabell and arrested 475 workers, about 300 of whom are South Korean, because they reportedly did not have adequate work papers. US President Donald Trump defended the move, insisting that "they were illegal aliens, and ICE was just doing its job."
7 September 2025 19:10 (UTC+04:00)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the latest Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, describing them as a deliberate crime by the Kremlin and an effort to prolong the war, Azernews reports.

At a time when real diplomacy could have begun long ago, these murders that took place today are a conscious crime of the Kremlin and a prolongation of the war, Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

He recalled Washingtons repeated warnings about possible sanctions should Moscow refuse to negotiate, stressing also the importance of implementing all agreements reached in Paris.

The president highlighted the urgency of strengthening Ukraines air defense, stating: Because every additional system protects civilians from these vile attacks.

The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop the murders, but political will is needed. I thank everyone who helped, he added.

According to reports, Russia carried out more than 800 strikes overnight using UAVs and various types of missiles, hitting Kremenchuk, Dnipro, Odessa, Kiev, Krivoy Rog, and several other cities. Zelensky also noted that several Russian drones had crossed the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.
Brexit hero Nigel Farage, leader of the UK's Reform Party, appeared before the Judiciary Committee of the US Congress this week to warn of the danger to Americans of Europe's criminalization of free speech. He also asked US assistance to help combat this authoritarian trend.

One of the cases that Farage zeroed in on was a prominent Irish comedian who was recently arrested by five armed police at Heathrow airport over three tweets he had made on social media deemed offensive to "transgenders". The comedian is an Irish citizen and had made the tweets while he was present in the United States, but he was arrested for them when he arrived in the UK. Farage pointed out that it was not much of a jump to arrest American citizens arriving in the UK for social media posts they made here in the US.

Farage also mentioned the danger of the EU or UK trying to fine US tech companies for failing to censor speech on the internet, including that of our own citizens.

Farage noted that under its present Labour government, the UK was beginning to resemble North Korea. Fortunately, polls show Farage's Reform Party with a wide lead for the next parliamentary election, 15 points ahead of its nearest rival, and likely to win a House of Commons majority of over 100 seats over all other parties combined.

Committee chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) echoed Farage's warnings that European overreach could impact the free speech rights of Americans.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/farage-to-congress-defend-free-speech-from-europes-overreach/

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/09/04/jim-jordan-europe-has-now-codified-their-version-of-bidens-disinformation-governance-board/

https://thefederalist.com/2025/09/04/farage-warns-u-k-censorship-sledgehammer-could-come-for-americans-next/

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2103955/nigel-farage-live-reform-leader
By Dr. Mark Creech

Return America

On July 30, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law a declaration making In God We Trust the official motto of the United States. It formally replaced the Latin phrase E Pluribus Unum  Out of many, one  which, though long cherished, had never been officially adopted by Congress.

This was no mere semantic shift. The choice of motto came at the height of the Cold War, when America was locked in a struggle not only of arms and ideology, but of spirit. Against the atheistic creed of Soviet communism, our nation reaffirmed its identity as one that acknowledges dependence upon the Almighty.

Yet this was hardly a new impulse. References to God are woven throughout our national heritage, etched into the Declaration of Independence, invoked by Lincoln in his calls to a nation under God, and echoed in countless prayers, proclamations, and public observances. Eisenhowers decision in 1956 was less a departure from tradition than a renewal of it.

Not everyone has welcomed the motto. Court challenges have argued that the phrase violates the constitutional separation of church and state. But time and again, the courts have upheld its place, regarding it as part of our nations ceremonial and historical fabric. Today, In God We Trust is emblazoned on every piece of American currency, engraved on government buildings, inscribed on license plates, and celebrated in state resolutions across the land.

However, the motto is not only a matter of national symbolism; it continues to speak to the identity of states like North Carolina. Earlier this year, the North Carolina General Assembly considered House Bill 16, titled In God We Trust  Display. The measure called for the national motto to be placed prominently in both chambers of the legislature  directly above and behind the Speakers dais in the House and the Presidents dais in the Senate. The display would mirror the historic presentation in the U.S. House of Representatives, linking our states halls of power to that enduring national tradition.

The bill passed the House by an overwhelming margin of 10017, a rare show of bipartisan agreement in a time when consensus is often elusive. The measure was championed by Rep. Ben T. Moss, Jr., a three-term Republican legislator who has been clear in his conviction that affirming our national motto in such a visible place would serve as a powerful reminder of the values that undergird our freedoms.

Yet, despite its overwhelming support in the House, the Senate has quietly shuffled the legislation to the Senate Rules Committee, where it now sits in limbo. Lawmakers could take it up when they return later this year to address unfinished business or leave it until the Short Session convenes in May 2026. The encouraging news is that the measure may only be delayed and not dead.

Some speculate that, even if it passes, Governor Josh Stein will veto the bill. Let him, if he chooses. In God We Trust is so deeply ingrained in the American psyche that a veto of such legislation would not only stand against history and heritage but also seriously risk eroding the Governors standing with the vast majority of North Carolinians. His veto would likely be overridden.

Some dismiss this legislation as mere symbolism, but nothing could be further from the truth. Symbols shape culture, and culture shapes law. Placing In God We Trust above the dais in our states chambers would be a visible affirmation that anchors public policy in enduring moral values and fosters a culture of ethical responsibility. It is far more than a decorative gesture; it reminds us that our laws and government are rooted in a tradition that honors divine guidance and accountability. Without God as the ultimate source of truth and authority, the very foundation of our unalienable rights would crumble, for only under Him can those rights be secure.

Moreover, in a day when secularism seeks to scrub the mention of God from every vestige of public life, the mottos presence in the General Assembly would stand as a public witness that faith is not a relic of the past but a living truth at the heart of our national identity. When division seems to plague everything, In God We Trust remains one of the few declarations that point us to the one thing that can bring us together  our trust in God and the unchangeable truths of His Word.

The late President John F. Kennedy, in a 1961 speech, said:

No man who enters upon the office to which I have succeeded can fail to recognize how every president of the United States has placed special reliance upon his faith in God. Every president has taken comfort and courage when toldthat the Lord will be with thee. He will not fail thee nor forsake thee. Fear not  neither be dismayedEach of our presidents in his own way has placed a special trust in God. Those who were strongest intellectually were also strongest spiritually.

Let uslead this land that we love, joining in the prayer of General George Washington in 1783, that God would have you in His holy protection, that He would incline the hearts of the citizensto entertain a brotherly love and affection one for anotherand finally that He would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves withthe characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, without an humble imitation of whose example we can never hope to be a happy nation.

Such beautiful words transcend politics. They speak across party lines and generations, echoing through the chambers of government to affirm a common bond: we are a people who trust in something greater than ourselves. This is a profound truth that every state lawmaker should see and remember every day they walk into the House and Senate chambers.

https://revmarkcreech.org/symbols-matter-why-in-god-we-trust-belongs-in-our-state-legislature

Amen  So let it be!
The Bafta-winning actress, best known for her roles in The Great Gatsby, Suffragette, and She Said, is a founding global ambassador for War Child (Ian West/PA)

Hollywood star Carey Mulligan has urged the UK Government and international community to demand information from Russia about every stolen Ukrainian child.

The Bafta-winning actress, best known for her roles in The Great Gatsby, Suffragette, and She Said, is a founding global ambassador for War Child, a charity that works with local communities and governments to protect, educate and support children who are caught in a conflict.
The Duke of Sussex is spending several days in the UK and carrying out a series of visits (James Manning/PA)

The Duke of Sussex is returning to the UK this week for the first time in five months, when he will show his support for BBC Children in Need and revisit a community recording studio in Nottingham.
The Irish Guards today were on Parade today as they are laying down their regimental colours at St. Mark's Parish Church in Dundela, East Belfast. This event is a historic, one-off event to mark the regiment's 125th anniversary and will be the only set of their colours to reside outside of London. The Parade which took place along Belmont Road featured the Band of the Irish Guards, Pipes and Drums Irish Guards and Campbell College Pipe Band along with the Irish Guards Association & Army Cadet force. Photo - Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

The Irish Guards today were on Parade today as they are laying down their regimental colours at St. Mark's Parish Church in Dundela, East Belfast. This event is a historic, one-off event to mark the regiment's 125th anniversary and will be the only set of their colours to reside outside of London. The Parade which took place along Belmont Road featured the Band of the Irish Guards, Pipes and Drums Irish Guards and Campbell College Pipe Band along with the Irish Guards Association & Army Cadet force. Photo - Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

The Irish Guards today were on Parade today as they are laying down their regimental colours at St. Mark's Parish Church in Dundela, East Belfast. This event is a historic, one-off event to mark the regiment's 125th anniversary and will be the only set of their colours to reside outside of London. The Parade which took place along Belmont Road featured the Band of the Irish Guards, Pipes and Drums Irish Guards and Campbell College Pipe Band along with the Irish Guards Association & Army Cadet force. Photo - Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

The Irish Guards today were on Parade today as they are laying down their regimental colours at St. Mark's Parish Church in Dundela, East Belfast. This event is a historic, one-off event to mark the regiment's 125th anniversary and will be the only set of their colours to reside outside of London. The Parade which took place along Belmont Road featured the Band of the Irish Guards, Pipes and Drums Irish Guards and Campbell College Pipe Band along with the Irish Guards Association & Army Cadet force. Photo - Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

The Irish Guards today were on parade as they are laying down their regimental colours at St. Mark's Parish Church in Dundela, East Belfast. Photo - Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

More than 200 Irish Guards have marched through Belfast to mark the 125th anniversary of their formation.

In a historic first, the Guards exercised their right to parade through the town, a right granted just last year, with the parade drawing in thousands of onlookers.

Anniversary of Irish Guards laying down of colours. Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

The Irish Guards were formed in 1900 by Queen Victoria to acknowledge the bravery of Irish soldiers during the Boer War. They have served with distinction in conflicts across the world, including both World Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Anniversary of Irish Guards laying down of colours. Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

Known affectionately as the the Micks, they are part of the Household Division and take part in many of the UKs most prestigious Royal and State occasions, including the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and the Kings Birthday Parade.

Anniversary of Irish Guards laying down of colours. Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

Recently, they have been involved in training Ukrainian recruits on Operation Interflex and in nations across Africa.

The Guards previously walked in Bangor on Saturday and Carrickfergus earlier this week, with Sundays parade taking place in east Belfast. The parade marched from Campbell College to St Marks Parish Church, and concluded at Ashfield School.

Anniversary of Irish Guards laying down of colours. Photo - Michael Cooper

In a lasting tribute, the regiment is set to lay up its old colours, presented by the late Queen Elizabeth II, at St Marks, and is notable as its the only set of Irish Guards colours to be housed outside London.

Anniversary of Irish Guards laying down of colours. Photo - Michael Cooper

The Irish Guards today were on parade as they are laying down their regimental colours at St. Mark's Parish Church in Dundela, East Belfast. Photo - Andrew McCarroll/ Pacemaker Press

Belfast History Explained: Who was Mary Ann McCracken?

DUP leader and East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson was among the special guests who attended the service.
A 39-year old man is to appear in court tomorrow charged with the murder of a man in Co Armagh.

Christopher Chrissy Burns was discovered dead by police on Thursday at a property in the Mountnorris area.

He had suffered serious head and facial injuries.

A police spokesperson confirmed a man has now been charged with his murder.

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland's Major Investigation Team investigating the murder of Chrissy Christopher Burns in Mountnorris have charged a man with his murder, a PSNI spokesperson said.

The 39-year-old man is due to appear before Newry Magistrates' Court tomorrow, Monday, 8th September. As is usual procedure, the charge will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

Mr Burns death marks the 10th murder in Northern Ireland in 10 weeks.

At the Policing Board on Thursday, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said he considered drafting in homicide detectives from elsewhere in the UK to help with investigations.
The incident is in the Bentham Drive area (Photo: Google)

A 46-year old man has been charged following the discovery of a number of viable devices during a security alert in south Belfast.

Several properties in the Bentham Drive area were evacuated on Saturday as police carried out searches.

A property was cordoned off and Ammunition Technical Officers attended the scene and examined several objects, which were deemed viable and removed for further examination.

On Sunday, police said the security alert had ended and a man has been arrested.

He has since been charged with with making explosives under suspicious circumstances among other offences.

A PSNI spokesperson said: The 46-year-old is charged with making explosives under suspicious circumstances, possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances, possessing a firearm in suspicious circumstances, possessing ammunition in suspicious circumstance and possessing Class A, B and C controlled drugs.

He is expected to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on Monday, September 8.

As is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

The incident is in the Bentham Drive area (Photo: Google)

Belfast History Explained: Who was Sheila the Elephant?

Earlier on Sunday, Detective Inspector Alexander said: "Residents who were evacuated from their homes have been allowed to return, and we are grateful for their cooperation and patience while we made the area safe."
Donald Trump has set out to end the alleged campaigns that, according to him, attempted to tarnish the nations greatness by questioning its history

Educational exposure of ideas, assumptions or hypotheses, based on proven facts" (which need not be strictly current affairs) Value in judgments are excluded, and the text comes close to an opinion article, without judging or making forecasts , just formulating hypotheses, giving motivated explanations and bringing together a variety of data

As a worker at the Ministry of Truth, Winston Smiths main function was to rewrite history to fit the interests of the Party and Big Brother. When his country went to war with Eurasia, he was obliged to change any references to that nation as an ally and portray it as the enemy. When the tables turned and the adversary became Eastasia, he had to do the same in reverse. George Orwells 1984 presents this story as a critical allegory of governments that seek to bend facts to their convenience. Smiths goal was to rewrite the past in order to control the present and conquer the future.

This also seems to be Donald Trumps objective in the United States. Since assuming the presidency for a second time, he has launched a cultural offensive that historian Paul Josephson provocatively compares to some of the practices employed by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union.

For Trump, one of his countrys greatest problems is that it has strayed from its glorious past due to the progressive leaders who preceded him. Therefore, he has set out to end the supposed dishonorable campaigns that, in his view, sought to tarnish the nations greatness by questioning its history.

So far in the first year of his second mandate, he has dismissed several directors of cultural institutions, positioned himself as responsible for the Kennedy Center, and ordered a broad review of the Smithsonian museums  the countrys most important  to ensure that the historical narratives they present align with his vision.

Next year, the United States will celebrate 250 years of independence, and by then, Trump wants everything firmly in place. Very firmly. The message is clear: for years the nations glorious past was betrayed, and now we are reclaiming it as we enter a new golden age.

The president and his supporters thus position themselves as the only legitimate heirs of the Founding Fathers and all the figures who made the United States an economic and military power  whether or not that is true. Lincoln was a leftist, hugely admired by Marx, yet todays MAGA people call him conservative, Curtis Yarvin, the neo-reactionary thinker at the center of the Trump universe and a close ally of Vice President JD Vance, told EL PAIS.

In 1984, Winston Smith rebels against Big Brothers dictatorship but ultimately fails. The Party manages to break him, and he ends up submissive to its narrative. Will Trump achieve the same feat in the United States? Below, we review some of the communication tactics used by the MAGA movement to revise history and claim ownership of it.

Restoration by decree

On March 27, Trump signed an executive order titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History. The document suggests that over the past decade, attempts have been made to distort the nations past through a negative lens, placing excessive emphasis on issues of race, gender, and ideology. For this reason, any exhibition that degrades American values is prohibited. The stated goal of this order is saving the Smithsonian museums and restoring the past.

Messages about history on social media

Posts referencing history are common on the White Houses social media channels. They tend to emphasize four main ideas:

1. Woke culture poses a threat to the country and diminishes its greatness, and therefore must be eliminated.

2. Illegal immigration is the antithesis of U.S. history.

3. With Trump, a new era has begun, and the country is great again.

4. Many of the presidents actions are historically significant.

Cultural and historical offensive

On his inauguration day, Trump surprised many by announcing that he would rename the Gulf of Mexico and Mount Delali, which would revert to being called Mount McKinley in honor of the 25th president, William McKinley  one of the figures the Trump movement has sought to celebrate. Since then, he has launched a series of measures of varying scope and significance aimed at influencing the culture and history of the United States.

Reviving the Founding Fathers

The Trump administration has opened a special exhibition at the White House dedicated to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It includes QR codes that link to AI-generated videos in which each signer explains their story. Since access to the presidential residence is limited, an online guide has been distributed so the exhibition can be recreated in other locations. According to historians who have analyzed the videos, they are biased and present a version of history that leans toward propaganda and whitewashing.

The power of memes

The White Houses most commonly used method to associate immigrants with the historical enemies of the United States is through memes referencing old military recruitment imagery. At the turn of the 20th century, Uncle Sam was used to encourage enlistment for World War I and World War II. Today, the image has been revived to promote volunteer enrollment in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Traditional posters have been replaced by online infographics and memes.

Values or ancestry?

The MAGA movement places particular emphasis on immigration and the threat it poses to the nations identity. One of its internal currents, led by JD Vance, goes further by suggesting that proven U.S. lineage should be a fundamental requirement for citizenship. This represents a stark break from the historical notion of the United States as a nation of immigrants, built on the values of freedom, opportunity, and democracy. In various speeches, the vice president has even hinted at the need to extend this idea beyond the U.S., citing the supposed risks faced by Western society.

An asylum seeker, often a young man in his mid-20s, already known to police, rams a car into a crowd and shatters a community. How many times must we suffer these appalling setbacks before we change course and take our shared civilization in a new direction? Vice President JD Vance at the 2025 Munich Security Conference

American citizenship must mean belonging to a nation that guards the sovereignty of its people, especially from a modern world thats hellbent on dissolving borders and differences in national character. Vice President JD Vance receiving the Claremont Institute's Statesmanship Award.

To find out more

Books:

Articles:

Videos and podcasts:

Documents:

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
Angela Rayner is not a victim and any government is stronger with her, a Cabinet minister has said after a reshuffle following her resignation saw tensions flare within Labour.

Defence Secretary John Healey defended Sir Keir Starmers clear, swift, fair action following his former deputys admission that she mistakenly underpaid stamp duty on a seaside flat she bought earlier this year.

It comes as speculation mounts over who could replace Ms Rayner as deputy Labour leader, with Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Dame Emily Thornberry already confirming she is considering running for the job.

Ms Rayner quit as housing secretary, deputy leader and deputy prime minister after the Prime Ministers ethics watchdog found she had breached the ministerial code, triggering an early Government reshuffle.

Mr Healey said the new-look Cabinet meant a good team was now in place to deliver policy after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham expressed concerns about the balance within Sir Keirs Government.

He rejected suggestions made by Mr Burnham that the leadership needed to change its treatment of backbenchers by showing them more respect following a row over the Governments welfare reforms earlier this year.

I dispute that. Our focus has been on the public that elected us, the delivery that were charged to change their lives. Its a big part of the job we all do, he told the BBCs Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.

John Healey said Angela Rayner had not been a victim (Sky News)

Our Government will miss Angela Rayner. Shes not been a victim. Shes been under a lot of pressure and Andy Burnhams right about that.

But shes been an inspiration to many, particularly working-class women.

He added: Any government is stronger with Angela Rayner but weve got a good new team in place and thats our job.

The Prime Minister is seeking to draw a line under the damaging fallout from his former deputys breach of the ministerial code after she admitted to mistakenly underpaying a surcharge on a property in Hove in May.

An investigation by the independent ethics adviser found she had acted in good faith but that the responsibility of any taxpayer for reporting their tax returns and settling their liabilities rests ultimately with themselves.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham suggested someone from the north would be a good choice for Labours new deputy leader (PA)

Sir Keir carried out a major reshuffle of his Cabinet and junior ministers following Ms Rayners departure, telling his new-look team to go up a gear with delivery in the wake of the scandal.

But he now faces the prospect of a party conference overshadowed by manoeuvring for the deputy leadership role vacated by Ms Rayner, who was popular among grassroots and seen as a bridge between No 10 and the wider party.

Labours governing National Executive Committee (NEC) is expected to meet on Monday to decide how to move forward with the internal contest to replace her.

On Sunday, Mr Healey dismissed the idea that former foreign secretary David Lammys appointment as Deputy Prime Minister meant he was the Prime Ministers preferred candidate for the role.

Theyre two separate jobs, two very important jobs. The deputy leader of the Labour Party is an important job and an important vote for Labour Party members, he told Sky Newss Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

Mr Burnham backed Louise Haigh, who resigned as transport secretary last year after it emerged she had previously been convicted of a fraud offence, or former Commons leader Lucy Powell.

Ms Powell was sacked as part of Sir Keirs Cabinet shake-up this week while Ms Haigh left Government in November after it emerged she had admitted to incorrectly telling police a work mobile phone was stolen in 2013.

Asked what kind of candidate he would support for the deputy leadership spot, Mr Burnham said: Obviously, Im biased, but somebody from these parts I think would be great.

Louise Haigh, possibly Lucy Powell, who I think did a brilliant job in government.

He said a voice from the north of England would help to counter what he called the London centricity of the existing leadership.

Meanwhile Islington South and Finsbury MP Dame Emily told the BBC: Im thinking about it. Its really a question of what can I bring to it.

I hear what is said about the deputy leader should come from Manchester, and obviously the mayor of Manchester would say that. Im sure that people would say they should come from Wales or from Scotland or  whats important is what you bring.

Do you have the strength? Do you have the experience? Can you actually make a difference? And Ive got to kind of think about that.

Some Labour backbenchers were highly critical of the changes in the reshuffle and expressed concerns about what they meant for the partys direction of travel.

Angela made an unbalanced Cabinet look slightly more balanced, one told the PA news agency.

But it was almost entirely skin deep and cosmetic. On literally every major issue she has tucked in behind them. A few leaked memos do not a left-wing policy agenda, make.

Now even the semblance of that illusion is gone. Maybe for the party overall thats for the better in the long run.

They added that Starmer just signed his own death warrant and has to be gone before (Christmas).

Liverpool Riverside Labour MP Kim Johnson said the reshuffle looked like moving deck chairs on Titanic and creating a London elite.

The Labour Party is a broad church, this is certainly not represented with this reshuffle, she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Rayner is facing Opposition pressure to reject a severance payment which ministers are entitled to when they leave Cabinet.

New Labour rules coming into force in October will allow the Prime Minister to deny a golden goodbye to any members of Government found to have committed a serious breach of the ministerial code.

But ministers have said that because Ms Rayners departure comes before the changes kick in, it is a decision for her whether or not she takes the payment, which could be as much as 16,876 under existing rules.
Sir Keir Starmer said his focus was on delivery after he carried out a purge of Home Office ministers in a major Government reshuffle following Angela Rayners resignation.

The Prime Minister is seeking to draw a line under the damaging fallout from his former deputys breach of the ministerial code with a new-look Cabinet as several figures were sacked or moved aside.

Sir Keir made sweeping changes at the Home Office, where Yvette Cooper was replaced by former justice secretary Shabana Mahmood and borders minister Dame Angela Eagle was moved to the farming brief.

Newly appointed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (PA)

He said on Saturday: The new ministers will drive forward our growth agenda with a relentless focus.

Phase two of this Government is about delivery and this is a Government that will renew Britain and deliver the change people voted for.

The shake-up is a sign the Prime Minister is seeking to tighten his grip on immigration, as the number of small boat crossings in the English Channel soared to an estimated 1,000 people over the course of Saturday.

Ms Mahmood is expected to make policy announcements on asylum imminently, with one Government source saying nothing is off the table for her as she assumes her new brief.

Former industry minister Sarah Jones will become policing minister, a brief she held in opposition, while Mike Tapp, the Dover MP from Labours 2024 intake, and Alex Norris also join the department.

Former policing minister Dame Diana Johnson has moved to a new super ministry overseen by new Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden  a sign Government intends to push ahead with some radical welfare reform in its search for economic growth.

Ms Rayner quit as deputy prime minister, housing secretary and deputy Labour leader after an independent ethics investigation found she had failed to pay enough stamp duty on a seaside flat she bought in May.

Angela Rayner (PA)

In a letter published on Friday, Sir Laurie Magnus said he believed she had acted in good faith, but that the responsibility of any taxpayer for reporting their tax returns and settling their liabilities rests ultimately with themselves.

Ms Rayner admitted she had made a mistake and said she deeply regretted failing to seek additional specialist tax advice during the purchase in Hove.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones earlier denied that the Government was in crisis and insisted Sir Keir now has the strongest team in place around the Cabinet table following Ms Rayners departure.

He ruled out the prospect of an early election amid opposition claims that the upheaval could open up splits within Labour and collapse the Prime Ministers authority.

But some Labour backbenchers were highly critical of the changes and expressed concerns about what they meant for the partys direction of travel.

One told the PA news agency that Ms Rayner had made an unbalanced Cabinet look slightly more balanced, but it was almost entirely skin deep and cosmetic.

On literally every major issue she has tucked in behind them. A few leaked memos do not a left-wing policy agenda make, they said.

Now even the semblance of that illusion is gone. Maybe for the party overall thats for the better in the long run.

As for the consequences: Starmer just signed his own death warrant. He has to be gone before (Christmas) otherwise Wes (Streeting) faces Andy (Burnham).

Liverpool Riverside Labour MP Kim Johnson said the reshuffle looked like moving deck chairs on Titanic and creating a London elite.

The Labour Party is a broad church this is certainly not represented with this reshuffle, she said.

It is unclear whether Ms Rayner will take severance pay following her resignation, but Mr Jones said it would a decision personally for her, as opposed to the Prime Minister.

Labour has changed the system so that any ministers who leave office following a serious breach of the code will be denied a payout under rules expected to come into force next month.

From October, it will be for the Prime Minister to decide whether the rule-breaking in question meets that threshold.

Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Jones said: Just as a matter of fact, in this circumstance, that is a decision personally for Angela Rayner as opposed to for the Prime Minister, which is how that will work when our new rules become live next month.
Borno state governor Babagana Zulum, centre back, speaks to people affected by the attack in Darul Jamal (AP)

Boko Haram militants killed dozens of people in a night-time assault on a village in north-eastern Nigeria that is home to residents who had recently returned from a camp for internally displaced persons, authorities said.

At least 60 people were killed in the attack on Darul Jamal in the Bama local government area late on Friday, a resident of the village, Mohammed Babagana, told The Associated Press (AP).

Borno state governor Babagana Zulum, who visited the community late on Saturday evening, confirmed to reporters that more than 60 had died in the attack.

People affected by the Boko Haram attack in Darul Jamal wait for Borno state governor Babagana Zulum to arrive (AP)

We sympathise with the people and have pleaded with them not to abandon their homes as we have made arrangements to improve the security and provide food and other lifesaving items that they have lost, Mr Zulum said.

The chairman of Bamas local government, Modu Gujja, said more than a dozen houses were burnt and more than 100 people were forced to flee.

Taiwo Adebayo, a researcher specialising in Boko Haram at the Institute for Security Studies, spoke to residents of Darual Jamal and said the killings on Friday night were carried out by a faction of Boko Haram known as Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati wal-Jihad.

Boko Haram, Nigerias homegrown jihadis, took up arms in 2009 to fight western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law.

The conflict has spilled into Nigerias northern neighbours, including Niger, and resulted in the death of around 35,000 civilians and the displacement of more than two million others, according to the United Nations.

Boko Haram split into two factions after the death of the groups long-time leader, Abubakar Shekau, in 2021.

One faction is backed by the so-called Islamic State group and is known as the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP. It has become notorious for targeting military positions.

The other faction, Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati wal-Jihad, or JAS, has increasingly resorted to attacking civilians and perceived collaborators and thrives on robberies and abductions for ransom.

People walk past torched houses following the Boko Haram attack in Darul Jamal (AP)

When JAS attacks and kills a lot of people like they did last night in Bama, its usually that they suspect the victims of spying for the rival ISWAP or the military, Mr Adebayo told the AP.

The Bama local government area was the target of several Boko Haram attacks a decade ago, forcing many residents to flee.

Following military operations in the area in recent years, authorities had resettled displaced people in several communities, most recently the village of Darul Jamal in July.

Kaana Ali, a Darul Jamal resident, said he had decided to leave the community for good after he confirmed the deaths of close family friends in the attack on Friday.

But the governor is still begging us to stay back as more protection would be provided to secure our community, he said.
Relics of Carlo Acutis, left, were displayed during his canonisation mass (Andrew Medichini/AP)

The move is thought to be designed to give the next generation of Catholics a relatable role model, who used technology to spread the faith and earned the nickname Gods influencer.

Leo canonised Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006, during an open-air Mass in St Peters Square that was attended by tens of thousands of people, many of them millennials and couples with young children.

Pope Leo celebrates the canonisation mass of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati in St Peters Square at the Vatican (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Leo also canonised another popular Italian figure who died young, Pier Giorgio Frassati, during the first saint-making mass of his pontificate.

Leo said both men had created masterpieces out of their lives by dedicating them to God.

The greatest risk in life is to waste it outside of Gods plan, he said in his homily.

The new saints are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces, he said.

A flag featuring the image of Carlo Acutis is waved during the ceremony (Andrew Medichini/AP)

The Vatican said 36 cardinals, 270 bishops and hundreds of priests had signed up to celebrate the mass along with Leo in a sign of the saints enormous appeal to the hierarchy and ordinary faithful alike.

Both ceremonies were scheduled for earlier this year, but were postponed following Pope Franciss death in April.

Carlo was born on May 3 1991 in London to a wealthy but not particularly observant Catholic family. They moved back to Milan soon after he was born and he was said to have had a typical, happy childhood, albeit marked by increasingly intense religious devotion.

The youngster was particularly interested in computer science and devoured college-level books on programming even as a youngster.

Some 36 cardinals, 270 bishops and hundreds of priests had signed up to celebrate the mass, the Vatican said (Andrew Medichini/AP)

He earned the nickname Gods Influencer, thanks to his main tech legacy: a multilingual website documenting so-called Eucharistic miracles recognised by the church, a project he completed at a time when the development of such sites was the domain of professionals.

Carlo was known to spend hours in prayer before the Eucharist each day. The Catholic hierarchy has been trying to promote the practice of Eucharistic adoration because, according to polls, most Catholics do not believe Christ is physically present in the Eucharistic hosts.

But Carlo was said to limit himself to an hour of video games a week, apparently deciding long before TikTok that human relationships were more important than virtual ones.

This discipline and restraint has proved appealing to the Catholic hierarchy, who have sounded the alarm about the dangers of todays tech-driven society.

The mother of Carlo Acutis, left to right, her children and husband (Domenico Stinellis/AP)

In October 2006, at age 15, Carlo fell ill with what was quickly diagnosed as acute leukemia, and died within days. He was entombed in Assisi, which is known for its association with another popular saint, St Francis.

In the years since his death, young Catholics have flocked by the millions to Assisi, where they can see the young Carlo through a glass-sided tomb, dressed in jeans, trainers and a sweatshirt.

Carlo has proved to be enormously popular with young Catholics, who are said to see in him a relatable, modern-day role model.

Its like I can maybe not be as great as Carlo may be, but I can be looking after him and be like, What would Carlo do?' said Leo Kowalsky, a secondary-school pupil at a school in Chicago, in the US, attached to the Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish.

Both canonisation masses were scheduled for earlier this year, but were postponed following Pope Franciss death in April (Domenico Stinellis/AP)

The student said he was particularly excited that his own namesake  Pope Leo  would be canonising the patron of his school.

Its kind of all mashed up into one thing, so it is a joy to be a part of, the pupil said in an interview last week.

Mr Frassati, the other saint being canonised on Sunday, lived from 1901-1925, when he died at age 24 of polio.

He was born into a prominent Turin family but is known for his devotion to serving the poor and carrying out acts of charity while spreading his faith to his friends.
One of our most troubling murders still haunts me  and the authorities  half a century on

Police to revisit harrowing case of Brian McDermott, whose dismembered remains were pulled from River Lagan in 1973

Brian McDermotts mother Joan at his graveside in 1993. She never got the answers she so desperately wanted.

Ivan Little Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 16:00

I could never have imagined as I reported on the harrowing child murder of Brian McDermott in 1973 that the police would be revisiting it 52 years later.
Belfast Presbyterian minister who was spied on by his own congregation was gagged by church

I was completely shut down when I tried to take my evidence to the General Assembly, says retired clergyman

The headquarters of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and (inset) one of the spying rotas drawn up against the minister

Angela Davison Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 08:00

A retired Presbyterian minister who was spied on by his congregation has hit out at church claims that it would welcome debate in the General Assembly.
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.
BillOReilly.com is not available in this country.



We apologize for any inconvenience.
A 25-year-old Limerick man has appeared in court charged in connection with an estimated 1 million alleged crime spree in Clare, Limerick, and Galway.

At a special sitting of Ennis District Court, Tyreke Casey Curtin of Caislean na hAbhann, Castletroy, Limerick appeared in connection with 30 charges that include seven alleged burglaries at different locations on one day, July 9th 2024.

Two of the charges that Mr Casey Curtin is facing is the alleged 16,000 criminal damage to bar and burglary at the clubhouse of Wolfe Tones GAA in Shannon which is the club of Clare All-Ireland winning senior hurling manager, Brian Lohan.

Already, two co-accused, including a brother of Mr Casey Curtin, Owen Casey are facing trial for their roles in the alleged 1 million crime spree and were remanded in custody pending trial to Ennis Circuit Court and three accused now face a combined 155 charges.

Advertisement

In July, Eddie Carey (31) of De Vere Court, John Carew Park, Limerick and Owen Casey (28) of Salvia Court, Keyes Park, Southill, Limerick were returned to trial where the two face a combined 125 charges with Mr Casey facing 59 charges and Mr Carey facing 66 charges.

At a contested bail hearing for Mr Casey Curtin on Saturday afternoon at the special sitting of Ennis District Court, Detective Garda Aoife OMalley of Ennis Garda Station said that it is believed that the monetary value of vehicles and property stolen or damaged by Mr Casey Curtin and his co-accused is well in excess of 1m.

Det Garda OMalley alleged that the three accused before the courts, including Mr Casey Curtin are suspected to be involved in the unauthorised taking of high value vehicles, including Audi and BMW models for a criminal network for financial gain.

Solicitor for Mr Casey Curtin, Tara Godfrey told the bail hearing that her client will agree to any bail conditions including signing-on and curfews.

Ms Godfrey said that Mr Casey Curtins mother has offered 1,500 from her post office book for bail surety.

Ms Godfrey said that her client was arrested by Gardai last Wednesday morning.

She said that it is not reasonable to deprive Mr Casey Curtin of his liberty stating that he is accused of a much lesser role than his two co-accused.

Acting Detective Insp Noel Barry said that the three suspects are co-accused of targeting 31 commercial premises, 24 residential properties and 37 unauthorised takings of cars which is dozens of alleged injured parties.

Advertisement

Det Insp Barry said that Mr Casey Curtin is charged with 17 handling stolen property offences, seven burglaries, five criminal damage charges and one possession of stolen property.

Det Insp Barry did not put a monetary value on the charges relating to Mr Casey Curtin.

Det Insp Barry said that it is a complex case with multiple streams of evidence in relation to it.

Det Insp Barry said that a supplementary file will be submitted to the DPP on Mr Casey Curtin as soon as possible so we expect early directions in the matter.

Judge Carol Anne Coolican stated that Mr Casey Curtin is facing serious charges.

Judge Coolican refused bail and remanded Mr Casey Curtin in custody to re-appear before Ennis District Court via video link this Wednesday, September 10th for DPP directions.
Almost a fifth of voters say they do not know who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, which will take place on Friday, October 24th.

The latest Ireland Thinks/Sunday Independent opinion poll gives Fine Gael's candidate, Heather Humphreys, a narrow lead at 21 per cent.

20 per cent voiced their support for Catherine Connolly and Jim Gavin respectively, while 39 per cent said they do not know who to vote for.

Jim Gavin, Mary Lou McDonald, Catherine Connolly, and Bob Geldof make up the top five on a list of candidates and would-be candidates.

Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein are set to finalise their candidates this week.

MEP Billy Kelleher and former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin will go head-to-head in a secret ballot on Tuesday.

Sinn Fein is expected to announce whether it will put forward its own candidate tomorrow.

Advertisement

Over a third of voters thinks it should, according to the Ireland Thinks/Sunday Independent opinion poll, while a fifth think Sinn Fein should endorse Catherine Connolly.

Speaking on Newstalk, professor of politics at DCU, Gary Murphy, said he thinks Fianna Fail was right not to back Bertie Ahern.

"He's Fianna Fail past. And there are people voting who weren't even born when Bertie Ahern last ran for an election in 2007.

"So what would it say of Fianna Fail as this new vibrant party under Micheal, and remember in Fianna Fail currently, it's usally what Micheal wants, Micheal gets.

"And I just think it would have sent the signals that Fianna Fail is not forward looking, but is sort of stuck in a weird sort of a loop."
Developments in the missing child presumed dead in Dublin, and a poll on the presidential candidates, make the front pages of Sunday's papers.

The Sunday Independent leads with a poll which shows Jim Gavin, Heather Humphreys, and Catherine Connolly level ahead of the presidential election.

Both the Irish Sunday Mirror and the Sunday World lead with the latest on the missing child in Dublin who is presumed dead, as they reveal the father is lving in South America.

The Irish Daily Mail reveal tenions in Fianna Fail after a photo of Jim Gavin backing Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins in the last election emerged.

The Business Post reveals how the US view Ireland's economy as "slow, costly and high-tax".

The Sunday Times leads with a whistleblower speaking out against Heather Humphreys, as he claims Ms Humphreys intervened in a animal cruelty case.
Russia hit Ukraines capital with drones and missiles in the largest aerial attack since the war began, killing four people across the country and damaging a key government building.

Russia attacked with 810 drones and decoys, Ukraines air force said, adding it had shot down 747 drones and four missiles.

Associated Press (AP) reporters saw a plume of smoke rising from the roof of Kyivs government headquarters.





It was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit or debris, which would mark an escalation in Russias air campaign, which has so far spared government buildings in the city centre.

The building is the home of Ukraines cabinet and its ministers.

Police blocked access to the building as fire engines and ambulances arrived.

Advertisement

Yuriy Ihnat, an air force spokesperson, confirmed to AP that Sundays attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace. Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Russia also launched 13 missiles.

Hits from nine missiles and 54 drones were recorded at 33 locations across Ukraine.

Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky said that four people were killed and 44 wounded.

He said he had spoken on the phone with French president Emmanuel Macron about the attack.

Together with France, we are preparing new measures to strengthen our defence, Mr Zelensky said.



A damaged multistorey residential building in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Marcon accused Russia of striking indiscriminately and said Moscow is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the attack, saying: These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace.

Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty.

In the Ukrainian capital, the attack killed two people and wounded 20 others, according to city officials.

Those killed were a mother and her three-month-old child, whose bodies were dug out of the rubble, Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyivs city administration, said.

For the first time since the start of full-scale invasion, Russians struck our government headquarters in the centre of Kyiv. It looks like Russia is not seeking peace and is not ready for negotiations Ukraine's prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko

At least 10 locations in Kyiv were damaged, he added.

Direct drone hits struck a nine-storey residential building in Kyivs Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-storey residential building in Darnytskyi district.

I just have no more words left to express what I feel towards Russia, said Olha, a 77-year-old Kyiv resident whose apartment was damaged. She did not give her last name.

Advertisement

Although Im an ethnic Russian myself, from outside Moscow. And Ive never thought my people would be capable of this.

Mr Zelensky called for sanctions on Russia and for strengthening Ukraines air defences.



Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky, left, said he had spoken on the phone with French president Emmanuel Macron about the attack (Ludovic Marin, Pool Photo via AP)

Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war, he said.

The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed.

Ukraines prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted a video of herself inside the damaged government building, where she said a fire covering 800 square metres was put out.

For the first time since the start of full-scale invasion, Russians struck our government headquarters in the centre of Kyiv, she said.

It looks like Russia is not seeking peace and is not ready for negotiations. We call our partners to help close our sky. Lets strengthen sanctions against Russia. Lets create the security guarantees system that will help stop the enemy, she said.



A woman reacts in front of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian strike in Kyiv (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)

The Russian defence ministry said on Sunday that it used high-precision weapons and drones to strike drone assembly and storage sites, military air bases in central, southern and eastern Ukraine, an industrial facility and a logistics facility on the outskirts of Kyiv.

The ministry said that all designated objects were hit and said that no strikes were carried out on other objects within the borders of Kyiv, in what could be a reference to the damaged government building.

Advertisement

Sundays attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv within two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane.

It comes after European leaders pressed Mr Putin to work to end the war after 26 of Ukraines allies pledged to deploy troops as a reassurance force for the war-torn country once the fighting ends.

Mr Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Mr Putin to negotiate a peace agreement, and has urged US president Donald Trump to put punishing sanctions on Russia to push it to end the war.

Moscow has repeatedly objected to any western troop deployments to Ukraine and pushed back against a Putin-Zelensky summit, saying lower-level talks must take place first.



Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire after a Russian attack in the Ukrainian capital (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Russias defence ministry said its air defences intercepted a total of 100 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Azov Sea between 8pm on Saturday and 6.30am on Sunday.

Most were downed over the Belgorod, Voronezh and Krasnodar regions near the border with Ukraine, according to the statement.

In the Krasnodar region, falling drone debris sparked a brief fire at an oil refinery, local authorities said.

In the Belgorod and the Voronezh regions, two people were injured, officials said.

The Russian defence ministry also said on Sunday that its troops had seized the village of Khoroshe in the Dnipropetrovsk region. There was no immediate confirmation from Ukraine.
Pope Leo declared a 15-year-old computer whiz, Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint on Sunday.

The move is thought to be designed to give the next generation of Catholics a relatable role model, who used technology to spread the faith and earned the nickname Gods influencer.

Leo canonised Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006, during an open-air Mass in St Peters Square that was attended by tens of thousands of people, many of them millennials and couples with young children.



Pope Leo celebrates the canonisation mass of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati in St Peters Square at the Vatican (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Leo also canonised another popular Italian figure who died young, Pier Giorgio Frassati, during the first saint-making mass of his pontificate.

Leo said both men had created masterpieces out of their lives by dedicating them to God.

Advertisement

The greatest risk in life is to waste it outside of Gods plan, he said in his homily.

The new saints are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces, he said.



A flag featuring the image of Carlo Acutis is waved during the ceremony (Andrew Medichini/AP)

The Vatican said 36 cardinals, 270 bishops and hundreds of priests had signed up to celebrate the mass along with Leo in a sign of the saints enormous appeal to the hierarchy and ordinary faithful alike.

Both ceremonies were scheduled for earlier this year, but were postponed following Pope Franciss death in April.

Carlo was born on May 3 1991 in London to a wealthy but not particularly observant Catholic family. They moved back to Milan soon after he was born and he was said to have had a typical, happy childhood, albeit marked by increasingly intense religious devotion.

The youngster was particularly interested in computer science and devoured college-level books on programming even as a youngster.



Some 36 cardinals, 270 bishops and hundreds of priests had signed up to celebrate the mass, the Vatican said (Andrew Medichini/AP)

He earned the nickname Gods Influencer, thanks to his main tech legacy: a multilingual website documenting so-called Eucharistic miracles recognised by the church, a project he completed at a time when the development of such sites was the domain of professionals.

Carlo was known to spend hours in prayer before the Eucharist each day. The Catholic hierarchy has been trying to promote the practice of Eucharistic adoration because, according to polls, most Catholics do not believe Christ is physically present in the Eucharistic hosts.

Advertisement

But Carlo was said to limit himself to an hour of video games a week, apparently deciding long before TikTok that human relationships were more important than virtual ones.

This discipline and restraint has proved appealing to the Catholic hierarchy, who have sounded the alarm about the dangers of todays tech-driven society.



The mother of Carlo Acutis, left to right, her children and husband (Domenico Stinellis/AP)

In October 2006, at age 15, Carlo fell ill with what was quickly diagnosed as acute leukemia, and died within days. He was entombed in Assisi, which is known for its association with another popular saint, St Francis.

In the years since his death, young Catholics have flocked by the millions to Assisi, where they can see the young Carlo through a glass-sided tomb, dressed in jeans, trainers and a sweatshirt.

Carlo has proved to be enormously popular with young Catholics, who are said to see in him a relatable, modern-day role model.

Its like I can maybe not be as great as Carlo may be, but I can be looking after him and be like, What would Carlo do?' said Leo Kowalsky, a secondary-school pupil at a school in Chicago, in the US, attached to the Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish.



Both canonisation masses were scheduled for earlier this year, but were postponed following Pope Franciss death in April (Domenico Stinellis/AP)

The student said he was particularly excited that his own namesake  Pope Leo  would be canonising the patron of his school.

Its kind of all mashed up into one thing, so it is a joy to be a part of, the pupil said in an interview last week.

Mr Frassati, the other saint being canonised on Sunday, lived from 1901-1925, when he died at age 24 of polio.

He was born into a prominent Turin family but is known for his devotion to serving the poor and carrying out acts of charity while spreading his faith to his friends.
Advertisement

LifestyleFashionRoyal family This was published 3 months ago The timeless style lessons we learnt from the Duchess of Kent Lisa Armstrong September 7, 2025  9:57am 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

Theres appropriate. Theres smart. There are lessons learned from studying the many pictures of oneself that are an inevitable part of a royals existence. And then there is that certain je ne sais quoi, or magic, that makes someone innately stylish. Without it, the first three can look staid and predictable. Katharine Kent, as she preferred to be known, and who died on Friday at the age of 92, had style in spades, which is all the more fascinating because she was such a retiring person. Like the Princess of Wales, she always managed to look as though she was delighted to be wherever she was. The Duchess of Kents style through the years, from left: On her wedding day in a silk gown by John Cavanagh, at a wedding in 1988 and attending an event in 2016. Getty Images Lesson one: a smile is a much-underestimated style asset. It looks charming when youre young. But when youre old, it keeps your face from collapsing. Sweet but poised, even in early photographs where there are echoes of the youthful Grace Kelly in her dainty, blonde beauty and gracefulness, the duchess favoured simple, uncluttered necklines. For her wedding in 1961  a starry occasion attended by Noel Coward and Douglas Fairbanks Jr  she wore 273 metres of silk gauze designed by John Cavanagh  a regal, high-necked, slender-bodiced dress that has withstood the test of time.

Advertisement

Lesson two: every era has its gems and its duds. The former always feature a strong silhouette and zero fussiness; home in on those. The duchess was a walking academy of style lessons, blending a minimalist appreciation of clean lines with flamboyant touches such as feathers or contrasting piping. Related Article Royal family Duchess of Kent dies, aged 92 Lesson three: classic should never be dull and can even be playful. Like her mother-in-law, Princess Marina of Kent, who featured on every best-dressed list in the 1930s and 1940s, Katharine, Duchess of Kent, clearly always enjoyed wearing elegant, tailored, fashionable clothes. Her daughter, Lady Helen Taylor, also cultivates a simple, minimalist style, less structured than her mothers, and more flowing, reflecting fashion. Lady Helen was, for years, an Armani ambassador, while her mother bought from established British designers such as John Cavanagh and Hardy Amies.

Advertisement

Yet despite dressing with a similar flair to Jackie Kennedy, and as impeccably as the Queen, the Duchess of Kent never sought the spotlight. Perhaps thats why she was held in such deep affection despite rarely appearing in public. Brits tend not to like a show-off. But they do like a royal to look as though theyve made an effort, although one must never give the impression one is vain. Lesson four: invest in quality designs that can be tweaked over the years. Although seemingly reserved, the duchess was not short on empathy. In a rare interview in 2016, she reflected on the moment after the womens singles final at Wimbledon in 1993 when Jana Novotna broke down in tears after losing the match to Steffi Graff. The duchess jettisoned royal tradition to place a comforting arm around the Czech player. Somehow her warmth came across in her clothes: they tended to be demure and tailored, but always in soft, approachable colours with a surprising amount of white, which emphasised her almost ethereal blondeness.

Advertisement

Lesson five: while professional stylists and image consultants can be extremely helpful, work out what you like before seeing one. Its their job to refine your preferences, not invent a whole new identity that may not feel authentic. The duchess, who was married to the Queens first cousin, Edward, Duke of Kent, began withdrawing from public life in the 1990s. She converted to Catholicism in 1994, the first member of the royal family to do so since the Act of Settlement in 1701. The duchess wore a long floral Erdem dress to Harry and Meghans wedding. Princess Catherine later wore the same style. Getty Images/AP By the late 1990s, she had taken up a role as a music teacher at a primary school where she was simply known as Mrs Kent and no one ever bothered her. There was presumably enough drama going on elsewhere in The Firm. Even when she had been ill and was clearly frail, the duchess always made her public appearances in a lovely dress, and with a flourish. If anything, the older she got, the more sartorially daring she became. Her hats were borderline Beaton-esque at times. And she clearly kept an eye on contemporary designers.

Advertisement

Editor's pick Review Princess Dianas enduring legacy, from conspiracy theories to drag culture In 2018, the duchess wore a long floral Erdem dress to Harry and Meghans wedding  the then Duchess of Cambridge later wore the same style when she attended an evening reception at the Chelsea Flower Show. Lesson six: whatever your age, dont let it dent your enjoyment of fashion. She is survived by three living children, Lady Helen, George, Earl of St Andrews  whose wife, Sylvana, lectures, sans title, at Cambridge University (their daughter Lady Amelia Windsor is an ambassador to several brands)  and Lord Edward Windsor. The Telegraph, London Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Royal family

Style
In these Explainers, journey with us to far-flung regions (and some closer to home) to understand the tensions shaping our world. See all stories .

In fact, many unlikely things are possible in the Stans. It is, as any tourist brochure will tell you, a region of stunning natural beauty, vast steppes and jagged mountains; of yurts, forts and one of the worlds oldest horse breeds, the Akhal-Teke, fast and resilient and with uncannily metallic-looking coats; of cosmodromes, walnut groves and waterless seas. Its Silk Road heritage gets even seasoned travellers (and superpowers) misty-eyed. Yet it remains something of an enigma in the West, a road less travelled, although that might be starting to change.

Id been studying this place for months and months, looking at every single picture online, trying to learn as much as I could before actually setting foot in Turkmenistan, he tells us from his home in Toronto, Canada. But the moment I walked right up to the edge and felt that heat on my face and looked down inside the crater for the very first time with my own eyes, well, my first thought was  this is impossible.

George Kourounis with his flag from the New York-based Explorers Club before taking the plunge into a pit of burning methane in the desert in Turkmenistan.

For the few travellers whove made it there (Turkmenistan doesnt get many), the Darvaza gas crater has long held a weird fascination. So Kourounis, a professional adventurer whos swum with piranhas and great white sharks, chased twisters through Midwest Americas Tornado Alley and married his wife, Michelle, on the edge of an erupting volcano, ventured to Turkmenistan to climb to the pits flickering bottom to see exactly what was there, a scientific expedition backed by National Geographic .

The pit is the result of a mining accident in remote Turkmenistan, one of the former Soviet states in Central Asia dubbed the Stans along with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Turkmenistan, more wary of visitors than the rest, is often described as a hermit nation, a land of high-altitude desert and mountains, rich in resources yet relatively impoverished, where internet and media have been censored by a succession of dictators whose whims  such as a decree that all cars in its capital must be white  would seem comedic were they not law.

George Kourounis will never forget his first encounter with the Door to Hell. A fiery chasm 30 metres deep, it has burned uncontrollably for decades, fuelled by an apparently inexhaustible supply of natural gas from deep below.

Over the centuries, some invaders pillaged  in a land of little cultivation, it was convenient for the strong to simply take from the weak and move on to richer pastures  while others stayed and left more of a legacy: language, religion, culture. The lands now known as Tajikistan, for example, were ruled by the Persian Samanid dynasty in the ninth and 10th centuries, Genghis Khan in the 13th century then, a century later, the Turkic ruler Timur, or Tamerlane, whose empire brought Central Asia not only savage death and destruction but, in the years after his death, a renaissance in art, literature and architecture. Some of it remains in stunning cities, created by masons and craftsmen Timur had captured from other lands, not least Samarkand in modern-day Uzbekistan, where Timurs tomb remains.

The Stans, home to some 80 million people , are among the worlds newer nations. Until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, they were dominions of conquerors, khans, warlords and hordes, from Alexander the Great to the Mongols, Persians, Turks and Tsars . Traditionally, their people are mostly Muslim, a mix of nomadic and settled, and speak Turkic dialects (although Tajik, the tongue of Tajikistan, is closely related to Farsi in Iran and Dari in Afghanistan). Yet the people dont think of themselves as homogenous Central Asians, says Gulshat Rozyyeva, a research scholar at ANUs Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, originally from Turkmenistan. Its more to do with your ethnicity, like: I am Turkmen. You are Kazakh or Kalmyk.

So, what is life like in the Stans? Why will we be hearing more about them in the coming years? How are Russia and China involved? And why, like George Kourounis, would you want to visit?

They were going to create a utopia, writes the Norwegian travel writer Erika Fatland in Sovietistan, her 2015 account of adventures in the region. In the space of a few years, the people of Central Asia underwent a managed transition from a traditional, clan-based society to hardcore socialism. Everything from the alphabet to the position of women in society had to change, by force if necessary. While these drastic changes took place, Central Asia in effect disappeared from the world map.

Their borders, drawn up by Soviet bureaucrats, left some enclaves of cultural or tribal groups isolated from their nominal homelands. Like the lines hastily sketched by British and French public servants to slice up colonial control of the Levant ( which include todays Lebanon, Syria and Jordan ) after the fall of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, this was a rush job with consequences: border disputes are still ongoing.

The so-called Silk Road  actually several routes of caravan watering holes and trading posts  linked Western Europe and China. (The term Silk Road actually wasnt dreamed up until 1877, by a Prussian geographer surveying China for a railway to Berlin, notes William Dalrymple in his history of Indias influence on the world, The Golden Road .) Yet it was the Russians, who formally occupied the region from the 1860s, who arguably wrought the largest changes to the Stans in more modern times. In the 1920s, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin formally divided colonial Russian Turkestan into five states: the Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek Soviet Socialist republics.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the five republics updated their names, ditching the Soviet-era appendages for the Persian-language suffix stan, meaning land of  as in, the land of the Uzbeks or the Turkmen or the Kazakhs, much like Scot land, Fin land and Eng land. Pakistan and Afghanistan are sometimes included as fellow Stans but differ from the central Asian five as neither was once a Soviet state. There are other Stans, too, that are regions or districts including the autonomous zone Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan, Khuzestan, a province of south-western Iran, and Indias Rajasthan. Pakistan, meanwhile, is not actually a land of anything but an acronym, apparently coined by a public servant at the birth of the nation in 1947, to represent the regions of Punjab, Afghanistan (the Pathan-inhabited Northwest Frontier Province), Kashmir, Iran, Sind, somewhere known as Tukharistan, Afghanistan and Baluchistan.

The Soviet legacy also includes: a trove of striking Brutalist architecture with Persian and Islamic twists (including elaborate mosaic tiles); the worlds largest space launch site, on the Kazakh steppe at Baikonur, from which the likes of Yuri Gagarin and poor Laika the dog careered into their respective orbits; sumptuously decorated metro stations in Tashkent, one of which, Kosmonavtlar, has a ceiling of glass stars paying tribute to the cosmonauts; and, not far out of the city, a solar furnace installed in 1981 with a 54-metre-high parabolic wall of mirrors that can focus the suns rays into a 3000C point (and which is open to tourists)

Also in Kazakhstan are former Soviet nuclear test sites that continue to leak radiation. Turkmenistans gas crater is believed to have been caused by another Soviet-era initiative around 1965: the land collapsed during drilling for gas, forming a pit about 75 metres wide, whence methane seeped up, creating a hazard to nearby settlements. To burn off the excess, geologists set it alight  whoosh!  except it never went out (although it has finally begun to dim just recently).

It was under this veil that, from the 1960s onwards, the Aral Sea , stretching across Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was drained almost dry to feed crops by Soviet agriculturalists, particularly water-intensive cotton, leaving it a network of salty puddles contaminated with the insecticide DDT and pocked with stranded rusting ships. Regarded as one of the worst environmental disasters in recent times, the eerie Aral now generates just a little income from stickybeaking tourists.

Elections in Kazakhstan are neither free nor fair, it says. Uzbekistan remains an authoritarian state with few signs of democratisation. Tajikistans President, Emomali Rahmon, severely restricts political rights and civil liberties. Turkmenistan, where former president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (an ex-dentist and father of the current president) once ordered that all cars in Ashgabat be painted white to match his beloved marble-clad buildings, is a repressive authoritarian state. (Ashgabat was declared to have the highest density of white marble-clad buildings in the world by the Guinness records organisation in 2013.)

Nearby Kyrgyzstan is largely mountainous, home to Pobeda Peak, at 7049 metres the highest in the region and known as particularly challenging for mountaineers. Of the five Stans, Kyrgyzstan (also known as the Kyrgz Republic) is nominally the most democratic, having twice overthrown autocratic leaders, most famously in its 2005 Tulip Revolution, although its parliament remains corrupt and risks sliding back, according to the think tank Freedom House, whose annual report paints a gloomy picture for civil liberties in the region.

Turkmenistan always fascinated us, says Matt Laughton, who visited in 2024 with his partner Julia, with whom he runs popular travel vlog Matt and Julia . The couple also visited the Door to Hell, where they stayed in a traditional yurt. Officially, it isnt allowed to travel to Turkmenistan independently, he tells us. However, we managed to travel, lets say, semi-independently. We found a tour company that allowed us a lot of autonomy; we managed to explore Ashgabat, the capital, going to the more lived-in part of the city, stopping at cafes, markets and chaikhanas, or teahouses. We also took the train on our own, mixing with locals, and hearing from them what life is really like in Turkmenistan  when the government isnt watching.

The first woman in space, Valentina Teroshkova, is one of the cosmonauts featured at Kosmonavatlr metro station in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Indeed, says Laughton, the lowlight [of the trip] was the constant fear of being watched. Although we could explore each place we were in independently, we were still on a strict schedule to move on from place to place. We noticed on the last couple of days our driver kept receiving phone calls roughly every 30 minutes, asking where we were. He later explained this was the ministry of tourism checking up on us constantly.

Kirill Nourzhanov, from the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at ANU, offers this context: The [position of] president and strong authoritarian rule is widely seen by the majority of the population everywhere across Central Asia as the custodian of stability. Stability is much more important than political freedom. Tajikistan, for example, endured five years of brutal civil war in the 90s, costing some 100,000 lives and displacing many hundreds of thousands. Current President Emomali Rahmon was seen to have played a pivotal part in bringing peace to the fledgling nation.

Moreover, says Luca Anceschi, a specialist in Central Asian Studies at the University of Glasgow, none of the Stans has experienced much in the way of liberalisation, ever. Once you recognise that this is an extremely authoritarian region, that the politics of the region have been governed that way for 30 years, and actually even before  because the Soviet Union was an authoritarian experience  you then start to make sense of things.

In practice, even the most overbearing dictators can only reach so far. Says Laughton: One curious thing we discovered in Ashgabat was that every cafe we visited had their Instagram name on display for people to follow. For a country with a supposedly closed internet system this was baffling. We later found out from a local that nearly everyone uses VPNs [virtual private networks] and, in reality, everyone uses the same apps and social media as the outside world.

Turkmenistan has a national holiday for its native dog breed the Alabai, one of which (a border guard dog) is seen here being petted by his handler in national costume. AP

Does Russia or China have more influence in the Stans?

Although the five Stans span a vast 4 million square kilometres in total, they are positioned between their old conqueror Russia to the north, China in the far east, the theocracy of Iran and extreme Islamism in Afghanistan in the south, and, to the west, the Caspian Sea, Turkey and Europe beyond.

Theyre doing good business, locked into all sorts of unions, blocs, alliances, so theres no prima facie rationale for Putin to do the nasty by them. Kirill Nourzhanov, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at ANU

So they were understandably alarmed when Russia invaded another neighbour, Ukraine, in 2022 (as were the former Soviet republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia). In Kazakhstan, in particular, there is a considerable concern about Russias aggressiveness, says Nourzhanov, especially given that there are plenty of Russians living in the northern and north-eastern parts.

On the other hand, he says: The political elite in Kazakhstan is reasonably assured that [a Russian invasion] would be a very unlikely turn of events because Kazakhstan does not have a beef with Russia. Theyre doing good business, locked into all sorts of unions, blocs, alliances, so theres no prima facie rationale for Putin to do the nasty by them.

Russian is commonly spoken in Kazakhstan, where it is seen as a mark of prestige and urbanity, says Nourzhanov. There is also a widespread perception, he says, that Russia offers greater mobility, great opportunities to people in Central Asia, to the young ones, than the West.

In Kyrgyzstan, home to Kumtor, the largest open-pit gold mine in Central Asia, and with pockets of rapid modernisation, many workers still travel to Russia for largely menial jobs and send remittances home. Since the war in Ukraine, this has brought additional perils, with some workers from Central Asia coerced into joining Russian forces in a so-called shadow army, according to the Atlantic Council. These are not professional soldiers. They are more likely former cleaners, street sweepers, construction workers - undocumented migrants, often trapped in legal limbo, lured with false promises of fast-track Russian citizenship or pulled straight from prisons and detention centres.

Yet older Central Asians might feel nostalgia for Soviet rule, suggests Dilnoza Ubaydullaeva, a research fellow at ANUs National Security College.

For now, none of the Stans appears to have openly endorsed or condemned Russias aggression; when the Kyrgyz city of Osh pulled down a giant statue of Lenin in June, authorities claimed it was just to move him to another spot. They are also extremely concerned about pressure from the West, says Nourzhanov. Everyone coming from Washington or Brussels tries to twist their arm to join the sanctions regime, to join the high moral course of opprobrium against Russian aggression. Why would they do that? Its against their national interests, and thats why they basically stick to a neutral position.

Two generations after the collapse of the Soviet Union and independence, all five Stans have become very self-assured, confident nation states. Kirill Nourzhanov, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at ANU

Russian trade with the Stans, meanwhile, is booming, writes Annette Bohr of the London-based policy institute Chatham House. Moscow has been making particularly significant inroads into the energy sectors of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as it attempts to find new markets for its exports as a consequence of sanctions, she writes.

Turkey, too, remains a key economic partner and is a strong draw for the Stans young, enticed by job opportunities and Western modernity. The Turks, as a people, once inhabited central-east Asia then pushed west from the 11th century across Central Asia into Anatolia, now modern-day Turkey, hence the prevalence of Turkic language and culture in four out of five of the Stans (Tajik, spoken in Tajikistan, is a Persian language, not Turkic).

In 2009, Turkic-speaking Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan joined with Azerbaijan and Turkey to form the Organisation of Turkic states. The economy is undoubtedly an important aspect of the OTS members cooperation but it is not the only one, reports The Times of Central Asia. Culture, including language as its essential part, and history also play crucial roles in the Turkey-dominated groups ambitions to create a unified Turkic world.

The Institute of Solar Physics, built in the 80s near Tashkent in Uzbekistan, features a glittering solar furnace. Getty Images

Then theres China, which announced its global Belt and Road Initiative in 2013 in Kazakhstans capital, Astana. The scheme, which now counts more than 150 countries as members  including all five Stans  promises investment loans, joint ventures and infrastructure projects. Ostensibly, it represents Chinas modern version of the Silk Road but its also clearly another arm of Chinese influence.

While nobody knows what the Belt and Road Initiative is all about, says Nourzhanov, theres some very real money pouring into Central Asia and manifesting itself in the form of glistening railway lines and shiny pipelines and power-generating facilities. So the Chinese presence is growing and growing and growing. Its making a real impact on daily life and economic performance in Central Asia.

Another lingering influence is radical Islam, perpetuated by groups such as Islamic State Khorasan Province, a branch of IS. After independence, some young people from Central Asia were drawn to Turkey, where some encountered radical Islamist movements for the first time, says Ubaydullaeva, religion having been effectively banned by the Soviets. The Stan governments are largely secular and wary of threats to their regimes. Even beards and hijab can be deemed problematic; the Taliban, of course, are just across the border in Afghanistan.

Yet what is often lost on outside observers, says Nourzhanov, is that two generations after the collapse of the Soviet Union and independence, all five Stans have become very self-assured, confident nation states. Theyre simply not reducible to being, you know, pawns in the new Great Game [the 19th-century rivalry between the British and Russian empires] or living in someones backyard.

Actor Sacha Baron Cohen in a scene from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, the sequel to his film satire that was banned in an unamused Khazakhstan. AP

Whats next for the Stans?

Kazakhstan was less than pleased to feature as the home nation of the bumbling title character of Sacha Baron Cohens 2006 satire Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. It banned the movie and threatened to sue Baron Cohen but ultimately figured any publicity was good publicity and by 2012 had even adopted Borats catchphrase for a tourism campaign: Kazakhstan  very nice.

Go beyond the eccentricities ... Try to understand that it all happens for a reason. Luca Anceschi, Central Asian Studies specialist, University of Glasgow

Of course, resources-rich Kazakhstan is nothing like it was portrayed in the movie (some of which was shot in Romania, in any case). Ultra-modern Astana (literally, capital in Kazakh) is a tableau of glitzy monoliths, described by one local to us as a lot like Dubai, but on ice (summers there can hit 35C, winters can be minus 35). The former capital, Almaty, is a thriving cultural hub near ski fields that enjoys a milder climate  a great place to live, according to Alex Walker, an Australian CEO of a junior mining company thats exploring in Kazakhstan for copper and gold. Fantastic nightlife, great people, great culture and safe, he says. With one caveat: You need to be super into your meat, your potatoes  you need to be absolutely into it. Not highly recommended for vegans.

A food market in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where meat dishes are a feature of the cuisine. Alamy

Paul Cohn laughs at Western misconceptions of life in Kazakhstan, where he has lived for close to 20 years and is now both a partner with the consultancy Ernst and Young and Australias honorary consul. I think people, in their minds, have some kind of idea, possibly because of the Stan at the end of the name, that its a lot more dangerous or backward or, you know, dusty or desert-y or whatever. In reality: A lot of households have three cars in the garage. The quality of life here, I would say, is not dissimilar to a lot of southern European countries.

To better understand the region, says Anceschi, go beyond the eccentricities, beyond the idiosyncrasies of the region. Try to understand that it all happens for a reason.

Women in Turkmenistans white marble capital, Ashgabat. Alamy

Relations among the Stans themselves range from warm to frosty. In 1994, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan formed an economic union, joined in 1998 by Tajikistan, to allow free passage of labour between the nations. There is a growing regionalism in Central Asia, says Nourzhanov, even if for decades they simply could not get the collective act together. Theres still a fair deficit in terms of trusting each other.

Before long, maybe in the next 10 years, Central Asia will simply become a distinct regional bloc. Kirill Nourzhanov, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at ANU

Even cautious Turkmenistan just this year took its first tentative steps towards joining a wider group, entering a free-trade agreement with Uzbekistan to remove customs duties on most goods produced in both countries. The five Stans have also begun to develop common stances in areas such as foreign policy and the passage of oil and gas pipelines. This is a sign of growing maturity, says Nourzhanov. Before long, maybe in the next 10 years, Central Asia could well become a distinct regional bloc.

At the first summit between the Stans and the EU, in April 2025, leaders are from left: Tajikistans Emomali Rahmon, Kazakhstans Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, European Council President Antonio Costa, Uzbekistans Shavkat Mirziyoyev, EC President Ursula von der Leyen, Turkmenistans Serdar Berdimuhamedow and Kyrgyzstans Sadyr Japarov. AP

Earlier this year Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed an historic accord recognising their respective borders, ahead of another historic meeting in Samarkand of five Central Asian heads of state and the two presidents of the European Union. It seems the EU is now racing to catch up after years of under-engagement, recognising Central Asias strategic role in emerging global supply chains and connectivity, Oybek Shaykhov, secretary-general of the Europe-Uzbekistan Association for Economic Cooperation, told The Diplomat. The EU is increasingly interested in the Stans natural resources; in 2024, it bought more than 70 per cent of Kazakhstans oil exports, according to the Lowy Institute.

For tourists, while visa red tape is easing, travel in the region can be hairy: the Australian government recommends taking a high degree of caution in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, due to the threat of crime, terrorism and civil unrest  with a warning to not travel at all to the regions bordering Afghanistan. Kazakhstan, the wealthiest and most Western of the five, was recently given the green light by Smart Traveller. Some 15.3 million tourists visited it in 2024, according to its Tourism Industry Committee. Its old capital Almaty was lauded in The New York Times 2024 list of 52 Places to Go This Year for its neo-nomad cuisine, great coffee and other endless delights such as a mustachioed man playing the accordion in front of the kaleidoscopic Ascension Cathedral.

A train conductor in Samarkand. A network of fast trains links major cities in Uzbekistan. Alamy

As for Uzbekistan, government efforts to lift its tourist numbers are working, with 6.6 million in 2023, up from 2.7 million in 2017. More than a million visited in April alone, according to the Global Tourism Forum, whizzing from one world-heritage city to the next on bullet trains. Its ancient city Bukhara features in this years New York Times places to travel list, and, for different reasons, in the news: a sprawling tourist development in a buffer zone next to the old part of the city has seen UNESCO urge the government to hit pause. One local cultural heritage group opined that a fake Orient in visual proximity to the historical core of Bukhara is doomed to  repel citizens and scare away tourists. An architect from Bukhara told the BBC his city risks becoming a Venice in the desert.

A scenic route in Tajikistan. Alamy

Some travellers are venturing to more far-flung areas of the Stans, says Joan Torres of niche travel business Against the Compass. The drive from Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan along a highway that reaches 4000 metres is particularly spectacular. Its all isolated settlements and gorgeous landscapes. Sometimes you drive for miles and you dont see another car. But for very remote areas  100 per cent not set up for tourism  its best to at least hire a guide with a four-wheel drive. Of the 1.2 million foreigners who visited Tajikistan in the first nine months of 2024, just 1900 were from Australia.

George Kourounis walks through the methane hole in a heat-resistant suit.

Kourounis trip, back in 2013, took two years of planning: visas for Turkmenistan must be applied for months in advance and require a separate letter of introduction, usually issued by a tour company. Visitors who make it inside typically submit their itinerary to state-authorised guides.

To Kourounis surprise, though, the government not only co-operated but sent two geologists to assist him in unlocking the secrets of the burning pit. They were of tremendous help, providing us with a lot of historical information about how old the crater was and how it formed, he says. In the end, he put on a custom-built heat-resistant suit and rappelled over the precipice. The project was  obviously  scary, he tells us, but ultimately rewarding. There were many surprises along the way, which makes sense when youre trying to do something that no ones ever done before.

This Explainer was brought to you by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald Explainer team: editor Felicity Lewis and reporters Jackson Graham and Angus Holland. For fascinating insights into the worlds most perplexing topics, sign up for our weekly Explainer newsletter. And read more of our Explainers here.
Advertisement

NationalVictoriaPorepunkah shooting This was published 3 months ago Day 13 for manhunt, but still no sign of alleged police killer Gemma Grant September 7, 2025  6:13pm 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

Police continued to patrol the vast terrain of Victorias High Country as the extensive search for alleged police killer Dezi Freeman stretches on. Freeman is alleged to have fatally shot two police and injured a third at his property near Porepunkah, about 210 kilometres north-east of Melbourne, on August 26. Located on the edge of dense bushland, the small alpine town has since been the centre of a major police operation. Police at the Porepunkah Airfield on Sunday afternoon. Eddie Jim Four unmarked police cars could be seen entering the Porepunkah Airfield on Sunday afternoon, and a group of officers inspected the large sheds on the property. Day 13 of the search also took in a nearby flying school and recreational helicopter business. Just a few kilometres southwest of the town centre, the small grass airfield is used by general and recreational light aircraft, as well as helicopters and emergency services. It is operated by the local Shire of Alpine.

Advertisement

Airspace has been closed since August 28 in a four nautical mile radius around Porepunkah. The local airfield website notifies users of the closure via a red banner, urging visitors to stay updated with all notices and advisories affecting the area. Related Article Porepunkah shooting Oh my god, its Uncle Des: The spiralling descent of an alleged police killer Down the road in Myrtleford, a group of police wearing the uniform of the Viper Taskforce were seen speaking with a staff member at a local business on Sunday morning. A number of properties in the wider Porepunkah area were also visited by officers. Victoria Police declined to provide any further information about the operation. Investigators are continuing their search for Freeman  Victoria Police will not be commenting on todays operational activity, a spokesperson said.

Advertisement

It is important to remind the community of the ongoing police operation in the local area while [police] search for a dangerous and armed gunman, they said. The shooting has sparked an extensive manhunt around the rugged Victorian alpine region. Porepunkah lies at the base of nearby Mount Buffalo and is surrounded by sprawling bushland, which those who know Freeman say he has intimate knowledge of. An armed police officer near Mount Buffalo on Sunday. Eddie Jim Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart was farewelled at a funeral service on Friday, while a service to honour Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson is scheduled for Monday. A third officer was seriously injured in the incident. An estimated 450 police, including reinforcements from the NSW force and the AFP, have been deployed to the High Country area.

Advertisement

Despite the abundance of resources, there is yet to be a confirmed sighting of Freeman since the incident. On Saturday police announced a $1 million reward for information that would lead to his arrest. A police helicopter hovers near Freemans home on Sunday. Eddie Jim In the nearby town of Bright, life is slowly returning to normal. Despite the rainy weather on Sunday, tourists strolled the tree-lined streets and queued at local eateries. The Bright Memorial Clock Tower stands in the centre of the main street, paying respect to residents who served during World War I. The site is now also adorned with big blue ribbons, honouring two more men who were killed while on duty, this time just a few kilometres down the road. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.

Save this article for later

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Beijing: Chinas military said its forces had followed and warned an Australian and a Canadian warship, which were sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, in a move it criticised as a provocation.

The Peoples Liberation Armys Eastern Theatre Command said the Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec and the Australian guided-missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane were engaged in trouble-making and provocation.

A photo taken on Philippine Navy BRP Jose Rizal shows it sailing in formation with HMAS Brisbane and Canadian navy frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec east of Scarborough Shoal, in the South China Sea, last month. Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP

The actions of the Canadians and Australians send the wrong signals and increase security risks, it said.

A Defence spokesperson said the Brisbane, which is on a four-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, in accordance with international law.
Advertisement

WorldEuropeIsraeli-Palestinian conflict This was published 3 months ago Almost 900 arrested at London Palestine Action protest, police say September 8, 2025  5:53am 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: British police said on Sunday they had arrested almost 900 people at a demonstration the previous day in support of Palestine Action, and the UK government appealed for people to stop demonstrating in support of the banned campaign group. Britain designated Palestine Action a terrorist group under anti-terrorism legislation in July after some of its members broke into a Royal Air Force base and caused an estimated $14 million of damage to military planes. Police arrest a woman carrying a placard expressing support for Palestine Action outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Saturday. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images That followed vandalism and incidents targeting defence firms in Britain with links to Israel. The group accuses Prime Minister Keir Starmers government of complicity in what it says are Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Hundreds of Palestine Action supporters have since been arrested at demonstrations, many of them over the age of 60.

Advertisement

In the latest arrests, police said 890 people had been held following a protest near parliament in central London on Saturday (Sunday AEST), the highest number of detentions from a single such protest to date. Of those, 857 were detained for showing support for a banned group, while 17 were arrested for assaults on officers after police said the protest turned violent. Defend Our Juries, the campaign group organising the protest, said 1500 people took part in the demonstration, sitting down and holding signs reading I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action. Loading Within minutes, police began arresting the demonstrators, as bystanders chanted Shame on you and Met Police, pick a side, justice or genocide. There were some scuffles and angry exchanges as officers dragged away demonstrators who went limp as they were removed from the crowd.

Advertisement

Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart said officers had encountered violence that was co-ordinated and carried out by a group of people ... intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Protesters gathered outside the Houses of Parliament on Saturday. Getty Images Defend Our Juries, however, said that among those arrested were priests, war veterans and healthcare workers, and that they included many elderly and some disabled people. Many of those arrested in recent weeks are released on police bail, and it was unclear how many were still in detention. These mass acts of defiance will continue until the ban is lifted, a spokesperson said.

Advertisement

Mike Higgins, 62, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, was arrested last month but returned to demonstrate on Saturday. And Im a terrorist? Thats the joke of it, he said. Ive already been arrested under the Terrorism Act, and I suspect I will be today. Of course Ill keep coming back. What choice do I have? Posting on X, Labour MP Richard Burgon described the arrests as a total disgrace. Its exactly why I voted against banning Palestine Action in Parliament  and why this ban must be overturned. Burgon was one of nine Labour MPs to oppose the ban in a House of Commons vote in June.

Advertisement

Ban criticised The ban on Palestine Action puts it alongside al-Qaeda and Islamic State, making it a crime to support or belong to the organisation, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Related Article Updated

Israeli-Palestinian conflict A fight at the opera as performer unfurls Palestine flag on stage Human rights groups and the United Nations have criticised the ban as disproportionate and say it limits the freedom of expression of peaceful protesters. The move raises serious concerns that counter-terrorism laws are being applied to conduct that is not terrorist in nature, and risks hindering the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms across the UK, UN human rights chief Volker Turk warned.

Advertisement

He added that according to international standards, terrorist acts should be confined to crimes such as those intended to cause death or serious injury or the taking of hostages. Huda Ammori, Palestine Actions co-founder, has condemned the ban as catastrophic for civil liberties, leading to a much wider chilling effect on freedom of speech. Related Article Israeli-Palestinian conflict Novelist vows to use TV royalties to fund Palestine Action The group has been supported by prominent cultural figures, including bestselling Irish author Sally Rooney, who said she planned to use the proceeds of her work to keep backing Palestine Action and direct action against genocide. But British Defence Minister John Healey said firm action was needed to counter-accusations by right-wing critics of a two-tier policing and justice system.

Advertisement

Almost everyone shares the agony when we see the images from Gaza ... and for people who want to voice their concern and protest, I applaud them, he told Sky News. But that does not require them to link it to support for Palestine Action, a proscribed group. Palestine Action has won approval from the High Court to challenge the ban, a ruling the government is seeking to overturn. The case is ongoing, with a hearing scheduled for September 25. AP, Reuters 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.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Israeli-Palestinian conflict

UK

Keir Starmer

Israel
CLIONA OConnells path from the technical world of engineering to the literary landscape of poetry might seem unusual, but for the Baltinglass writer, the two disciplines share more common ground than one might expect.

She has recently been selected for the Irish Writers Centres National Mentoring Programme, chosen from 354 applications nationwide alongside one other Wicklow writer, Layla OMara. The programme pairs emerging writers with established literary figures, and Cliona has chosen renowned poet Enda Wyley as her mentor.

Im delighted, said Cliona of her selection. As part of the programme, you get to select your mentor, so I have selected Enda Wyley. She has six books of poetry published and is a member of Aosdana. Its great to have that kind of support.

Before pursuing poetry full-time, Cliona spent years working as an engineer and software manager. While these careers might seem worlds apart from verse writing, she sees clear connections. Its almost like a puzzle at times. Its almost like a technical problem, she explains, describing elements of how poets work to construct their poems.

Her debut poetry collection was published in 2012, and since then she has built an impressive record of literary recognition. Her awards include the Patrick Kavanagh Award, Hennessy Literary Awards, and the Trocaire Poetry Ireland Award, among others. Her work regularly appears in respected publications like Poetry Ireland Review and Banshee.

After her first collection was published, Cliona pursued a Masters degree in Poetry Studies at Dublin City University, attending evening classes. Cliona is currently working on a new collection that reflects growing environmental awareness. The poems explore themes of not seeing in various ways, not seeing whats in front of you and carry an ecological slant.

I would say theyre probably a little bit, well, maybe a lot informed by the lack of care we seem to have as humans around climate change, she explains.

For Cliona, poetry serves as more than artistic expression. When asked if she considers poetry a form of activism, she responds: Yes, absolutely. Its a quiet form, but it is a form for sure.

The National Mentoring Programme targets writers who are early on in their experience of being published, pairing them with authors who have been through the process many times and are well versed. For Cliona, this represents crucial professional development.

The mentoring scheme is for people who have one or two books published and the mentors are people who have maybe five or six books published; its to get that feedback, that extra eye, its invaluable, she explains.

She emphasises the importance of such opportunities for writers. Its such a solitary activity, its really good to get that little bit of validation, she notes, referring to competitions, bursaries and programmes like the mentoring scheme.

Cliona has always been drawn to poetrys precision and concision. Despite dabbling in short stories, she finds herself consistently returning to verse. I always find that, at the back of it all, Im always trying to write a poem, no matter what I start writing.
Sean McCarthaigh

Plans for over 300 new homes in north Cork have been rejected because the developer failed to provide for playing pitches within the development.

An Coimisiun Pleanala refused planning permission for the construction of 336 new residential units at Coolcarron, Fermoy, Co Cork by Cumnor Construction Limited.

The plans for 242 houses and 94 apartments/duplexes, as well as a creche on the 11.75-hectare, site were submitted as a strategic housing development application which obviated the need for the developer to first obtain a decision from the relevant local authority

However, Cork County Council had assessed the plans and recommended that the project should be granted planning permission subject to a number of conditions.

Elected representatives for the Fermoy municipal district also voiced support for the development of housing on the lands, although they criticised plans for duplex units for not being family friendly.

Outlining its ruling for rejecting the development, the Commission said the southern part of the site was zoned residential under the Cork County Development Plan 2022-2028.

It noted that a specific objective of the plan was for the development of active open space on the lands to include playing pitches.

The Commission said the proposal by Cork County Council that the developer could retrofit playing pitches into the scheme under a condition to be attached to a grant of planning permission would not be possible within the layout submitted by Cumnor Construction.

It claimed such retrofitting might impact on the proposed layout of the development as well as on adjoining properties and on the overall workings of the scheme which had not been considered or assessed.

In a 179-page report, an inspector with the Commission said he strongly disagreed with the councils suggested approach.

The inspector, Paul OBrien, said he would be particularly cautious about the imposition of two playing pitches as a condition without fully considering the impact on adjoining residential units.

He said it might also require a reduction in the number of units which could have knock-on effects in terms of scale and density of the development and the associated need for a revised environmental impact assessment report.

He acknowledged the provision of playing pitches might be onerous on the developer but stressed that was the requirement under the county development plan which had identified a need for pitches in that part of Fermoy.

Mr OBrien noted that the wording of the relevant objective had been changed since the previous development plan in 2017.

It is obvious that the need for pitches in this part of Fermoy remains an objective of Cork County Council, said Mr OBrien.

While he observed that the development plan does not specify what the dimension or layout of a playing pitch should be, he accepted two pitches would require a significant area of land.

It is not possible to just fit in such pitches onto the existing layout without a significant loss of housing units and potential unforeseen impacts on the layout/adjoining area/on existing third parties, he added.

The Commission concluded that the Cumnors plans represented a material contravention of the Cork County Development Plan 2022-2028 and that it would result in a poor quality of residential amenity.

Cumnor Construction  which is based in Blarney, Co Cork, had made a provision for four flexible open spaces with natural play features in its plans for landscaping and amenity areas on the site.

It claimed over 15 per cent of the development was set aside for public open space with play areas dispersed throughout the scheme.

The company argued that there were a number of public playing pitches to the immediate north of the site and the requirement for playing pitches on its lands was a legacy issue.

It said the proposed development, which was to be located about 1km to the south of Fermoys town centre, would function as a natural extension of the town and would promote compact growth in an area that could be served by public transport and walking.

Cumnor maintained that the project would provide a positive and significant contribution to the housing supply in the area and would address a significant shortfall in housing output.
By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

The search of open ground for a boy missing from north Dublin and feared dead has entered its sixth day.

Gardai are investigating the disappearance and whereabouts of the child, who would be seven-years-old if still alive.

He is thought to have last lived in The Gallery Apartments in Donabate, Dublin.

Gardai on an area of open ground in Donabate, Co Dublin, during the search for the boy. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.

Gardai began a search of open ground in Donabate on Tuesday which has continued over the weekend.

The area of interest being searched is an overgrown field off the Portrane Road, which features a small wooded area.

The child and family agency Tusla raised concerns about the boys welfare with gardai on August 29.

A Garda helicopter flies over an area of open ground in Donabate. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.

The agency had previously engaged with the missing childs family five years ago.

Tusla became involved when the boys parents felt they would not be able to look after him, Minister for Children Norma Foley said.

Tuslas chief executive Kate Duggan said there were no child protection concerns during interactions with the boys family prior to the case being closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The matter has been referred to the independent National Review Panel (NRP) for investigation.

Childrens Minister Norma Foley said Tusla had become involved in the case when the boys parents felt they would not be able to look after him. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.

Tusla is also carrying out well-being checks on up to 38,000 cases that were closed during the pandemic following concerns raised by Ms Foley.

This is the second case of a child living in Ireland who was missing for years before the case came to the attention of authorities.

Kyran Durnin, who would be nine this year if still alive, was reported missing in August last year and a murder investigation was launched in October.
Converting property in Red Bank to a park, to replace 14 acres of recreational property that was lost when the former Morrison Springs Park was given up to use for the Red Bank Middle School, is moving forward. The current and the previous board of commissioners have been working for the past five years to find property with an equal appraised value. Until that happens, the city is out of compliance with the agreement it made with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and that leaves it ineligible to apply for certain federal grants.

The city has decided to create two parks to satisfy the requirements of the conversion agreement. The former Red Bank Middle School property at 3715 Dayton Boulevard has long been favored by the commissioners to use for a public park space rather than a commercial or residential development. It, along with property at 4839 Dayton Blvd., which is adjacent to Fire Station #2, together will be used for the swap.

At the commission meeting on Tuesday, another step was taken toward finalizing that transaction. The commissioners authorized entering into a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates as an engineering consultant for the development of the two properties. The cost of the contract will be $69,015 with an additional 10 percent contingency fee. That company was selected because it is familiar with the process and regulations associated with land conversions, and also is familiar with the citys master plan. The Hixson property next to the fire station is a blank canvas, and the former middle school property in the middle of town already has a base design site plan. Kimley-Horn will help determining the details and where features will be placed in the parks. They will be developed in a phased approach. Once the city is to the point of being in compliance, applying for grants to help with the costs will be possible.

At the meeting a standard operating procedure for providing tax relief to qualified citizens of the city was approved. This includes elderly, disabled and disabled veteran homeowners who meet the maximum threshold of income. Those residents must apply to the state. There is a link to the application on the Hamilton County website. The applicant must pay their property tax bill and, once the city has been notified by the trustees office that it has been paid, the individual will be approved and Red Bank will send them a rebate in the amount that matches the amount of the states contribution for property tax relief.

City Attorney Arnold Stulce said that people should understand that this only applies to the actual property tax, not the other items that are collected by the Hamilton County trustee such as the stormwater and garbage fees. The money Red Bank uses for this program will be considered as a $13,500 expenditure in this years budget. This process seems to be cumbersome and counter intuitive, commented Commissioner Hayes Wilkinson after it was explained by Kris Pickel, chief finance officer.

Approval was given for purchases to be used by the fire department. Two sizes of fire hoses will be bought for $27,220. That will buy 4,000 feet of hoses that will replace old ones. And the department will also be getting an Xpedition powered stair chair for the cost of $16,481. Fire Chief Brent Syler said the battery powered chair is used to move injured patients or those with mobility issues up and down stairs and saves the firefighters' backs.

Several methods of making crosswalks safe have been used in Red Bank over the years. The city will now try using a pedestrian crosswalk safety lighting systems at five locations in the city. This lighting will be activated with push buttons that are located 150 feet in advance of the crossing. Each set up has a cost of $7,000 with the public works department doing the installations. A total amount of $35,015 has been authorized to purchase the system for all five crosswalks.

The commissioners accepted a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission that will be used for wrapping utility boxes with public art. Last year the grant was used to pay the artists. This year the art will be chosen from submittals from Red Bank High and Middle School students. The $2,500 grant will be used for printing and installing the art on four boxes and the artists will not be paid.

The city has also received a $2,000 grant from the Arts Build Community Cultural Connections. It will be used for art classes for seniors. The classes will culminate in a Senior Art Gala in December. And it was announced that Red Bank will hold its first Art Festival on Sept. 27 at the community center.

Two city-owned properties located off of Goodson Avenue were rezoned from R-1 Single family residential to R-TZ residential townhouse/zero lot line. The best and highest use for them was determined prior to the rezoning and before they will be sold. The city would like to get the property back on the tax roll.

Announcements include that a blood drive will be held on Sept. 9 at the Red Bank Community Center. Children who have a Chattanooga library card will have free admission to the Hunter Museum on Sept. 14. Red Bank will participate in Porchfest on Nov. 15. Applications are now being taken for vendors and participants in the Red Bank Christmas parade and festival on Dec. 13. And residents are warned that unsolicited requests for donations and transient merchants are showing up in Red Bank. People are advised to ask to see their peddlers license which comes from the city before any interaction.
Home News Finnish politician on trial for sharing Bible verses fights back

A Finnish politician has been under fire and on trial after sharing Bible verses supporting traditional marriage. Paivi Rasanen, a member of Finlands parliament, has spent more than six years locked in a highly-publicized legal battle that has placed Scripture center-stage.

Rasanen told The Christian Post the chaos began in 2019 when the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland reportedly announced support for a local LGBT pride event. Rasanen, an outspoken Christian, was stunned by the decision  and decided to speak out.

It was a shock to me and to many other Christians, and I even thought about resigning [from] the church, she said. But I was praying and I got a strong vision that I have to speak. And then I took a photo from the Bible from the first chapter of Romans, verses 24 to 27, where Apostle Paul teaches about the same-sex relationships and calls them sinful and shameful.

Rasanen posted the verses to her then-Twitter account and challenged the churchs support of the pride event.

Almost immediately, the politician faced intense pushback, with offended citizens filing a criminal complaint  and that complaint led to police investigations and interrogation. Soon, a pamphlet she wrote years earlier, titled Male and Female He Created Them, also came under fire.

This was especially ironic considering Rasanen previously served as Finlands minister of the interior, a role that gave her control over law enforcement.

It was so absurd because, just some years before, I was in charge of the police and I had visited the same police station as a minister of interior, she said. And then I was sitting there in the police station, interrogated about my faith.

Rasanen continued, It felt very, very absurd that this could happen in Finland.

She said she was told to delete her tweets, remove her booklet, and apologize. But Rasanen refused and held her ground.

I said that I will not apologize, she said. Its not only my view; it is what the word of God says.

Police reportedly didnt find anything criminal in Rasanens writings, but the nations prosecutor general filed charges under the nations hate-speech laws. This led Rasanen to face two separate trials, which she won.

The politician soon learned that the prosecutor would appeal to Finlands Supreme Court, with the case slated to be heard this October. Rasanen, who is resolute and plans to continue defending her biblical views, said her case has international implications.

The prosecutor general has herself said that, if I would lose the case, finally it would mean that it would not be allowed in Finland to agree with the Bible  with these issues, Rasanen said. So you can cite the Bible, but if you say that you agree with the Bible, then it would be illegal.

With this in mind, Rasanen said winning her case is crucial to protect not only her rights, but the religious rights of everyone in Finland  and beyond.

If I would lose, it would mean  starting a time of persecution of Christians in Finland and also in Europe, she said. Because they are waiting for the result as well in other European countries.

The international community has paid close attention to Rasanens ordeal, with Christians closely monitoring how the Supreme Court will rule. Despite the challenges along the way, Rasanen said she has been inspired to see the case turn people toward the Lord.

This whole process has opened up such chances, such possibilities to speak in public about Gods Word and also about the Gospel  that I would never have gotten without this, she said. So I should be grateful to the prosecutor general, because I have had the possibility to bear witness to Christ in front of the police, and in court, and also in the media.

Rasanen continued, And there are many people who have told me that they have found Christ through this process  also some LGBT people.

With her trial soon coming, the politician is asking the public for prayers and hopes for more opportunities to share her faith. In the end, victory, she believes, will yield freedom for all.

It is important, not only for me, but also for other Christians and other people in Finland, Rasanen said.
Home News Gaza City church leaders vow to stay and serve amid evacuation orders

aZ

Catholic leaders sheltering civilians in Gaza City have pledged to remain in place despite Israels evacuation orders as it expands its ground assault against Hamas.

The Emergency Committee at Holy Family Church, Gazas only Catholic parish, said it would continue caring for the elderly, disabled and displaced civilians sheltering at the compound, Catholic News Agency reported.

Though located in Zeitoun, a large Gaza City neighborhood now under evacuation orders, the parish itself has not been directly ordered to evacuate.

The committee called its decision both moral and pastoral, stating that its members had a duty to remain at the forefront of service to those in need, especially those unable to travel. In its public statement, it added that the choice to leave or stay must be left to the conscience of every civilian.

The statement was issued last Wednesday, one day after a joint declaration by the Latin and Greek Orthodox Patriarchates of Jerusalem warned that forced evacuations would be a death sentence for many, especially those taking refuge in churches and other religious institutions.

The two patriarchates stated that the path of justice leads to life and urged international leaders to protect civilians right to remain on their land. They also appealed against mass displacement policies and called for a halt to the cycle of violence.

Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, the Argentinian-born parish priest at Holy Family, told Vatican News that he and his fellow priests, nuns and volunteers would continue serving those who are anxious, who are sad and anguished, of people with disabilities. He said their shared conviction was that abandoning these people now would risk their survival, given their fragile health, lack of mobility and the collapse of medical systems in the city.

Romanelli said they were there to serve Jesus in the person of the poor and the sick, adding, otherwise, how will those people survive, how will they manage?

The parish is staffed by members of the Institute of the Incarnate Word and the Missionaries of Charity, who have been working together since the war began to shelter and care for displaced residents.

Romanelli said that despite the fear and danger, the church would remain open to those seeking refuge and that all within the compound continued to pray for peace, for the release of hostages and for the recovery of the sick and wounded across Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israels ground operations in Gaza City have escalated. On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces destroyed a multi-story building in the citys Al-Mushtaha area, describing it as a Hamas military site.

The building, which included underground tunnels and infrastructure used by Hamas to plan attacks and stage ambushes, was evacuated shortly before the strike, The Times of Israel reported.

A displaced Palestinian woman told AFP that her husband saw residents throwing down belongings to flee before the building was bombed less than 30 minutes after receiving the warning.

The IDF has stated that it warns civilians before strikes and aims to minimize civilian casualties. It also accused Hamas of embedding fighters and military assets inside civilian infrastructure, including schools, mosques, homes and hospitals.

Officials reportedly said troops are pushing deeper into Gaza City, with military leaders framing the campaign as an effort to dismantle Hamas remaining urban strongholds.

As of Friday, Israeli forces reportedly control about 40% of the city.

The IDF has said that 22,000 combatants have been killed since the beginning of the war, while Hamas claims there have been over 64,000 deaths, including both civilians and militants. Israel has denied accusations of genocide and insists it facilitates humanitarian aid and tries to avoid civilian casualties.

Egypt, meanwhile, has warned that any mass displacement from Gaza would cross a red line and said it would not allow the forced removal of Palestinians from their land.

The IDFs recent operations also included the killing of Nur al-Din Dabbaghsh, a senior Hamas operative accused of managing the terrorist groups finances. Israeli officials said Dabbaghsh had facilitated tens of millions of dollars in transfers used for weapons, logistics and sustaining Hamas fighting capacity.

Military strikes have continued across the Strip, including in northern Gaza, where IDF divisions reported destroying weapons storage sites, anti-tank missile launchers and tunnel systems.

Meanwhile, the number of Palestinians defying evacuation orders has remained high, with roughly 200,000 residents choosing to stay in Gaza City despite the risks.

The Washington Examiner reported that only about 14,840 people obeyed the evacuation order in the first three days, and estimates later rose to between 70,000 and 80,000, still a small fraction of the citys population.

The IDF says Hamas has set up checkpoints to block residents from fleeing and is ordering civilians to stay.
Home News Mother of Annunciation Catholic Church shooting victim: Prayers didnt stop the bullets

Amid debate over whether prayer is a sufficient response to gun violence, a Minneapolis mother whose daughter was wounded in a Catholic church shooting said action is the only way to keep children safe. Speaking days after the attack by a trans-identified shooter that left two children dead during a Mass, she urged Americans to demand policy change.

Malia Kimbrells 9-year-old daughter, Vivian St. Clair, a third grader, was shot three times during the Aug. 27 attack at Annunciation Catholic Church, where students had gathered for a back-to-school Mass.

Kimbrell said Vivian was hit twice in the back and once in the arm, and a friend told her that Vivian had a hole in her back, NBC affiliate KARE 11 reported.

Vivian was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at HCMC and has since been discharged.

Her mother, speaking publicly Thursday, described the day as a horrific massacre and expressed grief not only for her own childs injuries but for the families who lost their children entirely.

I got to take my child home after this horrific massacre, Kimbrell said. But the Moyskis didnt and the Merkels didnt. We all dropped our kids off that morning, but we didnt all get to take our kids home.

Kimbrell acknowledged the role of faith in healing, but added, Thoughts didnt stop the bullets. Prayers didnt stop the bullets. Action is our only hope.

She said mere expressions of sympathy were inadequate. Without action, we will be here again mourning the loss of innocent lives, she said. Her call was not only for communal responsibility but for specific policy changes.

Kimbrell demanded increased funding for mental health support and a nationwide ban on semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines. She also warned lawmakers who oppose such measures that she would invite them to witness firsthand the pain inflicted by gun violence.

Any lawmaker who stands in the way of that happening, she said, will be invited to my home to hold Vivian's hand while they change her dressings and clean her bullet wounds.

She concluded her remarks with a plea for a future filled with hope.

Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Ministries in California issued a statement on the Friday following the shooting, saying, No truer thing could be said about our nation right now than this: we need prayer, in response to a post by the Department of Homeland Security encouraging people to pray without ceasing.

Laurie pushed back against criticisms from political figures, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who had questioned the efficacy of prayer in the aftermath of the shooting. Referring to the fact that the children were praying when they were shot, Laurie said, Yes, it is heartbreaking.  Yet let us remember that Christ Himself prayed as He was crucified, Stephen prayed as he was martyred, and countless other courageous Christians lifted their voices to God in their final moments of life.

He added that the country needed a spiritual awakening, and quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14, calling on believers to humble themselves, pray and turn from wrongdoing.

Jen Psaki, former White House press secretary under President Biden, had earlier expressed similar sentiments to Kimbrells. Writing on X, she said, Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does [sic] not end school shootings. Prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back.

Her comments were criticized by current White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who called them incredibly insensitive, and by Vice President J.D. Vance, who defended the power of prayer.

The Rev. Franklin Graham, who heads both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritans Purse, joined the response. Writing on Facebook, he addressed those who had criticised faith-based responses, specifically naming Frey, and said their words do not change or diminish the power and importance of prayer.

Because someone calls for prayer doesnt mean bad things arent going to happen or that the emergency is going to disappear, he wrote. But prayer is our opportunity to communicate directly with the God of Heaven and take our petitions to Him.

He cited Bible passages that describe Jesus praying in the face of death and described Satan as the author of all lies and the turmoil and violence that ensues  like this senseless shooting.

Graham said that while evil exists, prayer brings comfort, peace, and eventual divine justice. Addressing Frey directly, he said, I hope that you will come to know the price that was paid for your sins and that you will understand the value of prayer in your own life.
LONDON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Police made around 150 arrests on Saturday at a protest in central London in support of advocacy network Palestine Action, London's Metropolitan Police said on social media.

Police added that the offenses included "assault on a police officer" and "expressing support for a proscribed organisation."

According to Defend Our Juries, the campaign group organizing the protest, nearly 1,500 people gathered to hold signs reading "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action" at Parliament Square near the Westminster Abbey.

On Aug. 9, a total of 532 people were arrested for another pro-Palestine Action protest.

In July, Members of Parliament voted to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group after its members broke into Royal Air Force Brize Norton in June. 
Home News Top 7 moments from RFK Jr.'s contentious Capitol Hill hearing

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill Thursday during a contentious three-hour hearing of the Senate Finance Committee.

The back-and-forth at times grew heated and personal, with both Republicans and Democrats firing criticisms at Kennedy amid his polarizing leadership at HHS, which has come under scrutiny amid controversial leadership decisions, structural changes and shifts in vaccine policy.

Here are seven memorable moments from the heated hearing.
Home Opinion 9 myths regarding divine healing (part 1)

In recent decades, divine healing has often been overshadowed by extremes  on one side, excessive sensationalism and theological imbalances, and on the other, skepticism and neglect. As a result, many sincere believers avoid the topic altogether, wary of false hope or doctrinal error.

But this retreat from divine healing has come at a cost. Many overlook the biblical foundations and rich history of Gods healing power throughout Scripture and the Church.

The following are 10 common myths regarding divine healing that have distorted its biblical meaning. There are many more we could explore, but for the sake of brevity, well focus on these ten in Part 1.

1. Jesus only healed to prove His divinity

While Jesus miracles certainly testified to His divine identity (John 10:38), He did not heal merely to prove a point. Matthew 14:14 says, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. Healing was not just a demonstration  it was an expression of divine mercy. If the purpose were strictly to validate His messiahship, He would not have instructed some to refrain from publicizing their healing (Mark 1:44).

2. Healing is tied only to the health and wealth gospel

Some have equated divine healing with the extreme prosperity gospel, which promotes materialism and guarantees of perfect health. But the biblical doctrine of healing predates this distortion by millennia. God revealed Himself as Jehovah Rapha (Exodus 15:26) long before any modern teaching. Healing, properly understood, is a gift of grace  not a formula for comfort or luxury. Rejecting healing because of abuse is like rejecting the ministry of teacher or pastor because some misuse them.

3. Pauls 'thorn in the flesh' was a physical illness

A common argument against divine healing appeals to Pauls thorn in 2 Corinthians 12:710. But a closer look at the context of 2 Corinthians 11:2333 shows that Pauls affliction was not a sickness but a messenger of Satan  likely persecution or demonic harassment.

The term thorn is a metaphor also used in Numbers 33:55 and Joshua 23:1213 to describe hostile nations as thorns in Israels side, not illness. Pauls trials  beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment  align more with opposition from a demonic messenger that followed him on his missionary journeys rather than a particular physical ailment.

4. The stripes of Jesus only provide spiritual healing

Some argue from 1 Peter 2:24 that Jesus wounds only pertain to spiritual healing from sin, since the verse ends with by His wounds you have been healed. However, Peter is quoting Isaiah 53:45, which clearly includes physical affliction: Surely he took up our pain (or sickness in the Hebrew) and bore our suffering

Furthermore, Matthew 8:1617 applies Isaiah 53 directly to Jesus healing the physically sick  not just forgiving sin. Thus, the atonement encompasses spiritual and physical restoration.

5. Paul had a lifelong eye disease

Some interpret Galatians 4:1315 to mean Paul had an eye illness. While Paul does say he preached while experiencing a physical infirmity, the passage does not identify it specifically as a chronic or unhealed eye condition. In fact, his suffering may have been the result of recent persecution, like his stoning in Galatia as shown in Acts 14:19.

Having a temporary physical ailment (likely due to persecution) does not negate the biblical promise of healing. The promise of Divine healing doesnt preclude being wounded for Christ, nor does it mean a believer will never experience sickness.

6. Its not Gods general will to heal everyone

While healing is not always received, we must avoid making Gods will conform to our experiences. Jesus repeatedly said He came to do the Fathers will (John 6:38). And in every instance in the Gospels where someone came to Him for healing, He never turned them away.

Jesus said in John 14:9, Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. This means that the compassionate healing ministry of Jesus perfectly reflects the Fathers heart toward human suffering and sickness.

However, we must remember that we do not fully understand all of Gods ways, nor do we know the hidden circumstances of the person we are praying for. If someone is not healed, we should be careful not to turn our limited experience into a doctrine  especially one that contradicts the clear witness of the Gospels about Gods desire to heal and restore.

7. God cannot use people who are disabled or not healed

Some take divine healing to the extreme and judge those with ongoing conditions, suggesting a lack of faith. But Scripture shows that God often uses people through their weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Rather than condemning those not healed, we should affirm that God meets us where we are. He can work through a blind persons insight, a paraplegics perseverance, or a cancer survivors testimony. The hope of healing should never overshadow the value or ministry of the person.

8. The experience of Job is the norm for suffering believers

Jobs story is often cited as the template for why believers may not be healed. But the book of Job is a unique narrative, not a doctrine. Yes, James 5:11 points to Job as an example of patient suffering, but the full story reveals several truths:

Job was exceptionally righteous  a rare category (Job 1:1).

His suffering was temporary, not lifelong.

God eventually restored him and turned his captivity (Job 42:10).

Jobs suffering is described as captivity, a word Jesus uses when He says He came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18; John 8:36).Thus, Jobs story allows for mystery, but it should not be used to negate the hope of healing.

9. Sickness is always caused by sin

Jesus directly refuted this idea in John 9:13, when His disciples asked why a man was born blind. Jesus replied, Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

While sin can lead to sickness (John 5:14), not all sickness is the result of personal sin. Sometimes its simply the result of living in a fallen worldor an opportunity for Gods glory to be revealed through healing.

Conclusion

Divine healing is not a peripheral or fringe doctrine  it is woven into the very fabric of Gods redemptive plan.

We must clear away the myths, uphold sound doctrine, and minister healing with both faith and compassion.
Home Opinion The Left belittles prayer. Are they right?

Last week, the shooter in Minneapolis of little children in a Catholic church-school during mass was discovered to have written on one of his weapons, Where is your god [sic]. He used a picture of Jesus on his target in practice before the big day of shooting last Wednesday.

And now the left says to us in effect: Dont pray, just prey. The last part refers to allowing unfettered evil to flourish  to continue to prey on the weak and vulnerable.

As Gary Bauer noted last Thursday: Satan wrote the script for the atrocities that transpired yesterday at a Minneapolis Catholic church and school. The transgender shooters message, Wheres your God now, wasnt referring to Allah. It was referring to the God of the Bible, the God Catholics, Jews, and Protestants worship. The only God, by the way. Wheres your God now was Satan mocking God.

Its amazing to see how swift the condemnation from the Left was against even the idea of prayers  as if prayers alone were the solution offered to try and stop these things. They do hint at the solution: to get back to the knowledge of God, the one who is there and who will hold us all accountable one day.

As to the condemnation of prayer, consider these examples:

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frei, who almost single-handedly destroyed his city in the wake of the George Floyd riots, spoke of prayer as if it were nothing. After all, the children in the church-school were literally playing when the bullets began to fly.

Jen Psaki famously blasted prayer as useless. She posted on X: Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings  Enough with the thoughts and prayers.

Fox News quotes other leftist leaders who blamed prayers or at best called them useless, such as Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL): Don't give us your f------ thoughts and prayers.

By the way, I think we have no clue how many times God spares us from the complete ravages of sinful attempts to kill. Perhaps enough to see it was a real threat, but with much less damage than could have been. I always remember reading the details of the Columbine shootings. The two killers aimed to kill a thousand people. Thank God that they fell short by 986 (or 984, if you count them).

In another August (1984), then presidential candidate, Ronald Reagan, gave a speech at a Dallas Prayer Meeting on the importance of recognizing God in the public arena  if for nothing else, its impact on morality:

We establish no religion in this country, nor will we ever. We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we poison our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief. All are free to believe or not believe; all are free to practice a faith or not. But those who believe must be free to speak of and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public questions ... Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

George Washington said as much. The father of our country warned us to not undermine religion and morality in his Farewell Address. He said that national morality will not be able to prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

The founders might not have agreed on all details of theology, but they agreed on the notion that God will hold us accountable one day.

As Thomas Jefferson observed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just  that his justice cannot sleep forever.

As a nation, we are still reaping the consequences of a terrible string of Supreme Court decisions from the 1960s, and 1980s. They ruled against school prayer, Bible reading at school (as devotional), creation being allowed to be taught, even the Ten Commandments (with its famous line: Thou shalt not murder) were disallowed at school. Its as if the Left, through their surrogates on the High Court went out of their way to build a firewall against the children in the schools learning anything about God. And now were reaping the consequences.

As Os Guinness, the great Christian thinker and author, postulates in his book, A Free Peoples Suicide: One cannot point to a free and lasting civilization anywhere in history that was built on atheistic foundations. Ultimately, Americas only two true options are: Revival or Ruin.
Ohio Statehouse Republicans aim to pack even more people from their party into Congress, by openly working to gerrymander district maps. But if the economy is in free fall next year because of Donald Trump policies, do the Republicans risk the reverse happening, with Democrats winning somewhat competitive districts? (Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com) Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com

Ohios Republican lawmakers are about to return from vacation with gerrymandering on their minds, ready to further entrench their power through congressional redistricting. But as discussed Friday on Today in Ohio, the power play might backfire spectacularly if economic conditions continue to deteriorate under the Trump administration.

Podcast hosts said Ohios redistricting process has become a thinly-veiled charade. While the state Constitution requires public input on congressional maps, history suggests these submissions will be largely ignored.

The Constitution requires that any maps submitted, including from the public, have to be compact, equal in population, more or less contiguous, and doesnt split up counties too much, explained Lisa Garvin on the podcast. Yet despite these requirements, previous redistricting efforts saw maps that broke those rules -- drawn behind closed doors by Republican staffers.

Host Chis Quinn said the guardrails have collapsed.

Look, you mentioned that the requirements that it be compact and all that -- theyll ignore that because they know our Ohio Supreme Court is completely in the bag for the Republican Party. They (justices) will not enforce what the constitution says. Theyre going to rubber stamp whatever they get.

The podcast hosts discussed how the Republican-dominated redistricting committee has previously disregarded not just public input but constitutional mandates. Lisa Garvin recalled the committees previous behavior: They basically ignored everybody. They did it with impunity. Theyre like, ha, ha, were going to do what we want and you cant stop us.

Despite the brazen approach, the podcast highlighted a potential miscalculation by Republicans. Ohio is already heavily gerrymandered, and pushing for even more partisan advantage could create unexpected vulnerabilities.

" Theyve already done a lot to be gerrymandered, Quinn said, wondering how far the Republicans will try to stretch their influence. To continue down that path and do what they want to do, they might create risks, especially if the economy is in the tank next year where they could actually lose. Its a risky move theyre taking.

This analysis points to a fascinating political paradox: in seeking to cement their power through increasingly extreme gerrymandering, Republicans might actually make themselves more vulnerable if economic conditions deteriorate and voter dissatisfaction grows.

The conversation underscores how the absence of judicial checks has emboldened Ohio Republicans. With the state Supreme Court firmly aligned with party interests Quinn pointed out that Gov. Mike DeWines son is on the Supreme Court and does not declare on conflict in redistricting disputes the only remaining check on gerrymandering excesses may be voter backlash.

Republicans are aiming for 12 or 13 congressional districts (up from the current 10), but their ambition may yet collide with economic reality and voter sentiment.

Listen to the episode here.

Listen to full Today in Ohio episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Washington, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listens at right. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) AP

The White House on Tuesday said U.S. military forces struck a drug vessel originating from Venezuela and operating in international waters in the Caribbean that it said was operated by the Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang, killing 11. The U.S. military confirmed a precision strike against a drug vessel operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later revealed that President Donald Trump had personally ordered the boat to be blown up, rather than interdicted. A black-and-white video showed what appeared to be a small, fast-moving, open vessel exploding in flames with people aboard, but didnt clearly show 11 people in the craft. Nor were drugs clearly visible.

Its also unclear whether the strike was a prelude to other planned U.S. military actions. The United States has recently bulked up its military presence, with two Aegis guided-missile destroyers in the Caribbean plus the destroyer USS Sampson and a cruiser, the USS Lake Erie, nearby. Last week, a federal appellate court ruled the Trump administration could not use a wartime law to justify Venezuela deportations.

So how does our Editorial Board view this U.S. escalation to military force in the Caribbean?

Leila Atassi, manager public interest and advocacy:

Trumps decision to unleash military firepower on a small boat in the Caribbean is outrageous, lawless and flat-out un-American. Were told it carried drugs and gang members, but where is the evidence of that? Where is the due process? Extrajudicial killings abroad set a terrifying precedent  militarizing drug policy and treating human lives as expendable, while eroding our credibility worldwide. This is not how America should confront drug trafficking.

Ted Diadiun, columnist:

For too long, the U.S. military has allowed drug traffickers and pirates to roam the seas with impunity, unchecked as they ply their deadly trade. Blowing this band of criminals out of the water was fine with me, and if it sends a message to others, so much the better. Our leaders dont need to tell us how they knew. Its enough that they did know  and did something about it.

Thomas Suddes, editorial writer:

The presidents order to destroy, not capture, the drug-smugglers boat wont make a dent in American consumption of illicit drugs. Ronald Reagan yammered on about the magic of the market  that customer demand spurs the production and supply of coveted goods. The magic of the market as to illicit drugs creates virtually unlimited demand for them inside the United States. Thats why sinking a smugglers craft was about theater, not law enforcement.

Eric Foster, columnist:

At first thought, this seems like the logical consequence of the language Trump has used surrounding immigration. Invasion. Terrorists. National emergency. However, on second thought, I recall that when we actually called it a War on Drugs, we didnt use these tactics. We didnt bomb speedboats. We didnt openly contemplate invading other nations to stop drugs. Yet another sign that feelings govern our conduct these days, rather than laws.

Lisa Garvin, editorial board member:

The only evidence we have that this boat was full of drugs and cartel members is at the bottom of the ocean. How convenient! Are we suddenly supposed to trust an administration that habitually lies to the American people? This is a major escalation in Trumps campaign of global aggression, and releasing the video sends a chilling message that the U.S. will continue to flout international laws with impunity.

Victor Ruiz, editorial board member:

This is not about Americas safety and health; it is about the ego and delusional dreams of an aspiring despot. Anyone who thinks that picking on little ole Venezuela is going to make us safer is equally as delusional. Trump is the dangerous one here and I fear what is to come.

Mary Cay Doherty, editorial board member:

Dating back to the Monroe Doctrine, U.S. foreign policy has rightly asserted Latin Americas importance within our national security sphere. Beyond the violent drug cartels, Venezuelas dictatorship aligns itself with Russia, China, and Iran. President Trumps peace through strength diplomacy has proven effective thus far. While this military action against a drug cartel will likely be contested in the courts, Trump properly conveyed that we will defend our interests.

Elizabeth Sullivan, opinion director:

Using the worlds most powerful military to blow up a small powerboat, supposedly to send a signal, does not pass the smell test. Without interdicting the vessel, theres no definitive proof who was operating it or whether it was even smuggling drugs.

Have something to say about this topic?

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this Editorial Board Roundtable to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com
PARIS, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A car struck pedestrians Saturday afternoon in Pirou, in France's Manche department, killing one person and seriously injuring three others, local media reported.

The public prosecutor in Coutances, Gauthier Poupeau, said that based on initial information, the car's driver fell ill, and the vehicle continued moving for several meters before hitting a group of people. He added that intentional action has been "formally ruled out."

The vehicle crashed into the terrace of a pizzeria in the seaside town. Firefighters treated a total of six victims at the scene, including four pedestrians and the two occupants of the car, the Manche prefecture told local media. 
MACAO, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The 33rd Macao International Fireworks Display Contest, organized by the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government tourism office (MGTO), got underway on Saturday night, drawing large crowds of residents and tourists.

The opening performance featured a team from Australia, which presented the theme "Great Southern Land," showcasing the country's landscapes and cultures through a fireworks display. The South African team took the stage next, lighting up the sky with their "Serengeti" show, inspired by the natural beauty of Africa.

A total of 10 teams will compete in 18-minute displays above the sea across Macao Tower on Sept. 6, 13, 20, and Oct. 1 and 6, according to the MGTO.

A "fireworks carnival" event, coordinated by the General Union of Neighborhood Associations of Macao, also kicked off on Saturday and was scheduled to take place next to the waterfront of the Macao Science Center each evening of the fireworks display.

As the event coincides with the typhoon season, the MGTO said the office will closely monitor weather updates and make timely assessments. 
Most closely associated with Kathmandu, Indra Jatra is celebrated in Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel and Dolakha.

The Kathmandu Valleys most significant celebration, Indra Jatra, commenced on Saturday (September 6) with rituals dedicated to Indra, the King of Heaven and the deity of rain. Nepal President Ram Chandra Paudel, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah and other dignitaries visited Basantapur to witness the festivities and offer prayers.As part of the centuries-old tradition, chariots bearing the living deities Kumari, Bhairav and Ganesh were pulled through Hanumandhoka, Basantapur and surrounding areas. During a special ceremony, President Paudel worshipped Goddess Kumari and received her blessings, in keeping with a practice that has been followed for generations.The eight-day festival begins annually on Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi according to the lunar calendar. Two days prior to its opening, a towering wooden pole known as "Indradhwoja", adorned with flags, are erected at Hanumandhoka.Sunday (September 7) marks the festivals second day, 'Yenya Punhi', when members of the Newar community gather to enjoy a traditional meal of beaten rice, meat, eggs, beans and bara, a fried bread made from black lentil.Though most closely associated with Kathmandu, Indra Jatra is celebrated in Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel and Dolakha. Across these districts, the event showcases a variety of cultural performances, including the Mahakali, Lakhe, Pulukisi and Bhakku dances, while the Dasavatar play is staged at Basantapur and the Hanumandhoka complex.Legend has it that the festival commemorates an incident when Indra descended upon Kathmandu to collect the flower 'Parijat' for his mother, Dakini. Mistaken for a thief by farmers, he was tied to a tree along with his elephant Erawat. Upon learning of the error, the farmers released him on the promise that he would bless them with rainfall for a good harvest. The Pulukisi figure carried through the streets during the festival symbolises Indra's elephant.Alongside the sacred rituals and masked dances, processions of chariots and cultural songs bring vibrancy to Kathmandu valley all through the week.Coinciding with Indra Jatra, the Nepal Tourism Board and Nepal Art Council have launched a three-week Nepal Art and Culture Festival 2025 to draw visitors by linking heritage with tourism.President Paudel formally inaugurated the cultural programme on Friday. The festival will feature street performances, culinary fairs, music concerts and art exhibitions aimed at attracting both domestic and international tourists.
In early 2019, US Navy SEAL Team 6 undertook a top-secret mission inside North Korea to install an electronic device capable of intercepting Kim Jong-uns communications, according to reporting by The New York Times. The operation, which carried immense risks of sparking conflict with a nuclear-armed state, was directly approved by President Donald Trump.

The mission was intended to close a major intelligence gap. US agencies had long struggled to penetrate North Koreas tightly controlled system, leaving Washington with little visibility into Kims intentions even as Trump pursued high-stakes nuclear diplomacy. Officials believed the newly developed surveillance device could deliver a rare stream of intelligence on Pyongyangs leadership.

SEAL Team 6's Red Squadron tapped for mission

The task was assigned to SEAL Team 6s Red Squadron  the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden. After months of training with SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, the commandos deployed from a nuclear-powered submarine in mini-subs, braving freezing waters before swimming ashore. But soon after landing, the mission unraveled.

A small North Korean boat appeared unexpectedly. Believing they had been spotted, the SEALs opened fire, killing two to three unarmed civilians believed to be shellfish divers. The commandos then aborted the mission, retrieved the bodies to conceal evidence, and escaped via submarine. The surveillance device was never planted.

The Trump administration never informed congressional intelligence committees about the operation  before or after it occurred. Legal experts told the NYT this omission may have violated federal law requiring congressional notification of covert actions. This is exactly the kind of thing that would normally be briefed, said Columbia Law professor Matthew Waxman, a former Bush-era national security official. Both John Bolton, then national security adviser, and Patrick Shanahan, acting defense secretary at the time, declined to comment.

Although internal Pentagon reviews concluded the SEALs actions were justified under rules of engagement, some military officials privately expressed concern over the pattern of overly complex, high-risk missions with mixed results. While the SEALs are credited with successes like the bin Laden raid, their history also includes botched operations in Grenada, Yemen, and Afghanistan that resulted in civilian casualties or mission failure.

The Biden administration later ordered an independent investigation, and in 2021 briefed select members of Congress on its classified findings, NYT reported. North Korea never publicly acknowledged the incident, though US satellites reportedly detected heightened military activity in the aftermath.

Ultimately, the failed mission highlighted the dangers of clandestine operations in North Korea, where any misstep risks not only mission failure but also broader escalation with a nuclear adversary.

Also Read: Thousands protest for a 'Free DC' on the fourth week of federal control in Washington
JERUSALEM, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Houthi forces in Yemen launched six drones toward Israel on Sunday, with one striking Ramon Airport in southern Israel and injuring two people, Israeli authorities said.

Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service said a 63-year-old man sustained shrapnel wounds to his limbs and a 52-year-old woman was injured in a fall during the incident. Both were taken to Yoseftal Hospital in the city of Eilat.

A spokesperson for the Israel Airports Authority said the drone struck the arrivals hall at Ramon Airport, a relatively small facility about 18 km north of Eilat.

"Operations have been halted and takeoffs and landings at Ramon have been suspended," the spokesperson said, adding that the authority was working to restore normal service as soon as possible.

The Israeli military said the drone struck the area without activating any warning sirens. "The incident is under review," it said in a statement.

According to the military, three additional drones were intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, and two others fell short before reaching Israel.

The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been firing missiles and drones at Israel since November 2023, saying the attacks are carried out in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war. Israel has responded with strikes on Houthi-held areas, including Sanaa and the Red Sea port of Hodeidah. 
Charlie Kellys favorite meal of milk steak boiled hard over jelly beans failed to resonate with the ladies on Match.com, but its doing numbers among Bay Area tech dudes.

Milk steaks newfound embrace as a start-up superfood began on Monday, when software company founder Sam Trautwein headed to Twitter to flaunt a meal he recently enjoyed at NorCals famed House of Prime Rib. POV: youre the last man of taste in San Francisco, the self-described Y Combinator alum captioned his photo depicting the remains of an exceptionally rare steak and a straw-clad glass of milk.

Instead of receiving kudos from the keto crowd, Trautweins post was met with several people wondering whether his taste just so happened to be dictated by Its Always Sunny in Philadelphias resident Rat King. Its fascinating how much everything you guys do just lands you right back to being a stones throw away from being Charlie from IASIP, one fan wrote alongside a GIF of Charlie ordering his milky delicacy at the swanky Guiginos Italian Restaurant.

Advertisement

More Charlie Kelly loyalists reposted milk steak-themed GIFs and clips from Season Fives The Waitress Is Getting Married, with one turning their speculation toward Trautweins dessert order. Did he get the jelly beans on the side? they joked.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trautwein has yet to confirm whether he went all the way with his Charlie-inspired steakhouse meal, but if the exec ever finds himself on the East Coast, hed be right at home at Paddys Pub.
A Palestinian flees Gaza City on Sept. 6, 2025. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced a new humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip ahead of its planned operation to capture Gaza City in the north. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA/DOHA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Residents of Gaza City are saying no to leave, despite Israel's announcement earlier in the day of a new "humanitarian zone" in southern Gaza's Khan Younis ahead of its planned operation to capture Gaza City.

"They want us to move to a place that is already overcrowded," Samer Abu Samra, a 38-year-old father of four, told Xinhua. "We cannot afford transportation or tents. People are exhausted and coming from hunger."

"I lived displacement in the south before, and it was the worst experience of my life," said Nasser al-Attar, a teacher in Gaza City. "The south is not safe either, so staying here is not heroism. It is simply because there is no alternative."

"We have nothing left to lose but our lives," said Umm Mohammed Jaber. "But displacement also means losing dignity, so we will remain here."

Om Alaa Abu Ajwa, putting up a tent near the Gaza beach, told Xinhua life in the south has become "impossible."

"We decided to return despite the risks. At least we die in our city rather than in tents without water or food," she said.

"They tried siege, starvation, and bombardment," said 60-year-old Abu Luay outside his half-destroyed home in al-Shati refugee camp, northern Gaza.

"Their goal is to evacuate the city, but we believe staying is the only option left," he said.

According to estimates by local activists, about 80 percent of Gaza City residents have chosen not to leave.

Earlier on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the designated "humanitarian zone," in a statement, "in light of the expansion of the ground operation in Gaza City and the takeover of Hamas strongholds as part of Operation Gideon's Chariots II."

It said the "humanitarian zone," which contains key humanitarian infrastructure, will ensure the continued delivery of food, tents, medicines and medical equipment.

Over the past weeks, the Israeli military has expanded its operations in Gaza City and other areas of the coastal enclave, saying the goal is to eliminate Hamas. Palestinian sources said Israel's targeting of residential towers has become more frequent in recent days.

On Friday, Israel leveled the 13-floor Mushtaha tower in western Gaza City, claiming that Hamas used the high-rise building to install intelligence gathering equipment and position observation posts to monitor the location of IDF troops in the area.

The claim has been rejected by the tower's administration, which said the tower had only been hosting displaced civilians since it was damaged last year.

A day later, Israeli warplanes attacked the 15-floor al-Sousi tower, also in western Gaza City, reducing it to rubble within minutes, and leaving nearby houses, shops, and streets heavily damaged.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson of the Civil Defense in Gaza, told Xinhua, "The bombardment aims to force residents to evacuate, turning entire neighborhoods into empty areas."

Having called the recent Israeli bombardments part of "a systematic policy of displacement," Hamas on Saturday said in a press statement that it is committed to the 60-day ceasefire proposal presented by Qatar and Egypt on Aug. 18, and is open to any ideas or proposals aimed at achieving a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Any future agreement must include a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the unconditional entry of humanitarian aid, and a genuine prisoner exchange deal through serious negotiations mediated by international actors, Hamas said.

Since the 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and led to about 250 hostages being taken, Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians and wounded 161,000, according to Gaza-based health authorities.

On Saturday, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, in a phone call with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, urged stepping up regional and international efforts to end the brutal Gaza war, ensuring the sustainable and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid, and securing the release of prisoners and detainees. 

Palestinians flee Gaza City on Sept. 6, 2025.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced a new humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip ahead of its planned operation to capture Gaza City in the north. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians flee Gaza City on Sept. 6, 2025.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced a new humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip ahead of its planned operation to capture Gaza City in the north. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians flee Gaza City on Sept. 6, 2025.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced a new humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip ahead of its planned operation to capture Gaza City in the north. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians flee Gaza City on Sept. 6, 2025.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced a new humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip ahead of its planned operation to capture Gaza City in the north. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians flee Gaza City on Sept. 6, 2025.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced a new humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip ahead of its planned operation to capture Gaza City in the north. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more

We may not be able to turn back time, but we can reverse it! Red light therapy is one of the biggest trends in wellness and beauty lately, but we are most interested in one of the clinically proven brands at the forefront of the movement  Hairmax.

Hairmax is an innovative brand that has been a pioneering voice in the hair restoration space, specifically around the use of therapeutic laser light energy.

Hairmax LaserBand 82 ComfortFlex

Whether you are currently experiencing significant hair loss or are seeking a preventive treatment, this bestselling medical-grade red light headband is a game-changer. Using powerful laser technology, each follicle is targeted to promote growth and restore fullness. Using code KCKQ2ZRS on Amazon, you can save on the incredible beauty tech through 9/30. Ready to take back time? Learn More

Real results! Clinical studies prove that the Hairmax LaserBand works wonders in as little as three months

This technology has been widely untapped for some time, but now, thanks to their FDA-approved Hairmax LaserBand 82 ComfortFlex, everything is different.

The high-tech headband is for anyone looking to combat hair loss in the present or prevent it for the future. By using a whopping 82 medical-grade (yes, medical-grade!) lasers, the device is able to uniquely distribute direct follicle red light therapy.

Clinical studies have not only demonstrated the effectiveness of the device but also yielded positive user feedback. Ninety-three percent of participants in the Hairmax 6-month study saw significant hair growth with an average hair count increase of 129 additional new hairs per sq. inch of head!

One user said: 'Very good device! it works fast!... at one year of usage, the results are more than AWESOME !!! I've got a bunch of hair growth on my frontal hair line and my gray hairs are turning back to my original hair color. LOVE this machine! It's 100% worth the purchase!'

The Hairmax LaserBand 82 ComfortFlex is designed with comfort in mind, featuring a flexible, full-coverage laser layout with soft teeth to gently separate the hair.

And one of the most-loved aspects of the futuristic at-home tool is its quick treatment time. All it takes to maximize the Hairmax device is 90 seconds of use three times a week.

Treatment is simple with an easy 90 second session a few times a week!

Unlike many red light therapy tools, the Hairmax LaserBand 82 ComfortFlex is not just clinically proven but doctor-recommended! The device is known to be used for those with hereditary hair loss, male pattern baldness, menopause related hair loss, and age-related hair loss.

Dr. Nader Ronaghi (Hair Transplant Surgeon) said: 'There's a noticeable difference in patients who use Hairmax after hair transplantation and those who don't. Patients see results quicker, and they also see better results.'

If you are looking for a safe and effective way to reverse, stop, or even prevent hair loss or thinning, the top-rated Hairmax LaserBand 82 ComfortFlex is for you! Check out the comprehensive wellness tech ASAP to start challenging Father Time today.

Terms and Conditions: Over 90 percent success rate in clinical studies. Most users experience visible results in as little as 3 to 6 months (results vary). Doctors recommend HairMax laser devices to treat Androgenetic alopecia  which includes Hereditary Hair Loss, Male and Female pattern hair loss, menopause related hair loss, and age related hair loss & thinning. Founded in 2000, HairMax is the Global Leader and Pioneer in laser hair growth.
One of the joys of working for this newspaper is that I get to share a platform with the wittiest and most successful writers in the business. We dont always agree, but I count myself in esteemed company.

One of those is Nadine Dorries, former long-time Conservative MP for Mid-Bedfordshire, one-time competitor on Im A Celebrity, Culture Secretary and bestselling author of numerous books including her latest, Downfall: The Self-Destruction Of The Conservative Party.

And now also, of course, the newest notch on Nigel Farages political bedpost.

She represents an important conquest for the Reform leader, not just because of her obvious talents, but also because she was for so many years such a loyal Conservative.

Having called her defection from Tory to Reform possibly the most difficult decision of her career, she has declared the Conservatives dead as a party, saying it removes election-winning prime ministers and replaces them with duds (a reference to the defenestration of another esteemed colleague, Boris Johnson).

On the latter, I have some sympathy with her view. But on the matter of the Tory party being finished and Reform being the future... well, Im sorry, Nadine, but I must respectfully disagree.

Having called her defection from Tory to Reform possibly the most difficult decision of her career, Nadine Dorries, pictured at the Reform UK party conference in Birmingham with Nigel Farage, has declared the Conservatives dead as a party

Dont get me wrong. I can totally see the appeal of Reform. Farage is a powerhouse, in many ways a Johnsonian figure (certainly in terms of charisma and appetites). He has that same ease of personality, that same ability to engage and cut through, that same lightness of touch that matter so much in a politician.

But, as Johnson discovered during that difficult time when he was trying to manage the pandemic, being charming and lovable will only get you so far once you are actually in government.

Likewise, simply not being the bad guys  as Keir Starmer and Labour are also discovering  is not enough. In government, there is nowhere to hide.

If you think this lot are foundering with poorly thought-out policies and political dead ends, there is precious little to suggest, as yet, that Reform would be any different. Sure, they talk a good game, but are they match-fit?

Dame Andrea Jenkyns burst onto the stage at Reforms party conference in a sequinned pantsuit, singing a song she had written 20 years ago entitled Insomniac

No. Being able to grab headlines is not the same as being ready for office. Case in point: Dame Andrea Jenkyns extraordinary turn in Birmingham last week, where she burst onto the stage at Reforms party conference in a sequinned pantsuit, singing a song she had written 20 years ago entitled Insomniac.

Quite why she did or how it relates to her role as mayor for Greater Lincolnshire remains unclear.

She told GB News that she chose the song because Britain is sleepwalking into disaster, but Reform are there to wake up the whole country, which is all well and good, except that doesnt really make sense because if someone is sleepwalking theyre, well, asleep.

Maybe what she meant is that they cant sleep because the countrys in such a mess, which would make more sense. Anyway, the whole stunt was illogical, embarrassing and entirely nonsensical.

That, combined with Farages abrupt rescheduling of his own address because of Angela Rayners resignation, which resulted in a half-empty auditorium and general confusion among the delegates, did not exactly project an image of seamless efficiency.

And yet seamless efficiency is arguably all this country needs right now. If you cant manage that at your own party conference in front of a supportive audience that has paid good money to be there, that doesnt exactly bode well for a wider political stage.

To listen to the full interview with Nadine Dorries on the rise of Reform and the state of British politics, search for Alas Vine & Hitchens now

Britain needs a political reset, that much is indisputable. But the answer is not showmanship, its serious, sustained accountability.

We need a government that only promises what it can deliver, that sets realistic and sensible goals then meets them, and whose policies stem from a fundamental set of long-held principles, not a set of hastily assembled knee-jerk reactions and outlandish pledges.

Most of all, we need more intellectual and moral depth in our politics. Not one-note opportunists who simply catch the prevailing mood.

Yes, its important to be relatable, otherwise no one will vote for you (see Rishi Sunak). Yes, its important to be nimble and quick in the Chamber. But all that must be underpinned by substance, and thats what Reform lack.

I can totally see how, for many disillusioned voters, and especially former Conservative ones, Reform might seem like a political oasis. But its a mirage.

The reality is Farages policies  and he really only has fully fleshed-out one, on immigration  are built on sand.

His pledge to stop the boats within two weeks of taking office may sound great, but there are a million and one obstacles to that ever happening.

Similarly, his plans on law and order sound suitably gung-ho (expelling 10,000 foreign prisoners, using the Army to build new prisons), but again, they remain uncosted and the practicalities are unclear.

The rest is just a quagmire. And so much of it is attention-seeking pie-in-the-sky.

Its just more ADHD politics, the ideological equivalent of doomscrolling, flitting from headline to headline, grabby policy to grabby policy  but no real, deep-down lets-stop-and-have-a-proper-think analysis of the problems and their underlying causes.

Its junk politics, like junk food, when what Britain needs now is solid legislative fare, of the kind that doesnt just deliver empty political calories.

Weve seen what happens when you offer up a platter of half-baked policies: you get this dogs dinner of a government.

Enough of this Pop-Tart politics. I want the full English. The reason I still have faith in the Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch is because she and her team are trying to cook up exactly that. And, unlike Reform, they have the expertise to do so.

The Conservatives biggest obstacle to re-election  the mess of the past few years  is in many ways the ace up their sleeve.

Sarah Vine says Nadine is right when she says Kemi Badenoch (pictured) isnt the right person to lead the Tories into the next election. But whatever her shortcomings, at least shes not a snake-oil salesman. Shes not a political quack. She wont sell you a cure if she doesnt have one

Yes, it means they have to work very hard to regain the electorates trust, one thing that Farage has in his favour. But they also know how and why and where things went wrong. They have experience of government. They know how the engines of power work, they know the problems and the pitfalls. Reform havent a clue.

If you think this administration is on a steep learning curve, its nothing compared to what Reform face.

Maybe Nadine is right when she says Badenoch isnt the right person to lead the Tories into the next election. I think its too soon to tell. But whatever her shortcomings, at least shes not a snake-oil salesman. Shes not a political quack. She wont sell you a cure if she doesnt have one.

And she does understand one fundamental truth: the answer to this countrys crisis is classic conservatism. Fiscally, culturally and socially  something she herself believes to her core.

Admittedly not as sexy or exciting as Dame Andrea in a sequinned jumpsuit  but in the long-term, probably more use to the voters of Britain.

To listen to Sarah Vine interview Nadine Dorries on the rise of Reform and the state of British politics, search for Alas Vine & Hitchens now, wherever you get your podcasts.
Award-winning actress Maxine Peake is one of the country's most magnetic performers, with a string of powerful roles to her name.

In ITV's See No Evil she simmered with contempt as Moors murderer Myra Hindley, for which she won a Royal Television Society Award.

And last year, in the Netflix series Say Nothing, her depiction of IRA terrorist Dolours Price was an expert study in pride and regret.

Her latest turn is a figure who, to some, is still no less notorious: Mary Whitehouse.

Until September 27, Peake will be on the Nottingham Playhouse stage in Caroline Bird's The Last Stand Of Mrs Mary Whitehouse.

Will this production be another feather in Peake's cap?

Not likely, given the theatre's one-dimensional blurb accompanying the show.

According to the Playhouse, Mary Whitehouse was 'a twinkly old lady' and 'a seemingly harmless grandmother'.

If she were on X, Instagram or TikTok today, Mary Whitehouse wouldn't seem out of date, writes Catherine Pepinster

There is one issue, though, where her views do seem outmoded  and that is her opinion of gay people and her claim that homosexuality jeopardised the family. Pictured: A Gay Pride demonstration in London, in 1977

Maxine Peake is currently portraying the campaigner on stage in Caroline Bird's The Last Stand Of Mrs Mary Whitehouse

They ask if the campaigner was a 'pearl-clutching prude or the most dangerous woman in Britain?'

Theatregoers wanting a layered critique of the campaigner in this apparently 'wickedly funny' play, may be disappointed.

But Mrs Whitehouse was no stranger to tired hatchet jobs, and were she alive today one can picture her eyes rolling behind her horn-rimmed specs at the news that an avowed Lefty like Peake had been chosen to play her.

Mocking Mary and her Clean Up TV campaign has long been a cherished sport for theatre luvvies, television executives and influential journalists.

From satirists of the 1960s, such as Ned Sherrin, to Spitting Image and David Baddiel's 1990s Mary Whitehouse Experience, she was considered a figure of fun.

But the most personal attack came when the BBC aired Swizzlewick, a 1964 drama lampooning a fictional Midlands family.

It charted the life of Mrs Smallgood, who ran a 'Freedom From Sex' campaign and lived with her husband Ernest the postman  at a time when the real-life Mrs Whitehouse lived with her husband Ernest in Postman's Cottage.

The treatment was a sure sign that she had got under the BBC's skin. Its bright young things  all post-war baby boomer graduates hailing from Oxbridge  wanted to push Auntie's artistic boundaries, working out that there were no limits on what you could do on the box, compared to censorship back then in the theatre.

The issues she raised  the drip-drip effect of highly sexual content on children, how what was once considered pornography had become mainstream, and the impact on those performing it  are topical now. Pictured: Whitehouse in 1981

Only Mrs Whitehouse was concerned about what their heedlessness was doing to young minds.

TV producers, and in particular their leader BBC Director-General Hugh Carleton Greene, dismissed her as a busybody housewife. Get with the sexual revolution, Mary!

Perhaps it was this broad-mindedness that allowed rampant paedophile Jimmy Savile to stalk the Corporation's corridors for so long.

But her patronising critics got her completely wrong. Rather than an ignorant reactionary, she was an art teacher and senior mistress at a girls school.

She understood the importance, and the power, of the visual image.

Not only did this help her understand the small screen's impact but also influenced how she looked, from her trademark glasses to the bright colours she wore to get noticed.

She even adopted the 1960s shorter hemlines  hardly the prude. A photo of her with Mick Jagger on a 1968 chat show, hosted by David Frost, has her showing plenty of leg with her skirt well above the knee.

She and Jagger got on surprisingly well, with her saying later: 'I wasn't what he expected. He said he felt we had a rapport.'

You can draw a straight line between her calls for monitoring of standards and the TV regulator we have today  Ofcom  which most people would now agree should have a say on the depiction and portrayal of sex, violence, taste and decency

If Jagger spotted her calibre, he wasn't the only one.

Anthony Smith, who ran the influential BBC show 24 Hours  one of the producers Mrs Whitehouse would frequently phone with her comments  once said of her: 'There is no denying that she has star quality  I think she could have proved this in any field. She unquestionably exercises real influence.'

Note the use of that word influence. For she was, in effect, one of the first influencers  long before social media.

If she were on X, Instagram or TikTok today, she wouldn't seem out of date. For the issues she raised  the drip-drip effect of highly sexual content on children, how what was once considered pornography had become mainstream, and the impact on those performing it  are topical now.

There is one issue, though, where her views do seem outmoded  and that is her opinion of gay people and her claim that homosexuality jeopardised the family.

The subject of Peake's play is Mrs Whitehouse's row with the fortnightly newspaper Gay News, which had published a poem about a Roman centurion having erotic fantasies about the body of Jesus on the cross.

She took the publisher to court in 1976 and won, with the judge agreeing that the publication and author were guilty of blasphemy.

Homophobia, no doubt, is one of the main reasons that the liberal establishment still can't stand her. But in so readily holding her up to ridicule and contempt, they are ignoring what else she stood for.

Whitehouse's campaigning to get something done about child exploitation led directly to the Protection of Children Act 1978, which criminalised indecent photos of children

Before Mrs Whitehouse, what you saw on TV was down to those boundary-pushing producers only.

You can draw a straight line between her calls for monitoring of standards and the TV regulator we have today  Ofcom  by way of other bodies, which most people would now agree should have a say on the depiction and portrayal of sex, violence, taste and decency.

Similarly, her campaigning to get something done about child exploitation led directly to the Protection of Children Act 1978, which criminalised indecent photos of children. She was also instrumental in the passing of the 1984 Video Recordings Act, which banned the cheap, depraved horror flicks known as video nasties.

Midlands-based Mrs Whitehouse, for once rattled by the constant vilification of those who thought they knew better than her, once said to a BBC news editor: 'It's almost as though anyone who lives as far away from London as I do can't exist as a real person.'

If the world was turned upside down during that era, its consequence was merely that another group of people got powerful  and then in turn didn't want to be challenged.

Mrs Whitehouse took them on, and they have never forgiven her for it.

Yet look at the way the world is now. A world in which young women become social media personalities for live-streaming themselves having sex with a queue of men.

A world in which appearing on pornography sites such as OnlyFans has become a side hustle for cash-strapped students.

A world in which, through their smartphones, the very worst of the internet exists in the palm of children's hands.

We could do with tough, articulate commentators like Mary Whitehouse to call out what those with power and influence are doing to Britain.
Two hundred years ago, the Industrial Revolution made Britain the workshop of the world  bringing strength and prosperity to our country.

Today, we're doing it again.

Backed by our historic increase in defence spending, the Government's new Defence Industrial Strategy will place the UK at the leading edge of innovation and ensure the 'defence dividend is felt in every region and nation.

Our plan will support British firms, British workers and our extraordinary Armed Forces - creating jobs, driving economic growth, and strengthening national security.

I believe our service men and women are the best in the world.

I also know, having visited Kyiv this week and seen first-hand the horror of Putin's recent strikes, that when a country is under threat or forced to fight, its Armed Forces are only as strong as the industry which stands behind them.

Earlier this year, our Strategic Defence Review set out a landmark shift for UK defence - moving to warfighting readiness to deter threats.

The world is more dangerous and less predictable than ever, and rapid technological evolution is transforming warfare.

As a result, we need a strong, British defence industry, capable of innovating ahead of adversaries.

UK Defence Secretary, John Healey speaks with Ukrainian journalists during his visit to Kyiv on September 3, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine

UK Defence Secretary, John Healey speaks with Ukrainian journalists during his visit to Kyiv on September 3, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine

Defence Secretary John Healey (2R) hears a briefing on the use of drone technology as he visits Warminster Garrison on June 3, 2025 in Warminster, United Kingdom

Our defence industrial plan will meet this challenge.

It backs British businesses, investors, scientists, and workers, creating British jobs and growth.

We will grow our industrial base and strengthen homegrown production so we are not as dependent on others for the kit our Armed Forces need.

And we will accelerate the development of military technology, because in modern warfare, whoever innovates fastest holds the upper hand to deter adversaries.

This is what the public expect and simply what our service men and women deserve - world-class kit made by world-class British workers and business.

Thankfully, we are building on the base of a great defence industry in the UK, from start-ups in market towns to major manufacturers in our industrial heartlands.

And a defence workforce force full of skill, ingenuity, and graft, from apprentices in the shipyards of Govan to software engineers in the space labs in Harwell.

Just last week, Norway selected British-made warships for its navy over those produced by other nations  the biggest British warship deal ever won - pumping 10 billion into our economy and supporting 4,000 UK jobs.

The world is more dangerous and less predictable than ever, and rapid technological evolution is transforming warfare, writes John Healey. Pictured: Firefighters work at the site of car garages hit by a Russian drone strike

Defence Secretary John Healey speaks with flight crew as he visits RAF Waddington on June 3, 2025 in Northolt, United Kingdom

This is matched by growing investor confidence in the UK.

Since the General Election last year, we attracted 1.4 billion in foreign direct investment into UK defence. But we can't stand still.

Our plan for industry is supported by the biggest increase in defence spending since the end of the cold war, switching money directly out of overseas aid to raise defence spending to 2.6 per cent of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to reach three per cent in the next Parliament and a total of five per cent on national security by 2035 alongside NATO allies.

Under this Government, we will make sure that every pound spent on defence will make our Armed Forces stronger and the British public better off.

We are tearing up the old rulebook, slashing red tape, unlocking delays and cutting waste in Whitehall that for too long has stifled progress.

Because with a promise to invest more, comes a duty to invest better.

We will invest heavily in skills to ensure we have a workforce fit for the future.

This includes new defence-focused technical colleges and greater support for graduates and apprentices to secure good quality, well-paid industry jobs.

The workshop of the world is opening again.

Our Defence Industrial Strategy sets out how we will reform procurement, innovate at wartime pace, and grow our industrial base. It is a blueprint for British workers, British businesses, and British brilliance.

It will make defence an engine for growth in every region and nation of the UK. And it will make our great country secure and home and strong abroad.
As the final episode of Dexter: Resurrection airs this week, almost 20 years after the original series launched in 2006, it proves one fact - many viewers simply can't resist a vigilante.

Dexter Morgan, played by Michael C Hall, is a psychopath who can't resist killing, but only slaughters those he believes deserve it - notably murderers.

And while the storyline may seem far-fetched, a Brazilian serial killer who spent over 40 years behind bars after claiming he slaughtered more than 100 people also said he only took the lives of those who deserved it.

In fact, Jeff Lindsay, who penned the novels on which the Showtime series Dexter was based, is said to have been inspired by a real life criminal who claimed to be the same kind of vigilante as his protagonist.

And that real life protagonist was Pedro Rodrigues Filho, born in Santa Rita do Sapucai in Minas Gerais on October 29, 1954, who went on to be known by some as the 'perfect psychopath'. He was officially convicted of killing 71 people - but has claimed the real number could be more than 100.

In the television franchise, the character of Dexter is adopted as a very young child by a law enforcement officer Harry Morgan. Recognising his adopted son's antisocial tendencies, Harry teaches him how to 'hide in plain sight', and how to behave like 'normal' people.

When it becomes apparent that killing people is an inevitability for Dexter, Harry teaches him how to only kill those who deserve it - like killers - and how to avoid detection.

As he becomes an adult, and following his father's death, Dexter continues to life a seemingly normal life, killing those he believes deserve to die, and always following 'Harry's code'.

Actor Michael C Hall is pictured playing the role of Dexter Morgan in the series Dexter: Resurrection. The show's first series ends this week - almost 20 years after the original series launched in 2003

Pedro Rodrigues Filho's backstory, naturally, isn't quite as plot perfect as Dexter's - after all, his life was not a slick high budget television production.

There are conflicting tales about Rodrigues' life and crimes, and some stories which are only corroborated by his own words, but while some details may differ depending on the source, there is certainly a substantial amount of information which cements his reputation as a vigilante killer.

According to reports, he was born with a broken skull, which has been put down to beatings his father inflicted on his mother while she was pregnant.

And it's claimed that the abuse continued, with his father physically attacking him during his childhood.

Rodrigues has claimed that he felt the murderous urge when he was as young as 13.

Legend has it that the teenager wanted to kill his cousin, and went as far as trying to push him into a sugar cane press, before changing his mind and saving him.

It would not be long until he made his first kill, shooting a man a year later, making the youngster just 14-years-old at the time of his first murder.

According to reports, the man slaughtered by Rodrigues was the deputy mayor of Santa Rita do Sapuca, his home town.

Pedro Rodrigues Filho (pictured) was a prolific Brazilian killer, who was convicted of murdering some 70 people - though the real number may have been closer to 100

The deputy mayor had fired Rodrigues' father from his job as a school security guard, after accusing him of stealing food from the schools kitchen.

But he did not stop there: after shooting the mayor, Rodrigues then slaughtered another man - a security guard whom he believed had really stolen the food.

Following the reported double killing, Rodrigues was a wanted man, and so it's said he fled his area, moving to Mogi das Cruzes in Sao Paulo.

However, despite changing his location, he allegedly did not change his ways, and it's said that his killing streak continued.

And it was the type of people that he slaughtered that would create his legacy - and a number of nicknames.

While in Sao Paulo, reports state that Rodrigues would rob drug dens, and kill the dealers he came across in the process.

This led to him being labelled as a vigilante by the media, who called him 'Pedrinho Matador', which translates as Lil Petey Killer.

It's thought that during these years between the ages of 14 and 19, Rodrigues met and fell in love with a woman called Maria Aparecida Olympia (he called her Botinha, which means 'little boot', and can be used as a term of endearment among Spanish and Portuguese speakers).

It is reported that Pedro Rodrigues Filho (pictured) was only 14-years-old when he carried out his first murder

Botinha was widowed, and her husband had been a local drug baron. After falling in with a local gang, Rodrigues had to carry out some of Botinha's dead husband's 'duties' - killing three rivals.

The relationship between Rodrigues and Botinha progressed, and the two moved in together, and Botinha fell pregnant. But retribution for the three gang killings meant that the child would never be born: before she gave birth, she was killed by a rival gang leader.

This led to Rodrigues going on a massacre: details of exactly what happened remain unknown, but it is said that he and some friends killed seven people and injured 16 more during a wedding organised by the gang leader.

The timing of all these crimes differs according to various reports, but over these years, multiple sources have claimed that Rodrigues committed more murders - notably, killing his father.

It is said he learnt his dad was in prison for murdering Rodrigues' mother and dismembering her with a machete. After learning this, the vigilante killer visited his father in prison, where he stabbed the older man 22 times, before cutting out his heart - and reportedly consuming some of it.

Rodrigues himself retold the story slightly differently, having been reported as saying: 'I killed my father in prison. I was already in prison then, Ive spent 42 years in prison. My father was in prison. I arranged a well-thought-out plan and I turned up at my fathers cell. I had promised revenge on my mothers coffin.

He described stabbing the parent 22 times, before cutting out his heart.

'I just chewed it,' he said. 'I cut the tip of his heart off and chewed it, and I threw it on top of his body.'

It wasn't until May 1973 that Rodrigues was arrested for the many murders he'd carried out. Yet this, according to sources, did not stop his killing spree.

Reports say that after his arrest, when he was put in a car with another criminal - this one a rapist - he murdered him too.

While behind bars, he is said to have killed some 47 fellow inmates - some because of their crimes, one, it is said, because he snored too loudly.

Again, reports regarding the sentences he was given vary, but it's understood that after his first arrest, he was handed a prison term of more than 120 years. However, a (since changed) law in Brazil at the time that limited the amount of time an inmate could spend behind bars meant that he would not serve this full term.

When he requested release from prison in 2003, he was turned down, because of the killings he'd committed while incarcerated. However, it would not be long until he was free once more, officially being released in April 2007.

A criminologist who met Pedro Rodrigues Filho (pictured) described him as charismatic, adding that he was 'joyful, casual and intelligent'

His time in the free world was brief: in September 2011, after being arrested again, he was convicted of riot and false imprisonment. This time, he was sentenced to eight years, getting out in December 2018, after seven years, with his time reduced for good behaviour.

After this release, his life took a different turn, and he set up a YouTube channel, called Pedrinho EX Matador.

His videos tackled violence: he spoke about crime, he advocated against gang violence, and he appeared to lament his own criminal actions.

Despite his attempts at moving away from violence, Rodrigues' own death would be a brutal one: according to French newspaper Le Monde, on March 5, 2023, he was shot and killed by three men, who fired at him from a car.

After being shot, one of the assailants came over and cut Rodrigues' throat so deeply, the injury was described as being close to a decapitation. He was 68-years-old.

Reports in Brazilian media say the attack took place outside Rodrigues' home, and was believed to be a revenge killing. It has not yet been solved.

Despite his criminality, Pedro Rodrigues Filho remains a popular figure among some people. A criminologist who met him described him as charismatic, adding that he was 'joyful, casual and intelligent'.

Speaking to newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, and commenting on why he was popular among many, despite the severity and number of his crimes, she suggested that people were fascinated with him, and that he may have presented a 'reflection of our society in a country where only 10 per cent of homicides are brought to justice'.
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more

September brings with it a deluge of new power potions promising to turn back the clock.

These supposed miracle products for midlife women can cost a fortune: most three figures, some not giving much change from 500.

With many products launching in one great glut, Ive been unable to give any of them more than a few days testing. Given that skin produces new cells that move to the surface and replace the old, dead cells every 28-ish day period, this is not enough to judge their worth.

So Im left with the science. I put this in inverted commas because so much of the material is partial, minute in scale (in the case of tests and trials) and paid for (in terms of approving dermatologist quotes).

I may have been writing about these things for more than 25 years, however, my only science qualification is an O-Level in biology from 1987.

So I went to a dermatologist  a brilliant, hard-working, NHS skin specialist with a doctorate, not in the pay of any big brand.

She asked to remain anonymous, because many of her NHS colleagues are so sceptical about the claims of commercial options, they dont like being associated with them in any way.

I asked for her judgment. What did she agree with, what was fiction and what might she recommend herself?

The rule of thumb is that anything massively effective has to be prescribed  and you could pay a private dermatologist to prescribe you things for the price of some of these.

So what would my derm source seek out? Certain ingredients have been proven to have results: namely retinol, vitamin C, azelaic acid and niacinamide. Most are carried in a vehicle such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid. We would use azelaic acid and sunscreen for hyperpigmentation so I like the sound of the Neoretin routine.

Me too, as Neoretin is part of Cantabria Labs, who make my beloved Heliocare 360 Pigment Solution Fluid SPF50+ (32.99, cantabrialabs.co.uk), with its silky, sensitivity suitable, glowingly-tinted formula.

The range offers two further products, suggesting all three be used together. The NeoRetin Pigment Neutraliser Serum (45, facethefuture.co.uk) combats age spots with minimal irritation, even for those typically sensitive to retinol. Its Pigment Corrector Peel Pads (25 for six, cantabrialabs.co.uk) offer a weekly overnight exfoliation designed to enhance fading.

I would be doing you a disservice if I didnt mention Skin Rocks The Hyperpigmentation Serum (85, skinrocks.com) in this context. Its Caroline Hironss new sell-out sensation, for which women are going wild. With niacinamide, vitamin C, and other antioxidants, its designed to diminish multiple types of pigmentation, from post-breakout scars to melasma, in addition to red marks.

Reviewers report seeing results from first use, becoming euphoric after three weeks.

My dermatologist ally was similarly admiring of Beauty Pies new Youthbomb Extreme Retinal Triple Renewal Serum (49 for members, 75 for non-members, beautypie.com).

The companys most potent damage-combatting solution to date, it promises firmness and improved texture in a couple of weeks with minimal redness and flaking.

Again, Beauty Pie is a business that I love and trust.

Im not giving up on the industrys wilder promises. There are some cult creams that may not convince a skin doctor on paper, but produce spectacular skin.

Id include that most mythologised unguent, Creme de La Mer (from 85 for 15ml, spacenk.com), in this category. Professionals may scoff at its miracle broth claims. However, the original never fails to give me a plumply plush complexion, just as it soothed my late (doctor) fathers ancient war wounds.

I will continue to test these super serums. If any give amazing results, I will immediately tip you the wink. Meanwhile, I want you to choose wisely, knowing which had medical blessing.

Safe gel nails

European officials banned TPO (trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide), found in some gel polishes over fears it could be toxic. For now, it remains on sale here in the UK. But here are our top TPO-free picks...

Race you to it!

Amika Frizz-me-not Hydrating Anti-frizz Treatment My textured hair tester was despairing over her untameable, post-holiday locks, until I told her about Amika Frizz-me-not Hydrating Anti-frizz Treatment, part of the brands new Forget Frizz range. Hairdryer heat-activated molecules create a smooth coating, while adding softness and shine. The result? Transformed tresses. Shop

Cosmetic craving
He was her first celebrity crush and it grew into an obsession that saw her Instagram fan page blow up across America.

But the person behind the hugely-popular barrotrump account has surprisingly been unmasked as a 19-year-old Brazilian schoolgirl.

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, has been dedicated to uploading pictures of Donald Trump's youngest child since March 2023.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, she explained a teenage crush led her to launching the profile when she was just 17.

She also confirmed that Barron, also 19, has a legion of supporters across the South American country.

But now she said she's getting private messages from people 'close' to the Trumps, despite the family itself not reaching out.

She said: 'I decided to create the account because I really like Barron, he was my first famous crush.'

She added: 'My biggest dream is to meet him. I don't know what I would say to him specifically.'

Barron Trump has a legion of fans in Brazil, says the woman running his largest fan account on Instagram

The woman behind the hugely popular Instagram fan page, barrotrump, said that the 19-year-old student was her first celebrity crush

At the time of writing, the Instagram account has amassed 456,000 followers and has published 178 posts, most of which relate to Barron.

They include images and videos from his childhood with his doting mother and father, Donald and Melania, to his appearance at his dad's inauguration in January.

The uploads have largely been praised by fellow besotted Barron fans and it's not unusual to see comments from social media users branding the teen the 'future president' and 'very handsome and intelligent.'

The woman behind the account claims she has no connection to Barron or the Trumps.

'I've never talked to Barron Trump or anyone else from the Trump family that I know of,' she said. 'And I've never met any of the Trumps in person.

'I've never been hired by the Trump family, maybe they don't even know about the existence of the account.'

Despite having nothing to do with the First Family, the woman claimed that people who are associated with them have been in contact.

'I receive a lot of DMs from fans and people close to the Trump family,' she said before insisting that their messages do not contain anything 'compromising.'

The account is close to achieving half a million followers and is showing no sign of slowing down.

The owner has zero plans to give up the profile, telling the Daily Mail she will keep it running 'as long as I can.'

'I don't feel pressure to post absolutely anything,' she said about what makes the cut.

Towering Barron was spotted on campus at New York University last year as he attended classes

The fan profile has so far amassed a huge following

The account holder told Daily Mail that her biggest dream is to meet Barron

'What I like I post. I only post photos with songs and subtitles that I think are cool to share.'

The account holder is also a great admirer of Melania, 55, and describes her as 'an elegant, enigmatic, strong and incredibly sophisticated woman.'

'I just love the way she presents herself: always impeccable, with a posture that conveys power, confidence and class.

'Melania has that kind of classic and timeless beauty, but what enchants me most is her aura of mystery and the firm way she deals with everything, without having to say much.

'She is truly a powerful woman.'

Earlier this week, it was reported that Barron was doing a semester of school away from NYU's Manhattan campus.

It was recently reported that he turned his back on romance over the summer break to instead prioritize getting his business ideas off the ground.

According to insiders, Barron has been busy taking meetings with business partners, developing tech projects and setting up deals.
Surely it cannot be true that one in ten secondary school children is on disability benefits, fuelled by a surge in the over-diagnosis of conditions such as ADHD and autism.

Parents are now claiming disability living allowance for a record 362,520 children aged between 11 and 15 across England and Wales, according to analysis from the Department for Work and Pensions. This means that 10 per cent of children in this age group are receiving between 1,520 to 9,770 a year.

We live in an advanced, developed nation. We have healthcare free at the point of delivery, access to good nutrition, clean water and air.

Yes, of course, things are far from perfect for many people. Im under no illusion that poverty and other serious issues are widespread. But these figures are simply, mind-boggling.

Are we really to believe that in an average secondary school classroom of 30 children, three will be so disabled that their families need financial assistance from the state?

To receive the benefit, which is tax-free and not means-tested, parents must demonstrate that their child needs extra care or has limited mobility compared with their peers without a health condition or disability.

This makes absolutely no sense to me. At least, it didnt until I saw the sort of things that were being counted as a disability.

I had been thinking it will mean conditions such as cerebral palsy and other diseases that might seriously hamper a childs ability to cope with daily life.

Im sure thats what, in most peoples eyes, the benefits system is there for, and a purpose we all happily support.

More and more children are being labelled as having ADHD and parents are resistant to the idea that the child may simply have a behavioural issue (picture posed by models)

But unfortunately, these benefits are increasingly being awarded for conditions such as ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity. Last month, a report backed by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt from the think-tank Policy Exchange said common definitions of mental ill health and neurodivergence had been stretched too far, resulting in widespread overdiagnosis among the young.

It argued that the trend is fuelling a 16billion a year bill for childrens health benefits, special educational needs and disabilities (Send) support, and mental health services.

Policy Exchange said that poor incentives in these systems had prompted diagnosis-seeking behaviour, putting public services under unsustainable strain.

This is simply one of the consequences of the trend in recent years to insist that all difficulties, struggles or challenges are the result of mental illness.

This medicalisation of everyday problems is something that many of us in mental health have been warning about for years.

It follows that once a child has a diagnosis, their parents will try to get the financial help that comes with that label. I dont blame them. But in recent years the criteria of what constitutes a mental illness have become ever broader.

When you look at neurodivergence and autism, for example, in recent years autism has been reclassified as autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).

In medicine, when anything is on a spectrum, there is inevitably a diagnosis creep  the criteria are widened until the diagnosis becomes meaningless.

A landmark study looking at official figures showed that between 1998 and 2018 autism diagnoses rose exponentially by 787 per cent.

In response, Professor Uta Frith, an expert in cognitive development at University College London warned that it strongly suggests that the diagnosis of autism has been stretched to breaking point and has outgrown its purpose.

Its a view that many in medicine share. Dr Mike Shooter, a former president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has said that ASD is vastly and dangerously over-diagnosed, adding that parents do not want to acknowledge this.

Its a similar situation with ADHD, with more and more children labelled and parents resistant to the idea that the child may simply have a behavioural issue.

But why the resistance? Wouldnt most parents be overjoyed to hear their child does not have a condition. I think partly its because its easier to think of a childs differences and difficulties as part of an illness than just part of who they are. It also helps absolve the parents of any guilt.

A label is a neat and convenient way of explaining complex reasons for why a child might be the way they are.

My concern is that as the boundaries between what is mental illness and what is just life are blurred, more pressure is placed on services and the public finances. This means there is an increasing risk that those who really do require help  those who have a genuine need  will struggle to get it.

Only those with the sharpest elbows will succeed in pushing their children to the front of the queue, so that those from poorer backgrounds, or whose parents dont feel as entitled or are not as articulate, will be left behind. Yet it is precisely for those children that the welfare state was set up.

The system is at breaking point and, if we are not careful, it will collapse under the weight of the entitled and pushy.

Changes must be made. If we dont draw the line soon, the entire system will fail, and then those who genuinely need help will have nothing.

What's next for desperate Duchess?

The Duchess of Sussex in her Netflix series With Love, Meghan

What now for the Duchess of Sussex? The outlook does seem increasingly gloomy. Her second series has failed to crack the Netflix Top 10 and, according to Newsweek, rated worse than the first series.

In March, Meghan also set up an account on ShopMy, a platform for top creators to earn income from products. It appears to have quietly closed.

Now, despite insisting on the importance of privacy, she has started posting more on social media, including pictures of her children (albeit shots of the back of their heads).

It seems clear that she and husband Harry have been catapulted into the upper echelons of celebrity by dint of marriage and birth. Now they have chosen to move away from the Royal Family, the thing that set them apart has been lost and they appear to be increasingly desperate, defined by what they once were rather than who they now are.

Marthas Rule  which helps families seek an urgent second opinion if they are concerned about the care their loved ones receive  will be rolled out across all acute hospitals after a successful trial. Since it was piloted, after a campaign by the parents of Martha Mills, who died aged 13 after serious failings in her care, figures show there have been 5,000 calls, resulting in 241 potentially life-saving interventions. The truth is, decisions about diagnosis and treatment are not as black and white as people think. So I welcome this.

One in four people report feeling lonely at least some of the time. Loneliness costs the NHS an extra 850 per patient on average, an Exeter University study shows. Being able to prescribe a friend would have the best impact.

Dr Max prescribes... Top exhibition

Cathy Mager's artwork at Londons Wellcome Collection explores British Sign Language

My gran used to teach sign language, so Im fascinated by it. This artwork by Cathy Mager at Londons Wellcome Collection explores British Sign Language and invites visitors to step out of a hearing-centred world and into a space shaped by deaf perspectives. Archival footage and animation helps our understanding and its very thought-provoking.
We brace ourselves for news like this, we child-free women. For the third year in a row  it was revealed last week  the fertility rate for England and Wales has fallen and is now at a record low.

In 2024, the average number of children per woman fell to 1.41, when the rate we need to keep the population stable is apparently 2.1. And so once again the debate begins  why are women not having babies? And the finger of blame starts swinging towards women just like me

Childless, child-free, there seem to be many ways to label me and my ilk. I've been called a Pank (Professional Aunt No Kids), however, as I am also partnerless, you can add an 'S' for Single to the acronym and call me a Spank! Let me explain further, because you could also call me a NoMo, or 'Not Mother'. This friendly term was coined by Jody Day, a former psychotherapist who in 2009 founded the support network, Gateway Women, for childless women aged 35 and over. It's called that because it aims to help women crossing the life threshold of non-motherhood (whether intentional or not) and experiencing the myriad emotions that can arise from living an offspring-free life.

Not all the labels we are given are neutral, of course. In China I'd be called a 'Leftover Woman' and in South Korea I'd now be a 'Gold Miss'  it used to be 'Old Miss', but they've realised the spending power of the commitment-free. Though plenty of others around the world, not least the US Vice President JD Vance, blame women just like me for harming the economy by failing to procreate while labelling us bitter at the same time. Of course, we are also known as Cat Ladies, shorthand for Old Crones.

Most of these names don't bother me. Put me in a category if it makes you feel better  I'll be in there with 18 per cent of the UK female population (often rounded up to The Twenty Percenters  yet another label). But really, I'm just me, living my life with some of it turning out as I'd hoped for and some of it not so much. I imagine a good portion of the women (and men) who have ended up childless feel the same.

I'm not a woman who actively chose not to have kids (no judgement here, I have several friends who very much did make that choice). Nor have I had painful struggles with fertility. I always wanted children, thought that I'd meet 'The One' and we'd start a family. But we didn't meet. And I had no interest in travelling the solo child-rearing route.

Edwina Ings-Chambers always wanted children and thought she'd meet 'The One' and they'd start a family, but this didn't happen

I thought I had time. But then, and long before I expected it, nature made the final decision for me. I don't know why my body shut down that side of things early, though my personal belief is that a whole heap of work-related stress certainly didn't help.

Do I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have my own kids and to be called 'Mummy'? Sure. But I don't dwell on it. What would be the point? I am where I am and my life is good  and full of children, from nieces and nephews to friends' kids who consider me part of the security blanket of their lives.

Though even that's a curious justification that childless women often feel the need to make; no childless man flags his child/life ratio for approval and no woman should have to either.

I'm not so OK with the casual cruelty that gets thrown at women without children, the idea that our feelings don't matter, that we're fair game for insults. The idea that it is our fault the fertility rate has dropped, instead of looking at the huge societal changes in the past 100 years or so, which are really to blame.

There are the 'so don't you like children then?' lines dropped into conversations that have left some childless friends beating a hasty retreat before tears overwhelm them.

There are all kinds of reasons why a woman doesn't have children and many are incredibly personal and painful. So, although no one wants to spend their life treading on endless eggshells, my plea is to think twice before crashing in on the topic.

I've had experiences that felt deliberately hurtful and diminishing. There was the female boss who, some years ago, just as I was realising my fertility was shutting up shop, told me I had nothing in my life that mattered except my job because I was neither married nor had children. The worst thing is that she had me doubting myself for a while, at a time when I was already struggling with the realisation that it was to be a childless life for me. Was I pointless? An irrelevance who simply shouldn't exist?

Eventually, I realised it was her problem, her bigotry, not mine. But would she have said the same to a man? Or told anyone else that their life had no value?

Somehow it's always open season on childless women.

In a more recent example: a tenant in my building thought it was acceptable to verbally eviscerate me and my life because my womb hadn't lived up to its potential. She (or, more precisely, her nanny) left her child's pushchair in the hall, something someone complained about at the building's AGM. I was on the mother's side  who wants to carry a buggy as well as a toddler up several flights of stairs? I said I had no problem with it. However, one of the company directors overheard the conversation and told a fellow director  who was the tenant's landlady  that it was against regulations and the buggy must never be left there.

A few weeks later I ran into said tenant in the hall. Did I have kids, she asked me. No, I said. And that was it: she launched into an insult-laden tirade that lasted for at least ten minutes and included my selfishness, inability to sympathise and lack of consideration. I kept trying to tell her that she had the wrong person, but my childlessness was enough for her to assume I was clearly the culprit. Her level of vileness and ignorance was astounding.

In 2024, the average number of children per woman fell to 1.41, when the rate we need to keep the population stable is apparently 2.1

Her sense of entitlement  to brand me as inconsequential because of my child-free state  left me reeling.

She still leaves the pram in the hall and no doubt assumes she browbeat me into submission. She's wrong on every level of her presumptions about me.

My life may not look as I expected it to look  or how others think it should. But it's a good life and one full of love and value. I've long since made my peace with not being a mother. I may not have children of my own, but I am not selfish. I am not a disinterested party in the future of the planet. I am not bitter and twisted. I am not a shrivelled up old prune with nothing to offer the world.

If we have not produced an heir to pay for our state pension or care for us when we're old (assuming, of course, that they'd be up for that task), neither have we used NHS maternity services, childcare subsidies or state schools  though I've paid my taxes into all of those pots.

So instead of judgement, maybe those two women (and anyone else with odious JD Vance-like preconceptions about childless women) could open their minds to see that there's great value in women without kids who have compassion, wisdom and time to give. We're a part of the whole, not apart from the world.

Nor are we mere statistics  even though our needs seem to be largely ignored.

If we make up almost a fifth of the UK's female population, then perhaps it's finally time to see we have value in and of ourselves and are as much a part of society's structure as anyone else, even if we don't each have 1.41 'Mini Me's' to bring to the table to prove it.

Are you a woman without children? Share your difficult experiences with us at Inspire@dailymail.co.uk
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more

Shoppers have been rushing to H&M to get their hands on a stylish budget item that has been predicted to sell out.

The retailer's rib knit off-the-shoulder top has been described as the perfect Autumn fashion piece - and it only costs 19.99.

Social media fashionistas have dubbed the chic sweater 'super cute', describing it as 'ideal' for seasonal layering.

Featuring a cosy, textured rib knit, the top is fitted with long sleeves and a fold-over layer across the arms and chest, exposing the shoulders.

It comes in three colour ways, cream, grey and brown, and is available from size XXS to XXL.

The versatile top can be layered under a variety of outfits for chilly weather, from casual jeans and sneakers to elevated skirts and boots.

One shopper was wowed by the find and alerted fellow style lovers in a TikTok that racked up more than 946,000 views.

'Girls, RUN, don't walk to H&M for your off-the-shoulder jumpers before autumn starts,' she wrote in the clip.

H&M's rib-knit off-the-shoulder top has been hailed as the perfect autumn fashion piece - and it's only 19.99

Fashionistas have dubbed the chic sweater 'super cute' and ideal for autumnal layering and say it's bound to sell out soon

'These are so gorgeous, by the time I'm back in the UK, they will be sold out,' one commenter wrote.

'I just told myself I'm done shopping for fall and now I see this!' another said.

'I have so many, I can't stop buying off-the-shoulder tops, they're too cute,' a third replied.

'The brown one is everything,' someone added.

Many who had already snapped up the highly coveted sweater said it's 'comfortable' and 'cute'.

Fans need not fret if the off-shoulder jumper, known as Bardot style, sell out at H&M, as there are many other affordable alternatives available on the high street.

H&M has a few near-identical sweaters, including the 18.99 off-the-shoulder jumper, which has a tighter fit and comes in a dusty pink colour.

Tesco's F&F brand 25 Cable Knit Off Shoulder Jumper is made from a cosy wool and polyester blend and comes in an earthy neutral or rich burgundy.

The Stradivarius exposed shoulder knit sweater is perfect for layering on cool days and will only set you back 35.99.

Primark stocks a 14 soft knitted Bardot jumper in a sleek grey, bright coral or plain white.
VLADIVOSTOK, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, on Saturday urged deeper cooperation between China and Russia during the 15th plenary session of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development.

Li, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Chinese chair of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development, co-hosted the plenary session with Russian chair Boris Titov, read out a congratulatory message from Chinese President Xi Jinping, and delivered remarks.

Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has maintained on the right course and advanced at a high level, said Li.

Both Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin sent congratulatory messages to the meeting, underscoring their high expectations for the committee to serve as a main channel for people-to-people exchanges, which greatly inspired its participants, he said.

Li urged the committee to follow the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, leverage its unique advantages, build a multidimensional network for people-to-people exchanges, strengthen youth exchanges and training, and serve as a bridge to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation between the two peoples, thereby contributing to the overall development of China-Russia relations.

Titov read out a congratulatory message from Putin and spoke highly of Russia-China relations as well as the committee's important role in fostering long-term friendship.

He also expressed readiness to work with China to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and public diplomacy, achieve more fruitful results in the committee's work, and write a new chapter in the traditional friendship between the two countries. 
A kidney cancer specialist has warned that thousands of people could be mistaking little-known signs of the disease for common health issues.

One of the fastest-rising cancers in Britain and the USparticularly among under 50sit is often dubbed a 'silent killer' because it rarely causes symptoms until it is advanced.

Experts have long warned that by the time tell-tale signs such as blood in the urine, appear, the cancer is often too late for successful treatment.

If spotted early, three-quarters of patients survive at least five yearsbut once the cancer has spread, survival drops to just 18 per cent.

Now, Hazel Jackson, a nurse at Kidney Cancer UK, has urged Britons to be vigilant for six specific symptoms of the disease and to 'trust your instincts'.

She told the Daily Mail: Kidney cancer is often called a silent disease because many people dont notice anything wrong.

'Thats why spotting the early warning signs is so important.

'The first symptom people often overlook is recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Hazel Jackson, a nurse at Kidney Cancer UK, has urged Britons to be vigilant for six specific symptoms of the disease and to 'trust your instincts'

Your browser does not support iframes.

'While a single infection is usually easy to treat, repeated UTIs can signal a deeper problem.

'They can feel like burning when peeing, a constant urge to go, cloudy or strong-smelling urine, and sometimes back discomfort or fever.'

She added: 'Recurring infections can seriously affect your daily life, making it hard to work, sleep, or enjoy everyday activities.

'Though most UTIs are harmless, repeated infections can mask serious kidney problems, including, in rare cases, cancer.'

A dull ache or pain in your side, back, or just below your ribs that lingers and unexplained tirednessthe kind that doesn't improve with restequally, are two other key symptoms.

Losing weight without trying, especially if it happens quickly, meanwhile, is the fourth, Ms Jackson said.

Known medically as Cachexia, or wasting syndrome, the symptom causes extreme loss of muscle and fat.

People with early-stage cancers dont usually get cachexia, research shows.

Your browser does not support iframes.

But up to four in five of people with advanced cancer develop some degree of cachexia.

In cancer, it's thought to be driven by inflammation.

That's because inflammation can promote muscle wastage and a tumour can take energy away from the rest of the body.

According to Ms Jackson, a lump or swelling in the side or abdomen and blood in urine are the final two key signs.

'Of these, blood in your urine is often the biggest red flag,' she told the Daily Mail.

'It can show in different waysfrom obvious deep red or brown urine to a faint pink tinge, tiny specks, or even blood only at the end of urination.

'Some people assume a small drop isnt worth worrying about, but in essence, any blood in your urine is abnormal and should be checked immediately.

'It could be caused by something simple like a kidney stone or infection, but it can also be an early sign of kidney cancer. Never dismiss it.'

One of the fastest-rising cancers in Britain and the USparticularly among under 50skidney cancer is often dubbed a 'silent killer' because it rarely causes symptoms until it is advanced

She added: 'These symptoms can be vague and dont always appear together. Thats why its vital to trust your instincts.

'If you notice blood in your urine, ongoing pain, or repeated infections, see your GP and push for checks.

'We know that for some, accessing a GP can be difficult, and sometimes requests for tests or referrals can be delayed.

'Be persistent, clearly explain your symptoms, ask for your concerns to be taken seriously, and consider requesting a referral to a specialist if needed.'

Almost 14,000 Britons are diagnosed with kidney cancer every year, with 4,700 deaths. In the US, there are around 80,000 new cases annually.

Cases are also climbing sharply in younger adults.

People born in 1990 are up to three times more likely to develop the disease than those born in the 1950sa trend doctors say is partly driven by rising obesity and high blood pressure.

A report by Kidney Cancer UK published earlier this year also revealed that almost all cases of the disease are spotted by accident.

That means patients are only being diagnosed when they have a scan for an unrelated condition or in A&E.

Just one in five of the patients polled by the charity said their condition was spotted because they were sent for relevant tests by their GP.

Risk factors for the cancer include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease or family history.
Experts have warned that a popular health supplement could have dangerous side effects  particularly among older people.

Creatine, which is produced naturally by the liver, pancreas and kidneys, helps cells produce energy, but it has long been taken in higher doses by athletes and bodybuilders to allow for longer or harder workouts, to improve performance and build muscle.

In recent years it's seen a surge of popularity among older adults as a spate of research revealed it could also help brain cognition, bone health and even depression.

But studies now suggest that creatine can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and, in rare cases, trigger serious kidney and liver damage  and, in extreme cases, organ failure. Experts say more research is needed to show the supplement is safe for older people.

'Creatine has lots of positives, but I wouldn't be too evangelical about taking it,' said Dr Brendon Stubbs, a senior lecturer at King's College London.

'We need longer-term studies looking into its benefits for older people and perimenopausal women, particularly in terms of potential side effects.'

Studies show that around a third of elite athletes take creatine, which is usually sold as a white powder that is then dissolved in water.

Around a third of elite athletes take creatine, which is usually sold as a white powder that is then dissolved in water (picture posed by model)

Until recently its use among older adults has been low  with just six per cent of over-65s taking it regularly, according to a 2024 study. However, last month, ITV's Dr Hilary Jones recommended creatine to older patients to help them keep their muscles strong, bolstering their protection against dangerous falls.

But experts say there are patients who should not take the supplement. These include those with kidney disease  where the organs that filter waste from the blood and produce urine no longer work properly.

This is because creatine can put added pressure on kidneys, which has to break down the supplement. They also say that patients should not exceed the daily limit of 5g. Doing so can risk kidney and liver damage.

Some online health influencers recommend taking as much as 20g in one go in order to boost muscle growth.

Concerningly, a 2010 study by researchers in Turkey warned that 'even the recommended doses of creatine monohydrate supplementation may cause kidney damage'.

One patient who believes his kidneys were affected by the supplement is 79-year-old Andy Cole.

A regular walker, runner and weight trainer, the Cambridgeshire-based former musician was stunned when a routine urine test showed that his kidney were inflamed, putting him on the brink of kidney disease.

Andy Cole, 79, was told by doctors investigating his kidney issues to stop taking creatine. Now his kidney readings are back to normal

He says his previous check-up a year earlier had been normal and the only thing that had changed in that time was that he began taking creatine.

'When the doctors investigating my kidney issues heard I was taking it, they told me to stop immediately,' he said.

'Now, a year later, my kidney readings are back to normal.'

Experts say that, for those concerned about creatine, there are other options.

'Green tea and dark chocolate  as well as berries, citrus fruits and other brightly coloured fruits and vegetables  are brilliant for brain health,' says nutritionist Rob Hobson. 'That's because these foods are what we call antioxidants, that are thought to protect brain cells from damage.

'Meanwhile calcium, magnesium and protein all support your bones  which is especially important for older adults.'
Comedian Bill Maher said he was 'disappointed' in his friend Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and while it 'pains' him to say it, RFK Jr. has 'got to go.'

Maher, who has had Kennedy as a frequent guest on his HBO show 'Real Time' dating back to 2004 and his podcast Club Random, reacted to Kennedy's testimony before Congress earlier this week.

'The knives are out for Bobby Kennedy and I gotta' say... I'm with the knives. I tried but he was grilled for three hours and it was pretty hard to watch,' Maher said in his monologue.

The comedian has often praised Kennedy's positions on public health, agreeing with him earlier this year that the rise in autism is due to 'toxins' in the environment, such as food and drug ingredients, pesticides or pollution.

After showing some clips from the hearing, however, Maher made a crack about Kennedy's ailing voice: 'Poor Bobby, he talked for so long, he gained his voice.'

He then continued to pile on the secretary of health and human services, revealing his hopes for Kennedy's tenure that have fallen away.

'I personally find this very disappointing because I am the person who was sympathetic to what he was trying to do,' Maher said.

'A lot of people like me who didn't think that the orthodox way of western medicine, not that we're against western medicine or vaccine, just that there's another way to look at it and a lot of stuff they were doing wasn't the right way: Finally, we have a guy in there who cares about this stuff. But he's also just nutty. He just does not listen. He just is.'

Liberal comedian Bill Maher said he was 'disappointed' in his friend Robert F. Kennedy Jr . and while it 'pains' him to say it, RFK Jr. has 'got to go'

Maher, who has had Kennedy as a frequent guest on his HBO show 'Real Time' dating back to 2004 and his podcast Club Random, reacted to Kennedy's testimony before Congress earlier this week

He said that Kennedy has been driven too far into his own beliefs and refused to come up with a more moderate position in front of the Senate Finance Committee.

'I call it pendulumism, nothing ever stops in the middle. Okay, this needed a housecleaning, the CDC. But to fire all 17 of the top people? Now you dont have that voice in there at all. You just have your voice,' he said.

Maher concluded: 'It's just, he's got to go and it pains me to say it because I like him.'

As recently as last month, Maher was praising Kennedy to his relative, Hollywood movie star Chris Pratt.

'I love him. I don't agree with everything, but I agree with, like, the overall view that what makes us sick is the toxicity,' Maher said.

'When he was here, I said my advice to you is like you need to marry your former life more with what you're doing now. Your former life, you were very admired as an environmental lawyer.'

He even said that despite the outsized caricature of Kennedy as a conspiracy theorist, Maher flatly denied he's out of the ordinary.

'And he's not crazy. I mean the people trying to  he's also got, like I said to him when he was here, 'I don't agree with everything you said, and I don't think your father would either, but your father would be so proud that you stuck to your guns like more than anybody,' he told the actor.

As recently as last month, Maher was praising Kennedy to his relative, Hollywood movie star Chris Pratt

Liberal frustration with Kennedy peaked this week after he was called before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday

Liberal frustration with Kennedy peaked this week after he was called before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday.

Senators grilled Kennedy over a variety of issues, including his views on vaccines, autism, Medicaid and the state of the Centers for Disease Control.

Key topics of discussion were his dismissal of key CDC vaccine advisors, his firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez a mere month into her tenure and his decision to radically reduce the number of people who are eligible for the most up-to-date COVID-19 vaccines.

Democratic senators were the harshest in their criticism of Kennedy eight months into the job as health secretary, with Sen. Ron Wyden calling him or his past association with Jeffrey Epstein.

'Mr. Kennedy calls himself a protector of children, some kind of rich claim, coming from someone who has flown on Jeffrey Epstein's private jet on multiple occasions,' Wyden noted.

However, Republicans too showed their frustration with Kennedy at times, especially Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

Cassidy, a doctor specializing in liver diseases, was the decisive vote that got Kennedy over the finish line in his confirmation hearings back in February.

'Do you agree with me that President Trump deserves a Nobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed?' Cassidy asked Kennedy, referring to the public-private partnership between the federal government and pharmaceutical companies that produced a COVID-19 vaccine in record time.

'Absolutely, senator,' Kennedy responded.

Kennedy had one of the most contentious back-and-forths with Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado (pictured on the far right)

Key topics of discussion were his dismissal of key CDC vaccine advisors and his firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez (pictured)

Cassidy then pressed Kennedy on supposedly contradicting himself.

'But you just told Sen. Bennet that the COVID vaccine killed more people than COVID?' Cassidy said.

'Wait, I did not say that,' Kennedy blurted out in protest. 'I just want to make clear, I did not say that.'

During his exchange with Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Kennedy said that the mRNA vaccine has been linked to myocarditis and pericarditis in adolescent and young adult males.

These are both conditions that cause inflammation in the heart, and if it goes untreated, symptoms can begin to mimic a heart attack.

Medical experts agree that the Pfizer and Moderna cases have led to rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis, but most health organizations agree that the vast majority of these cases are mild and very treatable.

Cassidy also asked Kennedy about his participation in lawsuits that aimed to restrict access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

'It surprises me that you think so highly of Operation Warp Speed when, as an attorney, you attempted to restrict access.'

RFK again sought to clear the air, 'I'm happy to explain why'

Cassidy cut him off, saying he only had three minutes left for his questioning.

As health secretary, Kennedy canceled $500 million of mRNA vaccine research, claiming that 22 projects he terminated failed to 'protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu'.

In December 2021, Kennedy claimed that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was 'the deadliest vaccine ever made'.
The teenager who levelled an indecent assault allegation against Ready Steady Cook star Peter Everett has broken his silence about his relationship with the one-time TV host.

Everett, 66, has been charged with sexually touching the boy without consent after a late-afternoon incident in July at his home on the NSW Central Coast.

Police arrested the former TV host at his home the following day, before he appeared in Parramatta Local Court, where he pleaded not guilty. The charge will go before a magistrate for a full local court hearing in June next year.

Details of the alleged incident have yet to be revealed, except that court documents state the TV star allegedly sexually touched the boy without consent between 4.10pm and 4.30pm on Friday, July 25.

But the 16-year-old and his father - who can't be identified - have now spoken out to the Daily Mail.

The family - including the teenager and his siblings - lives close to the former TV star.

The teen said he had walked past Everett's home before, and had 'last seen him... just before the school holidays'.

On that Friday afternoon, July 25, the teen, who is diagnosed with autism, said he had his hood up as he walked down the street near his home, but 'did not want to be rude' to Everett.

Peter Everett, 66, was arrested and charged with sexually touching the boy without consent

Everett, 66, has been charged with sexually touching the boy without consent. Above, Everett's home on the NSW Central Coast

Police arrested the former TV host at his home the day after the alleged incident. He then appeared in Parramatta Local Court where he pleaded not guilty

Fifteen minutes later, he alleged he had been indecently assaulted by the TV star in a conversation with his father.

The dad said he knew Everett in passing from living in the local community. He said that when they first met, he was a little star-struck that the former celebrity lived in the area.

But he said the alleged Friday afternoon incident led him to place a call to police.

'I just thought I'm not going to confront him [over the allegation],' the father told the Daily Mail. 'We are going to do this properly and report it to the police.'

The father said that after his son gave a statement, police took away the boy's clothes and other items as evidence.

The Daily Mail is not suggesting the allegation against Everett is true, simply that it has been made and will be considered by a court.

Everett has been granted bail with strict conditions that include reporting twice a week to Waverley Police Station in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

He may only return to his home to collect his belongings with a police escort, and is prohibited from contacting his alleged victim or any witnesses.

On the afternoon of Friday, July 25, the teen, who is diagnosed with autism, said he put his hood up as he walked past Everett's home

His father said he knew Everett in passing from living in the local community

Everett may only return to his home to collect his belongings with a police escort

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and denied any wrongdoing.

'My solicitor has advised me not to speak, but I am pleading not guilty,' he told the Daily Mail.

Everett was best known for hosting the Channel 10 daytime cooking show Ready Steady Cook for five years from 2006.

He was unceremoniously sacked from the show by phone in 2011.

In 2022, Everett revealed he was selling off his possessions just 'to survive' after a tough few years during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The case returns to court at a later date.
Do YOU have a story?

A mould-ridden house has raised eyebrows after it was put on the market for 210,000 - with internet trolls claiming they would have to be paid to live in it.

The two-bedroom terraced home in Stantonbury, Milton Keynes, is so dilapidated that thick black mould covers the walls of every room.

The floors, ceilings and staircase are also smothered in the toxic spores, while the outside of the property appears equally neglected.

A generous estate agent description says the home has 'great potential' and is 'perfect for buyers looking for a renovation project'.

But viewers on social media turned their noses up at the offer, saying the price is far too high considering the extreme state of the home.

One person on Instagram said: 'I don't understand, are they paying me to live in these places?'

Another added: 'I have lung disease just from looking at those mould pictures.'

A third wrote: 'Genuinely, what are these people thinking??'

A two-bedroom terraced home in Stantonbury, Milton Keynes, is so dilapidated that thick black mould covers the walls of every room

The kitchen has seen better days, with mould on the floor and yellow walls

The listing states that 'with some TLC, this property can be transformed into a modern and stylish home, significantly increasing its value'.

But the photos suggest a complete renovation would be required as not a single room could be safely lived in at present.

The home was advertised as being in a 'prime location' within Milton Keynes due to its close proximity to local amenities, schools and transport links.

According to the listing, the property also received an offer of 215k - 5k above the asking price - and is now looking for parties who can submit a higher offer.

Viral social media account Housing Horrors, which posted about the property on Instagram, dubbed the home the 'WORST house in the UK'.

The video shows the property was initially on sale for 250,000, but has since been reduced in price.

The listing boasts high ceilings, great sized bedrooms, a single garage and good renovation potential.

A generous estate agent description says the home has 'great potential' and is 'perfect for buyers looking for a renovation project'

In February, a home in London on the market for 220,000 was dubbed 'disgraceful' and 'outright uninhabitable' for its shocking mould infestation.

The two-bedroom property in Barking, east London, had a black mould problem so advanced that the spores had even wrapped their way around the bannister.

The property description by the estate agent boasted interiors 'bathed in natural light, creating a welcoming atmosphere' in the 'delightful property'.

But invasive damp and mould was clearly visible in both bedrooms, the kitchen, the bathroom, the landing and even along the stairs.
Details of an alleged British and American plan to launch a nuclear attack on Russia just two years on from the end of the Second World War have been unearthed.

The rumoured plans, outlined in 1946, would have seen Allied planes hammer Soviet positions in Germany and eastern Europe to pre-empt an expected Russian attack.

As part of the force, as many as 400 Mosquito fighter-bombers - which were famously made of plywood - would have been equipped with atomic bombs.

The British and American aim, according to the Swiss military officials who drew up the 'annex', was to have the effect of 'paralysing the points of departure' of a Soviet offensive for up to 45 days.

The file outlining the claimed plot, which the Swiss said would not have been ready to launch until at least the summer of 1947, was discovered by the Daily Mail in the National Archives at Kew in West London.

'Annex II' was discussed in a meeting involving prime minister Clement Attlee and his wartime predecessor Winston Churchill in Parliament in November 1946.

The file, which was dismissed as 'entirely fictitious' by Attlee, had been handed to Sir Winston during his visit to Switzerland just weeks earlier.

Regardless of the doubts about the accuracy of the claims about Allied plans in the file, it gives a remarkable insight into the disastrous collapse of the relationship with Joseph Stalin's Russia less than two years after they had been allies against Nazi Germany.

And the suggestion that nuclear weapons could have been used on Russian troops despite knowledge of the devastation wrought on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by US forces in August 1945 is chilling.

Importantly, the document is distinct to the May 1945 plan 'Operation Unthinkable', in which Britain envisaged a surprise attack on Russia immediately after Germany's defeat.

Churchill had ordered the drawing up of Unthinkable - which historians have known about for decades - in response to his fears about growing Russian strength and aggression.

Your browser does not support iframes.

A section of the file detailing an alleged British-American plan to use nuclear weapons to attack Russian forces in Europe as early as 1947

It horrified Churchill's military chiefs and was dismissed as being impossible to pull off.

Speaking of the newly-unearthed file, leading historian Damien Lewis told the Daily Mail: 'Attlee may have dismissed it all as an "entirely fictitious" plan, but Winston Churchill clearly saw reason to draw it to the highest levels of Government attention and he did.

'The Swiss were also seeking urgent clarification. Contemplating nuclear war in Europe - albeit as a US-British response to a planned Russian attack - as early as 1947, and on such a scale - would have put our European allies on edge.

'But at that stage the we still held the key war-winning advantage, in that America had nuclear weapons, whereas the Russians did not.

'Moscow was still years away from its first successful nuclear test.

'In that sense, the plan - as a response to massive Soviet aggression - would have made some degree of sense, frightening through the scenario may be.'

The meeting detailed in the unearthed file was held in Attlee's office in the House of Commons on November 5, 1946.

Churchill, who had led the country through most of the Second World War as prime minister, had by then been out of office for more than a year after losing the 1945 election to Attlee's Labour.

Winston Churchill and Labour prime minister Clement Attlee at the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph on November 6, 1949

Winston Churchill and Russia's Joseph Stalin were wartime allies. Above: The pair during their conference in Moscow in 1942

The pair had previously worked side by side in the coalition War Cabinet.

With them in the meeting were stalwarts of the same coalition.

There was Churchill's foreign secretary Anthony Eden, his key Army ally General Hastings Ismay, former colonial secretary Oliver Stanley and Labour's soon-to-be defence secretary AV Alexander, who had served for most of the war as First Lord of the Admiralty.

The notes of the meeting outline its course in intricate detail.

It began with a discussion of 'The Russian Situation'.

Churchill told the attendees that he had received 'certain confidential information' and he felt it was his duty to 'make it known to the Prime Minister'.

He then read out a telegram he had sent to US President Harry Truman less than two weeks after Hitler's suicide in May 1945, when he was still prime minister.

The full telegram is detailed in the file's 'Annex I'.

In the face of the Soviet Union's enormous strength, Churchill had expressed concern at the shift of US troops from Europe to the Pacific amid Japan's ongoing resistance and asked: 'What is to happen about Russia?'

He added: 'What will be the position in a year or two, when the British and American Armies have melted...?'

The first page of the file examined in the National Archives. It detailed a meeting held in Attlee's office in the House of Commons on November 5, 1946

The page from the file which described Churchill reading out 'Annex II', and then detailed Attlee dismissing it as 'entirely fictitious

The third page of the meeting notes, detailing Churchill's discussions with Attlee and the other attendees

The first page of 'Annex II', which detailed the Swiss assessment of Allied plans

The second page of the document. This was the most terrifying, detailing the equipping of nuclear weapons. Albeit Britain had not yet developed the atom bomb, and in 1946 the US only had nine. Those paltry figures are a far cry from the 200 mentioned in the annex

The third page of Annex II, detailing a Swiss insistence 'not to express any judgement' on the alleged plan. The document went on to analyse the strength of Russian forces in the Middle East

He implored Truman to 'come to an understanding with Russia, or see where we are with her, before we weaken our Armies mortally...'

After the Nazis' defeat, Stalin's men had - in defiance of the agreements made at the Yalta Conference in February 1945 - made the nations in Eastern Europe satellites of Russia.

In a letter to Eden on May 4, 1945, Churchill poured out his concerns, writing: 'Terrible things have happened.

'A tide of Russian domination is sweeping forward... After it is over, the territories under Russian control will include the Baltic provinces, all of eastern Germany, all Czechoslovakia, a large part of Austria, the whole of Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.

'This constitutes one of the most melancholy events in the history of Europe and one to which there has been no parallel.

'It is to an early and speedy showdown and settlement with Russia that we must now turn our hopes.'

In the Commons, Churchill told Attlee - after weeks of reports of growing Russian aggression in Eastern Europe and elsewhere - that 'what he had foreseen in this telegram had now come to pass'.

Eight months before the Commons meeting, Churchill had warned in what would turn out to be his most famous post-war speech that an 'iron curtain' had descended across Europe.

Hiroshima on September 7, 1945. It had been hit by the world's first atomic bomb a month earlier

The 'mushroom' cloud that rose into the air after the dropping of atomic bomb 'Little Boy' on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, on August 6, 1945

Appeasement of the Soviet Union was not an option, the former PM argued.

But his views were not popular back in Britain, where respect for Russia's immense contribution to victory in the war, and acknowledgement of the immense suffering and sacrifice it had endured, was widespread.

Goodwill towards the Soviet Union had been further bolstered by years of pro-Russian Allied propaganda when the war against the common enemy of Hitler was still raging.

In the meeting in Attlee's Commons office, Churchill did not blame Attlee's government, he said, because his administration would have done 'precisely the same'.

'Democracies must demobilise - despotisms had no need to do so', the notes record him as saying.

Churchill then highlighted his recent visit to Switzerland, where - in a speech in Zurich - he had floated the idea of a 'United States of Europe' to combat Russian aggression.

The former PM had found the Swiss 'very frightened of Russian intentions', the notes said.

And then came the revelation: 'Annex II'.

The De Havilland Mosquito famously had a wooden air frame. Above: One in flight in 1944

Churchill said he had been given the document by a Swiss staff officer with the consent of the country's high command.

After reading it out, he 'emphasised most earnestly that knowledge of the contents of this paper should be limited to the smallest circle'.

In Annex II, which was marked 'top secret', the Swiss claimed that 'no foreign information service is in possession of any more accurate information than ourselves'.

The strength of Russian troops stationed in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland and the Baltic States amounted to a total of 130 divisions and 50 armoured brigades, the Swiss claimed.

'This is certainly more than is necessary to overcome the resistance of the 25 Allied Divisions of occupation in Germany, of which 9 to 10 American Divisions are nothing but a police force', they went on.

And then came the bombshell: a firm outline of an alleged British and American plan to attack Russian forces in Europe.

'It is true that recent information, emanating from superior British and American Officers indicates that measures are being taken to resist possible Soviet ambitions,' the document said.

In the 'first phase', which would last one day, there would be: 'Destruction of bridges, railway stations, railway tracks, nodal points on the main lines of communication in a Zone A, comprising the territory between the Elbe - Danube and the Vistula.'

At Yalta in February 1945, Winston Churchill praised his Russian counterpart Joseph Stalin as a 'friend whom we can trust'. Above: Churchill with US President Franklin D Roosevelt and Russian leader Joseph Stalin at Yalta

So that would have been eastern Germany, what was then Czechoslovakia, western Poland and parts of Austria and Hungary.

Then, in a second phase lasting three days: 'Air effort would be concentrated on Poland (Zone B) whilst continuing tactical operations in Zone A.'

At the forefront of the mission would be the 400 Mosquitos carrying up to 200 atomic bombs.

Supporting them would be 4,000 heavy and medium bombers and 1,200 fighter planes.

And over an envisaged four days of fighting, a further 120 Mosquitos, 500 medium bombers, 500 heavy bombers and 1,000 fighters would be available in reserve, the Swiss claimed.

The report went on: 'The American and British staffs reckon that this counter-action should have the effect of paralysing the points of departure of the Soviet offensive for a period of 30 to 45 days.

'This delay would, in their judgement, suffice to allow forces to be brought up which would be capable of carrying out a defensive resistance.

'Later, it would be their intention to concentrate sufficient troops to beat back the Russian forces.'

Red Army soldiers on the attack against German forces during the Battle of Kursk in July 1943

The Swiss did rightly add that the key point was whether or not the 'Anglo-American staffs are in a position to put the plan into execution'.

America would have to provide the bulk of the resources, and would not be ready to engage air forces until June 1947, they added.

Before moving on to the threat posed by Russian forces in the Middle East, the Swiss concluded that Russian forces 'still retain their relative superiority' and, chillingly, 'that a conquest of Western Europe by the Soviet must be considered as a practical possibility'.

Having listened to the Swiss description of alleged British and American plans, Attlee insisted that they were 'entirely fictitious'.

The notes went on: 'No plans of this character had been worked out.'

It was 'impossible' to have such large forces on the Continent because Allied manpower and equipment was 'tied up' in so many other places, including Greece, Palestine and Indonesia, Attlee argued.

The Swiss assessment of alleged Allied plans was very wide of the mark in at least one respect.

In contrast to the 200 atomic bombs mentioned, the US only had nine of them in the autumn of 1946, and Britain - having handed its atomic technology to America years earlier - had none.

Russian troops pictured defending during clashes with German invaders in 1941

It would not be until 1949 that the US would have built up a huge stockpile of around 400 bombs.

In Churchill's view, the meeting notes went on, the deterrents to a Russian attack were the 'enormous latent strength' of Britain and America and the US's possession of the atom bomb.

Churchill wanted Britain to 'have about 50 of these bombs', and if America would not 'let us have them', then 'we ought to make them ourselves'.

Attlee said, tellingly, that the US were being 'very difficult at the present time'.

His words were an allusion to America's opposition to the UK having its own nuclear deterrent.

Churchill, during his second stint as PM from 1951 to 1955, oversaw the UK's own nuclear programme, which culminated with the detonation of Britain's first atomic bomb in 1952.

The meeting in Parliament took place more than a year after Churchill, as PM, had ordered the drawing up of Operation Unthinkable.

The alleged 1946 plans bear little resemblance to the ones that are known to have been laid down a year earlier.

The man put in charge of Unthinkable, which would have involved re-arming defeated German troops, was Brigadier Geoffrey Thompson.

All the files on Unthinkable were released by the National Archives in 1998.

It outlined how, from July 1, 1945, Allied forces would launch a surprise attack on Stalin's forces, pushing the Red Army back to the Oder and Neisse rivers, 55 miles east of Berlin.

The Western assault, which would be the largest tank offensive in history with 8,000 armoured vehicles used, would end with a huge showdown in the countryside in Soviet-occupied Pila, in what is now north-west Poland.

An estimated 47 Allied divisions - including 14 tank divisions would be needed, and 40 more would have to be kept in reserve.

But against them on the Soviet side would be twice as many men and tanks.

Churchill's military chiefs were left horrified by it. Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke said Allied troops would end up 'committed to a protracted war against heavy odds'.

General Ismay was disgusted by the idea of using Hitler's defeated troops.

He said it would be 'absolutely impossible for the leaders of democratic countries even to contemplate' and argued that the Russians had done the 'lion's share of the fighting and endured untold suffering' in the fight against Hitler.

Field Marshal Brooke added that it was 'quite impossible' that Unthinkable would be a success.

And Eden, in the Foreign Office, was against it too.

Ultimately, Churchill's chiefs officially rejected the plan - as did America under Truman.

The US made it clear in a military cable that there was no possibility that Americans would lead an effort to drive Russian troops from Poland by force.

It was the absence of that support that dealt the killer below to Unthinkable.

And although the US did then ironically go on to formulate their equivalent of Unthinkable in late 1946, those proposals - codenamed Pincher - also bore little resemblance to the Swiss interpretation of Allied plans.
Greece is transforming into an immigration fortress, deploying Trumpstyle hardline tactics and expanding its notorious 'Alcatraz' detention facility as officials declare war on what they call an invasion from illegal migrants from Africa South Asia and the Middle East.

Greek's Amygdaleza project, located about 40 minutes from Athens, is often dubbed the country's main 'Alcatraz' with a capacity of around 1,000 detainees.

But there is another site being erected that further models Florida's 'unforgiving landscape,' site of America's Trump-branded 'Alligator Alcatraz'.

In Lesbos, Greece  an hour flight from Athens deep inside the forest, the country is constructing its most ambition detention project yet. The massive Vastria facility will dwarf even Amygdaleza, designed to warehouse up to 5,000 migrants in one heavily fortified compound.

'We don't believe such mass facilities are needed here,' Panagiotis Christofas, mayor of Lesbos' capital told the Associated Press. 'The location is the worst possible ... we're against it.

The compound is nearly completed but remains shuttered by court challenges - not unlike the ones attempting to rein in Trump's facilities.

The development represents the physical manifestation of Greece's Trumpian approach  a network of island detention centers spreading across Chios, Lesbos, Samos and Leros that prioritize deterrence over dignity.

In Amygdaleza, hundreds of asylum seekers are enduring what the Greek Council of Refugees has dubbed as 'untenable' and 'overcrowded' living conditions, all playing out behind towering barbedwire fences.

Greece is transforming into Europe's primary immigration fortress, deploying Trumpstyle hardline tactics and expanding its notorious 'Alcatraz' detention facility

In Amygdaleza, soon to be the secondlargest detention center, hundreds of asylum seekers are enduring what the Greek Council of Refugees has dubbed as 'untenable' and 'overcrowded' living conditions, all playing out behind towering barbedwire fences

As conditions inside detention centers continue to deteriorate, Greece has now passed a new law that further tightens its asylum policies

Migrants are reportedly housed in container units with no electricity or airconditioning despite extreme heat. Toilets lack running water, and access to clean drinking water is limited to bathroom taps. Medical services are scarce, food supplies are limited and language barriers persist due to a shortage of interpreters.

Suicide attempts have even taken place here, with several other detainees reportedly in poor health conditions.

As conditions inside detention centers continue to deteriorate, Greece has now passed a new law that further tightens its asylum policies.

It effectively tightens asylum rules by allowing immediate detention, limiting appeals, and imposing prison sentences of up to five years for rejected asylum seekers who remain in the country.

Sources familiar with the detention facilities in Greece describe 'chaos' to Daily Mail, claiming there is an inconsistency with how people are treated and describe confusion over new asylum claims.

'Listen, if you think immigration policy is bad in the U.S., it is child's play compared to Europe. They are facing a demographic time bomb. They are seeing explosive migration,' said Endy Zemenides, director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council.

Adding, 'Nobody imagined it would get so out of control.'

But it explains why both sites mirror Trump's 'Alligator Alcatraz.'

Sources familiar with the detention facilities in Greece describe 'chaos' to Daily Mail, claiming there is an inconsistency with how people are treated and describe confusion over new asylum claims

In Amygdaleza, the situation is described as 'dire'

Kyriakos Charakidis, former mayor of Drama near the Bulgarian border, has witnessed the transformation firsthand. 'The first decade was marked by intense illegal immigration  mothers with small children, kids wandering highways with no one caring what happened to them,' he told the Daily Mail

Charakidis employs refugees from nearby camps at his factories. He says he has five employees working for him now

Both 'Alligator Alcatraz' and the new Vastria facility in Lesbos feature isolated surroundings that create a natural barrier discouraging escape.

But unlike the Amygdaleza center, where detainees are housed in overcrowded shipping containers with limited access to basic services, Dodge City serves as standard prison infrastructure.

In Amygdaleza, the situation is described as 'dire.'

'There was not enough clothing and underwear to distribute to them it is very difficult, if not impossible, to keep themselves clean. A significant number of them had not even been given shoes, forcing them to walk barefoot on the hot grounds,' the Greek Council for Refugees report explains.

'Detainees, many plucked from the sea just days before at ports, now find themselves locked inside a heavily guarded facility, watched over by officers in dark uniforms all day,' human rights lawyers explain to Daily Mail.

Trump polls modestly well as a foreign leader in Greece, but his wider approvalespecially across the general public  is fairly low, with many expressing disapproval or distrust.

According to an MRB 2024 poll  a Greek public opinion research and polling company  looking at Trump's 2024 U.S. reelection, 45.5 percent viewed it favorably, while 44.6 percent were disappointed.

Greeks for Trump Chairman Christos Marafatsos says their internal polling shows that 70% of GreekAmericans voted for Trump.

Experts say it's been a very slow shift to the right, still nowhere near the American Republican party.

But Greek political figuresespecially from rightwing partieshave echoed Trumpstyle rhetoric. For example, former defense minister Panos Kammenos tweeted 'Make Greece Great Again' following Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. election

Thanos Plevris, Greece's Minister for Migration and Asylum, is another template example.

Migrants are housed in container units with no electricity or airconditioning despite extreme heat. Toilets lack running water, and access to clean drinking water is limited to bathroom taps

Medical services are scarce, food supplies are limited and language barriers persist due to a shortage of interpreters. Suicide attempts have even taken place here, with several other detainees reportedly in horrible health conditions

'Our country has helping others in its culture, but in an organized, modern way  not witnessing a lost generation wandering the streets,' the former Mayor of Drama told Daily Mail

'President Trump's immigration policy, I believe, is the correct one,' he told Daily Mail.

Plevris has only been in the job a few months. He serves at the pleasure of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose 'New Democracy' government first rose to power in 2019 on a wave of antiimmigration sentiment.

A prominent hardliner within the ruling party, Plevris has consistently advocated for the expansion of migrant detentions in Greece.

The new law Greece spearheaded by the prime minister enforces prison sentences on individuals who stay in the country after their asylum claims are denied. Migrants will ultimately face two choices now: prison for up to five years, or returning back to their country.

Under these new rules, the eligibility criteria for asylum would become even harder, and deportation procedures would be accelerated. Migrants entering Greece without authorization may now be immediately detained, with limited appeal options available.

It also enables authorities to automatically reject asylum applications from migrants who pass through socalled 'safe third countries' like Turkey.

This law was passed alongside a new threemonth suspension of asylum processing for migrants arriving by sea from North Africa.

Greece's dramatic shift from welcoming refugees to building detention fortresses reflects the enormous strain on the country's resources

'Our Prime Minister has supported such a policy since 2019, but unfortunately, Europe did not listen to us,' Plevris said. Adding, 'The 'hotel service' is slowly ending in Europe.'

Ultimately, influential Greek leaders tell Daily Mail that the country is moving further and further to the right.

'In my opinion, Prime Minister Mitsotakis has adopted tough tactics for two reasons. He wants to take the issue away from the right wing, which really doesn't have other big issues to fight on, and to provoke Europe,' said Ambassador Patrick Theros, who served as United States ambassador to Qatar from 1995 to 1998, and is originally from the Greek island of Chios.

'Every time someone in Europe complains that Greece is violating the human rights of the refugees, the prime minister can come back at them with, 'Well, take them into your country,' Theros stated.

Similar to President Trump, Mitsotakis has historically called his government's immigration policy 'tough but fair.'

Greece's dramatic shift from welcoming refugees to building detention fortresses reflects the enormous strain on the country's resources.

In 2015, islands like Chios, with just 50,000 residents  absorbed more than 200,000 migrants as Greek was seen as Europe' primary gateway.

The transformation damaged Greece's relationship with the Middle East, as the only European nation without a colonial legacy now finds itself at the center of criticism.

Over the past decade, Europe has seen the arrival of over a million Syrians, Africans and other asylum seekers escaping conflict and instability

'Sadly, this issue is undermining that relationship from both sides,' said Theros.Other EU countries condemn Greece's methods while failing to share the migration burden  a dynamic Greek officials call hypocritical.

'The way the EU works is that your asylum has to be processed in your port of entry imagine if we took every undocumented person found in Virginia or Illinois and sent them back to Arizona,' said Zemenides. 'We have seen a massive EU policy failure it has turned Mediterranean states into open-air prisons.'

Geopolitical strategist John Sitilides tells the Daily Mail that Greece's government is within its rights to secure its borders.

'Greeks are traditionally among the most welcoming societies in Europe But Brussels regularly denies Athens the necessary resources to process tens of thousands of migrants,' Sitilides said.

Over the past decade, Europe has seen over a million asylum seekers from Syria and Africa. Besides Greece, Austria and France have imposed stricter migration policies.

The UN Refugee Agency acknowledged Greece's migration pressures but criticized the asylum suspension.

Despite Greece declaring a 'migration emergency,' UN data tells a different story. Arrivals actually dropped 11% this year to 29,240 people through August, down from 32,821 in 2024

Greece has a long-standing tradition of offering protection to people fleeing war and persecution. That tradition must be upheld,' a UNHCR representative said.

Greek citizens remain divided on the crackdown. Critics argue it blocks legitimate asylum seekers, while supporters say it dismantles smuggling networks and relieves overwhelmed border communities.

Kyriakos Charakidis, former mayor of Drama near the Bulgarian border, has witnessed the transformation firsthand. 'The first decade was marked by intense illegal immigration  mothers with small children, kids wandering highways with no one caring what happened to them,' he told the Daily Mail.

Now, he says, mass arrivals from Turkish coastlines have stopped and those from the Middle East and North Africa are received at proper facilities. Charakidis employs refugees from nearby camps at his factories through legal channels.

'Our country has helping others in its culture, but in an organized, modern way  not witnessing a lost generation wandering the streets.'

Despite Greece declaring a 'migration emergency,' UN data tells a different story. Arrivals actually dropped 11 percent this year.

Yet Greek officials argue that managing tens of thousands of arrivals annually has created 'fatigue' in border communities, justifying the aggressive crackdown they claim is already showing results, not unlike what they hear from the American president across the pond.
A long-dormant plan to revive the half-built Woollahra train station - tucked between Edgecliff and Bondi Junction on Sydney's Eastern Suburbs line - has reignited debate across the city's most exclusive postcodes.

The proposal would transform the shelved 1970s site into a modern transport and housing hub, but the community remains deeply divided.

Some long-time locals say the project threatens Woollahra's character and the only real winners are apartment developers.

George, 73, a retired film developer who has lived in the suburb for more than two decades, dismissed the idea outright when I spoke to him last week.

'This proposal is nothing more than pandering to developers who want to cash in on our suburb,' he said.

'I'm not against trains, but Woollahra is simply the wrong place for a station.'

Mira, a resident of over three decades who did not wish to be photographed, echoed those concerns, particularly about the suburb's historic streetscapes.

'Woollahra's heritage homes are part of Sydney's history. Once you start carving tunnels and building a station here, you risk cracking foundations and destroying the very character that makes this suburb unique,' she said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns (centre) is considering shaking up the eastern suburbs, setting his sights on a Woollahra train station - but the community remains deeply divided

'I'm not against trains, but Woollahra is simply the wrong place for a station,' said George, 73, a retired film developer who has lived in the suburb for more than two decades

This seems to be a fairly common view, especially if you're the sort of person who sends letters to the editor of The Sydney Morning Herald or Wentworth Courier.

But there's another side to Woollahra - the YIMBYs to the NIMBYs.

When I headed east to gauge reaction to Premier Chris Minns' push for more housing and transport in Sydney's 'ritzy' suburbs, I found plenty of critics - but almost none willing to go on the record.

Why? Because they're wary of neighbours determined to keep Woollahra exclusive.

Residents like Sarah-Louise, who has worked at Jo Malone on Queen Street for 16 years, see the station as a lifeline for a struggling shopping precinct, as well as a step toward easing Sydney's housing crisis.

She said local businesses are in decline.

'Stores are empty, shops are closing because they aren't getting enough people through the door. Parking is limited too, so people are deterred if they can't get a park,' she told me.

'It's been sad to see once-thriving businesses go under. The Deli on Moncur that's been here as long as I remember is closing. The train station could change that.'

A general view of the partially completed Woollahra train station. It was supposed to open in the 1970s, but residents fiercely resisted the idea, worried it would spoil the area's exclusivity

An illustration shows how a railway station at Woollahra might have looked, had it been built

For her, the proposal is also personal - her husband is a train driver.

'People don't realise how motivating it is for rail workers when new infrastructure is built. It's an investment in their work, in their industry, and in the future of rail.'

Fiona, another long-time local, was more blunt.

'Why not? It's about time we do our share of density housing. This city needs to get a grip!' she said.

Michael, who previously lived on Wallaroy Road - a street that will be impacted by the trainline and high-rise construction, said younger generations deserve a chance in Woollahra.

'Woollahra is full of old people living in large empty mansions. The younger generation deserve to get their foot in the door.'

Several residents refused to be photographed, fearing backlash from neighbours who, they claim, hide behind talk of 'heritage' and 'character' to keep the suburb to themselves.

For Sarah-Louise, the proposal is also personal - her husband is a train driver

'It's about time we do our share of density housing. This city needs to get a grip!' said Fiona

Woollahra Station has been controversial since the 1970s, when it was dropped after furious protests from well-heeled locals. For decades, transport planners have toyed with the idea of scrapping it altogether.

Now, the Minns government wants to not only build the station but also anchor 10,000 new homes around it - forcing the east to share the load of Sydney's housing crisis, instead of piling new developments onto the city's west.

Premier Chris Minns says the project is about fairness, and stopping the exodus of young people and essential workers from the area.

Construction is due to kick off in 2027, with trains finally stopping in Woollahra by 2029. Until then, the battle of the eastern suburbs is only set to get louder.

READ THE LATEST FROM DAILYMAIL+

Here are some great stories you may have missed:
The elderly low-income residents of a California mobile home park claim they were cheated out of millions after the city backtracked on a decades-old agreement.

In 1997, the senior citizens living at the Marin Valley Mobile Country Club (MVMCC) in Novato decided to try to purchase the 63-acre retirement community.

But without the funds to do so, they called on the city for support - allegedly entering a 'handshake' agreement that would result in the residents owning the property.

The Novato Financing Authority (NFA), the city division tasked with financing the park, was able to secure the $17million in loans needed to buy the land.

Since then, residents have been paying off two bonds with interest.

Novato has not contributed a penny of its own money to tackling the debt, according to the Park Acquisition Corp.(PAC), the group representing MVMCC.

As per the alleged verbal agreement, once that debt is settled in December 2027, the park's ownership should be transferred to the residents, 91 percent of whom are low-income.

'The intent was Marin Valley would be owned by the residents who live there,' Council member Pat Eklund, the city's mayor in 1997, told the Daily Mail. But as the years passed, 'things got lost in translation', she explained.

Residents (pictured at a council meeting) have been battling the city council to buy the 63-acre mobile home park

In 1997, the senior citizens living at the Marin Valley Mobile Country Club (pictured) in Novato decided to band together and purchase the 63-acre retirement community

With the hefty loans and interest nearly paid off - about $20million - residents have been hit with the rude awakening that this alleged arrangement is not being honored.

'The city got greedy,' MVMCC spokesperson and resident Mary Currie told the Daily Mail. 'They've been struggling [financially].'

The property's title is under the City of Novato, and there is no written contract that it was ever meant to go to the residents.

'[The agreement is] not in writing, which is a failure on the part of the attorneys,' resident Ray Schneider, who moved to the community a few years after 1997, told the Daily Mail.

The NFA was dissolved in 2011. All of its assets - including the MVMCC - were transferred to the City of Novato, once again leaving out the PAC.

While the Marin Valley community feels betrayed by the city, they have been fighting tooth and nail for years for property ownership.

Novato Mayor Tim O'Connor denies the city ever agreed to hand over the park to residents once the debt was paid off.

'Ive seen some references to arrangements being made regarding ownership - those simply are not correct,' O'Connor wrote to the Daily Mail.

'The City purchased the park initially because the residents were unable to and they asked the City to help - there was no agreement to hand over title, the residents do not pay the loan, the City does.'

He explained the city pays off the loan using the 'rent' payments the residents pay to live in the mobile home community.

The average cost of rent per household is $660 per month, Currie said.

The MVMCC has 'been 100 percent paid for using Novato taxpayer funds,' with O'Connor describing the city as the property's 'landlord'.

Novato Mayor Tim O'Connor (pictured) denies the city ever agreed to hand over the park to residents once the debt was paid off.

Residents initially offered the city $20million - on top of the money they have already sunk into the property - to purchase the community (pictured: signs created by residents)

He said that 'once rent is paid, those funds become public funds' and Novato has smoothly run the park for nearly 30 years without a significant tax burden on the rest of the city.

While the mayor said the city does not owe the more than 400 residents of the 313-unit mobile home park ownership of the property, Eklund told the Daily Mail a different story.

'What happened in the past is influential on where we are today. You can't say the past didn't exist, it did,' she said.

Eklund also explained that all the money used to pay off the loans has come from the residents and 'not a single dollar of taxpayer money who live outside of Marin Valley paid for it'.

Eklund has been arguing on Marin Valley's behalf for decades. As the only serving council member who was in office in 1997, she said officials must 'follow through on what they've told people before'.

During a council meeting two years, Eklund defended the PAC against an opposing official.

Susan Wernick, the mayor at the time of the meeting, said: 'Transferring ownership, that just, I can't agree with that.

'From a legal standpoint, I think that could be considered a gift of public funds. I can't imagine how the rest of the community would feel if we transferred ownership.'

Under California state law, gifts of public funds are illegal. But there is an exception under the 'public purpose' clause.

This clause offers 'significantly greater flexibility than that allowed to public agencies in many other states', according to the state's Debt Financing Guide.

Eklund countered Wernick, reiterating that the full financial burden of the loans has been carried by those who live at the park.

'There is no gift of public funds because not a penny of public funds has been put into the ownership of Marin Valley,' Eklund said.

Councilwoman and former mayor Pat Eklund (pictured) made an argument for the community members during a council meeting two years ago

Residents felt as if they were hitting a dead end in fighting for the alleged verbal agreement to be honored.

Instead, they started negotiating with the city to try to buy the park all over again after an outside buyer presented a $30million offer in 2023, which ultimately fell through.

But they claim the city is acting unfairly and failing to consider the vulnerable population of the park.

'Can you honestly say this is good-faith negotiations?' Serena Fisher, a community resident, asked the council during an August 26 meeting.

'Were asking the city to change course, stop the ultimatums, commit to fair, transparent and respectful negotiations.'

Residents initially offered the city $20million - on top of the money they have already sunk into the property - to purchase the community.

However, the city appraised the property and presented an unfair $26million counteroffer, according to the PAC.

David Grey, who has lived at MVMCC for more than nine years, said he and others are worried they will be 'priced out of their homes' if an outside buyer agrees to this price.

PAC President John Hansen (pictured) said the original intent of the alleged agreement has faded away

Julie Manson (pictured) addressed the city council about her concerns regarding the park

'We live in one of the most expensive counties in California. You cannot buy a house in Marin County for less than $1million,' Schneider told the Daily Mail.

Residents were fearful in 2023 when someone tried to buy the park from the city.

Despite promises from the prospective buyer that rent would remain the same, community members rallied against the sale until the city dropped the offer.

During a council meeting, Grey claimed the appraiser who valued the park at $26million does not specialize in mobile communities and failed to consider its nonprofit nature.

'Our $20million offer is based on an appraisal by a mobile home park expert using a nonprofit valuation model,' he said.

'It is more than fair, it is financially responsible and it is crafted with expert advice.'

The latest offer the PAC formally submitted to the city was for $23.5million, but residents have been pleading with the city to accept the $20million one at council meetings.

'The $26million purchase price would also not meet the Citys Housing Element goal of preserving the Park as a source of naturally occurring affordable housing,' the PAC's letter to the city reads.

If the $23.5million offer is accepted, PAC members will have to pay $140 to $185 more per month.

There are more than 400 residents in the 313-unit community (pictured: one of the homes)

Manson (pictured) has urged the city to 'do the right thing' and is one of the hundreds of residents fighting to keep the park affordable

O'Connor said he could not further comment on ongoing negotiations regarding the park.

'We're asking the city to be reasonable and fair so that our community can remain affordable. It's the right thing to do,' resident Julie Manson told the council.

The alleged verbal arrangement and the city's costly appraisal of the property are connected to its unstable economy, community members claim.

'The city's had a lot of financial issues, fiscal issues, and I think for them to try to solve it on the backs of a lower-income senior housing is just unconscionable,' Fisher told CBS.

'They need to look elsewhere for funds, rather than try and double dip here and make us pay twice.'

Incorporated in 1960, Novato has 'inherent fiscal challenges', according to a 2023 'Call to Action' notice from the Marin County Civil Grand Jury.

'Novato is confronted with chronic and ongoing structural financial deficits,' it reads.

'While Novatos City Council has known for more than a decade about its financial challenges and looming deficits, they have not taken sufficient measures to resolve them.'

The latest offer PAC formally submitted to the city was for $23.5million, but residents have been pleading with the city to accept the $20million one at council meetings (pictured)

In July, the city approved the 2025/26 fiscal year budget of $57.7million, that took effect in July. It should generate $10million annually in revenue.

'This budget marks the start of Novatos journey toward long-term financial health  its an important first step, not the finish line,' City Manager Amy Cunningham said.

She noted that the budget 'does not yet account for the full cost of operations expected next year'.

Financial strains aside, residents have traced back the origins of this convoluted ordeal to the doomed combination of business and politics.

'In all the years that I was here...I would say "okay, it looks like everything's [okay],'" Manson told CBS.

'But in the back of my head, I'm saying, "we're owned by politicians, what could not go wrong?"'
A woman who unknowingly accepted a lift from a notorious serial killer has revealed how she managed to escape his clutches after he launched a vicious attack on her.

Jennifer Asbenson was only 19 years old and working as a carer in Palm Springs, California, when 'kind stranger' Andrew Urdiales offered to drive her to work.

But little did she know that Urdiales - a former marine - had already brutally murdered four women and had a terrifying plan in motion to make her his next victim.

Asbenson has now described how she miraculously managed to break free after she found herself trapped in Urdiales' car boot as he unleashed a violent tirade on her and began taking bites out of her neck.

Adrenaline and 'hysterical strength', Asbenson says, are what helped her escape death, as she managed to to untie her arms to break herself free.

Asbenson also recalled how she had to take chunks out of the roof of the car boot in order to pop it open and runaway from Urdiales and find help.

The horrific ordeal unfolded when Urdiales asked the young girl for her number after dropping her off at work.

Although the teen was not interested him, she said she 'didn't want to hurt his feelings' and resorted to giving him the wrong number.

Jennifer Asebson was just 19 when she was abducted and almost murdered by one of America's most prolific serial killers. Pictured: Asbenson speaks during a news conference following a death sentence recommendation by a jury for Andrew Urdiales

Jennifer Asbenson pictured as a teenager

In this April 25, 1997, file photo Andrew Urdiales, walks in police custody at police headquarters in Chicago

But the following morning, Asbenson left her shift to find Urdiales waiting for her outside, offering to take her out for breakfast.

She declined his invite, but accepted his offer of a second lift. It would be a decision that almost cost her her life.

Within seconds of getting back in his car, Urdiales confronted the girl, violently interrogating her about her giving him a fake number.

'Suddenly he turned into another person and just screamed 'I called that number and some old b***h answered',' Asbenson recalled.

He then bashed the teen's head into the dashboard, leaving her dazed.

In this moment, the teen noticed that he had a knife and a gun.

Urdiales then proceeded to tie her wrists behind her back and drove her to a remote part of Palm Desert.

'I just couldn't fathom what was happening, that this could be real', Asbenson said.

Urdiales was sentenced to death in 2018 but was found dead in his prison cell later that year after having committed suicide

The eight-time serial killer glares back toward the media and gallery just prior to being sentenced to death on Friday, October 5, 2018, in superior court in Santa Ana for the murders of five women in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties

Asbenson has been outspoken about her experience and has written a memoir titled 'The Girl in the Treehouse'

'All I could think of was, I made a bad choice.'

'I stared telling him I'd do anything: I'll rob a bank with you, whatever you want'.

Urdiales then launched a vicious attack on the teen, with Asbenson recalling how he had 'nothing but rage in his eyes'.

'That's when I knew he had done this before', she added.

He proceeded to cut off her underwear with a knife, and then sexually assaulted the teen, while he demanded she told him she loved him and strangled her.

'The only thing I could think of the whole time was 'I am in hell.' When I looked at his eyes they were just black.'

'And I remember thinking that I was staring into the eyes of the devil.'

'I sat there thinking, 'this is going to be the last thing I see before I die'.'

At one point, the then-teenager fell unconscious. She says a feeling of pure love came over her and she saw white.

But Urdiales wasn't finished. He revived the girl and began sucking and biting her neck.

Pictured: Laura Uylaki, one of Urdiales' victims. She was found murdered in Illinois

Julie McGhee was murdered by Urdiales in California

Lynn Huber was killed by Urdiales in Chicago in the mid-90s. She was 22 years old

Mary Ann Wells was killed in 1988 in San Diego, aged 31

Having woken up to the serial killer continuing his attack, the teen somehow gathered all of her strength to get away.

'I was using any skill I'd ever learned in life to try and get out of this man's possession,' she recalled, as she prayed for a miracle.

'God, if you are there, please just let me break free from these binds and escape from this trunk!', she remembers thinking.

Then, she says, the strands of twine binding her wrists began to pop one by one as she struggled out of the bindings before she managed to jump from the car and began running for her life.

'I think 'don't look back, don't ever look back'. But I look back. He was chasing me down the middle of the road with a machete. So I just ran'.

The teen was able to flag down a passing truck driver, who took her to the police station.

Despite the terrifying incident she endured, officers did not have enough evidence to find her attacker.

Asbenson's near encounter with death took place in 1992, but another five years would go by before she would see Urdiales behind bars after he confessed to kidnapping her and murdering eight other women.

Cassandra Corum, from Hammond, Illinois, was also killed by the former marine at the age of 21

Denise Maney, 32, was murdered in March 1995 in Palm Springs

She was the only one of his victims to have escaped.

The serial killer was sentenced to death in 2018 after a judge found him guilty in the murders of five sex workers in California.

He had already been serving a life sentence at the time for killing three women in Illinois.

Bravely confronting him in court, Asbenson told him: 'I sincerely forgive you, and that does not mean what you did was right, it does not mean that one bit.

'And that does not mean that you don't deserve the death penalty'.

The California victims were Robbin Brandley, 23, in January 1986 in Mission Viejo; Maryann Wells, 31, in September 1988 in San Diego; Julie McGhee, 29, in July 1988 in Cathedral City; Tammie Erwin, 20, in April 1989 in Palm Springs; and Denise Maney, 32, in March 1995 in Palm Springs.

The murders occurred while he was stationed at various U.S. Marine Corps facilities in Southern California.

He previously was convicted of killing Cassie Corum, 21, and Lori Uylaki, 25, both from Hammond, Illinois; and Lynn Huber, 22, of Chicago, in the mid-1990s.

Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan commuted his sentence to life in prison in 2002 for two murders, and his third sentence was also commuted when Illinois banned the death penalty.

A month after his sentencing, aged 54, the condemned serial killer committed suicide at San Quentin State Prison.
A delegation of more than 20 German enterprises and institutions wrapped up a visit to Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. Many delegates expressed strong interest in forging partnerships and expanding collaboration with Chinese enterprises. #GLOBALink
A mothballed nuclear plant is set to reopen in Michigan, but residents are concerned reviving the decommissioned site could see it become the next Chernobyl.

The Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert Township, Michigan, is set to reopen by the end of this year, but plenty of the township's 2,500 residents are voicing their concerns.

The site, which sits on the shores of Lake Michigan and is roughly 70 miles south of Grand Rapids, was first opened in 1971, but was later decommissioned in May 2022 due to high operating costs.

Holtec International, a nuclear decommissioning company, acquired the site in 2023 and announced it planned on reopening the plant by the end of this year.

The announcement came after it was approached by state and federal officials, who were interested in keeping nuclear power - a clear energy and carbon-free source - in Michigan, a company insider told Daily Mail.

But some residents and local organizations are wary of it due to the chance of a radioactive mess if the operation goes wrong as they fear it could become a disaster like Chernobyl.

Kevin Kamps, a radioactive waste specialist for Beyond Nuclear, told Daily Mail: 'It could wipe out more than just a township, it could wipe out the Great Lakes.'

He compared it to Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and the disaster at Fermi Unit 1, which was located in Monroe County near Detroit.

The Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert Township, Michigan, is set to reopen by the end of this year, but plenty of the township's 2,500 residents are voicing their concerns

Some residents and local organizations are wary of it due to the chance of a radioactive mess if the operation goes wrong - despite the site never having any serious accidents during its 50 years of operation - as they fear it could become Chernobyl (pictured)

There are concerns that if nuclear waste entered the water, it could spread throughout all the Great Lakes and poison drinking water used by 40millon people across the US and Canada. The Great Lakes holds 20 percent of the world's surface freshwater

Fermi was one of the largest nuclear accidents to take place at a commercial plant after it suffered a partial meltdown in 1966.

'We could have lost Detroit,' Kamps said, saying these incidents are a firm reminder why nuclear is dangerous.

'Our main concern is the safety risks... [Palisades is] a dangerous experiment and we're just the guinea pigs.'

However Palisades never had any serious accidents during its 50 years of operation.

There are concerns that if nuclear waste entered the water, it could spread throughout all the Great Lakes and poison drinking water used by 40millon people across the US and Canada.

The Great Lakes holds 20 percent of the world's surface freshwater, or roughly 6quadrillion gallons.

'[This project] is not a public benefit, it's a public cost,' Kamps told Daily Mail. '[Holtec] has never operated, repaired, or restarted a reactor before.'

He accused Holtec of engaging in 'outrageous behavior' and said the company is 'willing to take extreme risks' in the name of profit.

'It could wipe out more than just a township, it could wipe out the Great Lakes,' Kevin Kamps, a radioactive waste specialist for Beyond Nuclear, told Daily Mail

Holtec's Senior Manager of Government Affairs and Communications, Nick Culp, told Daily Mail that the nuclear company has hired a 'high-pedigree' team, many whom have operated plants and came from the Naval program

However, Holtec's Senior Manager of Government Affairs and Communications, Nick Culp, told Daily Mail that the nuclear company has hired a 'high-pedigree' team, many whom have operated plants and came from the Naval program.

At least 600 are nuclear professionals, Culp told Daily Mail.

Employees are also forced to undergo an accreditation program and the plant has to maintain certain safety standards in order to operate.

Culp also pointed out that all nuclear sites are based on bodies of water. Plants are typically located there as water is used as a coolant and most reactors in the US boil water into steam to produce electricity.

There's also a monitoring system in place, Culp said, that would alert the team if anything were to happen.

But Kamps, who joined Beyond Nuclear in 1992, said there has always been resistance against Palisades and has been since before it broke ground in the 1960s.

Kamps, who lives 35-miles downwind from Palisades, got involved with the organization after finding out the nuclear site stored radioactive waste on the beaches of Lake Michigan, concerning him about contamination.

He also said that although some Covert locals and businesses may be on board, they're wholly uniformed of the dangers that comes with a nuclear site in their backyard.

Kamps, who joined Beyond Nuclear in 1992, said there has always been resistance against Palisades and has been since before it broke ground in the 1960s

'Ignorance is bliss,' Kamps told Daily Mail. 'They better have a to-go bag. They may never get to go home again [if something goes wrong].'

Beyond Nuclear also accused Holtec of engaging in 'Band-Aid fixes' in order to maximize profit.

'They will take major shortcuts to save [money],' Kamps told Daily Mail.

Activists have voiced concerns about Holtec 'sleeving' damaged tubes inside the steam generators - a process that involves inserting a smaller tube into the pipe to avoid cutting water flow, but to seal off any damage.

However, Culp said that sleeving has been used in the industry for years and is common practice. He also told Daily Mail the sleeving done to Palisades' tubes was 'successfully' completed.

He said the concerns surrounding the progress and accusations of 'Band-Aid fixes' have 'no basis in how a nuclear power plant operates.'

Beyond Nuclear hypothesized that Holtec's reactor would surely experience a rupture, which could lead to reactor core meltdown and unleash 'catastrophic quantities of hazardous ionizing radioactivity.'

But Culp told Daily Mail that the company is investing tons of money into the plant to 'ensure continued safe and reliable operation.'

Activists have voiced concerns about Holtec 'sleeving' damaged tubes inside the steam generators - a process that involves inserting a smaller tube into the pipe to avoid cutting water flow, but to seal off any damage

However, Culp said that sleeving has been used in the industry for years and is common practice. He also told Daily Mail the sleeving done to Palisades' tubes was 'successfully' completed

Another concern is the radioactive waste. The United States does not have a national depository; therefore, all nuclear plants have to store the highly dangerous output on-site.

The company has received environmental permits to potentially dump its waste in New Mexico, which Holtec proposed as an interim depository.

If approved, Holtec would operate the New Mexico site.

Kamps, however, is worried rumors that Holtec plans on storing its waste on barges on Lake Michigan will further the chances of water contamination.

Culp, on the other hand, had never heard of the barge rumor, and said it ultimately wouldn't be up to them how the waste was transported to New Mexico, whether that be by boat or rail. The Department of Energy would have that authority.

The company also argued that the Biden Administration committed to a $1.5billion loan guarantee, which the Trump Administration has continued to distribute toward the project.

'Weve got two administrations with very different philosophies on energy, both saying this makes sense to move ahead with bringing Palisades back,' Congressman Bill Huizenga said.

'All the infrastructure is there. Theres no long, drawn-out permitting process. Its not like its a new greenfield development. Its been there for decades.'

The Biden Administration committed to a $1.5billion loan guarantee toward the project, which the Trump Administration has continued to distribute, which Holtec argued showed government support toward nuclear power

Reopening the plant has brought in a wealth of new jobs, with more than 1,600 currently employed at the plant. And many are high-paying as well, with lots of contractors making more than $100,000 a year, Culp said

But Beyond Nuclear claimed Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Holtec, and the Department of Energy are playing 'Russian roulette on the Lake Michigan shore.'

'Is Southwest Michigan and beyond ready for a Chernobyl- or Fukushima-scale nuclear catastrophe, which is now a distinct possibility at the restarted Palisades?' it questioned.

Lastly, area residents have concerns about cancer, as a large number of thyroid cancer diagnoses has popped up in the area since the plant had originally opened in 1971 before being decommissioned in May 2022.

'There should be no cases,' Kamps said.

Despite some opposition, Culp said Holtec has received plenty of support from the community, who were greatly impacted when the plant closed in 2022.

It has brought in a wealth of new jobs, with more than 1,600 currently employed at the plant. And many are high-paying as well, with lots of contractors making more than $100,000 a year, Culp said.

The energy that will be generated from the 800-megawatt plant will also power 800,000 homes, most which will mainly be located in rural Michigan and Indiana.

Nuclear energy is also more reliable compared to other forms, which are less expensive.

Chernobyl, located in modern-day Ukraine, exploded in April 1986 (pictured: children's bed abandoned in the exclusion zone)

The explosion and its aftermath, including thyroid cancers and radiation poisoning, killed between 4,000 and 60,000 across Europe, the UN said (picture: abandoned structures near Chernobyl)

With nuclear powering rural homes, there will be less of a chance for power outages, Culp told Daily Mail.

The plant, which is not legally allowed to generate power at the moment, hit a historic landmark last week as it officially became the first plant in the US to go from decommissioned to operational again.

'The Palisades restart is a testament to [the] important role that nuclear will play as part of our nations energy future,' Culp said.
The family of an Australian mother jailed in Taiwan has been handed a glimmer of hope after she was granted a rare chance to appeal.

Debbie Voulgaris, 58, is serving a 15-year sentence for drug smuggling after being caught with $1.9million worth of Class A drugs at Taoyuan International Airport on December 10, 2023.

The mother-of-five had never been in trouble with the law and initially 'vehemently denied' knowing the drugs were there, but later pleaded guilty in a desperate bid to avoid execution.

Ms Voulgaris continues to insist she is innocent and believes she was set up by African scammers who had been communicating with her ex-husband, John.

Since her arrest, her children have fought tirelessly to clear her name. Now, against all odds, they've been handed what could be their mother's last chance at freedom.

'It's going to be amazing, she has finally got some positive news,' her daughter Maria said, admitting that getting this far was a milestone in itself.

'We didn't think we had any hope. It's once in a blue moon this happens and we truly thought it wasn't going to happen.

'It's a potential retrial and could mean a whole new verdict. I can't even eat, that's how excited I am.'

Debbie Voulgaris, 58, is serving 15 years for drug smuggling in a Taiwanese prison

The mum of five has been given a glimmer of hope with a rare appeal

According to facts tendered to the Taoyuan District Court, Ms Voulgaris landed in Malaysia on December 8, 2023, on a flight from Australia.

There, she met a group linked to an African drug syndicate who gave her the suitcase.

She then travelled on to Taiwan, allegedly unaware that it was loaded with heroin and cocaine worth around US$1.25million (AU$1.88million).

The drugs were detected by the airport's X-ray screening system.

Ms Voulgaris has consistently maintained she took the trip as a favour to her ex-husband, who was unwittingly caught up in a scam.

She said he believed she was collecting chemicals to clean 'marked money', and claimed she did not believe he would intentionally involve her in a crime.

Despite her guilty plea, Ms Voulgaris was handed a 16-year sentence - one of the harshest drug-related penalties given to an Australian overseas in recent years.

Her sentence was later reduced to 15 years by Taiwan's High Court.

Ms Voulgaris has always maintained she took the trip as a favour to her ex-husband John (pictured)

Ms Voulgaris was handed a 16-year jail term which was later slightly reduced

In July this year, Ms Voulgaris's appeal was denied, with her daughter claiming it was the direct result of her father's refusal to help.

'My mother's appeal was rejected by the Taiwanese court, simply because the man who caused this, my father, was not willing to provide any video evidence or take accountability,' she wrote in a Facebook post at the time.

The family then appealed for help to reach the 10,000 signatures needed to resubmit their application.

'Now, I turn to you, Australia and anyone willing to listen, to please, help me be the voice for my mother,' she continued.

'Stand with me and my family, help spread the petition around in our local community and please, please help me get my mother home.

'She's innocent. I just want her home.'

Last week, on their TikTok support page A Voice for Debbie, Maria broke the news to their loyal supporters.

'I'm so happy right now, I feel like I have been healed overnight,' she said.

'I'm not saying my mum is going to get out or that her sentence is going to get a miracle, but the fact we were able to get this onboard, wow.

'13,000 people are authentic signatures.'

Debbie with her daughter Maria who is now supporting her mum in jail

In May 2024, Mr Voulgaris told Daily Mail Australia he and his wife had been set up by long-term business associates while the couple were innocently trying to make an overseas investment.

However, he did not respond to a subpoena ordering him to give evidence at Taoyuan District Court in August, and was a no-show at his ex-wife's hearing.

During the hearing, Judge Chen Yen-Nien revealed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other authorities had confirmed Mr Voulgaris, who lives in Melbourne, had received the documents, but he still failed to turn up.

Ms Voulgaris' lawyer at the time, Leon Huang, told the court it would be difficult to extradite him because he is an Australian citizen.

Judge Yen-Nien said without Mr Voulgaris' testimony, which could help to clear his ex-wife, the court would have to rely on the evidence available to them.
Ten years ago this week, on September 2, the world awoke to shocking news that would come to define an era of migration.

The lifeless body of Alan Kurdi, a two-year-old Syrian boy, was found washed up on a beach near the Turkish resort of Bodrum, his red T-shirt and blue shorts soaked in seawater.

He had drowned alongside his five-year-old brother, Galip, and their mother, Rehanna, as the family tried to cross into the Greek island of Kos. Their father, Abdullah Kurdi, was the only one to survive.

In another photograph that travelled across the globe, a Turkish policeman was seen carrying Alan's limp body from the sand, his face grim, his arms stiff, the image instantly becoming a symbol of the true human cost of irregular migration.

The pictures went viral within hours, giving the world one of its first clear glimpses into the reality of the Mediterranean crossings and the desperation that drove thousands of families to risk everything on overcrowded dinghies and decrepit fishing boats.

But a decade later, despite the horror that Alans death symbolised, Europe is still gripped by a migrant crisis. The crossings have not stopped, the bodies are still washing ashore, and politics across the continent has lurched to the right in response.

In Italy, Giorgia Meloni has built her premiership on a promise to crack down on irregular migration. In Germany, a sweeping government crackdown has led to thousands of deportations in 2025.

In Sweden, one of Europes most liberal nations, tough asylum limits have been introduced after years of far-right pressure. And across the continent, from Hungary to France, hardline parties have surged in popularity on the back of anger over migration.

The lifeless body of Alan Kurdi, a two-year-old Syrian boy, was found washed up on a beach near the Turkish resort of Bodrum ten years ago this week

The pictures went viral within hours, giving the world one of its first clear glimpses into the reality of the Mediterranean crossings

He had drowned alongside his five-year-old brother, Galip, and their mother, Rehanna, as the family tried to cross into the Greek island of Kos

Your browser does not support iframes.

Just last week, 69 people died when a vessel capsized off the coast of Mauritania, a grim reminder that the decade since Alans death has brought political promises, sweeping reforms and billions in funding - but little change for irregular migration.

According to UNICEF, in the decade since Alan's death, around 3,500 children have died attempting the journey to Europe.

That is the equivalent of one child dying every single day. Unlike Alan, who was travelling with his family, thousands of these children were unaccompanied minors, crossing seas and borders without parents or guardians.

The figure comes from the UN Children's Fund and is backed by IOM's Missing Migrants Project.

The two agencies say that the real numbers are almost certainly higher, since many deaths at sea are never recorded and bodies are never found.

Organised criminal gangs have made billions from the migrant crisis. They run smuggling routes across North Africa, Turkey and the Balkans.

Europol and other agencies say smuggling earns organised gangs billions of euros.

Organised criminal gangs have made billions from the migrant crisis. They run smuggling routes across North Africa, Turkey and the Balkans

A man wades into deep water while carrying a child on his shoulders

A family looks on dejected after they failed to board a boat

They cram migrants into unseaworthy dinghies, charge thousands of euros for a place, and push them out to sea, knowing full well many will never make it to land.

Police across Europe describe the gangs as flexible and ruthless. Every time one route is shut down, another opens. Every time one trafficker is arrested, another is ready to step in.

The EU has poured money into joint operations with Frontex, and Italian authorities have made dozens of arrests in Sicily.

But officials admit the business continues to thrive as demand remains sky high.

For those fleeing war, persecution and poverty, Europe is seen as the only hope, no matter how dangerous the journey.

Conflicts in Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan and Somalia are still driving people to flee.

Repression in Eritrea, collapse in parts of West Africa, and forced recruitment by armed groups make children especially vulnerable.

Since 2015, the International Organisation for Migration says more than 34,000 people have died or gone missing trying to reach Europe.

European Council figures show that there were 1,046,336 irregular arrivals and 4,054 fatalities in 2015 in the Mediterranean and Western African routes. In 2023, 3,711 died, while 3,393 perished in 2024. As of June this year, 1,160 have lost their lives.

Conflicts and economical downturns in several countries have forced millions of people to flee from their home nations to Europe

Since 2014, governments across Europe have poured billions of pounds into policies and deals to try curtail irregular migration

Conflicts in and unrests in countries like Syria, Sudan, and Afghanistan has been a driving force for the influx of migrants arriving in Europe

Experts have stressed these are conservative estimates - the real toll is likely far higher.

In April 2015, one of the worst disasters struck when a fishing boat sank off Libya, killing an estimated 1,000 people.

In February 2023, the Cutro shipwreck in southern Italy claimed at least 94 lives, many of them children. The boat was carrying 200 passengers when it sank.

Just months later, in June 2023, a trawler capsized off Pylos, Greece. Around 600 to 650 people drowned, with only 104 survivors. The boat had a capacity of 400 people but carried an estimated 400 to 750 migrants.

In response to the tragedies, European governments have tried to slam the doors shut. The 18 March 2016 EU-Turkey deal was one of the most high-profile measures.

The agreement said that irregular arrivals on the Greek islands would be returned to Turkey in exchange for EU funding, visa concessions and political leverage for Ankara.

Amnesty International branded the deal 'morally bankrupt,' warning it left thousands stranded in unsafe camps while stripping them of their right to claim asylum in Europe.

In Italy, where one tiny village recorded around 7,000 arrivals in two days, has since hardened its rhetoric. Giorgia Meloni's far-right government vowed to crush the smugglers and tighten controls.

In April 2015, one of the worst disasters struck when a fishing boat sank off Libya, killing an estimated 1,000 people

In February 2023, the Cutro shipwreck in southern Italy claimed at least 94 lives, many of them children

In June 2023, a trawler capsized off Pylos, Greece. Around 600 to 650 people drowned, with only 104 survivors

Sea-Watch accused her of escalating the crackdown after the government grounded a reconnaissance plane used to monitor crossings, saying it was an attack on humanitarian oversight in the Mediterranean.

Across Europe, the political mood has shifted - populist and far-right parties have been fuelled by the migration crisis.

In Germany, Alternative fur Deutschland has surged. In Hungary, Viktor Orban's Fidesz government has extended razor-wire fences.

In France, Marine Le Pen's National Rally has grown stronger, and in Britain, Reform UK has surged in the polls, threatening the Conservatives' status as the official opposition.

Human Rights Watch says migration policy has become one of the main drivers of public support for these parties.

Meanwhile, Europe's border control machine has grown. Frontex, the EU's border and coastguard agency, now has thousands of officers, airborne surveillance, and hundreds of millions of euros in funding.

But the European Ombudsman has repeatedly raised concerns about allegations of pushbacks and failures to help rescue boats.

Human rights groups say the agency often prioritises deterrence over saving lives.

In Britain, the controversial Rwanda asylum plan became one of the most divisive political rows of the decade

Processing and returning migrants has been a huge challenge across European countries

Official organisations say many migrants cannot be returned for legal, diplomatic, and humanitarian reasons

Returns remain a major problem. Eurostat data shows that in 2024, EU countries issued 453,840 return decisions for non-EU nationals. Only 110,385 were carried out.

UNHCR says many cannot be returned because of diplomatic, legal and humanitarian barriers, leaving them stuck in limbo.

The EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum, agreed in 2023, promised faster border processing, quicker returns and mandatory solidarity contributions for states unwilling to host asylum seekers.

Brussels even floated the idea of 'return hubs' outside EU territory. Rights groups warned that it risks creating fast-track detention centres and undermines the right to asylum.

In Britain, the controversial Rwanda asylum plan became one of the most divisive political rows of the decade.

First introduced in 2022, it aimed to deter small boat crossings by sending asylum seekers to Rwanda.

After years of legal battles, the UK Supreme Court ruled it unlawful in 2024. In January 2025, Labour's Keir Starmer repealed the Safety of Rwanda Act, admitting it had failed and cost millions.

This year, the country entered into a new treaty with France, which states that any adult migrant who comes into Britain via the channel will be at risk of being returned if their asylum claim is deemed 'inadmissible'.

In the UK, Keir Starmer scrapped the Rwandan deal, saying it had failed and had already cost the country millions

Europe has seen a rise in popularity for hard right political parties and politicians, including Italy's Giorgia Meloni

Germany has toughened its stance - deportations rose in early 2025 compared to two years earlier. In the first quarter alone, more than 6,000 people were deported

Human Rights Watch says migration policy has become one of the main drivers of public support for these parties

It has been said in the media that the deal, which affects arrivals who entered the country from August, aims to return around 50 people per week.

Germany has toughened its stance - deportations rose in early 2025 compared to two years earlier. In the first quarter alone, more than 6,000 people were deported, most of them failed asylum seekers.

The government has also increased border checks and digitalised processes, while emphasising it wants skilled workers instead of irregular arrivals.

Italy pushed through Law No. 187/2024, covering foreign workers, labour exploitation, and migration management.

But its offshore processing plan with Albania was struck down by the European Court of Justice, which ruled it violated asylum seekers' rights.

Spain took a different route - in 2025, Madrid began reforms to regularise nearly 900,000 undocumented migrants over three years.

But at the same time, the Canary Islands saw more than 10,800 arrivals in the first few months of the year, with local officials calling for a state of emergency.

Across Europe, citizens have grown angrier. In Britain, protests erupted over migrants being housed in hotels, sparking street clashes.

Protesters were out on the streets in Northern Ireland as chaos broke out in Ballymena over migration

In August, several British and English flags began popping up across towns, in protest against illegal migration

Several anti-immigration protests have been organised in the UK

In 2025, protests were held outside hotels housing asylum seekers, with some turning violent in the UK. August saw several British and English flags pop up in English towns, in a protest against illegal migration.

In June 2025, riots broke out in Northern Ireland after two Romanian-speaking teenagers were charged with attempted rape in Ballymena.

The unrest spread across towns, leaving 56 arrested and more than 100 police officers injured.

In Spain, anti-immigration protests turned violent in Torre Pacheco, Murcia, amid anger over the housing of migrants.

The mayhem was triggered by the beating of a pensioner. Three people of North African descent were arrested.

Through all these policy reforms and proposals, the central Mediterranean route remains the deadliest migration corridor in the world. IOM says it accounts for more than half of all migrant deaths globally.

NGOs such as SOS Mediterranee and Sea-Watch have saved tens of thousands of lives since 2015.

But successive Italian governments have seized their ships, restricted ports, and allegedly threatened volunteers with prosecution, accusing them of being a 'pull factor.' UNHCR and IOM say this only increases deaths, not decreases departures.

A migrant holds a newborn baby as a woman lies inside a rubber boat off the Canary Island of Lanzarote

A boat carrying crammed migrants from Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan leaves Libya

At least 27 people, including a one-year-old girl and three teenagers, died last month after two migrant boats capsized off the Italian coast

The tragedies are often deeply personal - in November 2021, 28 people drowned in the English Channel when their dinghy collapsed, the deadliest incident in the English Channel since the IOM began collecting data.

In 2024, 73 people lost their lives trying to cross the Channel, according to The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.

The UN called the year the deadliest for Channel migrant deaths.

As of August 11, 20 people had died on this route in 2025, bringing the total of deaths to 249 since 2018.

Just last month, at least 27 people died, including a one-year-old girl and three teenagers, after two migrant boats capsized off Lampedusa, Italy.

There have also been many reports of pregnant women risking their lives to make the journey on several routes. In 2016, a Nigerian woman gave birth on board a rescue ship.

In 2022, a Cameroonian woman delivered her baby on a rubber boat while trying to cross to Greece.

The decade since Alan Kurdi's death has not changed the fundamentals.

The takeover of government by the Taliban government forced many Afghans to seek a better life elsewhere

With the wars in countries such as Sudan still raging on, experts believe migrants will continue to risk the deadly trip to Europe

Conflicts, persecution, poverty and now climate pressures keep driving people from their homes.

Europe has tried to build walls, sign deals and shift responsibility onto neighbours.

Yet, the crossings have not stopped, and the death count keeps increasing.

Over the last ten years, there have been grief, outrage, and costly policy changes. But neither of these has stopped the crossings or ended the deaths.
A self-taught pastry chef left her high-flying role designing spacecrafts for NASA to bake luxurious cakes, but she says the jobs aren't so different.

Marie Axelle, 26, of McLean, Virginia, spent plenty of time in the kitchen whipping up cookies, cakes and madeleines with her mom and four siblings on the Ivory Coast in Africa growing up.

She watched as her mother used baking as a form of connection, bringing together friends and family and neighbors with a sweet treat filled with lots of love.

As she grew up, Marie would use that same tactic to build her own family in the US, where she moved to alone at the ripe age of 17 to attend college on a scholarship and were she would ultimately obtain a mechanical engineering degree.

'At first, I was living with my dad's friend and his family, but then eventually I moved out on my own, and it gets lonely, you know?' she told Daily Mail.

'I ended up picking up baking again, but really as a way to connect back with my mom, talk to her on the phone, like: "Hey, how did you make this recipe?" Or "I can't find this ingredient here in the US, what could I substitute it with?"'

Her baking endeavors would leave her with loads of treats and no one to share with, so she started bringing them to school and work.

'Obviously, when you bake, you can't really make like one croissant, you can't really make like one madeleine, so you make a lot, and then you end up sharing with people, and they like it.'

Marie Axelle, 26, of McLean, Virginia , spent plenty of time in the kitchen whipping up cookies and cakes and madeleines with her mom and four siblings on the Ivory Coast in Africa growing up

Now, she owns a luxury bakery after leaving her engineering job at NASA in 2024

Despite her friends telling her to open a bake shop, she stayed on course with her studies and eventually landed a coveted spot in NASA's fellowship program, which later converted to a permanent position.

She spent her days designing rovers, spacecrafts, boosters and more, spending six months on a single project with a team of scientists and engineers and learning everything about the foreign places their creations would travel.

By night, the Virginian would make cakes and cookies and more. Sometimes baking for friends and clients, other times for herself.

In early 2024, Marie officially launched L'Atelier as a side hustle, baking orders in her apartment. But within six months, that became nearly impossible to keep up with.

And in July 2024, she officially quit NASA after working there for two years.

'My mom was happy,' Marie told Daily Mail. 'She was just like: "As long as you're happy!" And obviously, she understands baking, like it makes sense. [She was like]: 'That's my fault, really, I did that to you."

'Me officially starting this business was also a way to honor her. I knew she always wanted to have a business, but obviously having five kids and an actual job... that wasn't really possible.'

Her mom works as a Spanish professor in Ivory Coast, but her love of baking was easily passed down to her daughter, who still uses her recipes today.

Marie (pictured in 2019) spent her days designing rovers, spacecrafts, boosters for NASA from 2022 to 2024 after getting into the fellowship program and eventually landing a permanent position. But she found herself unfilled and lacking a community

In early 2024, Marie officially launched L'Atelier as a side hustle, baking orders in her apartment. But within six months, that became nearly impossible to keep up with. And in July 2024, she officially quit NASA after working there for two years

'My dad, on the other hand, was very confused,' Marie said.

'My dad was definitely a little disappointed, because not many Africans make it into NASA. So hethat's something he was always really proud of and still is... But he eventually made his peace with it.'

And she had to make her peace with it too. Being a NASA engineer came with respect and status. She suddenly had to deal with sarcastic comments questioning her career change.

'Oh, you quit NASA to bake cakes?' she recalled someone sneering at her.

'There's that sense of accomplishment, there's a sense of respect that people really give you,' she said of her NASA role. 'And I had to come to terms with myself that obviously I would be losing that, which is okay.'

She decided she'd rather build L'Atelier and do something that made her happy than to 'stay at NASA just because it sounds nice on paper.'

And she found it wasn't all that different anyway.

She may not be designing a rover for Mars anymore, but she still is designing something that has to be built to perfection inside and out.

She decided she'd rather build L'Atelier and do something that made her happy than to 'stay at NASA just because it sounds nice on paper.' And she found it wasn't all that different anyway

Baking and NASA are similar, as they both deal with science, being precise, and paying attention to detail

Before, she would have to know if a metal would survive the stratosphere, as well as a foreign planet's environment. Now she has to know what design to put on a cake to tie into special moments, like weddings and birthdays, adding in personal mementos.

She also has to be precise and pay attention to 'every single detail', she told Daily Mail.

At NASA, they had no room for mistakes, it was a place where 'nothing can go wrong'. That same mentality has translated to her baking.

Marie often builds elaborate and gorgeous designs, each with specific details and skills. But it also extends to her brand, which is inspired by global flavors, like guava from her home country and basil namelaka mousse from Japan.

'I think that's what contributed to the success of L'Atelier today, being able to have care for every single aspect of the business, really,' she told Daily Mail.

And baking is a science, after all. 'Being an engineer, you also have to understand science,' she said. 'Like, if you are designing a spacecraft that's going to Mars, you have to understand the purpose of the spacecraft, you have to understand how the planet works, you have to understand a lot of scientific facts.

'So, being an engineer, really, you end up being an engineer and a scientist. So, in terms of science, that's really the mindset that kind of transfers into baking and testing recipes.'

What ultimately made Marie take the leap was a need for connection.

What ultimately made Marie take the leap was a need for connection. 'That sense of community [for] me was the breaking [point],' she told Daily Mail. 'I didn't get [that] at NASA, per se. That was just my personal experience'

'That sense of community [for] me was the breaking [point],' she told Daily Mail.

'I didn't get [that] at NASA, per se. That was just my personal experience. I won't speak for everyone at NASA.'

While home on the Ivory Coast, her house was always filled with people. The community was friendly and everyone knew everyone. But it was different in the US.

'Hospitality is a big thing for us back home,' she said. 'I really think the sense of community that we had from just our family, but also sharing with the neighbors and bringing people together the way my mom did through baking, [it] was really a defining moment for me.

'I really used [baking] as a sense to not only stay connected to my mom but also build my community here in the US,' she continued. 'I really wanted to repeat, essentially, that same sense of community I had back home with my family.'

Now, she gets to become part of her clients' stories, help to build memories for repeat customers, and sharing slices of the world with those who get the honor of eating her desserts.

'I get to hear people's love story, I get to be a part of this love story, you know, making a wedding cake,' the married woman said of her job.

'I have couples coming in for tastings, and then we just plan everything together. This is, it became really special to me.'

Now, she gets to become part of her clients' stories, help to build memories for repeat customers, and sharing slices of the world with those who get the honor of eating her desserts. 'It became really special to me,' she said

But don't think she's left her engineer passion behind, you'll still catch her at the theater geeking out about the rockets in Fantastic Four.

'I still have that passion,' she said. '[But] I ended up saying: "Okay, I still love engineering, I still love spacecrafts, I still love space in general," but it's just...being a pastry chef, really kind of took over that, essentially, and I enjoy it.'
Children on the Isle of Wight had an unwelcome return to school as teachers began running a 'prison-like regime', with toilets locked, flavoured drinks banned and a 'drill sergeant' forcing pupils to stand outside in the rain.

Parents at Cowes Enterprise College were shocked as their children returned home in tears following strict new rules being implemented as part of the new school year.

Toilets have been locked between break and lunchtime, with a shutter pulled down during classes.

A select few students with medical issues have been told to inform their teacher if they need to use the toilets, before waiting for a member of staff to escort them to a special area protected by a key card.

This has led to huge queues for the lavatories at break and lunch, with some pupils telling their parents they did not drink throughout the day to avoid having to face the lunchtime rush.

They also had to weigh up whether to risk using the toilet and missing their strict ten-minute allocated time each year group was given to order, collect and eat their food.

That reportedly left some stragglers at the back of the queue being told to throw their lunch away just moments after sitting down.

Parents have also alleged that to hurry pupils to lessons music is played in corridors and if students do not make it to class by the time the song has finished, they face detention.

It was a rude awakening for the students who arrived at school on the first day of the new year and were immediately told to stand single-file on a yellow line before entering the building, while a 'drill sergeant' ordered them to comply.

Parents at Cowes Enterprise College were shocked as their children returned home in tears following strict new rules being implemented (file photo)

Until all pupils were stood with one leg on either side of the line, the class was not allowed to enter and so pupils were alleged to have been left standing outside in the pouring rain for up to 15 minutes.

The school's menu had also been stripped back to the bare minimum. No juices, milk or fizzy drinks were available and the only main meal offered was a 'sausage roll', parents claimed.

The only fluid on offer for pupils was tap water, which parents claimed was 'from a jug that had been sat out all day'.

Writing on Facebook one parent said: 'My son is in Year 11 and came home and said he felt horrendous at the poor, brand new Year 7 that wet themself (sic) because a teacher called for a toilet escort and no one turned up in time.'

Another parent told the Daily Mail that they would be keeping their child, who suffers with autism and ADHD, at home until there is a change in the rules.

They said: 'We received an email a day before they broke up for the summer. We were told that all of the toilet passes for SEN [special educational needs] students would be removed.

'Loads of parents have said their children are refusing to drink water during the day because they don't have the time to queue because they have to get their lunch.

'They get 35 minutes as a lunch break, but it is divided up into ten minute sessions for each year group and they are escorted to the canteen by a teacher. They get ten minutes to get their food, sit down and eat it. There were children in tears today.

'They also used to have passes for anyone with educational needs which they could hold up if they needed assistance during their lessons, we were told they were being removed.

Students at the secondary school on the Isle of Wight have been banned from using the toilets during class

'Now he will have to tell his teacher that he is not coping and they will call a member of staff to come into the classroom to help him. That can be quite embarrassing for a child who is struggling.

'My son struggles enough with a new change but this morning he was forced to stand outside in the rain until everyone complied.

'That is corporal punishment. That is not a way to treat young adults.'

The mother said she believes the changes had come in order to combat bad behaviour from some a small number of the school's pupils.

She added: 'I can understand that they are spending a lot of time for a small number of kids who have abused passes, vaping in toilets. But 80 per cent of kids are not doing that.

'They need to learn to socialise with people. He tries to be as flexible as he can be, but he said it is like a prison.

'I have emailed the school to say I won't send him back until something is resolved.'

The parent said the 'prison-like regime' at the school reminded her of an 'army training camp' or 'Alcatraz' - the famously strict former maximum-security prison located on an island off the coast of San Francisco.

One parent compared the 'prison-like regime' at the school to 'Alcatraz' (pictured), the former maximum-security prison located off the coast of San Francisco

The Academy, which is managed by the Ormiston Academies Trust, received a rating of Good at its last Ofsted inspection.

Another parent said her daughter, who suffers from ADHD, autism and anxiety, was not prepared for how tough the new year would be.

Her daughter only joined the school in February after leaving a school in Newport.

The mother said: 'I feel with all the changes they have put on children today, those who are neurodivergent had no preparation.

'My daughter has a bowel condition, she previously had a medical pass and all she had to do to use the toilet was wave a card.

'Now she has to wait to be escorted by a special member of staff, if she needs to go she needs to go now.

'At break and lunch the queue is ridiculous. There are only three toilets. In the toilets for the Year 8 pupils, there is a male, female and unisex. For about 30 children.'

She added: 'This is the 2020s, not the 1920s. I will be going into school tomorrow to speak to them and I doubt I will be the only one.'

Another parent told the Isle of Wight County Press: 'Imagine a girl having to stand up in class and explain why she desperately needs to go to the loo because her period has started unexpectedly. It's ridiculous.'

A spokesperson for the academy told the Daily Mail: 'We are proud to be a high-performing, inclusive school where students are happy, safe, well supported and achieve well.

'Everything we do is focused on maintaining and strengthening that culture, and we have policies in place to uphold these high standards.

'At the start of this term, we introduced a number of changes designed to build on that commitment by creating an even calmer, safer environment that supports both wellbeing and academic achievement.

'Many of these policies are in response to direct feedback from parents, students and staff, and aim to enhance the overall educational experience of our children and young people, with health, safety and safeguarding remaining paramount.

'We know that new approaches can take time to embed, and we are listening carefully to feedback from parents, students and staff. Where sensible refinements are needed, we are making them.

'However, we remain confident that these changes will help ensure our school continues to be a place where children can thrive and so we will be working closely with our school community to support this.'
Millennial saint Carlo Acutis has a surprising connection to two other saints within the Catholic church - and family ties to a pioneering Italian mathematician.

British-born Carlo was to be canonised on September 7 after the Vatican recognised him as having performed two miracles since his death in 2006.

Ahead of the ceremony in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, Acutis' mother told The Times of her son's connections through history on both sides of the family.

Antonia Salzano Acutis, 58, said that, on her side, her son was related to Giulia Salzano and Caterina Volpicelli, both saints giving the family a place in the church.

On his father's side, computer whiz Carlo was related to Paolo Ruffini, an 18th century Italian mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of algebra.

Carlo, who died from leukaemia aged 15, became known as 'God's influencer' after his death, remembered as an ardent follower of Christ who used his digital fluency to document miracles and help maintain faith-based websites.

'We have saintly roots and mathematical roots, and the result was Carlo,' his mother explained to the Times.

The remains of Blessed Carlo Acutis lay in his tomb in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore on March 18, 2025 in Assisi, Italy

Carlo's nannies claim he was inspired in part by St Francis of Assisi, who was born in the same town Carlo was laid to rest

Pilgrims pray and pay their respects at the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore on March 18, 2025 in Assisi

What are the five steps to becoming a saint? Five-year wait: Five years usually needs to have passed after someone's death for the process to begin. This allows for a period of reflection on the case. Servant of God: The bishop of the diocese where the person has died investigates whether their life was holy enough to be deemed a 'servant of God'. Life of heroic virtue: The Congregation for the Causes of Saints looks at the case. If they approve it is passed onto the Pope, who declares the subject a person of 'heroic virtue'. Beatification: A miracle needs to happen to a person who has prayed to the person in question. Canonisation: A second miracle is attributed to the person who has been beatified. Advertisement

Giulia Salzano, a relation on Carlo's maternal grandfather's side, founded the Catechetical Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus near Naples before she died in 1929. She was canonised and became a saint in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.

Carlo's maternal grandmother, meanwhile, was related to Caterina Volpicelli, who founded the Maids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Naples. She was canonised in 2009.

Antonia Salzano, his mother, said her son had a 'special relationship' with God from an early age, even though her family was not particularly devout.

Despite her saintly connections, she had only ever been to mass three times before Carlo began dragging her to church at the age of three and a half.

Carlo was born in London in 1991 and grew up in Milan, where he took care of his parish website and later that of a Vatican-based academy.

Carlo was a child of his time, a digital native who quickly understood how he could use the internet to help lift the word of God.

A fan of computer games, Acutis taught himself basic coding at the age of nine and used it to document miracles and other elements of the Catholic faith online.

The youngster even limited himself to one hour of video games each day so that he could devote more time to his religion. 'Every minute wasted is one less minute to glorify God,' his mother said previously.

He set up a website, 'The Eucharistic Miracles of the World', where he researched and documented miracles attributed with the Eucharist.

Ruffini, who lived from 1765 until 1822, is remembered for his contributions in algebra

Carlo's mother Antonia Salzano (pictured) refers to her late son as her 'savior' as Carlo taught her more and more about his faith and credits him with her conversion into Christianity

Carlo Acutis, an Italian boy who died in 2006 of leukemia, lies in state ahead of being beatified by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, in Assisi

People visit the tomb of Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 aged 15, April 10, 2025

The website says it 'aimed at confirming faith in the real presence of the body and blood of the Lord in the Eucharist'.

Speaking to the Times, Ms Salzano links Carlo's logical brain to his father's side of the family tree.

Carlo's English-Italian father was working in the UK as a merchant banker when he his son was born.

The young saint's paternal grandmother was born in London to English and Polish parents.

There was also an Italian link. On that side of the family, Carlo is related to Paolo Ruffini.

Ruffini, who lived from 1765 until 1822, is remembered for his contributions in algebra.

He proved that there is no such general solution for a polynomial equation of order five or higher.

During a transformative time in European politics, Ruffini also found himself appointed a representative to the Junior Council of the newly-formed Cisalpine Republic that emerged in summer 1797 in the wake of Napoleon's early trials in Italy.

Ruffini refused to take a civil oath of allegiance to the new republic on religious grounds, and was then banned from public office and teaching.

He carried on regardless, studying in private until Napoleon's defeat, which allowed him to return to academia.

Carlo (pictured) was a devout Christian when he was alive and attended daily mass

Souvenirs and mementos of the Blessed Carlo Acutis for sale in a shop in Assisi

The Italian teenager dubbed "God's Influencer" for his efforts to spread the Catholic faith online will become the first Millennial saint on September 7

Domenico Sorrentino, bishop of Assisi, called on young people on Friday to follow the young Acutis's example.

'Today more than ever we need positive examples, exemplary life stories that can help our young people avoid following discouraging images, violent examples, and fleeting fads that leave nothing behind,' he said in a statement published by the diocese.

Ms Salzano said her son's gift was in seeing that 'each person is unique and unrepeatable, originals and not photocopies, as Carlo used to say'.

The Vatican has recognised Acutis as performing two miracles since his death - a necessary step on the path to sainthood.

The first was the healing of a Brazilian child suffering from a rare pancreatic malformation, the second the recovery of a Costa Rican student seriously injured in an accident.

In both cases, relatives had prayed for help from the teenager, who was beatified in 2020 by Pope Francis.

Over 800 people will be travelling to Rome on a special train from Assisi for the canonisation of the so-called 'cyber-apostle', which begins at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) on Sunday.
Republican lawmakers are scrambling to rebrand President Trump's signature tax package after it bombed with voters this summer, desperately trying to salvage their messaging before reaching midterm election season.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair and pollster Tony Fabrizio met with lawmakers privately on Capitol Hill this week to discuss how they can better convince their constituents that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will benefit their pocketbooks.

The instruction: Less BBB, more tax cuts and families.

'All of the polling people that come and talk to the conference are saying 'working families now,' one senior GOP House staffer shared with the Daily Mail. He admitted his boss called the relabel 'f***ing awesome' because so many constituents are 'terrified about losing Medicaid.'

'It's a really smart play,' he added, 'we've got to stop talking about the One Big, Beautiful Bill.'

Recently, the White House has been referring to the GOP megabill as the 'Working Families Tax Cut' after polling for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act began falling and Republicans at town halls in their districts began catching flak for the legislation.

Much of the outrage has come over cuts to Medicaid, which will result in close to 8 million people losing their coverage, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The bill could take coverage away from 16 million people in total.

The $3.4 trillion GOP-backed law has found a largely negative reception from voters. Pew Research said nearly half of the 3,500 Americans it polled last month, 46 percent, disapproved of the package while just 32 percent approved. Weeks before it passed a Fox News survey found 59 percent of registered voters opposed it and 38 percent supported it.

President Donald Trump, joined by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), speaks to the press at the U.S. Capitol following a House Republican conference meeting, in Washington, DC on May 20, 2025. Trump first came up with the name for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

The massive measure, signed into law during a July 4 ceremony shown above, approved tax cuts, funding for the U.S. border, cuts to SNAP and Medicaid and more

White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf (center), and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (L) at the Captiol earlier this year when Trump convinced lawmakers to back his bill. Leavitt and Blair were back on the Hill this week telling lawmakers how to message the package

The White House officials and Fabrizio held one meeting with lawmakers and another with top Capitol Hill staffers, an aide in the staff-wide meeting told the Daily Mail.

In the session, top aides were instructed to focus on how the bill would cut taxes. Though the sprawling package includes many provisions, including cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

One lawmaker told NOTUS the meeting was to 'focus on making sure that resources get to the right people, and stop making fun of lazy folks who live in the basements.'

The outlet reported that Fabrizio's polling found that the tax cuts were the most popular part of the measure.

'If you call it One Big Beautiful Bill, from a messaging standpoint, that doesn't tell constituents what the bill is,' a top House staffer who was in the meeting with the Trump team told the Daily Mail.

'We need to tell the constituents what the bill is. And from a top-line standpoint, the working families tax cut is the largest substance of the bill.'

Democrats had similar issues years ago when former President Joe Biden's signature Build Back Better package passed.

That similarly monstrous measure cost $2.2. Trillion over ten years, according to the CBO.

'The issue that I'm finding here with both Build Back Better and One Big Beautiful Bill is that they're so broad that anyone can say anything about them,' a former Democratic staffer told the Daily Mail.

The ambiguous titles have led to jumbled counter-messaging, the source shared.

A sign that reads 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' is seen by a desk after the House of Representatives passed the US President Donald Trump's tax bill at the U.S. Capitol

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt held private sessions with lawmakers and their staff on how to message the Trump bill that was passed in July

Speaker Mike Johnson has also been referring to the package as the 'Working Families Tax Cut' after calling it by the other name for months

'Every Dem in Congress has probably had a different name for how to pejoratively call this bill. They called it the big ugly bill, the big bulls*** bill, the big beautiful betrayal.'

Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his caucus have likened the legislation to a tax cut for the ultra-wealthy while crushing average Americans.

'The House Republican One Big Ugly Bill rips healthcare away from millions of people and is deeply unpopular,' he wrote this week.

Christina Reynolds, a Democratic communicator who worked for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, noted how liberals should 'keep calling it the name they're trying to move beyond.'

A recent poll from the Job Creators Network Foundation found that many small business owners had gaps in awareness of what the Trump-backed bill really does.

Up to a quarter of the small business owners were unaware that the measure included tax rate reductions.

Republicans, however, have picked up on how to sell the package, the Democrat source shared.

'The only thing that every Republican agrees on is tax cuts, and particularly tax cuts for the rich,' the Democrat shared.

It takes time to learn how to best message major, multi-trillion-dollar legislative packages, the senior GOP staffer who was in the meeting with Leavitt, Blair and Fabrizio said.

He noted the measure needed time to 'marinate' so that pollsters like Fabrizio could get an accurate read on how Americans are perceiving the policies.

'We passed one of the most historic pieces of legislation, and we need to be able to tell people what it is,' the staffer said.
As the most famous conjoined twins in living memory, Abby and Brittany Hensel have repeatedly confounded our assumptions about the limits of what they could do.

However, nothing has caused as much surprise  and, among their many admirers, joy, too - as the photo that emerged of them last month loading a baby in a car seat into the back of a black Tesla in a parking lot in Arden Hills, Minnesota, ten miles outside of Minneapolis.

In subsequent weeks, the twins have been photographed clutching the baby seat on several occasions, including one when they were chatting to a colleague outside the school - Sunnyside Elementary in New Brighton - where they now teach.

The sightings have inevitably sparked intense speculation about the 35-year-old sisters' lives.

Last year the women, who live largely out of the spotlight, made headlines when it emerged that Abby had quietly married nurse and US Army veteran Joshua Bowling, 35, three years earlier in 2021.

It was an arrangement that left many scratching their heads over just how such a relationship works.

Back in 2003, in a TV documentary series, 'Joined for Life,' the twins expressed interest in one day having children of their own but neither they nor Bowling have commented on whether this child is theirs.

However, medically, it is entirely possible.

Josh Bowling is pictured with his wife Abby Hensel and her sister Brittany at their wedding

Nothing has caused as much surprise as the photo that emerged of Abby and Brittany Hensel loading a baby in a car seat into the back of a black Tesla in a parking lot in Arden Hills, Minnesota, last month

Last year the women, who live largely out of the spotlight, made headlines when it emerged that Abby had quietly married nurse and US Army veteran Joshua Bowling three years earlier

Abby and Brittany are dicephalic parapagus twins - a rare form of conjoined twins in which they have two heads but share one body.

Though externally they appear to share one body, they have their own separate upper body systems including two hearts, two stomachs, two pairs of lungs and two spinal cords.

Yet each heart pumps blood through the same circulation system and they have a single liver and large intestine.

Similarly, they share organs below the waist, including a single reproductive system.

Although they are remarkably symmetric for conjoined twins, there are some inconsistencies in their physiology. They share three kidneys and originally shared three arms.

A rudimentary central arm was surgically removed shortly after their birth, leaving only an extra shoulder blade to which it was attached between their necks.

Because their brains and spinal cords function separately, coordinating movements for their respective sides of the body, Abby controls their right arm and leg while Brittany does the same on the left.

Brittany's leg is nearly two inches shorter than Abby's so she tends to have to stand and walk on tiptoe so they can maintain their balance.

Conceiving and giving birth sounds like a considerable challenge - until one understands what they've already had to share together and the compromises they've been prepared to make.

After all, dicephalic parapagus twins rarely survive into adulthood, let alone enjoy rich lives with careers, marriage and children.

They were born in 1990 in Carver County, Minnesota, to parents Patty, a nurse, and Mike Hensel, a carpenter and landscaper, who had no idea they were expecting twins.

Doctors later claimed the girls' heads must have been perfectly aligned during ultrasounds to conceal the fact that there were two of them.

At the birth, the twins' heads came out last. 'We all stood in silence for about 30 seconds,' recalled Dr Joy Westerdahl, the family's doctor, who assisted at the birth. 'It was extremely silent.'

More shocks followed, when the parents were told by doctors that the twins might only survive for a few hours.

However, the Hensels decided against a surgical separation after being advised that it was likely that one baby would die while the other would be left with a single arm and leg and be confined to a wheelchair.

The parents have said they never regretted their decision because Abby and Brittany thrived together.

Patty later said: 'From the first time we saw them, we thought they were beautiful.'

In 2003 the twins publicly expressed interest in one day having children of their own but neither they nor Bowling have commented on whether the new baby is theirs

Bowling seemingly confirmed that there might have been a newborn on the way after sharing a picture of a baby item on X in June

Abby's marriage to army veteran Bowling is an arrangement that has left many scratching their heads over just how such a relationship works

And speaking in 2001 her husband Mike further explained why they never chose to separate their daughters asking: 'How could you pick between the two?'

Their condition was so rare that doctors were surprised to discover that each twin controlled one side of their body and was unable to feel the other side.

However, a curious exception is stomach aches which are felt only by the twin on the opposite side.

And yet, despite so many complications, babies they learned to synchronize their movements so that they could crawl and clap.

Doctors were again dumbfounded when the little girls proved able to walk instinctively and without having to talk to each other to discuss coordination.

They can eat and write separately and simultaneously. They later added playing the piano, swimming and volleyball to their skills.

Other children struggled to cope with the concept that they were two separate people, but their parents never had the same problem and disciplined them individually.

The twins first came to national attention in 1996 when, aged five, they appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

That same month they were featured on the cover of Life magazine under the headline, 'One Body, Two Souls.'

However, the family has always had an ambivalent relationship with public attention and, for the most part, the twins grew up quietly in their tiny hometown of New Germany, Minnesota.

The young twins, who had radically different ambitions in life - Abby wanted to be a dentist, Brittany a pilot - reportedly only once raised the sensitive subject of being separated.

The matter came up when the girls were 12 and Brittany fell ill with pneumonia, a condition which put Abby's health at severe risk and saw them hospitalized.

Abby remained healthy but got bored lying in bed and suggested separation. She later said she saw that Brittany was so upset she promised herself that she would never talk about it again.

In 2003, they appeared in the documentary, 'Joined For Life,' in which their mother revealed they were interested in having children one day, saying: 'That is probably something that could work because those organs do work for them.'

Brittany concurred, saying: 'Yeah, we're going to be moms. We haven't thought about how being moms is going to work yet. But we're just 16  we don't need to think about that right now.'

Then, in 2012, the twins returned with their own eight-episode reality TV series, 'Abby & Brittany,' on TLC.

They were 22 and truly inspiring - surrounded by a gaggle of supportive friends and about to graduate from Minnesota's Bethel University with degrees in education.

Their parents had raised them to believe they could do anything they wanted to.

Abby and Brittany have two heads, two brains, two spinal cords, and two hearts, which are part of a shared circulatory system. Speaking in 2001 their father Mike explained why he and wife Patty never chose to separate their daughters asking: 'How could you pick between the two?'

The young twins, who had radically different ambitions in life - Abby wanted to be a dentist, Brittany a pilot

Abby and Brittany are pictured holding their separate birthday cakes when they celebrated their 22nd birthday

Endlessly giggly and finishing each other's sentences, they were clearly very different personalities.

Abby was more stubborn and outspoken while Brittany was the wise-cracking, easy-going 'homebody,' who rarely won discussions about what they'd wear each day.

Brittany preferred rural life, Abby the city. Yet, just like when they'd been children, they rarely argued and when one had an itch, the other would obligingly scratch it for her.

By 2012, they had learnt to drive  each taking a separate test and receiving their own license.

'Abby does the pedals and the gear shifter, I take the blinkers and the lights, we both steer,' explained Brittany. 'But she likes driving faster than me.'

Teaching fifth-grade math at school - where they shared a salary - posed another intriguing challenge but they had at least one advantage over a teacher with only one pair of eyes.

Brittany said: 'One can be teaching and one can be monitoring and answering questionsso in that sense we can do more than one person.'

Although they came across on TV as eternally optimistic, being conjoined twins certainly has its downsides.

Unsurprisingly, they hate gawkers staring at them. But that hasn't put the plucky pair off traveling. They've been to Europe and the UK several times and reportedly even did a teacher training stint in London.

They are always on guard for people trying to sneak pictures of them and resent being asked intrusive questions about their private lives.

When Abby married Bowling, she did so in a ceremony so small and private that the media didn't find out about it for three years.

It still isn't known how the twins met the former army medic who served in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan and has a daughter, Isabella, from a previous marriage.

Bowling was also hit by a paternity suit by ex-wife Annica Bowling in 2023 that related to a second child born in 2020. A genetic test determined that he is not the father of the child.

It still isn't known how the twins met the former army medic who served in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan and has a daughter, Isabella, from a previous marriage. (Pictured: Bowling with ex-wife Annica Bowling)

The twins' ability to wring every possibility out of life is astonishing and it's clear that their parents have fed that positive outlook.

In 1996, when asked in an interview with Life magazine if his girls might one day find husbands, their father Mike said he saw no reason why not.

'They're good-looking girls. They're witty,' he said. 'They've got everything going for them, except' and he paused'they're together.'

Nearly 30 years later, they're still together and, with the arrival of a baby, seem to be embarking on the next exciting chapter of their extraordinary lives.
A young shop assistant with a wispy beard and a Beverly Hills sweatshirt inspects the device that has just been handed to him over the counter.

His eyes widen as he reads the message displayed on the home screen: This phone has been stolen. Please return.

It couldnt be more obvious. Oh, you stole this one? he asks, with a wry grin.

The man he is speaking to is a total stranger, who has just walked into his second-hand electronics store in Ilford, east London, and asked simply: Do you buy phones? before handing him what appears to be a pilfered handset.

Minutes later, after a brief discussion over what the device is worth, the apparent thief is offered 20 for his wares.

It matters not that it seems to be stolen.

Sadly, this sordid transaction is happening on an unprecedented scale up and down the country.

Except on this occasion, the man selling the device is not in fact a thief but a Mail on Sunday reporter posing as a phone snatcher.

Britons everywhere are being terrorised by moped gangs swiping their phones at will, with more than 116,000 stolen in London alone last year  equivalent to 320 every day

Britons everywhere are being terrorised by moped gangs and pickpockets swiping their phones at will, with more than 116,000 stolen in London alone last year  equivalent to 320 every day.

Some 80 per cent of devices stolen in the capital end up abroad, in countries such as Algeria and China. But today, our undercover investigation reveals a thriving domestic market, with seemingly respectable high-street retailers buying pilfered handsets from brazen thieves.

Shocking footage, filmed with a hidden camera, shows:

Phone repair shops handing over stacks of cash to our undercover reporter in exchange for what they believe to be stolen phones;

One store admitting that they often had criminals coming into their shop with stolen devices, which they bought in bulk even though they knew it was illegal;

A shop assistant encouraging our reporter to steal one of the latest Samsung models, as these could be unlocked and sold at a higher price.

In many cases, phones that cant be unlocked are destined to be stripped for their batteries and glass screens  the only reusable parts  and these will be used in the UK to refurbish handsets that need repair, handed in by unsuspecting owners.

Last night, in response to the findings, MPs accused the shameless shopkeepers of enabling a rampant crime wave, while the Metropolitan Police condemned unscrupulous shop owners who are willing to deal knowingly in these stolen goods.

The MoS's undercover reporter found two shops on Ilford Lane that offered to buy used iPhone 13s, which we had altered using Apples Find My app so that the home screen displayed a message saying that they had been stolen

Conservative home affairs spokesperson Alicia Kearns said: Phone snatching is a cowardly crime. All credit to The Mail on Sunday for exposing these shop owners, whose personal greed fuels those committing the thefts.

The Daily Mail revealed in July that county lines gangs have turned to snatching phones alongside dealing drugs due to booming demand and softer sentences for those who are caught.

Gang leaders are grooming young foot soldiers to steal phones, often using specially adapted e-bikes that can reach 70mph.

Our probe set out to investigate the next step in the supply chain  the middlemen fuelling this criminal epidemic.

To do so, we sent an undercover reporter to Ilford Lane, east London, after receiving a tip-off that the area was a hotbed for the illicit trade. This chaotic street is littered with just under a mile of electronics stores and second-hand shops.

A short trawl through social media reveals various reports of people having their phones stolen from central London before ending up here.

One journalist from The London Standard said her iPhone was snatched from her pocket on Charing Cross Road before its tracking app showed that it had been taken to Ilford just a few hours later.

We soon found two shops on Ilford Lane that offered to buy our used iPhone 13s, which we had altered using Apples Find My app so that the home screen displayed a message saying that they had been stolen.

The phones were locked, so the staff said they could not be resold  only stripped for parts.

At the first store, Unitech, a worker appeared cautious upon seeing that the iPhone had been reported as stolen.

A shop worker at Unitech appeared cautious upon seeing that the iPhone had been reported as stolen. He encouraged our reporter to return the device to the owner, or call the police. Ultimately, however, he said he would pay 10 for the device...

When our reporter returned to the store two days later, the same worker said that he may be able to make a deal if we could bring him a batch of ten phones

He encouraged our reporter to return the device to the owner, or call the police, but added that this option would make trouble.

Ultimately, however, he said he would pay 10 for the device.

When our reporter returned to the store two days later, the same worker said that he might be able to make a deal if we could bring him a batch of ten phones.

The second store, Amader World, had no hesitations.

Upon inspecting the device, a young shop assistant named Haider, from Lahore, Pakistan, smiled as he asked our reporter: Oh, you stole this one?

He offered 20 for the phone, adding: We can only sell this for spare parts like the screen and battery No one can get it unlocked. No one can do it. It is blocked by Apple.

On a second visit to the shop, our undercover reporter again offered further business and enquired if he could get a better price for more recent models.

Haider broke into a laugh as he replied: I think you have good connections with the robbers.

Haider explained that he could pay 40 for a locked iPhone 16  the latest model  but encouraged the MoS journalist to steal one of the latest Samsung phones.

Those ones we can unlock. You can sell for good money, he said.

He gave a wry smile and nodded when our reporter asked if he had many lads like me coming to the shop.

Haider said that thieves would sometimes come in with just one phone, but often they would have four or five. But his manager, a man named Ahmed, from Bangladesh, warned that it was dangerous work.

He recalled how a phone thief had recently been stabbed to death at a shopping centre in Stratford after coming out of a phone shop loaded with cash from his latest sale.

Were a new store and we need the parts, Ahmed said, speaking in Urdu. Thats why we buy them. It is illegal to buy them.

Our investigation reveals a thriving domestic market, with seemingly respectable high-street retailers buying pilfered handsets from brazen thieves

We sold three iPhone 13s to Amader World at 20 each, and one to Unitech for 10. If unlocked, the devices are worth about 200. Police say thieves can pocket up to 400 for a top model like an iPhone 16 Pro Max, which retails new at around 1,000.

But this is only if the criminals can unlock it, which depends on whether they can snatch the phone from a victims hands before it is locked, or if a hacker can breach its security.

Amader World did not explain why this was possible with a Samsung phone, but not an iPhone.

Foreign resellers will often use local hackers for hire for around 40 a phone, but many at home and abroad may deploy more rudimentary methods.

Phishing attempts, in which victims are duped into parting with passwords and other sensitive data, are common, while death threats to the original owner are often reported to police.

When the MoS confronted Amader World with its evidence, its manager initially denied having previously bought stolen phones. But when shown a transcript of the conversation, Ahmed said: OK, we [won't] buy next time. If they are stolen, we [won't] buy any phone.

When the MoS returned to Unitech, a different shop assistant was on duty. He said he properly checked all phones before purchasing and refused to buy stolen handsets, but didnt know why his colleague had done so.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: It is despicable that shops are knowingly buying stolen phones. This is fuelling the epidemic of phone theft that has been unleashed in London under Sadiq Khan.

At Amader World, a young shop assistant offered our reporter 20 for a stolen phone, saying: We can only sell this for spare parts like the screen and battery No one can get it unlocked. No one can do it. It is blocked by Apple

Shops buying phones are handling stolen goods and should be ruthlessly prosecuted.

Police chiefs are calling on cloud providers Apple and Google to install a kill switch that would effectively render phones useless when reported stolen.

It is argued that this could cut demand overnight as the phone would hold little value.

The Mail on Sundays investigation shows there is still a market for locked devices, albeit a less profitable one involving stripping phones for parts.

Amader World explained that they could either use parts from locked phones to repair others that were brought into the store, or sell them directly to UK firms that specialise in refurbishing devices.

These legitimate companies will likely have no idea that they are buying parts from stolen handsets, nor will the customers who then purchase their refurbished phones.

In other cases, stolen devices will be passed on to handlers who package them for export to an international hub, where they are sold in bulk.

Just under a third of phones stolen in London are sent to Algeria, while 20 per cent end up in China.

The Daily Mail previously tracked a phone snatched from an estate agent in Baker Street, central London, to a high-rise block in Hong Kong, where it ended up alongside hundreds of thousands of other handsets.

Phone thefts are estimated to cost Brits at least 67million a year. London is the epicentre, with 75 per cent of phone thefts, but the problem is nationwide, with every major police force recording thousands of stolen phones every year.

Conservative home affairs spokesperson Alicia Kearns says: Phone snatching is a cowardly crime. All credit to The Mail on Sunday for exposing these shop owners, whose personal greed fuels those committing the thefts

In recent years, police have raided phone shops in Manchester and Birmingham, seizing hundreds of stolen devices and tens of thousands of pounds.

Even rural areas such as Suffolk, Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire cannot escape the problem.

A Met spokesman said: Criminal gangs are driving phone theft in London, shipping many overseas, with this criminality also fuelled by unscrupulous shop owners who are willing to deal knowingly in these stolen goods.

Were doing more than ever to tackle the issue, including an intensified period of action over summer, targeted patrols, plain-clothed operations in hotspot areas and improved use of phone-tracking data and intelligence.

This is starting to have an impact, with incidents involving theft from a person down by 16 per cent and personal robbery down by 13 per cent compared to the same period last year.

A spokesman for Google, which provides the operating system for Android phones, including Samsung, said it has invested in advanced theft protection features, including the industrys first theft detection lock and offline device lock, to help prevent theft and block stolen devices.

A Samsung spokesman said the company had industry-leading security features that render phones unusable if stolen.

He added: We recognise how distressing phone theft can be and are working closely with the Home Office and industry partners to combat this complex issue.

Apple says it has been working on this issue for more than the last decade and has made significant investments in theft-prevention tools.
Margaret Thatchers infamous rigidity of thinking, social awkwardness, lack of humour and perceived rudeness proved a mighty challenge for three men who would turn her from an electoral liability into an icon: TV producer Gordon Reece, playwright Ronald Millar and adman Tim Bell.

The Iron Lady nicknamed them the laughing boys, a nod to the trios arrival for lunch at her flat in July 1978  just nine months before the General Election campaign that brought her to power as prime minister  having already downed two bottles of champagne between them at a local pub.

Mrs Thatcher was wise enough to know she needed their expertise. Without them, she almost certainly would not have been elected, nor could she have sustained her leadership over a period of 11 years.

Reece dreamt up photo opportunities showing the would-be prime minister baking cakes, shopping and washing up. He wanted to mould her into what was later described as a softly spoken, intimate, woman-next-door, a political Avon lady  so voters would not be scared of her.

In office, Millar wrote some of her most famous lines, including: You turn if you want to, the ladys not for turning

And Bell, head of accounts at the Saatchi advertising agency, presented her with her winning campaign slogan Labour isnt working.

Why was Mrs Thatcher so reliant on the three marketeers? As a humble grocers daughter who in 1975 became the first woman to lead the Conservatives, she was a woman from the wrong class in a Parliament dominated by upper-class men.

As a humble grocers daughter who in 1975 became the first woman to lead the Conservatives, Margaret Thatcher was a woman from the wrong class in a Parliament dominated by upper-class men

But it was her manner more than her background which people found off-putting  voters included.

David Howell, a Minister in the Heath, Thatcher and Cameron governments, remembers:

[Ted] Heath was a great entertainer and he was always having parties down at his home in Broadstairs. Margaret would be asked along and, as ridiculous as this sounds now, one always felt sorry for her.

She was a loner, not very good at chatting and inclined to lecture people. She wasnt really in the swim and most of us saw her as over-obsessed with ideas.

These traits might be characteristic of someone who is very driven, determined and single-minded, but they also point intriguingly towards autism, a condition widely recognised today, but one which was only given a name by the Austrian American psychiatrist Leo Kanner in 1943, the year Mrs Thatcher went up to Oxford.

Of course, it is impossible to diagnose individuals retroactively  and autism is notoriously difficult to classify in any case, being part of a spectrum  but allow me a little informed speculation.

In researching and writing a new biography of Mrs Thatcher, I have spoken to many who knew her and have also been fortunate enough to gain access to around 150 private letters exchanged by her and her older sister, Muriel Cullen.

Starting in her teenage years, the letters contain detailed, almost obsessive descriptions of her clothing and of movies she has seen  and later, extensive but painfully dull details of her exploits at Oxford and in the foothills of politics.

Its hard not to conclude that they represent what experts might term the special or restricted interests those with this kind of neurodevelopmental condition frequently display.

The young Margaret (pictured, left, with her sister Muriel) was not popular at school and found it hard to make friends

The young Margaret was not popular at school. She found it hard to make friends and was perhaps a bit too eager and intense, inclined to be a know-it-all, her hand always up first in class, as Robin Harris, one of Mrs Thatchers speechwriters, observed in his book Not For Turning.

According to one of her biographers, Penny Junor, she tended to put a bit of a damper on their fun, to the extent that some of her classmates would walk a different route to school, so as not to meet up with her on the way.

Margaret wasnt offended by other girls behaviour towards her: she supposedly had notoriously thick skin. Or perhaps, in reality, she lacked the ability to read verbal and non-verbal clues, another characteristic prevalent among those on the autism spectrum.

Its reasonable to speculate that if diagnosed today, Mrs Thatcher would almost certainly be classified as a level 1 on the Autism Spectrum Scale, meaning her symptoms allow her to be fully functioning.

Until just over a decade ago, this mild form of autism was known as Aspergers and some campaigners or Aspies argue that theyd like to return to the old terminology to promote a greater understanding of levels of neurodiversity.

Aged nine, she famously told her primary school headmistress, who congratulated her on her luck at winning a prize: I wasnt lucky, I deserved it. Even then, she seems to have been unable to comprehend that she might come across as arrogant or patronising.

From Oxford, she wrote to Muriel that at a Conservative meeting I gave my paper on agricultural policy, which was a staggering success. There is no tongue in her cheek. Charles Moore, her official biographer, describes her as literal-minded.

The Roberts family when Alfred was Mayor of Grantham. Margaret was groomed for success by their father, probably because Muriel (left) lacked Margarets singularity of purpose (for which read neurodiversity) and showed far less interest in school work

She was by all accounts incapable of telling anything but the truth, and she saw the world in black and white, without nuance.

She admitted this herself in her memoirs: I was perplexed by the metaphorical element of phrases like, Look before you leap. I thought it would be far better to say, Look before you cross.

This confusion over such metaphors and idioms and not always understanding hidden meanings or inference and taking phrases literally is among the core characteristics of autism, according to the National Autistic Society.

In the most infamous example of this she failed to understand the witty rejoinder written for her by Ronald Millar, referring to the then prime minister James Callaghan, who, invoking Moses, had said that the nation would enter the promised land.

When Millar gave the kicker to her riposte  Keep taking the tablets  she argued: Ronnie, nobody calls them tablets any more. Well say, Keep taking the Pill.

Mrs Thatcher famously had little or no conventional sense of humour. She struggled to understand jokes, double entendre or implication.

Ferdinand Mount, another of her former speechwriters, described his time working for her at No 10 in his memoir Cold Cream as a holiday from irony.

Pictured when she was leader of the Opposition, Mrs Thatchers biographer Tina Gaudoin says that her biggest problem socially, and sometimes politically, was that she could never read the room

It was well known that she was resistant to humour, often had to have jokes explained to her, he says.

But she was also indifferent to most of the tricks of paradox, ambiguity, understatement and saying the opposite of what you mean, which pepper the talk of almost everyone else in the country.

Ad-man Tim Bell also detailed a delicate situation that arose when he was called upon to illuminate Mrs Thatcher as to why she was never to use the term pussy  as in: The trouble with Mr Callaghan is he couldnt even organise pussy.

Whats wrong with pussy, dear? What do you think it means? she asked Bell, to the delight of other Ministers present.

The one thing she definitely lacked throughout her political career was a sense of humour, agrees Jonathan Aitken, former MP for Thanet East, who dated the PMs daughter, Carol. She was notorious for not getting the joke.

She was especially unamused when she heard on the grapevine that Aitken was making his own jokes at her expense, once suggesting, when lamenting her lack of foreign policy nous, that the PM thought Sinai is the plural of sinus.

She most certainly did not find that funny, Aitken says, ruefully.

According to Claire Jack, an expert in women with autism spectrum disorder, those with autism may take things literally and are less likely to engage in laughter purely for the sake of social interaction.

Perhaps its not so much that autistic people find things less funny  they may just not respond to the same social cues to laugh at things out of politeness or manners, she writes.

The unfiltered directness of people who are neurodiverse can sometimes cause them to be unintentionally cruel.

Even as a child, Mrs Thatcher was unsparing in her descriptions of the way people looked or dressed: The new games mistress is not young as we have been used to having. Her name is Miss Dales and she looks about 30; and the history mistress is very disappointing. She is quite middle-aged and very dowdy in dress, she wrote to her sister Muriel.

In 1948, she described to Muriel the Colchester landlady with whom she was living while working in her first job at British Xylonite Plastics: To our surprise Mrs Mac [Macaulay] looked completely out of place  in fact, she looked rather tarty  not so much in dress as in behaviour and of course her figure doesnt help.

Later in life, her directness would make others feel uncomfortable, but leave her unfazed. She was utterly incapable of feeling embarrassment. Ive seen her say and do things that no other person would, says Charles Powell, her former private secretary.

Her press secretary, the irascible Bernard Ingham, once called her the most tactless woman I have ever met. And he spoke as a loyal friend.

Mrs Thatchers press secretary, the irascible Bernard Ingham (pictured), once called her the most tactless woman I have ever met. And he spoke as a loyal friend

She was no more sparing of her sister Muriels feelings than anyone else. Many people with an autism diagnosis dont do empathy, in the same way that they dont do tears at the expected moments.

Even those closest to Mrs Thatcher can count on one hand the number of times they saw her cry. Writing to Muriel in November 1948, she references Eric whom you thought was rather nice?

This is likely code for the fact that Muriel has, in more modern parlance, the hots for Eric. And yet Margaret fails to see how her subsequent words or actions might wound her sister.

Well, she continues triumphantly, hes coming to supper tomorrow evening.

She then writes again to Muriel with further details: Eric Derbyshire turned out to be a bit of a bore  hes rather inclined to talk as if hes in the pulpit half the time and hes very self-righteous.

A supreme irony, given that this is precisely the criticism that later in life many of her political opponents would level against her.

The biggest tell is probably her inability to master social situations. A characteristic of autistic spectrum disorder is that sufferers often find it difficult to understand how others think or feel.

Biographer Tina Gaudoin says that to compensate for her seeming inability to make friends at Oxford and throughout the rest of her life, Margaret would focus on her passions: politics, religion and  surprisingly, perhaps  her appearance

Margarets seeming lack of empathy or tact would make her life a lonely one: You couldnt get close to her, Betty Spice, a college mate, told Charles Moore, while another described her as not easy to know.

A great many of her relationships were transactional  she was like a sponge, says an acquaintance of both Margaret and her husband, Denis.

She would learn all she could and then discard that person. She didnt seem to have a clue about the idea of friendship in the same way that most women would.

Her biggest problem socially, and sometimes politically, was that she could never read the room. Indeed, what sometimes came across as arrogance or coldness was often her inability to understand what to do or say in informal social situations.

She wasnt one for small talk, says Caroline Slocock, who spent two years as her private secretary.

Anne Hamilton, wife of Archie Hamilton (her former Parliamentary Private Secretary and then Armed Forces Minister from 1988 to 1993), who spent a great deal of time with her during her later years, agrees.

She was actually very happy to chat, but you needed to get her on to something she actually had an interest in or passion for  that could have been anything from getting aid into Romania to historic houses or antique china.

Former Conservative MP and Cabinet Minister Oliver Letwin, who worked for Mrs Thatcher in the 1980s, says she could be impossible to deal with.

She would talk over you all the time and you never got the sense she was listening to what you said. But you would later discover she had taken in exactly what you had said. And there were only important subjects. She had absolutely no small talk whatsoever. And I mean none.

To compensate for her seeming inability to make friends at Oxford and throughout the rest of her life, she would focus on her passions: politics, religion and  surprisingly, perhaps  her appearance.

One of her contemporaries at Oxford recalled that her preoccupation with her appearance caused amusement. She went to the most expensive hairdresser in Oxford [Andreas] and spent the days during the [vacation] combing the West End for suitable dresses.

The one thing she definitely lacked throughout her political career was a sense of humour, agrees Jonathan Aitken, former MP for Thanet East. She was notorious for not getting the joke.

And as far as the young Margaret was concerned there was nothing wrong with that. The essence of the well-dressed woman should never be exaggerated, she later told Vogue in 1985 (she appeared in the magazine four times in total).

Appearance is the first impression people get of you. And it does matter. It matters tremendously when you represent your country abroad.

A common trait of the neurodivergent thinker is to use an obsession or fascination as a distraction in what they may perceive as a crazy, out-of-control world. It seems perfecting her appearance may have played that role for the prime minister.

Before what appears to be an important series of four Oxford evening events, she wrote hurriedly and without nicety to Muriel, embellishing her notepaper with SOS to request the pearls because I shall be wearing black two-piece for [event] one and three and black dinner frock for the second the most important things are the pearls which will have to be sent off straight away  if they are to reach me by Friday.

I have been to a very smart dressmaker here with my velvet and she promised to make it up before the end of term. Send Vogue when you have finished with it, she directed impatiently, finishing another letter to Muriel and underlining the imperative.

The sunny-tempered Muriel also had potential, but it was Margaret who was groomed for success by their father, probably because Muriel lacked Margarets singularity of purpose (for which read neurodiversity) and showed far less interest in school work.

In 1975, in a rare interview, Muriel said that at school she regarded Margaret as a nuisance because she was always being held up by her teachers as an example.

Charles Moore, writing in The Spectator on Muriels death in early December 2004, described the relationship between the sisters as reminiscent of those bits in the Sherlock Holmes stories in which Sherlocks brother Mycroft is even more brilliant than the famous detective, but has no inclination to pursue the thing full-time.

Mrs Thatchers innate determination reflected her straight-talking, no-nonsense, self-professed Victorian values, which she described as disciplining yourself to do what is right and important.

She expected her Cabinet Ministers, colleagues and backbenchers to do the same.

She was often disliked but I would suggest her neurodiversity left her unmoved by, and unresponsive to, the disapproval of others.

In fact her greatest virtue, in retrospect, is how little she cared if people liked her.

Labour politician Denis Healey once described her imperiousness, which reminds me very much of Catherine the Great or the Dragon Empress, who presided over the terminal decline of the Manchu Dynasty in China.

Autistic or not, I think she would have taken that as a compliment.

 Tina Gaudoin 2025
This photo taken on Sept. 6, 2025 shows tributes placed at the site of the funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal. According to reports, at least 16 people have died and 21 were injured in the accident on Wednesday at a popular tourist attraction in the capital city of Portugal. (Xinhua/Xun Wei)

LISBON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's transport accident authority confirmed Saturday that a snapped steel cable caused the Gloria Funicular derailment in downtown Lisbon, killing 16 and injuring 22.

The Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF) said the cable broke at a hidden fixation point inside Cabin No. 1. Routine visual checks earlier that day could not have detected the flaw.

Although the operator engaged both pneumatic and manual brakes, the system's design meant they could not stop the cars once the balancing cable failed. Investigators noted that the emergency mechanism cut power and triggered brakes but may not have worked on each car as intended.

The failed cable, installed less than a year ago and still within its service life, had been maintained by an external contractor. The Gloria Funicular is not directly supervised by the national transport regulator, with independent inspections only every four years.

Reconstruction showed Cabin No. 2 recoiled at about 60 kilometers per hour before derailing. A preliminary report is due within 45 days, with final conclusions expected in about a year. 

A woman mourns for the victims at the site of the funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal, Sept. 6, 2025. According to reports, at least 16 people have died and 21 were injured in the accident on Wednesday at a popular tourist attraction in the capital city of Portugal. (Xinhua/Xun Wei)

People stand next to tributes in memory of the victims at the site of the funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal, Sept. 6, 2025. According to reports, at least 16 people have died and 21 were injured in the accident on Wednesday at a popular tourist attraction in the capital city of Portugal. (Xinhua/Xun Wei)

A woman stands next to tributes in memory of the victims at the site of the funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal, Sept. 6, 2025. According to reports, at least 16 people have died and 21 were injured in the accident on Wednesday at a popular tourist attraction in the capital city of Portugal. (Xinhua/Xun Wei)

This photo taken on Sept. 6, 2025 shows tributes placed at the site of the funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal. According to reports, at least 16 people have died and 21 were injured in the accident on Wednesday at a popular tourist attraction in the capital city of Portugal. (Xinhua/Xun Wei)

A woman mourns for the victims at the site of the funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal, Sept. 6, 2025. According to reports, at least 16 people have died and 21 were injured in the accident on Wednesday at a popular tourist attraction in the capital city of Portugal. (Xinhua/Xun Wei)

People stand in front of the site of the funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal, Sept. 6, 2025. According to reports, at least 16 people have died and 21 were injured in the accident on Wednesday at a popular tourist attraction in the capital city of Portugal. (Xinhua/Xun Wei)

A woman places flowers in tribute of the victims at the site of the funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal, Sept. 6, 2025. According to reports, at least 16 people have died and 21 were injured in the accident on Wednesday at a popular tourist attraction in the capital city of Portugal. (Xinhua/Xun Wei)
Angela Rayner's lawyers increased the price of her constituency home by over 150,000 after an 'error was made', new documents reveal.

The official value of the axed Deputy Prime Minister's Ashton-under-Lyne house was increased by family lawyers from 487,500 to 650,000 last April, Land Registry papers show, as mystery continues to surround the property's price.

Fresh doubts have been raised over the valuation under which she sold a stake to her disabled sons trust to buy a seaside flat in Hove.

She bought the detached house in Greater Manchester for 375,000 in 2016 along with her then husband, Mark, but its 650,000 costing is significantly higher than similar properties in the area.

The documents, uncovered by The Sun, raise further questions about the former housing secretary's property affairs, after she was forced to resign following a standards report that concluded she broke the ministerial code after underpaying 40,000 of stamp duty on her three-bedroom Hove home.

Ms Rayner's Ashton property was originally valued at 487,500 in May 2023 but a new document, sent by Swiitch lawyers to the Land Registry, said an error had been made and it only accounted for 75 per cent of its worth.

The documents also contained an apology for the 'original error'.

Swiitch, a conveyancing firm, said an 'administrative error was made which bears no wider significance' when lodging papers with the land registry.

Angela Rayner 's lawyers increased the price of her constituency home by over 150,000 after an 'error was made', new documents reveal

The former Deputy Prime Minister was axed after she was found to have broken the ministerial code

Your browser does not support iframes.

The new valuation meant the Ashton-under-Lyne MP could sell her 25 stake in the home for 162,500, using the money as a deposit towards an 800,000 flat, her third home, in Hove, East Sussex.

Ms Rayner, who until Friday had access to a lavish grace and favour Whitehall flat in Admiralty House, was under investigation by police over claims she did not pay enough pay Capital Gains Tax on the profit of a previous Stockport home, at the time of the new valuation.

The revelation piles further misery on Ms Rayner, who has faced calls to shun her 17,000 government payoff after quitting.

She could also struggle to pay the mortgage on her new 800,000 home in Hove after having her salary slashed following her departure from Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet, it has been reported.

Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said 'her resignation does not absolve her of responsibility.

He told The Sun: 'With the tax authorities already investigating, now is the time for her to be completely transparent about this whole affair and put all the information in the public domain.'

Doubt has been cast on Ms Rayner's house valuation after it emerged that out of 44 homes sold in the street in the last five years, the most expensive was a semi-detached property which fetched 265,000  almost 400,000 less.

Meanwhile, the most recent sale of a four-bed detached house within a mile of her property was in May this year, when it fetched 425,000.

An infographic showing the houses prices over the last five years in Angela Rayner's Ashton-under-Lyne constituency

Your browser does not support iframes.

Ms Rayner could be made to hand over 40,000 to HM Revenue & Customs after admitting she should have paid more stamp duty on her new seaside flat

No property at all outside of Rayners street within a one-mile radius has sold for more than 561,000, according to analysis of Rightmove data. Estimates of the four-bed detached houses current value on property websites range from 565,000 to 637,000.

And a local estate agent told the Daily Mail it could now be worth between 527,000 and 620,000.

Ms Rayner was granted planning permission for an extension in 2021. Typical estimates say an extension could add up to 15 per cent in value.

If the property is worth less than the valuation used by Ms Rayner, it means that were it to be sold, her son risks getting less back than the trust in his name paid his mother.

The trust was set up after a compensation payout from the NHS following difficulties during his birth and subsequent care in 2008.

The red-brick house  described as imposing in an estate agents brochure when it was marketed for 400,000 in 2016  is larger than the mainly semi-detached and terraced homes in her street.

Ms Rayner resigned on Friday after it emerged that she bought the seaside Hove property for 800,000 but failed to pay the correct amount of stamp duty, underpaying HMRC by roughly 40,000.

As a result of her 'carelessness' she resigned when a report by the Government's sleaze watchdog found she had broken the Ministerial Code.

Angela Rayner's seaside property in Hove which she purchased for 800,000 but failed to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on

Sir Keir Starmer wrote Angela Rayner a farewell letter with his own fountain pen on Friday, as she resigned

The three-page handwritten letter from the Prime Minister to Angela Rayner was 268 words long

She also resigned as Housing and Communities Secretary and quit her elected role as Labour's deputy leader, prompting Sir Keir Starmer to shake up his cabinet.

In a handwritten letter, Sir Keir hailed her as the 'living embodiment of social mobility' and told her he was 'very sad to be losing you'.

The Labour MP will no longer be in receipt of her 161,409 annual salary and will instead be demoted to her basic MP's pay.

Ms Rayner will now be taking home 93,904 and her 67,505 pay as Housing Secretary will instead be paid to her replacement Steve Reed, MP for Streatham and Croydon North.

She previously revealed she had used her life savings to cobble together a downpayment on her Hove flat.

She also sold her 25 per cent stake in the family home in Ashton-under-Lyne for 162,500 and funneled that in to the 150,000 deposit.

Official documents have revealed she has a 650,000 mortgage on the seaside flat through NatWest.

Her monthly mortgage payments may be as high as 4,000, while her monthly income after tax will only come to 5,400, according to The Telegraph.

The Labour deputy stood down after she was found to have underpaid 40,000 of stamp duty

While serving as Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Rayner also lived in a three-bedroom grace-and-favour flat in Admiralty House (pictured) - which used to be home to Winston Churchill

Ms Rayner referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, on Wednesday

In contrast her take home pay each month when she was Deputy PM was almost double that at 8,100.

Ms Rayner will now also have to factor in expensive travel costs as she will have to commute to London to appear in the Commons from either Hove or Manchester now she now longer has access to her flat in Admiralty House.

Ms Rayner referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, on Wednesday, who delivered his report to Starmer on Friday.

Though Magnus concluded that Rayner had 'acted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service,' he said that 'with deep regret' she had breached the ministers code of conduct.

He said Ms Rayner was guilty of an 'unfortunate failure to settle her stamp duty liability'.

Sir Laurie said that although Ms Rayner took legal advice from two separate sources, neither was a tax expert. One warned her that she should seek specialist tax advice but she failed to do so.

As a result she paid around 30,000 in stamp duty on the flat in Hove, rather than the estimated 70,000 that was due if the property was treated as a second home.

Sir Laurie said he accepted Ms Rayner had acted in 'good faith'. But he said her failure to seek the right advice, coupled with the fact that the truth only came out as a result of 'intensive public scrutiny' by the media, meant she had failed to conduct her affairs to the 'highest possible standards' required of ministers.

'I take full responsibility for this error,' she said in her resignation letter to the Prime Minister.

'I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount.'
Texas has enacted a slate of new camper safety laws following the deaths of 27 children in catastrophic flash floods at Camp Mystic in Kerr County on July 4.

The legislation, signed Friday by Governor Greg Abbott, imposes stricter safety and emergency preparedness requirements on youth camps across the state in an effort to prevent similar tragedies.

The three new bills, signed during a ceremony at the Governor's Mansion, alongside Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, bill authors, and the families of the victims, introduces new mandates for emergency planning, camp licensing, and flood warning systems.

'Every child who goes to camp should come home to their families,' Abbott said on Friday.

'No parent should ever have to outlive their child or endure this kind of loss.'

The laws come two months after record-breaking rainfall caused deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country, killing more than 130 people, including 27 campers and counselors at the all-girls Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River.

House Bill 1, also known as the Youth CAMPER Act, requires camps to develop and annually update emergency response plans, provide evacuation training for both staff and campers, notify parents if camp facilities are located in floodplains, and coordinate those emergency plans with local emergency services.

The legislation, signed Friday, imposes stricter safety and emergency preparedness requirements on youth camps across the state in an effort to prevent similar tragedies. Pictured: Gov. Greg Abbott signs a bill alongside Sen. Charles Perry, Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick and Rep. Drew Darby during a bill signing ceremony at the Governor's Mansion on September 5, 2025 in Austin, Texas

The laws come two months after record-breaking rainfall caused deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country. Pictured: A view inside of a cabin at Camp Mystic after flash flooding in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025

While, Senate Bill 1, or the Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act, bars the state from licensing youth camps that operate cabins within FEMA-designated floodplains, except under limited circumstances.

It also mandates annual emergency planning and training and creates a publicly accessible online registry of licensed camps to improve oversight and transparency.

The third piece of new legislation, Senate Bill 3, creates a grant program through the Office of the Governor that will provide financial support to cities and counties for the installation of early-warning sirens in areas vulnerable to flash flooding.

Camps must also install emergency alert systems, have rooftop ladders in cabins located in 100-year flood zones, and relocate cabins out of floodplains - all of which will be enforced by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

The bills passed both chambers of the Legislature with bipartisan support, however, four House Republicans - Brian Harrison, David Lowe, Mike Olcott, and Wesley Virdell - voted against the legislation.

The laws were pushed forward following weeks of emotional testimony from families of the victims, emergency responders, and camp operators, where many parents expressed frustrations over a 'lack of preparedness and oversight.'

'Our children's lives were cut short because the safeguards in place were not enough,' a spokesperson for the Campaign for Camp Safety said.

'We are asking lawmakers to make sure no other family ever has to endure the pain we have lived with every day since July 4.'

More than 130 people were killed as a result of the flash-flooding, including 27 campers (pictured) and counselors at the all-girls Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River

A damaged home is seen near Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025

The laws were pushed forward following weeks of emotional testimony from families of the victims, emergency responders, and camp operators, where many parents expressed frustrations over a 'lack of preparedness and oversight.' Pictured: Parents and family of the girls lost react after the passage of a Senate Bill on August 21, 2025, in Austin, Texas

CiCi Williams Steward, whose 8-year-old daughter Cile was in attendance at Camp Mystic during the catastrophic flooding and remains missing, criticized the lack of safety protocols.

'Obvious commonsense safety measures were absent. Protocols that should have been in place were ignored,' Steward said. 'She was stolen from her family, from her future, from the world she lit up with her independence and spunk.'

Camp Mystic has voiced support for the newly-minted legislation.

In a statement, the all-girls summer camp said it would revise planning and procedures based on what it called a 'catastrophic 1,000-year weather event,' and affirmed it would never again use cabins that had previously taken on floodwaters.

All cabin floors, the statement noted, were already built outside the 100-year floodplain.

While many youth camps have backed the new regulations, some have expressed concerns over the financial burden. Three long-standing Kerr County camps warned that compliance costs could jeopardize their operations.

'The combination of devastating floods and the heavy financial burden proposed under new state regulations presents an impossible challenge,' the camps wrote.

'The costs of compliance must be met with partnership and support, not mandates that dismantle the very institutions that have nurtured children for over a century.'

Still, lawmakers insisted the changes were necessary.

While many youth camps have backed the new regulations, some have expressed concerns over the financial burden. Pictured: A view of a damaged building at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025

Many of the families in attendance at Friday's signing wore buttons reading 'Heaven's 27' in honor of their children. Pictured: A view inside of a cabin at Camp Mystic on July 5, 2025

More than 20 girls were missing from the riverside summer camp, after torrential rains caused devastating flooding that killed at least 27 people

Furnitures lie scattered inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after deadly flooding on July 5, 2025

A drone view shows the Guadalupe River and damage from flooding near Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, on July 5, 2025

'As we move forward, let us commit not only to fixing what has been broken but also to ensuring that the memory of our fallen Texans drives us to better prepare for the future,' Senator Pete Flores, vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness, said.

Many of the families in attendance at Friday's signing wore buttons reading 'Heaven's 27' in honor of their children.

Ryan DeWitt, who lost his 9-year-old daughter Molly, said the legislation should represent the floor, not the ceiling, of camp safety.

'What's being laid out in this bill should be the bare minimum for what these camps should be looking to implement.'

Johnny Stevens, who lost his 8-year-old daughter Mary Barrett Stevens, said the families' advocacy was a way to honor their children.

'We would have been doing a massive disservice to our daughters for not running with this and seeing this through. The Heaven's 27 family is a way for us to never, ever let the world forget these girls,' DeWitt said.

The new laws will be in effect before the next summer camp season begins.
Disturbing new evidence has been unearthed in the shocking Gilgo Beach murder investigation involving suspect Rex Heuermann.

Heuermann was arrested in July 2023 for a string of murders on Long Island between 1993 and 2011. He has pleaded not guilty to the murders of seven women.

It has now come to light that after his arrest, workers at Jones Beach, which is three miles from Gilgo, found a bloody glove, weathered purses, and women's clothes buried in the sand, police sources revealed to the New York Post.

The source added that the clothes were buried two feet deep and were from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Some of the clothing items had buttons ripped off, suggesting that they were forcibly torn off.

Heuermann worked as an architectural consultant in Manhattan and lived in Massapequa Park when he was arrested, but had previously worked at Jones Beach in his 20s.

Investigators believe that the alleged murderer was well acquainted with the beaches in Long Island.

The disturbing evidence was found less than two months after he was arrested during a routine beach cleaning.

A new report has revealed that a bloody glove and torn women's clothing were found three miles from Gilgo Beach

The disturbing evidence was found two months after Rex Heuermann was arrested for the murders of multiple women

Heuermann allegedly murdered seven women over the course of two decades and dumped their bodies on a remote parkway near Gilgo Beach

The workers contacted the police immediately. It's unclear if the disturbing evidence will be used in the trial and if investigators have connected the bloody glove and clothes to Heuermann.

A police source told the New York Post that the chilling discovery could be a coincidence, but that investigators were taking it seriously due to the proximity to Gilgo.

The Suffolk County Police Department told Daily Mail that none of the information came from their office and they don't comment on anonymous sources.

The released discovery comes just days after Heuermann's legal team attempted to throw out DNA evidence in a Hail Mary move.

A New York Judge ruled against the defense, concluding that prosecutors could bring up the evidence in the trial.

Prosecutors believe that new DNA testing obtained from rootless hairs links Heuermann to six of the victims.

Heuermann's defense attorney, Michael Brown, argued that the scientific technology hadn't been used in New York state before and questioned the validity of testing rootless hair samples.

Brown added that just one hair apiece linked the victims to Heuermann, with some belonging to his wife and daughter instead of him.

Judge Timothy Mazzei ruled with the prosecution on Wednesday, stating that expert testimony, peer-reviewed articles, and the use of the technology in other states made it admissible to use in New York court.

Heuermann's attorney's, Michael Brown (right) and Danielle Coysh (left) lost a bid to get DNA evidence thrown out

Brown argued that the DNA technique was never used in New York courts, but a judge ruled in favor of the prosecution

Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney celebrated the victory after the hearing, telling reporters, 'We won. The evidence is admissible. Full speed ahead for trial'.

'I think that the reason why we were able to prevail was one simple reason: The science was on our side,' he added.

Heuermann's wife, Asa Ellerup, who divorced him after his arrest, attended the hearing, but his daughter, Victoria, was absent.

A trial date hasn't yet been set, but it is anticipated next year at the earliest. The defense made a motion to break the case up into multiple trials.

The prosecution has argued that the cases are intertwined and should be tried at the same time.

Judge Mazzei said he would rule on the motion at Heuermann's next hearing on September 23.

Heuermann is in custody at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County. He was arrested over two years ago for the murders of Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, and Melissa Barthelemy.

Heuremann is charged in the deaths of Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard Barnes, Sandra Costilla, Jessica Taylor, and Valerie Mack

Investigators later charged him with the deaths of Maureen Brainard Barnes, Sandra Costilla, Jessica Taylor, and Valerie Mack.

DNA evidence was recovered linking him to six of the women, excluding Barthelemy. Tierney said that in addition to the now-admissible DNA evidence, prosecutors are prepared to present a jury with phone records, witness statements, financial records, internet searches, and phone activity.

Daily Mail has reached out to the Suffolk County Police Department for comment on the new evidence.
READ MORE: The touching tribute shark attack victim organised for a fellow surfer who died just months before his own tragic death

He had spent his last moments warning others

A surfer mauled to death by a great white shark spent his final moments warning his friends about the beast and trying to group them together for safety.

Mercury 'Merc' Psillakis, 57, was bitten in half by a five-metre shark at Dee Why, on Sydney's Northern Beaches, just after 10am on Saturday.

Mr Psillakis' close friend Toby Martin, a former pro surfer, rushed to the beach shortly after the attack alongside Mr Psillakis' wife, Maria.

'He was at the back of the pack still trying to get everyone together when the shark just lined him up,' he told the Daily Telegraph.

'It came straight from behind and breached and dropped straight on him. It's the worst-case scenario.

'They normally come from the side, but this one came straight from behind, breached and dropped on him. It was so quick.'

Mr Psillakis' surfboard was cut in half by the attack, and the surfer lost both his legs.

Fellow surfers salvaged his mutilated torso and dragged him 100m to shore.

Mercury 'Merc' Psillakis (pictured with wife Maria) was tragically killed in a shark attack at Dee Why Beach on Saturday

Horrified witnesses described the 57-year-old father being bitten in half by a five-metre shark (pictured, mourners at the scene)

Mr Psillakis leaves behind his wife and a young daughter.

Eyewitness Mark Morgenthal described the shark as 'huge'.

'There was a guy screaming, "I don't want to get bitten, I don't want to get bitten, don't bite me",' he told Sky News.

'Then I saw the tail fin come up and start kicking, and the distance between the dorsal fin and the tail fin looked to be about four metres, so it actually looked like a six-metre shark.'

Horrified onlookers watched as the surfers brought Mr Psillakis' mangled remains to shore, doing their best to block the brutal scene with their boards.

Police and lifeguards ran along the stretch of beach between Dee Why and nearby Long Reef to alert those in the water of the danger.

Mr Psillakis' twin brother, Mike, had been attending a junior surf competition at Long Reef and watched Mr Psillakis swim out earlier that morning.

Superintendent John Duncan praised the brave surfers who attempted to save Mr Psillakis by bringing his remains ashore, but noted nothing could have saved him.

Horrified onlookers watched as the surfers brought Mr Psillakis' mangled remains to shore, doing their best to block the brutal scene with their boards

'He suffered catastrophic injuries,' Supt Duncan said.

Great white sharks are more active along Australia's east coast at this time of year due to whale migration.

While the species of shark in Saturday's attack hasn't been identified, its swift and precise nature had the hallmarks of a great white.

NSW Premier Chris Minns described Mr Psillakis' death as an 'awful tragedy'.

'Shark attacks are rare, but they leave a huge mark on everyone involved, particularly the close-knit surfing community,' he said.

Saturday's attack was the first fatal shark attack at Dee Why since 1934.

Shark nets were installed at 51 beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong at the start of September, as they are for each summer.

Superintendent John Duncan praised the brave surfers who attempted to save Mr Psillakis by bringing his remains ashore, but noted nothing could have saved him

Three councils, including Northern Beaches Council, had been asked to nominate a beach where nets could be removed as part of a trial, but no decision on the locations had been made.

A decision on proceeding will not be made until after the Department of Primary Industries reported back on Saturday's fatal shark attack, the premier said.

The state's shark management plan also involves the use of drones to patrol beaches and smart drumlines to provide real-time alerts about sharks nearby.

Long Reef Beach uses drumlines but does not have a shark net, while nearby Dee Why Beach is netted.

Two extra drumlines were deployed between Dee Why and Long Reef after the incident, while both beaches remained closed on Sunday.

Shark expert Daryl McPhee said attacks were rare in Australia and the number had remained stable across the decades.

He said removing nets at beaches was unlikely to see the number of interactions between people and sharks increase.

'The available information demonstrates that large sharks are rarely present on surf beaches in Queensland and NSW,' the Bond University associate professor told AAP.

Before Saturday's attack, the last shark-related fatality in Sydney occurred in February 2022, when British diving instructor Simon Nellist was taken by a great white off Little Bay in the city's east.
A man died in hospital after being shot in Melbourne's CBD overnight.

Police were called to the corner of Franklin and Elizabeth streets at about 3.50am on Sunday following reports of a gunshot.

A short time later, a man presented to a hospital on Grattan Street, Parkville, with what appeared to be a gunshot wound.

He soon died from his injuries.

'A crime scene has been established and an investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing,' Victoria Police said in a statement.

'Detectives from the Homicide Squad and Armed Crime Squad will attend the scene this morning.'

Anyone who witnessed the incident, has dashcam or CCTV footage, or anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The news follows two shootings in the city last week.

A man suffered a fatal gunshot wound in Melbourne's CBD early Sunday morning

A 20-year-old Tarneit man died presenting to a west Melbourne hospital with gunshot wounds on Thursday morning.

Police believed it was a targeted attack.

On Friday night, a masked group fired shots into a home in Werribee, south-west Melbourne.

The three alleged assailants - armed with a machete, gun and hammer - were reportedly targeting a teenager in the home.
A retired police officer says she was investigated by her former colleagues after she 'dead-named' a transgender woman on the internet.

Cathy Larkman, who served with South Wales Police for more than 30 years, was told her home visit was related to a series of social media posts about transgender activist Freda Wallace, The Telegraph reports.

Dead-naming is when a transgender person is called by their birth name instead of the name they chose after they transitioned.

The former superintendent had called the activist Fred, in other words using the 'dead' male name of the now transgender woman.

Larkman was not at home when police showed up at her door, but she was told a report had been made over her possible 'malicious communications'.

This was related to three posts she had made on social platform X in September 2024 directed at Wallace's account, in which she had written 'Fred blocked me' and 'Fred, put that drink down'.

Larkman's comments were related to an ongoing debate about the police's strip-searching policy, with her arguing that transgender women should not be allowed to strip-search women.

A social media account called SEEN Police Official Open Public Network said a complaint had been made about Larkman to the police.

Cathy Larkman, who served with South Wales Police for more than 30 years, says she was investigated by her former colleagues after she 'dead-named' a transgender woman on the internet

Cathy Larkman pictured in 2019

Larkman was told her home visit was related to a series of social media posts about transgender activist Freda Wallace (pictured)

It is believed Larkman was reported by transgender police officer Lynsay Watson, who has a well-documented history of calling on police forces to pursue criminal investigations of people who are critical of gender ideology.

Watson was fired by Leicestershire Police for gross misconduct in 2023.

Daily Mail has approached South Wales Police for comment.

Larkman's police visit came just days after Father Ted writer Graham Lineham was arrested by armed police at Heathrow Airport over a series of 'anti-trans' tweets this week, and it is believed Watson reported had reported him.

Larkman has raised concerns that police forces have become 'ideologically captured' and and says cops are being easily used by activists.

'The police service keeps demonstrating that it is ideologically captured from the top down. It is failing the public', she said.

'It is also failing the brave officers who sign up, intending to serve that public  not to police their thoughts and words. They deserve a leadership that gives them the confidence and support to say a firm no to these extremists, not to capitulate to them.

'This should concern us all. Public trust and confidence in our police service is not only being eroded, it is being destroyed. That is unacceptable', Larkman added.
Grinning as he gives a Churchillian 'victory' sign, the spokesman for Greta Thunberg's Gaza 'freedom flotilla' poses with a Hamas chief weeks before setting sail.

Wael Nawar was draped in a scarf emblazoned with the terror group's emblem as he stood with other pro-Palestinian activists beside Youssef Hamdan, who runs Hamas's North African operation, during a meeting at its Algerian headquarters in June.

Mr Nawar is listed alongside Swedish campaigner Ms Thunberg as part of the 13-strong 'steering committee' orchestrating the Global Sumud Flotilla, which left Spain last week to deliver food and medical aid to Gaza.

Another committee member, political activist Marouan Ben Guettaia, was also a guest of Hamdan a few days after and later posted a picture of the pair sitting in front of a Hamas flag.

A third committee member, Brazilian Thiago Avila, attended Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's funeral in Beirut in February and praised him as an 'inspiration'.

The photos, unearthed by The Mail on Sunday, raise questions about why the organisers of a mission which claims to promote the 'sanctity of human life' were willing guests of a terror group that in the October 7 attacks murdered almost 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250.

Pictures from Mr Nawar's June 23 visit to the terror network's North African office were posted on Facebook with a caption: 'Today, at the headquarters of the Hamas representation in Algeria, a delegation from the Sumud Convoy was received by the Hamas representative in Algeria, Youssef Hamdan'

The post, by another Palestinian activist involved in the convoy, also hailed Hamas's terror chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated by Israel last year, as a 'martyr'.

Grinning as he gives a Churchillian 'victory' sign, Wael Nawar, the spokesman for Greta Thunberg's Gaza 'freedom flotilla' poses with Youssef Hamdan, who runs Hamas' North African operation, during a meeting at its Algerian headquarters in June

Mr Nawar is listed alongside Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg as part of the 13-strong 'steering committee' orchestrating the Global Sumud Flotilla

The flotilla left Spain last week and is en route to deliver food and medical aid to Gaza

Hamdan, who often appears on local media representing Hamas in Algeria, told Arabic state radio on the day after October 7 that the terror group had 'decided to use the language the enemy understands  the language of fighting'.

On the first anniversary of the attacks he attended a rally in Algiers supporting the atrocity, local media reported.

All the flotilla steering committee members  who profess believe in 'human dignity and the power of non-violent action'  are thought to have joined Ms Thunberg on the fleet of 20 boats which departed from Barcelona this week.

The news came as more than 300 Palestine Action supporters were arrested in London yesterday amid clashes between police and protesters.

More than 1,500 demonstrators descended on Parliament Square deliberately carrying placards that would get them arrested for showing support to an outlawed group.

The Metropolitan Police said its officers were 'subjected to an exceptional level of abuse' in Westminster, including 'punches, kicks, spitting and objects being thrown at them'.
Royal Marine recruits are increasingly turning to Christianity  and are even using their assault course's water tank to perform baptisms, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Commando fledglings attempting to earn the coveted green beret are now regularly attending Sunday services at the training centre in Lympstone, Devon.

In the last 18 months church attendance at the base has risen rapidly and now often exceeds the on-site chapel's 150 capacity.

And at least 26 recruits underwent a full immersion baptised earlier this year in the training centre's Regain Tank  a 4ft deep tank with ropes suspended above which candidates have to traverse.

The increase in church attendance appears to be prompted by young men looking for meaning and direction rather than fears of deploying to a combat zone or a future war with Russia, recent studies by the Bible Society suggest.

Details of the new-found interest in Christianity were revealed in an article entitled The Quiet Revival for the Globe And Laurel magazine  a Royal Marine publication.

In the article, Royal Naval chaplain Reverend A Gascoyne wrote: 'Many recruits drop into the bible session on Thursday nights bringing their questions and sharing their experiences.'

Royal Marine recruits are increasingly turning to Christianity  and are even using their assault course's water tank to perform baptisms, The Mail on Sunday can reveal

Commando fledglings attempting to earn the coveted green beret are now regularly attending Sunday services at the training centre in Lympstone, Devon. Pictured: Recruits undergo training at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines on December 01, 2014 in Lympstone, United Kingdom

He stated that all of the recruits he had spoken to about their interest in God and baptism said they were searching for a new moral code.

He continued: 'My impression from talking with recruits is that many are unimpressed by the 'fridge magnet' slogans and philosophies that litter social media feeds.

They are looking for a lived experience and a moral code that is both coherent and can stand up under pressure.

'Many have had little to no opportunity to explore the teachings and mindsets of Jesus Christ and when introduced, find there is a bedrock there that they feel they can build a strong life upon.'

Mr Gascoyne also suggested that part of the attraction of the church and being baptised was the chance of starting life afresh.

Elsewhere in the Armed Forces, the number of troops attending church services is also increasing.

It is part of a growing trend among young people, especially men aged between 18 to 24, who have started regularly attending services  up from 4 per cent in 2018 to 16 per cent in 2024.
The lead prosecutor in the OJ Simpson case found herself still talking about her hair 30 years after the 'trial of the century' on Saturday - telling a rapt CrimeCon ballroom 'You know how much s*** I got?'

Marcia Clark took the stage to discuss her first true crime book - about another 'trial of the century' from the 1950s. The book traces the prosecution of glamorous California mother Barbara Graham, who was found guilty and executed for her role in a home burglary that left a 64-year-old woman dead.

Graham's appearance was endlessly dissected and sensationalized by newspapers during the trial - and Clark said on Saturday that her research into the case 'gave me a little bit of deja vu.'

Clark, now 72, began the Simpson trial with a perm - but appeared with straightened hair as the trial progressed. Like Graham decades before her, Clark's hair was mercilessly trolled by avid trial followers and the media.

'Everybody was perming their hair back then, I swear it's true,' Clark laughed. 'I had two kids, and I wanted wash-and-wear hair. I didn't want to mess with a blow dryer and all that.

'But the problem was, during the trial, of course, I didn't have time to go and get another perm. So the perm falls out - as those of you who've done it know.

'It eventually does go back to its naturally straight self. And so I just had no choice, and I finally had to blow it out.'

She said she never anticipated the uproar her hairstyle decision would cause - particularly as she tried to focus on the proceedings amidst sensational coverage.

Clark said Saturday she'd worn a perm during the OJ Simpson trial in 1995, pictured, because it was easy with two children and 'everybody was perming their hair back then, I swear'

Clark, pictured during the Simpson trial, was appearing at CrimeCon Denver to discuss her first true crime book, published last year

The prosecutor and author said she finally had to blow out her hair as the perm fell out but thought no one would notice - then was shocked at the uproar. She joked her tombstone will read: 'She shouldn't have straightened her hair'

'I shut it all out to such an extent that ... I didn't even think anyone would notice,' she said. 'That's the degree [to] which I put on blinders and pretended: All this crazy stuff out here is not happening.'

'It's going to be on my tombstone, I swear: "She shouldn't have straightened her hair," Clark joked to laughing audience members.

When talk turned to the fate of Barbara Graham, however, there was no laughter. Clark outlined how the attractive, married mother had acted as a decoy to convince the burglary target - an aging Vaudevillian named Mabel Monahan rumored to have stashes of cash in her Burbank home - to open the door.

Clark said that researching the case of Graham, whose looks took center stage at her 1950s trial and media coverage of proceedings, gave her 'deja vu'

Monahan was ultimately beaten and suffocated - and Graham was arrested along with her male co-conspirators. One turned state's witness; the other defendants never took the stand.

It was only Graham who faced courtroom grilling and whose face routinely stared out from newspapers above the fold - as her appearance and hair were constantly described.

'This little woman in the middle of all this intense attention, it's almost like they're devouring her,' Clark said on Saturday. 'And that was exactly what it was like, day in, day out ... they focused on her to a point that was so cray, you didn't even know there was anybody else on trial.'

Graham was nicknamed 'Bloody Babs,' 'Ice Queen' - 'she was a villainess, demonic,' Clark said.

'It was unbelievable what they did to demonize her endlessly throughout the trial. Every single article had a way of taking swipes at her that was so personal and so ugly,' she said.

The prosecutor in Graham's case incredibly told jurors that her testimony had been an attempt to use her feminine wiles and looks to dupe them.

Clark's first true crime book explored the case of California mother Barbara Graham, who was sentenced to death in the 1950s for her role in a fatal home burglary

'All cases kind of bring societal values and cultural mores of the time - and back then, women were either on a pedestal or in a kitchen,' she said. 'There was no such thing as gray areas for women.

'So Barbara's failure to, as I put in the book, to play the Casey Anthony game ... hair and bun and no makeup and all the rest ... it was devastating,' she said.

'That's all the press wrote about, and that's what the public saw. And I think you have to always consider cases in their context - what's going on in the world.'

Trial by Ambush: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham, was published last year. Clark said on Saturday she was currently working on her second true crime book, again about a female defendant but more contemporary - though she would not reveal further details.

Researching and writing the Graham book was difficult and maddening, she said, as she realized the depths of the prosecutorial misbehavior and misogynistic unfairness in the system and the press.

'Jurors are people; we're all people,' she said. 'We can't help but be impacted by what we see, and that makes it even more important that a prosecutor be careful about how evidence is presented.

'Do your best to convict the guilty, but do it fairly - and that means, also, don't pull your punches just because the defendant is somebody famous.'
Could this be the final humiliation for this once-proud country?

In the latest blow to Britain's waning national pride, we can no longer claim to be the world leader in a craft at which we have traditionally excelled - swearing.

Even more galling is the fact we have lost the title to the Americans, a nationality often associated with religious prudery.

However, we do out-swear the Australians despite their reputation for crudeness and vulgarity.

What might be called the World Profanity Table was compiled by linguists down under, studying almost 2 billion words from 1.8 million web pages and blogs.

Overall, they found 597 forms of vulgarity across the 20 English-speaking countries studied.

While America beat Britain into second place, we were found to have the widest repertoire of milder swear worlds.

Aussies were third, followed by Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia and Ireland, who may be disappointed to come in so low.

In the latest blow to Britain's waning national pride, we can no longer claim to be the world leader in a craft at which we have traditionally excelled - swearing

Even more galling is the fact that Brits have lost the profanity champion title to the Americans, a nationality often associated with religious prudery

And the least profane countries were Bangladesh, Ghana and Tanzania.

Presenting their results in the scientific journal Lingua, the researchers say: 'The United States, often associated with protestant puritanism, Christian fervour and prudishness, show the highest rates of vulgarity in online discourse, followed by Great Britain.'

And they concede: 'Australians might well be disheartened when they discover that they are not the top users of profanity.

'Australia's love of vulgarity, and swear words in particular, is very evident in public life. The public airing of swear words is something that is often remarked upon by overseas visitors to Australia.'

About 13 per cent of US blogs contain at least one profanity compared to 10 per cent in Britain.

The linguists from Monash and Queensland Universities in Melbourne and Brisbane also pointed out the creativity of swearing, saying: 'For children and adults alike, vulgarity is a tool for creative expression and playful experimentation with words and phrases, often involving literary devices traditionally associated with great literary works.'

That includes modern constructions such as 'f***trumpet' as well as historic words still in use, such as 'blockhead', which dates from the 1500s.

Americans also showed a special preference for 'ass' while Brits were most free with the use of both 'bloody' and the C-word.

The F-word was widely used throughout the English-speaking world, though in Ireland the more popular form was 'feck'.

Australia's failure to top the profanity league surprised the researchers, led by Dr Martin Schweinberger.

They point out that even official Australian agencies use course language, such as the tourist board's slogan asking potential tourists, 'So where the bloody hell are you?' or the drink-drive slogan: 'If you drink then drive, you're a bloody idiot!'
* The United States has long sought to consolidate its hegemony through ideological infiltration and discourse manipulation.

* Driven by hegemonic anxiety, the United States has further escalated cognitive warfare, exploiting artificial intelligence to manipulate the flow of information and shape global perceptions in its favor.

* The United States' colossal national propaganda apparatus serves as the central hub and command for mind colonization.

KUNMING, China, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A think tank report was released Sunday at the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum 2025, which systematically examines the historical roots, operating methods and global risks of the U.S. long-standing campaign for mind colonization.

The report, titled "Colonization of the Mind -- The Means, Roots, and Global Perils of U.S. Cognitive Warfare," was released by Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming.

According to the report, the United States has long sought to consolidate its hegemony through ideological infiltration and discourse manipulation. Yet, with the accelerated awakening of the Global South and the decline of U.S. hegemony, its hypocrisy is being exposed.

This undated photo shows copies of the think tank report "Colonization of the Mind -- The Means, Roots, and Global Perils of U.S. Cognitive Warfare." (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)





DARK HISTORY

The seeds of U.S. ideological colonization were sown as early as the nation's founding, the report said.

From the late 18th to the 19th century, the United States pursued relentless territorial expansion under the pretext of "Manifest Destiny." By issuing the "Monroe Doctrine," the United States incorporated Latin America into its sphere of influence under the banners of "opposing European interference" and "America for the Americans."

The U.S. national power surged during the two World Wars, and its ideological exportation during this period laid the historical groundwork for its wholesale pursuit of mind colonization in the decades that followed.

After World War II, the United States tied economic assistance under the Marshall Plan to ideological alignment, consolidating the capitalist bloc against the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, media outlets such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe inundated socialist countries with propaganda of the "superiority" of the "Free World."

Following the Cold War, U.S. practices only intensified. Under the banner of spreading "democracy" and "freedom," Washington toppled governments and fomented unrest. After the 9/11 attacks, it elevated counterterrorism into the global agenda, seizing the pretext to export its values and wage wars.

In recent years, driven by hegemonic anxiety, the United States has further escalated cognitive warfare, exploiting artificial intelligence to manipulate the flow of information and shape global perceptions in its favor.

The United States has been exporting its political and economic systems and values like "democracy" and "freedom" worldwide, while deliberately deconstructing non-American ideologies and suppressing indigenous cultures to foster global philosophical dependence and obedience.

Through this dual strategy of expansionist construction and destructive deconstruction, Washington's ideological colonization has achieved an impact surpassing that of any previous empire.

Guests attend the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum 2025 in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Sept. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei)





ORCHESTRATED SYSTEM

The report revealed that Washington's mind colonization has not been a collection of isolated actions, but a meticulously orchestrated system spanning multiple domains and actors.

The United States' colossal national propaganda apparatus serves as the central hub and command for mind colonization. Under the guidance of the U.S. government, relevant decision-making bodies of the U.S. Congress, the National Security Council, and the U.S. Department of State regularly convene meetings and formulate specific themes and operational objectives, marshal and coordinate resources of all sorts, and collectively advance mind colonization through official means such as bill discussions, legislation enactment and issuance of bans.

Led by the U.S. government, various social entities, including media outlets, think tanks, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), actively engage in manipulating and controlling public opinion and shaping perceptions, forming a collective force for mind colonization.

NGOs are the key drivers behind the scenes. The National Endowment for Democracy, while nominally independent, is largely funded by Congress and channels resources to political groups, media outlets and civil society organizations in target countries. Similar organizations operate under comparable modalities, advancing ideological agendas and orchestrating "color revolutions" or political movements aligned with U.S. interests.

The media serves as both a conduit for the flow of ideas and a stage for the contention of the minds. The U.S. media outlets convey carefully curated images of the country itself as a bastion of freedom and prosperity while defaming non-Western systems.

Think tanks represent the staunch force actively operating up front. In recent years, a host of think tanks, at the behest of the U.S. government, have provided ammunition for the information warfare and cognitive warfare launched by the U.S. government through such methods as fabricating concepts, putting forward propositions, and publishing reports.

In the digital age, by controlling internet infrastructure, social media platforms and AI-powered algorithms, the United States can monitor, guide and manipulate public opinion with unprecedented precision. Through content moderation, algorithmic curation and the creation of information cocoons, the United States suppresses dissenting voices and amplifies pro-U.S. narratives, advancing its campaign of global ideological colonization.

Guests attend the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum 2025 in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Sept. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei)





GLOBAL PERILS

According to the report, the U.S. "mind colonialism" has brought incalculable calamities to countries around the world.

The United States is skilled at implanting American values in "enemy countries" to achieve the goal of subverting the governments concerned.

As American writer William Blum observes in "America's Deadliest Export: Democracy," since the end of World War II, the United States has sought to overthrow more than 50 foreign governments and has brazenly interfered in the elections of at least 30 countries.

The Iraq invasion, justified by the false claim of "weapons of mass destruction" amplified by U.S. media and politicians, exemplifies how Washington shapes lies into a global consensus to legitimize war.

Beyond overthrowing foreign governments and stirring geopolitical conflicts, the deeper harm of U.S. ideological colonization lies in eroding a nation's spiritual independence and cultivating pro-American forces.

A guest reads a copy of the think tank report "Colonization of the Mind -- The Means, Roots, and Global Perils of U.S. Cognitive Warfare" during the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum 2025 in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Sept. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei)

Prolonged ideological infiltration has brainwashed certain elites in some developing countries, fostering a cultural domestication syndrome in which they lose national confidence and act as proxies for U.S. interests. This, in turn, cultivates a tendency to acquiesce to U.S. coercion and bullying, eroding the nation's capacity to defend itself.

Moreover, the United States employs mind colonization to steer nations onto development paths unsuited to their conditions by aggressively exporting its economic models, such as the so-called neoliberal Washington Consensus. The result has been frequent economic stagnation and social hardship.

In recent years, the countries of the Global South have increasingly resisted U.S. ideological control and pursued independent development based on their own national conditions and cultural confidence.

As an important member of the Global South, China has put forward a series of proposals, including the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, based on its own development experience and the common aspirations of the people around the world.

These initiatives provide new ideas and solutions for countries to bust the myths of value, free themselves from dependence of the mind, and embark on a path of independent and autonomous development.

(Video reporters: Chen Yina; Video editors: Wu You, Zhu Cong)
South Korea's foreign minister may visit the United States to respond to a raid on a Huyndai plant in Georgia that detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals.

Cho Hyun said Seoul was considering an imminent visit to discuss the arrests on behalf of President Lee Jae Myung, who was all smiles with Donald Trump at a White House meeting two weeks ago.

'We are deeply concerned and feel a heavy sense of responsibility over the arrests of our nationals,' Cho said at an emergency meeting Saturday, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Cho confirmed that approximately 300 of the 475 arrested were South Korean nationals, with photos showing some of those arrested being put in chains.

'We are deeply concerned and feel a heavy sense of responsibility over the arrests of our nationals,' he said.

'We will discuss sending a senior foreign ministry official to the site without delay, and, if necessary, I will personally travel to Washington to hold consultations with the U.S. administration,' Cho added.

The message from the president has been to ensure that rights of both those arrested and their companies not be infringed upon.

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo raised the issue in a telephone call with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, voicing regret over the crackdown and the release of footage showing the Korean workers' arrest.

South Korea 's foreign minister may visit the United States to respond to a raid on a Huyndai plant in Georgia that detained 475 people, most of them South Korean nationals, with photos showing some of those arrested being put in chains

Cho Hyun said Seoul was considering an imminent visit to discuss the arrests on behalf of President Lee Jae Myung (pictured right), who was all smiles with Donald Trump at a White House meeting two weeks ago

Park said 'the economic activities of Korean companies investing in the United States and the rights and interests of Korean citizens must not be unfairly infringed upon during US law enforcement operations,' his ministry said.

Park 'asked the State Department to actively work to ensure a fair and swift resolution to this matter,' the statement added.

The mass arrests have already prompted a diplomatic dispute as South Korea's Foreign Ministry dispatched officials to the factory.

The ministry also urged the U.S. Embassy in Seoul 'to exercise extreme caution to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of Korean citizens are not infringed upon.'

'The economic activities of Korean investment companies and the rights and interests of Korean citizens must not be unfairly infringed upon during U.S. law enforcement operations,' the statement read.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the State Department for further comment.

Officials said a total of 475 immigrants suspected of working in the US illegally were detained - the vast majority of them from Korea - which represented almost half of the factory's 1200 workers.

Steven Schrank, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia, told reporters Friday that he was unsure how many exactly were Korean and said no criminal charges had yet been filed.

Cho (pictured) confirmed that approximately 300 of the 475 arrested were South Korean nationals

Officials said a total of 475 immigrants suspected of working in the US illegally were detained - the vast majority of them from Korea - which represented almost half of the factory's 1200 workers

Many of those who were detained had entered the US illegally while others previously had visas but overstayed their legal work permits, officials said.

Schrank added that the raid was the result of a months-long investigation into the facility, and described the sweep as the largest enforcement operation at a single site in the history of Homeland Security Investigations.

'This operation underscores our commitment to protecting jobs for Georgians and Americans, ensuring a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law, safeguarding the integrity of our economy and protecting workers from exploitation,' he said.

The massive raid comes days after the Trump administration announced it was stepping up its deportation efforts and would clear the way to detain as many as 256,000 Venezuelans by ending their temporary protection status.

Following the raid on the Hyundai factory on Thursday, officials said the detainees would be moved to an ICE facility in Folkston, Georgia, near the Florida-Georgia state line.

'They will be moved based on their individual circumstances beyond that,' Schrank said.

The move was quickly condemned by Yvonne Brooks, the president of Georgia's chapter of American Federation of LaborCongress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), who blasted it as 'politically motivated.'

'This raid is the latest in an ongoing campaign of harassment that has targeted immigrant Georgians as they try to earn an honest living,' she said in a statement, per CBS News.

'Arresting and detaining workers, who are exploited every day and risk their lives every day on the job, creates an atmosphere of fear that terrorizes workers and their families and increases the workload burden on their coworkers.'

The Hyundai plant where the raid occurred cost upwards of $7.6 billion and employed around 1,200 people, and had been touted by Georgia officials as one of the most significant economic projects in the state's history.

Hyundai began manufacturing electric vehicles at the plant a year ago, but construction was shut down by the raid.
The coroner working to identify the victims of one of Americas worst serial killers has raised haunting questions about the murderers apparent suicide - and some missing pieces of evidence from the case.

Herb Baumeister is thought to have killed around 25 young men during his murderous rampage in Indianapolis in the early 1990s.

By day, the married father-of-three masqueraded as a family man and wealthy owner of several local thrift stores.

But by night, he would meet young men at gay bars in downtown Indianapolis and lure them back to his 18-acre estate, Fox Hollow Farm, where he killed them, burned their remains and scattered their charred bones around the family property.

As cops closed in on him and searched his home in the summer of 1996, Baumeister fled Indianapolis.

Days later, he was found dead in a park in Canada on July 4 1996 from what police said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head - taking his secrets to the grave and leaving several unanswered questions about his horror crimes. A suicide note was left behind, making no mention of his depraved crimes.

But, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison - who is working to identify all the serial killers victims among a staggering 10,000 human remains - has now said he doubts Baumeister took his own life.

Instead, Baumeister may have been murdered in order to silence him, Jellison said.

I think there's a missing question about the actual suicide itself - and the suicide note, he told the Daily Mail.

Shocking questions still linger about what really happened at the Fox Hollow Farm estate

Herb Baumeister preyed on young gay and bisexual men at bars in downtown Indianapolis

Speaking on stage at CrimeCon in Denver on Saturday, Jellison said theres all sorts of questions about Baumeisters death.

Did he take his own life? Or did someone kill him to cover up the bigger picture of the case.

Steve Ainsworth, retired Boulder County Sheriff's office detective and cold case investigator, agreed.

I think there is a question as to whether he took his own life, he said on stage at CrimeCon.

A suicide is very easy to stage. But there are some indicators to look at. I think it definitely has to be looked into.

Ainsworth added: In this case, for me, in addition to identifying people, the rest of it is like an oyster. The more you chew it, the bigger it gets. I mean, there's so many aspects to it, and it just goes in all directions.

Jellison revealed there are other mysteries still surrounding the Fox Hollow Farm murders.

He told the Daily Mail he has learned there is evidence missing from the case - possibly sold by police to case fanatics.

I think there's some photos that were released by law enforcement in the original investigation to certain members of the public that never should have been, he said.

Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison spoke about the case on stage at CrimeCon

He explained that the current owner of Fox Hollow Farm - a historian on the case - has claimed someone involved in the original 1996 investigation offered to sell him evidence.

While unsure if he bought the items, Jellison said he knows the homeowner is in possession of a box including photos from the criminal case and has shared some of them with his team.

Jellison and Ainsworth also believe Baumeister must have had an accomplice in the murders.

They believe one man alone could not have physically managed to drag dozens of bodies from the pool room in the home - where the victims are said to have been killed - out into the thick woods surrounding the property.

How does one man drag them all out into the woods? How does one man kill that many people with no one else? Jellison said.

There had to be [an accomplice], Ainsworth added.

No doubt about it to what extent we don't know? At the very minimum he's helping to carry them.

Its a belief that Eric Pranger, the cousin of victim Allen Livingston, has previously shared with the Daily Mail.

The 1996 search of Fox Hollow Farm (pictured) uncovered thousands of human bones

Daniel Thomas Halloran was identified this year as the 10th known victim of the man now believed to be one of Americas worst ever serial killers

Allen Livingston, 27, and Manuel Resendez, 34, both went missing in 1993. Their remains have since been found on Fox Hollow Farm

I pick up bodies for a living [working at a funeral home] and theres no way a man could handle all those bodies by himself, Pranger said.

I don't think Baumeister did this alone. I think more people were involved.

In an ABC News Studios series, airing earlier this year, Ainsworth said that the man who has long been seen as the hero of the story knows too much to simply have been a victim.

The net finally closed in on Baumeister after a man named Mark Goodyear told police he had managed to escape a night in the serial killers lair.

But Goodyears story has changed multiple times over the years and witnesses have suggested his possible involvement.

In 1997, a man named LeRoy Bray came forward to police to claim he was once at Fox Hollow Farm with Goodyear, Baumeister and some other men.

Bray told police he witnessed Baumeister shooting a man dead while Goodyear held the man.

Meanwhile, Baumeisters lawyer told investigators days after his suicide that the father-of-three had confided in him about a year earlier that he had got involved with a really bad dude called Mark Goodyear.

It is claimed in the ABC show that Goodyear was, at one point, a suspect in the murders.

Goodyear denied any involvement in the murders in the series and has never been charged with any crime connected to the Baumeister case.

Mark Goodyear (pictured in the ABC News Studios series) has changed his story many times

He is still out there, Jellison said Saturday.

And Ive been asked many times why he is still out there.

But for Jellison, the biggest unanswered question in the case is who are the unnamed victims and how many are still out there.

Three decades on, the number of victims and their identities remains unclear.

Back in 1996, only eight victims - Johnny Bayer, Jeff Jones, Richard Hamilton Jr., Steven Hale, Allen Broussard, Roger Goodlet, Mike Keirn, Manuel Resendez - were identified.

With Baumeister dead, the case was shuttered in 1998 and a staggering 10,000 pieces of charred, burned bones and human remains belonging to his victims sat neglected and unidentified on a shelf.

In 2022, Jellison launched an investigation to identify the remaining victims and finally give the families of missing loved ones answers. It is the largest investigation into unidentified human remains in United States history, second only to the World Trade Center.

Speaking on stage at CrimeCon, Jellison revealed he faced pushback from the local sheriffs department when he decided to launch his probe.

When I reopened the investigation, one of the first things I did was call the sheriffs department to get the case files, he said.

They were resistant to give them to me. And then, when we got it, it was redacted.

He said: That was red flag number one.

Jellison explained: My job is to identify people and they redacted names and addresses anything that would have helped me identify a person was redacted.

But he has vowed we will not stop.

Herb Baumeister is thought to have killed around 25 young men after luring them back to Fox Hollow Farm (pictured)

For 26 years these bones and bone fragments had sat on a shelf, he said.

Its important when we talk about the bone and bone fragments these are people, this is someone's son, someones brother, someones father, potentially someones husband.

So its become my goal to get these people off the shelf.

Since launching the probe, two more victims - Allen Livingston and Daniel Halloran - have been named and their families given answers after so many years.

Three more victims have also been found.

The three DNA profiles were identified among the remains but they do not match any of the DNA samples submitted by families with missing loved ones.

They have now been sent to forensics lab Othram for comparison with profiles in genetic genealogy databases.

While they have not got their names back yet, Jellison told the Daily Mail earlier this year he believed it could only be a matter of months.

An estimated 25 victims are believed to have been found at Fox Hollow Farm - making Baumeister's reign of terror even worse than the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer.
More than 1,000 migrants are thought to have crossed the English Channel on Saturday.

The figure is the biggest daily total since May, in which more than 1,195 migrants arrived in the UK in a single day.

Saturday's arrivals takes the total number of Channel arrivals so far this year to more than 30,000.

It also comes after it was revealed that Keir Starmer plans to close down migrant hotels and house residents in former military barracks.

Currently, two former military bases - MDP Wethersfield in Essex and Napier Barracks in Folkestone - are being used to house asylum seekers.

They were opened under the previous Tory government, but pro-migrant groups criticised the move, comparing the barracks to prisons.

But Labour now intends to expand the Conservative policy, despite drawing up plans last year to end the use of the two sites.

More than 1,000 migrants are thought to have crossed the English Channel on Saturday

The figure is the biggest daily total since May

Saturday's arrivals takes the total number of Channel arrivals so far this year to more than 30,000

Keir Starmer has faced criticism in recent weeks over his immigration policies after new official figures showed asylum seeker claims hitting a record high, with more migrants being housed in hotels compared with a year ago.

Labour MP's have urged Starmer to take on a more radical approach, while Reform UK and Conservatives have both recently said that they would ramp up the detention and deportation of migrants.

According to a regular tracker of voters' concerns, immigration has overtaken the economy as the biggest issue amid anger over the record numbers of asylum seekers arriving in small boats across the Channel.

Last month, the government was dealt a blow when a council to the northeast of London won a temporary injunction to stop asylum seekers from being housed in a hotel where protests had erupted after one resident was charged with sexual assault.

Other councils have indicated they would also seek similar court orders, while Reform leader Nigel Farage has called for more protests.

'Labour has lost control of our borders and they're engulfed in a migration crisis,' said Chris Philp, the home affairs spokesman for the main opposition Conservative Party.

The new migration data showed more than 32,000 asylum seekers were housed in hotels in Britain at the end of June this year, an increase of 8 percent from the year before.

Border Force escort migrants into Dover Docks, Kent. Border Force help them ashore on AUgust 26

igrants wade through the sea in an attempt to board an inflatable dinghy leaving the coast of northern France to cross the English Channel to reach Britain, from the beach of Petit-Fort-Philippe in Gravelines, near Calais, France, August 25, 2025

A group of migrants on an inflatable dinghy leave the coast of northern France in an attempt to cross the English Channel to reach Britain

Keir Starmer has faced criticism in recent weeks over his immigration policies after new official figures showed asylum seeker claims hitting a record high

The numbers arriving on small boats - up 38 percent in the year to June - have become the focal point for the migration issue

However, the total figure of just over 32,000 was 43 percent lower than the peak of 56,042 recorded in September 2023, and slightly down compared with the previous quarterly figures in March.

The figures also showed 111,000 people had claimed asylum in the year to June, up 14 percent from the previous year and surpassing the previous peak of 103,000 recorded in 2002.

The numbers arriving on small boats - up 38 percent in the year to June - have become the focal point for the migration issue.

Critics say the public are at risk from thousands of young men coming to Britain, while pro-migrant groups say the issue is being used by far right groups to exploit tensions.
The fatal Lisbon tram crash which killed three Brits was caused when a cable connecting the two cabins snapped, investigators have said.

The Gloria funicular tram disaster, which occured when the iconic streetcar derailed and crashed in the Portuguese capital on Wednesday evening, left 16 dead and 21 injured.

Theatre director Kayleigh Smith, 36, and her partner Will Nelson, 44, a lecturer at Manchester's Arden School of Theatre, were named as two of the three Britons who died.

The third British victim, who is said to be an 82-year-old man, has yet to be named.

The first report into the crash, described as 'one of the biggest human tragedies of our recent history' by Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, said the two cabins had essentially snapped.

The two cabins had travelled no more than 6 metres apart when they suddenly lost the balancing force provided by the connecting cable, a report by Portugal's Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations said.

The yellow-and-white streetcar, known as Elevador da Gloria is 140-years-old and goes up and down a steep downtown hill.

But on Wednesday the carriages coursed down the hill, out of control, before crashing into a building not far from the Restauradores Square, near the bottom.

Theatre director Kayleigh Smith, 36, and her partner Will Nelson, 44, a lecturer at Manchester's Arden School of Theatre, were named as two of the three Britons who died

The Gloria funicular tram disaster, which occured when the iconic streetcar derailed and crashed in the Portuguese capital on Wednesday evening, left 16 dead and 21 injured

The fatal Lisbon tram crash which killed three Brits was caused when a cable connecting the two cabins snapped, investigators have said

'The cabin's brakeman immediately applied the pneumatic brake and the hand brake to try to halt the movement,' the report said.

'These actions had no effect in stopping or reducing the cabin's speed, and it continued accelerating down the slope.'

It was 'immediately clear' from examining the wreckage 'that the connecting cable had given way' at the attachment point to the cabin that was at the top of the hill, the report added.

The streetcar is harnessed by steel cables, with the descending car helping with its weight to pull up the other one. It can carry more than 40 people, seated and standing.

The exact number of people travelling in each vehicle at the time has yet to be determined.

A final report is expected to be published at a later date.

The initial report comes after 'heartbroken' families of Kayleigh Smith and Will Nelson paid heart-wrenching tributes to their loved ones, who are being remembered as 'hugely talented' members of the theatre community.

In tributes shared by family and friends, the couple were described as 'loved' and 'selfless' individuals, who were dedicated to 'inspiring the next generation' in theatre.

The initial report comes after 'heartbroken' families of Kayleigh Smith and Will Nelson illed paid heart-wrenching tributes to their loved ones

The first report into the crash, which officials described as one of Lisbon's worst tragedies in recent memory, said the two cabins had essentially snapped

Your browser does not support iframes.

In a statement issued by Cheshire Police, Ms Smith's family said: 'Kayleigh was loved by family and friends for her wit and humour, her kind and caring nature came to the fore in her work as a funeral operative.

'She was also a talented theatre director and had just completed a Master's Degree. They both leave family and friends heartbroken.'

In the same police statement, Mr Nelson's brother said: 'Words cannot begin to describe how our family and friends are feeling right now but here is the best attempt. This week, due to a tragic accident in Lisbon, Portugal, we lost Will Nelson, who was not just my big brother but everyone's.

'He was always kind, selfless, and protective, and the world does not feel right or normal without him. He was and has always been my hero, and we will miss you always. Love you, rest in peace you legend.'

Macclesfield MP Tim Roca paid tribute to Ms Smith and Mr Nelson on Saturday morning, saying: 'I was deeply saddened to learn that two much-loved members of our Macclesfield community, Kayleigh Smith and her partner Will Nelson, were among those who lost their lives in Wednesday's tragic funicular crash in Lisbon.

'Kayleigh was a hugely talented theatre director at MADS Theatre, where she poured her creativity, energy and kindness into every production. The moving tribute from the MADS team says it all, she was a dear friend to so many and will be greatly missed.

'Will, a lecturer at Manchester's Arden School of Theatre, was equally dedicated to nurturing creativity and inspiring the next generation. I know his loss will be felt deeply by colleagues and students alike.

Excavations in the railway are pictured at the site of the Gloria funicular accident after the wreckage was removed in Lisbon on September 5

Portugal's President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (C-L), pays respects to the victims of the Gloria funicular accident

Flowers, balloons and candles have been left by wellwishers close to the scene of the crash

'My heart goes out to Kayleigh and Will's families, friends and the whole MADS Theatre family as they come to terms with this tragedy.'

Hours before the crash, Ms Smith posted pictures on Instagram of their first day in Lisbon with the caption: 'Churches and castles, tiles and trams.'

Also among the dead were five Portuguese nationals, two Canadians, two South Koreans, one American, one French, one Swiss and one Ukrainian.

A No 10 spokesman said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is 'deeply saddened' that three British nationals died.

'His thoughts are with their families and those affected by this terrible incident,' he said.

'We stand united with Portugal during this difficult time.'

The Foreign Office said it is supporting the families of three British nationals who died in the incident.
An expired hand sanitizer leak from an upstate New York warehouse sparked a massive fire that took days to extinguish.

On August 30, reportedly expired hand sanitizer leaked from Eco Operations, a warehouse facility in Gorham, which is in the Finger Lakes region of western New York.

Eco Operations, owned by Eduard Zaydman, previously came under fire for not complying with environmental regulations.

During a meeting with the Gorham Planning Board in May, Zaydman stated: 'There is no danger. It is not really flammable because its 30% water. It is very difficult to light that up'.

At a meeting in June, Chairman Thomas Harvey issued a chilling warning about the alleged wasteful warehouse: 'There is so much stuff in there and its alcohol and it burns.

'Its not probably explosive, but it will burn and if it catches on fire there is basically no way to put it out other than starving it from oxygen. There is enough quantity in that building that once it starts to go, its going to go,' local NBC affiliate WHEC reported.

The town of Gorham reported multiple violations and notified the Environmental Protection Agency of removal action in July.

Officials believed that there were around 1,000 pallets of expired hand sanitizer and other hazardous items filling the warehouse, which exceeded the New York State fire code.

A massive fire broke out in upstate New York after hazardous materials were allegedly disposed of improperly by a local warehouse

Video footage shared by a local fire department revealed a stream alongside a road had caught fire

Multiple fire departments responded to the scene and worked for almost 24 hours to extinguish the fire

Photos of the site from a July lawsuit against the warehouse's owner, 4611 Dewey Assets LLC, revealed countless discarded bottles of hand sanitizer lying on the grass.

One image depicted a heap of bottles and wet boxes piled on top of one another, and another photo showed a gigantic pile of hand sanitizer littering the outside of the warehouse.

The warehouse was also issued a notice of violation in January by the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Finger Lakes Times reported.

Gorham's code enforcement officer, Jim Morse, ordered Zaydman to cease operations, but the town alleges it never happened.

The warehouse's owner had gone back and forth with local officials at town meetings about hazardous materials

Court documents revealed photos of hand sanitizer bottles and wet cardboard boxes littering the grass

Hand sanitizer is highly flammable with at least a 60 percent alcohol content, making it a hazardous material when disposed of

Town Supervisor Dale Stell told the Finger Lakes Times that the town was forced to put a plan in place in case the materials caught fire.

Local assemblyman Jeff Gallahan slammed Eco Operations in a social media post, calling the massive fire 'entirely preventable'.

'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,' Gallahan stated.

'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 added that he would be contacting the state attorney general's office on the matter. Daily Mail has reached out to Zaydman via email for comment on the fire.

Eduard Zaydman was listed as the warehouse's owner. He also owns a distillery called Cayuga Ingredients

The devastation ravaged the warehouse site and nearby streets in the town of Gorham

Scenes from the massive fire were shocking, revealing wild flames and smoke billowing over the sky

Scenes from the massive blaze were shocking, with the Crystal Beach Fire Department sharing a video of a stream along a road on fire.

Hand sanitizer typically contains at least 60 percent alcohol content, making it highly flammable.

The product is considered hazardous waste after it's discarded. Alcohol can vaporize and release flammable gas, causing the flames to grow.

Stell said that due to the hand sanitizer's high alcohol content, it took a significant amount of water to contain the fire.

Other harrowing images revealed smoke billowing in the sky over Gorham as the town urged residents to avoid the area.

Those in proximity were advised to close their doors and windows to prevent inhaling the smoke.

Multiple agencies responded to the fire and worked for almost 24 hours straight to contain it, the Gorham Fire Company announced.

City officials said they were prepared for the potential of a fire and was able to extinguish it without any injuries reported

The Environmental Protection Agency is working with local officials to determine the impact of the fire and hand sanitizer leak

A local assemblyman slammed the warehouse's owner, calling the incident 'preventable'

Dewey Street, where the warehouse was located, had been closed to the public as hot spots remained after the fire was extinguished.

The Environmental Protection Agency is working with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and other related agencies to monitor runoff and impacts to the environment following the devastation.

The town released a statement after the fire, notifying residents that officials had been 'aware of the potential hazard of the building and its contents for several months'.

Due to their awareness, officials had a plan in place if the event occurred, and there were no reported injuries from the fire.
A former model who knew Jeffrey Epstein has revealed that the disgraced financier had her dress like a nurse when he took her to meet Donald Trump for the first time.

Cleo Glyde, who ran in the same circles as Epstein throughout the 1980s and 90s, told The Daily Beast Podcast that Epstein showed off her and a close female friend of hers to Trump as if they were 'trophies on display'.

'I had this white wrapover dress and [Epstein] said "you look just like a nurse in that...why don't we both go over to Donald's and you'll both look like nurses"' Glyde recalled Epstein saying.

At that time, Glyde thought it sounded like 'a bit of fun', though she looks back on it now as a 'mortifying' experience.

So, the trio left Epstein's apartment on East 71st Street and made their way over to Trump Tower a little over 20 blocks down in Midtown.

When they arrived, she said Trump 'smiled and laughed', but not in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. He also recalled him being 'gracious' and offering her a drink.

'There wasn't anything seedy or sexual or weird apart from the aspect of us being trophies on display,' she said.

She described Trump as a 'Macy's Day Parade float of a man' and a larger-than-life figure in New York City at the time. Yet, she said he felt a strong need to brag about high-ticket purchases he had made.

Cleo Glyde told The Daily Beast Podcast that Jeffrey Epstein introduced her and her friend to Donald Trump while they were dressed like nurses (Pictured: Glyde walks the runway at a March 1989 fashion show in Paris, France)

Glyde knew Epstein throughout the 1980s and 90s, and she said he was 'boasty' about knowing Trump because he was a New York celebrity at the time (Pictured: Trump and Epstein together at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, in 1997)

'He was really invested in us knowing about, "I bought this, I got that, I paid the most at the auction." You know, he was really really invested in making a good impression, which I found startling,' Glyde said.

'I just could not believe that chasm of need in him. It really blew my mind,' she added.

Epstein, meanwhile, could not contain his pride over introducing the two women to one of his A-list friends, she said.

'Jeffrey was kind of a bit boasty about knowing Donald. Donald was much more famous than him at that time, and so I think he loved accentuating that connection,' she said. 'He was probably showing off Donald to us and us to Donald.'

She also remembered Trump and Epstein having a 'warm and friendly' relationship with one another.

When contacted by Daily Mail, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Glyde's story was 'fake news'.

'The Fake News continues playing into the hands of the Democrat Hoax trying to link President Trump and Epstein. Its not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep,' Jackson said.

'Democrats and the media knew about Epstein and his victims for years and did nothing to help them while President Trump was calling for transparency, and is now delivering on it with thousands of pages of documents,' she continued.

Glyde claimed she met the future president at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan

Glyde counts herself as one of Epstein's victims, claiming he groped her on his private jet

Trump's MAGA base has been furious with the Department of Justice because even though it has released tens of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation into Epstein's child sex trafficking conspiracy, much of it was redacted or information that was already publicly known.

On top of that, the DOJ insisted that there was no client list and no evidence that Epstein blackmailed powerful people, while also reaffirming that he killed himself in jail awaiting trial.

Glyde counts herself as one of Epstein's over 1,000 victims, a figure cited in a DOJ disclosure.

She told The Daily Beast Podcast that he groped her on his private plane.

'He was able to put his hand between my legs at the knee and then started to kind of get rough,' she said. 'And [he] put his hand on my breast and put his hand on my leg and, like, creeping up to my underwear.'

'I kind of teared up and I was like, "Jeffrey, why are you doing this? I thought we were friends" And he kind of stopped and then he dropped it, like, completely.'

Glyde fell out of contact with Epstein not long after this, and she is one of many who believe that he could have been murdered in jail.

'There is no way on Gods green Earth, obviously, that weve gotten to the bottom of all the players that were involved,' she said.
Tense footage has captured pro-Palestine activists and counter demonstrators trading blows during a paddle-out in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Counter-protesters were initially held back by a line of police officers as the demonstration took off on the sand at Bondi Beach at 10am on Sunday.

Pro-Palestine activists had invited 'surfers, Bondi residents and Palestine supporters' to join the demonstration in the lead-up to the event.

A large group of counter protesters formed on the steps leading down to the beach, with several waving Australian and Israel flags.

'Off the beach,' the crowd chanted.

One man was filmed telling the pro-Palestinian activists to 'go back to Lakemba', while another woman joined in.

'This is our land,' she shouted. 'We don't come to Lakemba, don't come to Bondi.'

The protest appeared to spiral after a number of demonstrators were seen clashing, with police forced to intervene and an officer heard yelling 'stop'.

Tense footage has captured pro-Palestine activists and counter demonstrators trading blows during a paddle-out in Sydney 's eastern suburbs

Tense scenes have erupted after pro-Palestine activists staged a paddle-out in Sydney's eastern suburbs

Footage showed counter-protesters held back by a wall of police officers as the demonstration took off on the sand at Bondi Beach at 10am on Sunday

One man was heard yelling: 'Deport the lot of them.'

The Jews Against the Occupation, which organised the pro-Palestine demonstration, sparked backlash in the lead-up to the event.

The Australian Jewish Association argued it was provocative, as Bondi was known for its large Jewish population.

'Bondi is on edge, everyone is nervous,' AJA chief executive Robert Gregory said.

Waverley mayor Will Nemish also said no permission had been given for the demonstration.

'I think it's highly provocative. It's completely unnecessary, and particularly on Father's Day,' he said.

'I've raised this issue internally with council, with local members of Parliament, the police.'

'I've also written to the Police Minister about this as well, asking the police to intervene and use their powers to do what they can in order to try to ... stop the gathering from occurring.

Activists were waving Palestine flags during the paddle-out at Bondi on Sunday morning

Pro-Palestine activists were holding their demonstration on the sand while counter protesters watched on

A demonstrator waves a 'Freedom for Palestine' flag on the sand

'Council hasn't received any permission as part of its events policy, and even if an application were to be put to Council, we would not accept it.'

Jews Against the Occupation claimed the demonstration was peaceful, while organiser Michelle Berkon said pro-Israel groups could not fairly claim Bondi as their 'backyard'.
Rand Paul slammed JD Vance for his comments celebrating the U.S.'s lethal strike on a vessel involved in the drug trade that was coming out of Venezuela.

The vice president has been praising the military's attack that allegedly killed 11 Tren de Aragua narco terrorists - despite the strike's murky legal justification.

'Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military,' Vance wrote on X.

Kentucky Senator Paul, the GOP's highest-profile libertarian, took exception to Vance's words.

'JD 'I don't give a s***' Vance says killing people he accuses of a crime is the "highest and best use of the military,"' Paul wrote.

'Did he ever read To Kill a Mockingbird? Did he ever wonder what might happen if the accused were immediately executed without trial or representation??'

The classic Harper Lee novel To Kill a Mockingbird portrays a case of a man wrongfully accused of rape.

Paul capped off his post with: 'What a despicable and thoughtless sentiment it is to glorify killing someone without a trial.'

The Senator was referencing Vance's response to a liberal journalist who said 'killing the citizens of another nation who are civilians without any due process is called a war crime.'

Vance replied: 'I don't give a s*** what you call it.'

Rand Paul (pictured center) slammed JD Vance for his comments celebrating the U.S.'s lethal strike on a vessel involved in the drug trade that was coming out of Venezuela

The vice president was praising the military's attack that killed 11 Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists on social media

The vice president has yet to respond to Paul's comments. The Daily Mail has reached out to a spokesperson for Vance.

President Donald Trump dropped a video Tuesday that showed the U.S.'s attack on the gang members.

He initially announced the strike from the Oval Office on Tuesday afternoon.

'You'll see that we just, over the last few minutes literally shot out a boat, a drug-carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat,' Trump told reporters.

The president said he had just been briefed on the matter by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Daniel 'Razin' Caine.

'We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country, coming in for a long time, and we just - these came out of Venezuela. And coming out very heavily from Venezuela, a lot of things are coming out of Venezuela, so we took it out,' Trump added.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio chimed in directly afterwards.

'As @potus just announced moments ago, today the U.S. military conducted a lethal strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization,' Rubio said.

President Donald Trump dropped a video Tuesday that showed the U.S.'s attack on the gang members

Later, Trump jumped on Truth Social to share more details, including that no American military personnel were harmed.

'Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!' the president said, ending the post with his trademark: 'Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!!!!!!!!!'

Venezuela's dictator Nicolas Maduro has been fuming over the U.S.'s increased military presence in the region.

Maduro, who the U.S. does not recognize as the legitimate president of the country after an election last year, threatened to 'declare a republic in arms' if attacked by American forces.

'In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,' Maduro also said.

The Pentagon has deployed at least seven warships to the southern Caribbean.

Maduro characterized the escalation as 'an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.'

Last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a $50million reward for information leading to the arrest of Maduro, saying he uses 'foreign terrorist organizations' to 'bring deadly drugs and violence into our country.'

President Donald Trump shared additional details about the strike in a Truth Social post Tuesday afternoon

In the announcement, she said the Drug Enforcement Administration seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates and 7 tons of cocaine linked to the Venezuelan dictator personally.

She noted that cocaine is often laced with fentanyl, which has led to droves of American deaths.

'Under President Trump's leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,' Bondi said.

Caracas has long denied Maduro's ties to the drug cartels.

Trump campaigned on eradicating the drug trade.

Since taking office, the president has also surged resources to the southern border and threatened China with tariffs over fentanyl trafficking.

Last year, Maduro claimed victory in Venezuela's presidential election over opponent Edmundo Gonzalez in an election that international monitors said was neither free nor fair.

During his news conference on Monday, Maduro also continued to claim that he was the legitimate winner of the 2024 election.
Embattled senator Jacinta Price has called out a fellow senior Liberal Party member for his 'cowardly' response to her controversial comments.

Price faced backlash earlier this week after accusing Labor of prioritising Indian migrants to help boost its vote.

In the days after her comment, former immigration minister Alex Hawke, whose electorate has a large Indian community, told Sky News he'd urged Price to clarify her meaning on social media.

However, Price on Sunday turned the finger back on Hawke for failing to contact her and 'berating' her staff.

'Let me be absolutely clear: Alex Hawke did not call me, text me, or WhatsApp me at that point,' she said.

'What actually happened is that Alex Hawke first rang my office  not my direct number  the following morning, on Thursday.

'After claiming he couldn't reach me, he chose instead to berate one of my staff.'

Price then claimed the communication from Hawke was part of a broader problem within the Liberal Party.

Jacinta Price (pictured) slammed fellow Liberal Party member Alex Hawke for allegedly 'berating' her staff

'He even pressed my staff that if I did not comply with his requests, I may end up like another female member of the Coalition  who I won't name,' she said.

'Later that day, I sent him a WhatsApp message to call out his cowardly and inappropriate conduct.

'Only after that message did Alex Hawke and I speak on Thursday evening.

'If people want to talk about a so-called "woman problem" in the Liberal Party, then it's this: we don't stand up for women when they are mistreated by our own colleagues.'

Hawke shared his own statement, which confirmed he spoke with Price and 'accepted her explanation of how her comments have been misinterpreted and subsequently weaponised by Labor'.

However, he added, 'any reasonable person must reject the targeting of Indian Australians'.

'I support her ongoing work to clarify the comments she made last week and helping return this debate to the issue of overall migration levels and having a sustainable migration program,' Hawke said.

While Price didn't apologise for saying the Labor Party 'likes to allow those (people) in  who ultimately vote for them', she explained the comment in her statement.

Price faced backlash after accusing Labor of allowing increased immigration from India in order to boost votes (pictured, Diwali celebrations in Sydney)

'I know that many Australians of Indian ancestry  and Indian migrants living in Australia  are distressed,' she said.

'My comments were never intended to be disparaging towards our Indian community. And I wish no ill will whatsoever to the Indian community  or any other migrant group.

'Indian migrants who have come to Australia have a strong record of integration, embracing our values, working hard in many fields of endeavour, and joining the league of loyal Australian citizens.

'I've helped Indian migrants with visa and citizenship applications. I've supported businesses run by Australians of Indian ancestry. Indeed, my own children are of Indian ancestry.'

Price said while Australia 'benefited from a non-discriminatory migration policy', Labor's 'mass migration agenda' was straining resources.

'Labor has opened the migration floodgates. It has brought in a record 1.2 million people in its first term,' she said.

'There's a big difference between controlled, planned, and sustainable migration on the one hand. And uncontrolled, unplanned, and unsustainable migration on the other hand.

'Migration at the current scale and pace is putting excessive pressures on housing, infrastructure and services. That makes life tougher for everyone. Not just for Australian citizens but for recently arrived migrants and permanent residents who want to join Team Australia too.

Hawke (pictured) said he talked to Price and 'accepted her explanation of how her comments have been misinterpreted and subsequently weaponised by Labor'

'Reducing mass migration means more housing, less congestion, better services  and that benefits all families.'

Price finished her clarification by saying: 'I want to see a better life for all families  whether you're a migrant, a resident, or a citizen  and regardless of your background.

'So, I will continue to speak up with courage on the ramifications of mass migration in the interest of all families and the nation.'
A woman's husband has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with his wife's murder, nearly six years after she disappeared in the Philippines.

Rosemary Martell, 37, vanished on September 27, 2019. Concern then began to spread when one of her co-workers reported that she failed to show up for work three days in a row.

Her family was left searching for answers for years, but now Rosemary's husband, William Glen Martell Jr., 52, will serve 20 years in prison for aggravated assault that caused her death.

The two first met online in 2011, while William was living in Washington state and Rosemary was in the Philippines.

She later traveled to the US and the two got married three years later. They eventually moved back to the Philippines and had two daughters, relatives told Oregon Live.

Rosemary had confided in her brother that William 'started hurting her during arguments,' and he begged her to leave the relationship.

She told her brother that she didn't want their children to grow up without a father and stayed in the marriage.

After Rosemary mysteriously vanished in 2019, William flew back to Washington with their daughters.

Rosemary Martell, 37, vanished on September 27, 2019, but her body was never found. Her husband was finally charged with the crime in June

William Glen Martell Jr., 52, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated assault leading to his wife's death

He later revealed to his sister, Michelle Thompson, that he killed his wife in a fit of rage.

'He told me, "I did something really bad. Do you think I'm going to go to hell?" Thompson told Oregon Live.

'He just said he got mad at her and strangled her, in their house in the living room,' she added.

The sentencing comes nearly six years after Rosemary vanished

William also confessed that he dumped his wife's body in a forest and then went back home to wake his children up.

He then shockingly put the children in the same car that their mother's dead body was just in.

Thompson said she was stunned by the confession, but didn't report it until the Federal Bureau of Investigation showed up at her house a few months later.

Thompson had cooperated with authorities and even attempted to get her brother to confess to the crime on a recording with no luck.

Rosemary wasn't the only victim of William's rage, as court records revealed that he was also charged with interstate transportation with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

Rosemary met William online in 2011 and moved to Washington to be with him. The two got married and had two children

During their relationship, Rosemary confided in her brother about the way William treated her, but refused to leave the marriage for her children

In May 2023, William was indicted for aggravated sexual abuse. Prosecutors found that between November 2018 and February 2019, William transported a person from Oregon to Washington with the intent of engaging in sexual activity that would be considered a crime in Washington.

An additional charge was added in June related to the death of Rosemary for interstate domestic violence.

Court records revealed that in 2019, William traveled from Oregon to the Philippines with the 'intent to harass and intimidate' his wife.

During his time in the foreign country, he assaulted Rosemary, which eventually resulted in her death.

Rosemary's brother, Benedicto Aragon III, joined the sentencing hearing virtually and issued a blistering message to his brother-in-law.

William also pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse and interstate transportation with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Judge Baggio said at his sentencing hearing: 'William Martel Jr. is going to prison for 20 years, but that alone will not heal your broken hearts'

'You did not just kill her. You erased her,' he told Martell.

'You have the resources, cunning and the darkness inside you to make her vanish. My mother, the same woman who once welcomed you in our home with kindness and love -- to cook meals for your family -- now wakes up each day bearing a grief no parent should enter'.

US District Judge Amy Baggio offered a message of support to Rosemary's family, telling the court: 'William Martel Jr. is going to prison for 20 years, but that alone will not heal your broken hearts'.

Daily Mail has reached out to the US Department of Justice and William's defense attorney for further comment.
NANNING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A permanent exhibition honoring the Flying Tigers -- the American volunteer pilots who fought alongside Chinese forces against Japanese aggressors during World War II -- opened on Sunday in Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Housed in the Liuzhou Military Museum, the exhibition brings together more than 1,000 artifacts -- from flight suits and arm patches to letters and diaries, many of which were donated by people in China and the United States.

Liuzhou was a key transportation hub and military stronghold in southern China during the war. In 1942, the Flying Tigers came to the city and was stationed in a local airport. From there, American pilots flew missions against Japanese invaders, leaving behind historical sites, images and stories of locals risking their lives to rescue downed airmen.

Describing the history as one "with remarkable friendship and mutual sacrifice at its heart," Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, said at the opening ceremony that the peoples of China and the United States had developed a remarkable relationship during the darkest days of WWII.

"This history has become more than a bridge between two nations. It is a timeless testament to the power of solidarity," Greene said.

Also at the ceremony, Yang Wanming, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, noted that more than 80 years ago, China and the United States chose to fight together for justice and peace.

"This history shows that people from different countries can overcome their differences and unite in the face of common challenges," Yang said, adding that the younger generations from both countries will carry forward the spirit of the Flying Tigers.

The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge long term, featuring five themed sections presenting the stories of how the American pilots fought side-by-side with Chinese soldiers and civilians during the war. 
The priest at the church where Dezi Freeman was a parishioner said the fugitive seemed 'agitated' in the days before he allegedly shot dead two police officers.

Father Tony Shallue told the Daily Mail Freeman and his wife Mali and their two younger children attended Our Lady of the Snows 'every Sunday'.

The family was so closely linked to the church that special toys were placed to occupy the Freemans' toddler while mass was on, and Mali often volunteered to help others.

Freeman went on the run after he allegedly murdered Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 35, at Porepunkah just before 11am on August 26.

Father Shallue said he last saw Freeman at mass just two days before the alleged murders, which sparked one of the biggest manhunts in Victoria's history.

'His love of his family was strong, he was part of the community, but that particular Sunday [two days before the alleged shootings] I just sensed it, and I didn't know a reason, but I sensed that he just seemed a little agitated,' he said.

'He was jagged in his movements and walking quite quickly, whereas he'd usually just stay around and chat to people, but not that Sunday.'

Father Shallue said he first noticed a change in his 'community and family'-focused parishioner when Pope Francis died on April 21 this year.

Our Lady of the Snows Bright parish priest Father Tony Shallue said Freeman and his family attended church 'every Sunday'

Dezi Freeman, 56, allegedly shot and killed two police officers in Porepunkah on August 26

Mali and her two younger children attended church every Sunday

'The only hint I've got of his sense of conspiracy or apocalyptic thinking was, when the last Pope died, it was Pope Francis, he said to me, "We're into dangerous times" and I said, "Why?"

'[Freeman said] "This is like the next, the next pope, you know, it could be the Antichrist, and I said, "Get over it, Dezi." It's dangerous thinking.'

Earlier, Father Shallue paid tribute to the fallen police while giving his first Sunday mass sermon since the incident

The priest told the congregation he 'didn't apologise' for closing the church last week as he deemed it was necessary for safety reasons and to keep his flock away from media attention.

Father Shallue spoke about how 'no one was above the law' nor were 'judge, jury and executioner'.

'You just can't appoint yourself, judge, a juror, an executioner, all in one, that exists within a society, and God, we don't believe in capital punishment,' he said after the sermon.

'But he tried to arrest a magistrate, he became the magistrate, the judge, and, through his views that were fed by different factional groups and conspiracy theorists, he formed his judgments and became the jury and eventually he became the executioner.'

The priest told media today's sermon was indirectly pointed at Freeman and the shooting incident which rocked Porepunkah, Bright and other nearby communities.

Heavily armed police continue to hunt for Freeman

Freeman repaired the church's Our Lady statue after it was vandalised last year

Freeman said Pope Leo XIV 'could be the Antichrist'

'I felt I needed to address [the shootings] without being specific directly relating to this instance, or particularly the people involved, but it was something needed to be said,' Father Shallue said.

'And I took that opportunity and people would join the dots. If they leave here, they would join the dots of what was said.'

Father Shallue said the Dezi he knew wasn't the Dezi he saw in video, which emerged after the alleged shootings.

He said Freeman was a family man who often helped the parish and repaired the Our Lady statue at the front of the church, which was vandalised last year.

'I've never seen or understood that he was capable of, even that he was that type of person,' Father Shallue said.

'That statue was vandalised and I thought well we'll buy another one, and he came up with this idea that he would repair it.

'So extraordinary to think that, then you find this other man in him, that is destructive in himself.

'I think to some extent Dezi created and fulfilled his own prophecy that everyone, well particularly the police, were against him.

Freeman and his family were members of the Our Lady of the Snows church in Bright (pictured)

Heavily-armed and specialist police continue to scour bushland near Porepunkah where Freeman was last seen on August 26

Father Shallue ended by begging for Freeman to surrender and hand himself in peacefully on Father's Day.

'Please give yourself up,' he said.

'You might have run, but you've imprisoned yourself and we need to resolve this, so please give yourself up and resolve this for our community.

'Enough hurt's been caused, and now, in a real way, a lot of hurt you've turned upon yourself, so whatever your anger is, you've turned that in on yourself as well as projected it into our community.

'And you've been offered the ability to surrender, take that opportunity for your own sake, for these communities, for your families, it's Father's Day, have the consideration that you've always had for your own children.

'We would rather have you help and I visit you [in prison] than have a funeral here, so please cooperate with what's being asked. It's gone too far.'

Freeman, 56, a bushcraft survivalist, has been on the run for 13 days now.

On Saturday morning, Victoria Police Homicide Squad Inspector Dean Thomas announced a $1million bounty to anyone with information that leads to Freeman's arrest.

The record reward for a fugitive in this state came as 450 heavily-armed and specialist police continue scour bushland near Porepunkah where Freeman was last seen on August 26.
The LAPD has dropped its around-the-clock protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris following outrage from conservatives and pressure from the city's police union.

The move comes after President Donald Trump revoked Harris's Secret Service protection earlier this year, cutting short an extension granted by former President Joe Biden that would have lasted until July 2026.

In response, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had directed LAPD resources to continue safeguarding Harris, according to The Los Angeles Times.

But the decision drew criticism from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing rank-and-file officers. The union argued that officers were being diverted from crime suppression duties to provide security for a wealthy political figure who, in their view, could afford private protection.

'Pulling police officers from protecting everyday Angelenos to protect a failed presidential candidate who also happens to be a multi-millionaire with multiple homes and who can easily afford to pay for her own security is nuts,' the union's board said in a statement.

The board also dragged California Governor Gavin Newsom into the dispute, blasting the use of public funds for Harris's security.

'The mayor should tell Governor Newsom that if he wants to curry favor with Ms. Harris and her donor base then he should open up his own wallet because LA taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this ridiculousness,' the statement continued.

The LAPD has dropped its around-the-clock protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris following outrage from conservatives and pressure from the city's police union

The move comes after President Donald Trump revoked Harris's Secret Service protection earlier this year, cutting short an extension granted by former President Joe Biden that would have lasted until July 2026

Typically, former vice presidents receive Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office.

However, Biden had extended Harris's protection period to 18 months, a decision which Trump reversed in August.

'The Vice President is grateful to the United States Secret Service for their professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment to safety,' Harris' senior adviser Kirsten Allen told CNN at the time.

During her time under both the Secret Service and LAPD, Harris reportedly received 24/7 surveillance, including officers stationed outside her Brentwood residence.

According to FOX 11, those officers were drawn from elite LAPD units typically assigned to investigative and suppression tasks.

The situation has also ignited public backlash as local residents and political commentators took to social media to slam the use of city resources.

Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt wrote on X: 'NEWSOM AND KAREN BASS HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO HAVE LAPD AND CHP PROTECT KAMALA HARRIS BUT NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE AREN'T TRESPASSING ON OUR DIRT LOT IN THE PALISADES AND DOING SELFIES??????!!!!'

Officers with an elite LAPD division have been pulled from working cases to provide protection to the former Vice President's Brentwood home 24/7

The decision drew criticism from the Los Angeles Police Protective League. Pictured: Kamala Harris pictured with husband Douglas Emhoff grocery shopping with security in Los Angeles

The situation has also ignited public backlash as local residents and political commentators took to social media to slam the use of city resources

LA Republican official Lisa Cusack added: 'Democrat elites truly have no souls.'

When asked about the controversy, Bass released a statement defending the city's decision and criticizing Trump's removal of federal protection.

'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,' Bass said.

'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.'

The LAPD told the Daily Mail on Thuraday: 'For security reasons, the LAPD never discusses the existence of these assignments or provides details surrounding protective operations.'

Harris, who has a 15-stop book tour planned to promote her upcoming memoir 107 Days, is now expected to rely on private security.

The memoir, referencing the length of her brief 2024 presidential campaign, will be released on September 23, with the tour kicking off the next day. Stops are scheduled across the U.S. and abroad, including London and Toronto.

Going forward, the California Highway Patrol has reportedly offered to assist with security, The Los Angeles Times reported.

When reached for comment on Harris' LAPD protection by FOX 11, LA Mayor Karen Bass replied with a statement accusing Trump of 'political retaliation' against Harris

Trump's removal of Harris's protection follows similar decisions involving former officials.

The 47th President previously cut security for former national security adviser John Bolton and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo - despite reported threats from Iran.

Most recently, he revoked Secret Service coverage for Hunter and Ashley Biden, President Biden's adult children.

Though it's not unusual for former vice presidents to lose protection after six months, it is also not uncommon for extensions to be granted - especially in cases involving ongoing threats.

According to a White House official, a recent Secret Service threat assessment found no credible or ongoing threats to Harris, leading the administration to determine that extended protection was not necessary.
Britain could be one of the first countries in the world to have a fat-busting once-a-day pill in what is being billed as a 'game-changer' for weight loss.

Patrik Jonsson, the head of pharmaceutical behemoth Eli Lilly, said he expects orforglipron to be available as early as next year, if approved by regulators.

The wonder drug could make it even easier for millions of Britons to shed the pounds who currently inject themselves every week with weight-loss jabs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.

Clinical trials announced last month showed orforglipron lowered weight by an average of 12.4 per cent.

Mr Jonsson has even bigger things planned in the fight against obesity with his firm eyeing up a 'once-and-done treatment' which means people would never have to take fat jabs again.

Although admitting that 'dream' is years away, he said: 'If we could be the ones that bring a once-and-done to treating obesity, that would be a huge contribution to humanity.'

Orforglipron works by targeting the same GLP-1 receptors as Blockbuster weight-loss jabs Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, which suppress appetite and make users fill fuller for longer.

Lilly has not yet decided how much the drug will cost but it is easier to produce and transport that injections so is likely to be a cheaper option.

The pill can be stored at room temperature and taken at any time of day, with or without food.

Britain could be one of the first countries in the world to have a fat-busting once-a-day pill that could be a 'game-changer' for weight loss (file image)

Wonder drug orforglipron could make it even easier for millions of Britons to shed the pounds who currently inject themselves every week with weight-loss jabs such as Ozempic (file image)

It is seen as a new tool in the nations fight against obesity and is likely to appeal to a wider audience who are uncomfortable with injecting themselves.

The most recent study involved 3,127 adults and measured their weight loss over a 72 weeks.

The participants were either obese or overweight with a weight-related medical problem and without diabetes.

However, side effects on the tablet were similar to the weight-loss injections, with about one in four people experiencing diarrhoea and one in six suffering nausea.

Others have also experienced pancreatitis.

Speaking last month, Kenneth Custer, executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health said: 'Obesity is one of the most pressing global health challenges of our time, driving global chronic disease burden and impacting more than one billion people worldwide.

'With orforglipron, we're working to transform obesity care by introducing a potential once-daily oral therapy that could support early intervention and long-term disease management, while offering a convenient alternative to injectable treatments.

'With these positive data in hand, we are now planning to submit orforglipron for regulatory review by year-end and are prepared for a global launch to address this urgent public health need.'

Last week, Eli Lilly scaled back on plans to hike the cost of Mounjaro after the company struck deals with pharmacists and private providers to keep prices lower.

Last week, Eli Lilly scaled back on plans to hike the cost of Mounjaro after the company struck deals with pharmacists and private providers to keep prices lower

Your browser does not support iframes.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Under these arrangements, the top dose will rise to 247.50almost 100 less than the new list pricewith smaller discounts applied to lower strengths.

In a statement, Lilly said: 'We are working with private providers on commercial arrangements to maintain affordability and expect these to be passed onto patients when the change is effective on 1 September.

'We are already seeing providers respond in different ways to the list price change, with a range of options available for eligible patients.'

The move comes as slimmers have rushed to stockpile months worth of Mounjaro after panic grew over its soaring cost.
Ministers have urged Brits to remain calm when their phones buzz during the latest test of the national emergency alert system at 3pm today.

Secretary of State Pat McFadden said he knows Brits will 'keep their cool' when their phones make a siren-like noise for 10 seconds, vibrate and show a message.

Emergency planners in the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) Unit chose the time to minimise disruption as it will be the largest UK public safety exercise of its kind.

Dubbed the 'Armageddon alarm', it will be sent to all 4G and 5G-enabled phones and tablets.

There are about 87million mobile phones in the UK and the Government says about 95 per cent of the population has 4G or 5G access.

The alarm is designed to deliver 'life-saving information' in times of crisis, such as during a wildfire or storm.

But experts have warned that the test might carry its own set of risks as it could damage people's health, invade privacy and put victims of abuse at risk.

One expert in acute stress responses said the emergency alarm could trigger heart attacks in some people as it would cause a 'flight-or-fight response'.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said he knows Brits will 'keep their cool' today when their phones make a siren-like noise for 10 seconds

The emergency alert is used to warn if there is a danger to life nearby, in instances like extreme weather - although today will only be a test

Health experts have warned that the sudden shock of the alarm could trigger a heart attack in some rare cases. However, they stress that this is 'highly unlikely' (stock image)

This is due to research showing that emergency alarms can cause participants' heart rates to spike from an average of 74 to 111 beats per minute or higher.

Other campaigners fear it may expose hidden phones used to seek help by abuse victims and could have terrifying consequences for those hiding devices from controlling or violent partners.

They have urged anyone with a hidden device to disable emergency alerts ahead of the drill.

And there are also particular worries that the alert could 'trigger' people with epilepsy.

Nicola Swanborough, head of external affairs at the Epilepsy Society, warned that people with the condition could suffer 'seizures may be triggered by loud noises, such as the siren-like sound of the test'.

The alarm has even prompted the Globe Theatre to announce that it will pause a performance of Shakespeares Twelfth Night so that the alarm does not disrupt the performance.

The siren sound was previously sent out in March this year and officials have now decided to repeat the nationwide exercise - prompting concerns from charities.

The Government insists the alert  which is also used in countries like the US and Japan  is a life-saving measure, and says it will only be deployed in extreme circumstances.

At 3pm today, millions of mobile phones will vibrate and make a siren sound for roughly ten seconds. The Globe Theatre (pictured) will pause their performance

The loud sound of the emergency alert (pictured) may activate the body's flight-or-fight system, triggering an increase in heart rate, a spike in blood pressure, and a flood of stress hormones

It will only be used in rare but life-threatening emergencies, such as severe flooding, fires, or terror attacks, the Government says.

Mr McFadden, the newly appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: 'Its important to remember this is only a test, just like the fire drills we all do in our schools and workplaces.

'Were carrying out the test to make sure the system works well when we need it most, and afterwards, well work with mobile network operators to assess performance.

'The test takes just ten seconds, but it helps us keep the country safe 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.'

In the lead up to the test, there have been announcements and signs telling the public to save the date, featuring adverts on motorways, railway and bus stations to museums, GP surgeries, concerts and theatres.

Emergency Alerts have been used in five real emergencies, most recently this January when 4.5 million people across Scotland and Northern Ireland got one after Storm Eowyn.

And in Plymouth last year, it was used to help evacuate more than 10,000 residents after an unexploded Second World War bomb was discovered.

The alert system was used in Plymouth after an unexploded World War II bomb was uncovered and had to be removed

How to opt out of the national emergency alert test iPhone Go to 'settings' and select the 'notifications' menu, then scroll to the bottom and turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'. Android Search your device settings for 'emergency alerts' and then turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'. Advertisement

However, due to the concerns raised by charities, the Government has made it possible for those concerned to opt out of the alerts.

This can be done on an iPhone by going to 'settings' and selecting the 'notifications' menu, then scroll to the bottom and turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'.

If on an Android device, search your device settings for 'emergency alerts' and then turn off 'severe alerts' and 'extreme alerts'.

The government webpage says people should contact their device manufacturer for help if they are still getting alerts after opting out.

Also, depending on the manufacturer and software version of your phone, emergency alerts settings may be called different names.

These might include 'wireless emergency alerts' or 'emergency broadcasts'.

The alarm will be the first time that the Emergency Alerts System has been tested in two years, following the system's launch in 2023.

Phones will also display a message stating that the alarm is only a test and not a genuine threat to life.

Data about you and your device will not be collected or shared in any way during the test, regardless of whether you receive the alert or choose to opt out.

Pictured: A step-by-step guide on how to turn off the alert on iPhone and Android devices

Since the message is sent automatically via the mobile networks, the government does not need your phone number to send the alert, nor will your number be stored for the test.

Similar systems are already used widely across a number of other countries, primarily for natural disaster preparation.

Japan has one of the world's most sophisticated systems, which combines satellite and cell broadcast technology.

This system forms part of a wider scheme called J-ALERT that informs the public in case of earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, or missile threats.

South Korea frequently uses its national cell broadcast system to alert citizens about issues ranging from weather alerts and civil emergencies to local missing persons cases.

The US has a similar system to the UK that utilises 'wireless emergency alerts' to send messages that look like texts with a unique sound and vibration pattern.
Sir Keir Starmer is ready to move Channel migrants to former military barracks to ward off the threat posed by Nigel Farage.

The Prime Minister has told his reshuffled Cabinet to 'go up a gear' after making sweeping changes to his ministerial ranks following Angela Rayner's resignation on Friday.

It comes as the numbers crossing the Channel continued to soar, with an estimated 1,000 people arriving in the UK on small boats yesterday.

There have also been protests at hotels housing asylum seekers across the country this summer, amid public anger over Labour's record on tackling the issue.

Defence Secretary John Healey today signalled Sir Keir is poised to take a harder line on immigration in the wake of Labour's panicked reshuffle.

He confirmed the Government is looking at plans to move asylum seekers to military sites.

But Mr Healey insisted the PM would not look to remove Britain from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as part of efforts to halt Channel crossings.

The Defence Secretary said his department is 'looking at the potential use of military and non-military use sites for temporary accommodation for the people who come across on these small boats that may not have a right to be here or need to be processed rapidly'.

According to The Telegraph, asylum seekers in hotels will be moved into barracks on former military bases under plans to be unveiled within weeks.

It also reported that ministers are close to agreeing on a 'one in, one out' migrant returns deal with Germany, having already sealed one with France.

Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria pictured arriving today for a church service at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral, Scotland

The PM was in Scotland following a frantic couple of days during which he made sweeping changes to his ministerial ranks following Angela Rayner's resignation

Mr Healey said, together with the Home Office, he was 'putting military planners into their border command and into their planning for the future'.

Speaking to Sky News about potentially moving migrants to military sites, the Defence Secretary added: 'Those are decisions we haven't taken yet, but it's work we're doing at the moment And we're doing it jointly with the Home Office.

'I'm looking really hard at it. I'm looking at it with the Home Office. I recognise that the loss of confidence of the public over recent years in Britain's ability to control it borders needs to be satisfied.

'We have to deal with this problem with the small boats.'

Mr Healey also revealed Sir Keir had instructed his reshuffled Cabinet to 'go up a year' after a 'really tough' first year in power.

'We're starting to renew, and what Keir Starmer has done is put a new team in place and said to us all, 'you've got to go up a gear to demonstrate that Government can deliver for people',' the Defence Secretary said.

Sir Keir's reshuffle was prompted by Ms Rayner departing as Deputy PM, Housing Secretary and Labour's deputy leader after her tearful admission that she didn't pay enough tax on the purchase of her new flat.

Among his changes, Sir Keir switched Yvette Cooper from Home Secretary to Foreign Secretary and replaced her in the Home Office with Shabana Mahmood - alongside a clear-out of junior ministers in that department.

Defence Secretary John Healey revealed Sir Keir is looking at plans to move asylum seekers to military sites after a summer of protests outside migrant hotels

The PM and Shabana Mahmood, the new Home Secretary, are poised to take a harder line on immigration to ward off the threat of Nigel Farage

A French police vessel looks on as a dinghy laden with people prepares to cross the English Channel near Gravelines, northern France

The scale of the challenge facing Ms Mahmood, the former justice secretary, in her new Home Office role was illustrated by another mass of arrivals across the Channel on Saturday - her first full day in the job.

One Government source said 'nothing is off the table' for Ms Mahmood as she assumes her new brief, which puts her in charge of borders and asylum policy.

She has previously signalled a willingness to look at human rights reform within domestic law.

A Labour insider told The Sunday Times that Ms Mahmood was likely to want to overhaul the ECHR.

They claimed she would be far more radical than her predecessor, Ms Cooper, and would 'start with the unthinkable and work backwards'.

But Mr Healey this morning insisted Sir Keir and Ms Mahmood would not look to completely quit the ECHR, warning such a move would leave Britain in the company of countries like Russia and Belarus.

'Keir Starmer has already said that we're reviewing the interpretation of the convention,' the Defence Secretary said.

'But what he has said also is we won't pull out because it underpins so many important, wider agreements.

'And if we pulled out, that would mean we were the only nation in NATO not to be signed up to the convention. And it would put us in the club with Russia and Belarus.'

Among his changes, Sir Keir has switched Yvette Cooper from Home Secretary to Foreign Secretary and replaced her in the Home Office with Ms Mahmood (pictured)

More than 1,000 migrants are thought to have crossed the English Channel on Saturday

The figure of more than 1,000 yesterday is the biggest daily total since May, in which more than 1,195 migrants arrived in the UK in a single day

Saturday's arrivals takes the total number of Channel arrivals so far this year to more than 30,000

Mr Farage used Reform's conference in Birmingham this weekend to pledge his party would stop the boats within two weeks of passing new legislation if they win power.

He has vowed to quit the ECHR and deport 600,000 asylum seekers within five years of a Reform government.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is expected to make a similar pledge to leave the ECHR at her party's conference next month.

As part of Sir Keir's clear-out of the Home Office, ex-borders minister Angela Eagle and ex-policing minister Diana Johnson were shifted to other departments.

Ex-industry minister Sarah Jones is now policing minister, a brief she held in opposition, as part of Ms Mahmood's new-look team along with Mike Tapp, the Dover MP from Labour's 2024 intake, and Alex Norris.

Sir Keir said on Saturday: 'The new ministers will drive forward our growth agenda with a relentless focus.

'Phase two of this Government is about delivery and this is a Government that will renew Britain and deliver the change people voted for.'

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones had earlier denied that the Government was in crisis.

He insisted Sir Keir now has the 'strongest team' in place around the Cabinet table following Ms Rayner's departure.

He ruled out the prospect of an early general election amid opposition claims that the upheaval could open up splits within Labour and collapse the PM's authority.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Speaking to broadcasters on Saturday, Mr Jones dismissed suggestions that the reshuffle could delay the PM's self-described 'phase two' of Government by moving senior figures to unfamiliar briefs.

'It's not instability insofar as the outcomes that we're delivering are the same,' Mr Jones, who is also the newly-appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, told BBC Breakfast.

He rejected the idea Ms Cooper had been moved out of the Home Office because she was failing to control immigration, adding she would be 'brilliant' in her new role as Foreign Secretary.

But Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said the reshuffle looked like 'moving deck chairs on Titanic' and 'creating a London elite'.

'The Labour Party is a broad church this is certainly not represented with this reshuffle,' she said.
Britain's largest city has been plunged into transport chaos as Tube workers begin their first full-stage walkout since 2023.

London Underground staff have started striking this morning in an RMT-led dispute over pay and conditions which will see the city's main mode of transport grind to a halt over the coming week.

The union had demanded that its workers receive an increase in cash as well as a reduction in working time from 35 hours to 32 hours per week.

But Transport for London (TfL), who have since tabled a 3.4 per cent pay rise offer to the union's members, said reducing working hours would be both 'unaffordable and impractical'.

With travel disarray in sight, Nick Dent, TfL's director of customer operations for the Tube, issued the RMT with a plea to stop the strikes.

He said on Friday: 'We have met four times in the past two weeks and we would welcome further talks. It is not too late to call off the strikes and put our offer to the RMT members.'

However, it appears that the union are going full steam ahead with the walkout, which has already seen disruptions to many routes throughout the city.

While limited services are running today, London's Tube network is set to be shut down completely as of 6pm this evening until around 8am on Friday, September 12.

Signs at High Street Kensington today show that the London Underground will be shut down from 6pm this evening until Friday morning

A sign in High Street Kensington shows how the disruption has already started, with no Circle Line service today 'due to strike action'

A board in Notting Hill Gate station shows the Bakerloo Line and Circle Line are fully suspended, with the Metropolitan Line and Piccadilly Line part suspended

It will be the first time the underground's entire network has been closed since March 2023, a movement fronted by then-RMT chief Mick Lynch.

Commuters had hoped a similar aversion would be deployed to that of last January, when Sadiq Khan used 30million of Greater London Authority funds to stop Tube workers from striking.

But with no solution in sight, fears have been sparked over the potential disruption the walkout could cause in the week ahead.

As Tube stations across the city lie desolate, workers will be forced to pack onto buses, the London Overground and trams - with roads also expected to be far busier than usual.

Docklands Light Railway (DLR) services, which run through east and southeast London, will also be stopped entirely on Tuesday and Thursday over a separate dispute.

TfL has advised that alternative means of transport look set to be 'extremely busy' as commuters try to find a way into the city.

A page reading 'Strike Action Impacts' on TfL's website shows the Tube disruption this week

The Underground Station in Notting Hill was quiet when the Daily Mail visited, with people seemingly seeking alternative means to reach their destinations

A sign displayed shows how disruption has commenced today, with services affected until Friday

High Street Kensington was also scarce in travellers passing through this morning amid the strikes

The Tube strikes are an RMT-led effort to improve workers' pay and reduce the number of hours they work

They expect them to be so rammed that some services even face being unable to stop at stations shared with the London Underground.

Announcing the strikes last month, RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said workers were 'not after a 'King's ransom'.

He said: 'Our members are doing a fantastic job to keep our capital moving and work strenuous shift patterns to make sure Londoners get to their destinations around the clock.

'They are not after a King's ransom, but fatigue and extreme shift rotations are serious issues impacting on our members health and wellbeing- all of which have not been adequately addressed for years by LU management.

'Coupled with the fact there are outstanding issues around staff travel arrangements, an atmosphere of distrust has been created, where our members feel like no one is listening to them.

'RMT will continue to engage LU management with a view to seeking a revised offer in order to reach a negotiated settlement.'
One in five Britons now hold or agree with anti-Semitic views, new polling has found.

The findings showed that the number of people holding what would be considered entrenched anti-Semitic views has doubled in less than five years.

An astounding 21% of the public now hold or agree with anti-Semitic views, compared to 16 per cent last year. In 2021, the figure was only 11 per cent.

The alarming figures are the highest since the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) began carrying out similar surveys a decade ago.

The survey, which was carried out by YouGov, also found that a staggering 45% believe that Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews.

This is a record figure and a huge increase from last year's prior record of 33%. This belief was most prevalent in young people (60%) and in Londoners (48%).

The CAA says it is one of the most common antisemitic tropes and that it both trivialises the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were industrially slaughtered, and insultingly accuses victims of the crime committed against them of perpetrating it.

The shocking figures come after Israeli retaliation for the October 7 attacks, which killed more than 1,200 Jews, continues to fuel a wider anti-Jewish sentiment.

December 2024: People held placards and waved flags when they attended a previous march against antisemitism

The shocking figures come after Israeli retaliation for the October 7 attacks, which killed more than 1,200 Jews, continues to fuel a wider anti-Jewish sentiment. Pictured: The Gaza Strip on September 6, 2025

In response, thousands of Jewish community and allies are preparing to join Britain's March Against Antisemitism this afternoon.

Attendees will gather at the corner of Weymouth Street and Hallam Street in Marylebone, Central London, at 1pm to begin the march.

Elsewhere in the survey, it found almost half (49%) of 18-24-year-olds are uncomfortable spending time with people who openly support Israel, while only 18% are comfortable.

Only 31% of young voters agree that Israel has a right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people, while 20% (one fifth) say that it does not.

Over a quarter (26%) of the British public believes that Israel can get away with anything because its supporters control the media, up considerably from 18% last year. Among young people, the figure skyrockets to 42%.

The CAA said: 'Bearing in mind that the overwhelming majority of British Jews identify as Zionists and with the Jewish state, these attitudes among young Britons have enormous implications for young Jews on campus, on social media and starting out in the workplace.'

Concerningly, the study also found 10% of young people have a favourable view of Hamas, and 14% of them believe it is wrong to classify Hamas as terrorists.

Almost one fifth  a stunning 19%  of young people believe that the Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October 2023 was justified.

Photos taken in December 2023 showed a bus stop in Stamford Hill, London, covered in graffiti showing a Star of David with a cross spray-painted over the top

Pita restaurant in Golders Green, north London, was smashed up in October 2023

People search for salvage at a mound of rubble after a building was destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza City on September 6, 2025

The CAA labelled the figures 'deeply alarming' and said there are 'stronger indicators of the rise of extremism in our country'.

Among party voters, 10% of Reform voters do not believe Jewish people are just as loyal to Britain as other British people, and 24% of them  almost a quarter  believe that Jewish people chase money more than other people do. These are higher figures than for voters of any other major party.

Around a third (29%) of the British public believe that Israel and its supporters are a bad influence on our democracy, up significantly from 22% last year.

For Green Party voters, this number stands at 54%, and sits at 32% for Londoners.

Among Green Party voters, 15% believe that the Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October 2023 was justified, higher than any other major party's voters.

Half (51%) of the British public believes that antisemitism has increased in the UK since October 2023, and 60% of young people agree. Only 23% of the population believes that it has stayed the same, and only 2% believe that it has decreased.

The CAA said: 'Awareness of antisemitism is clearly high, but given the rising levels of antisemitic views, either people are not bothered by the surge in anti-Jewish racism or, more likely, they do not comprehend the nature of it and their role in the increase.'

When it comes to pro-Palestine marches, the polling shows that the public is divided, with 29% viewing them positively and 32% viewing them negatively.

Concerningly, the study also found 10% of young people have a favourable view of Hamas, and 14% of them believe it is wrong to classify Hamas as terrorists. Pictured: A Hamas spokesman speaking after its attack on Israel in October 2023

Palestinians move toward central Gaza after Israeli attacks on northern Gaza force them to flee

College staff clean up what was left behind of the Cambridge student protests on May 17, 2024

But a sizable majority of 69% believe that they are achieving not very much or nothing at all, while only 13% believe that they are achieving something.

And a clear majority of 58% of the British public believes that the organisers of the Palestine protests should foot the bill for them.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: 'Our country is clearly at a tipping point. These are the highest antisemitism figures that we have ever recorded, having doubled in less than five years.

'Our young people are being radicalised into adopting hateful ideologies before our eyes. Britain will lose its soul to extremists unless the silent majority wakes up.

'The public recognises that racism against Jewish people has skyrocketed, but the authorities have abysmally failed to rise to the occasion.

'Politicians, police and prosecutors, regulators, media organisations, cultural institutions, universities, trade unions  they are all complicit in the creation of a climate of hatred in Britain.

'Jews may feel it most sharply now, but for all of us, this is not the country that we used to know. Soon it will be too late for our country to change course.'

The survey of a representative sample of 2,245 British adults was conducted by YouGov between September 1 and 2. It was carried out online.

When it comes to pro-Palestine marches, the polling shows that the public is divided, with 29% viewing them positively and 32% viewing them negatively. Pictured: Protestors march in London on September 6

A clear majority of 58% of the British public believes that the organisers of the Palestine protests should foot the bill for them. Pictured: The National March for Palestine 'Stop Starving Gaza' on September 6

Demonstrator holds a placard while attending a march against antisemitism in London on December 2024

The YouGov survey was designed in collaboration with Campaign Against Antisemitism using the Generalised Antisemitism Scale.

The twelve statements  which include six relating to Judeophobic antisemitism and six relating to anti-Zionist antisemitism  together comprise the Generalised Antisemitism Scale.

The Generalised Antisemitism Scale was devised by Dr Daniel Allington of King's College London, Dr David Hirsh of Goldsmiths, and Dr Louise Katz (then) of the University of Derby.

They based it on the International Definition of Antisemitism, which Campaign Against Antisemitism, together with other Jewish communal institutions from around the world, has long campaigned to be widely adopted.

However, there is controversy over this definition, as it includes both anti-Jewish sentiment and anti-Zionism, and criticism of Israel's right to exist, as being anti-Semitic.
A body has been found inside a burning vehicle in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, as drivers have been ordered to avoid the area.

Emergency services were called to Bells Line of Road, about 10km east of Mount Wilson, about 10.30am on Sunday following reports a car was on fire.

Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze and subsequently discovered a body inside the vehicle.

Police established a crime scene with the support of Blue Mountains Police Area Command and Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.

The identity of the person and the cause of the fire remain undetermined, prompting a plea for information from the public.

The state crime commands homicide squad has been informed about the incident.

Detectives have also been working to understand the circumstances around the blaze.

Bells Line of Road was closed in both directions between Mount Tomah Road at Mount Street and Darling Causeway at Bell for much of Sunday.

A body was found inside a burning vehicle on Bells Line of Road in the Blue Mountains

Emergency services were called to the scene following reports of a vehicle on fire on Sunday

Motorists were advised to use the Great Western Highway and Darling Causeway as an alternative route.

The route has since been reopened after police cleared the site.

Police have made an appeal for anyone with information or who has dashcam footage recorded in the area between 10am and 10.45am on Sunday, to contact Springwood Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Sir Keir Starmer is facing the prospect of a bitter fight for Labour's deputy leadership as potential candidates jostle for position following Angela Rayner's resignation.

Dame Emily Thornberry, a senior Labour MP, said she was 'considering' a bid for the deputy role as she delivered a withering assessment of the Prime Minister's first year in power.

She admitted 'things just don't seem to be working' as she hit out at the 'mistakes' made by Sir Keir and accused her party's leadership of 'not listening'.

The PM and his wife, Victoria, joined the King and Queen at a church service in Balmoral on Sunday.

Sir Keir travelled to Scotland after conducting a frantic reshuffle of his Government in the wake of Ms Rayner's resignation as Deputy PM and housing secretary.

She also quit as Labour's deputy leader on Friday, after her tearful admission that she didn't pay enough tax on the purchase of her new flat.

It sets up the likelihood of a divisive Labour deputy leadership contest taking place at the same time as Sir Keir tries to get his administration back on track.

The PM is also having to combat Reform UK's poll surge as Nigel Farage's party enjoys rising popularity while Labour fails to tackle the Channel migrant crisis.

Defence Secretary John Healey this morning revealed that Sir Keir is ready to move asylum seekers to former military barracks in a bid to ward off the threat posed by Mr Farage.

Downing Street this afternoon announced further reshuffle changes as the PM appointed some Labour MPs to junior Government roles who were only elected to the House of Commons last July.

Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria pictured arriving today for a church service at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral, Scotland

The PM was in Scotland following a frantic couple of days during which he made sweeping changes to his ministerial ranks following Angela Rayner's resignation

Dame Emily Thornberry, a former shadow minister, hit out at the 'mistakes' made by the Prime Minister and accused her party's leadership of 'not listening'

Mr Healey confirmed the Government is looking at plans to move asylum seekers to military sites.

But the defence secretary insisted the PM would not look to remove Britain from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as part of efforts to halt Channel crossings.

He said his department is 'looking at the potential use of military and non-military... sites for temporary accommodation for the people who come across on these small boats that may not have a right to be here or need to be processed rapidly'.

According to The Telegraph, asylum seekers in hotels will be moved into barracks on former military bases under plans to be unveiled within weeks.

It also reported that ministers are close to agreeing on a 'one in, one out' migrant returns deal with Germany, having already sealed one with France.

It came as the numbers crossing the Channel continued to soar, with an estimated 1,000 people arriving in the UK on small boats yesterday.

There have also been protests at hotels housing asylum seekers across the country this summer, amid public anger over Labour's record on tackling the issue.

Shabana Mahmood, the new Home Secretary, said in a statement on Sunday: 'These small boats crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders.

'Thanks to our deal with France, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France and I expect the first returns to take place imminently.

'Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.'

Mr Healey also revealed Sir Keir had instructed his reshuffled Cabinet to 'go up a gear' after a 'really tough' first year in power.

'We're starting to renew, and what Keir Starmer has done is put a new team in place and said to us all, 'you've got to go up a gear to demonstrate that Government can deliver for people',' the defence secretary said.

Dame Emily, speaking to the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show, revealed that she is considering a bid for the deputy leadership, after tearing into Sir Keir's record.

Meanwhile, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham threw his support behind two former ministers who are allies of his, and demanded a 'reset' of Sir Keir's 'London-centric' administration.

Mr Burnham is a long-time rival of the PM who is frequently touted as a replacement for Sir Keir should he make a return to Westminster.

Ms Rayner quit as Deputy PM, housing secretary and Labour's deputy leader after her tearful admission that she didn't pay enough tax on the purchase of her new flat

Dame Emily said the PM's first year in office had been a 'mixed picture' as she praised Sir Keir's performance internationally, but suggested he was failing domestically.

'It's such a mixed picture, isn't it. We're doing so well internationally and our standing is so much higher; we're back on the international scene,' she said.

'But domestically things just don't seem to be working. There are things we're doing which are fantastic, but nobody seems to know about it.

'The highest wage growth, building some homes, actually investing in green energy.

'All of these sort of things are brilliant achievements, nobody seems to be hearing about that - they hear about the mistakes.'

Dame Emily, the chair of the House of Commons' foreign affairs committee, warned Labour 'can't afford' to keep making mistakes due to the threat of Nigel Farage's Reform UK.

'We've gone from having a fantastic gift from the British public of a huge majority to now being at 20 per cent in the polls,' she added.

'And we will have in the next election the biggest fight of our lives coming, which is against Farage.

'The last thing we want is to go from a position where it was thought we would be in for two terms, to [handing] our country over to Farage.'

Dame Emily accused the Government of 'not listening to people of goodwill who want the party to succeed'.

'I think we need to do more of that because I think the answers are out there, but I think we need to continue to listen and learn from the public,' she added.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham threw his support behind two former ministers who are allies of his and demanded a 'reset' of Sir Keir's 'London-centric' administration

The Islington South and Finsbury MP revealed she was 'thinking about' a bid for Labour's deputy leadership.

'I'm thinking about it, it's really a question of what I can bring to it,' she said.

'What's important is what you bring; do you have the strengths, do you have the experience, can you actually make a difference? I've got to think about that.'

But Mr Burnham argued someone from his region should take on Labour's deputy leadership from Ms Rayner to combat the 'London centricity [sic]' of the Government.

The Greater Manchester mayor tipped Louise Haigh, who quit as transport secretary in November over a fraud row, and Lucy Powell, who was sacked as Commons leader by Sir Keir on Friday, as possible candidates.

Both Ms Haigh and Ms Powell previously supported Mr Burnham in his unsuccessful bid to be Labour leader in 2015.

Mr Burnham told the BBC: 'Obviously, I'm biased, but you know somebody from these parts... would be great.

'Louise Haigh, possibly Lucy Powell, whom I think did a brilliant job in government.

'I think that's what it needs, you know, we need to hear the voice of the party, the voice of the members, and then the voice of our communities behind that, particularly in the north of England, to counter that London centricity.

'And I just would say more broadly, I think it also needs to be a bit of a reset for the Government, you know, I wish the new Cabinet and the ministerial team well, and I'm here to support them and work with them.

'But I do think, you know, there needs to be a reset of the way we're doing things.

'If the Government says it's going to do something, it should just do it. It can't be right that we're still in negotiations about the Hillsborough law, for instance, that's unfair, in my view, to the Hillsborough families.

'You know, this is a moment to... take a bit of stock, reset, and then as one Labour team, come back stronger.'

Mr Healey said, together with the Home Office, he was 'putting military planners into their border command and into their planning for the future'.

Speaking to Sky News about potentially moving migrants to military sites, he added: 'Those are decisions we haven't taken yet, but it's work we're doing at the moment And we're doing it jointly with the Home Office.

'I'm looking really hard at it. I'm looking at it with the Home Office. I recognise that the loss of confidence of the public over recent years in Britain's ability to control its borders needs to be satisfied.

'We have to deal with this problem with the small boats.'

Sir Keir's reshuffle was prompted by Ms Rayner departing as Deputy PM, housing secretary and Labour's deputy leader.

Among his changes, Sir Keir switched Yvette Cooper from Home Secretary to Foreign Secretary and replaced her in the Home Office with Ms Mahmood - alongside a clear-out of junior ministers in that department.

Defence secretary John Healey revealed Sir Keir is looking at plans to move asylum seekers to military sites after a summer of protests outside migrant hotels

The PM and Shabana Mahmood, the new Home Secretary, are poised to take a harder line on immigration to ward off the threat of Nigel Farage

A French police vessel looks on as a dinghy laden with people prepares to cross the English Channel near Gravelines, northern France

The scale of the challenge facing Ms Mahmood, the former justice secretary, in her new Home Office role was illustrated by another mass of arrivals across the Channel on Saturday - her first full day in the job.

One government source said 'nothing is off the table' for Ms Mahmood as she assumes her new brief, which puts her in charge of borders and asylum policy.

She has previously signalled a willingness to look at human rights reform within domestic law.

A Labour insider told The Sunday Times that Ms Mahmood was likely to want to overhaul the ECHR.

They claimed she would be far more radical than her predecessor, Ms Cooper, and would 'start with the unthinkable and work backwards'.

But Mr Healey this morning insisted Sir Keir and Ms Mahmood would not look to completely quit the ECHR, warning such a move would leave Britain in the company of countries like Russia and Belarus.

'Keir Starmer has already said that we're reviewing the interpretation of the convention,' the defence secretary said.

'But what he has said also is we won't pull out because it underpins so many important, wider agreements.

'And if we pulled out, that would mean we were the only nation in Nato not to be signed up to the convention. And it would put us in the club with Russia and Belarus.'

Among his changes, Sir Keir has switched Yvette Cooper from Home Secretary to Foreign Secretary and replaced her in the Home Office with Ms Mahmood (pictured with the PM)

More than 1,000 migrants are thought to have crossed the English Channel on Saturday

The figure of more than 1,000 yesterday is the biggest daily total since May, when more than 1,195 migrants arrived in the UK on a single day

Saturday's arrivals takes the total number of Channel arrivals so far this year to more than 30,000

Mr Farage used Reform's conference in Birmingham this weekend to pledge that his party would stop the boats within two weeks of passing new legislation if they win power.

He has vowed to quit the ECHR and deport 600,000 asylum seekers within five years of becoming PM.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is expected to make a similar pledge to leave the ECHR at her party's conference next month.

As part of Sir Keir's clear-out of the Home Office, ex-borders minister Angela Eagle and ex-policing minister Diana Johnson were shifted to other departments.

Ex-industry minister Sarah Jones is now policing minister, a brief she held in opposition, as part of Ms Mahmood's new-look team along with Mike Tapp, the Dover and Deal MP from Labour's 2024 intake, and Alex Norris.

Sir Keir said on Saturday: 'The new ministers will drive forward our growth agenda with a relentless focus.

'Phase two of this Government is about delivery and this is a Government that will renew Britain and deliver the change people voted for.'

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones had earlier denied that the Government was in crisis.

He insisted Sir Keir now has the 'strongest team' in place around the Cabinet table following Ms Rayner's departure.

He ruled out the prospect of an early general election amid opposition claims that the upheaval could open up splits within Labour and collapse the PM's authority.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Speaking to broadcasters on Saturday, Mr Jones dismissed suggestions that the reshuffle could delay the PM's self-described 'phase two' of Government by moving senior figures to unfamiliar briefs.

'It's not instability insofar as the outcomes that we're delivering are the same,' Mr Jones, who is also the newly appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, told BBC Breakfast.

He rejected the idea Ms Cooper had been moved out of the Home Office because she was failing to control immigration, adding she would be 'brilliant' in her new role as Foreign Secretary.

But Kim Johnson, the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said the reshuffle looked like 'moving deckchairs on the Titanic' and 'creating a London elite'.

'The Labour Party is a broad church [and] this is certainly not represented with this reshuffle,' she said.
Japan's prime minister has said he is to resign following the fallout following calls from his party to take responsibility for a disastrous defeat in July's election.

The public broadcaster NHK said Shigeru Ishiba made the decision to avoid a divide within the party, while the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said he was unable to withstand the mounting calls for his resignation.

Ishiba, who took office in October, had resisted demands from mostly rightwing opponents within his party for more than a month.

The conservative LDP and its junior partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats to retain control of the upper chamber, but won 47, as the coalition saw its vote eroded by an increase in support for far-right nationalist parties.

Ishiba called a press conference at 6pm (local time) on Sunday in Tokyo where he said he intended to resign as LDP president and would stay on as prime minister until a new leader is elected.

He told the press conference that he had decided 'this is the right timing' to step down having agreed a deal to alleviate US tariffs on Japanese imports.

He said he had asked the LDP's general secretary to begin organising a party leadership election immediately.

Ishiba referenced the economic challenges that the country has been facing, saying his administration had worked to help 'those who are suffering', to strengthen the struggling yen and to bring down the soaring cost of key daily staples like rice.

Japan 's prime minister has said he is to resign following the fallout following calls from his party to take responsibility for a disastrous defeat in July's election

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba bows during a press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on September 7, 2025

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (2-L) leaves at the end of a press conference at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo

'The US-Japan alliance is making progress,' he said.

'I had calls and meetings with US president Donald Trump many times. We will strengthen our relationship with the United States, that is of course something that we need to do.'

He said it was 'a pity' that he had to step down now rather than continue his diplomatic efforts, but that he would pass the torch to the next leader.

Ishiba said it was a 'very difficult decision' to step down, but he took responsibility for July's election loss and that he was concerned about growing internal divisions within the LDP.

He warned that an erosion of trust in the country's moderate conservative party risked seeing Japanese politics 'slide towards popularism'.

The politician's move comes a day before his Liberal Democratic party is due to decide whether to hold an early leadership election  a virtual no-confidence motion against him if approved.

Ishiba said he would start a process to hold a party leadership vote to choose his replacement and that there was no need for Monday's decision.

In July, Ishiba's ruling coalition failed to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election, further shaking the stability of his government.

It comes just two months after Ishiba vowed not to quit despite exit polls indicating that his ruling Liberal Democratic Party had lost control of the upper house.

According to media projections after elections, Ishiba's coalition was projected to have lost its majority in the upper house, a result that was thought could push him to resign.

Speaking after polls closed, the prime minister said he 'solemnly' accepted the 'harsh result' but that his focus was on trade negotiations.

People walk past a screen broadcasting a live TV news program showing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaking at a press conference, in Osaka, western Japan, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025

A voter casts their ballot in upper house elections at a polling station in Tokyo on July 20, 2025

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addresses the media after his coalition lost its upper house majority in elections in July

'It's a difficult situation, and we have to take it very humbly and seriously,' Ishiba told broadcaster NHK.

'We can't do anything until we see the final results, but we want to be very aware of our responsibility,' Ishiba added.

Ishiba, a self-confessed defence 'geek', is the son of a regional governor and is from Japan's small Christian minority.

Seen as a safe pair of hands, he won the party leadership in September, on his fifth try, to become the LDP's 10th separate prime minister since 2000, all of them men.

Ishiba pledged to 'create a new Japan' and revitalise depressed rural regions, and to address the 'quiet emergency' of Japan's shrinking population.

He immediately called lower house elections for October but that backfired spectacularly, with the LDP suffering its worst result in 15 years.

That robbed the LDP and its coalition party Komeito of their majority, forcing them to bargain with opposition parties to pass legislation.

Ishiba, the father of two daughters, also appointed only two women to his cabinet, down from five under predecessor Fumio Kishida.

His sometimes clumsy ways - ranging from the less-than-perfectly tidy arrangement of his tuxedo to his table manners - have also been rich fodder for social media memes.

He drew ridicule after being snapped apparently napping in parliament and for failing to stand up to greet other world leaders at a gathering in South America.

Worse was a video that emerged of Ishiba eating an onigiri rice ball - a popular snack - whole and munching on it without closing his mouth.
Thousands march in Washington, D.C. to protest the federal government's takeover of the police force in the U.S. capital.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service 
Russian missiles have torn through the Ukrainian government's main building in Vladimir Putin's boldest act of war since the conflict began in 2022.

The dramatic attack on the Cabinet of Ministers came as more than 800 drones and missiles were launched into Ukraine overnight in what has been branded an 'escalation of terror' by Ukraine's foreign minister.

Andrii Sybiha said the move 'needs to get a strong response from our allies' as he shared images of the government office, where plumes of smoke could be seen billowing for miles.

He wrote on X: 'Civilians killed and injured, civilian infrastructure damaged in Kyiv, Odesa, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia, among other cities.

'For the first time since the beginning of full-scale war, Russia damaged the Ukrainian Government building in Kyiv. This alone is a serious escalation.

'The greatest cynicism is that these brutal attacks come just as President Trump makes every effort to achieve peace. But instead of reciprocating these efforts and agreeing to a leaders meeting, Putin rejects diplomacy and escalates terror.'

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky also confirmed that a blaze had broken out in his government building as a result of the strikes, as he lambasted Russia's 'deliberate crime' and 'prolongation of the war'.

Calling on Ukraine's allies to save innocent civilians from such 'vile' attacks occurring again, Zelensky said: 'The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop the killings  all that is needed is political will. I thank everyone who is helping.'

Russian missiles have torn through a Ukrainian government building in Vladimir Putin's boldest act of war since the conflict began in 2022

The dramatic attack on the Cabinet of Ministers came as more than 800 drones and missiles were launched into Ukraine overnight in what has been branded an 'escalation of terror'

Plumes of black smoke were seen billowing for miles near where Russian strikes landed in Kyiv

Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the attack 'needs to get a strong response from our allies'

Moscow's defence ministry said its forces had 'struck sites of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and transport infrastructure'

Mr Sybiha added that 'only pressure on Moscow' can bring about an end to the conflict as he urged allies to stop funding oil and gas revenues which he says powers the 'Russian war machine'.

Moscow's defence ministry said its forces had 'struck sites of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and transport infrastructure' as it looks to strengthen its offensive into the region.

It also said it had intercepted 69 Ukrainian drones overnight, stopping 21 over Krasnodar Krai, 13 in Voronezh and 10 over Belgorod. The remaining 25 were stopped elsewhere.

Ukrainian police confirmed that a mother and her baby were among those killed during Putin's drone attack on Kyiv.

The 32-year-old woman and her two-month-old son died in the Sviatoshynskyi district, with dozens of people injured in the Russian terror. The child's father was pulled wounded from the rubble.

The strike across Ukraine broke records for the war - with more than a dozen ballistic and cruise missiles hitting 20-plus cities.

A woman was also reported dead in the Sumy region, with seven wounded, as Putin continues to slaughter innocent civilians.

The 'massive strikes' led to Nato scrambling allied fighters over Poland, close to the Ukrainian border, with ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems put on a state of 'maximum readiness'.

The Warsaw operational commander said in a statement: 'These actions are of a preventative nature and are aimed at securing the airspace and protecting citizens, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened zone.'

High-rise buildings and a nursery school were also hit in the onslaught.

An explosion of a missile in Kyiv, Ukraine, lights up the sky during a Russian strike on September 7, 2025

Ukrainian servicemen shoot down a Russian missile as smoke rises from Kyiv on September 7, 2025

A man inspects the damage in an apartment that was hit during Russian strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 7, 2025

Across Ukraine, the strikes targeted Kyiv region, Odesa, Kryvyi Rih, Kremenchuk, Khmelnytskyi, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia.

Pro-Putin news outlets boasted it was 'one of the largest drone attacks by the Russian Armed Forces on Ukraine', with claims of 1,000 drones.

Ukrainian officials initially acknowledged 805 drone strikes, plus 13 Iskander-K cruise and Iskander-M ballistic missiles.

While 751 drones and missiles were downed or missed, Ukraine admitted hits by nine missiles and 56 strike drones at 37 locations, with debris of downed targets falling in eight places.

Energy infrastructure, a key bridge over the Dnipro River - targeted more than 20 times - and a dam area in Svitlovodsk were hit, as was an airfield in Khmelnytskyi region.

The Kryukovskiy bridge in Kremenchuk, Poltava region, was seen under attack on footage as the city suffered at least 40 explosions.

The key road and rail hub was closed this morning, and electricity and the internet were not working early today.
More former Tory ministers will be joining Reform UK following the defection of Nadine Dorries, according to Nigel Farage.

The Reform leader admitted his party's 'biggest weakness' is that it lacks 'experience at government level'.

But he said further defections to his party's ranks - similar to that of Ms Dorries', the ex-Conservative culture secretary - would continue to boost Reform's preparedness for power.

Ms Dorries, who served in Boris Johnson's government, joined Mr Farage on stage at Reform's conference in Birmingham on Friday after declaring 'the Tory party is dead'.

She issued a rallying call for Conservative members to 'do the right thing' and copy her by switching to Reform.

Adam Holloway, Sir Jake Berry, Andrea Jenkyns, Marco Longhi, Ross Thomson, David Jones and Lee Anderson are other exConservative MPs who have joined Reform.

Meanwhile, former Tory business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has offered to advise Mr Farage and Reform if they win the next general election.

But, despite making an appearance at Reform's conference this weekend, he insisted he would not be defecting - even though his teenage daughter Mary has joined the party.

More former Tory ministers will be joining Reform UK following the defection of Nadine Dorries , according to Nigel Farage

Ms Dorries, who served in Boris Johnson 's government, joined Mr Farage on stage at Reform's conference in Birmingham on Friday after declaring 'the Tory party is dead'.

Despite making an appearance at Reform's conference this weekend, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted he would not be defecting - even though his daughter Mary has joined the party

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show, Mr Farage said Ms Dorries' defection to Reform 'brings us the one commodity we're very short of and that's experience at government level'.

'That is our biggest weakness,' he added. 'You could ask me lots of questions about policy and personnel and all the rest of it.

'But if you ask me, how are you going to do this? I can't really give you an answer, because I haven't got anybody in the senior team that's ever been there before.

'Nadine came yesterday. She's the first, and there will be others.'

Asked why he felt able to brand Labour ministers 'not fit to govern' while admitting Reform lacks experience of being in power, Mr Farage replied: 'As of yesterday, I started to get more qualified to do it and that process will continue.'

Pressed on whether that meant more former ministers would be joining Reform, he added: 'Oh, yes.'

But Mr Farage played down the chances of Mr Johnson ever joining Reform despite Ms Dorries urging the two men to join forces to bring down Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Government.

'Oh I don't think that would really work, somehow', Mr Farage said.

'Oh, I think that the Boris wave, and I like him personally, I always have done, he's a very entertaining bloke, but I think that the Boris wave was felt by millions of people.

'Millions of people allowed, being allowed into Britain, most of whom, by the way, don't even work, and are costing us a fortune. That's something for which this audience will never, ever forgive him.'

The term 'Boris wave' is used by Reform figures to describe the surge in legal immigration following post-Brexit visa policies introduced under Mr Johnson from January 2021.

Mr Rees-Mogg was seen being mobbed for 'selfies' by Reform members at the party's conference on Saturday.

He was also urged to abandon his support for the Conservatives and switch to Mr Farage's outfit.

But Sir Jacob disappointed attendees when he spoke at a fringe event to declare he was 'going to remain a Tory', despite recent speculation he was on 'defection watch' .

The father-of-six admitted he was 'having his arm twisted' by his daughter, who he was 'embarrassed' to say had joined Reform.

'Mary has joined Reform but I'm not going to,' said the ex-Cabinet minister, who is also a parent to Peter, Thomas, Anselm, Alfred and Sixtus.

'I'm going to remain a Tory because I think it is fundamental that we bring the family of the Right together.'

Sir Jacob added the 'family of the Right' needed to unite under Britain's first-past-the-post electoral system in order to win a majority.

But, speaking to The Telegraph, Sir Jacob said he was willing to offer advice to Mr Farage on governing if Reform wins the next general election.

'In my experience, the civil service can be obstructive,' he said.

'But it's normally obstructive because of the Human Rights Act, the Equality Act, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Refugee Convention, [and] the Climate Change Act.

'Things Parliament has passed into law, which they then say, 'Oh, minister, you can't do that'.

'That's what needs to be done, the legislation needs to be repealed to stop civil servants being able to say, 'Minister, you can't do that'.'

Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said an alliance with Reform is 'not going to happen'.

Asked if the prospect of an alliance between Mr Farage and Mr Johnson sends a chill down his spine, he told Sky News: 'Not at all, not at all. That's not going to happen.

'And, you know, I am always interested in what Nadine has to say. But I don't agree with many things she says. I don't agree with that either.

'Of course, listen, Nigel Farage and Reform is a very good razzmatazz. Interesting to see all that happening on stage.

'Well, that's a couple of days, but the reality is there was no mention, no mention whatsoever, how they're going to fill their own 140 billion-a-year black hole and put that in context... there's already a deficit in the country because of Labour's actions.

'But 130 billion-a-year. So you're talking about spending commitments, nearly 300 billion-a-year more than we're collecting in taxes. This is simply impossible.'

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: 'The biggest problem facing our country is that the economy is in crisis and Nigel Farage will only make it worse.

'He wants to increase benefits. We're the only party talking about living within our means, and that's quite important.

'What I'm doing is turning the Conservative Party into the traditional, authentic Conservativism that people recognise, and that's going to mean taking some tough decisions.

'I'm afraid if people don't like it, then they are welcome to leave.'

Anna Turley, the new Labour Party chairwoman, said: 'Nigel Farage has no plan for Britain.

'Now he's admitted he doesn't have confidence that his team is capable of delivering a plan if he did have one.

'Don't know answers won't solve the problems the country faces. And putting yourself forwards for high office while admitting your team aren't fit to govern isn't patriotism, it's egotism. Britain deserves better.'
Cyber warfare defence colleges are set to open across the country, as part of a 182million government funding injection into the sector.

Teens will be schooled in how to stage strategic computer attacks on enemy states at the five institutions due to welcome their first pupils next year.

It is one of several disciplines that will be on offer at the new 'technical excellence colleges' focused on defence.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) hopes to train up a fresh crop of cyber warfare specialists, submarine engineers and specialist welders who could defend the UK in its hour of need.

Five existing further education (FE) colleges will be transformed to create the dedicated institutions, with applications opening to all such providers later this year.

Applications to take part will open to these providers - of post-secondary training for those aged 16 plus - later this year.

There are some 256 FE colleges, sixth form colleges and designated institutions across the UK currently.

The move is part of the 182million package of measures due to be announced next week in the Government's new Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS).

Cyber warfare defence colleges are set to open across the country, as part of a 182million government funding injection into the sector. Pictured: A soldier from the 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, flies a drone during a training exercise in 2023

Teens will be schooled in how to stage strategic computer attacks on enemy states at the five institutions due to welcome their first pupils next year. Pictured: Junior soldiers parade as they graduate from the Army Foundation College in July 2024

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) hopes to train up a fresh crop of cyber warfare specialists, submarine engineers and specialist welders who could defend the UK in its hour of need. Pictured: A combat ship is built at BAE Systems Govan in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2019

Labour has claimed it will boost recruitment and create economic growth by creating new jobs and make the UK a leader in defence industry.

The sector has battled against recruitment and retention issues in recent years, partly caused by a technical skills shortage.

And, in a fractious historical moment in international politics, it has raised fears Britain might not be ready or able to face a major conflict.

Education Secretary Bridget Philipson has said the new defence colleges will provide a ready skilled workforce and 'secure the UK's place in the world'.

A Government source said the specialist programmes would see 16-year-olds learn 'emerging technologies' and eventually fed right in to key industry roles.

The funding package will also be used to provide thousands of short courses to existing staff and new starters, the MoD said.

Universities are also set to receive 80million of it to provide more spots on defence-related courses and invest in top-of-the-range facilities.

The Universites and College Admissions Service (Ucas) website will also have a new defence section added to it to guide any interested applicants.

The move is part of the 182million package of measures due to be announced next week in the Government's new Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS). Pictured: Junior soldiers during a training exercise

The forthcoming full strategy will also unveil other as yet unknown initiatives.

Defence Secretary John Healey said it is the 'biggest defence skills plan in decades'.

It will, he added, 'create well-paid, high-skilled jobs for young people for generations to come'.

He wrote in the Daily Mail this weekend: 'Two hundred years ago, the Industrial Revolution made Britain the workshop of the world  bringing strength and prosperity to our country.

'Today, we're doing it again.

'Backed by our historic increase in defence spending, the Government's new Defence Industrial Strategy will place the UK at the leading edge of innovation and ensure the defence dividend is felt in every region and nation.

'Our plan will support British firms, British workers and our extraordinary Armed Forces - creating jobs, driving economic growth, and strengthening national security.'

But smaller British manufacturers have previously criticised the MoD's spending, with the department's own figures showing they only receive a quarter of its cash.

Defence Secretary John Healey (pictured this weekend) said it is the 'biggest defence skills plan in decades'.

He continued: 'I believe our service men and women are the best in the world.

'I also know, having visited Kyiv this week and seen first-hand the horror of Putin's recent strikes, that when a country is under threat or forced to fight, its Armed Forces are only as strong as the industry which stands behind them.

'Earlier this year, our Strategic Defence Review set out a landmark shift for UK defence - moving to warfighting readiness to deter threats.

'The world is more dangerous and less predictable than ever, and rapid technological evolution is transforming warfare.

'As a result, we need a strong, British defence industry, capable of innovating ahead of adversaries.'

The skills intervention comes after Sir Keir Starmer proposed earlier this year to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027.

The Prime Minister set the 'ambition' to have it account for more (three per cent) by the end of his term in office.

And he committed famously in spring to put British 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine, deploying peacekeepers as part of his European 'coalition of the willing' to maintain any potential ceasefire with Russia there.

The skills intervention comes after Sir Keir Starmer (pictured, third left, with Mr Healey, third right, talking with naval officers on the HMS Prince of Wales in April) proposed earlier this year to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027

But soon after, the authors of the Strategic Defence Review issued an ominous warning that Britain's Armed Forces are not ready to fight a war against a military with similar capabilities.

In a stark assessment in June, their report said our forces are better suited 'to a peacetime era' and are 'not currently optimised for warfare against a "peer" military state'.

The externally-led review also said the defence medical services could not cope with a mass casualty event.

It noted too the military is suffering from a recruitment crisis which means only a small number of troops could be deployed.

The document added: 'The UK is entering a new era of threat and challenge.

'The West's long-held military advantage is being eroded as other countries modernise and expand their armed forces at speed.'
The son of accused cop killer Dezi Freeman has said his father had Rambo-like skills but is 'probably dead' in his first interview since two officers were gunned down.

Authorities continue to hunt the 56-year-old, who allegedly shot dead Detective Neal Thompson, 59, and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart , 35, at his rural property in Porepunkah in the Victorian High Country on August 26.

During the operation, a third officer was also allegedly wounded by Freeman, who then fled into bushland and has not been seen since.

Freeman's eldest son, Koah, told The Australian and Herald Sun on Sunday that his father had the skills to survive harsh rural conditions on his own but is possibly dead.

'I'm not sure if you have ever seen the movie Rambo, especially the first Rambo movie, it's like that but 10 times capacity,' he said.

'The Mount Buffalo National Park is his second home. He's been there since he was 16 just going hiking in places no man has ever stepped foot in.

'At this stage, I think he's probably deceased. I haven't got any explanation for that, but at this stage, to have no trace, it's a bit unbelievable.'

Nonetheless, Koah issued a message for his father: 'If he's still out there, all I'd say to him is  come back, mate, turn yourself in.'

Alleged cop killer Dezi Freeman (pictured) has evaded authorities for almost two weeks

Freeman's eldest son, Koah, has said his father has survival skills similar to those portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in the 1982 film Rambo

Koah told the publications he was not aware of any stores his father had made in the bush but added that Freeman still had survivalist skills.

'He could easily go days, weeks without food. Water was no problem for him, particularly in that area,' he said.

'I would say he was a bit of an athlete in different ways. He has gained a bit of weight, but hes still got that in him.'

Freeman's son also shared his condolences for the families of the two officers who died on August 26.

'On behalf of myself and the rest of my family, our hearts go out to the fallen officers' family. We never wanted it to end like this,' he said.

Koah also admitted that he is worried that people might compare him to his father.

'I guess the one fear I do have at the moment is for people that don't know me or him for people to think that I'm  going to turn out like my father,' he said.

'But that's really not the case.'

But Koah Freeman also said on Sunday that his father is 'probably deceased'

Police have issued a reward of up to $1million for information leading to Freeman's arrest

Koah said he has received counselling since the incident, adding that his family had been assisting police.

He also said that he 'wanted answers': 'There was nothing that could have possibly indicated that that would lead up to this moment.'

Freeman has evaded a 450-strong manhunt for almost two weeks, with no sightings of the fugitive since just before 11am on August 26.

Ten officers had attended the property to serve a warrant over historic sexual assault charges involving a minor when Freeman allegedly opened fire.

Victoria Police announced a reward of up to $1million for information leading to the arrest of Freeman on Saturday.

The reward represents the largest ever offered in Victoria for an arrest.

At this time, police have said there is nothing to indicate that Freeman is being assisted by a specific person, but, given the difficult terrain and the requirement for various supplies, this remains a possibility.

Members of the public have been told not to approach him as police believe he is still armed.

Porepunkah and nearby communities on Friday paid tribute to the fallen officers, with flags flying at half-mast at the Ovens command centre and at the Bright town centre.

Floral tributes have been placed at several sites, and blue ribbons have been tied to trees in the Bright town centre.

Senior Constable De Waart-Hottart was farewelled at a funeral service on Friday.

Detective Thompson will be farewelled on Monday.
A migrant daycare worker has been denied bond after allegedly leaving a four-year-old boy to die inside a daycare van on a scorching day in Texas.

Karen Silva, 36, was arrested after Logan Urbina was found dead on June 27 in a van owned by The Learning Club Pre School in Brownsville - on a day when internal vehicle temperatures reached 120F.

Silva and fellow employee Sendy Ruiz, 38, were both charged with injury to a child causing death, a second-degree felony.

Ruiz was arraigned on a $60,000 bond and later released. Silvas bond was initially set at $10,000, Valley Central reported.

But her case quickly became entangled with immigration proceedings.

In September, an immigration judge ordered her to be deported.

Brownsville sits on the border with Mexico, across from Matamoros, Tamaulipas - but officials have not said where Silva would be deported to.

The Cameron County district attorneys office intervened to block the removal, keeping her in Texas to face trial. She will now remain in prison until her trial, after the judge denied her bond. No trial date has been set.

Migrant daycare worker Karen Silva, 36, has been denied bond after being accused of leaving four-year-old Logan Urbina to die inside a van in Brownsville, Texas

Four-year-old Logan Urbina was found unresponsive inside the daycare van on June 27 and pronounced dead at the scene after being left there for hours in the Texas heat

Under Texas law, the charge carries a sentence of two to 20 years in prison.

Police were called to the daycare at around 4:56 p.m. on June 27, where Logan was discovered unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene, Valley Central said.

Justice of the Peace Mary Esther Sorola told KRGV that staff had returned from a field trip at about 11:30 a.m. and left the boy in the vehicle.

Temperatures in Brownsville reached around 96F that afternoon, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned that the interior of a parked vehicle can soar well above 120F within minutes.

Reporters who visited the daycare days later saw the lights still on inside, but staff refused to comment.

When Channel 5 News called, the person who answered hung up when asked about Logans death, KRGV reported. Daily Mail contacted the daycare for comment.

One local mother said she withdrew her own child from the center in the aftermath, saying she could no longer trust the staff.

A memorial grew outside the daycare with flowers, balloons and candles left in Logans honor.

An immigration judge initially ordered Silva deported, but prosecutors intervened to keep her in Texas to face trial on charges of injury to a child causing death

Fellow daycare worker Sendy Ruiz, 38, was also charged with injury to a child causing death and was released on a $60,000 bond

The Learning Club Pre School in Brownsville, Texas, where Logan was left in the van, has not issued a public statement following the childs death

A 4-year-old, thats unacceptable, local mother Flor Cantu told KRGV.

Another parent, Marcy Velez, said she felt devastated for the family: Im so sorry for the family, and were just here supporting them.'

Logans obituary described him as a happy child who loved dinosaurs, toys and watching Paw Patrol. He was remembered as a beloved son, brother, grandson and nephew who will be missed greatly by his family.

His relatives launched a GoFundMe to help with expenses.
Horrific footage of a career criminal stabbing a Ukrainian refugee from behind on a North Carolina train has prompted a national uproar - but you won't find it on any liberal media websites.

Recently surfaced surveillance footage shows the suspect, whom police have named as Decarlos Brown Jr., 35, killing Iryna Zarutska, 23, on board a South End light rail train in Charlotte on August 22.

The crazed attacker can be seen lunging at Zarutska from behind, before the footage skips the graphic slaughter to show him carrying a knife dripping with blood as he walked through the train carriage and another passenger sprinted away.

Zarutska came to the US for safety after fleeing Russian President Vladimir Putin's ongoing invasion of her home country, and the shocking video of her final moments exploded online.

People took to social media to share their sadness that she was not protected by the state of North Carolina or the liberal city of Charlotte, where Brown had allegedly been arrested more than 14 times previously but remained on the streets.

However, the shocking story is notably absent from US liberal media sites, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press and CNN.

The Daily Mail has contacted the outlets for clarification on the reasoning behind their editorial judgment.

Democrat Mayor of Charlotte Vi Lyles suggested that some publishers chose not to share the footage 'out of respect for Iryna's family' - but the police force she is in charge of made the video public first of all.

The Daily Mail has contacted Lyles's office for more information.

Zarutska's heartbroken family said that she had only recently arrived in the US 'seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning' before the random slaughter

In her statement, she said: 'The video of the heartbreaking attack that took Iryna Zarutskas life is now public.

'I want to thank our media partners and community members who have chosen not to repost or share the footage out of respect for Irynas family.

'This was a senseless and tragic loss. My prayers remain with her loved ones as they continue to grieve through an unimaginable time.

'Like so many of you, Im heartbroken  and Ive been thinking hard about what safety really looks like in our city.

'I remain committed to doing all we can to protect our residents and ensure Charlotte is a place where everyone feels safe.'

But people on social media lambasted the liberal media for the lack of coverage, with many speculating that the outlets did not want to write about the killing for racial reasons.

Elon Musk highlighted the lack of coverage by re-sharing one post counting how many articles each outlet had written about the stabbing, with the comment: 'Zero'.

Democrat Mayor of Charlotte Vi Lyles (pictured) suggested that some publishers chose not to share the footage 'out of respect for Iryna's family' - but the police force she is in charge of made the video public first of all. The Daily Mail has contacted Lyles's office for clarity

People on social media lambasted the liberal media for the lack of coverage, with many speculating that the outlets did not want to write about the killing for racial reasons

'If you search MSNBC, CNN, NY Times or Washington Post, you won't find any mention of this news story about Iryna Zarutska,' one X user also wrote.

'The Democrats on the Charlotte city council tried to block the release of the video footage.

'Why are they avoiding the story of a Ukrainian white girl being so brutally kiIIed?'

'How can all these outlets have zero stories on a deadly attack and still claim to keep the public informed?' another person wrote.

A third X user slammed the media for 'ignoring "black on white" crime'.

'Iryna Zarutska was brutally murdered, yet CNN, NYT, WaPo, BBC, Reuters said NOTHING.

'Zero coverage. If it were the other way around, the outrage would be everywhere.'

Brown Jr. had a lengthy rap sheet and had been released by the Democrat-run police force several times before.

A Daily Mail review of police records found that he was charged with misusing 911 as recently as January, when he told cops he believed someone had given him a 'man-made' material that controlled his actions.

Suspect Decarlos Brown, 35, has spent most of his life in and out of prison. He served five years for a 2014 armed robbery and was released in September 2020 - when he quickly resumed a life of crime

Horrific footage captured the moment Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, 23, was stabbed to death from behind as she sat on a train in North Carolina

The sickening stabbing unfolded on August 22 soon after Iryna Zarutska, 23, boarded a South End light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina

He was released without bail and a trial pending when he allegedly stabbed Zaruska to death.

Brown served five years in prison for a 2014 armed robbery and was released in September 2020.

In February 2021, Brown was arrested for assaulting his sister in Charlotte and leaving her with minor injuries, according to police records obtained by the Daily Mail.

That same month, he was again arrested for injury to personal property and trespassing.

A police report from that incident said Brown 'returned to the address after being told he was not allowed back and kicked and damaged the front door of the listed victim's residence'.

In July 2022, Brown was arrested for a domestic disturbance.

'[Brown] was arrested for disorderly conduct. The suspect was yelling and cursing, causing a disturbance and drawing the attention of multiple tenants while on the property,' a police report read.

Brown's arrest records go as back as 2007, when he was still a minor.

In February 2021, Brown was arrested for assaulting his sister in Charlotte and leaving her with minor injuries

Over the next seven years, he was arrested at least six times for crimes including felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and communicating threats.

According to the Charlotte Observer, most of the charges he faced during that time were dropped.

When reached for comment, the Mecklenburg District Attorney's Office told the Daily Mail Tuesday it cannot speak about defendants with pending cases.

'In broad terms, it remains the position of the District Attorneys office that those who commit violent crimes should be held in custody pending trial,' the DA's Office said.

Brown's latest alleged crime is his most serious.

Local Councilman Edwin Peacock demanded answers from authorities, noting the community no longer feels safe to ride public transportation.

'Right now, the trust and confidence that we have right now, and particularly between South End and Uptown, it's very fragile right now,' he said.

'The story is heart-wrenching, and if, obviously, what we're hearing is true, clearly we need to give that family answers.

'And we, more importantly, need to give all the citizens who are riding the light rail a lot of confidence that [they're] going to be safe.'

Zarutska's family called her death 'an irreparable loss'

In the horrifying footage, the suspect police identified as Brown was seen watching Zarutska for some time after she sat in the seat in front of him, eventually taking out what appeared to be a blade from his pocket.

He then stood up and loomed over the 23-year-old, swinging the knife at her as she sat with her phone.

The knifeman was shown leaving a trail of blood throughout the train as other passengers appeared not to realize the killing that had taken place, before he casually changed his clothes.

Brown was arrested soon after and charged with first-degree murder. His bond was subsequently denied by a judge and he remains in custody.

Zarutska's heartbroken family said on a GoFundMe page that she had only arrived in the US in 2022 'seeking safety from the war' in her home country, and was 'hoping for a new beginning' before the slaying.
China's military has admitted to tracking Australian and Canadian ships, accusing the countries of 'provocative actions' in the Taiwan Strait.

The Australian destroyer HMAS Brisbane and the Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec travelled through the waterway on Saturday.

Taiwan considers it an international passage. But China  which sees Taiwan as its territory  has said the strait is part of its territorial waters, a claim rejected by the Taiwanese government.

China's People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command said the ships' presence had 'made provocative actions'.

'The Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command organised its naval and air forces to track and monitor the transit of the two vessels, effectively responding and handling the situation,' spokesperson and Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi said.

'The actions of Canada and Australia have sent out wrong signals and heightened security risks.'

Snr Col Yi said Chinese troops would remain on high alert.

But an Australian Defence spokesperson countered the claims, stating the vessels adhered to international law.

Members of HMAS Brisbane pictured as the ship sails from Fleet Base East, Sydney

A Chinese PLA Navy ship (background, left) is seen while the Royal Australian Navy destroyer HMAS Brisbane (right) takes part in a maritime cooperative activity on September 3

'Royal Australian Navy Hobart Class destroyer HMAS Brisbane conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait over 6-7 September 2025, in accordance with international law,' their statement read.

'The transit was conducted along with Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec.

'HMAS Brisbane is on a four-month-long Regional Presence Deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.

'Australian vessels and aircraft will continue to exercise freedom of navigation and uphold international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.'

Taiwan's defence ministry said it was monitoring activity in the strait, ABC reported.

It said it sent 'appropriate air and naval forces to ensure the security and stability' of the waterway.

A spokesperson for Canada's armed forces declined to comment, stating they do not discuss deployment details of active ships.

Although Australia often claims there is no role for China in Pacific security, Beijing's posturing in the region has ramped up in recent months.

China's Xi Jinping made a conspicuous display of military strength with a parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II last week

Within the last week, President Xi Jinping seemed to make a show of China's military strength after he hosted a massive parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

In his address to the parade, President Xi Jinping insisted China would 'never be intimidated by bullies'.

'History cautions us that humanity rises and falls together... The Chinese nation is never intimidated by any bullies and always forges ahead,' he said.

The subsequent 70-minute parade was an extraordinary display of Chinese military might, with a reported 10,000 troops from the People's Liberation Army taking part.

President Xi was driven in an open-top car along the 4km Chang'an Avenue near Tiananmen Square past the thousands of troops and military hardware.

This included hypersonic missiles, stealth fighter jets, tanks and other weapons in China's massive military arsenal.

Among the 10,000-strong crowd was former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who is understood to have been attending in a personal capacity.

The former Victorian premier also happily posed for a 'family photo' alongside a rogues' gallery of world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian.

Dan Andrews (back right) with world leaders in Beijing including (front lr) Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping with his wife Peng Liyuan, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

Former NSW Premier and Foreign Minister Bob Carr was also invited but chose to meet Chinese diplomats instead, even after writing a piece for Nine Newspapers defending his decision to attend the parade.

On Thursday afternoon, Andrews released a statement defending his decision to accept the invitation.

'I've said for years that a constructive relationship with China  our largest trading partner  is in Australia's national interest and hundreds of thousands of Australian jobs depend on it. That hasn't changed,' Andrews said.

'It was a chance to meet and engage with regional leaderslike former New Zealand prime ministers John Key and Helen Clark, Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and of course Chinese President Xi. We also shared in an official photograph.'

He said he had condemned Putin and his 'illegal war in Ukraine', adding that he also supported Israel and Australia's Jewish community.

'I unequivocally condemn Iran for its attacks on Australia, Israel and elsewhere around the world,' he said.

Earlier this year, in February, China's naval vessels were seen circumnavigating Australia, staging a live-fire exercise in the Tasman Sea.

The Chinese government has also registered 26 new Pacific coastguard vessels and in 2024 conducted its first intercontinental ballistic missile test in the Pacific since 1980.
Almost 900 people have been arrested at a demonstration supporting banned group Palestine Action, in what is thought to be Britain's biggest ever mass arrest.

Scotland Yard condemned the 'intolerable' abuse its officers suffered during the rally in Parliament Square, in Westminster, yesterday attended by an estimated 1,500 people.

A total of 890 people were arrested, with 857 arrests made for showing support for a proscribed terror group

Protest organisers Defend Our Juries insisted the rally was 'the picture of peaceful protest', despite 33 people being arrested for other offences, including 17 for assaults on police officers.

The protest started just before 1pm, as demonstrators held signs saying: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.'

Arrests began taking place shortly after as officers swarmed the crowd and began escorting some into police vans.

There were visible tensions as other officers had screaming arguments with protesters elsewhere in the square, with some demonstrators in tears, while others chanted: 'Met Police - pick a side, justice or genocide

Palestine Action was banned as a terror organisation in July after the group claimed responsibility for an action in which two Voyager planes were damaged at RAF Brize Norton on June 20.

Police officers hold back demonstrators in London during a protest in support of proscribed group Palestine Action

A man holds a Palestine flag while standing on top of a traffic light in Parliament Square in London on Saturday

Police officers carry a protester into a police van during a protest to support Palestine Action in London

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart, who led the policing operation, said: 'I'd like to thank all officers involved in yesterday's operation for their professionalism and tireless work despite the level of abuse that they faced.

'The violence we encountered during the operation was coordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible.

'Many of those individuals have now been arrested and we have begun securing charges.

'The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark.

'You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.

'We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly.'

Defend Our Juries said aggression had come from police officers and dismissed claims that protesters had been violent as 'frankly laughable.'

Mike Higgins, 62, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, returned to the Parliament Square protest after making headlines last month as one of 532 people arrested at a previous demonstration.

He said: 'What choice do I have? Nothing is being done about the genocide other than by us. And I'm a terrorist? That's the joke of it.

A demonstrator is led away by police officers as people take part in a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square on Saturday

Protesters sit down with their placards in support of Palestine Action in the middle of Parliament Square on Saturday

Police and demonstrators clash in Parliament Square in central London during a protest in support of Palestine Action

A protester is carried away by police officers during a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square

Mike Higgins, 62, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, returned to the Parliament Square protest after making headlines last month as one of 532 people arrested at a previous demonstration

A man is led away by police officers as people take part in a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square in London

A woman is led away by police officers during a protest in support of Palestine Action in London on Saturday

A man holding a sign reading 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action' is led away by police officers in Parliament Square

Protesters hold placards during a mass demonstration in Parliament Square against the ban on Palestine Action

A protester holds a placard quoting Malcom X during a rally in support of banned terror group Palestine Action

'I've already been arrested under the Terrorism Act and I suspect I will be today. Of course I'll keep coming back - what choice do I have?'

Another protester has been spotted wearing a 'Plasticine Action' t-shirt - a satirical play on the banned group which drew headlines last month when another demonstrator was mistakenly arrested for it.

Franco Ferrer, 69, from Llanberis in north Wales, said police had been photographing him since he arrived.

He said: 'Maybe they can't read. The T-shirt is an effective way of getting the message across without risking arrest.

'I won't write a sign because I don't think I have the courage to do that.

'I've come to support the action because the Government banning a protest group by using terror laws is outrageous. It's silencing free speech.'

Scotland Yard's Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said yesterday: 'Palestine Action is a group that has been proscribed by the UK Government. It is a criminal offence to be a member of it or to express support for it.

'Those participating in this protest and in previous such protests do so knowing that their actions are unlawful.

'I can be unequivocal, if you show support for Palestine Action - an offence under the Terrorism Act - you will be arrested.

'We have the officer numbers, custody capacity and all other resources to process as many people as is required.'
This is the moment women's rights campaigner Julie Bindel was thrown out of Pride in Surrey after she started asking questions about the organistation's child rapist co-founder.

The journalist told The Daily Mail she was asked to leave by security after Liberal Democrat MP for Guildford Zoe Franklin was seen speaking to officials.

Ms Bindel, a prominent critic of gender ideology, had moments earlier interviewed the MP in which she raised questions about convicted paedophile Stephen Ireland.

The former founder was jailed for 24 years in July for raping a 12-year-old boy he met on Grindr, after luring him to the flat he shared with co-defendant David Sutton and plying him with drugs.

Sutton, who was a volunteer for Pride in Surrey, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years.

Ms Bindel claims Ms Franklin's face 'went from a smile to a grimace' when she quizzed further about Ireland and raised concerns about the charity's safeguarding shortcomings.

In a clip shared yesterday on X to her 133,000 followers, a tattooed security officer can be seen asking her to leave as she and her producer are flanked by security 'response officers' wearing high-vis vests.

A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats told the Daily Mail that any accusations Ms Franklin asked for Ms Bindel to be removed are 'entirely false'.

This is the moment women's rights campaigner Julie Bindel was thrown out of Pride in Surrey

Ms Bindel had been at the event in Guildford where she was recording for a podcast about the organisation after its co-founder Stephen Ireland was convicted of raping a 12-year-old boy

The treatment of Ms Bindel, who had paid for a ticket to attend the event at Guildford's Stoke Park, has been condemned by MP Rosie Duffield who has offered her support to the journalist.

Ms Bindel said Ms Franklin initially had been happy to answer her questions, but 'panicked' and was 'clearly p***ed off' when she began asking her about Ireland.

She says Ms Franklin then asked her for her contact details before going to speak to event officials.

'Within 30 seconds security were flanking me and [my producer] Sam,' she said.

'She [Ms Franklin] had obviously made a complaint. They walked over and they said "we know who you are and the organisers don't want you here".

'I asked them "on what grounds are they throwing me out?" and they said "because you're making people uncomfortable with your questions".'

Ms Bindel said she had earlier interviewed the Mayor of Waverley who was happy to answer her questions.

She said 'it was horrible to be thrown out of the first Pride I have attended in 25 years', but said it was more of an outrage for the 12-year-old boy who had been raped.

'This is a massive public interest story and there has been little to no scrutiny. I'm asking these questions to the elected MP for Guildford.

Ms Bindel said she and her producer were flanked by security officers within 30 seconds of her interviewing the local MP

The journalist told The Daily Mail she was asked to leave by security after Liberal Democrat MP for Guildford Zoe Franklin (right) was seen speaking to officials

'Shouldn't people feel reassured by the fact people are asking about this scandal with the view of this never happening again?'

She added: 'You would think they [organisers] would suspend Pride, at least for a year, out of respect for the victim.'

Ms Bindel says she has contacted lawyers about taking a case against Pride in Surrey about her removal from the event.

She added: 'Was it because I'm a woman? Or a lesbian? Or was it because my gender critical views didn't align with theirs?'

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: 'This is entirely false - Zoe did not ask officials to remove anyone from the Pride event.'

Surrey County Council earlier this year withdrew its official support for Pride in Surrey saying it did not believe the event to be 'truly representative' of the whole LGBTQ+ community, after it said 'concerns' had been raised.

Terence Herbert, chief executive of SCC, said: 'While we continue to wholeheartedly support the LGBTQ+ community in Surrey, there have been concerns raised about Pride in Surrey as an organisation.

'At this time we do not believe Pride in Surrey to be truly representative of the whole LGBTQ+ community.'

Charlie Watts, chief executive of Surrey Pride, said in response that they found 'the reasoning behind this decision confusing'.

Stephen Ireland (pictured), who co-founded Pride in Surrey in 2018, was jailed after being found guilty of raping a 12-year-old child at his flat

The court heard the boy, 12, had met Ireland at his flat after messaging on dating app Grindr

Pride in Surrey released a statement following Ireland and Sutton's convictions in which they described their actions as 'utterly appalling'.

In the same statement, they said Surrey Police had 'made it explicitly clear that there are no concerns with our organisation's structure, people, or safeguarding policies'.

However, the force's Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said yesterday Surrey Police 'just arent in a position to take a view like that on a third party organisation of any kind'.

The Daily Mail has contacted Pride in Surrey for comment.
Palestine Action protesters need to be arrested in order to avoid 'two-tier policing', a Cabinet minister suggested today.

Defence Secretary John Healey warned 'there have to be consequences' for those supporting the banned terror organisation.

He was challenged over the Government's stance on protests against the group's proscription after almost 900 demonstrators were arrested at a London rally.

An estimated 1,500 people took part in the protest in Parliament Square, Westminster, on Saturday and police have condemned 'intolerable' abuse that officers suffered.

It followed mass arrests at previous demonstrations against the banning of Palestine Action in recent weeks.

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Mr Healey was asked if the Government was prepared to continue seeing hundreds of demonstrators arrested week after week.

'If we want to avoid a two-tier policing and justice system in this country, when people break the law, there have to be consequences,' he replied.

The Defence Secretary also insisted that new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood would be 'just as tough' on the issue as her predecessor Yvette Cooper.

Defence Secretary John Healey warned 'there have to be consequences' for those supporting banned terror organisation Palestine Action

An estimated 1,500 people took part in a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square, Westminster, on Saturday

Campaign group Defend Our Juries insisted the rally was 'the picture of peaceful protest' with attendees sitting and holding signs

Ms Mahmood took control of the Home Office on Friday as part of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Healey said: 'Almost everyone shares the agony when we see the images from Gaza, the anguish when we see the man-made starvation.

'For people who want to voice their concern and protest, I applaud them, but that does not require them to link it to support for Palestine Action, a proscribed group.

'I wonder how many of those people protesting in Parliament Square yesterday realised that members of this group have attacked police with sledgehammers, have been responsible for criminal damage and have been planning other acts of similar violence.'

He added: 'I would say to those people, voice your concerns, protest on the streets, challenge us as a Government to do what we can to relieve the suffering in Gaza.

'But that does not need to be linked with support for Palestine Action.'

A total of 890 people were arrested during Saturday's rally in central London, the Metropolitan Police said.

Some 857 arrests were made for showing support for a proscribed group, while 33 people were arrested for assaulting police officers and other public order offences.

Scotland Yard's deputy assistant commissioner Claire Smart said: 'The violence we encountered during the operation was co-ordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible.

'Many of those individuals have now been arrested and we have begun securing charges.

'The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark.

'You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.

'We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly.'

Campaign group Defend Our Juries insisted the rally was 'the picture of peaceful protest' with attendees sitting and holding signs.

They called on new Ms Mahmood to drop the 'unenforceable' ban.

The Government moved to ban Palestine Action after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in June - an incident the group said it was behind.

It means that membership of, or support for, the now-proscribed group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Labour's action has been criticised by some as an attack on free speech and the right to protest.
Gao Shuhui, administrative director of Carbon Research Chips Material (Xinjiang) Technology Co., Ltd., displays a ring set with a two-carat lab-grown diamond at a factory in Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Aug. 12, 2025. (Xinhua/Tan Yixiao)

by Xinhua Writer Tan Yixiao

URUMQI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- It turned out to be the longest trip I had ever taken inside China. It was a journey that transported me deep into arid plains, where diamonds glitter in the most unexpected places.

Before dawn in Beijing, I dragged myself onto a plane heading west. Over five hours later, I landed in Kashgar, one of China's westernmost cities located in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. From there, a three-hour drive carried me to Shache County on the edge of China's largest desert, the Taklimakan.

By the time I rolled into Shache, the sun was blazing overhead, drenching the town in gold. Traditionally famous for almonds and walnuts, this county is now home to China's largest single-site lab-grown diamond factory employing Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technology.

The factory, Carbon Research Chips Material (Xinjiang) Technology Co., Ltd., has 678 production lines and an annual output exceeding one billion yuan (about 140.7 million U.S. dollars). Plans for a second phase envision more than 1,500 lines -- which, at full capacity, could churn out 500,000 carats a year, roughly 15 percent of the global lab-grown diamond market.

Inside the factory, I met Abdurahman Tursun, who was carefully guiding a gem across a spinning wheel.

"I'm the one they call when there's a problem," he said with quiet pride.

For Abdurahman, the job has been life-changing. A fresh graduate of a local technical college in electrical work, he first learned about the factory from a teacher, who said the company offered internships that could lead to full-time jobs.

There was a catch, though -- training took place over 4,500 kilometers away in east China's Anhui Province.

"It was my first time leaving Xinjiang," he recalled. "Everything felt different, but people there treated us warmly. On holidays of the Uygur ethnic group, they even put on performances just for us."

Three months later, he returned to Shache armed with new skills and a stable job in hand. Now he earns about 4,000 yuan a month, and has become his family's main breadwinner -- helping to support his truck-driver father, stay-at-home mother and three younger sisters.

"They're proud of me working in a diamond factory," he said. "If not for this, maybe I'd be driving a truck with my father."

For him, the job is not just about a paycheck. It is also about hope. "I want to enhance my skills, save some money and take my family to Shanghai," he said. "I've watched the city's views countless times in short videos, and I want to see it with my own eyes one day."

It's no coincidence that his dream points to Shanghai, for this very factory was built under Shanghai's "pairing assistance" program -- part of a nationwide initiative launched in 1997 to channel financial, technical and human resource support in various fields to Xinjiang from other regions of China.

"People don't expect high-tech industries in a remote county," explained Li Ye, a Shanghai official posted in Shache on a three-year assignment to support the factory's development. "But this creates jobs and changes lives."

According to Li, Shanghai has provided 120 million yuan in aid funds to build the factory. In the near term, it will generate demand for around 500 local jobs, while in the long run, the employment potential could reach approximately 40,000 positions.

The factory's administrative director, Gao Shuhui, said that with a population of nearly one million, Shache has no shortage of workers.

"Another advantage is electricity, it is the single biggest cost in making lab-grown diamonds, accounting for roughly 70 percent of total production costs," Gao explained. "In Shache, however, abundant clean energy keeps costs at roughly half the average compared to other inland regions of China. That's why the project works."

Notably, the economics sparkle almost as much as the gems themselves in this region.

"A one-carat CVD lab-grown (loose) diamond trades at around 2,500 yuan, while a natural diamond of similar quality can cost more than ten times as much," said Gao, who was wearing a two-carat ring as she spoke. I caught myself thinking -- lucky her!

But don't mistake "lab-grown" for fake. Diamonds are collections of carbon atoms that have typically been exposed to high pressure and high temperatures, which bond to form a crystalline structure.

To the naked eye, a lab-grown diamond looks identical to a natural stone. The difference? Well, while Mother Nature takes a billion years, a human-orchestrated process creates a diamond in a matter of weeks.

Watching the factory hum and seeing young locals like Abdurahman carve out new opportunities, I left convinced that the remote county of Shache was ready to catch the diamond light. 
Vice President JD Vance took a pause while praising the president's 'military style' of leadership in an interview with Lara Trump on Saturday.

The president's daughter-in-law asked the vice president about his leadership style, when Vance pivoted his answer to praise President Donald Trump.

That praise then turned into an awkward moment - as he touched upon the age-old criticism of Trump's lack of military experience.

On Fox News's 'My View with Lara Trump,' she asked Vance what lessons from his time in the military he still uses in his current job.

'I imagine you still, in this big role you have in Washington D.C., are using what you learned in the Marine Corps today as vice president,' Lara pressed.

'In ways big and small, actually,' Vance responded before turning to praise the Commander in Chief.

'It would not have shocked me if I had learned, after knowing him, that your father-in-law was in the Marine Corps,' Vance noted.

'Of course, he didnt serve in the Marines, but he has a Marine Corps style of leadership, where hes very willing to delegate and he trusts certain people,' the vice president continued.

JD Vance interviewed by Lara Trump on Fox News

President Trump's daughter-in-law interviews Vice President JD Vance on her show 'My View with Lara Trump on Saturday, September 6, 2025

Vice President JD Vance served in the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007

'The president really does have this attitude of, "Im gonna surround myself with good people, Im gonna give clear directives, Im going to check in, certainly, but Im going to let my people go and do what I tell them to do, what I encourage them to do."'

'That sort ofI wouldnt call it a hands-off leadership style, but a leadership style that trusts the people around youvery much is something I learned from the Marine Corps, and the greatest leaders that Ive served under, they all have this ability to set clear guidelines, to inspire people, but also to trust people,' Vance concluded.

The vice president's admission of the president not having served in the armed forces reignited criticism of Trump's lack of experience in the military.

One person pointed out the awkward interview moment: 'Nothing says "Marine Corps leadership" like bone spurs and five deferments.

'But sure, let's pretend dodging Vietnam makes you a hero, while the real cowards are the ones calling out the endless war machine. Classic MAGA deflection.'

Another said: 'A true military man would be repulsed by a draft dodger,' referencing that Trump did not enter the military field during the Vietnam War.

But others staunchly supported Vance's comparison - and said that Trump's leadership is indeed as disciplined as the Marines.

One wrote: 'Trumps leadership shows the discipline and decisiveness often associated with Marines.'

JD Vance and Donald Trump during the 60th presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025

Lara Trump, JD Vance, Donald Trump, and Melania Trump during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024

Trump attended the New York Military Academy in his youth, but did not enlist, and also avoided being drafted into the Vietnam War due to a diagnosis of bone spurs, which has been questioned throughout his political career.

The vice president served in the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 after graduating from high school. He was a military journalist, and deployed to Iraq in 2005.

Trump has clashed with military leaders throughout his political career, including a pair of notable Marines.

Retired General John Kelly, one of Trump's chiefs of staff during his first term, has likened the president to a fascist and dictator.

In a 2024 interview with the New York Times, Kelly claimed that Trump was 'certainly an authoritarian,' adding that he 'admires people who are dictators  he has said that.'

James Mattis, another retired Marine Corps General, was Trump's Secretary of Defense in his first term.

Mattis told the Atlantic in 2020 that 'Donald Trump is the first president in [his] lifetime who does not try to unite the American people  does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide.'
A knifeman slashed a police officer's neck before his colleagues finally wrestled him to the ground during a chaotic arrest.

Glynn Leedell, 46, charged at an officer responding to reports of threatening behaviour at Kimberworth Park in Rotherham on July 17.

He inflicted a nasty wound to the back of the policeman's neck which ended up requiring hospital treatment.

The thug was jailed for four years and six months at Sheffield Crown Court on August 29 after previously pleading guilty to wounding with intent.

Now horrific footage has emerged of the attack which took place after officers headed to Leedell's property when multiple people reported him for his behaviour towards a woman.

He had been seen acting aggressively and threatening to assault her.

The video first shows officers waiting outside his home and speaking to him through the window.

Leedell asks: 'Come and talk to me. Is it breach of bail, though? Is it breach of bail?'

Glynn Leedell charging at an officer responding to reports of threatening behaviour at Kimberworth Park in Rotherham in a horrific video

The thug slashed the neck of a police officer with a knife before his colleagues finally wrestled him to the ground during an arrest

Lededell, pictured, was jailed for four years and six months at Sheffield Crown Court on August 29 after previously pleading guilty to wounding with intent

The responders seem to find the door open so make their way into the property while the man they are visiting continues to speak unintelligible sentences in the background.

The male officer enters first and is greeted by a dog who he pats and chats to in a friendly manner.

He strolls through the hallway and further into the property completely unaware of the violent episode about to take place.

Out of nowhere, a shirtless Leedell leaps through a doorway to the right and, armed with a knife, throws himself onto the officer.

He shouts, 'Come on then', as the policeman pushes his arms out in defence.

The knifeman appears to slash the officer before a frantic commotion occurs which sees him wrestled to the floor by the policeman.

Another officer shouts: 'He's got a f***ing knife.'

The first responder adds: 'Let go of that knife. Now.'

Officers can be seen waiting outside his home and speaking to him through the window

The responders seem to find the door open so make their way into the property while the man they are visiting continues to speak unintelligible sentences

The male officer strolls through the hallway and further into the property completely unaware of the violent episode about to take place

His colleague says, 'I've got the knife', before the victim of the attack orders: 'Put your hand behind your back now.'

All the while, he is sitting on Leedell, who is sporting underwear and nothing else, and then attempts to put on some handcuffs.

'Right you're locked up for attempt section 18 - two attempts to kill,' he adds. 'Release your hand, now.'

Leedell continues to resist arrest before eventually having his hands placed behind his back and into the handcuffs.

'Am I bleeding?' the officer asks, before the camera pans to show blood streaming from his head and down his neck.

He completes the arrest as Leedell shouts more words which are not picked up on the microphone.

A second officer also received injuries to his hand during the incident.

Leedell was charged with harassment, assault of an emergency worker and wounding with intent.

Out of nowhere, a shirtless Leedell leaps through a doorway to the right

Aarmed with a knife, the thug throws himself onto the officer who is taken by surprise

The knifeman appears to slash the officer before a frantic commotion occurs

He is then wrestled to the floor by the policeman while his colleague seizes the knife

Leedell continues to resist arrest before eventually having his hands placed behind his back and into the handcuffs

He was sentenced on August 29. The counts of harassment and assault of an emergency worker will remain on file.

Rotherham District Commander Chief Superintendent Andy Wright said: 'Our officers put themselves at risk every day as they work to keep the public safe. This was a disgraceful act of violence which could have had devastating consequences.

'I am thankful that the officers concerned did not suffer more serious injuries from this vicious attack. I would like to commend both officer's bravery during this incident.

'Despite sustaining injuries, they courageously helped their colleagues restrain Leedell and remove the knife from the situation - ensuring no one else could be injured.

'Leedell not only injured our officers but subjected an innocent woman to threats and abuse - making her feel unsafe in her own home as well as affecting others in the community.

'His reckless act of violence has landed him a considerable prison sentence, serving as a reminder that we will not tolerate any aggression towards our officers.'
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has faced a fierce backlash for claiming that Hamas is 'more like a political organization' than a terror group.

The 56-year-old commentator made the comment while speaking with Shahed Ghoreishi in the latest episode of The Tucker Carlson show clipped by Mediate.

Speaking about Hamas, Carlson said 'They're Islamist extremists... I don't know if that's true, by the way. Seems more like a political organization.'

The full context of the conversation is unclear because it seems to have been edited out of The Tucker Carlson show's version on YouTube. The Daily Mail has reached out to the show for clarification.

Social media users were quick to pounce on the controversial statement made by Carlson, including his long-running nemesis, Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

'What the hell is happening to Tucker?' Cruz wrote on X as he shared the video. 'He's turning into Ilhan Omar.'

Omar has slammed Israel over its attacks on Palestine, and many people on the right consider the left-leaning 'Squad' member to be a Hamas sympathizer, though it's unclear what the evidence for this is.

Some people on social media also compared Tucker to a 'Squad' member for his comment about the terror group.

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson (pictured) has faced a fierce backlash for claiming that Hamas is 'more like a political organization' than a terror group

Pictured: Hamas militants drive back to the Gaza Strip with the body of Shani Louk, a German-Israeli dual citizen, during their cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, 2023

'Tucker is the latest member of "the Squad" or auditioning for his new role on NBC,' one X user said, while another said: 'The man is off his rocker!!!'

Hamas is recognized as a terror organization by countries including the US, the UK, Australian, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Israel and nations in the European Union.

The group is responsible for the horrific October 7 attack at the Nova music festival in Israel.

Militants killed 1,200 people at the while taking hundreds more hostage, and around 48 are still being held in horrific conditions in Gaza as their desperate families plead for their release.

Carlson's views on the Israel-Palestine conflict has split Carlson from his fellow Republican firebrands in the past.

In June, the commentator said he wasn't sure he could support the Republican party any longer after a Florida congressman called for Gaza to be nuked.

Congressman Randy Fine, who was recently elected to replace Mike Waltz in Florida as the preferred candidate of President Trump, made the jaw dropping comments in a Fox News interview last month.

Tucker Carlson has turned on a Trump-backed Republican after he called for Gaza to be nuked

Congressman Randy Fine, who was recently elected to replace Mike Waltz in Florida as the preferred candidate of President Trump (pictured together), made the jaw dropping comments in a Fox News interview last month

He said: 'In World War 2 we did not negotiate a surrender with the Nazis, we did not negotiate a surrender with the Japanese.

'We nuked the Japanese twice in order to get unconditional surrender. That needs to be the same here in Gaza.

'There is something deeply wrong with its culture and it needs to be defeated.'

The extraordinary comments sparked widespread outrage and prompted a response from Hamas itself - the terror cell and de facto government in Gaza.

Carlson, speaking on his podcast alongside Glenn Greenwald, said he was so taken aback by the comments that he initially thought they couldn't have been made by a real politician.

'I text a friend of mine in Congress,' Carlson said. 'This is a person who I confirmed is a real person. I didn't believe it at first... I didn't believe he was really a member of Congress.'

'It's evil. How can you say something like that and not get expelled from Congress? How can that person still be in the Republican party?'

Carlson went on to say that Fine's comments had made him question whether he could remain loyal to the Republican party.

'I don't know if I can support a party with someone like Randy Fine... that's so disgusting.

'So we're gonna nuke Gaza because of its culture? We're going to kill everyone because we don't like their culture?' he repeated incredulously.

'There are Christians in Gaza. Muslims in Gaza. To say there is some Gazan culture that's cohesive.'

Carlson has been one of MAGA's most outspoken and high profile supporters, particularly loyal to Trump.

But Fine is a Jewish Trump-backed pick who won 83 percent of the Republican primary vote after the president's endorsement.

'Randy Fine has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, RANDY, RUN!' Trump said at the time.
Tens of thousands of people have marched through the streets of London in a firm demonstration against antisemitism.

The rally was organised by the anti-racism group Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), who argue that there has been a surge in antisemitism in the nearly two years since October 7 and the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war.

It was led by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis who urged Britain to 'wake up' to the threats that Jews in the UK are facing.

Also in attendance were the CAA boss Gideon Falter, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg, Conservative peer Michael Gove, Deputy Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice and Shadow Attorney General David Wolfson.

However, there seemed to be no official representative of the Labour Party, with the CAA saying: 'Noticeably absent was a representative of His Majestys Government, despite antisemitism reaching record highs in the UK.'

The volunteer-led charity said the Labour Government 'dragged its feet' when it came to sending a representative of the party to the march today.

It said Labour offered a backbench peer but as it came at the last minute and did not fulfil the CAA's requirement for a representative of the Government, the organisation 'could not accommodate it'.

Although there were a number of MPs, including from Labour, amongst the marchers today, none present were representatives of the Government.

Former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Gove (second left), Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice (third left) and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (centre) lead a 'march against antisemitism' demonstration in central Londonon September 7, 2025

Demonstrators take part in the March Against Antisemitism, near the Elizabeth Tower, commonly referred to as Big Ben

Richard Tice of Reform UK chats with with former Conservative MP Michael Gove during the event

Alongside the politicians were thousands of demonstrators holding aloft Union flags and Israeli flags, as well as many homemade banners calling for antisemitism to stop.

At the demonstration today, Rabbi Mirvis told the Jewish Chronicle: 'It is so sad, so tragic that it is necessary for us to do this, but just have to look at all the thousands of people.

'We've got an incredible Jewish community and what is very significant is we've got lots of non-Jewish friends who have come out in great numbers here today.'

The Lord Gove said: 'I think it's absolutely vital that people from every background stand with the Jewish community at this time.'

He argued there has been an 'unprecedented level' of hatred and prejudice directed towards the Jewish community on both the streets and online.

The ex-minister who now edits the Spectator magazine, added that 'history tells us' that the health and safety of the Jewish community is 'invariably aligned' to how free society is.

On the march, the Jewish community was joined by large numbers from Christian Action Against Antisemitism and groups from the UK Iranian community.

Some of the demonstrators sang Israeli songs as they walked, while others called to bring home the hostages, of whom 48 remain in Gaza after more than 700 days.

A dog wearing an Israeli flag sits in a stroller on the march

A woman holds a placard critical of the Red Cross at the march today. The organisation has faced heavy criticism in Israel over its role in the war, with claims that it has failed to help the hostages being held in Gaza

Protesters hold placards and wave flags during a 'march against antisemitism' demonstration in central London

A demonstrator holds a sign standing in solidarity against antisemitism

A demonstrator holds a humorous sign promoting the Bagel bread roll, which originates in the Jewish communities of Poland

Demonstrators march past Regent Street in central London on their way to the Cenotaph

Protesters hold placards and wave flags as they walk past Piccadilly Circus

A person holds a sign urging Britain to 'wake up' as they march in central London today

Police officers monitor protesters holding placards and waving flags outside the BBC building

Protesters hold flags and banners as they gather for the march

The marchers met at Hallam Street and made a short stop outside of BBC Broadcasting House before heading to the Cenotaph and ending at Parliament Square.

Outside the BBC HQ, rally speaker Josh Howie called for the government to 'defund the BBC'.

He said: 'The BBC is a danger to Jews. The BBC are no longer arbiters of truth. Here is a fact for you BBC: Hamas are terrorists. Hamas started a war. There is no famine. There is no genocide.'

The show of support came after an alarming poll published today suggested that one in five people were hostile towards Jewish people.

An astounding 21% of the public now hold or agree with anti-Semitic views, compared to 16 per cent last year. In 2021, the figure was only 11 per cent.

The alarming figures are the highest since the CAA began carrying out similar surveys a decade ago.

The survey, which was carried out by YouGov, also found that a staggering 45% believe that Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews.

This is a record figure and a huge increase from last year's prior record of 33%. This belief was most prevalent in young people (60%) and in Londoners (48%).

The shocking figures come after Israeli retaliation for the October 7 attacks, which killed more than 1,200 Jews, continues to fuel a wider anti-Jewish sentiment. Pictured: The Gaza Strip on September 6, 2025

Demonstrators hold up Israeli flags with the words 'We will dance again' - referring to the brutal assault on partygoers at the Nova Music Festival

Protesters hold placards and wave flags as they pass the BBC building today

Protesters gather at the end of a 'march against antisemitism' demonstration in Parliament Square

Elsewhere, the study found that almost half (49%) of 18-24-year-olds are uncomfortable spending time with people who openly support Israel, while only 18% are comfortable.

Only 31% of young voters agree that Israel has a right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people, while 20% (one fifth) say that it does not.

Over a quarter (26%) of the British public believes that Israel can get away with anything because its supporters control the media, up considerably from 18% last year. Among young people, the figure skyrockets to 42%.

The CAA said: 'Bearing in mind that the overwhelming majority of British Jews identify as Zionists and with the Jewish state, these attitudes among young Britons have enormous implications for young Jews on campus, on social media and starting out in the workplace.'

Concerningly, the study also found 10% of young people have a favourable view of Hamas, and 14% of them believe it is wrong to classify Hamas as terrorists.

Almost one fifth  a stunning 19%  of young people believe that the Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October 2023 was justified.

Photos taken in December 2023 showed a bus stop in Stamford Hill, London, covered in graffiti showing a Star of David with a cross spray-painted over the top

Pita restaurant in Golders Green, north London, was smashed up in October 2023

People search for salvage at a mound of rubble after a building was destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza City on September 6, 2025

The CAA labelled the figures 'deeply alarming' and said there are 'stronger indicators of the rise of extremism in our country'.

Among party voters, 10% of Reform voters do not believe Jewish people are just as loyal to Britain as other British people, and 24% of them  almost a quarter  believe that Jewish people chase money more than other people do. These are higher figures than for voters of any other major party.

Around a third (29%) of the British public believe that Israel and its supporters are a bad influence on our democracy, up significantly from 22% last year.

For Green Party voters, this number stands at 54%, and sits at 32% for Londoners.

Among Green Party voters, 15% believe that the Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October 2023 was justified, higher than any other major party's voters.

Half (51%) of the British public believes that antisemitism has increased in the UK since October 2023, and 60% of young people agree. Only 23% of the population believes that it has stayed the same, and only 2% believe that it has decreased.

The CAA said: 'Awareness of antisemitism is clearly high, but given the rising levels of antisemitic views, either people are not bothered by the surge in anti-Jewish racism or, more likely, they do not comprehend the nature of it and their role in the increase.'

When it comes to pro-Palestine marches, the polling shows that the public is divided, with 29% viewing them positively and 32% viewing them negatively.

Concerningly, the study also found 10% of young people have a favourable view of Hamas, and 14% of them believe it is wrong to classify Hamas as terrorists. Pictured: A Hamas spokesman speaking after its attack on Israel in October 2023

Palestinians move toward central Gaza after Israeli attacks on northern Gaza force them to flee

College staff clean up what was left behind of the Cambridge student protests on May 17, 2024

But a sizable majority of 69% believe that they are achieving not very much or nothing at all, while only 13% believe that they are achieving something.

And a clear majority of 58% of the British public believes that the organisers of the Palestine protests should foot the bill for them.

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: 'Our country is clearly at a tipping point. These are the highest antisemitism figures that we have ever recorded, having doubled in less than five years.

'Our young people are being radicalised into adopting hateful ideologies before our eyes. Britain will lose its soul to extremists unless the silent majority wakes up.

'The public recognises that racism against Jewish people has skyrocketed, but the authorities have abysmally failed to rise to the occasion.

'Politicians, police and prosecutors, regulators, media organisations, cultural institutions, universities, trade unions  they are all complicit in the creation of a climate of hatred in Britain.

'Jews may feel it most sharply now, but for all of us, this is not the country that we used to know. Soon it will be too late for our country to change course.'

The survey of a representative sample of 2,245 British adults was conducted by YouGov between September 1 and 2. It was carried out online.

When it comes to pro-Palestine marches, the polling shows that the public is divided, with 29% viewing them positively and 32% viewing them negatively. Pictured: Protestors march in London on September 6

A clear majority of 58% of the British public believes that the organisers of the Palestine protests should foot the bill for them. Pictured: The National March for Palestine 'Stop Starving Gaza' on September 6

The YouGov survey was designed in collaboration with Campaign Against Antisemitism using the Generalised Antisemitism Scale.

The twelve statements  which include six relating to Judeophobic antisemitism and six relating to anti-Zionist antisemitism  together comprise the Generalised Antisemitism Scale.

The Generalised Antisemitism Scale was devised by Dr Daniel Allington of King's College London, Dr David Hirsh of Goldsmiths, and Dr Louise Katz (then) of the University of Derby.

They based it on the International Definition of Antisemitism, which Campaign Against Antisemitism, together with other Jewish communal institutions from around the world, has long campaigned to be widely adopted.

However, there is controversy over this definition, as it includes both anti-Jewish sentiment and anti-Zionism, and criticism of Israel's right to exist, as being anti-Semitic.
The emergency call was made in the early hours of Easter Sunday 2016, by a young woman called Emma-Jayne Magson from her home in Leicester.

Her boyfriend James had collapsed and was making weird noises, she said. The 999 operator could, indeed, hear a kind of guttural, low groaning in the background  at least initially.

Asked if she wanted an ambulance, Emma-Jayne replied that she did, but seemed unfazed when warned that it could be a while before paramedics arrived.

Its fine, dont worry about it, she replied. If Im honest I think hes took [sic] some drugs. I think hes just a bit smashed.

Toxicology reports would later reveal that James, a 26-year-old father of two, was indeed drunk and had taken cocaine and cannabis  but this wasnt the reason he needed an ambulance.

For what Emma-Jayne, 23, had omitted to say was that she had stabbed her partner in the chest with a kitchen knife, an 4.5inch-deep wound that had penetrated his lung and a vital artery.

James died of his injuries that night, and Emma-Jayne was arrested, charged and tried for his murder at Leicester Crown Court. Proceedings were underpinned by one key question: while James may have lost his life that chilly Easter night, was Emma-Jayne Magson victim or perpetrator?

Had she, as she claimed, acted in self-defence out of desperate fear of her life, or was she simply a cold-blooded killer whod shown little in the way of real remorse?

Emma-Jayne Magson, pictured, called 999 in the early hours of Easter Sunday in 2016

Emma-Jayne omitted to say on the call that she had stabbed her boyfriend, James Knight, in the chest with a kitchen knife

Emma-Jayne was arrested, charged and tried for James's murder at Leicester Crown Court

As viewers of Channel 4s hit TV series The Jury know, that vital question was one faced by another set of jurors last week.

The gripping series follows a group of strangers playing jury in what they know is a word-for-word reconstruction  albeit abridged and with identifying details concealed  of a real criminal trial.

What none of them knew, however, was that the case over which they presided was one of the UKs most controversial and contested of recent years.

For the Daily Mail can reveal that the TV adaptation was based on not the first, but the second, murder trial of Magson, christened the Steak Knife Killer in reference to the weapon she used to stab James Knight nine years ago.

She was initially convicted of his murder in 2016 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 17 years.

However, she appealed her conviction, and secured a retrial, following fresh evidence pertaining to her psychiatric health: shed suffered a traumatic miscarriage two weeks before killing James.

During the second trial, jurors were given the option of finding Magson guilty of manslaughter. However, she was convicted once more of murder by a majority verdict of 10-2.

A subsequent appeal in 2022 also failed and Magson, now 32, remains behind bars for at least another eight years.

Emma-Jayne was caught on police body-cam footage crying out for her boyfriend just moments after stabbing him with a steak knife and watching him die

In 2015 James moved into the small, terraced home on Sylvan Street, pictured, in Leicester, which Emma-Jayne shared with her 18-month-old daughter

So it was not one, but two trials, and a failed appeal. On the surface, at least, it seems that Emma-Jayne Magson is behind bars where she should be.

Yet as viewers of The Jury will know, this was not a sentiment shared by many of the jurors in the dramatised account of her trial. After tortuous wrangling, they convicted Sophie Fairlow  the name used for the accused in the dramatisation  of manslaughter in a majority verdict.

Told that the verdict in the original trial had been one of murder, they were palpably shocked  some because they felt they had shown her undue leniency, others profoundly dismayed by what they felt was an unfair conviction.

And it can be revealed that that divide is shared in the wider world, with many convinced that Magson is victim of a gross miscarriage of justice  as a vulnerable woman trapped in an abusive relationship with a violent partner.

Yet, there is an equal number convinced she is a cold-blooded killer with previous form for violence herself, and whose defence amounted to little more than a smear campaign.

Magson had received a caution for hitting a bouncer, had previous convictions for assaulting a woman in a pub and glassing another, and also had a history of violence against previous boyfriends.

In the former camp is Magsons mother Jo, and the campaigning charity Justice for Women, alongside public speaker David Challen, whose mother Sally had her 2009 conviction for murdering her husband quashed in 2019 after Appeal Court judges heard she had suffered years of abusive coercion and controlling behaviour.

Together with his mother, he supported Magsons bid for a retrial and today remains passionately convinced that her conviction should be overturned.

Emma-Jayne claimed she had acted in self-defence out of a fear for her life

26-year-old James had two young daughters with his former partner, Becki Waite (pictured)

I think there is still a huge lack of understanding about abuse and coercive control, David told the Daily Mail.

Emma-Jayne had suffered a huge amount of trauma in her past, in her relationship, and there needs to be a mechanism by which defence barristers give an avenue for juries to consider offending that is rooted in domestic abuse.

It is seismically present in the data, and it is the reason many women are in the prison system today. If nothing else, I hope that televising this case holds a mirror up to the way the system fails women like Emma-Jayne and my mother.

Equally passionate that justice has been served, however, in real life at least, are Jamess mother Trish and his four siblings, who have campaigned vigorously for Magson to remain behind bars.

While Trish declined to comment publicly, she is supported by male domestic violence charity ManKind who told the Daily Mail they believed Magson must remain in prison.

'No rush': Emma-Jayne Magson's chilling 999 call Operator: Can you tell me exactly what's happened? Magson: Umm I don't know, my boyfriend's here, he's making weird noises, I don't know what's going on. Operator: What were you doing up until he's starting what he's doing now? Magson: No, he's been fine, he's come home, he's come home to me, I've been out all night and then he's come home to me and then just collapsed on my floor... he was fine up until about five minutes and then he's just started making noises and now they've stopped and now I'm on the phone to you. Operator: Is he awake and breathing? Magson: Yes, he's breathing. He's breathing fine, he's started to sleep but I don't know why he's making them noises, I don't know if he's done it for my sake. Operator: Do you want an ambulance to come and take him to hospital? Magson: I don't know if there's something up or he's just playing me about. Operator: The only thing I can do is just send an ambulance to come and take him to hospital if that's what he wants? Magson: Yes do that please. Operator: Are his eyes open at all? Is he awake? Is he conscious or... ? Magson: Well, to be honest, it looks like he's sleeping but it ain't how he normally sleeps because I live with him, so it ain't how he normally sleeps if that makes sense... it looks like he's had a fight with someone... I think he's ignoring me on purpose if I'm honest with you. Operator: Alright, well we'll get someone sent over to him, it's been arranged. I mean, it might take a while... I do apologise, it's Bank Holiday weekend and we're getting absolutely... Magson: No, that's fine, don't worry about it. Operator: Try and put him on his side, all right? If he does wake up just reassure him. Do you know what, I wouldn't let him have anything to eat or drink, not even water. Magson: Do you know what? I just think he's too smashed, that's what I think. I just need to be on the safe side, like he's my boyfriend. Advertisement

The two juries in the actual trials were rightly clear it was murder and not manslaughter, said chief executive Mark Brooks.

That was the right verdict. What the programme does show is how these particular jury members have been influenced by gender stereotypes; that if a woman kills her partner, there must always be some type of excuse or reason  including that the man was the real perpetrator.

My worry is that this verdict means there is a high risk that viewers will also have that view confirmed, or be persuaded by it.

It risks leaving some men and their families being denied justice and places male victims at risk because it will make it harder for them to feel they will believed  or that if they do tell someone, that person will feel they must have done something to deserve it.

Heartbreakingly, the Daily Mail has also learned that the Knight familys grief has been compounded by further tragedy, following the death in September 2022 of Jamess younger brother Jack.

He took his own life after years of what family friend Siobhan Martin called fighting demons alone in a poignant post to help raise funds for his funeral. He is buried alongside James at Leicesters Gilroes Cemetery.

Inarguable then, that a trail of real-life grief and devastation lies behind this televised trial.

The undisputed facts are these: just days after meeting Magson in the autumn of 2015, James Knight  who had two young daughters with his previous long-term partner Becki Waite  had moved into the small, terraced home on Sylvan Street, Leicester, that his new partner shared with her 18-month-old daughter.

Their relationship was undeniably volatile, but within a few months, Magson was pregnant, only to suffer a traumatic miscarriage which led to her being hospitalised for a week and required her to undergo two blood transfusions.

On 26 March 2016  Easter Saturday  the couple went out separately, later meeting in a bar where James, by then drunk, became so aggressive that police were called and he was asked to leave.

Both then got a taxi back to Sylvan Street, but the driver threw them out after they got into a violent argument in the back.

They continued the journey on foot and were seen and heard to be arguing loudly by passers-by. Not long before they returned home, CCTV footage showed James violently pushing his girlfriend to the ground.

It is from then on that the facts become disputed: according to the prosecution in both Magsons trials, she entered her house alone, leaving her boyfriend banging on the door asking to be let in.

Armed with a knife, she then opened the front door, and stabbed him, with a blow delivered from above, as the prosecution barrister put it, in the style of Lady Macbeth.

At some point James then staggered along the road and collapsed near the home of his brother Kevin, who lived on the same street.

Yet, when he rushed to his brothers aid, Emma-Jayne simply told Kevin he was drunk and had been beaten up by bouncers.

Asked at her trial what impression he got from Emma-Jayne about his brothers condition, Kevin replied: That everything will be fine in the morning  he just needs to sleep it off.

Poignantly, his last words to his brother, after helping Emma-Jayne to take James back home, were Ill see you tomorrow.

Emma-Jayne then waited several more minutes before calling 999, and she again omitted to mention that shed stabbed him. She also hid the knife in Kevins bin.

This delay, the court was told, ensured James had little chance of survival.

Described as cold, brutal and manipulative for delaying medical help, Emma-Jayne had in effect 'sacrificed' James, according to prosecution barristers.

Emma-Jayne had suffered post-natal depression after the birth of her daughter

In a 2019 interview, Emma-Jayne's mother Jo, pictured, declared that her dearest wish was for her daughter to be given her freedom once more

While Magson did not give evidence at her first trial, her defence barrister related an entirely different sequence of events, describing how, after allowing James into the house, hed chased her to the kitchen and tried to strangle her.

In fear of her life, she had grabbed the knife in a bid to release herself.

As we have seen, that version of events was not accepted by the jury, who unanimously convicted her of murder.

With the help of Justice for Women, who believed Emma-Jayne had been grossly ill-served by the criminal justice system, her mother Jo instructed a new legal team who presented fresh psychiatric evidence supporting a defence of diminished responsibility.

In January 2020, the Court of Appeal quashed her murder conviction and ordered a retrial.

If I honestly thought, hand on heart, Emma really meant to do that [kill James], I would never stand by her, her mother said in an interview at the time.

But I just know Emma. I know she loves James. And thats so frustrating for me because I know how much she loves him; even to this day she loves him.

Those sentiments were not shared by Jamess mother Trish, who in response launched a petition to keep Magson behind bars.

It is that subsequent retrial that was the basis of this weeks Channel 4 series, at which several psychiatrists testified that Emma-Jayne suffered from a personality disorder which meant she had problems controlling her emotions.

The product of a deeply chaotic and dysfunctional childhood, Magson was only eight months old when her father attacked her mother in front of her and her older sister, Charlotte, before disappearing from her life.

As an adult, shed taken refuge in short-lived dysfunctional and often violent relationships.

Her previous convictions for violence, the jury was told, happened when she was in a relationship with a man whod physically assaulted her and set fire to her personal possessions.

She had also suffered post-natal depression after the birth of her daughter.

None of this seemed to sway the second jury, who convicted her of murder with a majority verdict. A subsequent appeal in 2022 was rejected.

Barristers representing Magson had argued women in abusive relationships should be allowed to use the so-called householder defence  in which a householder has the right to use disproportionate force against intruders  but the notion was rebuffed by Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, who deemed it not relevant to the case.

There was no evidence or suggestion that it was any part of [Magsons] thinking that [Mr Knight] was a trespasser at the time of the stabbing, he decreed.

It means that, with legal avenues now exhausted, Magson will remain behind bars, where the Daily Mail understands she is visited in prison every week by her now 11-year-old daughter.

And while empathising with Jamess mother Trish, in a 2019 interview Jo declared that her dearest wish was for her daughter to be given her freedom once more.

I just hope Emma can come out and be a mum to her daughter and get on with her life, she told the BBC.

As we have seen, that sentiment was shared by some of the TV jurors this week.

Were they right? It perhaps is only fair to give grieving mother Trish the last word.

As she has said in the past: There were only two people who were there that night. And one of them cant give his version of events.
The British Horse Society has become the latest organisation to say neigh to its members using the words mother or father to avoid causing offence.

The UKs largest and most influential equestrian charity with over 110,000 members, offers the advice in a woke inclusive language guide.

Instead of gendered terms, the terms parents or caregivers should be used, it states.

The organisation also says foreigners should be described as people from overseas, while humankind is suggested as a replacement for mankind.

The move by the BHS follows similar guidance from council and university chiefs, and other publicly-funded groups.

Merton Council, South London, told staff to call parents caregivers to reduce the chances of staff making assumptions about a child's biological parents.

The change in terminology, revealed last month, is also supposed to 'recognise diverse family formation'.

In further semantic reforms, employees are being told to use 'person-centred language' instead of gendered terms, including 'man the desk'.

The British Horse Society has become the latest organisations to urge against gendered terms

The council's equality and diversity team also said: 'Avoid making assumptions about preferred names or nicknames without asking the individual first.'

Last year, an language guide advising people to stop using words such as 'mother' and 'father' to avoid being 'oppressive' has been published by a taxpayer-funded aid organisation.

Scotland's International Development Alliance (SIDA) published the document to help people 'avoid bias, stop reinforcing existing power structures, and convey respect'.

Among the words listed as 'problematic' were 'girls', 'guys', 'mother' and 'father', Instead, people were encouraged to instead use 'parent' or 'guardian' along with 'colleagues' and 'everyone'.

British Horse Society's 'Inclusive Language' guide promotes terms 'parents' and 'caregivers'

And Manchester University has previously told staff not to say mother or father to avoid bias and assumption.

Toby Young, of the Free Speech Union, said at the time: Instead of focusing on educational standards, or supporting those students who've been short-changed during the pandemic, Manchester has wasted time and money on producing a guide to how to speak woke-ish.

Young people hate it when you call them snowflakes, but Manchester has done its students no favours by suggesting they might be offended by words like 'mother' and 'father'.

In 2022, St Luke's Primary School, Brighton, published Equalities and Diversity advice urging people to use the term grown ups as a general term rather than mums and dads to refer to childrens significant adults so that children who live with one parent; 2 mums; 2 dads; foster parents or who live with extended family dont feel that their own family make-up is not included.

A BHS spokesperson said: 'Inclusive language is not about replacing identities, and our intention has never been to do this. Were simply striving to be more welcoming and inclusive across all aspects of our work.'

_______________________________________________________________________________________

The Welsh Government has spent more than 3 million on diversity-related initiatives for its own staff and colleges, including 284,500 on providing trans guidance for schools, it can be revealed.

The figures were disclosed in a Freedom of Information response.

Yesterday, the principalitys Labour Government was slammed by Welsh Tory leader Darren Millar, who said: Spending millions on diversity projects and trans guidance for schools is indefensible when NHS waiting lists are the longest in the UK and school standards are the worst in the UK.

The Welsh Labour Government needs to reprioritise funding and focus on the public's priorities instead of pushing ideology in classrooms."

The Welsh Government said: We are committed to building a more equal Wales - a country where everyone can access the services they need, where we tackle inequality and discrimination, and where we create a fairer society for all.
A rift may be growing between President Donald Trump and other prominent players in the GOP.

Trump appears to be at odds with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the importance of vaccines when it comes to public health.

During a press conference in the Oval Office Friday, Trump told reporters that 'you have some vaccines that are so amazing. The polio vaccine, I happen to think is amazing.'

The president also noted that 'you have to be very careful when you say that some people don't have to be vaccinated ... It's a very tough position.'

Senator Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican who was an OBGYN before entering politics, told Margaret Brennan of CBS Sunday that Trump chose Kennedy Jr. 'to be a disruptor to the CDC, and that's exactly what he's doing.'

Marshall also added that in his 'humble opinion, not every person needs every vaccine', before asking not to be labelled as a 'non-vaxxer-person,' because he has 'raised money for polio vaccinations.'

'The MMR is a great vaccine. It saved thousands of lives. Vaccines, overall, have saved hundreds of millions of lives, but not every person needs every vaccine. And we just want to empower parents and the doctors to make great decisions,' Marshall added.

Still, Kennedy has been labeled as an anti-vaxxer and was accused of 'effectively ... denying people vaccines' during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on Thursday.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate Finance Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on September 04, 2025 in Washington, DC

President Donald Trump speaks to the media during a press availability in the Oval Office of the White House on September 5, 2025 in Washington

Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy, a former physician who chairs the Senate's health committee, also took time Thursday to call out Kennedy for his differences with Trump on the issue of vaccines.

Cassidy asked Kennedy if Trump should get a Nobel Prize for his work in pushing for the development of the COVID vaccine during the pandemic in the effort more broadly known as Operation Warp Speed.

Kennedy replied that Trump should get the award, despite arguing during the course of of presidential campaign last year that his then-opponent and current boss 'has a weakness for swamp creatures, especially corporate monopolies, their lobbyists, and their money' calling Operation Warp Speed one of the most devastating instances 'of President Trumps weakness, but not the only one.'

This weeks' developments on the issues of public health were also not limited just to Washington, D.C.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced last week a plan to remove the state's vaccine schedule mandates, despite a full repeal needing to be passed by the state legislature.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-LA, questions Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during a Senate Committee on Finance hearing on President Donald Trump's health care agenda at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC on Thursday, September 4, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump embraces Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after Kennedy was sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Oval Office at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC

Trump also sought to distance himself from the Sunshine State's vaccine plans.

'You have vaccines that work. They just pure and simple work,' Trump also noted in the Oval Office.

'Theyre not controversial at all. And I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people. And when you dont have controversy at all, I think people should take it,' he stated.
TikTok star Becca Bloom was called out by her fans after they noticed an embarrassing mistake ahead of her lavish wedding in Italy.

The 27-year-old influencer, who has 4.3 million followers on TikTok and 2.3 million more across Instagram, sent out flashy invitations for her Lake Como nuptials that were riddled with glaring etiquette errors.

The elegant cream-and-gold stationery invited guests to Villa Balbiano on August 28 - but eagle-eyed fans quickly spotted the clumsy line: 'Request the pleasure of your company of your presence.'

Others noticed another blunder - as the card bizarrely read: 'Three Thirty O'Clock in the Afternoon.'

Wedding etiquette experts say the phrase is redundant - the wording should be either 'three-thirty in the afternoon' or 'half past three.'

The blunder sparked mocking comments online, especially given Bloom's reputation as the so-called 'queen of RichTok.'

She is known for her Hermes shopping hauls, private chefplated caviar dinners for her cat, and personal-finance explainers delivered in her signature soothing voice.

But online critics wasted no time ridiculing her wedding invitation mistakes.

Eagle-eyed fans spotted the mistake on Becca Bloom's lavish Villa Balbiano invitations, which bizarrely read 'Three Thirty O'Clock in the Afternoon'

The influencer, who has 4.3 million TikTok followers, wed David Pownall at Villa Balbiano on Lake Como

One branded the wording a 'HUGE and glaring mistake,' writing: 'It's frankly embarrassing that no one caught that, not to mention they spent thousands on them.'

Another mocked the rich influencer with: 'Made in china to cut costs.'

Others said they couldn't believe she hadn't scrapped the batch entirely, with one writing: 'Oh I would reprint if I were her!'

A commenter who had used a similar high-end stationer complained: '$50k in paper goods and I still had to triple check everything!'

And another piled on with a stinging remark: 'I feel like if you're going to pay witches to have great weather you'd pay an English professor to make sure the invites are proof read.'

Bloom, whose real name is Rebecca Ma, is the daughter of Simon Yiming Ma and Heidi Chou, Chinese tech entrepreneurs and real estate investors.

She has openly shared her love story with her TikTok followers after meeting software engineer David Pownall, at a Philz Coffee shop in Palo Alto in December 2019.

What should have been a quick drink turned into a 15-hour first date as the pair wandered through her childhood neighborhood and later grabbed sushi.

Critics also mocked the redundant line 'request the pleasure of your company of your presence,' branding it a glaring etiquette fail

Bloom, also known as the 'queen of RichTok,' is famous for her Hermes hauls and luxury lifestyle content

Four years later, in July 2023, David staged a surprise proposal during a Positano sunset boat ride.

Bloom told followers he disguised it as an 'Instagram photoshoot' before dropping to one knee.

For the wedding itself, held on August 28, 2025, the couple chose the opulent Villa Balbiano on Lake Como.

Bloom told Vogue they settled on the date after a fortune teller assured her it was lucky.

The couple limited the guest list to 60 for an intimate gathering, though their families are still planning a larger traditional Asian wedding back home in California.

She described herself as a 'type B bride' who took a relaxed approach - but her wedding wardrobe was as bold as her social media content.

For the rehearsal dinner, she wore a vintage Chanel couture dress with an ice cream motif.

Her ceremony look was a custom Oscar de la Renta gown embroidered with peonies - a tribute to her Chinese heritage.

Despite the invitation blunder, the couple hosted an opulent ceremony and reception in Italy

She accessorized with Van Cleef & Arpels high jewelry and a Tiffany Victoria band, which she noted was also the first fine jewelry collection she ever owned.

David wore Ralph Lauren Purple Label and Thom Browne.

Despite forecasts of thunderstorms, the rain stopped as guests arrived. She walked down the aisle to 'Can't Help Falling in Love' while Pownall cried at the altar.

The reception featured truffle pasta, heartfelt toasts, and an Italian millefoglie cake the couple built by hand. Bloom later changed into a shattered-glass Oscar de la Renta dress for the party.

Later, rain returned - but instead of spoiling the night, it created the day's most cinematic moment.

Bloom was contacted by Daily Mail for comment.
It was blasted as a shameless denial of reality not long after it was published.

But Nicola Sturgeon has now claimed that she was too open while penning her recent memoir, Frankly.

The book, published earlier this year, lingered on her conflict with predecessor Alex Salmond, her meetings with the late Queen and her childhood in Ayrshire.

But it was criticised for failing to address issues such as her deleted Covid WhatsApp messages, her inability to face up to her failures in office and her Trumpian accounts of political events. Ms Sturgeon received a 300,000 advance for the book.

But speaking on BBC Scotland series The Big Scottish Book Club, to be shown on Thursday, she tells how she thought perhaps she had been too open.

Ms Sturgeon said: I first remember thinking Id love to write a book when I was probably about five, because I loved reading. I love books and have done all my life, but I never thought really seriously that I would one day write a memoir.

I think it took me a while to feel that I was opening up as much as I wanted to and actually getting under the skin of how things felt, not just the bare facts of what happened.

I hope Ive done that. Of course, now as I start to think about talking about it and putting it out in the world, Im thinking maybe Ive been too open.

The former First Minister and her book

The long-awaited memoir went on sale last month

Following Franklys publication, JK Rowling branded Ms Sturgeon flat out Trumpian in her shameless denial of reality and hard facts.

In a scathing post, the Harry Potter author wrote: The mysteriously vanished WhatsApp messages in the pandemic, the tanking educational outcomes, the CalMac Ferry disaster, the disappearance of a half a million pounds of her own supporters money: youll search in vain for candid accounts of these in Frankly; indeed, most arent mentioned at all.

Ms Sturgeon also enraged the family of former first minister Alex Salmond over claims made in Frankly.

The former SNP leader said Mr Salmond opposed gay marriage, failed to read the white paper on independence, and also repeated rumours of his consensual affairs.

Mr Salmonds niece Christina Hendry recently said his relatives were united behind his widow Moiras decision to revive a legal action against SNP ministers he had started two years ago.

JK Rowling published a review of Sturgeon's book on her website

Launching the compensation case in 2023, he promised a day of reckoning for those he believed had tried to ruin him.

In the interview, Ms Sturgeon reveals that her favourite read is Lewis Grassic Gibbons 1932 classic Sunset Song, which is set in the north-east of Scotland during the First World War.

She said: There was a central character, a young girl who was really struggling between her desire to go off to university and learn and the pull of the community she had grown up in, and I was going through something similar at that point as well.

So I had that same kind of, I suppose, inner conflict of wanting to spread your wings but wanting to sort of stay where I was.

She added: Ive got this kind of maybe naive view of the world that all political leaders should be forced to read fiction to make them more empathetic, understanding people.
The number of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel has topped 30,000 in record time.

It is the latest milestone to be reached after record numbers of people have made the dangerous journey so far this year, despite ministers seeking to crack down on people smuggling gangs.

Some 1,097 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 boats on Saturday, bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100, Home Office figures show.

This is up 37 percent on this point last year (22,028) and 37 percent higher than at this stage in 2023 (21,918).

It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.

Last year, the figure was not passed until October 30 and in 2023 it was never reached as crossings totalled 29,437 for the whole year.

In 2022, the number was reached on September 21.

The record arrivals come as Shabana Mahmood was newly appointed as Home Secretary on Friday, as part of a major Government reshuffle in the wake of Angela Rayner's resignation.

The former justice secretary is expected to unveil plans to move asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks as the Government seeks to harden its immigration policy amid rising numbers of crossings.

The record arrivals come as Shabana Mahmood was newly appointed as Home Secretary on Friday

A small boat arrives to collect migrant families from the beach on August 12, 2025

Before the Cabinet shake-up, former home secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to change the rules for family reunion for refugees, and suspended new applications to the existing route earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the migrants returns deal with France, which took effect in August, is yet to begin the first removals of people back to the continent.

UK officials aim to make referrals for returns to France within three days of a migrant's arrival by small boat, while French authorities will respond within 14 days.

An approved asylum seeker in France will be brought to the UK under a safe route as part of the exchange.

The latest arrivals signal the scale of the challenge for the new Home Secretary, after discontent over the summer with how the Government has addressed small boat crossings and housed asylum seekers in hotels, which has led to a wave of protests and criticism from Labour's political opponents.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to speed up efforts to empty asylum hotels before the next election, but has not committed to a date.

Labour scrapped the Tories' Rwanda asylum deal  designed to deter migrants from crossing  as one of its first acts, pledging instead to 'smash the gangs' by boosting law enforcement.

Migrants try to board a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel off the beach of Gravelines, northern France on August 12, 2025

Large groups of migrants were seen sprinting into the surf off Gravelines beach, between Calais and Dunkirk, to board a boat to Britain

The migrants waited in a group on the beach - apparently under instruction from smugglers

Since the start of the crisis in 2018, 178,167 migrants have reached Britain, with only about four percent of them removed.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch insisted she would reduce migrant crossings to zero if the Conservatives regained power. She added: 'Labour's plan to smash the gangs was just a slogan. Things are so much worse since Labour came into office.

'Their one in, one out scheme isn't going to work, and what we're seeing is a lot of local communities having to pay the price and bear the brunt of the Government's incompetence.'

Asked if the Tories would cut the number of crossings to zero, she replied: 'I think we can. It wouldn't happen straight away, but it would happen quickly.

'My team are looking at what we can do in terms of detention centres. But stopping people from coming here in the first place  if they think they're going to be sent to Rwanda and not get here, get a free hotel, get benefits, then they won't come here.'
Refugees are seen on a truck near a makeshift refugee camp in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. A total of 107,037 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland from neighboring Iran and Pakistan over the past week, according to a report from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation issued on Sunday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

KABUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A total of 107,037 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland from neighboring Iran and Pakistan over the past week, according to a report from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation issued on Sunday.

The ministry stated that all returnees have received essential assistance, including food, drinking water, health services, and free transportation to their respective hometowns.

Additionally, more than 2.3 million U.S. dollars in cash assistance has been provided to support their reintegration.

According to a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees report released in early August, over 2.3 million Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan and Iran so far this year.

The ministry reported in late July that around 6 million Afghan refugees, most of them undocumented, currently reside abroad, with the majority hosted in Iran and Pakistan. 

Refugees are seen on a truck near a makeshift refugee camp in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. A total of 107,037 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland from neighboring Iran and Pakistan over the past week, according to a report from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation issued on Sunday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)
From the backbenches, Yvette Cooper unabashedly accused Donald Trump of 'aggressive misogyny', xenophobia and all round 'appalling behaviour'.

Eight years on, Trump is again in power for his second term as US President, while Ms Cooper has been shuffled across from the Home Secretary role to become the Government's new Foreign Secretary.

As she settles in, Ms Cooper might have believed her musings on the American leader would stay confined to the dustier corners of X, but they have re-emerged - and just a mere ten days before Donald Trump's scheduled State visit to the UK.

The candid nature of Ms Cooper's thoughts around Trump could prompt awkwardness between the pair, though allies are adamant the Foreign Secretary is set to play a 'key' role during his visit this month.

Last night a Foreign Office source additionally said that as Home Secretary, Ms Cooper had 'worked closely with the Trump administration on a range of security and migration issues.'

Still the reappearance of Tweets long forgotten reveal that over the years Ms Cooper has certainly not been a fan of Trump - and neither had her predecessor, David Lammy - who at one time described the President as a 'woman-hating, neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath'.

In one post written by Ms Cooper, from July 8, 2017, just seven months after Trump's inauguration, she accused the US president of being 'dangerous'.

She wrote: 'We are forgetting to be disturbed by Trump, he is normalising hatred & it's dangerous.'

From the backbenches, Yvette Cooper unabashedly accused Donald Trump of 'aggressive misogyny', xenophobia and all round 'appalling behaviour' - and now she has been appointed Foreign Secretary

The re-emerged social media posts could prove awkward ahead of President Donald Trump's State visit to the UK in ten days

Former Foreign Secretary David Lammy at one time described the President as a 'woman-hating, neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath'

In another, from December 8, 2015, Ms Cooper wrote that she was 'appalled by the ignorant & Islamophobic statement' made by Trump.

She added: 'He may like to shock, but this isn't a game, it is irresponsible & dangerous'.

A third post from February 14, 2017, refers to the Trump administration's 'unstable behaviour' regarding Russia and said that it 'must surely alarm' Prime Minister Theresa May.

She added: 'Raises real issues for security cooperation'.

Of the Tory Prime Minister, she again wrote in July 13, 2018: 'Trump's appalling behaviour makes me sympathise with Theresa May.'

However, Ms Cooper then wait on to tell her to 'stand up' to Trump.

'Til I remember her desperate rush to invite him, her repeated reluctance to criticise his Muslim ban or caging of children, her chasing him for a bad trade deal...For God's sake Theresa, stand up to him today,' she urged.

In a separate post, Ms Cooper referred to Trump's support from the far-right.

Yvette Cooper's past tweets, written as a backbencher, unashamedly criticise Donald Trump

She wrote on August 15, 2017: 'Trump unleashing of white supremacists in US is beyond awful, but problem not just him when prejudice & hatred so often fanned and fueled.'

In another post from that same year, Ms Cooper claimed that Trump had built his campaign for the presidency 'on vitriol and abuse'. adding: 'The aggressive misogyny, the violent language towards Hillary Clinton, the Islamophobia, the xenophobia, the hatred. And he hasn't stopped since he got into the Oval Office.'

Ms Cooper stepped into her new role after the Prime Minister was forced into an emergency reshuffle on Friday after Angela Rayner's resignation for failing to pay up to 40,000 in tax owed on a luxury seaside flat.

Her Home Office role has now been filled by Shabana Mahmood, while David Lammy - previously Foreign Minister - has stepped into the role of Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, taking over from Ms Rayner.

Like his successor, Mr Lammy has also been an outspoken critic of Trump.

In November 2024, the then Foreign Secretary was forced to brush off the impact of his excoriating past criticism of Donald Trump, insisting he had a good relationship with the returning US president despite branding him a 'woman-hating, neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath'.

The Labour Foreign Secretary came under fire over tweets he made when he was an opposition MP in which he said the hard right Republican was a 'tyrant in a toupee' and lacked the brains to pass GCSE exams.

Mr Lammy subsequently claimed to the BBC that his relationship with Trump - who was at the time campaigning to become President - had survived the remarks.

The Prime Minister was forced into an emergency reshuffle on Friday after Angela Rayner's resignation for failing to pay up to 40,000 in tax owed on a luxury seaside flat

Branding them 'old news' he told the broadcaster's Newscast podcast: 'I think that what you say as a backbencher and what you do wearing the the real duty of public office are two different things.

'And I am Foreign Secretary.

'There are things I know now that I didn't know back then, and that's the truth of it.'

Among the other barbs directed at Trump by Mr Lammy on social media include the quip: 'If Trump did GCSEs he wouldn't make it to sixth form.'
A judge has been bombarded with threats after she granted bail to a Georgia daycare worker accused of battering a one-year-old boy.

Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Rose-Emmons released accused child abuser Yvette Thurston on a $44,000 bond on August 16.

Thurston, 54, of Bainbridge, is charged with leaving one-year-old Clay Weeks with a black eye and deep scratches on his face and neck after his first day at school.

District Attorney Joe Mulholland released a statement a few days after Thurston was released on bail condemning the threats sent to Rose-Emmons.

Mulholland said his office would prosecute anyone who sent menaces to the judge, saying it would 'not tolerate threats against our judges'.

'The rule of law is the foundation of our community,' the district attorney wrote.

'Our judges deserve to perform their duties without fear for their safety. You may not like their decisions, but you don't have the right to threaten them or their families.'

Thurston has been charged with first-degree aggravated battery and three counts of first-degree child abuse. The child's father said she tried to blame another pupil when asked how his son got so badly bruised.

A magistrate judge has been bombarded with threats after she granted bail to a Georgia daycare worker accused of battering one-year-old Clay Weeks (pictured above)

'This is every parent's worst nightmare and WE had to live it and are still living it,' Clay's father, Cory Weeks (pictured with his wife), wrote on Facebook after unearthing the alleged abuse

Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Rose-Emmons (pictured) released accused child abuser Yvette Thurston on a $44,000 bond on August 16, sparking outrage

The victim's father, Cory Weeks, said Thurston abused his son following his first day of school at Little Blessings Child Care in Bainbridge, south-west Georgia.

'This is every parent's worst nightmare and WE had to live it and are still living it,' Weeks wrote in a Facebook post.

'We were told another child in Clay's class did this type of damage with a plastic toy,' he added.

It wasn't until the suspicious father watched surveillance footage that they found out what really happened to his son.

'Nothing we saw was for the faint-hearted, especially happening to such an innocent soul,' Weeks wrote.

Thurston was arrested on August 11, and the church daycare center was temporarily closed.

Yvette Thurston, of Bainbridge, was arrested on August 11 on child abuse and other charges

Thurston, 54, of Bainbridge, is charged with leaving one-year-old Clay Weeks (pictured) with a black eye and deep scratches on his face and neck after his first day at school in south Georgia

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is investigating the case and said Thurston has been terminated from her position. The school was placed under an emergency closure and will be closed for 21 days

Clay, whose three-year-old brother Wyatt also goes to the daycare, was rushed to the hospital to be treated for his injuries.

'Clay received the best care while we were there,' the father wrote.

The parents speculated that this isn't the first time Thurston has done this to a student, due to the 'severity' of the 'acts of violence' against the young boy.

Weeks has been warning other parents to not be complacent when told how their child may have been injured while at school or in daycare.

'Don't ever feel like you can't question how an injury happened to your child because I almost didn't,' he wrote.

'Also, don't believe the 'happy pictures' sent to you parents because we had that done as well during a day of complete torture of our Clay.'

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is investigating the case and said Thurston has been terminated from her position.
A British tourist has been seriously injured in a car crash that killed another woman after a driver believed to be 'high on laughing gas' mounted the kerb and ploughed into a group of people in Spain.

The British woman, 23, was rushed to Ibiza's main hospital, Can Misses, after the fatal Jeep crash, which took place at 11.15am on Sunday in San Jose, a municipality on the popular party island.

Three women, described locally as 'foreigners', were walking along the pavement together when the Jeep Wrangler smashed into them near Es Pueto beach bar opposite the popular Playa des Pouet beach.

The Brit is said to be 'stable and conscious' while the nationalities of the two other women, including the one who died, are yet to be confirmed.

The other survivor, who is at a separate hospital, the Nuestra Senora del Rosario Polyclinic, is said to be 'very seriously injured' after the crash.

An Irishman, who is believed to have consumed nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, before mounting the pavement, knocked down a lamp-post before crashing into a restaurant wall and the women.

The car eventually came to a standstill on the pavement just a few feet away from a pedestrian crossing. He has since been arrested.

The driver, aged around 30, failed a drugs test at the scene and has been arrested on suspicion of reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs, manslaughter due to gross negligence and serious injury due to gross negligence.

A British tourist has been seriously injured in a car crash that killed another woman after a driver crashed into a pavement

The car eventually came to a standstill on the pavement just a few feet away from a pedestrian crossing. The driver has since been arrested

The fatal crash took place near Es Pueto beach bar opposite the popular Playa des Pouet beach

A spokesperson for San Jose Town Hall said police had arrested an 'Irish driver after he hit three people in the Es Pueto area, resulting in one fatality and two serious injuries.

'The detainee was accused of reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs, manslaughter due to gross negligence and serious injury due to gross negligence, after initial investigations revealed evidence of nitrous oxide consumption moments before the accident.'

They added: 'In the coming hours, data will be extracted from the vehicle's control unit, which will provide quantitative information about the driving at the time of the incident.

'It should be noted that citizen cooperation and the large number of people and vehicles in the area have facilitated the location of witnesses and images that are assisting the investigation.'

According to San Joses mayor Vicent Roig the accident began in the municipality of San Jose and ended in neighbouring San Antonio. Both police forces originally collaborated on the crash.

The Foreign Office said they had not been approached for consular assistance for the crash but remain ready to support British nationals overseas.

Meanwhile, last month two British holidaymakers were seriously injured after being hit by a car in Ibiza driven by a 24-year-old Spaniard.

Mothers Ebony Cordingley, 26 and Lauren Holmes, 27, were rushed to intensive care units following a 2am accident.

The pair, from Bradford, were hit by a Toyota Corolla and remained in hospital for weeks.
The cost of a service for people who cant find a dentist has soared to more than 84million amid concerns about the impact a growing crisis is having on patients.

Spending on the Public Dental Service  which assists patients who cannot access or find a dentist  increased by 10 per cent in just two years.

It triggered concerns that more patients are having to use the service because of a shortage of available dentists.

The amount spent has increased in all but two of Scotlands health board areas  and in one region it soared by more than a third between 2022/23 and 2024/25.

Scottish Labour dental spokesman Paul Sweeney said: These figures provide a worrying snapshot into the postcode lottery when it comes to dental care.

While there will always be some who cannot independently access dental care, the fact that many Scots are struggling to find an NHS dentist will only heap more pressure on this crucial safety net.

Scotlands dental system is wobbling on the SNPs watch  Scots should not have to choose between raiding their savings or excruciating pain.

A Scottish Labour government will prioritise access to dentistry, so Scots can be treated wherever they are, and whatever their needs.

A postcode lottery for dental care in Scotland

The main role of the Public Dental Service is to help people who cannot access care from an independent dentist.

This can include patients with special care needs like mental health conditions or physical disabilities, those in long-stay care such as care home residents and people referred for specific treatment. It also acts as a safety net for those unable to obtain ordinary care.

Figures obtained by Scottish Labour show total spending on the service increased from 76.5 million in 2022/23 to 81.4 million in 2023/24 and 84.2 million in 2024/25.

Between 2022/23 and 2024/25, the biggest increase was in Dumfries and Galloway, where spending soared by 35 per cent from 1.5 million to 2.0 million, while there was a 28 per cent rise in NHS Fife, from 5.7 million to 7.3 million and a 26 per cent increase in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, from 7.6 million to 9.6 million.

There were only two health boards where spending decreased, with the cost in NHS Lothian falling by 7 per cent from 9.3 million to 8.7 million and costs falling by 3 per cent from 5.3 million to 5.2 million in NHS Tayside.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that 1.8 million adults and 177,318 children in Scotland have gone without a dental check-up for two years.

More than 80,000 youngsters and more than a quarter of adults have not been seen by A dentist in the past five years, while more than half a million adults have not had a check-up or any treatment in the past decade.

During the pandemic, NHS dental services were paused and some practices made a loss, leading to a number of dentists leaving the NHS. Between 2019 and 2024 the number of NHS dentists in Scotland fell from 3,407 to 3,240.

Concerns have been raised about the growth of dental deserts, where no practices were available to take on new dental patients within three months.
A small town in Arizona is sinking into the ground - as locals and corporate farms drill deeper wells to access groundwater.

Residents in the small town of Wenden are being forced to dig thousands of feet underground as they battle over the sacred resource.

The Colorado River and its underground supply support everything from drinking water for cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix to massive agricultural operations growing water-heavy crops like alfalfa, much of which is exported.

Arizona only gets about 36 percent of its total water supply from the Colorado River, so many towns, like Wenden, depend on groundwater.

But, as the water supply dwindles from the impacts of extreme weather, locals and farmers alike are forced to dig deeper wells for groundwater that causes the land to sink with it.

'It's a train wreck waiting to happen,' Gary Saiter, Head of the Wenden Water Improvement District, told NBC News.

'In the last 15 years, Wenden itself has sunk into a subsidence bowl. We've sunk over 3.5 feet. We sink it another 2.2 inches per year. It's absolutely out of balance. It's not sustainable.'

Wenden has no access to the Colorado River and relies entirely on groundwater, which is being drained faster than it can replenish because both locals and farmers are digger deeper into the ground.

Gary Saiter (pictured), Head of the Wenden Water Improvement District, said his town has sunk over 3.5 feet

Residents in the small town of Wenden, Arizona (pictured) are being forced to dig thousands of feet underground as locals and megafarms compete for groundwater

Rob McDermott (pictured), who owns an RV park in Wenden, said he currently has an 800-foot well that cost $120,000 to dig

Rob McDermott, who owns an RV park in Wenden, said it feel impossible to compete because the megafarms can afford to digger deeper than small businesses.

He told NBC News he currently has an 800-foot well that cost $120,000 to dig.

A recent Arizona State University (ASU) study found that a rapid acceleration in groundwater usage in the Colorado River Basin is causing the area to sink

'Just the way air keeps the tire pumped up, water keeps the land pumped up,' lead researcher and ASU professor Jay Famiglietti told ABC 15.

He explained that when water is extracted from the aquifer and the surrounding layers, it's like air leaving a tire, particularly in regions with a lot of clay minerals.

'Clay minerals are flat, and so when the water that's between them disappears, gets pumped out, then the flat minerals stack up, kind of like dishes in a sink, and that has the impact of lowering the ground surface,' he said.

'It will not be possible to keep doing everything that we're doing everywhere in the state. Just, the water is not there to support it.'

Saiter's wife, Devona, whose family has lived in Wenden since the 1960s and owns a shop told the local news station they have witnessed the effects of the depletion.

'My shop, it has sunk in several inches in various locations,' she said. 'There's gaps, there's cracks,' she said.

The ASU study also found that nearly 80 percent of the Grand Canyon State has no ground water regulations, meaning corporate farms do not have to report how much they use.

Saiter's wife, Devona (pictured), said her shop has sunk several inches due to the depleting water supply

The ASU study also found that nearly 80 percent of the Grand Canyon State has no ground water regulations, meaning corporate farms do not have to report how much they use

Arizona Attorney General, Kris Mayes, recently filed a nuisance lawsuit against one of the mega farming company, Fondomonte, for inflicting harm on the community with its digging

Another issue that residence face is companies buying the water and land usage rights of in their communities, then pumping the water elsewhere.

'Somebody selling our water, what we depend on to live, to a suburb so they can grow. So they can grow at our expense. That's not fair,' Saiter said.

Arizona Attorney General, Kris Mayes, recently filed a nuisance lawsuit against one of the mega farming company's in the state, Fondomonte, for inflicting harm on the community with its digging.

'They're drilling 15,000 to 2,000 feet into the ground. No one else can afford to drill wells that deep, and they're dewatering the aquifer so that people who have drilled wells to 400 feet no longer have water,' she told NBC News.

'The water has disappeared for them because the Saudis are sucking it out of the ground. Fondomonte told the network its water use is reasonable and it makes a 'conscious effort to manage water use.'

The company claimed that the wells drying up are unrelated to its farms. They did not disclose how much groundwater its farms use, but Mayes' office estimates the company uses 81 percent of all groundwater in the area.

Foreign-owned megafarms have become somewhat of an omnipresent sight in Arizona, as they've expanded from around 1.25 million acres in 2010 to nearly three million acres in 2020, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
A loud-mouthed political nepo-baby may soon be joining the ranks of people with his famous name to have run for political office.

Jack Schlossberg, whose full name is John Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg, is the grandson of President John F. Kennedy.

The Kennedy descendant is considering a run for Congress in the New York City congressional district left vacant by the retirement announcement of longtime Democrat Representative Jerrold Nadler.

Schlossberg announced Sunday that he was forming an exploratory committee for a congressional run, per Axios.

The 32-year-old is a graduate of both Harvard and Yale, and has been active in progressive politics, as well as the media. Schlossberg is the son of JFK's daughter Caroline Kennedy.

Schlossberg spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, and frequently criticizes his cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who presently serves as President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services secretary.

He has even made headlines making fun of Secretary Kennedy's wife, Cheryl Hines.

'I have never met Cheryl Hines but if I did Id tell her she looks super dehydrated,' Schlossberg, 32, wrote on X in July.

In an interview with CNN's Kate Boluan on Thursday, Nadler said of his potential successor that 'theres nothing particularly good or bad about a Kennedy holding my seat. But the Kennedy, unlike Schlossberg, should be somebody with a record of public service, a record of public accomplishment, and he doesnt have one.'

Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy speaks on the second night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., on Tuesday, August 20, 2024

President John F. Kennedy, and wife Jacqueline stroll along the pier at a yacht club at Hyannisport

Jack Schlossberg poses in a photo he posted on Instagram

Schlossberg polled his Instagram audience about kicking off a potential political campaign

Even Schlossberg's work experience appears to be limited. He spends his days posting social media content in an attempt to be a progressive influencer. When he was hired as a political correspondent at Vogue last year, he penned just seven articles.

Nadler, 78, has represented New York City's Upper West Side for over three decades, and his decision comes as the Big Apple has been steadily swinging towards younger socialist leaders such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.

In an interview with The New York Times, Nadler cited the spectacle made of former President Joe Biden's cognitive decline as a key reason for his decision to announce his departure from Congress.

U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler visits U.S. immigration court in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., June 18, 2025

Biden's disastrous performance in last year's presidential debate escalated the scrutiny of the age and health of top leaders in the Democrat party.

'Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,' Nadler noted to the New Times, adding that a younger successor 'can maybe do better, can maybe help us more.'

'This decision has not been easy. But I know in my heart it is the right one and that it is the right time to pass the torch to a new generation,' Nadler noted in a statement issued by his office Tuesday announcing the end of his political career.

Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has also been floated as a potential contender for the seat.

Liam Elkind, a 26-year-old community organizer, made a splash this Summer by calling on Nadler to retire and launching a primary challenge.

Other Democrats who might havean interest in the race include assemblymember Micah Lasher, a former Nadler aide, former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, investor Whitney Tilson, actor and activist Cynthia Nixon, and attorney Tali Farhadian.
An anti-migrant protester who filmed demonstrations outside asylum hotels for the 'protection of women and children' has been unmasked as a convicted paedophile who once sexually assaulted a schoolgirl as she sat on his knee.

Anthony Styles, who amassed thousands of followers on his now inactive YouTube channel, AJ Audits, became a well-known name among far-right activists for his livestreaming of protests against grooming gangs and illegal migrants.

The 59-year-old most recently streamed footage from demonstrations in London and Epping following the arrest - and subsequent conviction - of an Ethiopian migrant who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in Epping, Essex, in July.

However Styles, from Hemel Hempstead - who uses a wheelchair due to a degenerative illness - concealed that he himself had several convictions for child sex offences.

In 2017, he was found guilty of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of 14.

The historic offence, which took place in a flat in Blackpool in 1993, resulted in Styles being sentenced to four-and-a-half years imprisonment, put on the sex offenders register for life and handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, The Times reported.

During his trial, the court heard that he sexually abused the schoolgirl as she sat on his knee - with the victim stating that the incident had psychologically affected her.

Styles received an additional conviction in 2012 for admitting to assaulting a 17-year-old girl and possessing 307 indecent images of children within a collection of 'naturist' images.

Unmasked: Anthony Style, an anti-migrant protester who filmed demonstrations outside asylum hotels for the 'protection of women and children' is a convicted paedophile

The 59-year-old, from Hemel Hempstead, amassed thousands of followers on his YouTube channel, AJ Audits

His misdemeanors were uncovered by Stand Up To Racism activists, who saw his real name printed on a fake press pass he had produced for himself at a protest

For these offences he received a three-year community order.

Prior to being unmasked, Styles was a regular presence at demonstrations held outside migrant hotels, where hundreds of right-wing protesters, including women and children, advocated for protection from sexual predators coming into their area.

Styles aligned himself with them, as well as groups on social media, including one called For The Children.

Prior to being unmasked, Styles was a regular presence at demonstrations held outside migrant hotels, where hundreds of right-wing protesters, including women and children, advocated for protection from sexual predators

He has since been removed from the groups, while his YouTube channel has ceased.

His misdemeanors were uncovered by Stand Up To Racism activists, who saw his real name printed on a fake press pass he had produced for himself at a protest.

Anti-fascist officer Lewis Nielsen told The Times: 'These revelations show the far right have never cared about women's rights, they've been harbouring convicted offenders in their midst. The hypocrisy is off the charts.

'This man has claimed to be protecting women and girls while hiding his own convictions.'
A Kentucky cheerleader accused of hiding her dead newborn child in a closet has dropped out of college just days after her arrest.

Laken Snelling, 21, was taken into custody on August 31 after police found her newborn son inside a trash bag in her closet in her Lexington home.

Snelling withdrew from the University of Kentucky, Jay Blanton, a school spokesperson, told the Lexington Herald Leader on Friday.

Blanton said the former college student 'is no longer on the STUNT team.' The junior competed on the STUNT team for three years, per an official team roster.

It is unclear when exactly Snelling withdrew from the university.

The infant's autopsy came back inconclusive, but according to the Fayette County Coroner's Office, officials will conduct 'extensive microcosmic analyses' to determine the cause and manner of death.

'I understand the community's concern and sensitivity surrounding the death of a child. This death affects many lives in our neighboring state of Tennessee and as well as those in the Commonwealth,' the autopsy report read.

'We are currently conducting a thorough and methodical death investigation to ensure all facts are carefully considered.'

Laken Snelling, 21, the cheerleader accused of hiding her dead newborn child in a closet, unenrolled from the University of Kentucky

She is also no longer of member of the school's STUNT team. Snelling was on the team for three years

Snelling was released on a $100,000 bond and ordered to home incarceration at her parents' home in Jefferson City, Tennessee, NBC News reported.

She pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.

Fayette County Coroner Gary W. Ginn told Daily Mail that further microscopic analyses would involve taking tissue from the infant to further study it. Ginn said the brain would also be looked at by a neuroscientist.

'There's a time frame that the tissue has to set before it can be examined just grossly as well as microscopically. So that adds time to our final autopsy report,' the coroner said.

He added: 'A lot of times when you look at the brain, as well as the bony structures, the skull, the dura mater, all those things with the naked eye when the autopsy is being performed, you might be able to see that there are injuries.

'But until you look at the brain microscopically, you might look at the structures and not really think that there might be the injuries  that there could be internal hemorrhaging or something of that nature of the brain. So, it has to be looked at more microscopically than just grossly with the naked eye.'

Snelling, who was accompanied by her family, mostly kept her head down during the court appearance on Tuesday and nodded as the judge outlined her release conditions.

Her father was seen holding her hand as she walked out of the courtroom.

The cheerleader was seen looking to the floor and holding her father's hand as she walked out of the courtroom last week

Police made the gruesome discovery after they were called to Snelling's home for a report of 'a deceased infant being located inside of a closet,' officials said.

The baby was pronounced dead at the scene but a cause of death remains unclear pending an autopsy.

It's not clear who called the police to report the alleged crime.

An arrest citation said the 'infant was located wrapped in a towel inside of a black trash bag.'

'By wrapping the infant in towels and placing it inside of a black trash bag, the listed suspect treated the corpse in a way that would outrage ordinary family sensibilities,' the police report said.

Snelling admitted to concealing the birth by cleaning any evidence before hiding the supplies and the infant, who was wrapped in a towel, in a trash bag, according to the citation.

Images posted on social media in recent months also showed Snelling with what appeared to be a stomach bump

She pleaded not guilty to charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant

The former student, who allegedly admitted to giving birth to the baby before her arrest, posted images in June where her boyfriend held her stomach, which appeared to have a visible bump.

Other images posted on social media in recent months also showed Snelling with what appeared to be a stomach bump.

However, it's not clear if Snelling had announced a pregnancy to anyone.

Snelling's next court appearance is scheduled for September 26.
A British woman who was missing for a month after she vanished from her sunbed while her husband was sleeping died from drowning.

Michele Bourda, 59, suddenly disappeared from Ofrynio beach in the Greek city of Kavala on August 1 and left all her belongings - including her glasses, medication and even her towel - on a sun lounger while her husband slept.

Her body was finally found more than a month after she first went missing, her husband Chris, 66, told the Daily Mail on Thursday.

Mrs Bourda's body was located on a small, privately owned island called Fidonisi, around 25 miles down the coast from where she was last seen.

An autopsy took place on Friday and medical experts have confirmed she almost certainly died from drowning.

Nikos Kifnidis, a forensic scientist, told The Sun: 'There were no other injuries I have concluded her death was a result of drowning in the water.

'The swimsuit she was wearing, bought in the UK, was central to her being identified.'

Evidence of an operation in her chest was also crucial to identifying her, he added.

A British woman who was missing for a month after she vanished from her sunbed while her husband was sleeping died from drowning

Michele Bourda (pictured), 59, suddenly disappeared from Ofrynio beach in the Greek city of Kavala on August 1

Her body was finally located more than a month after she first went missing, her husband Chris (pictured), 66, told the Daily Mail on Thursday

Mr Bourda said he remains unsure if his wife, who suffered from depression and anxiety, was purposefully trying to hurt herself.

The devastated pharmacist, who had frantically launched a search for his wife after he woke up, also blasted Greek harbour police for being 'useless' as they did not start their search for his wife until late at night.

'I don't know what effect that had,' he said.

'They said they couldn't find her, they claimed she had disappeared with an unknown man, but this was rubbish.

'I think the harbour police really didn't do anything and next time something happens like this they should think about it. It shouldn't take them three hours to write up a missing person's report before starting the search.

'They said there were no signs she had drowned, that there was no body, that she was following someone else. But I knew this was not the case. She would not have gone off without her money, her glasses or her medication.'

Mr Bourda believes that while police might not have been able to save his wife, who worked at BT and then at a local council, she might have been found earlier.

He also claimed the police did not treat the disappearance with as much urgency because they were foreign.

Mrs Bourda's body was found on a small, privately owned island called Fidonisi, around 25 miles down the coast from where she was last seen

Mr Bourda said that his wife had suffered intermittently from episodes of depression and anxiety for a number of years

'She had psychological issues. I told them that from the start and they weren't able to find her.

'It's impossible. Nobody did anything to help. Even the chap who saw her in the sea, he lost sight of her.

'People have not been very nice and they have not treated me well. When I was brought to ask in the restaurant if they had seen her they were asking why I had been brought there.

'If they are a foreigner they do not care about you here.'

While he places most of the blame for the tragedy on Greek authorities, he also called on mental health services to be improved back home in Britain.

'The problem is the health system in the UK as well,' he added. 'If she had seen a psychiatrist much earlier and got the relevant medication then she would have still been alive.

'The problem with depression is that they can sometimes trick you into thinking they are fine. I thought she was alright, but she wasn't.

'Unfortunately, I fell asleep in the sun and when I woke up I knew instantly something was wrong. I didn't know then what had happened but I knew something had gone wrong.'

Her husband spent weeks searching for his wife of 36 years and claims he was not treated seriously, or kindly, by authorities and locals in the area.

Mr Bourda previously told the Daily Mail: 'She had seemed quite happy that day. We went for a short swim as it was windy and there were a few waves.

'She then ordered a few crepes and said we could have a nice sleep after. Unfortunately I fell asleep first and when I woke up she wasn't there.

The Bourdas had been married for 36 years after meeting at university in Germany

The couple had gone to Greece after a two-week break visiting Mr Bourda's family in Germany to get away from the grey weather in Glasgow where they lived

'I quickly ran to the toilet and knocked on the ladies but she wasn't in there. I then ran to the beach to look again in the water.

'I asked the people behind us if they had seen her, they said no but then later they sent a photograph to the police which [showed] us eating crepes in the background.

'I then quickly went back to the waiter to say my wife was missing, have you seen her, and he started laughing.'

It was only after Mr Bourda explained to the waiter that his wife had 'psychological problems and [he] needed to call the police' that the barman realised the gravity of the situation.

He then asked for help from a local shopkeeper who rang the police, but officers did not arrive at the scene until two hours later, forcing Mr Bourda to continue his search alone.

Mr Bourda said that he did not see a single police officer on the beach the day she went missing - a claim that was echoed by a fellow hotel guest.

He said: 'The police didn't do anything on the day. One guest who was there that day said she didn't see any police and I didn't see any police that day either, not one single policeman at the beach.

'The only thing I saw was a police car driving up and down the road to the beach. Not getting out of the car, just looking in the direction of the sea.'

Mr Bourda claimed during the initial search the police didn't use dogs or drones and were only using the search boat at night or in the early morning 'so as not to disturb or concern the tourists'.

When he visited the hospital in search of his wife, he said doctors told him that 'a lot of incidents' do happen on that beach and that it can sometimes be dangerous.

While Mr Bourda places most of the blame for the tragedy on Greek authorities, he also called on mental health services to be improved back home in Britain

The couple had planned to stay at the beach resort for six weeks to make the most of the summer

Mr Bourda said his wife had suffered intermittently from episodes of depression and anxiety for a number of years.

She had disappeared on one occasion before when they lived in London, while suffering from a bout of depression after being made redundant, but fortunately the police acted quickly and the mother of one was found that night.

Mrs Bourda became ill again in February, but was in the process of recovering and had been in high spirits.

The couple had gone to Greece after a two-week break visiting Mr Bourda's family in Germany to get away from the grey weather in Glasgow where they lived.

They had planned to stay at the beach resort for six weeks to make the most of the summer.

The Bourdas, who had been married for 36 years after meeting at university in Germany, had enjoyed their first few days wandering around Kavala.

Mr Bourda said: 'The whole night before she had been holding my hand and you would never think anything was wrong or something like this would ever happen.

'We were talking the other day and she was saying how happy our 40 years together and I said yes, we will hopefully have another 40 years in front of us.'
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has sparked outrage after flatly admitting his department did not study the correlation between ending vaccine mandates and the rise of preventable diseases.

Ladapo, who was crucial in pushing forward the state's policy to end the mandate, doubled down that his position 'will never change.'

Pressed on CNN's State of the Union Sunday about whether his team analyzed how many new cases could emerge if vaccine requirements were scrapped, Ladapo replied: 'Absolutely not.'

He added: 'Do I need to analyze whether it's appropriate for parents to be able to decide what goes into their children's bodies? I don't need to do an analysis on that.'

The defiant health chief insisted his stance was rooted in principle, declaring: 'My position will never change, because it will always be true that parents should be able to decide what goes into their kids' bodies.'

Ladapo first announced the sweeping repeal at a press conference with Governor Ron DeSantis on September 3, vowing to end 'every last one' of Florida's vaccine requirements for schoolchildren - mandates that have been in place for decades to guard against measles, polio, hepatitis B, chickenpox and other illnesses.

'Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,' Ladapo, a longtime critic of vaccines, said. 'Who am I as a government or anyone else to tell you what your child should put in their body? I don't have that right.'

'I have to say just, I'm very  I'm kind of shocked that you have not done any sort of projection or data analysis of what this is actually going to literally mean for kids in Florida,' CNN Anchor Jake Tapper told Ladapo.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo doubled down on his vow to scrap every vaccine mandate for schoolchildren - despite admitting he did not study the link to rising disease cases

Florida's childhood vaccination rate already lags behind the national average, with just 88.7 percent of kindergarteners receiving the measles, mumps and rubella shot compared with 92 percent nationwide

Florida already trails the national average for childhood immunizations.

Just 88.7 percent of kindergarteners are vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella, compared with 92 percent nationwide, according to state and federal data.

At the same time, cases of hepatitis A, chickenpox and whooping cough are on the rise.

Ladapo has dismissed concerns, singling out the whooping cough vaccine as 'ineffective' at preventing transmission - a claim rejected by mainstream medical groups.

His refusal to study the link between mandates and outbreaks has drawn condemnation across the political spectrum.

Fox News medical correspondent Dr. Marc Siegel called the move 'absurd and disturbing beyond belief,' while the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Florida Medical Association have all voiced opposition.

Democratic leaders in Florida also blasted the policy on X.

State Rep. Anna Eskamani called the plan 'reckless and dangerous' and 'a public health disaster in the making,' while House Democratic leader Fentrice Driskell warned it was 'stunningly reckless' and accused DeSantis of 'trading the health of our kids for media headlines.'

Ladapo first unveiled the sweeping repeal alongside Governor Ron DeSantis on September 3, branding long-standing vaccine requirements 'wrong' and comparing them to slavery

Donald Trump has voiced unease over Florida's plan, warning that vaccines like polio are 'so amazing' and insisting 'we have to be very careful' about removing mandates

The proposal has been so shocking that even Donald Trump - whose first term oversaw the development of the COVID-19 vaccine - expressed unease.

Speaking in the Oval Office on September 5, the former president said: 'I think we have to be very careful. You have some vaccines that are so amazing. You have some vaccines that are so incredible.'

'Look, you have vaccines that work,' he continued. 'They just pure and simple work. They're not controversial at all, and I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people.'

The announcement came shortly after DeSantis revealed a new 'Florida Make America Healthy Again' commission, designed to align the state with Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s controversial health initiative.
A guest speaks at the Tea Chat with Ambassadors in Yunnan & Global South Youth Dialogue during the 2025 Global South Media and Think Tank Forum in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Sept. 7, 2025. The 2025 Global South Media and Think Tank Forum opened Saturday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. The forum is co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yunnan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)

A guest takes photos at the Tea Chat with Ambassadors in Yunnan & Global South Youth Dialogue during the 2025 Global South Media and Think Tank Forum in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Sept. 7, 2025. The 2025 Global South Media and Think Tank Forum opened Saturday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. The forum is co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yunnan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)

A guest takes photos at the Tea Chat with Ambassadors in Yunnan & Global South Youth Dialogue during the 2025 Global South Media and Think Tank Forum in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Sept. 7, 2025. The 2025 Global South Media and Think Tank Forum opened Saturday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. The forum is co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yunnan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)

A guest applauds at the Tea Chat with Ambassadors in Yunnan & Global South Youth Dialogue during the 2025 Global South Media and Think Tank Forum in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Sept. 7, 2025. The 2025 Global South Media and Think Tank Forum opened Saturday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. The forum is co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yunnan Provincial Committee and the People's Government of Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
Leadership is more than taking decisions and exercising power. It is an ethos of character, judgement, temperance, and responsibility.

Knowing that your words bear not only the weight of their intended meaning but help shape the tone of the public debate.

A leader cannot be held responsible for the actions of the mad and malicious but he can  indeed, he ought to  consider whether his intervention is more likely to illuminate or inflame.

John Swinney knows this, which is why he and his colleagues are never shy about scolding opponents for their rhetoric on issues like immigration and asylum.

Yet the First Minister seemingly does not hold himself to a similar standard. His statement to Holyrood on the situation in Gaza was as inflammatory as it was unnecessary.

Foreign affairs are reserved to Westminster and five minutes watching Swinneys statement and the debate that followed on Palestine recognition was more than enough to confirm why.

Nothing has done more to shatter the myth of Scotlands gifted political class than giving them their own parliament.

First Minister John Swinney talking in Holyrood chamber

The Palestinian flag raised last week at St Andrew's House

Swinneys speech repeatedly suggested Israel was perpetrating genocide in Gaza, and while hes entitled to that opinion as an individual and as leader of the SNP, he was speaking as First Minister of Scotland.

That is an office which has no standing to determine breaches of the Genocide Convention.

This is a government which routinely falls back on the excuse of ongoing legal proceedings to avoid answering tough questions about its policy decisions.

Such considerations have been dispensed with in the case of Israel as attacking Israel reflects the prejudices of the Scottish Government and, perhaps just as importantly with an election looming, the prejudices of some SNP voters.

We were always going to end up here. While the days following the October 7 pogrom in 2023 brought warm words about Israels right to defend itself, the sympathy quickly dried up once that defence got under way.

Western progressives will shed tears over dead Jews but the thought of living Jews fighting back appalls them.

Hamas, which is not only a terrorist organisation but the de facto government of Gaza, invaded Israel, a sovereign state. Palestinian marauders murdered 1,200 people, including children.

They slaughtered family members in front of one another. They gunned down young people dancing at a music festival. They raped and violated women.

And, once their bloodlust had been sated (for a while), they abducted 250 Israelis, including babies, and those they didnt murder they held captive.

Dozens remain there still. In polling conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) in December 2023, 72 per cent of Palestinians backed Hamass attack.

While that number now sits at 50 per cent, 77 per cent of Palestinians are opposed to Hamas being disarmed.

Swinney made reference to the role of Hamas, but neither his statement nor his governments successful motion on recognising Palestine as a state explained what to do about them.

Recognising Palestine means recognising its government. A May poll from PCPSR asked Palestinians how they would vote in a hypothetical legislative election.

Hamas came out top on 43 per cent, 15 points ahead of its nearest rivals.

Centre-Left politicians want to recognise Palestine to punish Israel without considering who exactly they would be rewarding.

As oratory, Swinneys speech was unremarkable, a patchwork of plodding civil service prose (imagine the English language being throttled by a lanyard) and the rhetorical style of the special adviser, those blunt-witted laureates of WhatsApp.

But one section in the middle stood out.

After calling on the UK to cease military cooperation with Israel, Swinney said: I want to directly address accusations that that opinion could be seen as anti-Semitic. Let me be clear: I utterly reject anti-Semitism and all forms of racism and hatred.

No one in the chamber, or anywhere else for that matter, had accused his speech of being antisemitic.

How could they? He was still in the middle of delivering it. Several days on, I have struggled to find examples of opposition MSPs, serious commentators, or mainstream organisations accusing Swinney of anti-Semitism.

A cynic might suggest that, in being first to raise the topic, Swinney was trying to preemptively shield himself from criticism.

As he acknowledged in his remarks, he and his External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson met with representatives of Scottish Jews.

The First Minister said he wanted to reassure them of the respect I have for the contribution the community makes to all aspects of Scottish life.

He accepted events in Israel and Gaza, and the responses to them in Scotland, cause anxiety for Scottish Jews.

Timothy Lovat, the chair of the Jewish Council of Scotland, had a different perspective. He noted Swinney and Robertson had offered warm and reassuring words, only for the First Minister to pop up in Holyrood taking a position which we are concerned will undermine the safety, security and well-being of the Jewish community in Scotland.

The Council says it is indisputable the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and beyond debate that both Israel and Hamas bear responsibility for this tragic situation.

However, they describe Swinneys official embrace of the genocide accusation as irresponsible, not least in its failure to distinguish between Israel, the nation-state of the Jewish people, and that countrys current government.

The council points out that Swinneys statement is likely to have a far greater and more immediate impact locally than it is on the situation in the Middle East, let alone in Westminster.

Being reminded of his place in the global pecking order might well sting the First Minister but the Councils broader point is correct: he is the First Minister of Scotland and that is where his words will be heard.

Jewish representatives fear the possibility of Swinneys comments fuelling anti-Zionist  and anti-Semitic  hatred and discrimination against Scotlands Jews and our institutions and symbols.

They cite Scotlands only Jewish primary school and the possibility it might be required to upgrade security provision in consequence of interventions by the Scottish Government and its leadership.

It is obscene Scottish Jews are having to think in those terms  about a primary school no less  because we have a reckless First Minister who prefers to play politics than to exercise a modicum of judgement.

Anyone not familiar with the lives of British Jews might wonder if the Council is making too much of a leap with the primary school point.

History is littered with people insisting Jews were being paranoid, usually followed by horrific vindication of their paranoia.

The Community Security Trust is a UK charity tasked with keeping British Jews safe by funding enhanced security at Jewish schools and synagogues. (Yes, such an organisation is actually required.)

Timothy Lovat, the chair of the Jewish Council of Scotland

In the first six months of this year alone, the trust recorded 1,521 anti-Semitic incidents in the UK, 24 of them at Jewish schools and a further 41 against Jewish children on their way to or from school.

If MSPs wonder why they have angry emails in their inbox, thats why.

Scotlands Jewish community is small, enjoys vanishingly little in the way of political heft, and is not regarded by politicians as a key electoral demographic.

They dont cause a fuss and so they and their interests can be disregarded.

But they shouldnt need to be politically valuable for their concerns and their wellbeing to be valued.

They are entitled to a First Minister who acts with moderation and caution, who seeks to alleviate tensions rather than add to an already febrile atmosphere.

Scottish Jews expected a leader. They got John Swinney instead.


The sister of a Scot murdered by Hamas terrorists has said Scotlands Jews no longer feel safe following the SNP governments decision to hoist the Palestinian flag in Edinburgh.

Laura Schosloff, whose brother Bernard Cowan was killed in the October 7 atrocity in 2023, said John Swinney was adding more fuel towards the hatred already there by flying the flag at his governments St Andrews House HQ.

She singled out the First Ministers claims that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza as a reason why she and others no longer feel safe to say they are proud to be Jewish in Scotland.

Ms Schosloffs strong words came as a letter signed by thousands of people accused Mr Swinney of risking the safety of Scotlands 5,847-strong Jewish community by pandering to an extremist and increasingly aggressive fringe of the activist class.

Ms Schosloff said: We dont feel safe in Scotland to say that were proud to be Jewish.

I dont feel as comfortable here as I did, say, about six or eight months ago.

Im totally disgusted with the Scottish Government for flying the Palestinian flag and it looks like just a way of them trying to get more votes.

Theyre adding more fuel towards the hatred thats already there and perhaps are trying to appease some of their big funders.

Murdered Hamas victim Bernard Cowan

Chairman of Scottish Jewish Council Timothy Lovat with First Minister

The Palestinian flag being raised at St Andrew's House, Edinburgh

She added: Obviously we want there to be peace and for everyone to be safe, including families that live in the kibbutz, but this is not the way to do it.

We also need every one of the hostages to be returned.

I believe not one Palestinian life will be saved by these measures. Why not put the Scottish flag up? They should be proud of being Scottish.

Just days after Mr Cowan, who had moved from Glasgow to live in a kibbutz, was killed, the former First Minister Humza Yousaf had comforted his mother Irene.

He told her your grief is my grief, during a poignant service in a Glasgow synagogue.

The 57-year-old was murdered in his home near the border with Gaza during the Hamas atrocities that claimed more than 1,200 lives and saw more than 250 hostages taken.

Last week, Mr Swinney told Holyrood he could not ignore warnings that Benjamin Netanyahus government was behind a genocide in Gaza.

As well as flying the Palestinian flag over St Andrews House, measures unveiled by Mr Swinney included blocking any funding to facilitate trade links with Israel.

Ms Schosloff spoke out as an open letter from Scotland Against Antisemitism, signed by nearly 3,000 people, called on the SNP government to retract its inflammatory language.

Addressed to the First Minister, the letter said: The Scottish Government holds no power over foreign policy and no meaningful influence over the State of Israel.

The decision to pull a tiny amount of funding from a handful of commercial projects will not impact the Israeli government or change the course of the war.

Swinney making his speech in Holyrood

In short, the only people this announcement will materially affect are Scottish Jews who are already under siege.

It continued: We believe, with sorrow and outrage, that this decision was made to appease a small, extremist and increasingly aggressive fringe of the activist class, a group whose support is being courted for political reasons. It appears the government has calculated that the cost of alienating Scotlands Jews will be outweighed by electoral rewards.

The letter said some are leaving Scotland for Israel out of fear, and warned that the small and increasingly vulnerable community is living in an extraordinarily hostile environment.

A government spokesman said: The Scottish Government deeply values our relationship with Scotlands Jewish community and it is vital they feel safe and supported.

The International Court of Justice has found a prima facie case that the Israeli government was committing genocide and the First Minister, along with many international leaders, shares the concerns that the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza constitute a genocide.
A New York teenager who taught himself to code at the age of seven now rakes in $1.4 million a month through his AI calorie-tracking app.

Zach Yadegari, 18, founded Cal AI from his parents' home in Roslyn, a village in Nassau County, Long Island in May 2024, and he now has 30 employees.

The app's users upload a photo of their meal, and the artificial intelligence software estimates the total calories with 90 percent accuracy, according to the company.

Cal AI is available on Apple and Google Play for a subscription fee of $2.49 per month or $29.99 annually.

Yadegari told CNBC Make It he started learning to code at the age of seven at a software summer camp, after playing online games like Minecraft.

Throughout his youth, Yadegari focused on making a viral mobile app 'because everyone has a phone in their pocket,' he told the outlet.

He created several apps which didn't take off, until he struck gold with Cal AI.

Yadegari said the idea came when he was using calorie-tracking apps himself while working out to try to impress girls at school.

Zach Yadegari, a New York teenager who taught himself to code at the age of seven, now rakes in $1.4 million a month through his AI calorie-tracking app. Yadegari said the idea came when he was using calorie-tracking apps himself while working out to try to impress girls at school

Cal AI is available on Apple and Google Play for a subscription fee of $2.49 per month

But all the available apps involved entering the number of calories manually, a process he found time-consuming and boring.

So Yadegari set out to build an AI-powered version that would 'do all of the work for you'.

He started the venture with his friend Henry Langmack, who he met at coding camp, and two friends he met on X - Blake Anderson, 24, and Jake Castillo, 30.

Yadegari and Langmack coded the app, while the group stayed in a San Francisco 'hacker house' for one month in July 2024.

The teen said he worked 40 hours per week writing new code for the app and developing its features with his co-founders, all while completing his school work.

Yadegari said his parents were supportive, especially because he managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA at Roslyn High School.

'My parents are really happy with everything with Cal AI, especially my mom. She actually uses the app,' Yadegari told CNBC. 'Overall, they're really proud.'

Yadegari told CNBC Make It he starting learning to code at the age of seven at a software summer camp, after playing online games like Minecraft

Yadegari, 18, founded Cal AI from his parents' home in Roslyn, Long Island, in May 2024

Cal AI users upload a photograph of their meal, and the artificial intelligence software estimates the total calories with 90 percent accuracy, according to the company

Cal AI spends almost $770,000 per month on advertising alone, and with other costs combined, its expenses match its revenue.

But included in these expenses are the cuts for the co-founders, including a $100,000 sum for Yadegari recently.

The teenager said he wants Cal AI to become 'the biggest calorie-tracking app' by overtaking the current leader, MyFitnessPal.

In the meantime, Yadegari lives a life of luxury, saying he parties 'almost every night' in an off-campus where he lives with his friends at the University of Miami.

Yadegari is studying business at the college, but he doesn't plan to stay for longer than a year, thanks to the success of Cal AI.
Ian Wilkinson (pictured) stood on the steps of the Supreme Court to speak to media following Patterson's sentencing.

Mr Wilkinson thanked police for their efforts.

'They made a professional, efficient and effective investigation into what happened at the lunch,' he said.

'They brought to light the truth of what happened to three good people.'

He also thanked the Office of Public Prosecutions and Nanette Rogers.

'The court processes are a little bewildering to lay people like me and we are grateful for their expertise, their hard work and their perseverance that has secured this conviction,' he said.

'I'd also like to commend them for their kindness and compassion showed to us throughout this long process.'

Mr Wilkinson also thanked the health workers and messages of support he had received.

'I'd like to encourage all those involved to keep turning up and serving others,' he said.

'Our lives and the life of our community depends on the kindness of others. I would like to encourage everybody to be kind to each other.

'I thank the people of the Leongatha and Korumburra communities in particular. Your thoughtfulness and care has been a great encouragement to us.'
His children have now been located

The fugitive who vanished into the wilderness with his three children in New Zealand has been killed in a shootout with cops, with his children found alone at a campsite.

Tom Phillips, who had been on the run with his kids for almost four years, was killed in western Waitako on Monday.

One of his children, who was with him, was unharmed, according to police. The child was able to help police find their siblings.

Their mother, who launched an appeal for their return, has said she is 'saddened' by the turn of events but also 'deeply relieved' that her children's ordeal is over.

Phillips was killed after police responded to calls of an armed robbery. Phillips's case gripped New Zealand after he and his kids disappeared from their family home in December 2021.

The children, Ember, nine, Maverick, ten, and Jayda, 12, are all in police custody now. The authorities have said the children were found alone and have been 'cooperative' since being found.

It remains unknown whether they have been informed of their father's death. Police also did not indicate if their mother would be involved in their care.

The authorities also said they had told Philips's parents that their grandchildren were safe.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Fugitive father Tom Phillips (pictured) has been shot dead by police after almost four years on the run with his three children

The children Ember, Maverick and Jayda (pictured)

After the robbery, Phillips and Jayda took off on their quad bike and were stopped by police road spikes about 33km away on Te Anga Road at 3.30am.

Phillips was then confronted by a lone police officer. He shot the officer in the head with a high-powered rifle. When a second police car turned up, Phillips was shot dead, and Jayda was taken into custody.

The injured male constable was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition, where he has undergone 'the first of many surgeries after being shot multiple times'.

Acting deputy commissioner Jill Rogers: 'I can confirm that the children are well and uninjured, and they will be taken to a location this evening for medical checks.'

'They will have medical examinations today and we will work very closely with our partners at Oranga Tamariki (the ministry for children) to ensure that they receive all of the support that they require at this very difficult time.'

Phillips's father, Neville, and brother, Ben, lashed out when approached by Stuff while working on the family farm at Marokopa.

'You don't know what it's like to be shafted by the cops several times,' the father told the publication. 'Just put yourself in our shoes.'

Phillips's body remains at the scene of the shootout.

Jayda Phillips was located at the scene of the shootout

Police remain at the scene of the shootout, near the town of Piopio, which claimed the life of fugitive Tom Phillips

Police were responding to an armed robbery before Phillips was killed

Acting deputy police commissioner Jill Rogers confirmed that Jayda is cooperating with police

Police remain at the scene of the robbery in Piopio on Monday

Rogers said 'officer intuition' had led cops to lay road spikes down a long rural road, where Phillips was eventually caught and subsequently killed.

Police found a haul of stolen items including clothes and footwear on the quad bike, along with multiple firearms.

'This is devastating news for Tom Phillips's family, and is the outcome that nobody wanted,' Deputy Commissioner Rogers said.

'This has been a deeply traumatic incident this morning for those involved.'

The children's mother, Cat, earlier broke her silence in a statement.

'We are deeply relieved that for our tamariki (the Maori word for children) this ordeal has come to an end,' she said.

'They have been dearly missed every day for nearly four years, and we are looking forward to welcoming them home with love and care.

'At the same time, we are saddened by how events unfolded today. Our hope has always been that the children could be returned in a peaceful and safe way for everyone involved.'

Cat also expressed her love to the police officer injured in the incident.

'We also extend our aroha (love) to those in the community who have been affected, and our heartfelt gratitude to the many people who have supported us over these past four years. Your compassion has sustained us,' Cat continued.

'As a whanau (family), we are now attempting to work in cooperation with the relevant government agencies to support the safe return and reconnection of our tamariki.

Police released CCTV of Phillips and one of his children stealing items from a general store in Piopio last month

The latest development came almost a year after a 'credible' sighting of Phillips and his children in bushland west of Marokopa last October

'They have endured a long and difficult journey, and we ask for privacy as we help them adjust and reintegrate into a stable and loving environment.'

Earlier, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has advised the force that the shot officer 'is conscious and talking to his fellow officers'.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told media that he had been briefed by police but wouldn't be commenting.

A road block is currently in place on a section of Te Anga Road, past the Waitomo Caves between Hauturu and Waipuna Roads. Hauturu and Waipuna Roads are also closed.

Phillips vanished from the rural town of Marokopa on New Zealand's North Island in December 2021 with his three children following a custody dispute with their mother.

They are believed to have lived in the wilderness ever since, despite numerous police search operations and a NZ$80,000 reward.

There have been several possible sightings in the last year.

Police recently released footage of Phillips and one of his children captured on CCTV using an angle grinder to break into the Piopio Superette general store.

The children's mother Cat had not seen Jayda, Maverick or Ember since December 2021

It came days after Phillips's family broke their silence for the first time in almost four years.

His mother Julia penned an emotional open letter to her missing son and grandchildren, which was read out by her daughter Rozzi in an interview with Stuff journalist Paddy Gower on his weekly current affairs program.

'Tom - I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this,' the letter began.

'Not considering how much we love you and can support you.

'It hurts every time I see photos of the children and of you and see some of your stuff that is still here. Thinking what could have been if you had not gone away.

'Jayda, Maverick, Ember - I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives.

'Every day I wake up and hope that today will be the day that you will come home.'

His sister Rozzi also publicly pleaded for her brother to come out of hiding and assured him that the family will be there for him.
More than 1,000 migrants arrived in the UK in small boats on Saturday  just as new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was ordered to go up a gear to stop them.

On her first day she was confronted with the second highest number of illegal migrants to enter the country this year in a 24-hour period.

The surge of 1,097 small-boat migrants tipped the total for 2025 to more than 30,000 in record time  and is 37 per cent up on the same date last year. Ms Mahmood said it was utterly unacceptable, and is expected to order the transfer of migrants from hotels to army barracks. She will also consider changing human rights laws to make it easier to reject and deport asylum claimants.

Ms Mahmood said on Sunday that a deal with France to return illegal migrants would begin soon, adding: These small-boats crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people-smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders.

Thanks to our deal with France, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France, and I expect the first returns to take place imminently.

Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.

Ministers are close to a one in, one out returns deal with Germany, following the one with France, and have indicated they will consider reforming the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

A Government source said nothing is off the table.

More than 1,000 migrants arrived in the UK in small boats on Saturday  just as new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (pictured) was ordered to go up a gear to stop them

The daily surge of 1,097 small-boat migrants on Ms Mahmood's first day in the job tipped the total for 2025 to more than 30,000 in record time  and is 37 per cent up on the same date last year

An infographic showing the number of small boats arriving into the UK since Labour's election victory

A Labour insider told The Sunday Times Ms Mahmood was likely to want to overhaul the ECHR, and she would be far more radical than her predecessor, Yvette Cooper, by starting with the unthinkable and working backwards.

But Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: Labour has lost control of our borders.

This has been the worst year in history for illegal channel crossings and we clearly have a full-blown borders crisis.

They tore up the only deterrent this country had, our Rwanda plan, and replaced it with hollow slogans. The thousands of men streaming across the Channel and the fact this year has broken all records for illegal crossings shows Labour is too weak to do what is needed.

Sir Keir Starmer will hope his reshuffle, sparked by the resignation of his deputy, Angela Rayner, will give fresh impetus to tackle the problem.

But as of Saturday, 53,342 illegal migrants had arrived on small boats since Labour came to power on July 4 last year. The Home Office said 1,097 arrived in the UK on Saturday on 17 boats  the highest daily total since 1,195 on May 31.

The 30,100 crossings for this year are up 37 per cent on this point in 2024 (22,028) and 2023 (21,918). The milestone was not passed until October 30 last year and wasnt reached in 2023.

Your browser does not support iframes.

As of Saturday, 53,342 illegal migrants had arrived on small boats since Labour came to power on July 4 last year. Pictured: Border Force workers escort migrants into Dover Docks on September 6, 2025

The 30,100 crossings for this year are up 37 per cent on this point in 2024

Reform UKs head of policy, Zia Yusuf, said: Labour have allowed tens of thousands of fighting-age men to enter the country, and that shows no sign of letting up. Labour are focused on tinkering around the edges. Only Reform will leave outdated treaties and foreign courts. We will detain and deport illegal migrants.

Mr Farage used Reforms conference last week to pledge to stop the boats within two weeks of passing new legislation if it won power. But on Sunday he merely said Reform would end the crisis as quickly as we possibly can. He has also vowed to leave the ECHR and deport 600,000 asylum seekers within five years of being voted in.

Kemi Badenoch is expected to vow to quit the ECHR at the Tory conference next month.

On Sunday, Defence Secretary John Healey said the PM would not leave the ECHR. He said Sir Keir had told his new Cabinet to go up a gear after a really tough first year in power.
Two 'corrupt' housing officers at a Labour-run authority have been arrested after being suspected of taking bribes before fraudulently allocating hundreds of council houses to tenants.

The officers allegedly demanded cash for properties before wrongly issuing hundreds of social homes in the east London borough of Barking and Dagenham.

They took 'finders fees' and charged 'inflated rents' while luring prospective tenants by promising they could skip long waiting lists for the houses.

Some of these fees were partly paid to the council but a significant portion was not.

The fraudsters advertised on social media, and provided those interested with contacts to obtain affordable housing.

Many of these properties, which tenants were allegedly overcharged for, were sub-let by associates of the housing officers, City of London Police said.

They launched a joint bribery and corruption investigation, named Operation Chandrilla, after receiving allegations that 'several hundred' council homes were wrongly handed out between November 2020 and December 2024.

Two people were arrested on Thursday and taken to custody in Bishopsgate to be interviewed.

Two corrupt housing officers at a Labour-run authority have been arrested after being suspected of taking bribes before fraudulently allocating hundreds of council houses to tenants. (File image)

The officers allegedly demanded cash for properties before wrongly issuing hundreds of social homes in the east London borough of Barking and Dagenham (File image)

The force said: 'As part of this process, prospective tenants paid fraudsters "finder's fees", and inflated rents.

'Some rents were paid in part to London Borough Barking Dagenham Council and some were not.'

The council's counter-corruption team is also assisting in the investigation alongside its wholly-owned housing company, BD Reside.

Dominic Twomey, leader of the Labour council, said: 'Every day, our fraud team are behind the scenes, looking into anything from corruption concerns to illegal sub-letting.

'Ultimately their job is to make sure public money is being spent in the way it should be, so I'm really pleased their proactive work has helped lead to today's arrests.'

Enquiries into the alleged offences remain ongoing.

City of London Police said: 'Between November 1 2020 and December 31 2024... several hundred LBBD properties were... allocated to members of the local community by London Borough of Barking and Dagenham corrupt Housing Officers.'

Affordable housing is administered by local authorities and offers lower rates for homes to support lower-income households and other priority groups.

Individual councils set their own criteria for who qualifies.

More than 5,000 people are on the waiting list for affordable housing in Barking and Dagenham and standard waiting times for a three bedroom social house in the council is 18 years, with a 67 year wait for a four bed house.

Even a one bedroom house has a standard waiting list of six years, with 12 years for a two bed.

Latest figures show that 1,330,611 households were on the waiting list for affordable housing countrywide, as of 2023-24, a six per cent increase on the previous year.
Lisa Thompson, Neal Thompson's partner, broke down while telling the chapel how she met him while on the job in 2016.

'We worked one shift together and it changed the course of my life,' she said.

'I had never laughed so much with someone I'd just met.

'I knew Neal to be an intensely private person, a provider and protector.

'We were the opposite in every way, but together we were unstoppable.'

One comfort to Ms Thompson was the last weekend she and Detective Thompson spent together as it 'was our best'.

We worked on the new farm all day and as the sun began to set, he called out, "Hey farm wife, why isnt dinner ready yet?",' she said.

'To which I laughed and replied, while shaking my head: "You are the best husband Ive had, but I do love being your farm wife".

'That night, as we wined and dined and gazed at the stars, we left nothing unsaid.'

While fighting back tears, Ms Thompson said her husband 'showed us how brilliant life is if you have the courage to try'.

'Through it all, he taught me how love without fear and how to be brave when Im scared,' she said.

'Im so grateful you did, because I am scared. I dont want to live life without you, I dont want to finish our dreams on my own.

'But I will, I promise. I will be brave, I will love you, I will honour you and cherish every moment that I spent with you.'
The photo of the Queen sitting alone in St George's Chapel as she said a final farewell to her husband is one of the most memorable photos from the latter years of her life.

As was his wish, Prince Philip's funeral was a 'minimal fuss' ceremony. He didn't want an eulogy or an elaborate state funeral; 'He doesnt see himself as important enough for that,' an aide once said of the Duke of Edinburgh.

The funeral - Operation Forth Bridge - was scaled back even further due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with just 30 mourners, primarily family members, in attendance.

Biographer Tom Bower paints a solemn picture of the days surrounding the funeral in April 2021 in his book, Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors.

He wrote: 'The mood in London was sombre. Daily, the media extolled Philip's remarkable life and devotion to the country.

'The Duke had planned a simple funeral at St George's Chapel, Windsor. The rehearsals displayed faultless military drill.

'Few would not be touched by the perfection of British ceremonial tradition. The weather was forecast to be perfect.

'The only uncertainty was the relationship between Harry and his family.'

The photo of the Queen sitting alone in St George's Chapel as she said a final farewell to her husband is one of the most memorable photos from the latter years of her life

Prince William, Peter Phillips, Prince Harry and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence are pictured during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on April 17, 2021 in Windsor

Meghan Markle (pictured with the Queen in 2018) cited her seven-month pregnancy as the reason for not attending Prince Philip's funeral

Philip's death on April 9 came just a month after the Sussexes' explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which the couple made racism accusations against an unknown member of the Royal Family.

The Duke of Edinburgh's funeral was planned for April 17 and Bower wrote: 'Neither the Palace nor the media understood the Sussexes' mindset when Harry arrived in London just before the service.

'How would he cope with his father and brother? Meghan had cited her seven-month pregnancy as the reason for not travelling.

'In Windsor Castle, the Queen was preparing to face the public on one of the saddest days of her life.

'Philip had been her rock for the previous 70 years. To comply with Covid restrictions, she would grieve alone inside the chapel.'

She is reported to have said to her senior aides: 'Thank goodness Meghan is not coming.'

'There was no mistaking the Queen's dislike for the disruptive actress,' wrote Bower.

'Harry's presence remained a problem. As a private citizen stripped of his military titles, he could not dress in uniform.

Biographer Tom Bower paints a solemn picture of the days surrounding the funeral in April 2021 in his book, Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors

The Duke of Edinburgh's funeral was planned for April 17 and Bower wrote: 'Neither the Palace nor the media understood the Sussexes' mindset when Harry arrived in London just before the service'

Strategically, Peter Phillips was placed in between the feuding brothers to act as a 'diplomatic buffer', wrote royal author Robert Lacey

'To minimise the embarrassment for both Harry and Andrew, who was mired in allegations of sexual sleaze, all the male members of the Royal Family dressed in morning suits.

'To avoid any problems with William, the brothers separated as they walked towards St George's Chapel by their cousin Peter Phillips.'

Strategically, Peter was placed in between the feuding brothers to act as a 'diplomatic buffer', wrote royal author Robert Lacey.

It was the first time William and Harry appeared in public together in more than a year, and the brothers were seated opposite one another during the service.

Royal aides were said to have been 'walking on eggshells' as they tried to navigate the rift between the brothers following Harry and Meghan's split from the Royal Family the year prior.

'During the short procession, many watched whether Harry signalled any regret towards his family,' Bower added.

But no one predicted that Harry was sitting on his Apple TV series that, as Bower wrote, would 'confirm not only his disloyalty but his disregard for his family's privacy'.

'Transmission has been delayed until after the funeral. Once again, Harry had shafted the Windsors,' wrote the biographer.

Royal aides were said to have been 'walking on eggshells' as they tried to navigate the rift between the brothers following Harry and Meghan's split from the Royal Family the year prior

Immediately after Philip's funeral, Charles exited the church and stripped his face mask away. He had clearly been crying

A Bearer Party of Royal Marines carry Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's coffin (draped in his Royal Standard Flag and bearing his Royal Navy cap, sword and a bouquet of lilies, white roses, freesia and sweet peas) into St. George's Chapel

It was the first time William and Harry appeared in public together in more than a year, and the brothers were seated opposite one another during the service

'Looking at his family standing in St George's Chapel, Harry knew that his damnation of them in the Apple TV series would widen the rift.'

Harry's documentary series, The Me You Can't See, which he co-created with Oprah Winfrey to discuss mental health, was released on May 21, 2021.

During an episode, he accused the Royal Family of 'total neglect' and of 'bullying him into silence'.

He also said he was 'worried and afraid' to return for the funeral.

At her husband's funeral, the Queen left a personal, handwritten message to Philip placed alongside a wreath of white lilies, small white roses and white freesia chosen by her.

Bower wrote: 'Sitting alone and isolated, the 94-year-old monarch's grief was concealed behind a black mask. Everyone was moved by her dignity.

'William looked tense, Kate serene. Charles was visibly anguished. Only Harry's expression defied accurate reporting.

'Flapping his order of service against his thighs as he left the Chapel, he was clearly impatient.

As was his wish, Philip's funeral was a 'minimal fuss' ceremony. He didn't want an eulogy or an elaborate state funeral; 'He doesnt see himself as important enough for that,' an aide once said of the Duke of Edinburgh

The Queen looks at the coffin of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, during his funeral service at St George's Chapel

'During the short procession, many watched whether Harry signalled any regret towards his family,' Bower added

'Few would not be touched by the perfection of British ceremonial tradition. The weather was forecast to be perfect,' wrote Bower

'No one knew that Harry, the once adored young prince, had betrayed his whole family.'

Immediately after Philip's funeral, Charles exited the church and stripped his face mask away. He had clearly been crying.

It was the first time Harry had mingled with relatives in person since the explosive Oprah interview.

'Yes, it was great, wasn't it?' remarked William to Harry, as if they had not been 'estranged' for several months.

'It was as he wanted,' Harry apparently replied.

Royal observers noted what seemed to be a touching reunion between the brothers, with many noting how Catherine, then Duchess of Cambridge, expertly manoeuvred herself to allow the pair to talk alone.

Although their interaction looked perfectly friendly, Robert Lacey reported that William could see no point in talking to Harry beyond pleasantries 'since any discussion of substance would go straight back to Meghan to be leaked out via Oprah, Gayle King or some other tentacle of the Sussex network'.

Immediately after the funeral, Queen Elizabeth returned to her apartment in Windsor Castle in silence.

Although their interaction looked perfectly friendly, Robert Lacey reported that William could see no point in talking to Harry beyond pleasantries

Bower wrote: 'Sitting alone and isolated, the 94-year-old monarch's grief was concealed behind a black mask. Everyone was moved by her dignity'

Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Sir Timothy Laurence and Prince Harry are pictured during the funeral of Prince Philip

'I helped her off with her coat and hat and no words were spoken,' senior dresser Angela Kelly told royal expert Gyles Brandreth.

'The Queen then walked to her sitting room, closed the door behind her, and she was alone with her thoughts.'

Though her grief was private, in public the Queen was determined to carry on as normal. 'Life goes on,' she said. 'It has to.'

The Queen shared one of her favourite photographs of herself with her husband of 73 years, the Duke of Edinburgh, on the eve of his funeral.

The royal couple are pictured relaxing together away from public duties and enjoying the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands in 2003.

This never-before-seen photo was also used as a design for Edward and Sophie's annual Christmas card in memory of the Queen in 2022.

The image was taken by Sophie during a family summer holiday. A caption on the inside of the Christmas card reads: 'In memory of happy days'.

Though her grief was private, in public the Queen was determined to carry on as normal. 'Life goes on,' she said. 'It has to'

On the eve of Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021, Buckingham Palace released this picture of Philip and the Queen

Later in 2021, Peter Phillips- the Queen's eldest grandchild - said not being able to hug her was one of the hardest parts of coping with the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh.

He said images of The Queen sitting alone at Philip's funeral would be relatable for many families during the pandemic.

'Everybody saw the image of Her Majesty sitting alone. It would have been the same for any other family, the hardest part is not being able to hug those closest to the person who's been lost.

'It's the same for a lot of families. There have been some great sadnesses but at the same time you've got to try to take the positives out of these situations, whether that be new life, or happy memories, that's what you've got to focus on,' he added.
It was a surprising show of unity when the Prince William and Kate Middleton were joined by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a walkabout outside Windsor Castle following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The united front came just two years after Harry and Meghan dramatically stepped down as working royals and a year on from the couple's controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey.

As they greeted well wishers and inspected the floral tributes left outside the palace gates these differences appeared to be water under the bridge.

But this was not the case and according to one royal author the simmering tensions between both camps meant it was 'one of the hardest things' Kate has ever had to do.

Writing in his book - titled Our King - Robert Jobson revealed that the joint walkabout had been William's but a source told the veteran royal correspondent that this show of unity was an 'illusion' with the Princess of Wales finding it particularly difficult.

Jobson wrote: 'Catherine later admitted to a senior royal that, such was the ill feeling between the two couples, the joint walkabout was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do.'

Harry and Meghan then stayed in the UK for nearly three weeks until the late Queen's funeral took place on September 19 2022.

During the ceremony an emotional Meghan was spotted wiping a tear from her eye as she waited outside Westminster Abbey alongside Queen Camilla and Kate.

Kate Middleton alongside Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle outside Windsor Castle following the death of Queen Elizabeth II

The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex inspect floral tribute outside WIndsor castle. Their appearance together was a surprising show of unity

She then joined other members of the family for a sombre procession behind the Queen's coffin before taking her seat alongside Harry for the service.

Speaking recently on the second season of With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex spoke about how being away from Archie and Lillibet for almost three weeks made her 'not well'.

Meghan made the candid remark during a discussion about parenthood with fashion designer and Queer Eye host Tan France.

'The longest I went without being around our kids was almost three weeks. I was not well,' Meghan said.

While it was not directly revealed which absence Meghan was talking about, in his memoir - Spare - Harry wrote that the Queen's death and funeral was a 'difficult' time and the time he was separated from his children was 'longer than we'd ever been'.

Meanwhile,following the so-called 'peace summit' in July, where images of Harry and Meghan's press secretary meeting with King Charles's communications secretary were revealed by The Mail On Sunday, the rift between the Sussexes and the Windsors does appear to be finally healing.

This month, King Charles III is expected to meet with Harry for the first time in 20 months.

The Duke of Sussex 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.

Royal author Robert Jobson wrote that the royal walkabout was 'one of the hardest things' the Princess of Wales has ever had to do

Meghan comforts Harry as they inspect floral tributes. The royal walkabout came just two years after Harry and Meghan dramatically stepped down as working royals and a year on from the couple's controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey

Meghan with Camilla, Queen Consort, Prince George, the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte at the late Queen's funeral

A US source told The Mirror there was now a 'determination on both sides to make this happen'.

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.

However, a reconciliation between the prince and his brother is said to have been 'rejected out of hand'.

Meghan with designer Tan France on the latest season of With Love, Meghan

The last time the King saw his grandchildren was June 2022 when Harry and Meghan returned for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Harry's trip on September 8 will mark his first visit since he failed to appeal the downgrading of his security protection in the UK.

Despite next week's anticipated meeting, relations between Harry and the Prince of Wales are thought to remain frosty.

A separate source told the Mirror 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'.
ABU DHABI, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan on Sunday reaffirmed their firm stance in supporting the rights of the Palestinian people and rejecting any Israeli measures affecting Palestinian land or threatening regional stability.

During a meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Jordan's King Abdullah II emphasized the importance of international efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, and reiterated their opposition to Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank, displace Palestinians, or expand settlements.

The two leaders expressed their rejection of Israeli statements and positions that threaten the sovereignty of countries in the region.

They also discussed the brotherly relations between the UAE and Jordan and explored ways to enhance cooperation and coordination.

The Jordanian king arrived in the UAE on a working visit, accompanied by Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and other senior officials. 
A valley located in Arizona has been dubbed the scariest national park in the US after sightings of UFOs and Bigfoot have been reported.

Monument Valley sits on the Utah-Arizona border and is full of strange and eerie sights.

The breathtaking park sits on Navajo tribal land and is said to be one of the most photographed places on earth with its stunning sandstone rock formations and desert environments.

But for Navajo Ranger Stanley Milford Jr., the land is more than just a beautiful place, but full of ghosts, UFOs, extraterrestrials, and more, he said in his memoir The Paranormal Ranger.

'Theres much more to this world than we can imagine,' Milford, who is part Cherokee and Navajo, wrote. 'I quickly learned to shut my mouth and open my ears.'

For more than 20 years, Milford served as a ranger in the park. For 11 of those, he worked on a covert team that investigated UFOs and paranormal activity that was reported within the Navajo Reservation.

He spent his summers with his father on the reservation and was well-versed in the tribe's culture, which helped him while he was investigating paranormal activity on the land.

'However, this doesnt mean that the cases I investigated didnt shock or challenge or change me,' he wrote.

For more than 20 years, Milford served as a ranger in Monument Valley (pictured above)

For more than 20 years, Milford served as a ranger in the park. For 11 of those, he worked on a covert team that investigated UFOs and paranormal activity that was reported within the Navajo Reservation (pictured: stock image of UFO)

Monument Valley has been compared to the X Files. Pictured: David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are seen above in season one of the show

He recalled a time feeling an 'invisible finger touch my lip'.

'It moved across my mustache, from one side to the other. [Then] I heard two male voices, about three feet away, but there was no one there.'

He also witnessed a chair flying across a room, a laptop battery crashing into a wall, and coins falling and all landing heads-up.

'The only conclusion was that a spirit was saying: "Heads up, Im here."'

His fellow investigator found a dollar bill with 'die' written on it and a butcher's knife fly across the room.

Officer workers in Window Rock, Arizona, heard 'disembodied voices' and felt 'unseen hands touch them'.

Arizona is one of the hottest areas to spot a UFO.

The desert town of Sedona, which is located approximately 210 miles away from Monument Valley, sits in both Coconino and Yavapai Counties. It had 484 UFO sightings between 2000 and 2023, according to an Axios report.

'Theres much more to this world than we can imagine,' Milford (pictured), who is part Cherokee and Navajo, wrote. 'I quickly learned to shut my mouth and open my ears'

He recalled a time feeling an 'invisible finger touch my lip.' He also witnessed a chair flying across a room, a laptop battery crashing into a wall, and coins falling and all landing heads-up, he revealed in his memoir (pictured)

These numbers put the area well above the national average of 34 people per 100,000.

Psychic and UFO tour guide John Polk, 56, told Daily Mail in May that he sees extraterrestrial activity nightly from his home in Sedona, where he's lived for the last eight years.

The native Floridian said: 'There's tons of activity. It's easy to see it.'

He believes Sedona is such a high-traffic area for UFOs due to the vortexes the city is known for.

Sedona is also a very spiritual place and is known as the 'door to the world' due to vortexes that are believed to open portals to other dimensions and provide healing energy.

Polk said Sedona has quartz along the ley lines - invisible gridlines that often fall into triangles that are believed to carry powerful energy - that help build electromagnetic energy that creates electricity, and ultimately, a pathway for ETs.

In January 2023, a UFO slammed into a US fighter jet over Arizona.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the F-16 Viper fighter jet was hit by an 'orange-white UAS' - which stands for un-crewed aerial system, better known as a drone.

His fellow investigator found a dollar bill with 'die' written on it and a butcher's knife fly across the room. Officer workers in Window Rock, Arizona, heard 'disembodied voices' and felt 'unseen hands touch them'

Arizona is one of the hottest areas to spot a UFO (pictured: Monument Valley)

The desert town of Sedona (pictured) had 484 UFO sightings between 2000 and 2023

The FAA's report of the F-16 collision revealed that the fighter was flying in restricted airspace near Gila Bend, Arizona, when it was hit by the object in the rear of the canopy, the glass bubble which protects the pilot.

No injuries were reported. The Air Force did not reveal how much damage the jet suffered, but the plane was grounded for repairs.

Within a day of this collision, there were three more unidentified aircraft sightings over the Air Force's Barry Goldwater Range, where the fighter was damaged, the documents stated.

Daily Mail reached to Milford for comment.
For centuries, humans have been scouring the universe for some kind of evidence of extraterrestrial life.

Now, social media users think it's finally been found  right here on Earth.

On Reddit, footage has emerged of explorers in front of 'a giant doorway' located in the Dzungarian Alatau mountains in Kazakhstan.

Like something from an epic movie scene, the 30-second clip shows the stunned explorers searching for a way in.

One stunned Reddit user commented that the doorway is proof of 'ancient aliens', while another asked if there's an 'alien spaceship hiding there'.

Others compared it with the 'beginning of the first Tomb Raider game' and the Doors of Durin from J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'.

It also appears to bear similarities with the vast entrance to Jabba the Hut's palace in the Star Wars film 'Return of the Jedi'.

Millennials may also be reminded of the Temple of the Jungle King from ITV children's series 'Jungle Run'.

Explorers have found 'a giant doorway' located in the Dzungarian Alatau mountains in Kazakhstan, close to the border with China

In the Star Wars film 'Return of the Jedi' (1983), R2-D2 and C-3PO arrive at the vast door to Jabba the Hut's palace

The clip, which was also posted to X (Twitter), was filmed at the Dzungarian Alatau mountains in Kazakhstan, close to the border with China.

At an altitude of 6,500 feet (2,000 metres) above sea level, Dzungarian Alatau is known for its rugged foothills, ridges and forts.

The footage starts with a close-up of the two male explorers making cautious steps in the snow in front of a rocky mass.

Then, the airborne camera  likely attached to a drone  gradually pans out to reveal the massive semi-circular door-like formation.

Using the height of the men as a reference, the so-called 'entrance' appears to be at least 40 feet (12 metres) in height and about as wide.

But the rock behind it seems to slope downwards significantly, suggesting any secret cave beyond would have a fairly low ceiling.

On Reddit, someone pointed out: 'looks like the ridge of rock is narrower than the 'door' is tall.'

Another added: 'I mean, you can see the other side of the ridge in the drone shot. So, like.... doorway to what, the other side of the ridge?'

At an altitude of 6,500 feet (2,000 metres) above sea level, Dzungarian Alatau is known for its stunning foothills, ridges and forts

Millennials may also be reminded of the entrance to the Temple of the Jungle King from ITV children's series 'Jungle Run' (pictured)

What is the mystery doorway? The mysterious 'doorway' in Kazakhstan has been described as a secret alien base and the 'entrance to the mines of Moria'. More realistically, the 'doorway' could just be further evidence of 'pareidolia' - the tendency of the human mind to see patterns and symmetry. Mark Allen, a professor at the University of Durham's department of earth sciences, said it might be 'to do with different weathering patterns of different rock layers'. Advertisement

Commentators speculated on the true nature of the 'doorway', which is a different shade of brown to the surrounding rock.

One user said: 'There are a ton of these kinds of formations in Southern Utah. It's the beginning of the formation of an arch, which is very naturally occurring.'

Another user replied: 'So ancient aliens.'

A Harry Potter fan added: 'Run really fast into it and see if you end up on the other side', while a gamer said: 'Its the doorway to a Zelda dungeon!'

Another posted: 'If it actually were a door, Ive seen enough movies to know that something unspeakable has been sealed behind it.'

More realistically, the 'doorway' could just be further evidence of 'pareidolia'  the tendency of the human mind to see patterns and symmetry.

Mark Allen, a professor at the University of Durham's department of earth sciences, said it might be 'to do with different weathering patterns of different rock layers'.

'I was in this area 38 years ago on the Chinese side of the border [and there was] nothing odd to report,' he told the Daily Mail.

Dzungarian Alatau (pictured) lies on the boundary of the Dzungaria region of China and the Zhetysu region of Kazakhstan

The location in the clip is thought to be part of the Dzungarian Gate, a historically significant mountain pass between China and Kazakhstan.

For centuries, the more than 3,000-mile pass, also known as the Altai Gap, was used as an invasion route by conquerors from Central Asia.

Dzungarian Gate has been linked to the location of Hyperborea, the mythical land located to the far north of the known world.

According to the legend, its inhabitants, the Hyperboreans, each lived for 1,000 years in peace, free of war or disease.
You may already feel as if theres not enough time in the day.

But it's not just your imagination  the days have been getting shorter.

According to scientists, July 9, July 22 and August 5 this year were between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds shorter than the standard 24-hour day.

Although the exact reason is still a mystery, there could be several causes, such as changes in the atmosphere, the melting of glaciers, motion in the Earth's core, and a weakening magnetic field.

While the loss of a few milliseconds is not a cause for too much concern, a frightening new book imagines a world literally 'spinning out of control'.

In 'Circular Motion' by Alex Foster, days on Earth last 23 hours, then 20 hours, and then eventually two hours.

Like a supercharged spinning top, the planet spins so fast that even gravity loses its grip, as the sun rises and sets ever faster.

Now, experts reveal the real implications of such a terrifying scenario, from large-scale disasters, floods and earthquakes.

A new novel called 'Circular Motion' by Alex Foster imagines a world literally spinning out of control, until a day last just two hours

In Foster's new novel, Earth's rotation speeds up due to a network of massive aircraft that orbit the Earth at 30,000 feet, revolutionising global transportation.

The acceleration of Earths spin begins gradually, and days are just a few seconds shorter than normal, so nobody initially notices.

However, Earths spin progressively gets faster and faster until a day lasts just two hours  triggering a global catastrophe.

If Earth's spin really did get faster, experts say it cause a 'centrifugal effect' where the things start to swing away from the planet's axis, much like the hanging chairs on a spinning carousel ride.

Earth's oceans would start to bulge around the equator, giving the planet more of a diamond shape, with sloping northern and southern hemispheres.

Water pulled from the polar regions (where centrifugal force is low) would cause the Arctic Ocean to become shallower and send the equatorial region underwater.

Even land around the equator that's not underwater could have a greatly increased chance of tsunamis and flooding.

Duncan Agnew, professor of geophysics at the University of California San Diego, said the 'largest changes would be in the ocean tides'.

This long-exposure photo of the northern night sky above the Nepali Himalayas shows the apparent paths of the stars as Earth rotates. If Earth spun fast enough, is this what we would see?

According to scientists, July 9, July 22 and August 5 this year were between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds shorter than the standard 24-hour day . Although the exact reason is still a mystery, there could be several causes, such as changes in the atmosphere, the melting of glaciers, motion in the Earth's core, and a weakening magnetic field (stock image)

Could the world keep going faster? It is unlikely that the world will start to spin faster. In fact, the world is actually slowing down over time. About 4.4 billion years ago, the planet was spinning so fast that days lasted four minutes. But this slowed down after a large object hit Earth and created the moon. The only way Earth could speed up is if a large object hits at just the right angle. But this would likely liquify the planet's crust, so no humans would survive to see the results. Advertisement

As any beach-goer knows, in coastal areas around the world there are high tides and low tides, which are due to the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun, combined with the rotation of Earth.

The daily rotation of the Earth produces two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes.

'Change that by 10 per cent and the tides in some places would get larger and in others smaller,' Professor Agnew told the Daily Mail.

Also, the faster the Earth's spin, the faster tectonic plates would move, would could add to more geological stress and 'a lot of earthquakes', the academic added.

Its worth remembering that the equator (where Earths circumference is the widest) spins faster than elsewhere, such as the tropics or the poles.

The equator spins at about 1,025 miles (1,650km) per hour, while the poles spin barely above zero miles per hour.

As Earth spins and we go around with it, we are held into place by gravity, but if the Earth spun fast enough, centrifugal force would overcome gravity, causing objects to be flung into space.

'The faster Earth turns, the more gravity will be canceled out and the lighter youll feel,' said Foster in a piece for New Scientist.

Hurricanes will spin faster and carry more energy if the world's spin greatly increases, researchers claim. In this picture from space, a swirling hurricane forms

The faster Earth's spin, the faster tectonic plates would move, would could add to more geological stress and 'a lot of earthquakes'. Pictured, damage from Afghanistan earthquake, September 4, 2025

NASA astronomer Dr Sten Odenwald also warned that weather phenomena would become more extreme, capable of causing more damage.

As the planet spins faster, an apparent force known as the Coriolis effect, which gives hurricanes their spin, intensifies.

'Hurricanes will spin faster and carry more energy,' Dr Odenwald said.

If Earths spin increased, there would of course also be both less sunlight in the day and less time to sleep at night, which might make humans less productive.

People would have keep putting their clocks back as the days shortened, or come up with a whole new time-keeping system.

Humans have a 'circadian rhythm'  an internal clock that is closely attuned to the 24-hour day  which can cause physical and mental issues if disrupted (by factors like plane travel).

Additionally, many satellites would no longer be positioned correctly, which could disrupt satellite communications, internet, TV broadcasting and more.

Luckily, Professor Agnew said the idea of Earth's rotation speeding up to the extent portrayed in the new novel is a 'particularly absurd premise'.

Each day on Earth contains 86,400 seconds, but the rotation isn't uniform, which means over the course of a year, each day has a fraction of a second more or less

'This cannot happen and nothing like it has ever been observed for any planet or star,' Professor Agnew told the Daily Mail.

In actual fact, the Earth has been rotating more and more slowly over the long-term, but this change has been very gradual.

'A billion years ago the day was maybe 19 hours long,' he told the Daily Mail.

'If you went back to when there were dinosaurs and didn't have a clock you wouldn't probably notice that the day was 30 minutes shorter.'

Dr Judah Levine, Fellow of the US government's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Maryland, also questioned how close the book's premise is to 'real physics'.

'If the story is loosely connected to reality, then the speed-up of Earth had to be accompanied by something else losing angular momentum, maybe the orbit of the moon,' he told the Daily Mail.

'This is a fundamental principle.'

Maybe the orbit of the moon losing angular momentum could cause the speed-up of Earth, he added.

'If that is what happens, the moon gets a lot closer, and the tidal effects become much stronger and more frequent because the periods are driven by the length of the day.'
New research lists the most reported scams amongst holidaymakers

Destinations with the highest levels of scams reported by tourists have been revealed in a new report, with some of the world's most popular resorts amongst them.

And while con artists vary their methods across the globe, there's one scam that tourists all over the world should be aware of, a study suggests.

According to research by the Mastercard Economics Institute, travellers are four times more likely to experience fraud relating to travel agencies and tour companies than across other industries.

For example, booking spontaneous day trips or excursions with local operators while on the ground in a destination was deemed likely to raise the risk of being exposed to fraud.

Transport was also highlighted as an area that can leave travellers vulnerable, with issues with both car rental agencies and taxi firms reported more than scams involving other modes of travel, such as flying or travelling by rail.

Bangkok, Cancun and Vietnam are amongst the destinations with the highest levels of frauds reported by visitors, with Dhaka in Bangladesh also on the list.

Cities with the lowest travel-related fraud rates were San Francisco, Dublin, Seoul, Budapest, and Edinburgh.

The research found that frauds, from overcharging for food in restaurants to procuring money via fake accommodation listings, was often different in different destinations.

In New York, 63% of tourists who said they'd been scammed told police that the cons were related to restaurants or takeaway orders

In the Big Apple, for example, being ripped off by an eatery or takeaway was the most common fraud reported, accounting for around 63 per cent of cases, with other major cities reporting similar stories, including Phuket, Manila and Riyadh.

On the West coast in LA, the problem was bigger still, with 75 per cent of scams relating to food orders.

Meanwhile, taxi and car hire scams accounted for 66% of complaints from travellers in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The researchers found that high season saw an 18% spike in reports of scams...with winter destinations up by 28 per cent during peak visitor periods.

The report said holidaymakers are often seen as targets for easy crime, saying: 'Whether it is scammers targeting unsuspecting travelers or deceptive activities within the booking process, the travel industry is a known target for fraudsters.

'The Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) believes understanding fraud trends is particularly important during periods of uncertain economic climates.'

However, there are ways to protect yourself ahead of a trip, with travel insurance and paying for items by credit card recommended by experts.

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 protects customers using a credit card to make purchases and gives the right to claim a refund.

Claims can be made for poor quality goods or services, fraudulent behaviour or cancelled purchases.

Recent research by Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) listed cities with the lowest number of scams reported, with Seoul, pictured, San Francisco, Dublin, Budapest, and Edinburgh making the list

Using a digital wallet on your phone could help prevent a scam taking place when you're on holiday, say experts - with good travel cover also essential for protecting against fraud

The Mastercard report also recommended the use of digital wallets on phones, saying they make fraud harder.

It read: 'Emerging digital payment trends are further enhancing security. Mobile wallets that are protected by tokenization technology, which replace card details with surrogate digital identifiers unique to each transaction, significantly reduce data theft.'

Research released this week found that more than half of Britons now leave their wallets at home as reliance on digital payments ramps up.

Only 48 per cent of Britons consider carrying a physical wallet to be an essential part of their day-to-day routine, new data from cash access and ATM network Link revealed.

Four in five still own a wallet or purse, but the growing popularity and acceptance of card and digital payments and wallets such as ApplePay or Google Pay that allow people to pay with phones and watches means leaving the house without them is becoming commonplace.

While card transactions overtook cash payments in 2018, Link's data shows payments through digital wallets for Generation Z and Millennials, adults between 18 to 44, is the go-to option for payments.
A couple spent 24 hours in a country that doesn't officially exist and were shocked by the incredibly cheap and tasty food.

Caleb and Taylor Kiser share their travels on their Instagram account @culturecravingcouple.

The pair visited the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) last month, which is a self-declared state in south-eastern Europe.

It is located between the Ukrainian border and the Dniester river and is not internationally recognised as an independent country  it is instead considered part of Moldova.

Known as Transnistria to most of the world, the PMR broke away from Moldova in 1990 during the fall of the USSR.

Caleb and Taylor visited the capital, Tiraspol, and shared their experience in an Instagram video.

The pair described how there were 'tanks, border guards and no photos allowed' at the crossing.

'Once inside, everything switches to Russian,' Taylor explained.

Caleb and Taylor Kiser share their travels on their Instagram account @culturecravingcouple (stock)

The pair visited the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) last month which is a self-declared state in south-eastern Europe. Pictured: The Transnistria parliament building

It is located between the Ukrainian border and the Dniester river and is not internationally recognised as an independent country, it is instead considered part of Moldova

'Cyrillic signs, soviet statues and a lot of hammer and sickle action.'

Footage showed what the local area looked like in Tiraspol, and the couple revealed credit cards couldn't be used in the country.

Instead, they had to exchange money into the local currency, Transnistrian rubles, at the local sheriff store.

They enjoyed local cuisine like a sour cherry tart and noted 'sour cherries are everywhere'.

Sights including the golden dome, Lenin statue and war memorials were also explored.

For lunch, the couple visited 'a retro Soviet style canteen called Back In The USSR'.

Taylor continued in the video, 'We had borscht that came with a shot of vodka, obviously, crepes with caviar and fried pork stuffed with mushrooms, onions and cheese, all drenched in mayo.

'It sounds insane, but it was generally some of the best food we've ever had.

'We tried some of the local wine and brandy, which is some of the smoothest brandy we've ever tasted, so we bought a bottle.'

Footage showed what the local area looked like in Tiraspol, and the couple revealed credit cards couldn't be used in the country (stock)

For lunch, the couple visited 'a retro Soviet style canteen called Back In The USSR'. Pictured: The city hall of Tiraspol

For dinner, they enjoyed a burger baked inside an apple with cherry sauce'.

The couple were baffled to realise how cheap the food was, and revealed the bill for two meals, several drinks and even dessert came to less than $25.

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Transnistria.

It states: 'There is widespread military activity in Ukraine, including close to some Moldovan borders. Transnistria is outside the control of the Moldovan government.

'FCDOs ability to offer support is extremely limited and will be more limited if there is military action on or near the Moldova-Ukraine border.'
Married At First Sight groom Brent Vitiello has been busted sharing a stock travel image to his social media.

The former reality TV star, 36, is currently on holiday in Bali and recently posted a photo to Instagram which supposedly captured the city skyline view from his airplane window.

However, a reverse image search revealed the photo was actually a stock image that has been shared many times on Pinterest, and was first posted several years ago.

Brent has also been sharing snaps of himself living it up on his laid-back Indonesian holiday and seeing the sights across the renowned holiday island.

The former MAFS star has been the subject of online criticism in recent months.

In August, a leaked text message exchange exposed Brent's shock response to a customer complaining about his controversial sea moss brand, Mos X Daily.

Married At First Sight groom Brent Vitiello has been busted sharing stock travel photos from the Indonesian holiday he is on

He was slammed by dozens of customers for allegedly taking their money and delivering nothing in return.

Daily Mail received a text exchange Brent had with an unhappy customer, and can reveal his shock response to their non-delivery complaint.

'Hi, it's been 10 months since I placed my order during your sale. I will be reporting this to Consumer Protection because I know I'm not the only one you're scamming,' the customer wrote to Brent on Snapchat.

Brent did not mince words in his brutal response to their dissatisfaction.

'Since you called me a scammer, I won't be helping. You can wait with the rest. Have a good day and speak directly to the page,' Brent began.

'You'll learn respect. Once it's all taken care of, a lot of you will have a lot to think about. Good day.'

Another unhappy person took to social media to accuse Brent of 'scamming' people so he could move to another country.

'This dude is the biggest flop. The responses are gross. Must be nice scamming people out of money to fund a life in Bali,' they wrote.

The former reality TV star is currently on holiday in Bali and recently posted a photo to Instagram which supposedly captured the city skyline view from his airplane window. However, a reverse image search revealed the photo was actually a stock image

The former MAFS star has been the subject of online criticism in recent months. In August, a leaked text message exchange exposed Brent's shock response to a customer complaining about his controversial sea moss brand

Brent issued a statement to Daily Mail responding to the claims and said he was working hard to dispatch customer orders - and would not deal with rude people.

'I will not talk, address, listen or converse with anyone who insults me on my personal page PERIOD,' Brent wrote.

'You don't get to talk shit to someone and expect them to grovel in your arms, doesn't work that way.'

Brent continues to maintain he has done nothing wrong.

Rather than apologising or offering compensation, he has dismissed the backlash as 'the same story, same complaints' - insisting he will 'fix it' in his own time.

Despite a public warning issued by NSW Fair Trading in March advising Australians not to deal with his company, and 45 official complaints lodged over undelivered goods and poor communication, he remains defiant.

Brent has not acknowledged, however, the growing number of Aussies who say they've waited up to six months for their orders - with many claiming they never received a single update, let alone a refund.

The tattooed reality star rose to fame on the ninth series of MAFS in 2022, where he was famously 'married' to Tamara Djordjevic, but they went their separate ways during their explosive final vows.
One of Hollywoods most beloved comediennes gave fans a treat with a rare outing in Los Angeles just days before her 88th birthday on Saturday.

The hilarious actress first rose to fame as the brassy, loud-mouthed jokester on Rowan & Martins Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973.

Rocking a colorful print shirt and eclectic hat, she looked straight out of the variety show era, recalling the wild outfits she wore alongside a then-brand-new Goldie Hawn  and fellow cast member Ruth Buzzi, who passed away in July at 88.

The star looked spritely as she strolled the sidewalks, flashing her signature grin and radiating the same joy she brought to the character of Wardrobe in Disneys 1991 classic Beauty and the Beast.

Long after becoming a regular on celebrity game shows like Super Password and Hollywood Squares, she also played Madame Morrible in the Los Angeles production of Wicked in 2008.

Can you guess this legendary laugh riot?

One of Hollywoods most beloved comediennes gave fans a treat with a rare outing in Los Angeles just days before her 88th birthday on Saturday

The hilarious actress first rose to fame as the brassy, loud-mouthed jokester on Rowan & Martins Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973

If you guessed Jo Anne Worley, youre right!

The hilarious Indiana native had moved to New York after high school to chase her dream of acting.

'I started out just singing in nightclubs because there werent any examples of lady comics,' she told Parade in 2024.

'I would just sing funny songs or do a twist on a song. Before I went to New York, I was also in a Jerry Lewis comedy workshop at Paramount Studios.'

She described her days on Laugh-In as very busy.

'If we werent shooting, we were changing costumes, doing makeup and hair, or rehearsing. We actually did have to rehearse dance moves. We were busy bees. We would shoot into the night.'

Although the cast was full of newcomers alongside Worley, Hawn, and Buzzi, the environment was supportive.

'We would help each other. We would be each others audience if we were not changing or getting made up or something. Wed encourage each other.

Rocking a colorful print shirt and eclectic hat, she looked straight out of the variety show era, recalling the wild outfits she wore alongside a then-brand-new Goldie Hawn  and fellow cast member Ruth Buzzi, who passed away in July at 88

The hilarious Indiana native had moved to New York after high school to chase her dream of acting

'I started out just singing in nightclubs because there werent any examples of lady comics,' she said in 2024

'If there was something in the script I thought would be better for Ruth Buzzi, I would say, "I dont know, I think Ruthie should do this."

'There were so many fun behind-the-scenes moments.'

Looking back on her decades-long career, Worley reflected on how the industry has changed for female comedians.

'Theres much more freedom for women. The difference is, I think, because of cable television and people working and doing stand-up in clubs who are not beholden to regular television. They can do blue [raunchy] material. The industry has opened up for female entertainers.'

Asked which contemporary comedians make her laugh, she added, 'I find that the rhythm is a little different nowadays. The jokes are something we would never dream of doing.

'Comics coming up in the clubs would never do any blue material. You would only be doing material that you could eventually do on television, which precludes a lot of what we see in the clubs today.

But, I love watching Saturday Night Live. By the way, did you know Lorne Michaels was a writer on Laugh-In?'

When asked what shes proudest of in her career, Worley shared a deeply personal memory. 'My brother was in the Navy, and at one point I was asked to sing with the United States Air Force Band at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., and my brother was there. That was kind of a special moment.

If you guessed Jo Anne Worley, youre right!

'If we werent shooting, we were changing costumes, doing makeup and hair, or rehearsing. We actually did have to rehearse dance moves. We were busy bees. We would shoot into the night,' Worley said of Laugh-In

Although the Laugh-In cast was full of newcomers alongside Worley, Hawn (L), and Buzzi (R), the environment was supportive: 'We would help each other. We would be each others audience if we were not changing or getting made up or something. Wed encourage each other,' said Worley

The star brought Disneys Wardrobe to life in the 1991 classic Beauty and the Beast

Lily Tomlin, Worley and Hawn attend The National Comedy Center honoring George Schlatter at The Comedy Store on October 23, 2022

'We visited the Vietnam war memorial together, and that was special because he knew a lot of the names on the wall.'

In 1970, Worley left Laugh-In to pursue a variety of projects, guest-starring on TV favorites like Love, American Style, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Murder, She Wrote, The Middle, and game shows including Super Password, Hollywood Squares, and Pyramid.

Over the years, she continued working in film, television, and theater, both in original productions and revivals.

Worley also became a sought-after voice actress, lending her talents to Nutcracker Fantasy (1979), Disneys Beauty and the Beast (1991) and A Goofy Movie (1995), as well as Beauty and the Beast: Belles Magical World (1998) and the video game Kingdom Hearts II (2005).

She remained connected to Disney, making cameos in shows like Kim Possible, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Jessie.

Worleys stage career includes regional theater appearances in Gypsy, Annie Get Your Gun, Hello Dolly!, Anything Goes, and Once Upon a Mattress, as well as performances at the Welk Dinner Theater, California Music Theatre, and La Mirada Theatre.

She returned to Broadway in Prince of Central Park in 1989, though the show closed after four performances, and later played the Wicked Witch of the West in a 1999 musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.

In 2007, she starred as Mrs. Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway and reprised the role in 2015 at The Cape Playhouse.
A whirlwind fling that became the talk of London and Sydney during the long European summer has now reached Australian shores - and all signs are pointing to it being more than just a holiday romance.

In July, we reported that Australia's No. 1 prestige real estate agent Gavin Rubinstein had swept British socialite Ruby Adler off her feet following her split from her Made in Chelsea co-star Reza Amiri.

Gavin, 34, took Ruby, 29, across Europe, hopping from yacht to yacht, apparently 'spending a fortune on her'. Now he's back to work selling mansions in elite postcodes - and Ruby looks to be settling into life as an eastern suburbs socialite.

She has already been spotted out and about in Double Bay this past week, looking the part in sleek activewear paired with a Chanel handbag.

But it was the couple's red-carpet debut that really set off the Sydney rumour mill.

From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.

British socialite Ruby Adler was spotted in Double Bay on Thursday after jetting to Sydney to be with her new boyfriend, prestige real estate agent Gavin Rubinstein

The Made In Chelsea star looked the part in sleek activewear paired with a Chanel handbag

On Thursday night, the pair stepped out hand-in-hand at the Ray White NSW Annual Awards at ICC Darling Harbour - their first official appearance together.

Ruby turned heads in a slinky bronze gown with an eye-popping cowl neckline, while Gavin - clad in a dapper suit and bowtie - grinned like a Cheshire cat as they paraded before his industry peers.

You'd think the sight would cut deep for Ruby's ex Reza - but he insists he's moved on from their on-again, off-again relationship.

'I'm happily in a new relationship now,' he told Daily Mail exclusively.

'Ruby and I have always been close friends, first and foremost, so I'm happy that she's found someone for her.'

It comes as a source close to the couple shed light on their romance.

'Gavin's a real charmer - totally swept her off her feet,' they said.

The insider added that Gavin has already made a bold request: now he and Ruby are dating seriously, he wants to be her personal stylist.

On Thursday night, the pair stepped out hand-in-hand at the Ray White NSW Annual Awards at ICC Darling Harbour - their first official appearance together

The couple's red-carpet debut really set off the Sydney rumour mill

Ruby turned heads in a slinky bronze gown with an eye-popping cowl neckline

The millionaire agent is said to have splashed out on an entirely new wardrobe for his glamorous girlfriend since her arrival in Australia.

'Gavin's a fashionable guy, and one thing he loves to do is dress the women he dates,' our source spilled.

'He'll say, "Let's get you a new wardrobe." It wouldn't surprise me if he's spending a fortune on her.'

Ruby first spoke publicly about her relationship with Gavin in August, during an episode of her Wednesdays podcast.

'I've got a new boyfriend. He is so great. He is one of the best people I've ever met,' she beamed.

'He is Australian. And he is just really cool and really nice and I'm very happy.'

The high society couple have arrived Down Under after jetting around Europe together

Ruby described their romance as a 'whirlwind', before revealing she had first met Gavin 10 years ago while on holiday in Mykonos.

'We were on separate holidays, staying in the same hotel. And then we just reconnected recently. I was, like, 19 when I met him.'

She went on to say that exercise-obsessed Gavin had inspired her to become fitter, adding: 'I can be a sporty girl. I can change my whole personality for you.

'I was not that active being single and now I am with him - basically I'm Sporty Spice.'

Ruby's former relationship with Reza featured on the most recent season of Made in Chelsea, which wrapped around April with the two agreeing to remain a couple after a rough patch.

But shortly after their happy ending was filmed, Ruby clearly had second thoughts.

Ruby was up until recently in a relationship with Reza Amiri (right), her co-star on UK reality show Made in Chelsea

Ruby (right) and Reza (left) got back together at the end of the last season of reality show Made In Chelsea - but the reunion didn't last

Before we knew it, things were over with Reza, and Ruby was spied with Gavin - the star of Amazon Prime Video series Luxe Listings Sydney - in the crowd at a Los Angeles Lakers game.

Reza, 38, was alerted to the relationship weeks later when anonymous Instagram accounts sent him photos of the two sitting together next to actor Jason Segel.

After their jaunt in LA, the new couple chased the summer in Europe.

During one yacht trip, they were joined by Cae Thomas, a salesman at The Rubinstein Group, and Tas Costi, whose wife Shani is a buyer's agent from Luxe Listings.

After wrapping Made In Chelsea, Ruby flew to the U.S. where she was spotted with Gavin - the star of Amazon Prime series Luxe Listings Sydney - in the crowd at a Los Angeles Lakers game

Ruby and Gavin went public while living it up on a yacht off the coast of the French Riviera

Ruby had spent weeks dropping hints she was being courted across Europe by a mystery fella, with her Instagram posts offering glimpses of a man's hand without revealing his identity

A source previously told us: 'Gavin really likes Ruby - he's spending a fortune on her'

Before letting the cat out of the bag, Ruby had spent weeks dropping hints she was being courted across Europe by a mystery fella, with her Instagram posts offering glimpses of a man's hand without revealing his identity.

Meanwhile, this isn't the first time Gavin has been linked to a Made In Chelsea star.

We've heard he used to date Tayla Cohen from Made in Chelsea: Sydney - a spin-off mini-series that saw the English toffs jet Down Under for some winter sunshine.

Before getting with Ruby, Gavin's last confirmed romance was with model Holly Young (left) - who ended up having a fling with his good friend Richie Harkham after they broke up

Before getting with Ruby, Gavin's last confirmed romance was with model Holly Young, the Perth girl who reinvented herself as an eastern suburbs socialite.

They hard-launched on Instagram in August 2024 but had split by the end of the year.

Neither of them announced their break-up at the time, though we heard whispers they fell out while on holiday.

Shortly after that split, Holly - who was once linked to Usain Bolt - raised eyebrows by hooking up with one of Gavin's good mates, serial entrepreneur Richie Harkham.

READ THE LATEST FROM DAILYMAIL+

Here are some great stories you may have missed:
Michelle Dockery has insisted she's nothing like her character Lady Mary Crawley as she hit back at claims she is posh after revealing her pregnancy at the at the premiere.

The actress, 43, is best known for playing the eldest daughter of an Earl in the ITV drama since it launched in 2010.

Many have likened Michelle's life to that of her character, particularly after the heartbreaking loss of her fiance, PR director John Dineen, who died of cancer at just 34.

Like Lady Mary, she too was left widowed.

However, Michelle has made it clear she's nothing like the 'posh' aristocrat she portrays in the hit period drama.

The actress came from modest beginnings in Romford, East, with mum Lorraine, a care home assistant, and dad Michael, a lorry driver.

Michelle Dockery has insisted she's nothing like her character Lady Mary Crawley as she hit back at claims she is posh after revealing her pregnancy at the at the premiere

The actress, 43, is best known for playing the eldest daughter of an Earl in the ITV drama since it launched in 2010

In a new interview with The Sun, she revealed that one of her favourite early jobs was working in a fish and chip shop.

She told the publication: 'I worked there for a couple of years when I was a teenager, two or three nights a week, while I was doing my GCSEs and A-levels - and I loved it.'

Michelle then clarified: 'I'm not like Lady Mary at all. For one thing, I'm not actually posh.

'I had a very strong Essex accent when I was younger, and I don't think I would have got the role of Lady Mary if I'd walked into the audition going, 'Allo, nice ter meet yer'.'

It comes just days after Michelle debuted her growing baby bump on the red carpet at Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale premiere in London's Leicester Square on Wednesday night.

She was joined her husband, film producer Jasper Waller-Bridge, 37, as they announced their happy news.

Michelle arrived in a powder blue off-the-shoulder ballgown with a fitted bodice as she showed off her bump.

Stars gathered to celebrate the finale of beloved Downton Abbey, after an incredible 15 years of the TV series and a trilogy of movies.

It comes just days after Michelle debuted her growing baby bump on the red carpet at Downton Abbey : The Grand Finale premiere in London's Leicester Square on Wednesday night

She was joined her husband, film producer Jasper Waller-Bridge, 37, as they announced their happy news

Stars gathered to celebrate the finale of beloved Downton Abbey, after an incredible 15 years of the TV series and a trilogy of movies

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which releases September 12, is set in 1930, some 18 years after the first episode.

It follows the Crawley family in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash and Lady Marys scandalous divorce.

Michelle married Jasper in 2023 in a romantic ceremony which was attended by her Downton Abbey co-stars.

The star was left heartbroken in 2015 when her fiance, Irish publicist John , died following a 15-month battle against a rare form of cancer.

The couple met in 2013 and he proposed just under two years later but the pair never made it down the aisle.

However, in a rare interview in 2017 Michelle told how she still considered herself to be a widow.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which releases September 12, is set in 1930, some 18 years after the first episode

The Mail on Sunday first revealed that Michelle had found love for the first time following his passing after they met through mutual friends in 2019 and soon after they spent time together at the Rome film festival.

Michelle was understood to be friends with her new husband's older sister, and the two stars crossed paths when they both spent time in Los Angeles over the summer.

In January 2022 she and Jasper announced they were to marry in an announcement in The Times newspaper.

It read: 'The engagement is announced between Jasper, son of Michael Waller-Bridge of King's Lynn, Norfolk, and Teresa Waller-Bridge of Battersea, London, and Michelle Dockery, younger daughter of Michael and Lorraine Dockery of Gidea Park, Essex.'

Michelle has been nominated for three consecutive Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.

Off screen, Michelle keeps her private life out of the publicly eye, with the actress not appearing to have active social media accounts.
Pamela Anderson oozed elegance as she stepped out in a flowing black maxi skirt and crisp box shirt, proving once again she can do sophisticated as well as sultry.

The former Baywatch star, 58, looked every inch the Hollywood icon as she unveiled a cabin sign on Saturday, as a tribute for her career.

Taking pride of place along the Promenade des Planches of the 51th Deauville American Film Festival, Pamela beamed from ear to ear as she stood next to the white painted stand, which had her name printed across the top.

The blonde bombshell opted for an elegant black maxi skirt and short sleeve top by ME+EM for the occasion, which she buttoned to the top for added effect.

The cropped top showed off Pamela's petite frame expertly and she added a pair of simple black heels and black sunglasses to top off her elegant look.

It comes after the actress addressed the speculation about her close bond with her The Naked Gun co-star Liam Neeson, 73.

Pamela Anderson oozed elegance as she stepped out in a flowing black maxi skirt and crisp box shirt, proving once again she can do sophisticated as well as sultry

The former Baywatch bombshell, 58, looked every inch the Hollywood icon as she unveiled a cabin sign on Saturday, as a tribute for her career

The pair have sparked headlines since promoting their latest film together, but on Friday night, Pamela shut down the PR stunt rumours.

Dressed in a strapless black floor-length ensemble, while accepting the Deauville 2025 Talent Award at the Deauville American Film Festival, Pamela had no qualms in reminding the crowd that she is as comfortable on the red carpet, as she is shutting down the gossip mill.

She declared: 'I do not and will never feed into PR stunts. That would be a death sentence. I'm authentically driven.'

While some have questioned their chemistry, insiders close to the pair insist their connection is the real deal.

In late August a source told Daily Mail that the two A-listers have a 'genuine' connection and that claims that their feelings for each other are fake and just a PR stunt are 'ridiculous.'

It was added that 'everything between them has been genuine. Neither would ever take part in a publicity stunt. They have a great time. Neither of them needs the publicity.'

Pamela herself echoed that sentiment, stressing she keeps her love life private saying on stage: 'I'm superstitious when it comes to love. And I'm not comfortable sharing any shred of my romantic life.'

The former Baywatch star continued: 'I know I'll fall in love again and again on screen. That is my job. If we do it well, you will feel it, a kind of projection. It is the greatest compliment.

Taking pride of place along the Promenade des Planches of the 51th Deauville American Film Festival, Pamela beamed from ear to ear as she stood next to the white painted stand, which had her name printed across the top

The blonde bombshell opted for the elegant black maxi skirt and short sleeve top for the occasion, which she buttoned to the top for added effect

The cropped top showed off Pamela's petite frame and she added a pair of simple black heels and black sunglasses to top off her look

It comes after the actress addressed speculation about her close bond with her The Naked Gun co-star Liam Neeson , 73 on Friday

Dressed in a strapless black floor-length ensemble, while accepting the Deauville 2025 Talent Award at the Deauville American Film Festival, Pamela insisted talk of a 'publicity stunt' romance is nonsense

'So please think positive. And I appreciate your good wishes. There are no silly games being played. I am sincere. Do not mistake my kindness for weakness or my boldness for bitterness.'

The actress - whose high-profile past loves with rocker Tommy Lee and Kid Rock were tabloid staples - first sparked a romance buzz with Liam when they were spotted being affectionate while promoting their comedy in New York City and London.

'Pam is very drawn to Liam because he is totally open to her way of thinking and living, and especially her approach to fame, which is impressive,' an insider told Daily Mail at the time.

'She has been telling friends he is smitten and does a lot of sweet things for her, like sending her flowers, and spending time with her sons and dogs,' the person added.

The source noted that they had managed to keep the long-distance romance private by spending time at her house in Canada.

The pair first stoked romance rumours during the press run for their film, which hit theatres on August 1 (pictured at the end of July)

The film festival announced Pamela as this year's honoree on August 21, with Isabelle Huppert virtually presenting the star with the award.

A press released praised her as a figure 'who has combined her work as an actress with a passionate commitment to philanthropy and advocacy, leaving a lasting mark on the cultural imagination.'

The iconic actress said on Friday: 'I realise how lucky I am and I'm grateful to be a part of pop culture,' according to an account from People.

She went on to say: 'It is a blessing and also maybe a bit of a curse. It undermines the goal. One has the cultivated mystique, which is invaluable to a film actor.

'It was important to me at this juncture to shake things up, twist perceptions so I can be free to paint upon a blank canvas time and again with each new undertaking.'
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Stepping into the wind turbine assembly plant at Ming Yang Smart Energy Group's industrial park in Baotou, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, visitors are greeted by orderly production lines and busy workers. Robotic arms swing methodically, while digital screens display real-time production data.

The park has established a complete industrial chain covering research and design, manufacturing and quality testing, according to He Changguo, manager of the firm's northern regional manufacturing center. Since 2008, wind turbines produced in the park have been deployed in more than 100 projects across China.

This facility epitomizes the accelerating pace of Inner Mongolia's green transition. Rich in coal and central to China's energy supply, the region accounted for more than one-quarter of the nation's coal output in 2024. This wealth of resources fueled decades of growth but also tied the region to high-polluting and resource-heavy industries.

In recent years, however, the nationwide low-carbon push has set the region on a new course. By tapping its abundant wind and solar resources, the region is cultivating fresh momentum for growth. Once renowned for its coal reserves and desert environment, Inner Mongolia is now dotted with vast arrays of solar panels and wind turbines.

So far, over 30 companies similar to Ming Yang Smart Energy Group, which operate full industrial chains in the new energy sector, have taken root in the region. In 2024, the added value of large-scale new energy and related industries rose by 20.1 percent compared with 2023, and that of new energy equipment manufacturers surged 42.4 percent year on year.

Gong Mingzhu, director of the regional Development and Reform Commission, said Inner Mongolia has established a comprehensive industrial chain for wind, solar, hydrogen and energy storage equipment manufacturing, effectively positioning the region to embark on a new chapter in industrial development.

As new energy industries gain momentum, Inner Mongolia is also transforming its traditional coal-based sectors, shifting from simple extraction toward a more diversified and cleaner industrial system.

A plant in Ordos exemplifies this transformation. Built by Inner Mongolia Baofeng Coal-based New Material Co., Ltd., the facility synthesizes olefins -- a class of chemical compounds serving as key raw materials for industrial products from plastics to textiles and aerospace components -- from coal.

With an annual production capacity of 3 million tonnes, this facility stands as the world's largest single-site coal-to-olefins project, according to the company.

Notably, the plant employs green hydrogen at scale to replace fossil fuels in olefin production, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 6.3 million tonnes annually.

In 2024, Inner Mongolia's modern coal chemical industry output exceeded 100 billion yuan (about 14.07 billion U.S. dollars), while the region ranked first nationwide in both coal-to-gas and coal-to-olefin production capacities.

"Simply mining and selling coal cannot fully realize the value of Inner Mongolia's energy endowment, nor can it meet the requirements of building a modern country," said Hu Chengdong, deputy director of the regional energy bureau.

It is imperative for Inner Mongolia to transition from an extractive growth model, shift from factor-driven to innovation-driven development, and propel traditional industries toward higher efficiency and greater value, Hu added. 
Justin Bieber seemed to be in low spirits during an awkward lunch outing with his wife Hailey Bieber in New York City this weekend.

The couple looked tense as a crowd of onlookers gathered around them outside Sadelle's restaurant on Saturday.

Justin, 31, was trailing behind his wife Hailey, 28, and his eyebrows were furrowed as they strolled out of the A-lister hotspot after their meal.

The model kept her eyes down and shielded them with slim retro sunglasses as she walked at a fast pace out of the eatery.

The couple's outing comes after they were spotted cozying up to each other during a night out on the town following the launch of Hailey's Rhode skincare line at Sephora.

It also comes shortly after the release of Justin's SWAG II surprise album.

Justin Bieber seemed to be in low spirits during an awkward lunch outing with his wife Hailey Bieber in New York City this weekend

The couple looked tense as a crowd of onlookers gathered around them outside Sadelle's restaurant on Saturday

For their outing, the beauty founder showcased her casual summer style as she paired a black, cropped camisole with a pair of semi-flared trousers.

She left her long brunette hair down in a straight style, parted down the middle, and showcased her radiant beauty with rosy pink blush and a glossy nude lip.

She sported leather flip-flop sandals and carried a leather moon bag with gold hardware.

With her purse in one hand and an iced latte in the other, she walked out of the restaurant and ahead of her husband.

For their outing, Justin wore pieces from his own label, as he rocked a pale lavender Skylrk hoodie paired with bright purple sneakers and bubblegum pink socks.

He wore baggy, dark wash jean shorts and kept his hands in his pockets as he followed his wife of seven years.

On the same day, he also took to his social media account to share a series of photos  including a rare glimpse of his and Hailey's one-year-old son Jack Blues Bieber.

In one image, Hailey was lounging on a makeshift bed on a private jet and staring adoringly as her son stood up, leaning against the seats.

Justin, 31, was trailing behind his wife Hailey, 28, and his eyebrows were furrowed as they strolled out of the A-lister hotspot after their meal

The pop star lingered a few paces behind her as they walked to their car alongside their team

The model kept her eyes down and shielded them with slim, retro sunglasses as she walked at a fast pace out of the eatery

For their outing, the beauty founder showcased her casual summer style as she paired a black, cropped camisole with a pair of semi-flared trousers

For their outing, Justin wore pieces from his own label as he rocked a pale lavender Skylrk hoodie paired with bright purple sneakers and bubblegum pink socks

The Yukon hitmaker also shared a close-up photo of him holding his son on his shoulders without showing either of their faces.

He also shared a series of mirror selfies showing him pushing his son in a stroller.

He wore his pink and purple Skylrk outfit, and his son Jack was also curled up with his dad's matching pink hoodie bundled around him alongside a fuzzy blanket.

The photo appeared to be taken from their New York City apartment as Justin and his toddler son were sitting beside a large, cactus statue.

He teamed his posts of his family with many smiling emojis as they enjoyed a family trip in the Big Apple together to celebrate their recent projects.

He also included photos of his shorts and shoes, writing in his caption that he has been 'working on the skylrk [sic] jeans and jean shorts. Wowzers.'

His posts come after he was also active on his Instagram the day before when he shared a series of photos admiring his glamorous wife posing in her launch event looks.

In recent months, Justin's dedicated fanbase have been left fraught with fears over the star's mental health, substance use and marriage.

On the same day, he also took to his social media account to share a series of photos  including a rare glimpse of his and Hailey's one-year-old son Jack Blues Bieber

The Yukon hitmaker also shared a close-up photo of him holding his son on his shoulders without showing either of their faces

He also shared a series of mirror selfies showing him pushing his son in a stroller

He wore his pink and purple Skylrk outfit and his son Jack was also curled up with his dad's matching pink hoodie bundled around him alongside a fuzzy blanket

The photo appeared to be taken from their New York City apartment as Justin and his toddler son were sitting beside a large, cactus statue

He also included photos of his shorts and shoes, writing in his caption that he has been 'working on the skylrk jeans and jean shorts. Wowzers'

It appears the couple are now back on track following their rocky patch, with sources revealing how they used a recent family holiday. And in his surprise follow-up album, he released even more songs gushing over his wife

Yet the musician appears to be blazing a comeback trail in his personal life, as a slew of new posts, romantic statements and happy-go-lucky professions have helped shun memories of his turbulent year.

Over the summer, the star sparked rumors of trouble in his relationship to wife Hailey Bieber, nee Baldwin, over lyrics in his new album Swag where he discussed his troubles  leaving critics branding the album a 'messy cry for help'.

Keen to silence the whispers, Justin and Hailey have been sharing a slew of loved-up snaps from their vacation to Idaho with their 15-month-old son Jack Blues, in a far cry from Justin's bleary-eyed posts in July.

His new social media activity seems to echo insiders' claims that Justin is 'in a better headspace' after his marriage was rocked by the release of Swag, Justin's seventh studio album, which contained moody, dark and concerning lyrics.

However, it appears the couple are now back on track following their rocky patch, with sources revealing how they enjoyed a recent family holiday.

And in his surprise follow-up album, he released even more songs gushing over his wife, singing of their love in the record titled SWAG II.

Over the summer, it was clear the couple had been putting considerable effort into their relationship by making time for each other.

While boasting big smiles and relaxed demeanors in their pictures together, the Biebers have shown fans they're back on track.
Bryan Cranston, Julie Andrews and Julianne Nicholson were among the winners at night one of the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

The annual two-day Creative Arts Emmy Awards kicked off its first night on Saturday at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

At the star-studded award ceremony, Cranston, 69, took home the award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in The Studio.

The Apple TV+ series also topped the list of winners with nine, followed by HBO Max's The Penguin with eight and Apple TV+'s Severance with six awards.

Nicholson won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy for her Dance Mom appearance in the hit series Hacks after going up against Olivia Colmon, Jamie Lee Curtis, Cynthia Erivo, Robby Hoffman and Zoe Kravitz.

Curtis and Kravitz were two of the many standout, fan-favorite performances that lost out on trophies at the annual award ceremony.

Bryan Cranston was among the many winners at night one of the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards; pictured December 2024 in Beverly Hills

At the star-studded award ceremony, Cranston, 69, took home the award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in The Studio

For his award-winning role in The Studio, Cranston beat out four other guest actors who played fictionalized versions of themselves on the show: Martin Scorsese, Dave Franco, Anthony Mackie and Ron Howard.

The category was mostly made up of The Studio nominees while the lone outsider was Jon Bernthal, who received a nod for his performance in season three of Hulu's The Bear.

Last year, Bernthal won the Emmy in the same category for his appearance in the second season.

In the Hollywood satire show, Cranston portrayed Continental Studios executive Griffin Mill, earning his flowers for his performance in the episode CinemaCon.

This is Cranston's first Emmy win since the conclusion of Breaking Bad, in which he is famous for his iconic portrayal of Walter White and won four times in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category.

The Malcolm in the Middle star is now a seven-time Emmy winner  while he holds a total of 16 Emmy nominations over the span of his career  and has now taken home his first Emmy for a comedy performance.

Julie Andrews was named the winner of Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for her work in an episode of the hit Netflix drama Bridgerton.

Other nominees in the category include Hank Azaria for his work in The Simpsons, Maya Rudolph in Big Mouth, Alan Tudyk in Andor, Jeffrey Wright in What If...? and Steven Yeun in Invincible.

Julie Andrews was named the winner of Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for her work in an episode of the hit Netflix drama Bridgerton; pictured March 2023 in Los Angeles

The film and Broadway legend, 89, took home the award for her voiceover work as Lady Whistledown in season eight's third episode titled Into the Light

Julianne Nicholson was the Emmy winner in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

In season four of Hacks, Nicholson's standout comedic performance as Mary Alice or Dance Mom earned her her flowers

She could also take home two more awards this year as she is also nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Paradise in addition to Hacks again

The film and Broadway legend, 89, took home the award for her voiceover work as Lady Whistledown in season eight's third episode titled Into the Light.

She previously was nominated in the same category and for the same voiceover role in both 2021 and 2022 in Bridgerton as well as 2023 in the spinoff Queen Charlotte.

Julianne Nicholson was the Emmy winner in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.

Her fellow nominees included Olivia Colman and Jamie Lee Curtis from The Bear as well as Cynthia Erivo from Poker Face.

Robby Hoffman also received a nod for her performance in Hacks as well as Zoe Kravitz's dramatic, exaggerated portrayal of herself in The Studio.

In season four of Hacks, Nicholson's standout comedic performance as Mary Alice or Dance Mom earned her her flowers.

She previously won an Emmy for her appearance in Mare of Easttown in 2021.

Merritt Wever was named the winner of the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series category for her performance in Severance

She received her flowers for her portrayal of Gretchen George in the second season of the hit Apple TV+ thriller, but she was not present at the event; pictured December 2018 in Los Angeles

Shawn Hatosy, 49, won Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role in The Pitt at the Creative Arts Emmys

In the HBO Max medical procedural drama, Hatosy (seen on right) played Dr. Jack Abbot, a combat medic working as an attending physician in emergency medicine

She could also take home two more awards this year as she is also nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Paradise in addition to Hacks once again.

Merritt Wever was named the winner of the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series category for her performance in Severance.

In the same category, she was up against Hollywood heavyweights Catherine O'Hara and Kaitlyn Dever for their respective roles in The Last of Us.

The nominees in the category also included Cherry Jones for The Handmaid's Tale as well as Gwendoline Christie and Jane Alexander also both in Severance.

She received her flowers for her portrayal of Gretchen George in the second season of the hit Apple TV+ thriller, but she was not present at the event so presenter Jamie Lee Curtis accepted the Emmy on her behalf.

She played Dylan George's (Zach Cherry) wife in the thriller and was recognized for one of the hit show's most emotional scenes in the last season.

Shawn Hatosy, 49, won Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role in The Pitt at the Creative Arts Emmys.

The category also included nominees Forest Whitaker for Andor, Giancarlo Esposito for The Boys, Jeffrey Wright and Joe Pantoliano for their respective roles in The Last of Us and Scott Glenn for his appearance in The White Lotus.

Jamie Lee Curtis was one of the presenters on the first night of the two-day award ceremony but did not take home a trophy like last year. Like the year before, she was nominated for her role as the neurotic Berzatto matriarch Donna in FX's The Bear. She won her first Emmy last year

Kravitz landed her first Emmy nod for The Studio, in which she played an exaggerated, fictional version of herself but was beat out for the coveted trophy

In the HBO Max medical procedural drama, Hatosy played Dr. Jack Abbot, a combat medic working as an attending physician in emergency medicine.

The show earned 13 nominations overall, including one for Noah Wyle for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

The show itself got a nod for Outstanding Drama Series, and writers Joe Sachs and R. Scott Gemmill and directors Amanda Marsalis and John Wells each were recognized for their work on the hit series.

The second night of the Creative Arts Emmys will take place on Sunday with an additional 49 trophies to be awarded and distributed in the writing, casting, makeup and picture editing categories of this year's hit TV series.
My Kitchen Rules fans have slammed Seven's ratings hit after viewers spotted a lapse in hygiene standards in Tuesday's episode.

The cooking show came under fire on social media after contestants Anne and Maree were seen preparing a meal with their hair down.

Fans were also worried that the mother and daughter duo were seen handling food without gloves.

'Both ladies should tie their hair up, too risky,' a user on a MKR Facebook thread said.

'Basic hygiene when you're cooking for guests, and besides, theyll lose points if a hair is found in the food,' another viewer added.

A third fan added, 'Can't understand why their hair is not tied up!'

My Kitchen Rules fans have slammed Seven's ratings hit after viewers spotted a lapse in hygiene standards. Pictured: Contestants Anne and Maree

The cooking show came under fire on social media after a mother and daughter duo were seen preparing a meal with their hair down. Pictured: A scene from Tuesday's MKR

The women were also questioned over the way they prepared their 'Greek Classic' Chicken and Lamb Souvlakia with Pita and Tzatziki.

'When plating up, they should be wearing gloves,' observed a fan on the Facebook thread, while another added, 'No tongs to serve the salad with?'

Anne and Maree were not the only MKR contestants to face criticism over hygiene with Justin and Will also receiving criticism over their efforts on Monday.

'The boys also wore rings when kneading their dough and cooking,' a fan said on the same thread.

Daily Mail has reached out to Channel Seven for comment.

Maddie Deveraux, who appeared as a contestant on MKR last year, recently discussed hygiene standards on the show with Yahoo Lifestyle.

'People often forget MKR is as much about the food as it is the fashion, the drama, and the personalities,' she told the publication on Wednesday.

'When youre cooking in your own home, its completely up to you as a contestant whether you wear your hair up or down  its all about what you feel comfortable with and also what the producers approve.

Fans were also worried the mother and daughter handled food without gloves. (Pictured)

'That changes once you get into Kitchen HQ, though. From that point on, hair must always be tied up for hygiene reasons.'

It comes after My Kitchen Rules star Colin Fassnidge was paid a remarkably low salary when he joined the show.

The Irishborn chef, 51, has revealed he was paid just $40,000 for his time on My Kitchen Rules in 2013, when he joined the show's fourth season.

In 2013, the minimum wage salary for fulltime workers based on 38 hours was $622.20 a week, which works out to $32,354 a year, slightly less than what Colin earned.

In September, an unnamed contestant from the 2024 season revealed to Daily Mail Australia that the going rate for burgeoning TV chefs was $1100 per week  barely above minimum wage.

The Australian minimum wage is currently $24.10 per hour, or $915.90 per week based on 38 hours.

The contestant said appearing on the reality show meant taking a pay cut for many, claiming that one castmate ended up in the red after filming.
Lindy Klim has shared an awkward mishap with an intimate product.

The 45-year-old entrepreneur was heading out with a friend when her mate spotted an incontinence pad hanging out of a tote bag Lindy had slung over one shoulder.

The Balinese princess broke into uncontrollable laughter as her female friend waved the absorbent pad in Lindy's face.

Incontinence pads are intended to protect the wearer from soiling themselves if they experience difficulty with bladder control.

Posting the video to her Instagram, Lindy, between peals of laughter, attempted to explain that the pad was not for her.

'They're from my dad,' she says at one point.

Lindy Klim has shared an awkward mishap with an intimate product. (Pictured)

The 45-year-old entrepreneur was heading out with a friend when her mate spotted an incontinence pad hanging out of a tote bag Lindy had slung over one shoulder

Lindy's followers had no problem seeing the funny side of the potentially embarrassing moment, with many sharing their reactions.

'Why does this crack me up soooooo much,' one person messaged Lindy, while another added, 'Hahaha always prepared.'

'Im crying,' a third follower added alongside three laughing emojis.

It comes as Lindy is set to join the upcoming season of Amazing Race Celebrity Edition.

In a clip shared to social media, it appears Lindy and her daughter Stella, 19, will find it a humbling experience from the very first episode.

The footage shows the mother-daughter duo claiming they are 'princesses', before promptly breaking down after encountering 'mouldy mattresses'.

The video then cuts to them horrified as they saw the 10-bedroom dorm they would be sleeping in during the race's first leg.

'I can't,' Lindy sobbed as she broke down.

The Balinese princess broke into uncontrollable laughter as her female friend waved the absorbent pad in Lindy's face

Lindy attempted to explain that the pad was not for her

'Are you serious?' she later told producers.

The video returns to footage of her and her daughter Stella crying over their thin beds.

'I'm having a panic attack!' Lindy screamed.

'It's literally my worst nightmare,' she added, before later saying: 'I think I'm not being that much of a princess.'

Despite the theatrics, the socialite appeared to take it all in stride as she posted the trailer to her personal Instagram page.

'Watch me have a panic attack,' she wrote, before telling followers they could watch the first episode Monday at 7.30pm on Channel 10.
Victoria Beckham has put her heartache over her eldest son Brooklyn's estrangement to one side and has made sure he features in her forthcoming Netflix show.

Despite the fashion designer having had no contact with Brooklyn, 26, since May, she has refused to cut scenes of footage of him in the documentary which follows Victoria's burgeoning business empire.

Sources close to the project have revealed that a scene where Brooklyn helps clear her catwalk at her Paris Fashion Week show in September 2024 of water after the heavens open and it pours with rain.

Victoria, 51, will be seen asking her team and family to be all hands-on deck and begin mopping the catwalk. All of Victoria's children will appear in the show.

The show is about Victorias fashion and beauty empire and the Paris show where Brooklyn was was part of that story, says a source. So Brooklyn will be in the show, that is for certain.

Brooklyn, who is married to American heiress Nicola Peltz, will be joined on the docuseries, which will premiere next month, by his younger brothers Romeo and Cruz, 20.

Brooklyn Beckham will appear in mum Victoria's forthcoming Netflix documentary despite family feud

Despite the Victoria having had no contact with Brooklyn, 26, since May, she has refused to cut scenes of footage of him in her documentary

Victoria, 51, will be seen asking her team and family to be all hands-on deck and begin mopping the catwalk

They will feature in scenes connected to fashion. One is understood to be Cruz being fitted for a suit in the run up to one of his mothers fashion shows.

Netflix announced the beginning of production on a documentary series following Victoria and her fashion and beauty business in August.

It promises to give exclusive access to Victoria, her family, and those closest to her.

It comes as Brooklyn was once again notably absent from his brother Romeo's 23rd birthday party on Friday night where David and Victoria led the celebrations at Japanese restaurant Aki in central London.

Cruz and his girlfriend  Posh lookalike Jackie Apostel  were also in attendance, as well as Harper, 14.

There was no dress code but black seemed to be the theme of the night with all guests apart from Cruz opting to wear it.

While friends of the family say that David and Victoria no longer expect their oldest son Brooklyn to attend their parties after he shunned all of his fathers 50th birthday events earlier this year, there is still a tinge of sadness at his absence.

A source close to Romeo said: It was a lovely, low key night to celebrate Romeo. There were lots of his friends there as well as the family. They wanted to give Romeo a special night to remember, it has been a difficult year for the Beckhams.

It went on quite late and there were a lot of people tired on Saturday morning, everyone let their hair down and it was great fun.

Given the feud between the Beckham brothers, it is unlikely that Romeo would have invited Brooklyn  something that David and Victoria have now accepted is just how things are now.

One picture from the birthday bash showed Romeo as he cut a trendy figure in a black leather jacket while posing with his two siblings and parents, without his eldest brother present.

Brooklyn also failed to publicly wish his brother a Happy Birthday on social media, in yet another demonstration of the long-running family feud.

Romeo Beckham beamed as he celebrated his 23rd birthday with his family and friends this week

Newly released family snaps from the lavish event show Romeo pose with his proud parents David, 52, and Victoria, 51

Spice Girl Victoria cut a chic figure in a floor length sheer black gown, while David donned a navy suit paired with a white t-shirt.

Harper looked all grown up in a strapless black ballgown for her big brother's birthday, though Cruz appeared to miss the memo with a lairy blue and cream shirt and jeans.

Another snap showed proud dad David pull his son in for a sweet hug while boasting a huge smile.

It looked like a great night, with Romeo appearing to squirm as a giant birthday cake with candles was presented to him.
Just two years ago, Alix Earle was a University of Miami sorority girl filming 'get ready with me' videos in her bedroom.

Now, the 24-year-old is one of the most popular influencers on social media, boasting a dizzying 12 million followers across Instagram and TikTok.

A far cry from her humble beginnings  videos of the once-relatable starlet applying makeup at her vanity and chatting casually with viewers about college  Alix's content now shows off her ultra-luxe lifestyle of lavish parties, worldwide travel and sitting front row at Fashion Week.

Most recently, however, Alix - who is dating Houston Texans wide receiver Braxton Berrios - has given fans a glimpse behind the curtain of Dancing with the Stars, on which she is part of the celebrity ensemble.

But the larger-than-life glitz and glamour on her profile shrouds a sordid family secret - one that insiders say could also prove to be her secret weapon.

The Daily Mail exclusively spoke to sources who recalled how the Earle family's scandal rocked their New Jersey hometown, and revealed why their controversial past will only help Alix's ascent to stardom.

The 24-year-old is one of the most popular influencers on social media, boasting a dizzying 12 million followers across both Instagram and TikTok

Alix (pictured left with her dance partner Val Chmerkovskiy, right) has given her fans a glimpse behind the curtain of Dancing with the Stars

When Alix and her younger sister Ashtin were in elementary school, news broke that their father, New Jersey construction scion Thomas Earle, had an extramarital affair.

His girlfriend was none other than Ashley Dupre, the former call girl at the center of former New York governor Eliot Spitzer's sex scandal.

On February 13, 2008, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, Spitzer checked into Room 871 under the pseudonym George Fox.

As it turned out, the then-governor  notably tough on prostitution during his time in office - was a frequent client of Emperor's Club VIP, an international escort agency that provided call girls to clients in New York City, Washington, DC, Miami, London and Paris for between $1,000 and $5,500 an hour.

As much as $80,000 was traced from Spitzer's bank accounts to the agency in a two-year period, according to federal investigators. Court records state that he coughed up $4,300 in cash for his two-hour tryst with Dupre, then a 22-year-old aspiring musician.

FBI agents, who had been monitoring the escort service, arrested four members of the group on money-laundering and prostitution charges in March 2008. Spitzer and Dupre were not charged.

The 'Luv Guv' scandal toppled the Spitzer's political career. The governor issued an apology, then resigned.

That same year, Dupre's relationship with Thomas Earle, then 35, came to light.

'I remember the day very clearly,' Alix told Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper in 2023, recalling how her life 'flipped upside down.'

'Paparazzi had shown up at my house and my mom quickly kind of got me and my sister out of the house over to our cousins. We stayed there for a few days, and I had no idea what was going on. I didn't know they were paparazzi. I thought news broadcasters were interviewing the neighbors.'

While her family drama made national news, it also rocked their small, tight-knit community in Monmouth County.

According to a former classmate, who spoke to the Daily Mail on condition of anonymity, the affair  and Dupre's reputation  was the talk of the town.

The Earle Companies executive met Dupre at a New Jersey eatery, at which time he reportedly boasted, 'I could have had her for free!'

As their relationship progressed, he often whisked her away for secret dalliances in Manhattan, though he later described his actions as a 'grave mistake' in a public apology to his now ex-wife, Alisa.

Back then, Alix  who was in second grade  had little knowledge of what had transpired. It wasn't until two years later that she learned of her father's affair.

When Alix and her younger sister Ashtin were in elementary school, news broke that their father, New Jersey construction scion Thomas Earle (left), had an extramarital affair with Ashley Dupre (right)

Dupre (pictured) was the former call girl at the center of former New York governor Eliot Spitzer's sex scandal

Back then, Alix  who was in second grade  had little knowledge of what had transpired. It wasn't until two years later that she learned of her father's affair

According to a former classmate, who spoke to the Daily Mail on condition of anonymity, the affair  and Dupre's reputation  was the talk of the town. (Pictured: the Earle family in 2023)

'It was in, like, fourth grade. I started to kind of hear commentary from people and I had an iPad at the time,' she said. 'I'm Googling my family and all of a sudden, I see that the past two years of my life had been a lie.'

The scandal followed Alix into high school, and the influencer recalled feeling humiliated when a teacher discussed the governor's affair in class.

'I remember my classmates looking at me and laughing because this was about my family,' she said on the podcast.

'I left school bawling my eyes out. I was so embarrassed.'

While the ordeal could have made Alix bitter or resentful, the former classmate described her as being nothing but 'down to earth' and 'very sweet'  though, Dupre seems to have seen a different side of her.

Alix and her sister once described filling her shoes with toothpaste and serving her a chocolate-covered garlic clove disguised as a chocolate-covered strawberry.

'I was told that I had to be respectful to this woman and we had to be nice to her. I wanted to rip her head off,' Alix said on her Hot Mess podcast in September 2024.

Not only was Dupre tormented by the two young Earle girls but she simultaneously faced public scrutiny following the 'Luv Guv' scandal, with her face splashed on the covers of local tabloids.

PR maven Kelly Cutrone, who met Dupre in 2009 and hosted the aspiring musician on her show Kell on Earth, told the Daily Mail: 'When I met her, you know, she was very intelligent, really sweet and had really been through it.

'I just think that she kind of lost her way a little bit.'

But that's why, if there is anyone to offer Alix advice on how to navigate the pitfalls of fame, it's Dupre.

Perhaps not the most traditional of role models, Cutrone however emphasized how crucial Dupre could be to Alix as she navigates being in the limelight  and the criticism that comes with it.

'Ashley is an expert at it. She was a young girl who was put through the f***ing ringer,' said Cutrone, 59.

If there is anyone to offer Alix advice on how to navigate the pitfalls of fame, it's Dupre

The Earles (pictured) are a blended family with the addition of Dupre's three children, Alix's half-siblings

Pictured: Izabel Earle, Ashtin Earle, Alix Earle and Penelope Earle

In fact, Alix once confessed that she turned to Dupre as a voice of reason amid her newfound TikTok fame.

'One time, I was overwhelmed about something of mine and I called my dad. He was like, 'You should really talk to Ashley about this. She has dealt with this before, stuff in the media,' Alix told Elle magazine in 2023 of her stepmom, who married Thomas Earle in 2013.

'It's brought us closer because she's able to guide me through it.'

As for the advice that Dupre has imparted to her famous stepdaughter? 'Life goes on.'

Indeed, hers has.

Despite her father's affair and the tumultuous fallout, Alix has seemingly brushed off the controversy. She often boasts of their 'blended family' with the addition of her half-siblings, Izabel, 11, and Penelope, nine, and seven-year-old Thomas James.

Cutrone said: 'Fear of people knowing about you or your life or your family's life, if that's what inhibits you, you'll never get to where you want to go.

'I mean, she's showed up and suited up.'

And in more ways than one  on September 16, she will be slipping on her dancing shoes and a sequined number for her Dancing with the Stars debut.

'I hope she has a great season,' added Cutrone. 'I'll be voting for her!'

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Alix Earle and Ashley Dupre for comment.
Kate Plus Eight alum Kate Gosselin could have been a mother-of-nine had she not tragically lost a baby during her sextuplet pregnancy back in 2004.

The 50-year-old pediatric nurse detailed her infertility, pregnancy, and birth journey in a six-part TikTok series - which she posted between August 19 and Sunday.

During part four, which went viral after dropping last Wednesday, Kate recalled her and ex-husband Jon Gosselin's first ultrasound at six weeks.

'There were seven babies,' Gosselin (born Kreider) noted.

'I think they had us come back the next week  it was either the next week or two weeks, I can't honestly remember  to see how they had progressed. In between that time, the seventh baby stopped growing.'

Months later, the Pennsylvania-born blonde started bleeding and thought it 'was the beginning of a miscarriage [and] I was losing them all.'

Kate Plus Eight alum Kate Gosselin could have been a mother-of-nine had she not tragically lost a baby during her sextuplet pregnancy back in 2004

The 50-year-old pediatric nurse detailed her infertility, pregnancy, and birth journey in a six-part TikTok series - which she posted between August 19 and Sunday

'At some point, she just got really quiet and I thought, "Here we go, it's done," and I was really, really scared,' Kate - who boasts 1M social media followers - recalled.

'All of a sudden, [the ultrasound tech] said, "I see six." And I said, "You see six what?!" And she said, "I see six heartbeats, they're there."'

Gosselin continued: 'From that point on, I was in it. I was going to fight for them. I was going to do whatever. Not that I wasn't before, but just the fact that it was dangled, I was threatened with losing them, it made me realize how much I already loved them. So that was very miraculous.'

In the comments section, the hot-tempered star replied to a fan that she 'immediately thought' her late baby would've been a girl and she would've named her Emma.

Due to her Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Kate conceived all of her children through fertility treatments, including intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Gosselin's son Aaden, daughter Alexis, son Joel, daughter Leah, and formerly estranged daughter Hannah are now 21 and most of them are enrolled in college.

On October 8, the North Carolina-based star will celebrate the 25th birthdays of her New York-based twin daughters, Mady and Cara.

Mady works in sales at DECIEM, the Abnormal Beauty Company, after graduating from Syracuse University in 2023 while Cara works as a leasing credit officer at Bank of America after graduating from Fordham University in 2023.

Kate is estranged from her son Collin - who alleges she abused him as a child, had him hospitalized for 22 months spanning 2016-2018, and 'crushed' his dream of becoming a US Marine in 2023 by publicly posting about his 'multiple psychiatric diagnoses' and 'violent behavior.'

On Saturday, the 21-year-old college RA announced he's 'been given the opportunity to write my very first book.'

During part four, which went viral after dropping last Wednesday, Kate recalled her and ex-husband Jon Gosselin's first ultrasound at six weeks

Gosselin (born Kreider) said: 'There were seven babies. I think they had us come back the next week  it was either the next week or two weeks, I can't honestly remember  to see how they had progressed. In between that time, the seventh baby stopped growing'

Months later, the Pennsylvania-born blonde started bleeding and thought it 'was the beginning of a miscarriage [and] I was losing them all'

Kate recalled: 'At some point, she just got really quiet and I thought, "Here we go, it's done," and I was really, really scared. All of a sudden, [the ultrasound tech] said, "I see six." And I said, "You see six what?!" And she said, "I see six heartbeats, they're there"'

In the comments section, Gosselin replied to a fan that she 'immediately thought' her late baby would've been a girl and she would've named her Emma

The hot-tempered star's son Aaden, daughter Alexis, son Joel, daughter Leah, and formerly estranged daughter Hannah are now 21 and most of them are enrolled in college (pictured May 10)

On October 8, Kate will celebrate the 25th birthdays of her New York-based twin daughters, Mady and Cara

Gosselin is estranged from her son Collin - who alleges she abused him as a child, had him hospitalized for 22 months spanning 2016-2018, and 'crushed' his dream of becoming a US Marine in 2023

On Saturday, the 21-year-old college RA announced he's 'been given the opportunity to write my very first book'

Collin is impressively paying his own tuition as a waiter at a chain called Damon's and he recently launched his own LLC, Gosslin Pressure Washing (pictured August 19)

Jon & Kate Plus 8 aired for five seasons on TLC spanning 2007-2010, once amassing 9.8M viewers with the fifth season premiere

After Kate's acrimonious decade-long marriage to the 48-year-old DJ ended in 2009, she produced and starred in her own spin-off Kate Plus 8, which ran for six seasons spanning 2010-2017 plus a 'College Bound' episode in 2019

'Today was a very important part of that process!' Collin announced via Instastory.

'This morning, I had a wonderful phone call with some pretty great friends of mine, who are a part of this journey.'

The former child star is impressively paying his own tuition as a waiter at a chain called Damon's and he recently launched his own LLC, Gosslin Pressure Washing.

Jon & Kate Plus 8 aired for five seasons on TLC spanning 2007-2010, once amassing 9.8M viewers with the fifth season premiere.

After Kate's acrimonious decade-long marriage to the 48-year-old DJ ended in 2009, she produced and starred in her own spin-off Kate Plus 8, which ran for six seasons spanning 2010-2017 plus a 'College Bound' episode in 2019.

In 2023, Gosselin - who now works 12-hour shifts as a nurse - only made it one episode on Fox's Special Forces: World's Toughest Test due to a neck injury.

Kate has also appeared in Say Yes to the Dress (2008), co-hosted four episodes of The View (2009-2010), competed on Dancing with the Stars (2010), Celebrity Wife Swap (2013), The Apprentice (2015), and wrote three non-fiction books.
The model son of Swinging Sixties photographer David Bailey has become a father - just three years after he was 'pulled back from the brink' of transitioning sex to become a woman.

Sacha Bailey, 30, announced on Sunday that his girlfriend Lucy Brown - a former assistant to political activist Tommy Robinson - had given birth to a son, Wolfgang Robert Bailey.

He posted a picture on Instagram of the newborn - just hours after his birth - wrapped in a white blanket in a hospital cot, along with the playful caption: 'Who dis?'

Sascha, whose mother is David's wife, model Catherine Dyer, told the Daily Mail in the run-up to the birth: 'Wolfgang was going to be my name, but my Dad vetoed it. I always wanted it, so now I'm passing it on.'

The newborn's arrival comes three years after Sascha nearly transitioned to become a woman.

The model previously shared he was so depressed during his marriage to Japanese lawyer Mimi Nishikawa, 49, that he thought he was suffering from gender dysphoria.

David Bailey's son Sascha has become a father - just three years after he was 'pulled back from the brink' of transitioning sex to become a woman

Sacha Bailey, 30, announced on Sunday that his girlfriend Lucy Brown - a former assistant to political activist Tommy Robinson - had given birth to a son

He posted a picture on Instagram of the newborn - just hours after his birth - wrapped in a white blanket in a hospital cot, along with the playful caption: 'Who dis?'

He went on to say he began planning to change sex and was preparing to start hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

'I felt totally lost. I didn't want to be alive,' he said. 'I convinced myself I must be transgender - that I was living the wrong life in the wrong body. It felt like the only way out.'

Sascha obtained a prescription for female hormones after a brief consultation with a private doctor, but ultimately pulled back.

'I just stopped and thought: hang on, this isn't right. This is trauma. I don't need a new body - I need to understand why I'm in pain,' he explained.

Sascha now credits Lucy and his famously blunt father David with saving him from making an irreversible decision. 'Lucy saved my life,' he said. 'She helped me feel grounded again. Like I wasn't broken.'

The couple's romance began shortly after the collapse of Sascha's turbulent marriage to Mimi.

Their bitter divorce has dragged on for the last three years, marked by disputes over finances, property, and even unpaid utility bills.

'It has been a nightmare but the divorce is in the final stage,' he said in June. 'So this will be a whole new beginning. I've never felt happier.'

Sascha shared sweet snaps of his new baby boy on social media, and sweetly wrote: 'There is literally nothing more important in the world to me anymore'

Sascha, whose mother is David's wife, model Catherine Dyer, told the Daily Mail in the run-up to the birth: 'Wolfgang was going to be my name'

The newborn's arrival comes three years after Sascha (pictured with his father David in 2018) nearly transitioned to become a woman

Despite describing the collapse of his marriage and the ensuing mental health crisis as 'the worst years of my life', Sascha has not been deterred from marriage.

'I'm still traumatised from the last one,' he admitted. 'But with Lucy, I see it [marriage] in our future. I want to do it properly this time.'

Sascha recently published his memoir, Try to Hit the Pool, which recounts his darkest period - from suicidal thoughts and his aborted gender transition, to his fraught marriage and eventual recovery.

'The book is a way for me to close that terrible saga of my life,' he said.

Sascha has since become a vocal critic of what he calls the 'rushed' approach to gender treatment, particularly for young people.

He claimed he has been contacted by dozens of detransitioners who regret their choices but are ignored by the system.

'So many of them regret it,' he said. 'But the system doesn't want to hear from them - they're treated like they're an inconvenience.'

He has even considered how he would respond if baby Wolfgang one day raised the same questions about gender identity that once consumed him.

'I'd be very against it, obviously,' he said. 'You can't get a tattoo. You can't change your gender. It's really as simple as that. Kids have no control over their life. So we have to look after them.'
Channing Tatum opened up about the unusual lengths he went to while preparing for his latest role in Roofman as convicted robber Jeffrey Manchester.

That even included pausing a conversation with his 12-year-old daughter Everlys teacher to answer a call from a super-maximum security prison.

To get inside the mind of the real-life criminal, notorious for robbing 45 McDonald's restaurants and famously hiding out inside a Toys 'R' Us, the actor, 45, and director Derek Cianfrance spent hours on the phone with Manchester, who is serving a 40-year sentence at Central Prison in Raleigh, North Carolina.

'It's a wild thing when you can't call somebody and they call you from a supermax prison and you have 15 minutes with them,' Tatum told People during the Toronto International Film Festival over the weekend. 'You basically have to pick up, almost wherever you are.'

He continued: 'I was talking to my daughter's teacher one time, and literally Jeffrey Manchester is calling and you're just like, "One second, prison's calling." And then you just go have this 15-minute conversation and then that's it. He's gone and you don't know when he's going to call back or what time.'

Roofman chronicles Manchester's six-month stretch hiding inside a toy store, during which he fell in love with a divorced mom, played on-screen by Kirsten Dunst.

Channing Tatum opened up about the unusual lengths he went to while preparing for his latest role in Roofman as convicted robber Jeffrey Manchester; seen over the weekend

According to the official synopsis, the double life unravels into a tense cat-and-mouse story as his past finally catches up.

Tatum admitted he wasn't sure what to expect when he first read Cianfrance and Kirt Gunn's script, but his phone conversations with Manchester helped him find his way into the role.

'He's a wildly charismatic and warm human. He takes care of you on this phone call,' he said.

This prompted Dunst, 43, to teasingly say: 'I wonder why you were cast.'

Although Tatum has yet to meet Manchester in person, he hopes that might one day change.

'I never got to meet [Manchester]. So hopefully when he gets out, or at some point I'm allowed to actually go see him,' he shared.

For director Cianfrance, 51, the process was even more extensive.

He revealed that he spoke with Manchester 'about four times a week for four years' to piece together the true story.

That even included pausing a conversation with his 12-year-old daughter Everlys teacher to answer a call from a super-maximum security prison

Tatum, who shares his little girl with ex-wife Jenna Dewan, also drew on his own experiences as a father while filming the movie's most emotional scenes

'The more I heard his story, the more I just couldn't believe it was actually real. I talked to the police that arrested him, and sure enough, they said, "Yeah, that's what happened."'

Tatum, who shares his little girl with ex-wife Jenna Dewan, also drew on his own experiences as a father while filming the movie's most emotional scenes.

He said imagining Manchester watching his child from afar struck a deep chord.

'I wasn't acting,' he recalled. 'It's the easiest thing in the world. I remember the first time that my daughter [rode a bike] and I was pushing her on the bike, and I can't imagine watching I mean, I did imagine watching my daughter and not being able to go and have that moment with her. It just crushed me. Absolutely crushed me.'

While speaking to Variety earlier this week, the father-of-one admitted his 50/50 custody arrangement can be challenging.

'It's really tough not to have your daughter half the time. I wish I could just have her all the time,' he explained.
Tony Award winner Billy Porter has stepped away from Broadway's Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club after being diagnosed with what producers described as a 'serious case' of sepsis.

The announcement was made on Sunday, with producers confirming that the 55-year-old actor's doctors advised him to prioritize rest while he recovers.

Although he is expected to make a full recovery, the star will no longer continue in the role of the Emcee.

'His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule these next couple of weeks,' read a statement, obtained by The New York Times.

Producer Adam Speers of ATG Productions praised Porter's contribution to the production, saying: 'Billy was an extraordinary Emcee, bringing his signature passion and remarkable talent. We wish Billy a speedy recovery and I look forward to working with him again in the very near future.'

Tony Award winner Billy Porter has stepped away from Broadway's Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club after being diagnosed with what producers described as a 'serious case' of sepsis

Porter had been scheduled to perform through October 19, but his early departure means the Tony-winning revival will now close ahead of schedule.

Its final performance at the August Wilson Theatre will take place on Sunday, September 21, concluding a run of 18 previews and 592 regular performances.

For the last shows, the Emcee role will be shared by longtime alternates Marty Lauter and David Merino.

Marisha Wallace, who joined the Broadway cast alongside Porter in July after performing with him in the London staging, will remain with the production until closing.

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body's immune system has an extreme reaction to an infection, leading to widespread inflammation and possible organ failure.

According to the CDC, sepsis requires immediate treatment with antibiotics, IV fluids and hospital monitoring.

Early signs of sepsis can include fever, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing or confusion.

Severe cases may escalate into septic shock, which can be fatal without urgent intervention.

The announcement was made on Sunday, with producers confirming that the 55-year-old actor's doctors advised him to prioritize rest while he recovers; seen in 2023

Although he is expected to make a full recovery, the star will no longer continue in the role of the Emcee (pictured in 2022)

'His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule these next couple of weeks,' read a statement (pictured in 2023)

While it can affect anyone, people with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions are at higher risk.

In 2021, Porter revealed he has been living with HIV since 2007.

'I was the generation that was supposed to know better, and it happened anyway. It was 2007, the worst year of my life,' he said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 'By February, I had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. By March, I signed bankruptcy papers. And by June, I was diagnosed HIV-positive.'

He continued: 'The shame of that time compounded with the shame that had already [accumulated] in my life silenced me, and I have lived with that shame in silence for 14 years. HIV-positive, where I come from, growing up in the Pentecostal church with a very religious family, is Gods punishment.'

After years of hiding his condition, the performer, best known for his role in the hit TV series Pose, explained speaking 'the truth' was 'healing.'

Over his career, Porter has earned an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
People visit a photo exhibition during a commemorative event 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 in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 6, 2025. The Hungarian Workers' Party on Saturday organized a commemorative event in Budapest 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. Held at the party's national headquarters, the event gathered party members, supporters, and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary. Participants expressed respect for the courage and sacrifice of the Chinese people and reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the lessons of history. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

BUDAPEST, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Hungarian Workers' Party on Saturday organized a commemorative event in Budapest 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.

Held at the party's national headquarters, the event gathered party members, supporters, and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary. Participants expressed respect for the courage and sacrifice of the Chinese people and reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the lessons of history.

In his keynote speech, Gyula Thurmer, president of the Hungarian Workers' Party, underlined the central role of the Communist Party of China in uniting the Chinese people during their 14-year-long struggle. He recalled the enormous human cost of the war, noting that some 35 million Chinese lives were lost.

"China could be pressed, even attacked by foreign powers, but never defeated," he said.

Thurmer added that China's victory not only safeguarded its sovereignty but also contributed significantly to preventing further expansion of fascism in Asia and Europe.

In an interview with Xinhua, Thurmer underlined the continuing importance of the historical lessons. He stressed that Hungarian people, who also endured the tragedies of the Second World War, share the conviction that such devastation must never be repeated.

He said the People's Republic of China today represents an important guarantee of global peace and stability. "We support China's foreign policy and welcome Hungary's strategic cooperation with China as a guarantee for future development," Thurmer told Xinhua.

Yang Chao, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy, delivered remarks on behalf of Ambassador Gong Tao. He stressed that the victory of the Chinese people was a decisive part of the global anti-fascist struggle and made a "monumental contribution to the preservation of human civilization and world peace." 

Yang Chao, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy, delivers remarks on behalf of Ambassador Gong Tao during a commemorative event 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 in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 6, 2025. The Hungarian Workers' Party on Saturday organized a commemorative event in Budapest 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.

Held at the party's national headquarters, the event gathered party members, supporters, and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary. Participants expressed respect for the courage and sacrifice of the Chinese people and reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the lessons of history. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Gyula Thurmer, president of the Hungarian Workers' Party, delivers a keynote speech during a commemorative event 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 in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 6, 2025. The Hungarian Workers' Party on Saturday organized a commemorative event in Budapest 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.

Held at the party's national headquarters, the event gathered party members, supporters, and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary. Participants expressed respect for the courage and sacrifice of the Chinese people and reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the lessons of history. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

People visit a photo exhibition during a commemorative event 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 in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 6, 2025. The Hungarian Workers' Party on Saturday organized a commemorative event in Budapest 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.

Held at the party's national headquarters, the event gathered party members, supporters, and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary. Participants expressed respect for the courage and sacrifice of the Chinese people and reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the lessons of history. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
Influencer Lola Doll is in critical condition after being shot multiple times in Georgetown, Guyana.

The 33-year-old, whose real name is Lolita Callender, was targeted outside her residence in Texas Square, East Ruimveldt, on Saturday, Sept. 6, at approximately 11:35 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) shared on Facebook.

Callender is currently receiving medical care at Georgetown Public Hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds to her neck, face, hands, and right leg.

Lola Doll is best known for her bold and provocative social media content and music videos.

Authorities have stressed that the investigation remains ongoing and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

On Sunday, police confirmed an arrest, noting that the individual is in custody and is apparently 'assisting with the investigation', according to Dance Hall..

Influencer Lola Doll is in critical condition after being shot multiple times in Georgetown, Guyana

The 33-year-old, whose real name is Lolita Callender, was targeted outside her residence in Texas Square, East Ruimveldt, on Saturday, Sept. 6, at approximately 11:35 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) shared on Facebook

New details are emerging, with reports claiming Lolas brother witnessed the shooting.

'I was inside at home when I hear gunshots and run out to see was what, only to see me sister lying in she car and blood, if you see blood, pouring out,' Lolas brother told the Stabroek News newspaper.

He added, 'We rushed her hereI cant tell you where all she was shot but she was shot in like her face, her side, I dont know where elseblood, so much blood everywhere.

'She lost a lot of blood but she is a fighter.'

Security footage was also released on Sunday, reportedly showing a lone gunman walking briskly towards Lolas white Mercedes-Benz before opening fire, per Dance Hall.

The GPF statement read: The Guyana Police Force is investigating an alleged incident of discharging a loaded firearm committed on 33-year-old Lolita Callender, also known as Lola Doll, of Texas Square, East Ruimveldt.

'The incident occurred at about 23:35 hrs in front of her residence at Texas Square.

'She is presently receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she remains in critical condition, having sustained gunshot wounds to her neck, face, hands, and right leg.

'I was inside at home when I hear gunshots and run out to see was what, only to see me sister lying in she car and blood, if you see blood, pouring out,' Lolas brother told the Stabroek News newspaper

'Preliminary information indicates that the victim was seated in her motor car when she was shot by a male on a motorcycle.

'Police ranks are actively pursuing the suspect, and CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed as part of the investigation.

'The Guyana Police Force is urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has information to come forward. Persons can also share information anonymously by calling 911 or the nearest police station. Investigations are ongoing.
On Sunday, Danny Trejo was forced to shut down viral rumors that he had died after allegedly suffering a stroke.

The rumors were amplified on Saturday by none other than the 81-year-old convict-turned-movie star's former castmate John Leguizamo, who Instastoried 'R.I.P.' over a false August 19th report from Polonia News.

'Thank you all for your concern but I am very much alive,' Danny - who boasts 13.3M social media followers - wrote on Instagram.

'Someone is spreading fake news.'

It's been 22 years since Trejo guest-starred in an episode of the 65-year-old Emmy winner's Nickelodeon sitcom, The Brothers Garcia.

Coincidentally, the Echo Park native and John were both honored on August 22 at the 40th annual Imagen Awards in Beverly Hills, and the Latino-centered ceremony is set to air October 1 on PBS.

On Sunday, Danny Trejo was forced to shut down viral rumors that he had died after allegedly suffering a stroke (pictured August 22)

Danny won best variety/reality show for his History Channel series Mysteries Unearthed while Leguizamo - who did not attend - won best actor for his role in the film Bob Trevino Likes It.

Trejo has been very active over the past month, hosting a meet-and-greet and concert for his record label Trejo's Music at the Regent Theater in LA on August 30.

The day before that, the Big City Greens actor took part in the 15th anniversary screening of Machete at Vidiots in LA alongside screenwriter Alvaro Rodriguez.

On August 23, Danny impressively celebrated 57 years of sobriety after previously serving time in and out of prisons like San Quentin, Folsom, and Soledad.

'I feel blessed, first of all, because I wasn't supposed to make it out of the '60s  and I mean 1960s,' Trejo told People last year.

'That was a tough time for me, and nobody thought I was going to make it out of there. Now, I've been on the good Lord's time.'

The prolific restaurateur continued: 'Anytime somebody asks me did I ever imagine, I never imagined getting out of prison. The last thing I heard the parole board say in 1969 was, "Bring us back a life sentence. We're sick and tired of you."

'I never went back. I mean, every day, every day for me is just a blessing.'

Trejo currently stars as the gun-wielding Jimmy in Victor Rios' fentanyl crime thriller Wages of Sin, which just premiered last Friday VOD via Amazon Prime Video.

The rumors were amplified on Saturday by none other than the 81-year-old convict-turned-movie star's former castmate John Leguizamo, who Instastoried 'R.I.P.' over a false August 19th report from Polonia News

'Thank you all for your concern but I am very much alive,' Danny - who boasts 13.3M social media followers - wrote on Instagram. 'Someone is spreading fake news'

It's been 22 years since Trejo guest-starred in an episode of the 65-year-old Emmy winner's Nickelodeon sitcom, The Brothers Garcia

Coincidentally, the Echo Park native and John were both honored on August 22 at the 40th annual Imagen Awards in Beverly Hills, and the Latino-centered ceremony is set to air October 1 on PBS

Danny has been very active over the past month, hosting a meet-and-greet and concert for his record label Trejo's Music at the Regent Theater in LA on August 30

The day before that, Trejo took part in the 15th anniversary screening of Machete at Vidiots in LA alongside screenwriter Alvaro Rodriguez

On August 23, the Big City Greens actor impressively celebrated 57 years of sobriety after previously serving time in and out of prisons like San Quentin, Folsom, and Soledad (pictured with his two sons on November 28)

Danny is next scheduled to appear at the fourth annual horror convention Silver Scream Con in Worcester, MA on September 12-14.

On May 31, Trejo wrapped a mystery role on the Tucson, AZ set of Sally Shamrell's indie movie, Choir Practice.

And the four-time divorce has no less than 24 other upcoming acting projects in the works.

Danny certainly had a leg up in show business as the second cousin of Independent Spirit Award-winning filmmaker, Robert Rodriguez.

On the personal front, Trejo has three children - son Danny Jr., 44; son Gilbert, 37; and daughter Danielle, 35 - with babymamas Diana Walton and Maeve Crommie, whom he split from in 1983 and 1997.
McDonald's is being ripped apart on social media over a viral TikTok video.

A customer has caused a frenzy online after posting a clip of her Filet-O-Fish sandwich, accusing the fast food giant of shrinkflation.

Shrinkflation is when products shrink in size or quantity while the price remains the same or even increases.

'Just ridiculous @McDonald's Corporate do better! Why are prices going up but the food is getting smaller. I'm confused,' the customer, known as andymachiavelli on TikTok, captioned her video.

TikTokers called the sandwich a 'fish slider' or 'fish filet jr,' with some claiming the sandwiches 'get smaller every week.'

Several X users also chimed in, with one saying customers are being 'robbed.' Others blamed tariffs for the 'ridiculous' filet size, claiming it will turn into a 'fish nugget on a dinner roll' one day.

'McDonald's chops the fish down to slider size while prices climb higher than rent. Americans deserve FOOD not crumbs, shrinkflation is theft served with fries,' an X user claimed.

The social media backlash comes after customers were outraged over the implementation of sauce limits in some stores.

A customer has caused a frenzy online after posting a clip of her Filet-O-Fish sandwich

The fast food chain was ripped apart on social media for its portion sizes

A Reddit user was stunned last month to see this written at a drive-thru window: Four and six-pieces get one sauce, 10-pieces comes with two sauces, 20-pieces comes with three and a 40-piece box comes with a selection of four. Any extra sauces come with a charge.

The rule has been 'getting out of hand' in the eyes of some customers  even though it is not 'a universal policy.'

The sauce and sandwich frustration adds on to the anger felt from customers who have claimed menu items have skyrocketed in price.

McDonald's loyalists claimed the chain's famous $5 meal deal jumped in price, allegedly costing $7 in less than a month at some locations.

The four-item meal deal launched in May last year and quickly sparked copycat offers from Burger King and Wendy's.

It was introduced to counter growing frustration among Americans at soaring fast food prices, with a $17 Big Mac becoming the poster child for soaring burger costs.

Following the fury, McDonald's promised its customers it would keep the prices of eight popular combo meals 15 percent lower than if the items were purchased separately. The deal will take effect next year.

'Customers are telling us they need more of the everyday value and affordability that defines the McDonald's brand,' said Joe Erlinger, head of McDonald's US business.

McDonald's has also been under fire for the prices of its menu items

Social media users have noticed McDonald's stores implementing sauce policies

McDonald's has promised to bring more value deals and affordability

Despite the shrinkflation claims, McDonald's has kept customers satisfied through other changes such as extending operating hours and bringing back its beloved Snack Wraps.

Its also implementing AI technology in thousands of restaurants and plans to open 900 US locations by the end of 2027.

Outside of the fast food industry, Redditors claimed Chili's 'tiny a** portions' of quesadillas were an example of shrinkflation.

Customers compared the quesadillas to food for children and mini pancakes.

Chili's has pulled off what some say is 'the best restaurant comeback of all time' in recent months.

However, social media has been accusing the restaurant chain of shrinkflation for at least a year.

Other restaurant chains, including Chipotle, have been accused of shrinking portion sizes. Some accusations have even ended in lawsuits.

A New York resident sued Arby's last December  claiming the chain shrunk its fry and beverage sizes without changing prices or informing customers. The lawsuit is still ongoing.

In April, a customer also sued The Cheesecake Factory, alleging the chain shrunk its cake slices.

Daily Mail has reached out to McDonald's for comment about the Filet-O-Fish uproar.
Excavation work on the mass grave at Chemmani in Sri Lankas northern province has been halted pending fresh allocation of funds by the Justice Ministry, lawyers close to the operation said on Sunday. Earlier this year, skeletal remains were discovered at Chemmani during a routine development, and excavations began under judicial supervision.

After 45 days of excavation work, the second stage of the work was halted at noon on Saturday, the lawyers said. So far, 240 skeletal remains have been excavated.

The funds for the remainder of the work are expected to be made available within the next two weeks, the lawyers said. They said apart from the skeletons, 14 piles of bones and paraphernalia such as feeding bottles for infants, a doll, toys and childrens bags and shoes have been found.

The judicial medical officer has sought eight more weeks of excavations from the Jaffna magistrate, according to a report dated August 14.

At the next court hearing scheduled for September 18, the judicial medical officer will submit an expenditure estimate for two more months to the court, lawyers said.

Skeletal remains were discovered on February 13 this year at Chemmani during a routine development. A week later, the court ordered a judicial examination of them.

On May 15, the excavations began under judicial supervision.

The main Tamil party, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), said that the site presents clear evidence of war crimes and a genocidal campaign against the Tamils.

In 1998, Chemmani came under focus for an alleged mass grave, at the height of the conflict between the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Government troops. Around 15 skeletons were discovered then.

The three-decade-long armed conflict started in 1983 and was ended by the island nations military by killing the leaders of the LTTE in 2009.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka last week said there exists a reasonable likelihood that the burials at the Chemmani mass grave in the north were unlawful and had been caused as a result of extrajudicial killings.

Esmail Baghaei said in his weekly briefing. He said the meeting will be held at the deputy ministerial level.

Under a 2015 deal designed to cap Irans nuclear activities, Iran agreed to tough restrictions on its international programme in exchange for an easing of sanctions. The deal began to unravel in 2018, when the United States pulled out of it and began to reimpose certain sanctions. European countries have recently threatened to trigger the 2015 deals snapback mechanism, which would allow sanctions to be reimposed in the case of non-compliance by Tehran.

German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese, asked who Germany will send to the talks and what its expectations are, said that the talks are taking place at expert level.

Iran must never come into possession of a nuclear weapon, so Germany, France and Britain are continuing to work. At high pressure on a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, he said.
SANAA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A senior Yemeni government forces commander and several escorts were killed on Saturday in a Houthi drone strike in Yemen's northern Marib province, a military source told Xinhua.

Khaled bin Dowaid Muthanna, chief of staff of the southern front in Marib, together with a few escorts of his, was killed when a drone targeted a military site in the Al-Falihah area, southern Marib, the source in the government forces said.

Some other escorts were injured in the surprise attack that occurred despite no ongoing clashes between government forces and the Houthis in the area, the source added.

Separately, four Houthis members were killed and several others injured on Saturday in clashes with government forces in the northern province of Taiz, Yemeni government-run "September 26" news website reported.

The website said the government forces repelled an infiltration attempt by the Houthis in Karom and Sawda hills in the Al-Karifat front, east of Taiz city.

The Houthis have not commented on either incident.

Yemen has remained in a fragile state of calm since the collapse of a UN-brokered truce at the end of 2022, with both sides failing to agree on its renewal or expansion.

The conflict, which began in late 2014, has killed hundreds of thousands and pushed millions to the brink of famine, according to UN estimates. 
The News in Brief Monday, September 8, 2025

The Georgian Prosecutor's Office has appealed the acquittal of Giorgi Akhobadze, an activist who was arrested during recent protests and later cleared of charges, to the Tbilisi Court of Appeals.Akhobadze's lawyer, Mariam Madzgarashvili, confirmed the appeal was filed on September 5. Prosecutor Shmagi Gobejishvili is leading the case. "The fight continues in the Tbilisi Court of Appeals. We will meet there," Madzgarashvili wrote.On August 6, after nearly eight months of trial and pre-trial detention, Tbilisi City Court Judge Romeo Tkeshelashvili found the 43-year-old anesthesiologist-rheumatologist not guilty and ordered his immediate release.The Prosecutor's Office announced shortly afterward that it would challenge the verdict.Akhobadze is one of three demonstrators who were arrested and tried on drug-related charges following the protests.Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze rejected claims that dozens of cases of violence against journalists and citizens during the December protests remain uninvestigated, insisting that only a handful of incidents could warrant criminal proceedings."There were not dozens of cases, there were two or three cases like this," Kobakhidze told reporters when asked why investigations had not been launched into alleged police abuse.He argued that Georgia maintains what he called a "high legal standard" in handling protests. "Out of a thousand violent participants in the rally, only 30 are detained or imprisoned, that is, only 3 percent. The same standard naturally operates in relation to representatives of law enforcement agencies. The investigation will tell you the rest. If there is no indisputable evidence, if the guilty person is not identified, in this case, naturally, no charges can be brought," he said.Challenged by a journalist who said there had been "dozens" of instances where police allegedly mistreated journalists or citizens, Kobakhidze reiterated that only a few incidents could reach the threshold for prosecution. "There were not dozens of cases that could be the subject of initiating a criminal investigation. There were two or three such cases. There were only a few cases that could potentially be criminal cases. Two or three, maybe four," he responded.Kobakhidze added that relevant agencies hold detailed information about the cases, including reasons why certain individuals could not be identified. "You can request information from them as to why the relevant individuals could not be identified," he noted.
TEHRAN, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are "very close" to agreeing on a new framework for the resumption of bilateral cooperation.

He made the remarks at a conference in Tehran while commenting on the future cooperation between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog, as well as the results of a new round of talks between the two sides, which began in Vienna on Friday, according to the official news agency IRNA.

"As far as I know, good negotiations have been held and we are very close to arriving at a new cooperation framework with the agency itself," said Araghchi.

He said a favorable cooperation for Iran would be one in which the country's concerns, "which have been specifically reflected in the parliament's law," were taken into account.

Turning to the possibility of resuming nuclear talks with the United States, the foreign minister said messages were being exchanged between the two sides through mediators.

Araghchi stressed, "The day the Americans come to the conclusion that they have the readiness for negotiations based on common interests and mutual respect, we will also be ready to begin dialogue."

Iran and the United States were scheduled to hold the sixth round of their indirect nuclear negotiations on June 15 in Oman. The talks were suspended after Israel launched major airstrikes on June 13, targeting several Iranian sites, including nuclear and military facilities. U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites followed on June 22.

As a response, the Iranian parliament overwhelmingly passed a law to suspend cooperation with the IAEA. The bill prohibits IAEA inspectors from accessing Iran's nuclear sites unless the Supreme National Security Council certifies that the sites are secure and that Iran's sovereignty is fully respected. 
Ulster University has announced a significant expansion of postgraduate education in the North West, introducing funded Master's programs in Derry, with a focus on Global Business and AI, including courses valued at 7,240.

These postgraduate programmes offer a limited number of funded places. Ulster University said that the courses provide valuable qualifications to learners in the North West and beyond. Supported by the Department for the Economy, these programmes aim to create opportunities for individuals seeking to advance or change their careers.

Applications are now live for Department for the Economy-funded programmes in Derry starting in September 2025, with AI-specific courses coming January 2026

Learners can apply for MSc (Master of Science) International Accounting with Analytics, MSc International Business, MSc Sustainable Management, PgCert (Postgraduate Certificate) International Business, and PGCert Sustainable Management.

Ulster University stated that AI-specific courses are in high demand and that applications are now closed for a September start, however, Ulster University added to keep an eye on their website for the launch of another AI-focused short course, Applied Artificial Intelligence in Ethical Contexts, which will open soon for January 2026.

Professor Paul Bartholomew, Ulster University Vice Chancellor, commented: These programmes in the North West reflect our ongoing commitment to shaping education that responds to real-world challenges.

The focus on AI, sustainability, and international business reflects not only the global landscape but also the regional ambition of the North West to lead in innovation.

This is a unique opportunity to study in a dynamic, cross-border region where academic knowledge and industry expertise come together to create impact.

READ NEXT: Derry planners approve Foyle Valley Greenway lights project

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said: The expansion of funded postgraduate opportunities in the North West is a strategic investment in both people and place.

Derry is a growing hub for innovation and industry, and these courses reflect the skills needed to compete globally. By providing access to future-focused fields like AI and sustainable business, we are equipping people with the tools to succeed in high-growth sectors.

A spokesperson for Ulster University added that all courses will be delivered by Ulster University staff with deep expertise in their fields, and many feature input from industry to ensure learning is directly aligned with employer needs.

For eligibility and to apply, CLICK HERE.
GAZA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 50 Palestinians were killed across the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army on Sunday, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported.

According to WAFA, 46 of the victims were in the northern part of the enclave.

Since dawn on Sunday, the Israeli army has "completely destroyed more than 50 buildings and partially damaged 100 others, including high-rise buildings housing thousands of citizens," Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said in a statement.

Basal described the day as "one of the most difficult days of the war" since March 18, noting that his teams "are exhausted by the intensity of the continuous targeting of the city."

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that it struck another high-rise building in Gaza City, claiming it was used by Hamas.

According to the IDF, "Hamas terrorists planted intelligence-gathering equipment and positioned observation posts to monitor the location of IDF troops in the area." The military did not provide evidence to support the claim. Hamas rejected the accusations as "baseless lies," insisting the targeted high-rises were residential towers.

As the Israeli army pressed on with its Gaza City operation, displacement among local residents continued.

"In Gaza, thousands are being forcibly displaced once again from their homes - uprooted by ongoing attacks, and confined to tiny, unsafe areas," the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on social media platform X on Sunday.

"With buildings, schools, shelters, and hospitals destroyed, access to food, clean water, and other essential supplies is severely limited," it said. "Survival is a daily struggle. No place is safe, no one is safe."

On March 18, Israel resumed its military operations in the enclave. At least 11,911 Palestinians have been killed and 50,735 others injured since Israel renewed its intensive strikes, bringing the total death toll since October 2023 to 64,455 and the number of injured to 162,776, Gaza health authorities said on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, Hamas said in a statement that its leadership delegation concluded a visit to Egypt on Saturday evening, during which it "met with Palestinian factions, civil society institutions, Palestinian figures, and businessmen in the Egyptian capital Cairo."

The Palestinian factions agreed to continue seeking ways to end the war, "as well as enhance joint work to manage the battle and draw a national roadmap for the post-war period," the statement added. 
Defence Secretary John Healey has unveiled a new strategy to make defence an engine for growth across the UK, promising thousands of jobs and stronger regional economies.

The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), launched on a visit to Bristol firm Rowden, will create five new Defence Growth Deals across the UK backed by 250 million over the next five years.

Mr Healey said the plan would make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a defence company while putting Britain at the leading edge of innovation.

He said: The Defence Industrial Strategy will make defence an engine for growth across the UK, backing British jobs, British industry and British innovators.

Defence Growth Deals offer a new partnership with UK Defence to build on industrial and innovation strengths that regions already hold.

Together we aim to drive an increase in defence skills, SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and jobs across all four nations.

We want to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a defence firm and will put Britain at the leading edge of innovation.

The deals would bring together businesses, local and national government, and academia to foster innovation and drive investment.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: This is a plan for good jobs paying decent wages in Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow, Sheffield, Plymouth and beyond.

Through Defence Growth Deals, we will unleash the power of local economies while securing our country  building an economy that works for working people, in every part of this country, just as our Plan for Change promised.

The Government said early analysis suggests there could be demand for up to 50,000 additional defence jobs by 2034/35 as spending increases.

The first Defence Growth Deals will be in Plymouth, South Yorkshire, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Plymouth, home to the largest naval base in Western Europe, will receive investment over the next decade, including in maritime autonomy.

South Yorkshire will see backing for its role in producing specialist materials and components for defence.

Wales will receive support to grow its UAV (unmanned/uncrewed aerial vehicle) sector, while Scotland will see investment across its space, maritime and technology industries.

Northern Ireland, already recognised as a cybersecurity hub, will build on its defence and maritime strengths.

The plan is underpinned by a historic increase in defence spending, which will rise to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament.

The DIS, ministers said, will strengthen the UKs industrial base and ensure industry can respond rapidly to future challenges, drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine.
Googles Nano Banana AI model, also known as Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, has been creating buzz for turning photos into a dreamy picture with just a simple text prompt. It can transform portraits, landscapes, and product shots with simple text prompts, while maintaining consistent edits across multiple iterations. Its fun, its powerful, and its making people rethink what photo editing means. Social media is flooded with Nano Banana edits, and the AI is being touted as the most advanced photo editor of 2025.

Survey

 Thank you for completing the survey!

While Nano Banana might be dominating conversations, several alternatives offer unique features, from professional-grade workflows to casual, social-friendly content creation. Check out these five alternatives.

Adobe Firefly & Adobe Express

Adobe knows design better than anyone, and with its latest updates, Firefly and Express are now fully AI-powered. Think of them as Photoshops smarter cousin  type in what you need, and theyll generate it instantly.

But Adobes strength isnt just speed; its control. Firefly is built with businesses in mind, letting marketers keep branding consistent while experimenting with fresh visuals. Layer control is still there for those who want pixel-perfect edits, which makes it feel like Photoshop with an AI turbo boost. If Nano Banana is about fun and creativity, Firefly is about precision and polish.

Imagen 4

Funny enough, Nano Banana isnt even Googles main event. That honour goes to Imagen 4, the companys flagship text-to-image generator. While Nano Banana shines in editing existing photos, Imagen 4 can create new images from scratch.

The model is known for hyper-realism. Portraits look like they came out of a DSLR. Product shots look ad-ready without ever touching a camera. Plus, Imagen understands context far better than older AI models, so prompts dont result in weird, nonsensical outputs. And because it sits inside Googles creative pipeline, you can easily generate an image in Imagen and fine-tune it in Nano Banana.

OpenAIs DALLE 4

OpenAI may be in the spotlight for ChatGPT, but its image model DALLE hasnt lost steam. In fact, DALLE 4 remains one of the most flexible AI tools around.

What makes it stand out is inpainting and outpainting. Want to extend your photo beyond its borders? Easy. Need to swap a background or add a missing detail? Done. You can even insert completely new objects into a scene, and theyll blend in naturally. Plus, DALLE is incredibly forgiving with prompts. You dont need to craft complicated instructions; a casual description usually does the job.

Nano Banana might win in long, multi-turn editing sessions, but when it comes to fast, playful creativity, DALLE is still one of the best options.

Canva AI Image Generator

We dont need cinematic landscapes or pro-grade workflows all the time. Sometimes we just need a clean, good-looking Instagram post. Thats where Canvas AI Image Generator shines.

Built directly into Canvas design platform, it lets users whip up custom visuals without ever leaving their workspace. The free plan gives you 50 credits to start with, and Canva even suggests styles and aspect ratios optimised for social platforms. The best part? It works hand-in-hand with scheduling tools like Metricool, so you can go from idea to post in minutes.

Also read: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max India price, launch date, specifications and all other leaks

DeepAI

DeepAI, unlike the polished platforms above, feels more like a playground. You get unlimited instant generations, a wide range of art styles (over a hundred, from photorealistic to abstract), and plenty of knobs to tweak colours, aspect ratios, and image quality.

Is it as sharp as Nano Banana or Imagen? Not really. But its fun, accessible, and offers an API for developers who want to plug AI image generation into their own apps. Its less about glossy commercial output and more about giving people freedom to experiment without limits.
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.
The parents of a premature baby have spoken of how reading to him helped ease the trauma of seeing him in an intensive care unit.

Theo Kirk became a member of Irelands incubator Baby Book Club, experiencing his first book at 10-days-old, as part of an initiative by Dublin City Libraries (DCL).

Born at 24 weeks, he weighed just 1.8lbs and spent almost four months in Dublins Rotunda Maternity Hospital, much of the time in the neo-natal intensive care unit (Nicu).

But parents Stuart and Regina Kirk, from Clongriffin, Dublin, started reading books to him at 10-days-old in a unique collaboration between DCL and the hospital.

It is being showcased ahead of National Public Libraries Open Day on September 27, the annual celebration that promotes the different services offered by Irelands public libraries.

A meeting with Amanda Scott, the Rotundas clinical specialist speech and language therapist, saw the Kirks begin their book-reading journey with Theo, now aged one.

It really kicked off when Amanda left a book trolley in the unit, software engineer Mr Kirk said.

I expected them to be all old and dog-eared, but they were all brand new and disinfected.

We felt it was important to read to Theo. As he got bigger, we were able to take him out of the incubator and cuddle him as were reading the books. It was just amazing.

I would encourage other parents who find themselves in the Nicu to read to their babies. It absolutely gave us a purpose, and we werent just sitting there watching him and staring at the incubator.

The Kirks read Theo stories such as The Presidents Dog and The Presidents Cat, bestselling childrens books by Irish author Peter Donnelly, provided to the unit by Dublin City Libraries.

Ms Kirk, a travel consultant, said: Reading these books made us feel closer to him. We owe our lives to all of the incredible Rotunda staff.

Theo had his first birthday a few weeks ago and now has his own bookshelf at home.

Ms Scott said the hospital was delighted that DCL were key partners in the project, as she said reading to babies calmed them, helped bonding and built speech and language skills.

Libraries provide excellent services for parents with newborns and for young children, from baby book clubs and storytime sessions to parenting resources and early literacy programmes, Eimear Corcoran, DCL librarian in charge of the initiative in Dublin, said.

We encourage all parents to explore the wide range of supports available in their local library, where theyll find welcoming spaces and staff ready to help.

Following in the footsteps of the initiative in the Rotunda and Coombe hospitals, plans were under way to roll out the scheme to other hospitals in Dublin.

Coinciding with National Public Libraries Open Day throughout September, all library services across the country would be promoting and showcasing the range of services they provide through online promotions, events, workshops and community activities.
Handmade prison journals from the Long Kesh internment camp offer a unique insight into life in the jail, an Irish university has said.

The University of Galway has published a digital archive of journals and photos from the Maze Prison from the mid-1970s.

The university was provided with the journals by Paddy McMenamin, who was interned at the camp from 1974-1976.

Originally from west Belfast, he now lives in Oranmore, Co Galway, and is a history graduate.

He contributed to a number of republican prison journals while at the camp, including Misneach, An Sioladoir, and Faoi Glas, and was the editor of An Fuascailteoir (the Irish for the emancipator).

The journals featured different cover artwork, articles and writings on history and politics, poems, and Irish language lessons.

The journals were smuggled out of Long Kesh and have been donated by Mr McMenamin to the University of Galway Library.

The university said the collection offers a unique perspective into the experiences of republican prisoners in Long Kesh and offers a lens into daily life in the internment camp.

The McMenamin archive adds to other collections owned by the university, including those of peacemaker Brendan Duddy, academic and barrister Kevin Boyle, and civil servant Maurice Hayes.

Mr McMenamin said: As a University of Galway graduate in English and history, it is a pleasure to donate this collection of original Long Kesh Cage papers to University of Galway Library as a primary source for students studying and researching 20th century Irish history.

It is a privilege for me to see the journals safely preserved for posterity within the university.

University librarian Monica Crump said: We were honoured to be entrusted to hold this truly unique collection and preserve it for future generations, so that scholars can get a glimpse into life in Long Kesh and indeed in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

I am delighted to see the full collection catalogued and the prison journals digitised and made available online, so that an even wider audience can learn and experience some of the realities of this turbulent time in our history.

Dr Barry Houlihan, archivist at University of Galway Library, said it was an important collection that would help teach future generations about the experiences of prisoners during the Troubles.

It allows us to study and understand a difficult time in our islands history, and reminds us why such archives from Northern Ireland, along with those already housed at University of Galway Library, are vital to preserving the memories and experiences of those directly affected by, during, and after the conflict.

The digitised Long Kesh Prison Journals are accessible from the University of Galway Library Repository at https://digital.library.universityofgalway.ie/p/ms/categories/paddy-mcmenamin
The Boyne Valley Trails September Walking Festival returns to Louth this autumn, allowing walkers to immerse themselves in nature and experience the beauty, heritage, and culture of the stunning Boyne Valley region in Irelands Ancient East.

Expert guides will offer adventure like no other, exploring the Boyne Valley including the Boyne Camino and other hikes, through to guided history and mythology walks, Nordic Walking, foraging and more, there is something for every interest and ability. Walks will take in spectacular sights of the region, including Moyry Pass, Laytown beach, Clogherhead Cliffs, King Williams Glen and Belnumber Woods amongst others.

The festival will welcome long distance walker Ellie Berry to Drogheda this year for an inspiring talk about her achievements, as well as offering the opportunity to join a walk hosted by Ellie. Irish adventurer, writer, and co-creator of Tough Soles, Ellie set a new speed record for climbing all 275 mountains on the Vandeleur-Lynam list, completing the feat in 50 days, 5 hours and 45 minutes, and has walked every way marked trail in Ireland. Her work combines a deep respect for Irelands landscape, encouraging others to find their own connection to the outdoors.

For hiking enthusiasts there are beginners and experienced Nordic Walking routes, an impressive way to work all your muscles and build added fitness to your walks. There are sections of the Boyne Camino, which passes through some of the most stunning scenery in the Boyne Valley, where location of the Battle of the Boyne, and along the majestic Boyne River to return to Drogheda.

Exploring local history is also an important part of the festival, and there will be guided walks and talks to discover more about historic locations like Beaulieu House; as well as characters from the Drogheda Fenians including John Boyle OReilly.

Speaking about the Festival, Dusty Flanagan from Boyne Valley Tours said: The Boyne Valley Trails Festival in September has become one of the highlights of my walking year. The variety of walks continues to grow every year. Its a privilege to meet friends old and new to show them the beautiful Boyne Valley and beyond. We are lucky to have a landscape of river walks, forest, coastline and our amazing Camino.

"This year our guest talks are especially exciting, and I cannot wait to join Ellie Berry from Tough Soles to walk the Moyry Pass, or Gap of the North as it is also known. Part of the Slige Midluachra, it is one of the five ancient roads from Tara.

Trevor Connolly, Love Drogheda BID CEO added: Boyne Valley Trails September Walking Festival has become such an important event on the annual calendar, and we are delighted to welcome walkers from near and far to our historic region. Easily accessible, the region has stunning beaches, beautiful cliffs, and an incredible history to enthrall all vistors.

Read Next: Louth people warned they may get UKs emergency mobile phone alert

Steeped in history, and the home of some of Irelands most enduring myths and legends, Drogheda is the gateway to the Boyne Valley and a highlight of Irelands Ancient East. The September Walking Festival offers a wonderful way to explore the regions rich cultural heritage, whilst getting out into the beautiful waterways and lush green of the Boyne Valley.

Visit www.boynevalleytrails.ie for more details, full event listing and to book tickets or see Boyne Valley Trails on Facebook or @boynevalley_trails on Instagram for more details.

The Boyne Valley Trails September Festival is supported by Love Drogheda BID and Failte Ireland.
RIGA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A Canadian soldier who went missing in Latvia earlier this month has been found dead, the Canadian military confirmed on Sunday, without disclosing the cause of his death.

Warrant Officer George Hohl, a vehicle technician serving in the NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia, was last seen on Tuesday in Adazi, a municipality outside Riga and home to a military base where the NATO Multinational Brigade is stationed.

His body was found on Friday, said the army.

The Latvian law enforcement authorities, with the support of the Canadian Armed Forces, have launched an investigation into the case.

The Canadian Armed Forces said that the incident poses no threat to the personnel of the NATO brigade stationed in Latvia, which is led by Canada. 
WorldSkills Ireland, Irelands leading event dedicated to promoting skills, apprenticeship careers, and workplace opportunities for young people is returning to the RDS, Simmonscourt from the 17th  19th September 2025, and two students from Louth are among this year's finalists.

Now firmly established as a must-attend event in school calendars, it will welcome over 30,000 senior-level secondary students from over 300 schools across Ireland to discover real alternatives to university and explore exciting, future-focused career paths. In 2024, 75% of student attendees came to learn about practical, skills-based routes, a clear sign of the growing appetite for apprenticeships and technical careers.

Across the three days, two students from County Louth will put their talents and knowledge to the test when they compete against their peers on the national stage during the live competitions taking place at the event.

Over 180 finalists will go head-to-head in a range of skills-based trades including automotive, construction, creative arts, hospitality, ICT and manufacturing and engineering. Those competing from Louth are Emily Callaghan, competing in Craft Butchery and Leah Glass, competing in Digital Infrastructure for Sustainability.

Commenting on the announcement of the finalists for WorldSkills Ireland, Ray English, Chair of WorldSkills Ireland, remarked: "WorldSkills Ireland is a celebration of talent and a vital platform for promoting apprenticeship and skills-based career opportunities.

"This year, students and apprentices from across the country will compete in 35 different skill areas, each working to exacting standards and under time pressure. Its an incredible opportunity to showcase their abilities and, for some, take the next step towards representing Ireland on the world stage.

Ray adds: This event opens doors for students to discover exciting alternatives to traditional academic routes, shining a light on the variety of training and apprenticeship options available, and the rewarding careers they can lead to. By championing skills and apprenticeships, were helping to develop the expertise and innovation needed for Irelands industries to thrive. The combined support of educators, industry leaders and government makes WorldSkills Ireland a unique and powerful driver for the future of our young people and our economy."

Running alongside the Irish Times Higher Options, WorldSkills Ireland offers unmatched value for schools, with students gaining exposure to both academic and vocational pathways in one visit. Supported by leading industry partners including SISK, Construction Industry Federation, and ESB Networks, education partner the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, and the Government of Ireland and Apprenticeship Ireland, the event will also feature interactive Try a Skill zones, immersive VR experiences, industry talks, live demonstrations across trades and technical professions, and companies ready to recruit.

WorldSkills Ireland 2025 is also supported by Category sponsors SIMI (Society of the Irish Motoring Industry) and Failte Ireland as well as competition sponsors, Amazon, BOC, BWG Food Supplies, Bus Eireann & Dublin Bus, Capital Hair, Chef Network, Corcorans Food Equipment, Crown Paints, IFSA, ISOPARTNER, Jones Engineering, King & Moffatt, Lincoln Electric, Metron, Mitsubishi Electric Ireland, MSLETB & Craft Butchers, OPW, Saint-Gobain, SISK, SMC, Symetri, Unilin Insulation, and Volkswagen Group Ireland.

Designed to promote skills, apprenticeship careers and opportunities for young people, the event allows students, parents, teachers, and guidance counsellors to navigate the options available following secondary education. The Finals Day is set to take place at the RDS, Dublin on Friday 19th September and is a day not to be missed. Free to attend, registration for the event is now open  www.worldskillsireland.ie.
The village of Knockbridge, near Dundalk, is preparing to welcome thousands of visitors for its annual Knockbridge Vintage Rally and Working Day on Sunday, 14 September 2025. This much-loved event brings the past to life with a vibrant mix of music, heritage, and family-friendly fun.

This year is extra special, as Knockbridge Vintage Club has been selected to host the Irish Vintage Society All Ireland Vintage Rally, a prestigious honour that will bring even more vintage enthusiasts from across the country.

Live music will fill the air throughout the day with performances by country sensations Gavin Gribben and Johnny Brady. Their energetic sets are sure to get the crowd moving, and the ever-popular Jiving Competition offers a chance to show off your moves and win 100.

The Childrens Area will be bigger than ever this year, packed with even more attractions to keep young visitors entertained all day long. Highlights include Circus250s interactive hoop and juggling workshops, a lively puppet show, balloon artistry with Billy Bonka, and hands-on pottery sessions with Pebble Lane Art Studio.

Read also: DkIT students excel in entrepreneurship through the Regional Development Centre

Joe from The Gathering Drum will lead a fun-filled drum circle, while kids can also enjoy inflatables, a soft play zone, and a drop-in Lego workshop hosted by The Brickx Club Dundalk. For just 5, children can enjoy unlimited access to the Kids Fun Zone, with no admission fee required at the main entrance gate.

The Dog Show is always a highlight, drawing a large number of entrants and offering plenty of prizes. Its a great opportunity to show off your four-legged friend.

Spectators will be treated to a fascinating look at traditional farming methods in the live working field, where vintage tractors and machinery will be in action. Expect to see horse-driven threshing mills, steam engines, vintage combine harvesters, potato planting, horse ploughing, and vintage ploughing demonstrations.

This years rally will also feature special dedicated areas celebrating 75 years of Volkswagen and 80 years of the Fordson E27N. Owners who bring along a vehicle to showcase in these commemorative zones will receive a special plaque to mark the occasion.

Traditional crafts will be showcased throughout the grounds, including basket weaving, blacksmithing, wood turning, and tin craft. Visitors can also explore a traditional cottage and a model vintage farm, offering a glimpse into rural life from decades past.

The Vintage Fashion Show will feature a stunning array of vintage outfits and hats, modelled by familiar faces from the community. Its a colourful and stylish celebration of fashion through the ages.

Veronica McMahon, well known both locally and nationally, will present a flower arranging demonstration that promises to be both entertaining and inspiring.

Local businesses are invited to take a stand at one of the largest outdoor events in the North East, offering a great opportunity for promotion and engagement with the community.

The renowned Tea Tent will be serving freshly cooked food and homemade treats throughout the day, ensuring no one goes hungry.

Whether you're a vintage enthusiast or simply looking for a great day out, the Knockbridge Vintage Rally has something for everyone. Gates open at 11am, with ample free parking available. Entry is 15 for adults and children go free. All proceeds from the event will be donated to local charities.

For more information, contact +353 (0)87 2204 261 or visit the Knockbridge Vintage Club Facebook page.
The North West Tertiary Education Cluster has been announced as the co-headline sponsor of the All-Island Labour Market: Challenges and Opportunities conference, which takes place on Thursday 18 September in Ballymascanlon Hotel, Dundalk, Co Louth.

The Centre for Cross Border Cooperations conference will shine a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities of the cross-border labour market. It will have input from employers, employees, and business support organisations.

Dr Anthony Soares, the Centres Director, said: North West Tertiary Education Cluster is a success story in partnership working and were delighted to have it as our co-headline conference sponsor. The Cluster comprises Atlantic Technological University, Donegal Education and Training Board, North West Regional College and Ulster University.

"Between them, the four institutions have over 85,000 students and learners, and there is a strong focus on world-leading research, skills training, enterprise support and advanced digital technologies.

In February 2018, the North West Strategic Growth Partnership (NWSGP), in conjunction with the tertiary education providers of the North West City Region, announced a new agreement in education, training and innovation to establish the now titled North West Tertiary Education Cluster (NWTEC).

Read also: Louth councillor refuses to zone more land until wastewater issue resolved

NWTEC is a strategic alliance of all four publicly funded tertiary education providers in the North West City Region: Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ulster University (UU), North West Regional College (NWRC), and Donegal Education and Training Board (Donegal ETB). This deep partnership provides the full range of educational services including advanced skills training, cutting-edge innovation supports for enterprise, and internationally recognised high-quality research.

The official launch of NWTECs North West Digital Employment Pathways Training Hub (NW DEPTH) initiative took place on 29 April 2025. This project, supported by PEACEPLUS, will run for four years, with the first cohort of learners being recruited shortly, and will see an investment of nearly 10 million in digital skills in the North West region.

Paul Hannigan, VP for Cross Border Engagement at ATU, said: By working together, our plan is to create a dynamic and successful Shared North West. It will be a connected, high-performing region achieved through research, innovation, collaboration and growth. Were delighted that NWTEC will join Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor as co-headline sponsors at the Centre for Cross Border Cooperations Annual Conference.

Joining North West Tertiary Education Cluster and Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor as event sponsors are Accounting Technicians Ireland, Dublin City University, Dundalk Institute of Technology, EPIC Futures NI, InterTradeIreland, Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec), Queens University Belfast and Southern Regional College.

Conference tickets are available through the Centres website at www.crossborder.ie
Marks & Spencer says it is proud to partner with Ballymakenny Farm, a family-run grower in Drogheda, Co Louth , to bring customers across Ireland a stunning range of locally grown heritage potato varieties.

Ballymakenny Farm is a fourth-generation farm run by husband-and-wife team David and Maria Flynn, with their son Daniel hoping to continue the family tradition into the future. David is a fourth-generation farmer, while Maria, originally from Drogheda, left for a finance career in London before returning home, meeting David and working in partnership on the farm.

The speciality and heritage Irish potatoes will be stocked on M&S shelves from Thursday 4 September, offering customers a colourful alternative to the traditional white potato  a venture inspired by Marias desire to try something different. Every bag is harvested, picked, packed on the farm  and even hand-stamped by David.

Introducing specialist gourmet and heritage potatoes gave us purpose. For small independent farms to be sustainable, we have to do something a bit different, exciting, and niche. Its wonderful to know our potato varieties will soon be on M&S shelves  its a proud moment for us. says Maria.

Marias move into speciality and heritage varieties began after growing commercial Rooster potatoes on a large scale alongside David. I started to fall out of love with conventional farming  it just wasnt what I wanted to do anymore. she explains.

That shift in perspective led Maria to experiment with distinctive varieties, starting with the striking purple Violetta potato. What began as a passion project quickly grew into a thriving business, winning over some of Irelands top chefs and carving out a niche in the hospitality sector.

As demand from restaurants soared, Ballymakenny scaled back commercial Rooster production to focus on their heritage range.

We were often asked where people can buy our potatoes, but because we only supplied hospitality, the public simply couldnt get them. When we met with M&S, it felt like a no-brainer  with M&Ss stores across Ireland, we can finally give our customers what theyve been asking for.

The M&S launch will begin with the Purple Rain potato, with other varieties  including Pink Fir Apple, Red Emmalie, Mayan Gold, and Lily Rose, Purple Rain  rotating throughout the season.

Shaun Doherty, Senior Agronomist at M&S, said: Were always looking to offer customers something special, and Ballymakenny speciality and heritage variety potatoes are exactly that. Working with Ballmakenny farms allows us to help in growing the future by preserving the past and introducing that bit of magic with speciality and heritage varieties that our customers expect.

"Maria and Davids commitment to quality and innovation impressed us immediately and their selection of unique potatoes varieties for taste and unique qualities over commercial yield. Were excited to bring these unique varieties to our customers and encourage everyone to explore the rich flavours and stories behind each potato.

The launch marks an exciting new milestone for Ballymakenny Farm, bringing their much-loved speciality and heritage potatoes to home cooks across Ireland. Customers can find the range in all 16 M&S stores across Ireland from September 4th - with all varieties grown, harvested, and packed in Co. Louth.
People living or visiting Louth are being warned that they may receive an emergency alert message sent by the British government as part of a drill taking place this Sunday.

On Sunday, 7 September, at 3pm, the UK Government will test its Emergency Alerts service across the UK, including Northern Ireland. This system was launched across Britain and Northern Ireland in March 2023 and was tested in April 2023.

As happened during the April 2023 test of the system, people living in, or visiting, the border counties may receive a message on their phone or mobile device, followed by an audio alert and a vibration of up to ten seconds. This emergency alert will look and sound different to other types of messages such as SMS text messages.

The alert will be received even if the mobile device is set to silent or do not disturb. Devices do not need to be connected to WiFi or mobile data to get the alert.

Read Next: Louth TD welcomes free public transport for 5-8 year olds

The government have said there is no cause for concern, and no action is needed.

A government statement said: "Vulnerable people, including victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse, may carry hidden phones for personal safety reasons. Anybody in this position who would prefer if their phone did not sound, should turn their phone off or switch it to airplane mode.

"The UK launched its Emergency Alerts service across Britain and Northern Ireland on Sunday, 19th March 2023. This service enables the UK Government to send a message to all mobile devices to warn of a life-threatening emergency nearby, for example extreme weather, severe flooding or a fire. This service aims to provide clear information to help keep people safe."
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

Postal Code
Works are to commence this month as part of DAAs 200m capital investment in Cork Airport.

Construction of a new mezzanine floor is the first phase of the plan, and it will extend over the existing arrivals concourse and will feature a larger passenger security area, equipped with the latest C3 EDS technology.

This will allow passengers to keep liquids, gels, pastes, and large electronic items in their cabin baggage. A dedicated fast-track lane will also be added.

The refurbished arrivals area will include a new cafe/bar and upgraded car hire facilities. The mezzanine will also accommodate a new executive lounge, with 30% more capacity and an expanded Cork Airport duty free shop.

Cork-based construction company PJ Hegarty has been awarded the contract for construction.

DAA CEO Kenny Jacobs said he is confident the Cork Airport project will be delivered to the highest standard: At DAA, were proud to operate both Cork and Dublin airports, delivering excellent customer service and world-class infrastructure that supports Irelands growth.

Niall MacCarthy, managing director at Cork Airport, added: We are delighted to be working with PJ Hegarty, a respected Irish construction company, on this important first step in our terminal development.

Airports are long-term national assets, and its vital that we plan and invest in infrastructure for future decades.

This project will support jobs, tourism, and the wider economy in the south of Ireland. As with our runway reconstruction in 2021, we will deliver this on time and within budget, while keeping disruption to a minimum.

Maurice Killeen, southern region operations director at PJ Hegarty, said the company is delighted to have been awarded this contract by DAA.

He said: 2025 marks the 100-year anniversary of our founding in Cork. It is very appropriate that we continue to form new partnerships in the region with a client as progressive and ambitious as Cork Airport in our centenary year.

Further project phases are due to be announced over the next eight weeks, as Cork Airport mobilises its capital programme following the announcement of the plan back in May by Taoiseach Micheal Martin.

Aspects of the 200m DAA investment include: A new and larger duty-free shop; enhanced executive lounge facilities; installation of new airbridges; long-term car park extension; new boarding gates; new pier and aircraft parking stands; airside equipment enhancements; a new staff and goods security screening area; a new oversized baggage screening unit; and a 1.7Mw solar farm over the existing Holiday Blue car park.
A 36-year-old old man accused of carrying out an assault with a hurley on a homeless man sitting on a bench at Richmond Hill in Cork had the case adjourned to allow for DPP directions.

Bail was refused at a remand court on August 3 but Christopher Sweeney of 215 Deer Park House, Friars Walk, Cork, since got bail at the High Court.

On the application of Sergeant John Dineen, Judge Mary Dorgan adjourned the case until November for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Represented by solicitor Eddie Burke, the defendant is accused of assault causing harm to the other man at Richmond Hill, Cork, on August 3.
The people of Cork will never falter in their support of the people of Palestine, the 100th consecutive weekly city centre Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC) rally heard on Saturday.

About 700 people gathered outside the Terence MacSwiney City Library on the Grand Parade at lunchtime, with Palestinian flags waving beside Irish tricolours, alongside placards and banners denouncing what has been described by the Taoiseach as the genocide in Gaza.

On display too were the flags of Sinn Fein, People Before Profit, and the Labour Party, as well as a lone flag reading An Gorta Mor Gaza, resonating with the official declaration last month by the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) of famine in Gaza city.

According to the IPC, a quarter of all Palestinians in Gaza, more than 500,000 people, are starving, with that number expected to rise to more than 640,000 within weeks.

One placard read Socialism or Barbarism, while multiple hand-written cardboard signs said: I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.

Lilly Higgins, a CPSC member from Cobh, spoke in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is attempting to break Israels blockade of Gaza and deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid.

In Arabic, sumud means steadfastness, and there is no better word for this moment, she said.

These ships are not just carrying hope, theyre carrying the worlds conscience, theyre breaking the blockade with their bodies, with their courage, and with their love for Gaza.

In Gaza, they are carving welcoming messages in the sand, in hope that the flotilla will arrive, always in hope.

Let Palestine know we will never stop marching with you, shouting for you and standing for you, Ms Higgins said.

A hundred weeks is not the end, rather its a promise that we will continue to support Gaza and all of Palestine in its liberation, and Palestine will be free.

An Garda Siochana received cheers and applause when another speaker recounted an incident which had occurred at the previous weeks rally, when one person marching had become unwell and fell. This guard jumped into the crowd to help them and offered to give them a spin home in a garda car, or an unmarked car if they preferred.

This kindness was, the speaker suggested, in sharp contrast to the behaviour of police forces at pro-Palestine protests in some other European jurisdictions.

Green Party councillor Oliver Moran said Israel and its allies were allowing a famine to occur, something which greatly offended Irish sensitivities.

I was in Co Mayo recently and I saw a large pot which had been used for delivery of famine relief and it reminded me that this is something which is still present in the world today, and people are wanting the same thing which we wanted, which is freedom, he said.

Mick Nugent, CPSC committee member and former Sinn Fein councillor, said it was incredible that people continued to each week show their support for the people of Palestine.

Today is also a global day of action in terms of raising awareness of the occupation of Gaza and the ongoing starvation of the people of Gaza, he said.

But its not just about raising awareness or raising our voices, we need sanctions of Israel.

Once the rally began its well-worn route along the Grand Parade toward Patrick St, down Winthrop St and back along Oliver Plunkett St, loud drums accompanied chants of From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free, and There is only one solution, Intifada revolution, referring to the Arabic word meaning rebellion or uprising.

In the context of Israel and Palestine, the word usually refers to uprising by Palestinian people against Israeli occupation, involving violent and nonviolent resistance, specifically invoking the First Intifada of 19871993 and the Second Intifada of 20002005.

The streets of Cork city have seen CPSC rallies every Saturday since the latest iteration of the Israel Gaza war erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-backed insurgents murdered some 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 250 hostages.

Since then, the death toll caused by Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) attacks on Gaza has now passed 64,000, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry (GHM). Last month, The Guardian published classified IDF data which showed that 83% of those killed in the conflict were civilians, a rate of slaughter rarely seen in decades of conflict globally.

Next Saturday morning, CPSC intends to picket from 10am to midday the constituency offices of Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Colm Burke, Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, demanding that the Occupied Territories Bill, as it was originally framed, be passed.
ABIDJAN, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Eleven people were missing after a canoe capsized Friday on the Sassandra River in Buyo town, southwestern Cote d'Ivoire, a senior official has said.

"It is with profound sorrow that we have learned of the disappearance of 11 people, including women, young girls and an infant, following the capsizing of a canoe caused by a hippopotamus," Minister of National Cohesion, Solidarity and the Fight Against Poverty Myss Belmonde Dogo said in a press release on Saturday.

Local authorities said the tragedy occurred early Friday morning when a hippopotamus attacked the canoe.

The vessel was carrying 14 people, three of whom were rescued. Search efforts were still underway to locate the missing. 
The family of point to point jockey Mikey OConnor who died suddenly while working at his yard in Co Cork on Thursday have thanked first responders, the ambulance service, air ambulance, the fire service and every person that helped on the day".

A death notice on Rip.ie reads that Mr OConnor, aged 44, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully at Knockbarry in Liscarroll.

Mr OConnor was one of the most successful riders in the history of Irish point to point with 429 wins. This puts him in the top five Irish point riders of all time. As a trainer he secured 27 point to point and 21 rules wins.

The father of three is survived by his wife Margaret (Mags), their children Dylan, Sophie and Rachel, his mother Noreen, twin sister Elaine Palmer, his brother in law Alan Palmer, extended family, neighbours and a large circle of friends. He was predeceased by his father Bob.

Mr OConnor will lie in repose at OKeeffes Funeral Home, Bank Place, Buttevant today from 5.30pm to 8pm, followed by prayers.

His requiem Mass will take place tomorrow at noon in St Josephs Church in Liscarroll followed by burial at St Brigids Cemetery, Buttevant.
We live in an age of instant communication, but when U.S President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, it took 12 days before anyone in Europe even knew about it.

It would have taken even longer, but for a quick-thinking correspondent for the Reuters news agency, James McLean

He heard the breaking news of the tragedy in Washington over the telegraph wire in his New York office, scribbled a despatch, and rushed to the docks to send it.

Damn! The mail ship Teutonia had just left for England  so McLean chartered a tugboat and chased it until he got close enough to throw his despatch, inside a canister, on board. His quick-thinking earned him the nickname Tugboat ever after!

Twelve days later, the Teutonia had a rendezvous with the steamer Marseilles off the Cork coast, dropping off its canisters of U.S mail, including the precious cargo from McLean.

Thus, 160 years ago, on the morning of Wednesday, April 26, 1865, three men in a rowing boat, employed by Reuters, set out from Brow Head, near Crookhaven, to intercept the mail from the Marseilles. Upon opening the canisters, they became the first people in Europe to learn that Lincoln was dead.

From there, the news was wired to Cork, then London. The drama was portrayed in a 1940 film, A Dispatch From Reuters, starring Edward G. Robinson as Julius Reuter, head of the news agency.

******

In 1865, international communication and news gathering was on the cusp of an exciting new age, and Cork was playing a central role.

Just a year later, in 1866, the first transatlantic cable would link the U.S to Valentia Island in Kerry, but till then, ships had to bring the latest news over by hand.

Thus, reports of the U.S Civil War of 1861-65 were despatched to Queenstown (now Cobh), via sailing and later steam ships, with a delay of more than a week.

Legendary editor of the Cork Examiner, Thomas Crosbie, aided by two sturdy oarsmen from Aghada, would row out to the vessels and pick up news bundles in canisters. He would take this ashore, ensuring his paper was first with the news, and then telegraph it to London.

Brow Head, near Crookhaven, where news of President Lincoln's death first reached Europe in 1865

News from Gettysburg of the Unionists Civil War victory over the Confederates first landed in Cork in this way.

However, Crosbie had a rival  Julius Reuter, founder in 1851 of the agency that bears his name.

The German sought to beat him to the news, and decided Crookhaven was the place to do it.

There had been a look-out tower on Brow Head since Napoleonic times, and Lloyds shipping agency had had a representative there since the 18th century, recording passing vessels, and sending the information back to head office in London. Now Reuter was going to take things a step further.

He employed six Cork farmers to lay a telegraph wire from the GPO in Cork to Brow Head, across all kinds of difficult terrain. He then arranged for mail ships to drop their canisters of mail in the water  with a flag and a blue light to enable it to be seen  and paid men to row out and collect it.

This news, gathered by Reuters various correspondents all across America, would then be relayed to Cork and all over Europe. The original Reuters cable hut is still there, on the western side of Crookhaven.

The telegraph would eventually be replaced as a communications medium by long distance radio transmission, invented by Italian Guglielmo Marconi, who based his early efforts in Crookhaven before he moved up the country.

An edited extract from Stories From The Sea, by Jo Kerrigan, published by OBrien Press.
( Peter Kenny / Ecumenical News/LWF)The Advocacy for Faith-based Organizations on Women's Human Rights group meeting July 4-7, 2017 in the the Ecumenical Center in Geneva turned out black in attire for the #ThursdaysinBlack worldwide campaign where people wear black every to speak out against all forms of sexual and gender-based violence.

Gender equality has stalled since it came under intense scrutiny 30 years ago at a major international gathering, the latest Global Media Monitoring Project has found.

The findings were released on Sept. 4, said the World Association for Christian Communication, the coordinator of the Global Media Monitoring Project Network dialogue, "Half the world, a quarter of the news."

"Media is one of most powerful forces shaping public discourse, democracy, and accountability," said Sara Speicher, World Association for Christian Communication deputy general secretary.

"When women are absent, democracy is incomplete and public discourse distorted. Without women's voices, there is no full story, no fair democracy, and no shared future."

Closing the launch event, Speicher commended the committed gender justice activists around the worldand gave a call to action.

The event was cohosted with UN Women and the United Nations Correspondents Association in New York.

Conducted every five years for the past 30 years, the Global Media Monitoring Project surveys how women are represented, portrayed, and engaged as subjects, sources, and reporters, in comparison to men.

The findings reveal the extent to which women have power, voice, and visibility in global media  and where advocacy is needed to advance democracy, equality, and accountability.

The Global Media Monitoring Project 2025 findings come as the world is marking 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women.

- WOMEN ONLY 26 PERCENT SEEN

Key findings reveal that progress towards gender equality in the news media is flatlining, with women only 26 percent of the people seen, heard, or spoken about in print and broadcast news  a percentage that has only risen 2 points in the last 15 years.

Despite its prominence in the lives of 50 percent of the population, gender-based violence is featured in less than two out of every 100 news articles worldwide.

The report also revealed that women's participation as sources continues to be primarily in ordinary roles, as popular opinion providers and interviewees giving eyewitness accounts.

The Beijing Platform demanded non-stereotyped portrayals, reinforced by the recent Pact for the Future (2024) which requires action to dismantle barriers for women and girls.

In 2025, the report notes that gender stereotypes are more entrenched than they ever were over the past 30 years.

The UN General Assembly opening next Tuesday will examine progress on the Beijing Platform and launch a new Beijing Action Agenda, according to Kalliopi Mingeirou, chief of the Ending Violence against Women and Girls Section at UN Women.

She pointed to the global project's 2025 key findings as a "wake-up call and a roadmap" for action, flagging where "progress has stalled and renewed effort is needed."

That only one in four people seen and read about in the news is a woman reveals a "gap in democracy," Mingeirou declared.

"All things remaining equal, gender parity in the people seen, heard, or spoken about in the news will not happen until at least 75 years from today, she said. "So, we do need a radical shift."
Puerto Rican artist Ricky Martin makes history at the MTV Video Music Awards by becoming the first recipient of the Latin Icon Award, an accolade that celebrates his legacy as a global pioneer of Latin music.

The last time Ricky Martin appeared at the MTV VMAs was in 1999, when he performed "Livin' la Vida Loca" and captivated international audiences with a performance that marked a turning point for Latin music in the English-speaking market. That performance is remembered as one of the most iconic in the history of the awards show, as it paved the way for a wave of Latin artists who later followed in his footsteps.

Throughout his career, Ricky Martin has racked up several MTV awards, including recognition for his most iconic videos and his global impact. His wins in categories like Best Pop Video and Best Video by a Male Artist cemented his presence in pop culture and demonstrated that Latin music could compete on equal terms on the biggest stages.

The importance of the Latin Icon Award lies in the fact that it recognizes an artist who not only achieved commercial success but also changed the narrative of Latin representation in global music. Ricky Martin becomes the first artist to receive it, underscoring his role as a pioneer and paving the way for other artists from the region to be honored in the future.

Although the production hasn't confirmed the full track list, it is expected to include classics such as "Livin' la Vida Loca," "Maria," and "La Copa de la Vida," songs that established him as a symbol of Latin music globally. Rehearsal footage shows the artist accompanied by dancers and a visual display that promises a top-notch performance.

This award comes during a year of intense professional activity. Ricky Martin is in the midst of his Movimiento Tour 2025, an international tour that will take him through Latin America, the United States, and Europe. The tour, which has already included dozens of sold-out performances, reinforces his relevance and his power to attract audiences. In each city, thousands of fans sing along to his songs, consolidating the idea that his legacy does not belong to the past, but continues to shape the present of Latin music.

The 2025 MTV VMAs ceremony brings together the industry's most influential figures. LL Cool J hosts the event, and confirmed performers include Lady Gaga, Doja Cat, Mariah Carey, Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, and Busta Rhymes. Mariah Carey receives the Video Vanguard Award, while Busta Rhymes is honored with the Rock the Bells Visionary Award.
You Might Also Like  

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Venezuela Friday that if its military threatens U.S. forces, they will be shot down. The warning followed two Venezuelan aircraft flying near a U.S. Navy ship, a move the Pentagon called highly provocative.
Aryna Sabalenka credited her new-found mental approach on Saturday after producing a controlled performance to power to victory at the US Open.

The 27-year-old world number one from Belarus defeated American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to retain her US Open crown and capture a fourth career Grand Slam title.

Sabalenka said afterwards that her victory came after defeats in the Australian and French Open finals this season prompted her to rethink how she approached major finals.

"After the Australian Open, I thought that the right way would be just to forget it and move on, but then the same thing happened at the French Open," she said.

"So after the French Open I figured that, 'Okay, maybe it's time for me to sit back and to look at those finals and to maybe learn something,' because I didn't want it to happen again and again and again."

A holiday in Mykonos, where she read the self-help memoir "Into the Magic Shop" by neurosurgeon James Doty, provided a lightbulb moment.

"Reading that book, I realized a lot of things," she said. "That book really helped me to stay focused and to focus on the right things on important points.

"I was just thinking that why would I let my emotions to take control over me in those two finals? I thought that, okay, if I made it to the final, it means that I'm going to win it."

Approaching Saturday's final Sabalenka said she had been determined to keep her temperament in check.

"I'm not going to let (my emotions) take control over me, and doesn't matter what happens in the match," said Sabalenka, who arrived for her press conference clutching an open bottle of champagne.

Sabalenka greeted victory by collapsing to the baseline, an expression of joy mixed with relief. The Belarusian said Saturday's win had carried extra meaning given two previous defeats in Grand Slams this year.

"This one felt different," she said. "You know, this one felt like I had to overcome a lot of things to get this one.

"I knew that with the hard work we put in, like, I deserved to have a Grand Slam title this season. To bring the fight and be able to handle my emotions the way I did in this final, it means a lot. I'm super proud right now of myself."

Sabalenka meanwhile paid tribute to her late father, Sergey, who died from meningitis in 2019 at the age of 43.

"When he passed away, you know, I was very depressed. It was a tough moment for me, for my family," Sabalenka said.

"But in that moment, I decided to take it as motivation, to put our family name in the history. I want to believe, and I think I feel his protection from up there, and I know that he became my power."

rcw/mw
A Welsh farm became the stage for a dramatic protest earlier this week, as dozens of rural businesses gathered to warn that inheritance tax reforms could devastate farming families.

The Cornock family, who run a mixed dairy farm near Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, hosted 57 local businesses at their Cefnydre farm on Wednesday 3 September.

The gathering aimed to underline the potential impact of forthcoming UK government changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) on farms and the wider rural economy.

Those attending represented a diverse range of enterprises  from vets, machinery dealers and milk processors to electricians, foot trimmers and fencing contractors.

A survey carried out at the event revealed that the 57 firms employed nearly 11,000 people between them. Strikingly, around half of those said they were totally reliant on income from local farms to remain viable.

The protest comes in response to the governments proposals to overhaul APR and BPR, which would see a flat 20% inheritance tax levied from April 2026 on farmland and farm assets previously exempt.

The Cornocks had already drawn attention to the issue at last months Pembrokeshire County Show, where they highlighted what they described as the emotional and financial burden of the so-called family farm tax.

Janet Cornock, widowed when her husband Gwilym died in 2018, spoke candidly of the personal strain. She said the prospect of the reforms caused her to lie awake at night with my heart pounding.

Addressing attendees at Wednesdays gathering, Mrs Cornock said the turnout of local businesses demonstrated the scale of the threat facing rural Wales.

She warned that without urgent changes to the governments proposals, family farms across Wales and beyond faced an uncertain future.

We simply do not have the cashflow to pay this substantial and unexpected tax bill when all of the value of our business is tied up in the farm and its assets.

She acknowledged that the direct consequences for farmers would be devastating but stressed the wider implications for rural communities.

The knock-on is going to have a ripple effect on many of the people who work at those companies, the local economy and the wider prosperity of rural Wales.

"It simply cannot be right that a policy of this nature can destroy a farming legacy while also indirectly causing untold damage to rural businesses.

NFU Cymru Pembrokeshire County Adviser, Aled Davies, praised the familys efforts in convening the businesses and drawing national attention to the issue.

He said: We are extremely grateful to Janet and the rest of the Cornock family for bringing these rural businesses together.

"The sight of our wider industry gathered in this fashion at the farm was quite the spectacle and something that really had to be seen to be believed.

"By capturing this event with a drone camera we hope to show the wider picture and send a clear message to policymakers of exactly whats at stake.
In This Article

Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Taare Zameen Par)

Mr John Keating (Dead Poets Society)

Raj Aryan Malhotra (Mohabbatein)

Jeetu Bhaiya (Kota Factory)

Naina Mathur (Hichki)

Debraj Sahai (Black)

Katherine Watson (Mona Lisa Smile)

Teachers in fiction arent just about chalk and lectures  theyre about inspiring us, challenging us, and sometimes making us cry buckets in the theatres. They stick long after the credits roll. Films have given us some iconic classrooms full of fun, memories, and wisdom. This Teachers Day, lets celebrate such teachers who changed the way we see teaching. Heres our list of 7 incredible teachers in fiction that totally won us over!If theres one teacher everyone knows and absolutely loves, its Aamir Khans Ram Shankar Nikumbh. He redefined what it means to be a teacher. He wasnt interested in grades or punishments  he was interested in Ishaans soul and happiness. With art, kindness, patience, and a fun time in class with Bumm Bumm Bole, he unlocked a childs world that was otherwise dismissed as lazy. For many of us, Nikumbh represents the pinnacle of how empathy can change education.One of the most iconic teachers in cinema history is Robin Williams as John Keating. His Carpe Diem mantra wasnt just advice  it was a revolution for his students. Instead of confining the students to classrooms, Keating lets them soar high. By tearing apart textbooks and encouraging free thought, Keating reminded us that education is about questioning, feeling, and daring to live authentically. Hes the teacher we all wished for.Raj Aryan Malhotra is the kind of teacher who makes learning feel like an extension of life itself. He isnt just a music teacherhes the kind who turns classrooms into jam sessions of life and love. With his passion for music, his belief in the power of love, and his ability to connect with students on a personal level, he inspires them to dream beyond boundaries. Rahul makes school less about textbooks and more about discovering yourself.Every student dreams of a mentor like Jeetu Bhaiya. He is more than a teacher; he is the ultimate leader, philosopher, and friend all in one. Just the fact that students called him bhaiya instead of sir showed just how comfortable the students were. Whether its simplifying IIT prep or offering life advice over a cup of chai, Jeetu Bhaiya makes learning feel less like pressure and more like purpose.Rani Mukerji's portrayal of a teacher with Tourette's Syndrome defied stereotypes in the most remarkable way. Naina not only battled her own challenges but also believed in her group of underprivileged students when no one else did. Watching her turn hiccups into hope was inspiring, and her story reminded us that both teachers and students can overcome odds together.In Black, Amitabh Bachchans powerful performance as a teacher for a visually and hearing-impaired student broke every barrier. His unwavering patience, tough love, and faith in Michelle made this film unforgettable. The story wasnt just about education; it was about hope, resilience, and how one teacher can open the door to an entire world.Instead of students, Mona Lisa Smile showed a teacher as the rebel in the classroom, but one with purpose. Julia Roberts Kathrine Watson challenged her students to dream beyond societal expectations, to see a future outside of marriage and tradition! For audiences, she became a feminist icon, reminding us that teachers dont just fill heads with facts; they can spark entire thought movements.These fictional characters were more than characters; these teachers shaped audiences beyond exams. They showed how the right teacher can change a life entirely!
Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release Chemicals

SubCategory Select Sub-Category
COLOMBO, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan police on Sunday discovered a large stock of raw materials suspected to be used in the production of crystal methamphetamine during a raid in Tangalle in southern Sri Lanka.

Tangalle police detected the materials during a search operation on Sunday morning. The seized materials were taken for further examination and investigation.

Police said the substances are believed to be used for producing crystal methamphetamine, adding that the chemicals appear similar to those seized earlier during a raid in Middeniya.

Sri Lankan police uncovered a stockpile of nearly 50,000 kg of raw materials suspected to be used in the production of crystal methamphetamine at Middeniya in southern Sri Lanka, the police said on Friday. 
Woven garment exports slightly outpaced knitted garment exports in terms of growth. Knitwear exports (Chapter **) rose by *.** per cent to $*.*** billion, compared to $*.*** billion in the same period of fiscal ******. Woven apparel exports (Chapter **) increased by **.** per cent to $*.*** billion, up from $*.*** billion in JulyAugust ****, EPB data showed.

Home textile exports (Chapter **, excluding ******) also grew, rising by **.** per cent to $***.** million, compared to $***.** million in the same period of the previous fiscal. Collectively, exports of woven and knitted apparel, clothing accessories, and home textiles accounted for **.** per cent of Bangladeshs total exports, which stood at $*.*** billion during the period.
Mahesh Babu is back in Hyderabad after participating in the first schedule of shooting for Globetrotter (working title) in the African nation, Kenya.

Filming in Kenya is a once-in-a-lifetime experience: Rajamouli

Rajamouli with Musalia W. Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign & Diaspora Affairs of Kenya

Rajamouli and son Karthikeya, producer KL Narayana with Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia W. Mudavadi and colleagues

Mahesh Babu plays an adventurer-archaeologist

Mahesh Babu is back in Hyderabad after participating in the first schedule of shooting for Globetrotter (working title) in the African nation, Kenya. The superstar who left for Nairobi on August 27 to participate in the shooting, returned to the city on Saturday. Photos and videos of Mahesh Babus arrival at the airport have been shared extensively by the fans on social media.Rajamouli reportedly zeroed in on Kenya for shooting 95 per cent of the action adventure. Major chase and action sequences are being filmed in Kenya. The director recently shot action and adventure sequences on Mahesh Babu and Priyanka in Kenya. These episodes will be later elevated in VFX for an immersive experience to the audiences. According to the filmmaker, Kenya is not just a location but a character in the film. He has planned to shoot Globetrotter in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.After Rajamoulis recent meeting with Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia W Mudavadi, the filmmaker shared that filming in Kenya was one of the most memorable moments of his career. In response to the senior Kenyan officials post on social media, Rajamouli replied, Visiting Kenya has indeed been a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime experience, with its vast landscapes and incredible diversity of wildlife. Filming there has been one of the most memorable moments of my career.The filmmaker expressed gratitude to the Kenyan government and the locals of the Masai Mara, Naivasha, Samburu, and Amboseli for their tremendous support and hospitality throughout the shoot. Mahesh Babu reportedly plays the role of a daring adventurer and an archaeologist who sets out for a globetrotting adventure in the jungles of Amazon and parts of Africa. Since Globetrotter belongs to the African-adventure genre, Rajamouli wanted to shoot most of the footage live in Africa for authenticity.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mammootty (@mammootty)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MEGASTAR UPDATES (@megastarupdatez)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sohan Seenulal (@sohan_seenulal)

Also Read:

Think of Mammootty and the mind instantly recalls the imposing policeman, the patriarch whose words are heavy with meaning, or the leader whose silence alone can dominate a frame. His reputation rests on seriousness. Yet, woven through his four decades of cinema, theres another thread  one where Mammootty turns the unexpected into laughter. And when he does, the effect is electric.In the early 1980s, humour wasnt his natural ground. Films such as Nanayam (1983), Veendum Chalikkunna Chakram (1984) and Nandi Veendum Varika (1986) gave him moments to play lighter shades, but they felt tentative. The actor still carried the weight of his dramatic persona, and the humour didnt land with ease. These were not failures as much as experiments, lessons in timing and tone. What he discovered was that comedy, for him, couldnt be pasted onto a performance; it had to be born from character.The breakthrough came with Manu Uncle (1988). Cast in a childrens film, Mammootty stripped away intensity and tapped into warmth. As the genial guardian, he didnt perform comedy. He simply allowed his natural charm and playfulness to shine, and the result was delightful. For countless children of that era, it was their first glimpse of a softer, more approachable Mammootty. It proved he could be funny by being himself.A year later, Carnivel (1989) offered another shift. Set against the backdrop of a fairground, the film gave him space to play with lightness while keeping the core of the story intact. He wasnt yet in full comic bloom, but the breezy touches showed he was growing more confident in mixing humour with storytelling.Consider Kottayam Kunjachan (1990), where Mammootty played a small-time rowdy trying to turn over a new leaf. The film is a classic today not just for its storyline, but for how Mammootty infused the character with rustic wit and biting humour. His command over the Kottayam dialect, the way he delivered sharp one-liners, and the swagger that oscillated between menace and mischief turned Kunjachan into one of Malayalam cinemas most memorable comic creations. The comedy wasnt about flamboyance, but about timing, tone, and language and it worked brilliantly.The next landmark was Rajamanikyam (2005). As Bellary Raja, Mammootty reinvented himself, adopting a theatrical Trivandrum dialect and larger-than-life mannerisms. What could have been ridiculous instead became riveting, because he committed fully. It was humour anchored in conviction, and it turned the film into a blockbuster while cementing Raja as one of his most iconic characters.If Rajamanikyam was flamboyant, Mayavi (2007) was sly. Playing Mahi, a jailbird who doubles as a vigilante, Mammootty pulled back, letting restraint do the work. His sly smiles, perfectly timed pauses and understated coolness allowed the surrounding chaos to sparkle. The comedy was ensemble-driven, but it was his measured presence that held it together. The film went on to become the highest-grossing Malayalam release of that year.He carried this playful energy into Pokkiri Raja (2010), where he shared the screen with Prithviraj in a film that thrived on mass appeal and exaggerated humour. As Raja, Mammootty embraced larger-than-life swagger, delivering punchlines with a mix of menace and wit. The films comic tone, especially in the banter between the leads, made it a runaway hit and reaffirmed his ability to dominate mainstream comedy just as he does drama.One of his most acclaimed comic turns came the same year with Pranchiyettan and the Saint (2010). As Pranchi, the Thrissur businessman desperate for validation, Mammootty brought both humour and poignancy. His Thrissur dialect, his mannerisms, and his earnest yet bumbling pursuit of social acceptance struck a delicate balance between satire and sympathy. It is often cited as one of his finest performances, a reminder that great comedy can hold a mirror to society.Sprinkled across the decades are other gems. Chronic Bachelor (2003) showcased his knack for sarcasm, where exasperation itself became funny. Thuruppu Gulan (2006) turned his swagger into punchlines, his machismo played with a wink. Pothan Vava (2006) let him revel in verbal sparring, wielding repartee with ease. These werent mere diversions; they were reminders that Mammoottys humour was as varied as his dramatic range.More recently, he has leaned towards subtlety. In Immanuel (2013), gentle humour softened the edges of a middle-aged man navigating indignities at work. Unda (2019) gave us a weary police officer caught unprepared, with comedy that came from vulnerability rather than gags. Even in the shadowed corridors of Bheeshma Parvam (2022), a sly smile or a quick line showed flashes of playfulness beneath the gravitas.What ties all these performances together is sincerity. Mammootty never uses comedy as garnish. He digs into the character, letting humour arise naturally from their quirks, flaws or circumstances. That is why his comedic turns endure. When Kunjachan swaggers, when Mahi smirks, when Bellary Raja blusters, when Pranchi stumbles, when Raja struts, it feels authentic. Were not watching an actor try comedy; were watching a character live it.It also explains why his comic performances feel like events. Mohanlal is often celebrated for a natural ease with humour, but Mammoottys comedy thrives on surprise. We expect thunder, and suddenly theres laughter. The contrast itself becomes the joke, and the audience relishes it.Underlying this is his confidence in stardom. Many actors guard their image carefully, unwilling to risk looking silly. Mammootty has never hesitated to poke fun at himself, to exaggerate, to embrace absurdity when it serves the story. That willingness keeps him fresh and unpredictable, even after decades at the top.So on his birthday, its worth raising a toast not only to the commanding performer who has anchored some of Malayalam cinemas greatest dramas, but also to the man who, when he chooses, lets go of the thunder and shows us the joy beneath. Because when Mammootty makes us laugh, cinema itself feels lighter, brighter and endlessly more fun.
BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- COLMO, an AI-enabled home appliance brand under the Midea Group, unveiled its EVOLUTION 2.0 Series at IFA 2025. Both as a product series and a lifestyle philosophy, EVOLUTION 2.0 Series enables effective elegance where performance is powered by technology and utility by design. At IFA 2025, it earned the Global Product Technology Innovation Awards for AI Series Home Appliance Innovation Gold Award.

The EVOLUTION 2.0 Series was presented by Marzio Riboldi, Director of COLMO Milan Design Center. Spanning across air, water, kitchen, and laundry appliances, the Series combines AI-powered practicality with a stunning Milan-inspired design to reshape daily life.

The home is a landscape, and EVOLUTION 2.0 Series appliances are designed as microarchitectures, drawing inspiration from the streets of Milan and Italy's Lake Como. Their Nano Silver Paste Technology creates the depth of flowing metal on glass, while 0.3m precision etching adds smoothness and warmth to the panels' lustrous metallic finish. Rooted in simplicity, they feature flush built-in designs that are subdued and seamless, yet exudes an outstanding presence with their color-contrast controls and soft LED indicators.

With the introduction of the AUTO VIVA Intuitive Interaction system, EVOLUTION 2.0 Series unlocks a smarter way of living. Designed to respond to the user's intent, the system elevates the way they experience the home by enabling natural interactions, making every gesture effortless. This is accomplished by integrating automatic doors on refrigerators, smart voice controls, synced functions between appliances for coordinated tasks, and many more convenient technologies.

To support health and wellness-aspects integral to EVOLUTION 2.0-the series includes an AI Comprehensive Wellness Management System that cleanses the air, monitors nutrition, cares for hydration, and gently cleans laundry. With features such as AI Air Management that improve air quality, recipe suggestions that enhance nutrition, water dispense that balance alkaline content by age, and silver-ion technology that removes mites and bacteria from clothes, EVOLUTION 2.0 lets users manage their lives perfectly.

Visit COLMO at Hall 5.1.

About COLMO

COLMO's AI-powered premium home devices bring the future into your home. With its cutting-edge technology, premium quality and aesthetic design concept, COLMO helps you live a life that is "Simply Extraordinary".

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2766481/COLMO.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/colmo-evolution-2-0-series-wins-ifa-2025-global-innovation-gold-award-redefining-effective-elegance-302548420.html
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
FLAURA2 final overall survival analysis reinforces the favorable benefit-risk profile of this combination

Results underscore TAGRISSO as 1st-line standard of care and backbone therapy in EGFRm lung cancer across stages

Positive results from the final overall survival (OS) analysis of the FLAURA2 Phase III trial showed AstraZeneca's TAGRISSO(osimertinib) with the addition of pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the key secondary endpoint of OS compared to TAGRISSO monotherapy in the 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

These results will be presented today during the Presidential Symposium at the IASLC 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer in Barcelona, Spain (abstract PL02.04).

In the final OS analysis, TAGRISSO plus chemotherapy demonstrated a median OS of nearly four years (47.5 months) compared to approximately three years (37.6 months) for TAGRISSO monotherapy. At 57% data maturity, results showed TAGRISSO plus chemotherapy reduced the risk of death by 23% compared to TAGRISSO monotherapy (based on a hazard ratio [HR] of 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61-0.96; p=0.0202). An estimated 63.1% of patients treated with the combination were alive at three years and 49.1% of patients were alive at four years compared to 50.9% and 40.8%, respectively, in the monotherapy arm. Importantly, the observed OS benefit for TAGRISSO plus chemotherapy versus TAGRISSO monotherapy was consistent across all prespecified subgroups. Patients in the control arm received standard of care, including chemotherapy, upon progression, supporting the relevance of the OS results.

David Planchard, MD, PhD, Thoracic Oncologist at Gustave Roussy Institute of Oncology, Villejuif, France, and principal investigator for the trial, said: "The fundamental goals of lung cancer treatment are to extend survival while preserving patients' quality of life. These compelling results, which demonstrated unprecedented median overall survival, show this combination can achieve both of these goals and support osimertinib, with or without the addition of chemotherapy, as the standard of care for patients with 1st-line advanced EGFR-mutated lung cancer. With two highly effective osimertinib-based options for these patients, physicians can better tailor treatment to individual needs and help ensure the best possible outcome for each patient."

Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology Haematology R&D, AstraZeneca, said: "The latest FLAURA2 trial results set a new survival standard for patients, with TAGRISSO plus chemotherapy demonstrating a median overall survival of nearly four years in 1st-line advanced EGFR-mutated lung cancer-surpassing the three-year benchmark established in the FLAURA trial. Over the past decade, TAGRISSO has consistently delivered strong survival benefits and tolerable safety across all stages of non-small cell lung cancer, cementing its role as the backbone therapy in EGFR-mutated lung cancer."

Summary of OS results: FLAURA2

TAGRISSO plus chemotherapy (n=279) TAGRISSOmonotherapy (n=278) Median OS (in months)i,ii, iii 47.5 (41.0-NCiv 37.6 (33.2 ,43.2) Hazard ratio (95% CI) 0.77 (0.61-0.96) Stratified log-rank p-valuev 0.0202 Number of deaths, n (%) 144 (51.6) 171 (61.5) Data maturity 57% OS rate at 24 months (%) 79.7 (74.5-84.0) 71.5 (65.8-76.5) OS rate at 36 months (%) 63.1 (57.1-68.5) 50.9 (44.8-56.6) OS rate at 48 months (%) 49.1 (43.0-55.0) 40.8 (34.9-46.6)

OS data cut-off date was 12 June 2025 Median follow-up duration for OS in censored patients at data cut-off: 51.2 (0.2-60.4) months for TAGRISSO plus chemotherapy and 51.3 (0.1-60.1) months for TAGRISSO monotherapy Calculated by Kaplan-Meier method Not calculable For statistical significance, a 2-sided p-value of less than 0.04953, as determined by the O'Brien and Fleming spending rule, was required

With longer follow-up, the safety profile of TAGRISSO plus chemotherapy continued to be manageable and consistent with the established profiles of the individual medicines. Grade 3 or higher adverse events (AEs) from all causes occurred in 70% of patients in the TAGRISSO plus chemotherapy arm, driven by well-characterized chemotherapy-related AEs, versus 34% in the TAGRISSO monotherapy arm, similar to the rates reported at the primary analysis presented at the IASLC 2023 WCLC (64% versus 27%, respectively). Discontinuation rates due to AEs and on-target toxicities were low in both trial arms (12% versus 7%).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

There are no contraindications for TAGRISSO

TAGRISSO can cause severe and fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis. ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 4% of the 1813 patients treated with TAGRISSO monotherapy who had not received recent definitive chemoradiation therapy (CRT); 0.4% of cases were fatal. In the FLAURA2 study, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 3.3% of the 276 patients who received TAGRISSO in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy; 0.4% of cases were fatal. For patients receiving TAGRISSO who have not received recent definitive platinum-based CRT, withhold TAGRISSO and promptly investigate for ILD in patients who present with worsening of respiratory symptoms which may be indicative of ILD (e.g., dyspnea, cough, and fever). Permanently discontinue TAGRISSO if ILD/pneumonitis is confirmed

TAGRISSO can cause heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation. Of the 1813 TAGRISSO monotherapy-treated patients in clinical trials, 1.1% were found to have a QTc >500 msec, and 4.3% of patients had an increase from baseline QTc >60 msec. Of the 276 patients treated with TAGRISSO in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy in the FLAURA2 study, 1.8% were found to have a QTc >500 msec, and 10.5% of patients had an increase from baseline QTc >60 msec. No QTc-related arrhythmias were reported. Conduct periodic monitoring with ECGs and electrolytes in patients with congenital long QTc syndrome, congestive heart failure, electrolyte abnormalities, or those who are taking medications known to prolong the QTc interval. Permanently discontinue TAGRISSO in patients who develop QTc interval prolongation with signs/symptoms of life-threatening arrhythmia

TAGRISSO can cause cardiomyopathy, including cardiac failure, chronic cardiac failure, congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema or decreased ejection fraction. Cardiomyopathy occurred in 3.8% of the 1813 TAGRISSO-treated patients; 0.1% of cardiomyopathy cases were fatal. In the FLAURA2 study, cardiomyopathy occurred in 9% of the 276 patients who received TAGRISSO in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy; 1.1% of cardiomyopathy cases were fatal. A decline in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) =10% from baseline and to <50% LVEF occurred in 4.2% of 1557 patients who had baseline and at least one follow-up LVEF assessment. In the FLAURA2 study, 8% (21/262) of patients treated with TAGRISSO in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy, who had baseline and at least one follow-up LVEF assessment, experienced LVEF decreases =10% and a drop to <50%. For patients receiving TAGRISSO monotherapy, conduct cardiac monitoring in patients with cardiac risk factors, including assessment of LVEF at baseline and during treatment. For patients receiving TAGRISSO in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy, conduct cardiac monitoring in all patients, including assessment of LVEF at baseline and during treatment. Assess LVEF in patients who develop relevant cardiac signs or symptoms during treatment. For symptomatic congestive heart failure, permanently discontinue TAGRISSO

Keratitis was reported in 0.6% of 1813 patients treated with TAGRISSO monotherapy in clinical trials. Promptly refer patients with signs and symptoms suggestive of keratitis (such as eye inflammation, lacrimation, light sensitivity, blurred vision, eye pain and/or red eye) to an ophthalmologist

Postmarketing cases consistent with erythema multiforme major (EMM), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) have been reported in patients receiving TAGRISSO. Withhold TAGRISSO if EMM, SJS, or TEN is suspected and permanently discontinue if confirmed

Postmarketing cases of cutaneous vasculitis including leukocytoclastic vasculitis, urticarial vasculitis, and IgA vasculitis have been reported in patients receiving TAGRISSO. Withhold TAGRISSO if cutaneous vasculitis is suspected, evaluate for systemic involvement, and consider dermatology consultation. If no other etiology can be identified, consider permanent discontinuation of TAGRISSO based on severity

Aplastic anemia has been reported in patients treated with TAGRISSO in clinical trials (0.06% of 1813) and postmarketing. Some cases had a fatal outcome. Inform patients of the signs and symptoms of aplastic anemia including but not limited to, new or persistent fevers, bruising, bleeding, and pallor. If aplastic anemia is suspected, withhold TAGRISSO and obtain a hematology consultation. If aplastic anemia is confirmed, permanently discontinue TAGRISSO. Perform complete blood count with differential before starting TAGRISSO, periodically throughout treatment, and more frequently if indicated

Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiating TAGRISSO. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with TAGRISSO and for 6 weeks after the last dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception for 4 months after the last dose

Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed infants from TAGRISSO, women should not breastfeed during treatment with TAGRISSO and for 2 weeks after the last dose

Most common (=20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were:



TAGRISSO in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy: leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, lymphopenia, rash, diarrhea, stomatitis, nail toxicity, dry skin, and increased blood creatinine



INDICATIONS

TAGRISSO is indicated in combination with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC whose tumors have epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test

Please see complete Prescribing Information, including Patient Information for TAGRISSO.

Notes

NSCLC

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women, accounting for about one-fifth of all cancer deaths.1 Lung cancer is broadly split into small cell lung cancer or NSCLC, the latter accounting for 80-85% of cases.1-2 Approximately 75% of people are diagnosed with advanced NSCLC.3 Additionally, about 10-15% of NSCLC patients in the US and Europe, and 30-40% of patients in Asia have EGFRm NSCLC.4-6

While EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have significantly improved outcomes in the 1st-line setting, mechanisms of resistance and disease progression are extremely common, and a significant unmet need exists in later-line settings for effective and well-tolerated treatment options.7-10

FLAURA2

FLAURA2 is a randomized, open-label, multi-center, global Phase III trial in previously untreated patients with locally advanced (Stage IIIB-IIIC) or metastatic (Stage IV) NSCLC whose tumors have EGFR exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R mutations. Patients were treated with TAGRISSO 80 mg QD oral tablets with the addition of chemotherapy (pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) plus cisplatin (75mg/m2) or carboplatin (AUC5) every three weeks for four cycles, followed by TAGRISSO with pemetrexed maintenance every three weeks.

The trial enrolled 557 patients in more than 150 centers across more than 20 countries, including in the US, Europe, South America and Asia. The primary endpoint is PFS with OS as the key secondary endpoint.

TAGRISSO

TAGRISSO (osimertinib) is a third-generation, irreversible EGFR-TKI with proven clinical activity in NSCLC, including against central nervous system metastases. TAGRISSO (40 mg and 80 mg QD oral tablets) has been used to treat more than one million patients across its indications worldwide and AstraZeneca continues to explore TAGRISSO as a treatment for patients across multiple stages of EGFRm NSCLC.

TAGRISSO is approved as monotherapy in more than 120 countries including the US, EU, China and Japan. Approved indications include for 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC, locally advanced or metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive NSCLC, adjuvant treatment of early-stage EGFRm NSCLC and locally advanced, unresectable NSCLC following platinum-based chemoradiation therapy (CRT). TAGRISSO is also approved in combination with chemotherapy in more than 80 countries, including the US, EU, China and Japan, for 1st-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC.

There is an extensive body of evidence supporting the use of TAGRISSO in EGFRm NSCLC, and it is the only targeted therapy shown to improve patient outcomes across all stages of the disease.

In late-stage disease, TAGRISSO demonstrated improved outcomes as monotherapy in the FLAURA Phase III trial and in combination with chemotherapy in the FLAURA2 Phase III trial. TAGRISSO is also being investigated in this setting in combination with savolitinib in the SAFFRON Phase III trial and in combination with datopotamab deruxtecan or Dato-DXd in the TROPION-Lung14 and TROPION-Lung15 Phase III trials.

TAGRISSO also showed improved outcomes in early-stage disease in the NeoADAURA and ADAURA Phase III trials and in locally advanced stages in the LAURA Phase III trial. As part of AstraZeneca's ongoing commitment to treating patients as early as possible in lung cancer, TAGRISSO is also being investigated in the early-stage adjuvant resectable setting in the ADAURA2 Phase III trial.

AstraZeneca in lung cancer

AstraZeneca is working to bring patients with lung cancer closer to cure through the detection and treatment of early-stage disease, while also pushing the boundaries of science to improve outcomes in the resistant and advanced settings. By defining new therapeutic targets and investigating in innovative approaches, the Company aims to match medicines to the patients who can benefit most.

The Company's comprehensive portfolio includes leading lung cancer medicines and the next wave of innovations, including TAGRISSO and gefitinib; durvalumab and tremelimumab-actl; fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki and datopotamab deruxtecan in collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo; savolitinib in collaboration with HUTCHMED; as well as a pipeline of potential new medicines and combinations across diverse mechanisms of action.

AstraZeneca is a founding member of the Lung Ambition Alliance, a global coalition working to accelerate innovation and deliver meaningful improvements for people with lung cancer, including and beyond treatment.

AstraZeneca in oncology

AstraZeneca is leading a revolution in oncology with the ambition to provide cures for cancer in every form, following the science to understand cancer and all its complexities to discover, develop and deliver life-changing medicines to patients.

The Company's focus is on some of the most challenging cancers. It is through persistent innovation that AstraZeneca has built one of the most diverse portfolios and pipelines in the industry, with the potential to catalyze changes in the practice of medicine and transform the patient experience.

AstraZeneca has the vision to redefine cancer care and, one day, eliminate cancer as a cause of death.

AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal Metabolism, and Respiratory Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca's innovative medicines are sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit www.astrazeneca-us.com and follow the Company on social media @AstraZeneca.

References

World Health Organization. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Lung Cancer Fact Sheet. Available at: https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/cancers/15-trachea-bronchus-and-lung-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed August 2025. American Cancer Society. What Is Lung Cancer?. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/what-is.html. Accessed August 2025. Chen HJ, et al. Long-term survival of advanced lung adenocarcinoma by maintenance chemotherapy followed by EGFR-TKI. Medicine. 2021;100(6):e24688. Keedy VL, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology Provisional Clinical Opinion: Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Mutation Testing for Patients with Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Considering First-Line EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2011:29;2121-27. Szumera-Cieckiewicz A, et al. EGFR Mutation Testing on Cytological and Histological Samples in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: a Polish, Single Institution Study and Systematic Review of European Incidence. Int J Clin Exp Pathol. 2013;6:2800-2812. Ellison G, et al. EGFR Mutation Testing in Lung Cancer: a Review of Available Methods and Their Use for Analysis of Tumour Tissue and Cytology Samples. J Clin Pathol. 2013;66:79-89. Chen R, et al. Emerging therapeutic agents for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. J Hematol Oncol. 2020;13(1):58. Majeed U, et al. Targeted therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: current advances and future trends. J Hematol Oncol. 2021;14(1):108. Morgillo F, et al. Mechanisms of resistance to EGFR-targeted drugs: lung cancer. ESMO Open. 2016;1(3):e000060. Han B, et al. Efficacy of pemetrexed-based regimens in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with activating epidermal growth factor receptor mutations after tyrosine kinase inhibitor failure: a systematic review. Onco Targets Ther. 2018;11:2121-2129.

US-101723 Last Updated 09/25

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250907733232/en/

Contacts:

Media Inquiries

Fiona Cookson +1 212 814 3923



US Media Mailbox: usmediateam@astrazeneca.com
SHANGHAI, Sept. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd (Junshi Biosciences, HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, announced that company's product, recombinant humanized anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody (code: JS005) has achieved positive results in a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled pivotal registrational Phase 3 clinical study (study number: JS005-005-III-PsO) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Both the co-primary endpoints and key secondary endpoints showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements. Junshi Biosciences plans to submit the new drug application of this product to the regulatory authorities in the near future.

Psoriasis is a common chronic, recurrent, inflammatory, and systemic disease mediated by the immune system. Its prevalence varies significantly across different regions: the overall global prevalence of psoriasis ranges from 2.0% to 3.0%, while in China it is 0.47%. According to data released by the World Psoriasis Day Consortium, the total number of patients with psoriasis worldwide is approximately 125 million, and shows a year-on-year increasing trend. Psoriasis can be accompanied by other systemic abnormalities, patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis have an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies caused by physical and psychological distress are also relatively common among the patients with psoriasis. Therefore, psoriasis is a disease that seriously affects the physical and mental health of patients, and is also a global disease that urgently needs to be addressed.

So far, the multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled pivotal registrational Phase 3 study (study number: JS005-005-III-PsO) of JS005 has been successfully completed and met the co-primary endpoints and key secondary endpoints. Led by Professor Jianzhong ZHANG from the Peking University People's Hospital, the study was conducted in 60 clinical sites across China, and its primary objective is to determine whether the proportion of participants achieving at least a 90% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90) and a static Physician Global Assessment (the "sPGA") score of 0 or 1 at Week 12 in JS005 group are both superior to that of the placebo group.

The study results showed that, compared to the placebo, JS005 significantly improved the area and severity of psoriasis lesion in participants, and the proportion of participants achieving a sPGA score of 0 or 1 was also significantly higher, and JS005 demonstrated good safety in participants with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The relevant study results will be announced at future international academic conferences.

Prof. Jianzhong ZHANG from the Peking University People's Hospital said, "Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis suffer from long-term recurrent skin lesions and pruritus, imposing significant physical and mental burdens. Traditional treatments remain limited, making the success of this Phase 3 study for JS005 a significant milestone. Results demonstrate JS005's superior efficacy in achieving deep symptom remission, sustained therapeutic effects, and improved quality of life. We hope this therapy will soon benefit millions of patients, further advancing China's psoriasis treatment landscape."

Dr. Jianjun ZOU, General Manager and CEO of Junshi Biosciences, said, "We sincerely thank patients, investigators, and the R&D team for their exceptional contributions in achieving the primary endpoints of JS005's Phase 3 study. This milestone not only brings new hope to patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis but also marks our innovation breakthrough in the autoimmune field. Moving forward, we will actively collaborate with regulators to accelerate the availability of this innovative therapy, ensuring earlier patient access."

About JS005

JS005 is an anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody independently developed by Junshi Biosciences. IL (interleukin)-17A is a pleiotropic cytokine, and the disordered secretion of which is closely related to the occurrence and progression of autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. By binding to IL-17A with high affinity and selectively blocking the binding of IL-17A with its receptor IL-17RA/IL-17RC, JS005 blocks the activation of downstream signaling pathways and the release of inflammatory factors, thereby effectively alleviating the symptoms of autoimmune diseases. So far, the phase 3 clinical study of JS005 for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis has met the co-primary endpoints and key secondary endpoints. All subjects in the phase 2 clinical study of JS005 for the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis have completed the primary endpoint visit and entered the extension treatment period.

About Junshi Biosciences

Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180) is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R&D pipeline comprising over 50 drug candidates, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Five of the company's products have received approvals in China and international markets, one of which is toripalimab, China's first domestically produced and independently developed anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody. Toripalimab has been approved in 40 countries and regions including China, the US, and Europe. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Junshi Biosciences actively shouldered the social responsibilities of a Chinese pharmaceutical company through its involvement in developing etesevimab, MINDEWEI, and other novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

With a mission of "providing patients with world-class, trustworthy, affordable, and innovative drugs," Junshi Biosciences is "In China, For Global." At present, the company boasts approximately 2,500 employees in the United States (Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing, Guangzhou, etc.). For more information, please visit: http://www.junshipharma.com.

Junshi Biosciences Contact Information

IR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

info@junshipharma.com

+ 86 021-6105 8800

PR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

Zhi Li

zhi_li@junshipharma.com

+ 86 021-6105 8800
Not just food and wine pairing, cooking with wine can be a classic experience, heres how we can do it right.

Wine brings depth, balance, and complexity to food. Its acidity cuts through richness, while its unique flavour compounds complement and enhance the dish. The acidity of the wine cuts through richness and balances fatty or creamy elements. Tannins, found in red wine, create a slight astringency that can enhance the texture of meat, especially red meat. Sweetness balances heat and spices, while aromatics in wine; whether fruit, floral, earthy, or herbal, layer over a dishs main flavors.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

According to Shrikant Sanglodkar, Executive Chef, Sula Vineyards For me, food and wine are not just about tastethey are about heritage, memory, and the joy of creation. I love weaving Indias rich, local flavours into the timeless art of pairing, letting each sip and bite tell a story. Whether its a humble coastal curry lifted by a crisp Chenin Blanc or a slow-braised mutton stew deepened with a bold Shiraz, the craft lies in respecting ingredients, honouring tradition, and creating harmony on the palate.

Basics of food and wine pairing

Talking about wine pairing basics, Amit Kocharekar, Chef at Hotel Marine Plaza explains, for red meat, bold reds like Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz work well, as their high tannins complement protein and fat. Poultry like chicken or turkey pairs beautifully with Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, which match its delicate flavors.

Seafood, including white fish and shellfish, is best complemented by Sauvignon Blanc or Chablis, whose crisp acidity enhances freshness. Pasta with tomato sauce pairs well with Chianti or Sangiovese, as the acidity in the wine matches that of the tomato. For desserts, Port, Moscato, or Late Harvest wines work best, as sweet matches sweet without bitterness.

Cooking with wine

According to Chef Parikshit Joshi of _Someplace Else, Mumbai, w_hen it comes to cooking with wine, you cant miss Truffle-scented Mushroom Risotto where white wine is used to deglaze the pan, pulling in all the flavours and enhancing the natural creaminess of arborio rice for a rich, velvety finish.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

For Wok Chilli Chicken, a splash of Shaoxing wine is added right at the end of cooking to round out the flavours and give the dish a deep, savoury aroma.

How wine enhances the texture and flavour of dishes?

Here is what Chef Shrikant points out

Acidity: Brightens flavours and balances richness.

Tannins: Add structure and help cleanse the palate from fatty textures.

Aromatics: Complement herbs, spices, and aromatics in food.

Sweetness: Balances heat in spicy dishes and complements salty or tangy flavours.

Complexity: Deepens the overall taste experience, turning a meal into a sensory journey.

Cooking with wine

Recipe of Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine)

Here is the recipe of Coq au Vin, a French dish of chicken braised with wine. Chicken slow-cooked with red wine, mushrooms, onions, and herbs.

Chicken marinade

500 gms chicken curry cut

1 Carrots sliced

1 Celeries sliced

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, mashed

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 glass of red wine

Garnishes

4 strips bacon, diced

100 gms button mushrooms

2 cups chicken stock

Braising the chicken

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon flour

Method:

To marinate the chicken, Place the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and thyme in a bowl. Pour over the wine, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add the pearl onions, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil in an oven over high heat. Dust the flour on chicken, skin side down, and cook until browned, 8 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate reserved for stock and marinade and bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the pot, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, add bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is fully cooked, 25 to 30 minutes longer.
KATHMANDU, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A tiger killed an elderly man in Nepal's Bara district on Sunday morning, taking the death toll from tiger attacks in the area to four in the past two months, local police said.

The 60-year-old man was collecting mushrooms at a forest when he was attacked, and his body was found later by locals, said Bijay Raj Pandit, information officer for district police.

"It is unclear whether a single tiger or multiple tigers caused the deaths," Pandit told Xinhua. "We're trying to locate and capture the cannibal tiger."

Conflicts between humans and wildlife are common in Nepal, which is home to 355 tigers, according to a 2022 census. 
The film not only made the audience uneasy with its messaging but also raised questions about the fair treatment of the law towards men in particular.

The buzz coming straight out of the Toronto Film Festival is that the acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Kashyaps latest directorial venture Bandar, written by Sudip Sharma & Abhishek Banerjee, starring Bobby Deol and Sanya Malhotra, has created quite a stir. This reveal came along with the screening of the film selection at its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival. The film was hailed as Anurag Kashyaps most raw, hard-hitting, and controversial film at TIFF this year.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The film not only made the audience uneasy with its messaging but also raised questions about the fair treatment of the law towards men in particular.

The film showcased Bobby Deol in an avatar like never seen before. Critics are hailing Bobbys complete transformation and believe that this could be one of the finest performances of his career.

The film also has Sanya Malhotra in a pivotal role and has delivered a heart-rending performance. She has embodied her role with conviction, justifying her presence in this intense drama. Meanwhile, Saba Azad takes on the role of a young, fierce woman and portrays it with striking authenticity on screen. Sapna Pabbi is a revelation only to be experienced in the film and to talk about her role now may be giving too much away about the film.

Actor, Producer Nikhil Dwivedi, who has backed this film continues his track record of backing uniquely different stories after Veere Di Wedding and CTRL.
The woman had earlier alleged that she was offered spiked drinks at a house party in Delhi last month, taken to a bathroom and sexually assaulted

The Delhi Police is trying to trace the mobile phone of a woman that was allegedly snatched by television actor Ashish Kapoor and his aide during an incident in which the actor has been accused of rape, officials said on Saturday.

The woman had earlier alleged that she was offered spiked drinks at a house party in Delhi last month, taken to a bathroom and sexually assaulted. She had further claimed that the episode was recorded on her phone, which was subsequently taken away, a senior police officer said.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The case came to light when the wife of one of Kapoors friends called police, saying the woman was creating a commotion. The complainant was then taken to a hospital, where she disclosed about the alleged assault.

Initially, the FIR named Kapoor, his friend, the friends wife and two others for gang rape. However, the complainant later revised her statement, narrowing the allegation to rape by Kapoor alone, while retracting charges against the others, police said.

Investigators said Kapoors potency test has been conducted after obtaining permission from the court. He has been remanded in 14 days judicial custody.

Efforts are underway to trace the victims phone, which she alleges was snatched by Kapoor and his aide. The device is critical to the investigation, the officer added.

Kapoor, who was absconding after the case was registered, was apprehended from Pune recently.
Do you often reward yourself with a small treat after a particularly tough day at work? Then you are part of Gen Zs treat culture. While these little indulgences may help in picking up ones mood, they could cause more harm than good

Treat culture is all about Gen Zers rewarding themselves for small wins, or using little treats as pick-me-ups after a bad day. Representational image/AI-generated

Life is stressful. But everywhere you turn, there are coping mechanisms and wellbeing trends to help people manage their worries about the state of the world. Even Gen Z has found their way to contend with this everyday stress  treat culture, wherein they treat themselves with small purchases like snacks or conveniences as a form of self-care, coping, and positive reinforcement.

However, this phenomenon of daily or weekly indulgences isnt helping Gen Z as they believe. In fact, it could have the reverse impact of draining ones finances, adding to their financial woes.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

How, you ask? We have the answer here.

What is treat culture?

Had a rough day at work? You gift yourself a cookie.

Achieved all your health goals at the gym? You surely deserve a skincare pampering.

Had a fight with your BFF? You must overcome this grief with a meal at a restaurant.

All of these little acts are part of the treat culture, which has become an intrinsic part of life for most Gen Z adults. Theyre micro-moments of joy that Gen Z are increasingly relying on to feel grounded and in control.

Little treats culture is an on-trend lifestyle practice where Gen Z makes use of small delights and pleasurable experiences such as snacks or treats. Representational image/AI generated

While treat culture has been around for decades  it gained traction in 2011 with a television episode of Parks and Recreation in which characters celebrated a day of pampering with the motto Treat Yo Self  it has seen an explosion, courtesy Gen Zs, who have built an online community around the tradition, promoting it on their social feeds as a way to care for their mental health during uncertain times.

In fact, Daniel Levine, director of consumer trends consulting firm Avant Guide Institute, told Fortune, While treat culture isnt new, Gen Z is taking it to a new level. For instance, on TikTok, the tag sweet little treat meme has resulted in more than 23 million videos.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Whats fuelling this treat culture?

For Gen Z, treat culture is a coping mechanism or a form of resistance to societal pressures. Many psychologists note that this trend has exploded in recent times because Gen Z has come of age during this economic instability, coupled with the Covid-19 pandemic, climate anxiety, and overall social upheaval.

Take the case of Angelina Aileen, a 23-year-old graduate from the University of Pennsylvania. After passing out in 2023, she was struggling at her job. So, she began to alter her routine, like skipping her daily caffeine, which she believed was giving her mood swings. Then one day, her favourite YouTuber spoke about a supplement routine, which prompted Aileen to purchase them too.

However, she was soon addled with buyers remorse and resorted to a gentler approach to self-care, doing smaller treats like a manicure or massage twice a month after work.

Social media and the explosion of buy now, pay later apps has helped fuel Gen Zs treat culture. Representational image/Pixabay

Many experts note that treat culture isnt just about the treat itself, its also about the emotional experience  that is, how you feel about purchasing and having the treat. As one report pointed out, the phrasing of buying yourself a little treat reflects an element of cuteness.

Cuteness can prompt powerful emotions of happiness and remind us of nurturing and protective qualities. In a way, partaking in treat culture is a way to nurture ourselves.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The proliferation of online shopping and food delivery apps has also helped drive treat culture. Having access to a range of products as diverse as skincare to food items at the click of a finger has truly enabled Gen Z to indulge in treat culture.

Theres also the buy now, pay later apps and instant-delivery services that is making it easier than ever to spend impulsively. In fact, often, these little treats are bought in the spur of the moment at stores like bakeries or clothing shops.

What is the financial impact of Gen Zs treat culture?

But while this treat culture is good for brands and consumerism, it has a negative impact on Gen Zs wallets.

Think about it, for every small treat that Gen Z indulges in  a sheet mask, a fridge magnet, or a meal out at a restaurant  they are spending money, which is bound to have an effect on ones wallet. A Bank of America report from July reveals that 57 per cent of Gen Zs buy themselves a small treat at least once a week, which has resulted in overspending for 60 per cent of Gen Zers.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Gen Zs treat culture could land up hurt a persons wallet and financial conditions. Representational image/Pixabay

And this doesnt bode well for Gen Zers, who already struggle in a shaky job market and are unable to reach significant economic milestones, including buying a house. As Abhishek Kumar, a Sebi-registered analyst and founder of SahajMoney, told India Today, Little treats are like small leaks that can drain a tank if left unchecked. Individually, they may seem insignificant, but over time they compound and can strain your finances.

Holly ONeill, president of consumer, retail and preferred at Bank of America, has said that anyone participating in treat culture should consider setting a realistic budget or finding more sustainable alternatives, like borrowing a book from a library, so it doesnt become impulsive or lead to overspending.

What about the psychological impact of treat culture?

But its not just about the money. Some psychologists have found that treat culture could also hurt a persons well-being.

They note that treat culture helps with instant gratification rather than a long-term fix. Instead of addressing deep mental needs, some Gen Z use treat culture for relief. Some even point out that treat culture fuels the need to keep up with ones peers. For instance, you see your friend indulging in matcha drinks after a long days work. You suddenly feel the urge to spend on matcha drinks yourself.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Some commentators also argue that treat culture preys on young consumers insecurities, for example, about their skin, perpetuating a cycle of needing to buy more skincare products in search of easy fixes for imperfections.

Shreya Kaul, a counselling psychologist based in Delhi-NCR, also told India Today that she finds treat culture an incomplete way of coping. If treating yourself becomes the only form of coping, it risks ignoring deeper emotional, physical, and mental well-being needs, she says.

Most experts note its all about balance: Everyone deserves a little treat from time to time, but only until it doesnt take a heavier toll in the long run.

With inputs from agencies
Donald Trump and his aides continue to attack India over tariffs and the purchase of Russian oil. Recently, a former US NSA hinted that the hostility might have to do with the First Familys deals in Pakistan. In our weekly roundup, we talk about these business interests, Trumps health rumours, and more

US President Donald Trump is being criticised by former American officials for his tariff policy and his handling of ties with India. File photo/Reuters

It has been Chinas week. After hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Taijin, the biggest ever gathering of the bloc, the country held a massive parade to mark the end of World War II. In a matter of days, Xi Jinping flexed his diplomatic and military might.

The huddle of Xi, PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Putin in Tiajin, and that of Putin, Xi and North Koreas Kim Jong-un in Beijing, sent a clear message to Donald Trump  that the world order was changing.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Trump, of course, was watching closely as China, Russia and North Korea, in his own words, conspired against the US. Things have not been going the Presidents way recently. He had to make an appearance in the Oval Office to quell rumours about his death and ill health (they continue). And the US courts have been striking down some of the major orders issued by him, most recently the Harvard funding cuts.

In a heartbreaking story from Afghanistan, a 6.0 earthquake struck the southeastern region. As the death toll crossed 2,000, the country continued to suffer from the aftershocks.

The world of fashion is facing a significant void following the death of Italian designer Giorgio Armani . The man, who revolutionised the way people dress, leaves behind a legacy and a massive business empire with no children to inherit it. So what happens to his wealth?

We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup.

1. The week started with the SCO Summit in Tiajin. The largest-ever gathering of the bloc saw some powerful world leaders share the stage. Prime Minister Narendra Modis presence at the gathering was much talked about. It was the first time since Operation Sindoor that he would come face-to-face with Pakistans Shehbaz Sharif. While Modi was embraced, Sharif got little attention. This story explains.

2. The SCO Summit gave us some of the top geopolitical moments of the year. PM Modi was seen huddling with Xi and Putin. Their bonhomie grabbed international headlines amid Donald Trumps trade war with allies and rivals alike. The Indian leader also hugged Putin and then carpooled with him for a bilateral. We looked at the top photos from the Tianjin talks and analysed the message they sent to the world.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin speak during a meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, on September 1. Reuters

3. Days after the SCO Summit, China held its biggest military parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Japans surrender, which ended World War II. Xi Jinping hosted Putin, Kim and other leaders of the Global South; there were almost no leaders from the West. The Asian giant showcased its military strength, unveiling its latest arsenal, from robot woves to the Guam killer and more .

Maritime operations group displays YJ-15 hypersonic anti-ship missiles during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing, China, September 3. Reuters

4. North Koreas Kim took a rare foreign trip to China to attend the parade. He also held bilateral talks with Putin. Its what happened after the meeting that piqued the interest of many. Kims staff was seen cleaning all the surfaces he touched, from the armchair he sat on to the glass he drank from. Heres why .

The staff accompanying the North Korean leader meticulously erased all traces of Kim's presence.



They took the glass he drank from, wiped down the chair's upholstery, and cleaned the parts of the furniture the Korean leader had touched. pic.twitter.com/JOXVxg04Ym  Russian Market (@runews) September 3, 2025

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

5. Is Donald Trump dead? Thats the question the internet has been obsessing over. There has been a lot of speculation about the bruises on his arms. It didnt help that JD Vance said in an interview that he was ready to be the next US president. Trump is doing everything he can to quell rumours. The White House has repeatedly assured that the president is in good health; Potus himself addressed the issue in the Oval Office. But conspiracy theorists are not listening. The death and health rumours refuse to die .

6. Talking about Trump, he and his team continue to attack India over tariffs and the purchase of Russian oil. What once seemed like a warm relationship between India and the US now seems to have turned icy. Amid this, former US National Security Advisor Jake recently accused the President of throwing away ties with India over his familys business deals in Pakistan. What interests do the Trumps have in the nation? This explainer takes a deep dive .

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

7. More Indians in 5 years than Greeks and Italians in 100 That was a message on a flyer calling for protests against immigrants in Australia. The countrys largest cities, including Melbourne and Sydney, saw thousands of protesters taking to the streets, with the Australian government linking them to neo-Nazis. But why is there growing hate against those of Indian-origin in the country?

A demonstrator wearing a Make Australia Great Again cap poses for a picture during the March for Australia anti-immigration rally, in Sydney, on August 31. Reuters

8. Tragedy struck Afghanistan close to midnight last Sunday (August 31). The 6.0-magnitude earthquake wreaked havoc in the southeastern region. The signs were ominous  the death toll would be high and the damage extensive. According to a Taliban government spokesperson, more than 2,200 people have died. But why was the quake so destructive?

Afghan boys sit on the rubble of a house following a deadly magnitude-6 earthquake that struck Afghanistan at Lulam village, in Nurgal district, Kunar province. Reuters

9. Last week, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who belongs to Thailands most powerful political dynasty, was removed by the constitutional court as the countrys premier for ethical violations over her handling of the border dispute with Cambodia. Now, Thailand has a new prime minister  the third in two years. Business tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul was declared the winner after a vote in parliament. Who is Anutin, known as the cannabis king of Thailand?

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul is elected Thailands new prime minister, following the Constitutional Courts removal of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office for an ethics violation, in Bangkok. Reuters

10. Our last story comes from the world of glamour. It lost a leading figure, Giorgio Armani, on Thursday to age-related illness. The Italian revolutionised fashion and built a big business empire. However, he leaves behind no children or heir. So heres what happens to his inheritance .

Italian designer Giorgio Armani poses at the end of his Spring/Summer 2024 mens collection show during Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, June 19, 2023. File photo/Reuters

Thats all from us this week. Hope our recommendations make your Sunday more insightful. You can find more such stories here .
Several colleges in the United States are now allowing dogs, cats and other animals to be part of campus life, as they now live in dormitories alongside students. For many, the presence of pets helps ease stress, anxiety and homesickness. Colleges also believe it improves student engagement and encourages stronger connections among peers

Crossing paths with dogs, cats and other animals is part of campus life for students at Eckerd College, a liberal arts school in Florida that allows pets to live in dormitories.

Sophie Nocera, an Eckerd senior, said she probably knows the names of pets better than her fellow students.

Thats the case for a lot of the students," said Nocera, who lives on the campus in St. Petersburg with her Border collie, Zuko. When Im walking my dog, I often hear, Oh my god, hi, Zuko! Its like Im not even there.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Some colleges and universities around the country welcome pets in campus residences, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to Stephens College in Missouri.

For students, the companionship can help reduce stress, anxiety and homesickness. The colleges also see benefits for student engagement and helping them build connections with one another.

Federal law requires public and private colleges to allow service animals and emotional support animals in student housing. But growing numbers of schools are allowing pets, with various restrictions.

Sophie Nocera, a senior at Eckerd College, plays with her dog Zuco in her college dorm. AP

Which animals are welcome as pets?

MIT allows only cats, in limited numbers and in preapproved spaces. At Eckerd, students can bring their family pets to live with them on campus after their first semester. The college requires pets to have been part of students home life at least six months before coming to campus and must not be venomous or aggressive.

At the University of Northern Colorado, students in three of the more than dozen residence halls on campus are allowed to have dogs and cats. The animals must be at least 6 months old and no more than 40 pounds (18 kilograms). Students are limited to one pet. This autumn, the school will have the most registered pets on campus since it began allowing them over a decade ago, said Jediah Cummins, executive director of housing.

One of the markers of adulthood is, Can I not just take care of myself, but can I take care of another living being? Thats an important part of this, Cummins said.

Molly Cheer, a senior nursing major, said she chose Northern Colorado in part because of its pet-friendly policy. When she is stressed about school, she said, it helps coming home to Louie, the cat she adopted during her first year.

Whenever Im feeling stressed or overwhelmed, I pick him up and cuddle him, and he just deals with it for as long as I need it, she said.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Student Molly Cheers pet comfort cat, Louie, peers out of his shelter in her dorm room. AP

Eckerd has had pet-friendly dorms since 1973. Jack Layden, assistant dean for residential life and student engagement, said the college has hosted hundreds of animals, including rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas, birds, guinea pigs, bearded dragons, geckos, turtles, snakes, frogs, fish, and even a tarantula.

How pets have changed college experience for their owners

Nocera said Zuko has helped her meet other people on campus, as well as emotionally, when she struggled with a decision to change her major.

I remember coming back to my dorm and just melting to the floor, and Zuko was right there. And I remember thinking, whatever happens tomorrow, Im going to wake up, and Im going to take him to the dog park. And, were going to go play fetch regardless of what my major is," said Nocera, who is the staff director of Pet Life, a student-led department on campus tasked with administering the pet policy.

Sophie Nocera plays with her dog Zuco in St. Petersburg. AP

At Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, Eva Chatterjee-Sutton saw the difference a pet can make when a first-year student was struggling to make connections before her mother suggested a puppy. After the dogs arrival, the student became more involved in campus life, said Chatterjee-Sutton, vice president of student life.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

I think its absolutely changed her college trajectory and her connection with others on campus, Chatterjee-Sutton said.

The boundaries set by residence halls

Pet-friendly dorms require colleges to consider things like safety concerns, noise complaints, how to avoid agitating animals during fire alarm tests, as well as additional costs for cleaning, Layden said. Some schools charge a pet fee, which varies by school, type of pet and is often included in housing expenses.

For example, at Stephens College, the annual fee for a dog or cat is $220, for a cage- or aquarium-dwelling pet is $50 and free for fish. Others require students to have liability insurance and roommate agreements. Pets are required to be restrained when in public, and most colleges require students to ensure their pets are healthy and vaccinated.

Molly Cheer gives her pet comfort cat, Louie, a treat in her dorm room. AP

Eckerd and other colleges recognise pets role in their students lives at graduation ceremonies, allowing them to cross the commencement stage together in some cases.

Having pets obviously isnt for everyone, and that is totally OK, Nocera said. But for the people that it is a good fit for, it is so worth it. This upcoming year, Ill be graduating, and Zuko will be in his little pet graduation ceremony, walking across the stage with me.
Many small islands such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, Maldives and the Marshall Islands are facing the wrath of climate change. As sea levels rise, people of these nations risk losing their identity, homes and sources of income. So will these small island nations continue to thrive legally? Heres what international law says

Some islands even face the grim possibility of being abandoned or sinking beneath the ocean. This raises an unprecedented legal question: can these small island nations still be considered states if their land disappears? File image/ AFP

Avidan Kent, University of East Anglia and Zana Syla, University of East Anglia

Small island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Maldives and Marshall Islands are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Rising seas, stronger storms, freshwater shortages and damaged infrastructure all threaten their ability to support life.

Some islands even face the grim possibility of being abandoned or sinking beneath the ocean. This raises an unprecedented legal question: can these small island nations still be considered states if their land disappears?

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The future status of these nations as states matters immensely. Should the worst happen, their populations will lose their homes and sources of income. They will also lose their way of life, identity, culture, heritage and communities.

At the same time, the loss of statehood could strip these nations of control over valuable natural resources and even cost them their place in international organisations such as the UN. Understandably, they are working hard to make sure this outcome is avoided.

Tuvalus Minister for Justice, Communication & Foreign Affairs Simon Kofe gives a COP26 statement while standing in the ocean in Funafuti, Tuvalu November 5, 2021. File image/Reuters

Tuvalu, for example, has signed a treaty with Australia to ensure it will be recognised as a state, regardless of the impact climate change has on the islands.

Beyond affirming that the statehood and sovereignty of Tuvalu will continue  notwithstanding the impact of climate change-related sea-level rise, Australia has committed to accepting Tuvaluan citizens who seek to emigrate and start their lives afresh on safer ground.

Facing the threat of physical disappearance, Tuvalu has also begun digitising itself. This has involved moving its government services online, as well as recreating its land and archiving its culture virtually.

The aim is for Tuvalu to continue existing as a state even when climate change has forced its population into exile and rising seas have done away with its land. It says it will be the worlds first digital nation.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Elsewhere, in the Maldives, engineering solutions are being tested. These include raising island heights artificially to withstand the disappearance of territory. Other initiatives, such as the Rising Nations Initiative, are seeking to safeguard the sovereignty of Pacific island nations in the face of climate threats.

But how will the future statehood of small island nations be determined legally?

What does international law say

Traditionally, international law requires four elements for a state to exist. These are the existence of population, territory, an effective and independent government and the capacity to engage in international relations.

With climate change threatening to render the land of small island nations unliveable or rising seas covering them entirely, both population and territory will be lost. Effective and independent government will also become inoperative. On the face of it, all the elements required for statehood would cease to exist.

But international law does recognise that once a state is established it continues to exist even if some of the elements of statehood are compromised. For instance, so-called failed states such as Somalia or Yemen are still regarded as states despite lacking an effective government  one of the core elements required under international law.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

However, the threats posed to the statehood of small island nations by climate change are unprecedented and severe. They are also very likely to be permanent. This makes it unclear whether international law can extend this flexibility to sinking island nations.

Flooding in Tuvalu. File image/Reuters

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently issued its advisory opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change. The ICJ addressed a wide range of issues concerning the legal obligations of states in the context of climate change. This included the future statehood of small island nations.

In this regard, the ICJ acknowledged that climate change could threaten the existence of small islands and low-lying coastal states. But it concluded its discussion with a single, rather cryptic sentence: once a state is established, the disappearance of one of its constituent elements would not necessarily entail the loss of its statehood.

What exactly did the court mean by this remark? Unfortunately, the answer is not entirely clear. On the one hand, the decision seems to confirm the traditional flexible approach of international law to statehood.

In their separate opinions, some of the courts judges interpreted this sentence as extending the flexibility previously applied in other contexts  such as failed states  also to the situation of sinking island nations. In other words, a state could retain its legal existence even if it disappears beneath rising seas.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

At the same time, a closer reading of the decision suggests that the court stopped short of explicitly confirming that the flexibility of the term statehood could be stretched so far as to mean a state could exist even if completely submerged under the seas.

The court noted only that the disappearance of one element  would not necessarily result in the loss of statehood. But in the case of sinking island nations it is likely that all key elements  population, territory, government and ability to enter into international relations  would disappear.

For now, the ICJ has left the matter open. The decision points to flexibility, but it avoids the definitive statement that many vulnerable nations had hoped for. The legal future of sinking islands remains uncertain.

Avidan Kent, Professor of Law, University of East Anglia and Zana Syla, PhD Candidate in the School of Law, University of East Anglia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Regardless of the extent of his beliefs in Jain values, forgiveness was probably not on Kharavelas mind

August-September is that time of the year when the Jain community marks Paryushana, an annual festival that commemorates the value of forgiveness. It is a time when chants of Micchami Dukkadam are in the air, meaning may all the evil that has been done be in vain. On this occasion, let us strike an interesting and perhaps discordant note by talking about a historical figure who is known to us both as a Jain as well as a warrior.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

This odd contrast of a Jain person who was also a warrior comes to us from what was the kingdom of Kalinga, broadly conforming to the modern state of Odisha. And the figure we are going to talk about is not from recent history but dates to the 2nd century BCE period. Sources about this person are limitedactually, there is only one confirmed source, carved on rock two millennia ago.

Outside the city of Bhubaneswar are two cave complexes, Khandagiri and Udayagiri. On holidays and weekends, they are filled with visiting families. The kids look curiously at the elaborate carvings within the caves, spend a few minutes and then move on. When they grow up, they dutifully bring their kids to the caves, and then they too move on. However, those of a more questioning and adventurous disposition tend to probe the caves further. In doing so, they come across a long inscription in the Udayagiri Caves. An inscription that mentions the Jain warrior.

The Udayagiri caves outside Bhubaneswar, Odisha

The indifference of the kids who come and spend just a few minutes in the caves can be attributed to the way they are taught history. It is a history which speaks of the Mauryan ruler Ashokas attack on Kalinga and how it supposedly altered his outlook and life. Has any history book ever spoken of the impact of that devastating attack on Kalinga? The inscription on that Udayagiri cave wall is part of the Kalinga story, and it speaks of a ruler who went back and extracted vengeance from the Mauryans.

This is the story of a man called Kharavela. Sometime in the second century BCE, he ascended the throne of Kalinga. The third ruler of the Mahameghavahana dynasty, he proved himself a capable military leader. In the twelfth year of his reign, taking advantage of the growing weakness of the Mauryans, he led an expedition into Magadha.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Defeating the army that faced him, he made the Mauryan King Bahasatimita bow to him. On his return, he brought back the Jain idols that had been taken away to Pataliputra by the Magadhan kings in their attacks on Kalinga. He also enabled Kalingan conquests in areas beyond Magadha.

To those who may wonder how we know so much about Kharavela, the answer is that he tells his story himself. Within the Udayagiri Cave complex is the Hathigumpha, or Elephant Cave.

Elephants as gatekeepers

Inside is a Brahmi-script inscription that stretches to 17 lines of words, each line representing events of one year of Kharavelas reign. Sadly, with 13 out of the 17 lines having suffered some damage over time, there is much about Kharavelas story that remains obscure and keeps historians occupied in speculation.

The Hathigumpha Inscription in the Udayagiri Caves tells us about the life of Kharavela

The significance of the Hathigumpha Inscription, as historians call it, cannot be underestimated. Without it, no one would ever have known of the attack of the Kalingans on Magadha. Despite all the doubts about aspects of the inscriptions, it is evidence that Kalinga had a history of its own, beyond what is written in the context of Ashoka.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Kharavela apart, the Khandagiri and Udayagiri cave complexes are outstanding depictions of the art and architecture of that era. Across thirty-three caves, originally meant as places of solitude and prayer for Jain monks, they are repositories of Kalingas ancient history. Some caves are double-storeyed; others have pillared porches.

Ruined remains in the Udayagiri complex with the Jain Temple on the Khandagiri Hill

There are other inscriptions too, as well as numerous intricate carvings. The Ganesha Gumpha at Udayagiri tells the story of the elopement of Bassavadatta, Princess of Ujjain, with King Udayana of Kaushambhi. Amazingly, this story is not told in words but via figures carved on stone. The Vyaghra Gumpha is shaped like the open mouth of a tiger. Home to an inscription of an ancient Kalingan city judge, this cave has now become a popular selfie spot.

The Vyaghra Gumpha, shaped like a tigers open mouth, part of the Udayagiri Caves

Within the adjacent Khandagiri cave complex is the Barabhuji Gumphanamed for twin carved panels depicting a set of goddesses, each with twelve arms. Khandagiri also includes a Jain temple that is still functional. Relatively recent in structure, this indicates near-unbroken habitation and worship at the site as well as modifications and rebuilding activities by different rulers over centuries. The same pattern is also observed in the Navamuni Gumpha, a rough-hewn cave where a Somavanshi ruler added sculptures of nine Jain Tirthankaras and goddesses in the 11th century CE.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Iconography inside the Khandagiri Caves

Back to Kharavelathe location of the mammoth inscription that tells his story is perhaps not mere coincidence. The choice of spot may have been a power statement of the Kalingan ruler. Standing in front of the Hathigumpha, a visitor can see the Dhauli hill on a clear day.

Dhauli is believed to be the site where the brutal Kalinga war was fought and is also the place where Ashokan edicts were erected. In his book The Ocean of Churn, writer Sanjeev Sanyal opined that Kharavela, by deliberate decision or chance, had found a unique way of replying to Ashoka. The Kalingan who defeated the Mauryans replied to the Mauryan who had defeated Kalinga. Regardless of the extent of his beliefs in Jain values, forgiveness was probably not on Kharavelas mind.

The author is a heritage explorer with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. 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
At least five people drowned after a rescue boat capsized in the Chenab River in Pakistans Multan district on Saturday.

Residents use a boat to reach their destination in flooded areas due to the monsoon rains and rising water level of the Sutlej River, in Hakuwala village near the Pakistan-India border in Kasur district of the Punjab province, Pakistan, on August 23, 2025. Reuters File

At least five people drowned after a rescue boat capsized in the Chenab River in Pakistans Multan district on Saturday. The incident occurred during a flood evacuation process in the Jalalpur Pirwala area of Pakistans Punjab, which has been rocked by devastating floods.

Multan Deputy Commissioner (DC) Wasim Hamid Sindhu and City Police Officer (CPO) Sadiq Ali Dogar reached the site for an inspection and were briefed by officials present at the site, Dawn News reported. The causes of the boat accident are being carefully examined. Initially, five deaths, including children on board the boat, have been confirmed, DC Sindhu said in a statement.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

A message from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) also put the death toll at five. According to Dawn News, the rescue authorities have been ordered to immediately intensify the search operation. Rescue operations are being carried out to search for more people on board the boat, Sindhu said.

Women & children onboard

Meanwhile, CPO Dogar said police teams were providing full support to Rescue 1122, and the initial reasons for the boat accident included the darkness and flooded routes. The initial report on the incident suggested that the boat had hit a tree and capsized due to the strong water flow.

The authorities noted that women and children on board were not able to maintain balance while evacuating people from floodwaters in Jalalpur Pirwala. According to Dawn News, the depth of the water was 15 to 20 feet.

The report noted that the Pakistani personnel launched search and rescue operations, and four bodies were retrieved, while the rest of the people were recovered. Line searching and boat searching are being conducted at different places to search for one child, the authorities noted.

Meanwhile, a statement from the department said Rescue 1122 Secretary Dr Rizwan Naseer expressed grief over the deaths and ordered the divisional emergency officer to immediately share the incident report. Multan Commissioner Aamir Karim Khan also expressed grief over the deaths and extended his condolences to the families of the deceased.

Punjab PDMA Director General Irfan Kathia assured that the best medical assistance is being provided to the injured. Evacuation of victims should be made safe in a flood situation. There should be no overloading in private boats or rescue boats, he ordered.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz condemned the tragic incident and extended condolences to the families of the victims. Rescue 1122 said that it had rescued more than 9,000 people in flood operations from Multan alone, while over 350,000 people and above 300,000 animals had been evacuated in advance, Dawn News reported.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
US President Donald Trumps trade representative, Peter Navarro, slammed billionaire Elon Musk after the latters platform fact-checked Navarro over his tirade against India

US President Donald Trumps Trade Representative, Peter Navarro, slammed billionaire and erstwhile First Buddy Elon Musk after the latters platform X fact-checked the former over his claim of New Delhi profiteering" from energy purchases from Moscow.

In recent months, Navarro has spewed countless provocative remarks against New Delhi in a bid to justify Trumps 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. On Friday, Trumps trade representative accused India of buying the Russian oil purely to profit" to feed the Russian war machine" in Ukraine.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

FACTS: Indias highest tariffs cost US jobs. India buys Russian oil purely to profit/Revenues feed the Russian war machine. Ukrainians/Russians die. U.S. taxpayers shell out more. India cant handle truth/spins," Navarro had posted on X.

Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into people's posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russia oil solely to profiteer. It didn't buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. Indian govt spin machine moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukranians. Stop taking https://t.co/Uj1NMUrVOM  Peter Navarro (@RealPNavarro) September 6, 2025

X fact checks Navarro

Hours later, the Elon Musk-owned social media platform added a community note under Navarros post, titled Readers added context they thought people might want to know.

The note stated that Indias purchase of Russian oil is for energy security" and does not violate any sanctions. It also highlighted the United States import of uranium and minerals from Russia and termed it hypocritical".

Indias Russian oil purchases are for energy security, not just profit, & dont violate sanctions. While India has some tariffs, the US has a trade surplus with it in services. US also continues to import certain commodities from Russia, which is hypocritical," the community note read.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

After X fact-checked Navarro, he slammed Elon Musk, alleging that its a propaganda. Wow. @elonmusk is letting propaganda into peoples posts. That crap note below is just that. Crap. India buys Russian oil solely to profiteer. It didnt buy any before Russia invaded Ukraine. The Indian governments spin machine is moving high tilt. Stop killing Ukrainians. Stop taking American jobs," Navarro responded on X to the community note.

It is pertinent to note that Trump and Musk shared a brief bromance during the presidents 2024 election campaign against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. However, Musk and Trump had a public fall-out over Trumps controversial big beautiful bill.

Meanwhile, Navarros response was once again fact-checked by X, which went on to underline that it was Indias sovereign decision to buy Russian oil, which was also not a violation of any law. The social media platform also pointed to the USs double standard in terms of its own purchase of uranium from Moscow.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Opposition parties in France have filed an impeachment motion against the countrys President Emmanuel Macron, as political instability continues to persist due to the debilitating economy

Opposition in France filed a motion in parliament demanding the impeachment of the countrys president, Emmanuel Macron . Jean-Luc Melenchon, a leader of the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, confirmed the news on Saturday, insisting that Macrons exit is needed to ensure political stability in the country.

He has to go, Melenchon told a news conference in the northern city of Lille on Saturday. When asked about the current situation in Gaza , Melenchon emphasised that if his party were in power, the French Navy would have been escorting the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels carrying humanitarian aid to the war-torn coastal enclave.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

He also pointed out that the current government of French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou would fall in a confidence vote on Monday, calling this possibility a victory of the people.

Political instability persists in France

It is pertinent to note that France has been facing mounting political tensions as Bayrou prepares for the crucial confidence vote in the National Assembly. The French Premier, who unveiled a 2026 budget framework in July, is seeking support from the parliament to save nearly 44 billion ($51 billion) as part of efforts to reduce Frances soaring public debt, now at 113 per cent of its GDP.

What makes the matter more concerning is the fact that France also has one of the EUs largest budget deficits, which currently stands at 5.8 per cent. While addressing the parliament. Bayrou warned that the country is on the brink of over-indebtedness and urged lawmakers to choose responsibility over chaos.

Meanwhile, opposition parties across the spectrum, from the far-left LFI to the far-right National Rally (RN) , as well as the Socialists, have vowed to vote against the government in the Monday voting. It is important to note that budget negotiations have been a major source of tensions in French politics.

France has already failed to reach an agreement on the 2025 budget last year, which ultimately led to the collapse of the Michel Barnier government in December, after left-wing and far-right parties united behind a no-confidence motion. Hence, Mondays voting would reflect the turbulent nature of French politics.
BANGKOK, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's new prime minister on Sunday, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Arpath Sukhanunth announced.

In a ceremony held at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters, Arpath read out the royal command appointing Anutin as premier, as he received majority support in the parliamentary vote on Friday.

The royal endorsement paves the way for cabinet formation and policy address to the parliament, a formality required for the new government to officially assume office. 
Political lobbyist Jason Miller, whose lobbying was hired by India, met US President Donald Trump and a few officials of his administration, against the backdrop of tensions in ties between the two countries over Washingtons policy on trade and tariffs.

Political strategist and lobbyist Jason Miller, whose firm was engaged by India earlier this year, met US President Donald Trump and members of his administration at a time when friction over trade and tariffs has strained relations between the two countries.

Miller, who heads SHW Partners LLC, was contracted by the Indian embassy in April for a reported fee of USD 1.8 million for a year.

Although he did not specify the agenda of his discussions in Washington, Miller shared several photos on social media, including one with President Trump.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Fantastic week in Washington with so many friends being in town, topped off of course by having the opportunity to stop in and see our President in-action! Keep up the great work, @POTUS @realDonaldTrump!, he posted.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a major downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for Indias purchase of Russian crude oil. India described the US action as unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.

However, there were signs of efforts to check the downturn with President Trump on Friday describing India-US relationship as special and that he will always be friends with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

I will always be friends with Modi, he is a great prime minister, hes great. Ill always be friends but I just dont like what hes doing at this particular moment, Trump said a news conference.

But India and the United States have a special relationship. There is nothing to worry about, he said.

Prime Minister Modi also reciprocated to the US Presidents remarks.

Deeply appreciate and fully reciprocate President Trumps sentiments and positive assessment of our ties, Modi said.

India and the US have a very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership, he noted on X.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

With inputs from agencies
India and Israel are likely to sign a bilateral investment treaty during the upcoming visit of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich this week, while laying the groundwork for a free trade agreement to boost trade between the two countries.

India and Israel are expected to finalise a bilateral investment treaty during the upcoming visit of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, while also laying the foundation for negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA).

Smotrich will be in India from September 8 to 10 on a three-day visit. His schedule includes meetings with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Besides, the Israeli Finance Minister will also visit Mumbai and the GIFT City in Gandhinagar.

The aim of this visit is to deepen Israels economic and financial ties with India through bilateral meetings and prepare common ground for some of the key agreements, including bilateral investment treaty (BIT) and free trade agreement (FTA), sources told PTI .

Both countries have been negotiating a draft bilateral investment treaty (BIT) and have concluded the negotiations. The Finance Ministers are expected to sign the BIT during the visit. The BIT between the two countries assures appropriate protection to Israeli and Indian investors, in light of relevant international precedents and practices.

It is likely to enhance the comfort level and boost the confidence of investors by assuring a minimum standard of treatment and non-discrimination, while providing for an independent forum for dispute settlement through arbitration.

Israel has signed BITs with over 15 countries since 2000, including the UAE, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and South Africa.

BIT reflects both nations shared commitment towards enhancing economic cooperation and creating a more robust and resilient investment environment. The BIT is expected to pave the way for increased bilateral investments, benefiting businesses and economies in both countries, one of the sources said.

This is the fourth visit by any Israeli Minister to India this year.

Minister of Tourism Haim Katz, Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter visited India earlier this year.

India and Israel are strategic partners, and bilateral trade between the countries is close to USD 4 billion annually.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Cumulative ODI from India to Israel during the period April 2000 to April 2025 was USD 443 million, and Israels direct FDI into India during the period April 2000  March 2025 was USD 334.2 million.

Israel excels in high-tech innovation, while India offers unmatched scale and market potential, making them natural partners for growth and collaboration.

Smotrich is also scheduled to visit GIFT IFSC in Gandhinagar.

It is Indias first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) located in the GIFT City to provide world-class infrastructure and services for financial institutions operating in areas like banking, insurance, capital markets, funds management and other financial products, services or institutions.

Financial institutions enjoy certain benefits for setting up operations in GIFT IFSC, including a state-of-the-art infrastructure at par with other leading global financial centres, a liberal tax regime, financial incentives, and a strong regulatory and legal environment.

India and Israel also hold strong potential for collaboration in the fintech sector, driven by complementary strengths  Indias large-scale digital infrastructure and financial inclusion platforms like UPI, and Israels global leadership in cybersecurity, blockchain, and payment technologies.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

This cooperation could not only enhance financial innovation but also promote secure, inclusive, and scalable fintech ecosystems in both countries, sources said.

As active members of institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, both countries can co-finance Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) backed projects or support joint initiatives in third countries, particularly the global south. H

With inputs from agencies
Israels foreign minister branded a recent international push to recognise Palestinian statehood a mistake on Sunday and warned it could trigger an unspecified unilateral response, after reports that Israel plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

A Palestinian child is silhouetted as he sits on the debris of a destroyed building in the Bureij camp for displaced Palestinians in the central Gaza Strip on September 3, 2025. Image- AFP

Israels foreign minister on Sunday criticised recent moves by some countries to recognise Palestinian statehood, calling them a mistake and warning they could provoke an unspecified unilateral reaction, after reports that Israel plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

Several nations, including France and Britain, have indicated plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly. Israels ties with France have been notably tense since President Emmanuel Macron announced Pariss intention and co-hosted a July conference with Saudi Arabia advocating a two-state solution.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Britain has said it would recognise Palestinian statehood if Israel does not agree to a truce in the ongoing Gaza conflict, which erupted after a Hamas attack in October 2023.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar argued that such international recognition will destabilise the region and could make achieving peace more difficult.

It will push Israel also to have unilateral decisions, Saar said at a joint press conference with his visiting Danish counterpart, Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

States like France and the UK that pushed the so-called recognition had made a tremendous mistake, he added.

Rasmussen said Denmark does not plan a similar move.

We will never recognise a Palestinian state which is ruled by Hamas or any other terrorist organisation, he said.

And therefore it comes with a lot of preconditions  a disarmed Palestinian state recognising Israel, transparency, democracy That is our position."

Saar did not specify what Israels reaction may entail, but his remarks come after the government approved new settlement projects in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

A major project just east of Jerusalem, known as E1, would bisect the West Bank, and according to Israels far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich bury the idea of a Palestinian state.

Smotrich, who lives in a settlement, said on Wednesday that Israel should annex parts of the West Bank to take the idea of dividing our tiny land and establishing a terrorist state at its centre off the agenda once and for all.

The West Bank is home to around three million Palestinians, as well as about 500,000 Israelis who live in settlements that are illegal under international law.

Israel has annexed east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau it captured from Syria, both seized during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Most of the international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over these areas.

Throughout the Gaza war, the West Bank has been rocked by a surge in violence including settler attacks and Israeli military raids.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

With inputs from agencies
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided to resign in an effort to avoid a split within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after the July election debacle

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided to resign in an effort to avoid a split within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) amid overall political instability in Japan. The news of Ishibas resignation started floating on Sunday and was first reported by public broadcaster NHK.

However, the Prime Ministers office did not immediately respond for comment, and the matter has not been made public as of now. It is pertinent to note that the announcement of Ishibas resignation is coming weeks after the Japanese premier denied reports that he plans to resign over a historic defeat his LDP-led coalition suffered in a July election.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The party, which has ruled the country for several years, lost its upper house majority this year. Last month, Ishiba said he wanted to make sure the tariff deal struck with the United States was appropriately implemented before he made any such decision.

Anger among the people of Japan over the growing cost of living has led to the LDP-led coalition losing a majority in both houses of the parliament.

Amid the reports of Ishibas resignation, LDP lawmakers are scheduled to vote on Monday and decide whether to hold an extraordinary leadership election. Last week, Ishibas government had already finalised a trade deal with the United States.

The PM who won the battle but lost the war

Since assuming his role last October, Ishiba has witnessed one electoral loss after another. The Japanese Prime Minister is holding on to power with a minority government, which is more powerful in the lower house.

However, the electoral defeats have made it more difficult for Ishibas coalition to implement its policy objectives. Ishiba have been facing calls for resignation from mostly right-wing opponents within his party, who urged him to take responsibility for the results of Julys vote.

According to NHK, reports suggested that Japans agricultural minister and a former prime minister met with Ishiba on Saturday evening to persuade him to resign. Amid speculations, the Japanese government confirmed that Ishiba would be giving a press conference later on Sunday.

This is a developing story.
Almost 900 people were arrested in London during a protest against the governments ban on Palestine Action, with police saying most detentions were for supporting the proscribed group.

A woman holds a Palestinian flag as demonstrators attend a rally organised by Defend Our Juries, challenging the British government's proscription of "Palestine Action" under anti-terrorism laws, in Parliament Square, in London, Britain. Reuters

A total of 890 people were arrested in London during a protest this weekend in support of the banned group Palestine Action, the capitals Metropolitan Police said Sunday.

The force said 857 people had been arrested under anti-terror laws for supporting a proscribed group during Saturdays demonstration, with an additional 33 arrested for other offences including assaults on police officers.

We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly, deputy assistant commissioner Claire Smart said in a statement.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The rally came after Britain banned Palestine Action in July under the Terrorism Act, following incidents in which members broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged military planes. Supporting or belonging to the group now carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

The Met said officers faced an exceptional level of abuse at the protest, including punches, kicks, spitting and objects being thrown. The force added that there had been a coordinated effort to prevent officers carrying out their duties and vowed that anyone who assaulted police would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Defend Our Juries, which organised the rally, accused police of using violence, saying officers had violently assault[ed] peaceful protesters including the elderly, in order to try and arrest over a thousand people for holding cardboard signs. The group shared footage of an officer shoving an elderly demonstrator to the ground. A spokesperson said the ban was impossible to enforce and a preposterous waste of resources, adding that resistance to this ridiculous ban keeps on growing exponentially.

The rally began at 1 pm with hundreds of mainly older protesters holding placards or papers in support of Palestine Action. Police began making arrests about 15 minutes later, removing demonstrators one by one as crowds shouted shame on you at officers. Many protesters followed organisers advice to go floppy to make arrests more difficult.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Those detained were taken to vans lined up along Millbank. It was not immediately clear how many refused to provide their names and addresses, which would result in them being kept in custody rather than bailed.
Protesters in Israel held demonstrations on Saturday and marched towards the home of the countrys Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, demanding a prisoner exchange deal.

Thousands attend a protest march in Jerusalem, calling for an end to the war and the release of all the Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity. September 6, 2025. X

Protesters in Israel held demonstrations on Saturday and marched towards the home of the countrys Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. As the war in Gaza continues to escalate, the protesters demanded a prisoner swap deal with Hamas. Apart from this, thousands also gathered at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, demanding the release of hostages , who are still held in Gaza.

The demonstration was held hours after the families of Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip sent a message to Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir , warning that the plan to occupy Gaza City will not bring back the hostages but will kill them.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

According to Israels Channel 12, the march headed to Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem after the families of hostages held by Hamas gathered on one of the citys bridges. The families and other demonstrators assembled at the Chords Bridge before setting off on a long march toward the residence of the Israeli premier.

Protesters demand prisoner exchange

In a bid to bring back the captives held in Gaza, the protesters demanded that Netanyahu engage in a prisoner exchange deal. Netanyahu must end this nightmare and bring all the hostages back home, Vicky Cohen, the mother of captive Nimrod Cohen, was quoted by Channel 12.

Protesters went on to carry signs demanding a deal, the need to stop the war in Gaza and the return of the hostages. The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, meanwhile, reported that thousands rallied at Prisoners Square in Tel Aviv.

The Israeli news outlet reported that around 1,000 people took part in the demonstration in Karkur Junction in Haifa, demanding a prisoner exchange deal. It is pertinent to note that around 250 hostages were taken to Gaza following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Tel Aviv estimates that nearly 50 per cent of Israeli hostages are being held in Gaza, including 20 who are still reported alive. On Friday, the raging Israel-Hamas war entered day 700, with Israel killing at least 64,300 Palestinians.

The military campaign has destroyed Gaza to such an extent that the enclave is facing famine and a major humanitarian crisis . In November last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Apart from this, Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave. The case was brought to the international tribunal by South Africa.
Russia hit Ukraines capital 810 drone and missiles Sunday in the largest aerial attack since the war began, killing four people across the country and damaging a key government building.

This handout photograph taken and released by Ukrainian State Emergency Service on September 7, 2025, shows a fire at the Ukrainian government building in Kyiv, following an overnight attack, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Image- AFP

Russia carried out its largest-ever aerial assault on Ukraine early Sunday, hitting Kyiv and setting the governments central cabinet complex ablaze.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the attack would extend the conflict, which has now lasted over three and a half years. Drone strikes also damaged several nearby high-rise buildings, according to emergency services.

Russia attacked with 810 drones and decoys, Ukraines air force said, adding it shot down 747 drones and four missiles.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Zelenskyy confirmed that four people were killed and 44 others wounded. He spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron, saying: Together with France, we are preparing new measures to strengthen our defence.

Macron condemned the strike, accusing Russia of striking indiscriminately and warned that Moscow was locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also denounced the attack, describing it as a cowardly strike and asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not serious about peace. Residents in Kyiv voiced frustration at the ongoing attacks.

This is already routine for us, unfortunately, said Olga, a resident of a damaged building. The Shahed drones come first, then the rockets follow. Emergency crews were seen dropping water from helicopters onto the burning government building as they worked to control the blaze.

European condemnation

Russia, which denies targeting civilians in Ukraine, said it had struck a plant and a logistics hub in Kyiv.

Its defence ministry said no strikes were carried out on other targets within the boundaries of Kyiv, explicitly denying responsibility for the government building strike.

Police cordoned off the area surrounding the building, the roof and upper floors of which sustained damage.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

We will restore the buildings. But we cannot bring back lost lives. The enemy terrorises and kills our people every day throughout the country, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.

She later posted a video from inside the damaged floor showing shattered offices and burned walls.

Russia fired at least 810 drones and 13 missiles at Ukraine between late Saturday and early Sunday, in a new record, according to the Ukrainian air force.

Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have already begun long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war, Zelenskyy said.

He discussed the attack in a call with French President Emmanuel Macron and said that France would help Ukraine strengthen its defence.

Macron, on X, condemned the attack and said Russia is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror. France stood by Ukraine, he said.

With inputs from agencies
South Korea said Sunday that over 300 of its citizens detained in a US immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia will soon be released and flown home, after talks with Washington concluded.

The photograph shows special agents with Homeland Security Investigations leading a worker away from a workplace raid in Ohio in 2018, part of a string of such operations during the first Donald Trump administration. (Photo: Immigration and Customs Enforcement)/Representational

More than 300 South Korean workers detained in a US immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia will soon be released and flown home, Seoul said Sunday after concluding talks with Washington.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik announced that only administrative procedures remain before a chartered plane is sent to bring the workers back. As a result of a swift and united response, negotiations for the release of the detained workers have been concluded, he said.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The raid, carried out Thursday in Ellabell, saw hundreds of federal agents detain 475 people, most of them South Koreans. US authorities released footage of workers in handcuffs and ankle chains being led onto buses, sparking outrage in Seoul.

South Koreas foreign ministry confirmed that more than 300 of its nationals were among those held. LG Energy Solution, Hyundais partner in the EV battery project, said 47 of its employees were detained, along with hundreds working for contractors.

The raid is the largest single-site immigration sweep under President Donald Trumps crackdown on undocumented workers and caught Seoul officials by surprise. South Koreas government expressed concern and regret and dispatched diplomats to Georgia.

Most detainees were taken to an immigration center near the Florida border. US officials said no criminal charges have been filed yet, and the investigation is ongoing.

LG Energy Solution sent a senior executive to Georgia on Sunday, who stressed that the immediate priority was securing the release of company staff and partner employees.

The Ellabell plant, still under construction, has been touted as Georgias largest-ever economic development project. The raid has fueled diplomatic unease between Washington and one of its closest allies.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued what he called his last warning to Hamas, urging the Palestinian militant group to accept a deal to release hostages from Gaza.

A collapsed building that was hit by bombardment in the Nuseirat camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip. AFP

US President Donald Trump on Sunday delivered what he described as his last warning to Hamas, urging the Palestinian terrorists group to agree to a deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza.

The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Meanwhile, the Israeli military reported that two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip on Sunday. The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the launch. According to the army, the projectiles crossed into Israeli territory near the town of Netivot, roughly 10 kilometres from Gaza, triggering air raid sirens but causing no injuries or damage.

Two projectiles were identified crossing from the central Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, the army said in a statement, adding that air raid sirens sounded in the area of Netivot, a town about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Palestinian territory.

The military statement said one projectile was intercepted, and one fell in an open area.

The armed wing of Islamic Jihad, which has fought alongside Hamas in Gaza against Israeli forces, announced that it had targeted Netivot with two rockets in response to the crimes committed by the Zionist enemy against our people.

It was the first time in several months that launches from Gaza threatened Netivot, home to about 50,000 residents.

The launches came as Israel steps up its operations around Gaza City, the territorys largest urban centre, which the army has said it intends to capture in a bid to defeat Hamas and return the hostages taken during the groups October 7, 2023 attack.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

With inputs from agencies
Amid geopolitical uncertainties, reports are emerging that US President Donald Trump and his top advisers are quietly preparing to travel to South Korea next month, where Trump is likely to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Amid geopolitical uncertainties, reports are emerging that US President Donald Trump and his top advisers are quietly preparing to travel to South Korea next month, where Trump is likely to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping . Three officials from the Trump administration told CNN that the American leader will be attending the gathering of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers.

The summit is slated to be held in the city of Gyeongju between late October and early November. Within Trumps inner circle, the event is seen as a key opportunity for Trump to meet his Chinese counterpart. Officials, who asked to remain anonymous, told CNN that there have been serious discussions between the two nations about a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of APEC . However, no firm plans have been made as of now.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Last month, in a phone call with Trump, the Chinese leader invited the Republican firebrand and his wife to visit China. The invitation was reciprocated by Trump; however, no dates have been set as of now. While the details of the trip are being finalised, it remains unclear whether Trump may add another stop on the trip.

Trump hopes to boost investment

The officials maintained that Trump is looking at the trip to South Korea as an opportunity for the president to clinch more economic investments for the US. A visit to South Korea is being discussed, which would focus on economic collaboration, a White House official told CNN. Other goals include a focus on discussions around trade, defence and civil nuclear cooperation, the official averred.

Trumps visit to South Korea might also give him an opportunity to meet North Koreas Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. However, officials made it clear that currently, more attention is being paid to Trumps meeting with Xi.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung invited Trump to attend the APEC summit while meeting with him last week and suggested the setting could provide Trump with an opportunity to meet with Kim, sources close to the talks told CNN.

I will do that, and well have talks. Hed like to meet with me, Trump claimed of the North Korean leader. We look forward to meeting with him, and well make relations better. Earlier this month, Xi hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kim and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump was quick to criticise the gathering despite his frequent proclamations that he has strong personal ties with each of the leaders.

May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America, Trump wrote on social media as the parade in China was underway.

On Friday, Trump shared a photo of Xi, Putin and Modi , writing: Looks like weve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!. Hence, it will be interesting to see how Trumps meeting with Xi would pan out.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
KABUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Organization for Sustainable Aid in Afghanistan to support returning refugees, the ministry announced in a statement on Sunday.

The agreement, valued at 1.97 million U.S. dollars, will benefit over 730 returnees in the western provinces of Herat and Badghis, said the statement.

The funds will be allocated toward constructing support centers, providing business and vocational skills training, and delivering social and psychological services, according to the ministry.

The Afghan government has urged local and international organizations to invest in the country, aiming to alleviate economic challenges and generate employment opportunities. 
President Donald Trump on Saturday amplified his promises to send National Guard troops and immigration agents to Chicago by posting a parody image from Apocalypse Now featuring a ball of flames as helicopters zoom over the nations third-largest city.

President Donald Trump on Saturday amplified his promises to send National Guard troops and immigration agents to Chicago by posting a parody image from Apocalypse Now featuring a ball of flames as helicopters zoom over the nations third-largest city.

I love the smell of deportations in the morning, Trump wrote on his social media site. Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of WAR.

The president offered no details beyond the label Chipocalypse Now, a play on the title of Francis Ford Coppolas dystopian 1979 film set in the Vietnam war, in which a character says: I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

In response to the post, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, called Trump a wannabe dictator.

Trump on Friday signed an executive order seeking to rename the Defense Department the Department of War, after months of campaigning to be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize. The renaming requires congressional approval.

The illustration in Trumps post shows him against a backdrop of the Chicago skyline, wearing a hat matching that of the movies war-loving and amoral Lt. Col. Kilgore, played by Robert Duvall.

Trumps weekend post follows his repeated threats to add Chicago to the list of other Democratic-led cities hes targeted for expanded federal enforcement. His administration is set to step up immigration enforcement in Chicago, as it did in Los Angeles, and deploy National Guard troops.

In addition to sending troops to Los Angeles in June, Trump has deployed them since last month in Washington, as part of his unprecedented law enforcement takeover of the nations capital.

Hes also suggested that Baltimore and New Orleans could get the same treatment, and on Friday even mentioned federal authorities possibly heading for Portland, Oregon, to wipe em out, meaning protesters. He could have been mistakenly describing video from demonstrations in that city years ago.

Details about Trumps promised Chicago operation have been sparse, but theres already widespread opposition. City and state leaders have said they plan to sue the Trump administration. Pritzker, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, is also fiercely opposed to it.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The president is threatening to go to war with an American city, Pritzker wrote on X over an image of Trumps post. This is not a joke. This is not normal.

He added: Donald Trump isnt a strongman, hes a scared man. Illinois wont be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.

Trump has suggested that he has nearly limitless powers when it comes to deploying the National Guard. At times hes even touched on questions about his being a dictator.

Most people are saying, If you call him a dictator, if he stops crime, he can be whatever he wants  I am not a dictator, by the way, Trump said last month. He added, Not that I dont have  I would  the right to do anything I want to do."

Im the president of the United States," Trump said then. If I think our country is in danger  and it is in danger in these cities  I can do it.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
As the war in Ukraine grinds into its fourth year, the US and EU bet on tougher sanctions to break Russias resolve. But experts question whether economic pressure can truly force Putin to the negotiating table.

The Biden and Trump administrations have both wagered on economic pressure as the lever to force Russias hand in the war on Ukraine, banking on the power of sanctions to eventually bring President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. But with the war now well into its third year, can tougher sanctions really break the Kremlins resolve or are Western hopes misplaced?

The new push: Sanctions on oil and shadow fleets

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he is ready to impose the second phase of sanctions against Russia.

Yeah, I am, Trump said outside the White House in response to a question if he was prepared to impose additional sanctions on Russia.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Trumps comment came shortly after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the Russian economy will collapse if Washington and the European Union impose more secondary sanctions on countries that buy crude oil from Moscow.

Bessent, in an interview to NBC News, said that President Trump and Vice President J D Vance had a very productive call with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who followed up with a call with him on Friday and they discussed what the US and European Union (EU) could do to put more pressure on Russia.

The Trump administration has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil on top of the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs announced earlier, bringing the total duties imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent, with effect from August 27.

Germany and France, meanwhile, continue to advocate for even stronger EU penalties, targeting shadow fleet oil tankers and financial enablers in third countries as part of the EUs 18th sanctions package.

This renewed push comes as the grinding war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, with previous sanctions having delivered a mixed record of success. While the West has imposed over 16,000 restrictions on Russian entities, frozen hundreds of billions in assets and cut off access to key technologies, Russias economy has proven surprisingly resilient.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Aided by a pivot to a war economy and increased trade with nations like China and India, Russias GDP even saw growth in 2024, defying initial predictions of a swift collapse. Despite this, the long-term damage is undeniable.

Are sanctions working? The evidence so far

Sanctions have exacted a real toll. The EUs new dynamic oil price cap is set 15% below global rates, further limiting Russian export revenue. Sanctions have battered the banking, tech, and energy sectors, pushing disposable incomes down by up to 25 per cent and slicing 1012 per cent from Russias GDP compared to pre-war trends. Russias once-vaunted central bank reserves remain partly frozen and goods shortages have hit sectors from aviation to pharmaceuticals.

But Moscow has proven resilient and adaptive. Oil sales have shifted to India and China, who now conduct over 90 per cent of their trade with Russia in yuan and rubbles, bypassing Western financial chokepoints.

The Kremlin has weaponised its commodity exports, squeezing Europe by throttling gas supplies. Even after 18 rounds of EU sanctions, a recordRussias economy while battered, still grows on the back of war spending and new trade routes.

US reluctance and hope for secondary sanctions

Recent broadsides put the onus on the US to tighten its stance. Despite growing pressure, Washington has shown hesitation in fully embracing the harshest economic measures against Russia. Experts point out that as of mid-2025, the US has sanctioned fewer Russian ships than the EU or UK since the end of the Biden term, a trend they say raises doubts about Washingtons current commitment.

Analysts argue that the threat of US secondary sanctions, penalising those who facilitate sanctions evasion or buy Russian oil, is most feared by global markets, often more than EU measures. The specter of these measures has pushed countries and companies to distance themselves from Russian oil.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

However, there are limits. According to the International Monetary Fund, despite sanctions, Russias GDP actually grew by 3.6% in 2024, buoyed by military expenditure and trade with non-Western partners. Sanctions have not forced Putin to the table; if anything, they have pressured Russia to further decouple from the West while deepening ties with states willing to ignore or circumvent Western rules.
China is racing ahead with AI-enabled weapons, free from ethical debates and public scrutiny, while most democracies remain cautious over risks, reliability, and strategic instability

Members of the People's Liberation Army Ground Assault Force stand on an armoured vehicle in amphibious assault vehicle formation during a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025. Reuters

When Xi Jinping presided over a grand military parade in Beijing, the display was more than a showcase of missiles, drones and robotic wolves. China aimed to make a statement of its technological ambitions, particularly its willingness to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into military systems at a pace and scale that few other powers are willing to do. While many democracies are still mired in ethical debates and testing hurdles, China appears unfazed, treating AI as a cornerstone of its drive to build a world-class military by 2050.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

A parade of power and algorithms

The parade, held in Tiananmen Square, featured an array of weapons designed to impress both domestic and foreign audiences. Global media widely reported the display of hypersonic anti-ship missiles capable of manoeuvering at five times the speed of sound, nuclear-capable intercontinental missiles and submersible drones that rolled past a cheering crowd.

The so-called Guam Killer missile was prominently displayed, with many interpreting it as one weapon that is aimed at US bases in the Pacific. Alongside these came unmanned assets: loyal wingman drones to fly alongside piloted jets, robotic dogs designed for reconnaissance or combat support and submersible vehicles hinting at future undersea warfare.

The most striking theme was the prominence of unmanned and AI-enabled systems. Alacrity in the kill chain matters, noted Alexander Neill of the Pacific Forum, pointing out that decisions made in nanoseconds by algorithms could give a decisive battlefield advantage, said a BBC report.

For China, the rapid deployment of AI-driven tools demonstrated its confidence in placing technology at the heart of combat.

Why other powers hold back

Despite AIs promise, most militaries remain cautious. Western democracies in particular see risks in ceding lethal decision-making to machines. There is always the risk of accidents, unintended escalation or machines behaving unpredictably under the fog of war. How comfortable are we in putting AI in the kill chain, Neill asked.

The hesitation also stems from technological and operational limits. AI systems must be tested and verified to ensure reliability in chaotic combat scenarios. The complexity of integrating them with existing weapons systems slows progress. Moreover, militaries remain uncertain about AIs maturity. While it performs well in simulations or limited skirmishes, its effectiveness in full-scale battle remains unproven.

Strategic concerns add another layer of restraint. Deploying AI weapons could spark new arms races or destabilise deterrence frameworks, raising global insecurity rather than enhancing stability. Democracies are further constrained by public debate and political oversight. Questions about accountability  who is responsible if an AI drone strikes civilians  keep countries cautious. In short, the worlds most technologically advanced militaries remain uneasy about where AI belongs on the battlefield.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Why China is comfortable with AI in the kill chain

In contrast, China has embraced AI in areas where others hesitate. Several factors explain this divergence.

First, Chinas political system allows for rapid, centralised decision-making. Unlike democracies, Beijing does not face public scrutiny or parliamentary oversight that might slow the militarys adoption of controversial technologies.

Ethical debates about autonomous weapons, international humanitarian law or accountability rarely intrude on defence planning. The absence of formal restrictions frees the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to experiment with AI-enabled weapons and decision-support tools.

Second, China has institutionalised military-civil fusion. As the Wall Street Journal reported, universities such as Shanghai Jiao Tong and private firms like iFlytek Digital are directly involved in developing AI applications for the PLA, from automated kill webs that adapt in real time to drone swarms sensitive to changing radio frequencies. More than 85 per cent of multiple-bid winners in recent PLA contracts were private or civilian institutions, highlighting how widely China has spread defence R&D across society.

Third, the timing has been fortuitous. AI is arriving as China enjoys a period of technological ascendancy. Xis government sees AI as a foundation for long-term military modernisation, part of its plan to build a force capable of rivalling the United States. The PLA already uses machine learning to analyse vast streams of battlefield data for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, enhancing situational awareness at unprecedented speed.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

AI as a force multiplier

The PLAs focus on AI is not simply about prestige. It reflects lessons drawn from recent conflicts. The Ukraine war demonstrated how swarms of drones can overwhelm traditional defences, suggesting that unmanned systems can reshape modern warfare. China appears to have internalised this lesson, building doctrine around drone saturation and rapid response systems.

Research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University has already simulated AI-driven kill webs that coordinate dozens of drones against enemy missile attacks, generating optimal responses in just over two seconds. While it remains unclear how these systems will perform in real combat, the PLA is investing heavily in their development.

AI integration also promises to compensate for weaknesses in the PLAs command structure. Chinas military remains heavily top-down, often hesitant to act without instructions from above. AI tools, however, could help bridge that rigidity by offering battlefield commanders faster decision-support systems, even if the final authority remains centralised.

Global implications and strategic risks

Chinas willingness to deploy AI militarily does not erase the risksif anything, it amplifies them. The rapid integration of AI without extensive safeguards could lead to unpredictable outcomes in crisis situations. A miscalculated strike by an autonomous drone in the Taiwan Strait, for instance, could escalate a regional conflict into a trans-Pacific military conflagration, involving the United States.

Moreover, Beijings approach risks setting off an arms race. Democracies that have so far resisted fully autonomous weapons may feel compelled to accelerate their own programmes in response to Chinas advances. Strategic stability  already under strain due to hypersonic missiles and nuclear modernisation  could become even more fragile.

China views these risks as worth the potential rewards. Chinese leaders appear to believe that showcasing technological prowess deters adversaries and bolsters their global image. The presence of foreign leaders such as Russias Vladimir Putin and North Koreas Kim Jong-un at the parade reflected another dimension that the parade was as much a geopolitical signal as a military exercise. By flaunting AI-enabled systems, China sought not only to warn Washington but also to attract potential buyers for its arms exports.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

The road ahead

Despite the fanfare, questions remain about how well China can actually integrate its new arsenal. The truth is the PLA has not fought a major war in decades leaving its organisational agility untested. Impressive hardware does not automatically translate into effective battlefield performance. Instances like Chinese naval vessels colliding during confrontations highlight gaps between technology and operational skill.

Nevertheless, Chinas growing military assertion is unmistakable. With an authoritarian system that suppresses ethical debate, a strategy that fuses civilian and military innovation and a leadership that views AI as central to national power, the country is pressing ahead where others hesitate.

As Xi stood alongside Putin and Kim, watching robotic wolves and stealth drones roll past Tiananmen Square, the symbolism was hard to miss. China is betting that AI will redefine military power in the 21st century. Whether that gamble pays off  or destabilises the world  remains one of the defining security questions of our time.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the United States to respond decisively following Russias largest air and missile attack on Ukraine, stressing that strong support is urgently needed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday he was counting on a strong US response to the latest massive Russian barrage on Ukraine, its largest ever.

We are counting on a strong response from America. That is what is needed, he said in his evening address.

Earlier today, President Trump said he is ready to impose the second phase of sanctions against Russia.

Yeah, I am, Trump said outside the White House in response to a question if he was prepared to impose additional sanctions on Russia.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Trumps comment came shortly after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the Russian economy will collapse if Washington and the European Union impose more secondary sanctions on countries that buy crude oil from Moscow.

Bessent, in an interview to NBC News, said that President Trump and Vice President J D Vance had a very productive call with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who followed up with a call with him on Friday and they discussed what the US and European Union (EU) could do to put more pressure on Russia.

The Trump administration has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil on top of the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs announced earlier, bringing the total duties imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent, with effect from August 27.

Last week, Trump said he put secondary sanctions on India for its purchases of Russian oil, the largest purchaser outside of China, and indicated that he hasnt done phase two or phase three yet.

Several of the Trump administrations officials, including Bessent and trade advisor Peter Navarro, have said that Indias purchases of Russian oil are financing the Russian war effort in Ukraine.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

India has called the tariffs imposed by the US unjustified and unreasonable.

Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics. PTI YAS GSP GSP

With inputs from agencies
Thailand's new Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul gives a speech after receiving the royal endorsement for the post in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2025. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's new prime minister on Sunday, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Arpath Sukhanunth announced. In a ceremony held at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters, Arpath read out the royal command appointing Anutin as premier, as he received majority support in the parliamentary vote on Friday. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

BANGKOK, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's new prime minister on Sunday, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Arpath Sukhanunth announced.

In a ceremony held at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters, Arpath read out the royal command appointing Anutin as premier, as he received majority support in the parliamentary vote on Friday.

In his first official speech as prime minister, Anutin assured the public that his new government was fully committed to working tirelessly and with steadfast dedication to help Thailand swiftly overcome its current crises, despite several constraints in fulfilling duties.

Anutin said his administration would actively promote transparency and expedite legal proceedings where appropriate, emphasizing that the justice system must operate independently, in accordance with mechanisms outlined in the constitution and relevant laws.

"My government aims to amend the constitution, clearing the way for drafting a new charter through the prescribed legal process," he said, affirming the intention to dissolve parliament within the agreed timeframe of four months after taking office.

The prime minister expressed confidence in gaining support from all sectors, stating that his administration aimed to lay a strong foundation for the next government to build upon, ensuring the people's well-being, stability, and enduring prosperity.

The royal endorsement paves the way for cabinet formation and policy address to the parliament, a formality required before the new government officially assumes office.

Anutin, the 58-year-old Bhumjaithai Party leader, has served as deputy prime minister in several administrations and held ministerial portfolios for interior and public health. 

Thailand's new Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul pays respect to a portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn after receiving the royal endorsement for the post in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2025. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's new prime minister on Sunday, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Arpath Sukhanunth announced.

In a ceremony held at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters, Arpath read out the royal command appointing Anutin as premier, as he received majority support in the parliamentary vote on Friday. (Thai Government House/Handout via Xinhua)

Thailand's new Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul gives a speech after receiving the royal endorsement for the post in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2025. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's new prime minister on Sunday, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Arpath Sukhanunth announced.

In a ceremony held at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters, Arpath read out the royal command appointing Anutin as premier, as he received majority support in the parliamentary vote on Friday. (Thai Government House/Handout via Xinhua)

Thailand's new Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul greets officials after receiving the royal endorsement for the post in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2025. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's new prime minister on Sunday, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Arpath Sukhanunth announced.

In a ceremony held at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters, Arpath read out the royal command appointing Anutin as premier, as he received majority support in the parliamentary vote on Friday. (Thai Government House/Handout via Xinhua)

Thailand's new Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul greets officials after receiving the royal endorsement for the post in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2025. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed Anutin Charnvirakul as the country's new prime minister on Sunday, Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Arpath Sukhanunth announced.

In a ceremony held at the Bhumjaithai Party headquarters, Arpath read out the royal command appointing Anutin as premier, as he received majority support in the parliamentary vote on Friday. (Thai Government House/Handout via Xinhua)
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
Russo-Ukraine War - 06 September 2025 - Day 1291

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that the forcible political education of Ukrainian youth by the Russian authorities in the illegally occupied territories of Ukraine continues. The Russian Ministry of Defence youth organisation Yunarmiya and the Kremlin youth organisation Movement of the Firsts are amongst those organisations teaching Ukrainian children military skills, and indoctrinating them with pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian propaganda.

The Russian education authorities aim at countering purported "extremism", a term which is defined broadly by the Russian authorities. A 2022 Russian Ministry of Education manual titled "Preventing conflicts, manifestations of extremism and terrorism in a poly-cultural educational environment" claimed the expression "Slava Ukraine" (Glory to Ukraine) to be an indicator of extremism.

The Russian authorities have been running a so-called "University Sessions" programme since 2022, in which children from the occupied regions of Ukraine are taken to Russian universities where they are given "patriotic education". This aims to inculcate the children with an anti-Ukrainian outlook, as well as glorifying Russian military exploits. Since 2022, around 50,000 Ukrainian children have attended these sessions at 116 Russian universities.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 129 combat clashes. Ukrainian defenders are decisively intercepting the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression.

Today, Russian troops launched one missile and 57 aviation strikes, using three missiles and dropping 83 controlled aviation bombs. In addition, they engaged 1946 kamikaze drones and carried out 3754 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursky directions, Ukrainian soldiers repelled three Russian assault actions. In addition, the Russian enemy launched eight air strikes, dropping 20 controlled bombs, and carried out 201 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, including four from reactive systems of arson-fire.

In the South Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces five times attacked the positions of Ukrainian units in the area of Vovchansk, Barnoy, Kamyanka and in the direction of Novovasilivka. Four clashes are underway.

In the Kupiansky direction, the Russian aggressor carried out offensive actions in the Kupianskaya district and in the direction of Novoplatonivka. Ukrainian defenders have stopped five Russian attacks, so far sharpening one battle.

In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders 10 times attacked the positions of Defense Forces near the settlements of Grekivka, Karpivka, Kolodyazi, Torske and towards Shandrigolovy, Derylovy, the fighting does not subside in five locations.

In the Siver komu direction, the Defense Forces repelled nine Russian attacks near Serebryanka, Grigorivka, Pereyzny and in the direction of Dronivka. Four clashes are ongoing so far.

Eight combat clashes are currently recorded in the Kramatorsky direction. The Russian Zagorbnik tried to move towards settlements Bondarne, Virolyubivka, Stupocki and Bila Gora.

In the Toretsky direction, the Russians 10 times went into offensive on the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Scherbinivka, Katerynivka, Rusynoy Yar, Poltavka and in the direction of Pleschievka. Defense forces stopped nine Russian attacks, one confrontation is ongoing.

In the Pokrovsky direction since the beginning of the day, the Russian occupiers tried 36 times to advance on the position of Ukrainian units. Russian forces attacked in the areas of settlements Shahove, Novoekonomicne, Mirolyubivka, Beam, Fox, Kotline, Udacne, Dachne and in the direction of Mirnograd, Rodinsky, Pokrovsk, Zvirovogo, Molodetsky, Novopavlivka, Philia. Two clashes are still ongoing.

According to preliminary data, today in this direction there were 138 Russian invaders, 80 of them - irrevocably. Ukrainian soldiers also destroyed four combat armored vehicles, 10 units of automobile equipment, 14 unmanned aircraft, four units of special equipment; one cannon and four shelters for the Russian personnel were damaged.

In the Novopavlovsk direction, the Russian enemy 17 times tried to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of the settlements of Green Gai, Tolstoy, Maliyivka, Shevchenko, Komyshuvakha and in the direction of Philia, Oleksandrograd, Novoselivka. One battle is going on.

In the direction of Gulyaipils komu, the Russian opponent did not carry out offensive actions.

In the orihivs komu direction, the Defense Forces repelled one attack of the Russian zagarbnikiv towards stepnogirsk.

In the Pridniprovsk direction, the Russian enemy did not carry out offensive actions.

In the rest of the destinations - there are no special changes.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






NEW YORK, Sept. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) between December 12, 2024 and June 30, 2025, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important September 8, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Centene 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 Centene class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=41552 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. 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 8, 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 firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period provided investors with material information concerning Centenes expected revenue guidance and adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the 2025 fiscal year. Defendants statements included, among other things, confidence in Centenes enrollment and morbidity rates, as well as strong retention rates in Centenes Medicare business. Defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while simultaneously disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Centenes enrollment and morbidity rates. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Centene class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=41552 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

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 investors 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 Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

case@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
Chemotherapy-free combination regimen has the potential to usher in new era for first-line treatment, with median overall survival projected to exceed four years, surpassing monotherapy TKI osimertinib by more than one year*1

BEERSE, BELGIUM, Sept. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Janssen-Cilag International NV, a Johnson & Johnson company, today announced The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published results from the Phase 3 MARIPOSA study. Head-to-head comparison data versus osimertinib monotherapy showed RYBREVANT(amivantamab) plus LAZCLUZE(lazertinib) demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful overall survival (OS) improvement for patients with previously untreated (first-line) locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions (ex19del) or L858R substitution mutations.1

At a median follow-up of 37.8 months, amivantamab plus lazertinib showed a statistically significant reduction in the risk of death compared to osimertinib monotherapy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.92, P=0.005).1 The median OS for the combination was explored as a secondary endpoint and has not yet been reached (95 percent CI, 42.9-not estimable).1 Median OS for the combination is projected to exceed over four years (absolute increase of over one year) compared to the median of three years observed with osimertinib monotherapy (36.7 months; 95 percent CI, 33.4-41.0).*1

This is a turning point in how we treat EGFR-mutated lung cancer, said Dr. James Chih-Hsin Yang**, M.D., Ph.D, Department of Medical Oncology, National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Taipei, Taiwan, and lead author on the NEJM manuscript. Were now seeing the potential for patients to live significantly longer than we thought possible. Starting with amivantamab plus lazertinib may prevent common types of resistance and reserves chemotherapy for later lines of therapy, which can help achieve better outcomes.

Through the triple mode of action which includes targeting EGFR mutations from two angles, blocking MET and engaging the immune system, the amivantamab plus lazertinib regimen has the potential to change the natural course of the disease by reducing the spectrum and complexity of acquired resistance mechanisms.2,3,4,5

These results reflect years of dedicated research and mark a pivotal step that redefines the treatment of EGFR-mutated advanced lung cancer, said Henar Hevia, Ph.D., Senior Director, EMEA Therapy Area Head, Oncology, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. These published data further reinforce the potential of the chemotherapy-free, dual-targeted amivantamab plus lazertinib regimen to deliver meaningful, long-term clinical outcomes and experiences for patients and their families versus the current standard of care, and thats what drives our commitment to innovation, every day.

Further analyses in the publication showed that patients treated with amivantamab plus lazertinib went more than six months longer before receiving additional treatment compared to those who received osimertinib monotherapy (median time to subsequent therapy; 30.3 months vs 24.0 months HR, 0.76; 95 percent CI, 0.64-0.90).1 The amivantamab plus lazertinib combination also improved progression-free survival after subsequent therapy (PFS2), with a median of 42.9 months vs 32.8 months for osimertinib monotherapy (HR, 0.74; 95 percent CI, 0.61-0.90).1 These findings support the sustained clinical benefit of the combination beyond the first-line setting.1

With these results, we have the potential to change the trajectory of this disease, said Joshua Bauml, M.D., Vice President, Disease Area Leader, Lung Cancer, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. Unmet needs remain high for people living with EGFR-mutated lung cancer. Now, were delivering survival outcomes that have the ability to redefine what first-line treatment can achieve.

The safety profile of amivantamab plus lazertinib was consistent with the primary analysis, with treatment emergent adverse event (TEAE) rates comparable to other amivantamab regimens.1 No new safety signals were identified with the additional longer-term follow-up.1 The most common TEAEs of any grade that occurred were paronychia (69 percent), infusion-related reaction (65 percent) and rash (64 percent).1 Amivantamab plus lazertinib had higher rates of EGFR- and MET-related TEAEs compared to osimertinib monotherapy, except diarrhoea, for which rates were higher for osimertinib monotherapy.1 The most common Grade 3 or higher adverse events (AEs) were rash (17 percent), paronychia (12 percent), dermatitis acneiform (9 percent), pulmonary embolism*** (9 percent) and alanine transaminase increase (7 percent).1 Most key AEs occurred early during amivantamab and lazertinib treatment.1 Findings from other studies with amivantamab suggest that implementing prophylactic measures from the onset of amivantamab and lazertinib treatment may significantly reduce the risk of skin reactions, infusion-related reactions and venous thromboembolic events.6,7,8,9

Johnson & Johnson presented the overall survival results at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) 2025 in Paris in March.10

About the MARIPOSA Study

MARIPOSA (NCT04487080), which enrolled 1,074 patients, is a randomised, Phase 3 study evaluating amivantamab in combination with lazertinib versus osimertinib monotherapy and versus lazertinib alone in first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR ex19del or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations.11 The primary endpoint of the study is progression-free survival (PFS) (using RECIST v1.1 guidelines) as assessed by BICR.11 Secondary endpoints include overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), second progression-free survival (PFS2) and intracranial PFS.11 The MARIPOSA study met its primary endpoint in October 2023, showing a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PFS compared to osimertinib monotherapy.11,12

About Amivantamab

Amivantamab is a fully-human EGFR-MET bispecific antibody that acts by targeting tumours with activating and resistance EGFR mutations and MET mutations and amplifications, and by harnessing the immune system.2,3,4,13

The European Commission (EC) has approved amivantamab in the following indications:13

Intravenous amivantamab:

In combination with lazertinib for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations.

In combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed for the treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations, after failure of prior therapy including an EGFR TKI.

In combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed, for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with activating EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations.

As monotherapy for treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with activating EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, after failure of platinum-based therapy.

Subcutaneous amivantamab:

In combination with lazertinib for the firstline treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations.

As monotherapy for treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with activating EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, after failure of platinumbased therapy.

Subcutaneous (SC) amivantamab is co-formulated with recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20), Halozymes ENHANZE drug delivery technology.14

In May 2025, an application was submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to extend the amivantamab marketing authorisation for additional subcutaneous dosing regimens, including:15

The use of an every-three-week (Q3W) SC amivantamab dosing regimen in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed for the treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations, after failure of prior therapy including an EGFR TKI, and for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with activating EGFR Exon 20 insertion mutations.

An every-four-week (Q4W) SC amivantamab dosing regimen, in combination with lazertinib for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations, and as monotherapy for treatment of adult patients with advanced NSCLC with activating EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations after failure of platinum-based therapy.

For a full list of adverse events and information on dosage and administration, contraindications and other precautions when using amivantamab, please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics.13

 In line with EU regulations for new medicines, amivantamab is subject to additional monitoring.

About Lazertinib

In 2018, Janssen Biotech, Inc., entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Yuhan Corporation for the development of lazertinib (marketed as LACLAZA in South Korea). Lazertinib is an oral, third-generation, brain-penetrant EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that targets both the T790M mutation and activating EGFR mutations whilst having less activity against wild-type EGFR.16 An analysis of the efficacy and safety of lazertinib from the Phase 3 study LASER301 was published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2023.16

For a full list of adverse events and information on dosage and administration, contraindications and other precautions when using lazertinib, please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics.17

 In line with EU regulations for new medicines, lazertinib is subject to additional monitoring.

About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

In Europe, it is estimated that 484,306 people were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022.18 NSCLC accounts for 85 percent of all lung cancer cases.19 Lung cancer is Europes biggest cancer killer, with more deaths than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.18

The main subtypes of NSCLC are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma.19 Among the most common driver mutations in NSCLC are alterations in EGFR, which is a receptor tyrosine kinase controlling cell growth and division.19,20 EGFR mutations are present in 10 to 15 percent of Western patients with NSCLC with adenocarcinoma histology and occur in 40 to 50 percent of Asian patients.21,22,23,24 EGFR ex19del or EGFR exon 21 L858R mutations are the most common EGFR mutations.25 The five-year survival rate for patients with advanced NSCLC and EGFR mutations treated with EGFR TKIs is less than 20 percent and between 25-32 percent of patients receiving the current first-line standard of care, osimertinib, do not survive long enough to reach second-line treatment.26,27,28

About Johnson & Johnson

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow and profoundly impact health for humanity.

Learn more at https://innovativemedicine.jnj.com/emea/. Follow us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/jnj-innovative-medicine-emea/. Janssen-Cilag International NV, Janssen Biotech, Inc. and Janssen-Cilag, S.A. are Johnson & Johnson companies.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of amivantamab. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialise, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; changes in behaviour and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnsons most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in the sections captioned Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Item 1A. Risk Factors, and in Johnson & Johnsons subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at http://www.sec.gov/, http://www.jnj.com/ or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.

Janssen-Cilag International NV, Inc. 2025. All rights reserved.

*Based on an exponential distribution assumption of OS in both arms, the improvement in median OS is projected to exceed 1 year. The factors included in the model were: baseline mutation type, race, baseline brain metastases, age, sex, ECOG PS, and weight at baseline. This is an estimate and final observed results may vary.

**Dr. James Chih-Hsin Yang, M.D., Ph.D, has served as a consultant to Johnson & Johnson; he has not been paid for any media work.

***VTE, a grouped term including pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, limb venous thrombosis, venous thrombosis, thrombosis, superficial vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, embolism, venous embolism, jugular vein thrombosis, sigmoid sinus thrombosis, axillary vein thrombosis, pulmonary infarction, vena cava thrombosis, central venous catheteristion, portal vein thrombosis, post thrombotic syndrome, pulmonary thrombosis, superior sagittal sinus thrombosis, transverse sinus thrombosis, pelvic venous thrombosis, and superior vena cava syndrome, occurred in 40 percent of participants in the amivantamab-lazertinib group and 11 percent in the osimertinib group; these events can be managed with prophylactic anticoagulation for the first 4 months of treatment and per local guidelines.

RECIST (v1.1) refers to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, which is a standard way to measure how well solid tumours respond to treatment and is based on whether tumours shrink, stay the same or get bigger.

Source: Johnson & Johnson

1 Yang, JCH, et al. Overall Survival with Amivantamab-Lazertinib in EGFR-mutant Advanced NSCLC. N Engl J Med. 2025. Available at: Overall Survival with AmivantamabLazertinib in EGFR-Mutated Advanced NSCLC | New England Journal of Medicine. Accessed September 2025

2 Moores SL, et al. A Novel Bispecific Antibody Targeting EGFR and cMet Is Effective against EGFR Inhibitor-Resistant Lung Tumors. Cancer Res 2016;76(13)(suppl 27216193):3942-3953.

3 Grugan KD, et al. Fc-mediated activity of EGFR x c-Met bispecific antibody JNJ-61186372 enhanced killing of lung cancer cells. Mabs. 2017;9(1):114-126.

4 Yun J, et al. Antitumor Activity of Amivantamab (JNJ-61186372), an EGFRMET Bispecific Antibody, in Diverse Models of EGFR Exon 20 InsertionDriven NSCLC. Cancer Discov. 2020;10(8):1194-1209.

5 Besse B, et al. Mechanisms of Acquired Resistance to First-line Amivantamab Plus Lazertinib Versus Osimertinib in Patients With EGFR-mutant Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: An Analysis from the Phase 3 MARIPOSA Study. 2024 European Society For Medical Oncology Congress. August 2024.

6 Innovativemedicine.jnj.com. COCOON study meets primary endpoint demonstrating statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in dermatologic reactions with easy-to-use prophylactic regimen for patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC. January 14, 2025. Accessed March 2025.

7 Spira AI, et al. Preventing Infusion-Related Reactions With Intravenous Amivantamab-Results From SKIPPirr, a Phase 2 Study: A Brief Report. J Thorac Oncol. 2025 Jan 24:S1556-0864(25)00051-6.

8 Leighl N, et al. PALOMA-3 Investigators. Subcutaneous Versus Intravenous Amivantamab, Both in Combination With Lazertinib, in Refractory Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Primary Results From the Phase III PALOMA-3 Study. J Clin Oncol. 2024 Oct 20;42(30):3593-3605.

9 Girard, et al. Preventing Moderate to Severe Dermatologic Adverse Events in First-line EGFR-mutant Advanced NSCLC Treated with Amivantamab Plus Lazertinib: Early Success of the COCOON Trial. 2025 European Lung Cancer Congress. March 27, 2025.

10 Yang J, et al. Amivantamab Plus Lazertinib vs Osimertinib in First-line (1L) EGFR-mutant (EGFRm) Advanced NSCLC: Final Overall Survival (OS) from the Phase 3 MARIPOSA Study. 2025 European Lung Cancer Congress. March 26, 2025.

11 Cho BC, et al. Amivantamab Plus Lazertinib in Previously Untreated EGFR-Mutated Advanced NSCLC. The New England Journal of Medicine 2024. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2403614. Available at: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2403614. Accessed August 2025.

12 Innovativemedicine.jnj.com/EMEA. Landmark Phase 3 MARIPOSA Study Shows RYBREVANT(amivantamab) Plus Lazertinib Resulted in 30 Percent Reduction in Risk of Disease Progression or Death Compared to Osimertinib in Patients with EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Available at: https://innovativemedicine.jnj.com/emea/landmark-phase-3-mariposa-study-shows-rybrevantrvamivantamab-plus-lazertinib-resulted-30-percent. Accessed August 2025

13 European Medicines Agency. Amivantamab Summary of Product Characteristics. July 2025. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/rybrevant-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Accessed August 2025.

14 Leighl NB et al. Subcutaneous Versus Intravenous Amivantamab, Both in Combination With Lazertinib, in Refractory Epidermal Growth Factor ReceptorMutated NonSmall Cell Lung Cancer: Primary Results From the Phase III PALOMA-3 Study. ASCO Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2024;42(3):3593-3605.

15 Innovativemedicine.jnj.com/EMEA. Johnson & Johnson submits application to the European Medicines Agency for additional subcutaneous RYBREVANT(amivantamab) dosing regimens to treat patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Available at: https://innovativemedicine.jnj.com/emea/newsroom/johnson-johnson-submits-application-to-the-european-medicines-agency-for-additional-subcutaneous-rybrevant-amivantamab-dosing-regimens-to-treat-patients-with-egfr-mutated-advanced-non-small-cell-lung-cancer Accessed August 2025.

16 Cho, BC, et al. Lazertinib versus gefitinib as first-line treatment in patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: Results From LASER301. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(26):4208-4217.

17 European Medicines Agency. Lazcluze. July 2025. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/lazcluze. Accessed August 2025.

18 Global Cancer Observatory. Cancer Today. Available at: https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/populations/908-europe-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed August 2025.

19 Zappa C, et al. Non-small cell lung cancer: current treatment and future advances. Transl Lung Cancer Res. 2016;5(3):288300.

20 Wee P & Wang Z. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Cell Proliferation Signaling Pathways. Cancers. 2017;9(12):52.

21 Pennell NA, et al. A phase II trial of adjuvant erlotinib in patients with resected epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2019;37(2):97-104.

22 Burnett H, et al. Epidemiological and clinical burden of EGFR exon 20 insertion in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic literature review. Abstract presented at: World Conference on Lung Cancer Annual Meeting (Singapore); January 29, 2021.

23 Zhang YL, et al. The prevalence of EGFR mutation in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Oncotarget. 2016;7(48):78985- 78993.

24 Midha A, et al. EGFR mutation incidence in non-small-cell lung cancer of adenocarcinoma histology: a systematic review and global map by ethnicity. Am J Cancer Res. 2015;5(9):2892-2911.

25 American Lung Association. EGFR and Lung Cancer. Available at: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/symptomsdiagnosis/biomarker-testing/egfr. Accessed August 2025.

26 Lin JJ, et al. Five-Year Survival in EGFR-Mutant Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma Treated with EGFR-TKIs. J Thorac Oncol. 2016;11(4):556-65.

27 Nieva J, et al. A real-world (rw) observational study of long-term survival (LTS) and treatment patterns after first-line (1L) osimertinib in patients (pts) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive (m) advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Ann Oncol. 2023;34, S774.

28 Girard N, et al. Mortality among EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC patients after frontline osimertinib treatment: A real-world, US attrition analysis. J Thorac Oncol. 2023;18(4), S51-52.

CP-535214

September 2025

FOR EUROPEAN MEDICAL AND TRADE MEDIA ONLY
Armory Mining Corp. (CSE: ARMY) (OTC: RMRYF) (FRA: 2JS) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed the second and final tranche (the "Final Tranche") of its oversubscribed non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering"), previously announced by the Company on August 25, 2025 and August 7, 2025.

Under the Final Tranche, the Company issued an additional 1,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.05 per Unit for gross proceeds of $50,000. Each Unit is comprised of one common share and one transferrable common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant issued under the Final Tranche entitles the holder to acquire an additional common share at a price of $0.065 per common share until September 5, 2028.

When combined with the Offering previously closed on August 25, 2025, the Company has now issued an aggregate of 17,060,000 Units for total gross proceeds of $853,000, which completes the Offering.

The proceeds raised from the Offering are expected to be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. All securities issued under the Final Tranche in connection with the Offering are subject to a four month hold period expiring January 6, 2026, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

About Armory Mining Corp.

Armory Mining is a Canadian exploration company focused on minerals critical to the energy, security and defence sectors. The company controls an 80-per-cent interest in the Candela II lithium brine project located in the Incahuasi salar, Salta province, Argentina, and a 100-per-cent interest in the Riley Creek antimony-gold project located in Haida Gwaii, B.C., and an option to acquire a 100-per-cent interest in the Ammo antimony-gold project located in Nova Scotia.

Contact Information

Alex Klenman

CEO & Director

alex@armorymining.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the Company's securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the intended use of funds. The words "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "plans," "will," "may," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that its expectations as reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, political and regulatory risks in Canada, operational and exploration risks, market conditions, and the availability of financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES




A number of migratory bird species have been spotted in the national natural reserve on the west side of Dongting Lake in Hanshou county, Hunan province. [Photo by Zhou Guohua/For chinadaily.com.cn]

In a concerted effort to bolster bird conservation, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, alongside 16 other national government bodies, has initiated a comprehensive three-year campaign aimed at curbing illegal bird hunting and trafficking.

The campaign, the launch of which coincides with the start of the southward migration of migratory birds in China that usually runs from September to November, will focus on three key initiatives: enhancing bird protection, cracking down on illegal activities, and promoting public education, according to a media release from the administration.

As a key measure for the bird protection initiative, relevant authorities will beef up field patrols and monitoring, particularly in the four migratory bird flyways passing through China and 1,140 key areas with frequent bird activities across the country, the administration stated.

"Responsible agencies will be designated to ensure effective patrolling, strictly preventing illegal bird netting and hunting, as well as habitat destruction," it said.

It noted further enhancement of the country's network for bird protection monitoring as another priority of the initiative, with the monitoring of wintering waterbirds as a focus.

Measures will also be rolled out to restore and transform key bird habitats, the release added.

As part of the initiative to combat illegal activities, law enforcement officers will conduct more rapid operations against bird poaching and trafficking, with a primary focus on organized crime syndicates and illegal activities involving nationally protected bird species, the administration said.

The initiative seeks to dismantle numerous criminal groups, and eliminate bird netting and other illegal hunting activities along migratory bird flyways and in areas where birds frequently appear, it emphasized. Additionally, a series of high-profile cases will be publicly exposed to serve as a strong deterrent.

The release also highlighted the initiative's intensified cross-departmental collaboration, stating that joint inspections and law enforcement operations will be conducted.

The joint operations will primarily focus on spontaneously formed bird trading hubs, it noted. Additionally, online trading platforms will be urged to conduct self-inspections to eliminate the possibility of illegal bird sales.

China is home to 1,505 bird species, representing about one-sixth of the world's total, making it one of the countries with the richest bird resources globally, according to the administration.

Of these species, over 800 are migratory.

Four of the world's nine major migratory bird flyways pass through China, encompassing nearly all of the country's land and sea territories.


Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded from a Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force at the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025.(Xinhua/Li Ang)

KABUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan arrived in Kabul on Sunday.

The shipment, aboard two Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force, included tents, blankets and other urgently needed items for quake-hit areas.

A handover ceremony was attended by Bao Xuhui, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Afghanistan, Sharafuddin Muslim, deputy minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, as well as representatives from the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Disaster Management Authority and Red Crescent Society.

Bao said that the strong earthquake that struck Kunar and other provinces in Afghanistan had caused significant casualties and property damage. The Chinese government decided to immediately provide emergency humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, which fully demonstrated the Chinese government and people's friendship towards the Afghan government and people, he said.

Under the leadership of the Afghan government, Bao said, people in the affected areas would definitely overcome difficulties and rebuild their homes as early as possible.

Muslim said that the first batch of emergency assistance from the Chinese government is of great support to the people in the affected areas.

Noting that Afghan leaders appreciated China's sincere condolences and precious support, he said the Afghan side will always remember the friendship of the Chinese people towards the Afghan people. 

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded from a Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force at the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded from a Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force at the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded from a Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force at the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ang)

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded onto the tarmac at the Kabul Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded from a Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force at the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded onto the tarmac at the Kabul Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded onto the tarmac at the Kabul Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded from a Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force at the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Emergency earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Afghanistan are unloaded from a Y-20 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force at the Kabul airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)
The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE going official was the most important story of week 36. The phone packs a 4nm Exynos 2400 chipset with 8 GB of RAM, and up to 512 GB of storage. Despite the mostly unchanged SoC, the S25 FE packs a 10% larger vapor chamber for cooling.

Another update is the bigger 4,900mAh battery. The phone is a svelte 7.4mm thin and weighs some 23 grams less than its predecessor at 190g.

The Galaxy S25 FE is available for purchase in four color options - Icyblue, Jetblack, Navy, and White. It starts at 749 ($875) for the 8 GB/128 GB variant. The 8 GB/256 GB option is priced at 809 ($945), whereas the 8 GB/512 GB model will cost you 929 ($1084).

Tecno unveiled two ultra-slim smartphones  the Spark Slim and Pova Slim  each measuring under 6 mm thick (around 5.93 mm and 5.95 mm respectively), featuring curved AMOLED displays, lightweight builds (~156 g), and innovative Honeycomb internal stacking to pack in a 5,160 mAh battery. The main difference: Spark Slim runs on a Helio G200 (no 5G), while Pova Slim boasts a Dimensity 6400 chip with 5G support and enhanced features like a Mood Light LED bar for notifications.

Apple's iPhone 17 series is coming next week, on September 9. The iPhone 17 will get a bigger 6.3-inch screen, possibly with a 120Hz refresh rate, the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will pack A19 Pro chipsets and 12GB of RAM, and the iPhone 17 Air will replace the Plus and be the thinnest iPhone ever. It will have a single 48MP rear camera and a smaller battery.

In the US, only the base iPhone 17 Pro will be more expensive (by $100) than its predecessor, but it will come with 256GB of storage out of the gate, meaning that it's basically the same price.



More iPhone 17 series cases leak ahead of September 9 event The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to include the base iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and the 17 Pro Max.



The vivo Y500 is official with a whopper of a battery - 8,200mAh, an IP69 rating, and a Dimensity 7300 SoC. The phone comes in Glacier Blue, Dragon Crystal Powder, and Black colors. The 8/128GB version starts at CNY 1,399 ($196) while the top-tier 12/512GB trim is CNY 1,999 ($280). Open sales in China are scheduled for September 5.

Xiaomi's 16 series may arrive between September 24 and 26. Thats no coincidence, since Qualcomm is launching its next flagship 8 series chipset - the Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite 2 (or 8 Elite Gen 5) on September 23. Based on the most recent rumors, were expecting three devices for this months launch, including the Xiaomi 16, 16 Pro mini, and 16 Pro Max. The 16 Ultra will once again launch at a later date sometime next year.

OnePlus may ditch Hasselblad as an imaging co-brand and go with its own self-developed Image Engine. It's said to contain advanced image algorithms to better handle low-light detail, skin tone accuracy, and dynamic range "in ways OnePlus has never been able to before".
Google went very conservative with the Pixel 10 Pro XL upgrade, shipping a phone with a bigger battery and a new chipset, but with an unchanged camera system and a mostly identical body.

Looking at the two side-by-side, it's very hard to find the differences. It may be safe to say that Pixel 9 Pro XL owners won't rush to upgrade this year.

Pixel 10 Pro XL next to Pixel 9 Pro XL

But if you're not a Pixel 9 Pro XL owner, the Pixel 10 Pro XL may be an interesting proposition. The Pixel has always been an acquired taste smartphone. When you try it, you'll either love it and want nothing else or put it down with distrust.

There's something about a Pixel. It's a combination of hardware and software, which makes it unique. The software in this case is Google's take on Android 16, and it's very fluid with a polished haptic engine that adds an almost physical layer to the experience.

We love the Jade color option of the Pixel 10 Pro XL. It's a subtle green hue that goes lovely with the glossy gold frame. The phone feels more curvy in the hand, compared to its sharp-edged competitors.

Google didn't change the camera specs on this year's Pixel Pros, which is always going to be held against them in this hotly-contested space. Still, the triple camera system is well-rounded, and it may only take some of Google's unique image seasoning to make it a winner. We'll see in our review. We found the vanilla Pixel 10 to be somewhat pedestrian.



The Pixel 10 Pro XL and the Pixel 10 Pro

The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL comes with a single USB-C cable in the box. It's available in Moonstone (dark grey), Jade (this green and gold), Porcelain (a cream color), Obsidian (black), and in either 16/256GB or 16/512GB. Prices are 1,299 and 1,429, respectively.

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL 5G
KIEV, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia launched 805 drones and 13 missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force said Sunday.

As of 8:30 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) Sunday, the air defense had intercepted 747 combat and decoy drones, along with four Iskander-K cruise missiles, said the Ukrainian Air Force in a Facebook post.

Five additional Iskander-K missiles, four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 56 drones struck 37 locations across the country, it added.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities said the Russian drone attacks triggered a fire in the country's government building and "emergency crews are working to extinguish the fire."

This has been the first time since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict that "the government building, including its roof and upper floors, was damaged in the attack," Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed on Telegram.

Svyrydenko added that apart from Kiev, Russian strikes hit the cities of Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Kremenchuk and Odesa.

According to the State Service for Emergencies, a mother and her 2-month-old baby were killed in the capital, while more than 20 people were injured. 




Haiti - FLASH : Federal judge blocks Trump administration's decision to end TPS





On Friday, September 5, 2025, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco blocked the Trump administration's lifting of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which currently protects approximately 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians. This decision allows them to retain the right to remain and work in the United States due to the precarious conditions in their home countries.



Judge Chen declared that the actions taken by Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, to terminate three extensions granted by the Biden administration exceeded her statutory authority and were arbitrary and capricious. He noted that this attempt to terminate TPS was "unprecedented" and that Secretary Noem's actions violated the law. He emphasized that this rapid revocation was particularly concerning given the dangerous conditions in Venezuela and Haiti, where the State Department advises against travel.



"For 35 years, the TPS statute has been faithfully executed by presidential administrations from both parties, affording relief based on the best available information obtained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in consultation with the State Department and other agencies, a process that involves careful study and analysis. Until now," Chen stated in his decision.



The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strongly criticized Judge Chen's decision, which blocks the Trump administration's efforts to terminate TPS for more than one million Venezuelan and Haitian nationals residing in the United States.



In a statement, a DHS spokesperson emphasized that the TPS program has historically been manipulated and politicized, comparing its use to a form of de facto amnesty. The spokesperson asserted that the current administration's immigration policies have led to an influx of unvetted individuals entering the United States, heightening national security concerns.



A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson in a statement denounced TPS as a program "abused, exploited, and politicized as a de facto amnesty" and asserted that "unelected activist judges" could not prevent the American people from wanting a safe country.



"While this court ruling delays the implementation of the Trump administration's decisions, Secretary Noem, who will appeal, has stated that she will use all legal options at her disposal to end this chaos and prioritize the safety of Americans."



The ongoing legal battle highlights a broader conflict between federal district courts and the Trump administration, particularly over immigration policies. Numerous immigration cases have been challenged, and the administration has successfully appealed several decisions.



The Supreme Court's ruling does not apply to Judge Chen's ruling issued Friday. The Trump administration is expected to seek a stay of Chen's order as part of its appeal.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Laying of the foundation stone of a new port

On Saturday, September 6, 2025, in Chinourette, Terrier Rouge, bordering Fort Liberte in the Northeast, in the presence of the highest government officials, private sector representatives, and entrepreneurs and industrialists from the Northern Region, entrepreneur Patrick Beliard laid the foundation stone of Port Royal Terminal S.A.: a new port terminal, with the first phase expected to provide the region with a new port. With an initial investment of $60 million to build the commercial port, this project aims to make a difference in the region and be a major economic driver for development.



Seizure of Chief "Ti Hab"'s Goods Truck:

The Haitian National Police (PNH), through the Artibonite Departmental Directorate (DDA), seized a goods truck belonging to Wilgens Destin, alias "Ti Bab," a gang leader from Deluge, Montrouis commune. This truck was normally used to transport goods to "Ti Hab."



Ecological Reintegration of Deported Migrants

In Bande-du-Nord, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the French Embassy in Haiti are supporting the Ministry of Agriculture in the construction of protective structures to combat soil erosion and sustainably strengthen the environment. This work also promotes the ecological reintegration of deported migrants, creating income opportunities while protecting communities.



PNH : New Departmental Director for the Northwest

On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Inspector General Jean Moise installed Divisional Commissioner Fred Joseph as the new Departmental Director of the Northwest Police. He replaces Divisional Commissioner Clevens Cetoute, who was transferred to the Central Directorate of Administrative Police (DCPA).



Nesmy Manigat Leaves the Global Partnership for Education

Nesmy Manigat, the former Minister of National Education, is stepping down as Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee (FRC) of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) "[...] a responsibility I have had the honor and privilege of assuming for several years at the highest level of governance of this international organization [...] I am leaving this position to take on new challenges."



Remarks by Martine Moise

"Since the heinous assassination of the President of the Republic, Jovenel Moise, on July 7, 2021, the assassins have tried in vain to portray the victims as the executioners. Fifty months later, the masks have fallen. Justice will take its course. The people, our family, will be able to grieve. The President of the Republic put all the resources and capabilities of the state at the service of those forgotten by the Nation, so they executed him. As Thomas Sankara [former President of Burkina Faso] would say, 'you can kill a man, but you cannot kill his ideas.'" The struggle continues !" Martine Moise.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















People visit the exhibition area of TCL at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 5, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

People visit the exhibition area of Haier at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 5, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

People visit the exhibition area of YADEA at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Visitors try a FPV drone at the exhibition area of DJI at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

A visitor tries an exoskeleton product at the exhibition area of Hypershell at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

Visitors communicate with an exhibitor (1st R) at the exhibition area of Anker at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

People try gaming devices at the exhibition area of CHANGHONG at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 5, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

People visit the exhibition area of NAVEE at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

People learn about washing machines at the exhibition area of Hisense at IFA Berlin 2025 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 5, 2025. IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world's largest trade fairs for consumer electronics and home appliances, opened here on Friday, spotlighting future-oriented themes such as information technology, artificial intelligence, software and computing power, and sustainable solutions for home, mobility, and lifestyle.

At the IFA this year, Chinese brands remain at the forefront of the exhibition. Major brands such as Haier, Hisense, and TCL are presenting their latest innovations in AI-powered appliances, smart displays, and energy-efficient solutions. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)
Porn websites that do not comply with the new age verification requirement in the UK have seen a massive increase in visits. This was the result of an analysis by the Washington Post, which analyzed a total of 90 portals that distribute pornographic content. As the US newspaper explains, it found 14 sites that do not comply with the new obligation at all. According to data from Similarweb, all of them have seen a massive increase in traffic, with the number of visits doubling or even tripling compared to the previous year. At the same time, the newspaper also found out that portals that are apparently trying to comply with the requirements are sometimes doing so "strangely" or "oddly". One expert speaks of "unintended consequences".

Continue after ad

Very different approaches

The British obligation to implement "highly effective" age verification measures for sites with user-generated pornographic material has been in force since July 25. After the major providers of such portals initially resisted, they finally gave in and complied with the requirements. Shortly afterward, initial analyses appeared to confirm the warnings issued by providers, with traffic from the UK to portals that verify age plummeting. At the time, however, it could only be assumed that providers who did not adhere to this were benefiting at the same time, but the Washington Post has now confirmed this according to its own information.

During its research, the US newspaper found portals that only display the age verification request after a video has already been viewed for a while. Others show pornographic advertisements or preview images, even to those visitors who have not proven that they are old enough. Some sites also explain how to bypass the blocks using the Tor browser, for example. However, many would merely link to an anonymous blog post criticizing the obligation and in one case would point the way to a petition against the underlying law. It is unknown how many people in the UK use VPN services to access the sites, their visits would then no longer be attributed to the UK.

The Washington Post has forwarded the result of the settlement to the British media regulator Ofcom, which has declined to comment on individual portals. In an initial investigation of sites that do not comply with the obligation, the newspaper says it has only found one of the 14 that do not currently comply. The age verification requirement is intended to protect minors from content that is harmful to minors, and social networks and portals for communication between users must also comply with it. However, initial analyses have not yet identified a comparable shift in the number of visits to such services.

Read also Instead of age verification: Bluesky completely bans users from Mississippi

(mho)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
The incident involving the plane of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU), in which the GPS signal is said to have been jammed over Bulgaria, among other places, has brought an already known threat into sharper focus: apparently Russian interference maneuvers in the area of satellite navigation. For Lithuania and other countries, especially in the Baltic states bordering Russia, such attacks are no longer a rarity. According to government representatives, they are a daily reality and part of systematic, hybrid warfare.

Continue after ad

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has described the incident as a clear illustration of the threat. According to Politico, he emphasizes that these are not isolated incidents, but targeted, ongoing actions. These not only endanger civilian air, sea and land traffic, but also critical infrastructure. He accuses Russia of violating its international obligations.

Although the exact circumstances of the events surrounding von der Leyen's plane are currently being presented contradictorily by the authorities in Sofia and Brussels, the message from Lithuania is clear: the GPS disruptions are part of a long-term Russian strategy. The Lithuanian EU ambassador Nerijus Aleksiejunas emphasizes that the neighboring countries have been struggling with this for years.

1033 Lithuanian incidents in August alone

The effects are far-reaching and affect the most diverse areas of daily life. For example, there have been reports of large ships refusing to enter the port of Klaipeda for safety reasons after their GPS signals were manipulated. Pilots are stressed, which is why the Lithuanian authorities are increasingly offering training for landings under such conditions. Even farmers are complaining about economic losses, as the interference affects their GPS-based equipment, for example for drainage systems.

In August alone, the Lithuanian communications regulator RRT documented more than 1,000 Lithuanian aircraft and 33 ships affected by navigation signal interference.

Systematic escalation

According to the report, the situation is coming to a head. The neighboring countries fear a further escalation. Aleksiejunas points out that Russia is increasingly investing in these activities. The RRT data also showed an alarming increase in spoofing sources from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. While there were three of these in February, there were already 29 in August. These have a considerable range of up to 400 kilometers and could theoretically also affect regions such as Berlin and Brandenburg.

Continue after ad

This development makes GPS jamming, in which the satellites' radio signal is disrupted, and spoofing a pan-European problem. In the latter case, previously recorded real or false satellite signals are sent out by a third party. Lithuanian officials warn that Russia is developing technologies that are likely to be used far beyond the Baltic States in the near future.

With the support of other member states, Lithuania put the issue on the EU agenda back in June to call for a collective response. Measures such as improved monitoring, targeted training and investment in resilient technologies are needed, they say. In addition, diplomatic efforts should be made to force Russia to comply with international law. Budrys also urges the imposition of strict sanctions and the initiation of international steps by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Von der Leyen's GPS problem via Estonia

Ships sailing in the eastern Baltic Sea are at least partly responsible for the massive disruptions to satellite navigation systems that have been complained about since the end of 2023 at the latest. This is suggested by a study by Polish researchers. They identified jamming as the main cause. According to other findings, there is a jamming facility known as the "Baltic Jammer" in the former Konigsberg, which is primarily aimed at air traffic.

The Flightradar24 portal points out that the Bulgarian incident still needs to be investigated. Von der Leyen's aircraft, which was on its way from Helsinki to Warsaw via an Estonian airbase on August 30th, had demonstrably already experienced GPS interference on this route over south-western Estonia at the level of the Gulf of Riga. These had only become apparent from the analysis of the original ADS-B data (Automatic Dependent Surveillance  Broadcast).

(nen)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
Figures from Statistics Finland, obtained by Yle , show the number of foreign-background workers has increased by more than 100,000 in the past decade. In several professions, their presence now exceeds 40 percent.

The number of employees in Finland with foreign backgrounds has passed 240,000, with new data showing they now make up nearly 10 percent of the countrys 2.4 million working population.

The largest groups come from the former Soviet Union, Estonia, the Philippines and Iraq. The classification includes people whose parents, or only known parent, were born abroad.

In 2023, the highest number of foreign-background employees worked as office cleaners, builders and sales staff. Social care workers have also entered the top ranks. Among office cleaners, the proportion of foreign-background workers reached 44 percent last year, compared with 23 percent in 2013.

Some professions have seen the number of Finnish-background workers decline at the same pace that foreign-background numbers have risen. In taxi services, this change is particularly clear.

According to Annukka Mickelsson, CEO of the Finnish Taxi Association, the 2018 deregulation of the taxi industry made it easier to enter the sector and led to a sharp rise in new drivers. At the same time, earnings fell, leading many Finnish drivers to leave.

Older drivers retired, and younger Finns do not see taxi work as attractive, Mickelsson told Yle.

In 2013, most taxi drivers were Finnish. Today, one in four has a foreign background.

The trend is also clear in cleaning services. Mia Backstrom, CEO of MTB-Siivouspalvelu, a cleaning company based in Espoo, said that 95 percent of the firms over 200 cleaners now have foreign backgrounds.

Native Finns are no longer willing to take cleaning jobs. Its seen as low-paid and undervalued, Backstrom told Yle.

Backstrom said that when her company has vacancies, only immigrants apply. In the 1990s, the ratio was reversed: 95 percent Finnish, 5 percent immigrant.

In some sectors, foreign-background workers now dominate. Among university research and teaching assistants, their share is 71 percent. The same applies to some technical roles. Among home cleaners and domestic helpers, the proportion is 40 percent.

IT roles have also seen rapid increases. In fields such as system maintenance, the number of foreign-background professionals has increased by nearly 1,000 percent over ten years, albeit from a low starting point.

In the automotive sector, the number of foreign-background mechanics has risen from under 1,200 in 2013 to more than 2,400. In the same period, the number of Finnish-background mechanics has dropped by about 1,000.

Janne Maki, CEO of Atoy Autohuolto, said that the company does not consider nationality in its hiring process.

We hire people who know how to use tools and have the right attitude, Maki said. Around 10 percent of Atoys 150 mechanics have foreign backgrounds, with recruits arriving from countries such as Estonia, Romania and others in the Middle East.

Maki said the main challenge is finding skilled workers, regardless of background.

In healthcare, foreign-background workers are also present in visible numbers. Thirteen percent of general practitioners and 10 percent of dentists come from foreign backgrounds. Many patients report that their doctors native language is not Finnish.

But in some sectors, the trend is reversed. Jobs in state central administration, the military, police, farming and courts still employ more than 99 percent Finnish-background workers. Similar dominance is seen among postmen and agricultural deputies, where the number of foreign-background workers has dropped by a third since 2013.

The data shows clear occupational divisions. In roles with lower wages or physical labour, such as cleaning, construction and transport, foreign-background workers are now essential. In high-ranking civil service and legal roles, nearly all workers are still Finnish.

Sole Cajas, a kindergarten teacher originally from Argentina, has worked in early childhood education in Vantaa for 12 years. She arrived in Finland to help her brother with childcare and later received a work permit.

This is my field. Its important to do this job with heart, because we work with small children. You want to leave a mark on them, Cajas said.

According to Statistics Finland, some of the sharpest percentage increases are in small roles where the starting number of foreign-background workers was low. For example, kiosk and market sellers, domestic cleaners, and system maintainers have all seen their foreign-background workforce grow by several hundred percent since 2013.

The share of foreign-background workers across all occupations has nearly doubled in the past ten years. This change is not evenly distributed. In some roles, the shift is marginal. In others, foreign-background workers are replacing Finnish workers in large numbers.

The full dataset published by Yle, based on Statistics Finland figures, allows users to check how their profession has changed over the past decade.

HT
At least four people were killed across the country, including an infant and a young woman in Kyiv. More than 44 were injured, Ukrainian authorities confirmed.

Russia struck Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers building for the first time in a massive overnight air assault that marked the largest aerial offensive of the war.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 751 drones and four missiles were intercepted, while the remaining weapons struck targets across at least 37 locations.

The Cabinet building, located in Kyivs government quarter, sustained damage to its roof and upper floors. The blast caused a fire visible from across the city. Government officials confirmed no casualties inside the building.

For the first time, the government building was damaged, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said. We will restore the buildings, but lost lives cannot be returned.

The attack, described by Ukrainian officials as the most extensive since the start of the war in February 2022, targeted urban areas far from frontlines. Residential buildings in Kyivs Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi districts were also hit, with multiple fires reported and blocks partially destroyed.

Vitali Klitschko, Kyivs mayor, said two people, a woman and her infant son, died in Sviatoshynskyi. A 16-storey building caught fire after being hit by drone debris, and other multi-storey buildings were damaged. At least 20 people were injured in Kyiv alone, including a pregnant woman.

Eyewitnesses reported waking to explosions in the early morning hours. We didnt have time to get to shelter, said Elena, a resident of one of the buildings. We thought it would pass over us. But not this time.

In the capitals eastern Darnytskyi district, the body of another infant was found in a damaged four-storey apartment building. Kyivs military administration head Timur Tkachenko described the attacks as deliberate strikes on civilian areas.

Zelensky said the assault was a political message, coming as talks of peacekeeping proposals circulate among Western allies.

Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started a long time ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war, Zelensky said. The world can stop the Kremlins criminals. All it takes is political will.

He confirmed speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron after the strike, discussing next steps with partners. Macron described the attack as evidence that Russia was "locking itself deeper into the logic of war and terror".

The Kremlin said it had targeted Ukraines military-industrial infrastructure. Russias Defence Ministry claimed responsibility for strikes on weapons depots and drone launch sites. Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians.

In other regions, drone and missile strikes hit Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kremenchuk. In Sumy, one person died and several were injured, including a 9-year-old child. In Dnipro, a 54-year-old man was killed. In Zaporizhzhia, at least 15 people were wounded. Civilian infrastructure was damaged in Odesa.

Ukraines military said it responded with drone attacks on Russian targets, including energy sites in the Bryansk and Krasnodar regions. A fire was reported at the Ilsky oil refinery, though Russian officials claimed it was quickly extinguished.

Svyrydenko urged Ukraines allies to accelerate delivery of air defence systems and increase sanctions on Russian energy exports.

We need more systems to protect our skies. And we need stronger sanctions to reduce Russias capacity to fund terror, she said.

French, British, and EU officials condemned the attack. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was appalled and called the strikes cowardly. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accused Russia of trampling international law. EU Council President Antonio Costa said Europe must stay the course and tighten sanctions.

The Polish military raised its air defence readiness, citing Russian missile activity near its border. Allied aircraft were deployed to patrol Polish airspace. Polands Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the strike shows again the futility of appeasing Putin.

Ukraines First Lady Olena Zelenska said on social media that Ukrainians are united in grief and strength following the record-breaking attack. She repeated calls for international support.

Inside Ukraine, officials say public resilience remains strong. Emergency services worked through the day to extinguish fires, search for survivors, and provide aid. Volunteers distributed food and offered psychological support at shelters in affected districts.

Zelensky said new meetings with allied governments would be held in the coming days to coordinate weapons deliveries and long-range strike capabilities.

The strike occurred shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any Western troops on Ukrainian soil would be treated as legitimate targets. He was responding to a proposal from Macron and others that envisions a peacekeeping force deployed after a ceasefire.

Putin has so far resisted international calls for a truce. Talks of future negotiations remain stalled, with Western leaders pushing for preconditions that include withdrawal of Russian troops and security guarantees for Ukraine.

Moscow has not commented publicly on the strike against the Cabinet building.

HT
Trossard Set to Stay at Arsenal Amid Besiktas Interest

Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard will remain at the club despite late speculation linking him with a move to Besiktas. This update comes via Fabrizio Romano, who reports that the Belgium international has no intention of leaving the Emirates, despite the Turkish window remaining open until Friday.

Interest from Besiktas

The Turkish club were said to be considering a move for the 30-year-old as their recruitment drive continued. With their domestic deadline yet to close, whispers grew that Arsenal might lose a senior attacker after the English transfer window had already shut.

However, Romano has clarified the situation in definitive terms. He reports there is no chance of Trossard moving to Turkey. That stance underlines the clubs resolve to keep him as part of Mikel Artetas plans this season.

New Contract Agreement

Alongside dismissing rumours of an exit, Romano also confirmed details around Trossards new deal. The forward has reportedly agreed a new Arsenal contract that secures him a pay rise but does not change the length of his deal, which runs out in the summer of 2027.

The revised terms will ensure that the Belgians contributions are recognised financially, while keeping the overall framework of his contract consistent. This mirrors a strategy Arsenal have employed in recent years to maintain squad harmony and reward key performers without significantly altering long-term commitments.

Importance of Stability

Trossards presence in the Arsenal squad has been an asset since joining from Brighton. His versatility across the frontline, ability to create opportunities in tight spaces and knack for scoring valuable goals have made him a dependable figure for Arteta.

With the Gunners seeking to sustain their Premier League title challenge and navigate European commitments, continuity within the squad is paramount. Allowing a senior forward to leave in September, when replacements cannot be secured, would have created an unnecessary setback.

Looking Ahead

By securing Trossards immediate future, Arsenal can continue to build momentum with a settled squad. The Belgians role as both an experienced option and an impact player from the bench ensures Arteta has greater flexibility when rotating his attacking options.

The timing of this update is also significant, arriving during a busy phase of fixtures where squad depth will be tested. Arsenal supporters can now focus on watching Trossard contribute, safe in the knowledge that speculation around his departure has been firmly put to rest.

Our View  EPL Index Analysis

From an Arsenal supporters perspective, this is a hugely positive development. Trossard has proven himself a reliable player since his January arrival from Brighton, and keeping him beyond the European transfer period is exactly the sort of pragmatic decision that builds towards long-term success.

Fans will be particularly pleased that the club acted decisively to remove uncertainty. The speculation about Besiktas may have unsettled some, but to hear Fabrizio Romano confirm there is no chance of him leaving will be welcomed across the fanbase.

The new contract agreement also shows the clubs recognition of his performances. A pay rise, without changing the length of the deal, is a smart approach. It rewards the player while ensuring stability until 2027. That means Arsenal can plan without disruption and the dressing room remains balanced.

In practical terms, Trossard will continue to give Arteta multiple tactical options. Whether playing off the left, filling in as a false nine, or rotating with Bukayo Saka when needed, his adaptability is invaluable.

For a team challenging at the top of the table and competing in Europe, these are the margins that matter. Depth in quality attacking positions often decides major competitions. To retain a seasoned international in these circumstances is excellent business and should be celebrated by Arsenal fans.
Key Points

Given its approximately 44,000 locations in over 100 countries, McDonald's has matured as a company.

Slow profit growth and an average valuation make rapid stock price increases less likely.

10 stocks we like better than McDonald's 

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) is one of history's most successful restaurant chains. What started as a hamburger restaurant in Southern California has grown into a global chain with over 44,000 locations in more than 100 countries.

While such growth bodes well for long-term investors, it could bring uncertainty to future growth plans. That complicates the prospects for turning $10,000 in McDonald's stock into $50,000 over the next five years. Here's why.

Image source: Getty Images.

Achieving fivefold growth

Unfortunately for McDonald's stock bulls, its recent history does not point to fivefold gains over five years. If one had invested $10,000 five years ago, that position would be worth less than $14,600 today. If including dividend income, which has risen every year since 1976, that grows to less than $16,400.



MCD data by YCharts.

This is not to say McDonald's is a poor choice. Its business model revolves around 95% of its locations operating as franchises. After paying a franchising fee, franchisees must rent the properties from McDonald's and pay a royalty fee amounting to 4% or 5% of sales. Since the fixed expenses define most of this arrangement, it makes the company's business model highly recession resistant.

Nonetheless, its financial growth may not inspire fivefold gains over the next five-year period. In the first six months of 2025, revenue of $12.8 billion grew by only 1% yearly. While it kept cost and expense increases in check, the $4.1 billion in net income in the first half of the year was only a 4% yearly gain.

Moreover, its 27 P/E ratio is slightly under the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) average of 30. That gives its stock an average valuation, decreasing the likelihood that an expanding earnings multiple would drive it dramatically higher.

As a company, McDonald's should continue to benefit from revenue from its franchisees and rising dividends. Although that should bring positive returns to the company, its financial growth will likely not turn a $10,000 investment into $50,000 over the next five years.

Should you buy stock in McDonald's right now?

Before you buy stock in McDonald's, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and McDonald's wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
The Italian footwear industry reported another period of declines, according to the latest data from Confindustria Moda Research Centre for Assocalzaturifici, the national association representing Italian shoemakers.

The trade organization noted that the situation remains complex for the Italian footwear sector in the first half of the year, but the second quarter showed a weakening of the downturn across main economic indicators.

More from WWD

Giovanna Ceolini, president of Assocalzaturifici, said in a statement on Friday ahead of this weekends MICAM footwear tradeshow in Milan, that the data analysis shows a decline in the January to June cumulative figures. These drops were seen both in sales, down 5.6 percent among member companies participating in the quarterly survey, and in industrial production, down 9.5 percent.

During the first five months of 2025 shoe exports from Italy amounted to 4.89 billion euros, a decline of 2.7 percent over the same time last year. In the period, the country exported 84.5 million pairs, which is up 3.2 percent, or 2.6 million more than in the same period of 2024, with an average price per pair falling to 57.82 euros, a drop of 5.7 percent.

Assocalzaturifici noted that the negative economic conditions that began in the second half of 2023, at the end of the post-Covid rebound, have impacted all product categories, including luxury and designer labels.

As for how exports are performing by region, European Union markets, which were up 1 percent in value and 6.1 percent in volume, performed better than non-EU destinations.

Among EU partners, Germany stood out with a recovery, up 12.4 percent in value and up 15.8 percent in volume, while exports to France held steady at least in terms of pairs, up 1.3 percent, though they dropped 5.5 percent in value, remaining firmly the top destination. Several other key markets, including Spain, Poland, Belgium, and Austria, also recorded consolidations of varying degrees in both volume and value.

As for non-EU exports, which were down 6.5 percent in value and down 3.2 percent in volume, widespread declines affected all major Far East markets, down 23 percent, and several former Soviet bloc countries, including the two at war. Russia was down 14.4 percent in value, while Ukraine dipped 3.8 percent, and Kazakhstan was down 2.5 percent, which slowed after the significant expansion of recent years. By product type, leather-upper shoes showed a negative trend in both volume, down 2.7 percent, and value, down 7 percent.

Ceolini noted that the uncertainty of the impact of U.S. tariffs remains as the industry looks toward the end of the year.

The real consequences on sales can only be quantified once autumn data is available, Ceolini said. The resilience shown by exports to the U.S. in April, up 1.9 percent in value, and May, up 1.8 percent, should be interpreted with caution, as the uncertainty and the possibility of even heavier tariffs being imposed may have led operators to speed up transactions with the additional 10 percent duty.

The executive added that it is too early to draw conclusions regarding how tariffs will affect the Italian footwear industry for the rest of year.

The measure  the establishment of tariffs, set at a 15 percent baseline by the EU agreement starting August 7  was declared unlawful just days ago by a U.S. federal appeals court, Ceolini said. The Supreme Court is expected to rule in October, following the White Houses appeal. The tariffs could affect American customers purchasing decisions and directly impact exporters margins if companies decide to absorb all or part of the new duty.

Ceolini did stress, however, the importance of the U.S. for footwear exports  which was the second market in value, with nearly 1.4 billion euros in 2024.

Still, expectations for the second half of 2025 remain cautious. The lack of significant new developments in the international economic and geopolitical landscape, along with the trade tensions triggered by U.S. tariffs, do not allow for easy optimism, Ceolini added. More than half of entrepreneurs surveyed, or 58 percent, expect to close the year with results lower than in 2024.

Best of WWD

Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
By Ross Kerber, Dawn Kopecki, Simon Jessop and Arsheeya Bajwa

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Tesla's $1 trillion, 10-year pay package to retain CEO Elon Musk is likely to be approved by shareholders at the company's annual meeting in November even though the amount is staggering.

That is because it was crafted with an eye on keeping Musk in place, addressing concerns about the company's technical outlook and giving big company owners just enough reason to back the massive amount, investors and executive pay analysts said.

Earlier on Friday, the automaker's board approved what it called "A Super Ambitious Incentive Package for a Pioneering, Ambitious and Unique CEO" that sets out lofty earnings and valuation targets  awarding Musk millions of shares over the next decade if he hits them. It immediately gives Musk 96 million shares of restricted stock worth more than $31 billion as of intraday trading on Friday that vests over the next two years, as well as more control over the company. His total 2025 compensation package is worth north of $113 billion, executive compensation research firm Equilar has estimated.

The pay package, which makes a big bet on the future of robots, may see shareholder support," said Taufiq Rahim, a SpaceX investor and principal at 2040 Advisory. "But it raises larger social questions about the outsized gains going to relatively few capital holders, which is likely not sustainable and will face public pressures.

The package is designed to keep Musk from leaving and is squarely focused on transforming Tesla into an artificial-intelligence and robotics powerhouse, the board said in a securities filing. It said Musk is the only person on the planet who can unlock Tesla's full potential.

The compensation committee started negotiating Musk's pay package in February, it said, meeting with lawyers 37 times and directly with Musk 10 times over seven months. Certain items were non-negotiable for the idiosyncratic CEO: he wanted 25% of the company, to control Tesla's future direction and to be fully compensated for a 2018 pay package that was hung up in litigation.

THREATS TO LEAVE

Musk threatened to leave more than once, and the board worried the company's AI talent would follow him out the door, it said in the filing.

The $31 billion in restricted shares, which he cannot sell for at least five years, is partial payback for a $56 billion 2018 pay plan that a Delaware court voided last year. If Musk wins in court within a certain time frame, he will not receive the one-time payment "so there can be no 'double dip,'" the board said.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang appeared to be making progress with President Donald Trump, agreeing to give 15% of the company's China sales to the U.S. government if it could sell in the country. Nvidia is also reportedly building a scaled-down Blackwell chip, which is more advanced than the H20 chip, that the government might allow the company to sell in China. However, right before earnings, media outlets reported that Nvidia had instructed its suppliers to stop making the H20 chips after the Chinese government told domestic companies to avoid Nvidia chips due to its own security concerns.

These concerns have been ratcheted up under the Trump administration, which earlier this year required Nvidia to obtain export licenses in order to sell to China. In the first quarter of the year, Nvidia took a $5.5 billion charge due to prior built-up inventory and purchase commitments.

Part of the shortfall came from a decline in sales of Nvidia's H20 chips, which it sells to businesses in China, in accordance with previous government restrictions. The company has not been able to sell its most advanced chips to China over national security concerns, specifically regarding what China might try to build with these AI capabilities.

In the second quarter, Nvidia reported $1.05 adjusted earnings per share on $46.74 billion of revenue, both of which beat estimates. Nvidia also guided for revenue in the current quarter to hit $54 billion, about $900 million ahead of Street forecasts. However, investors seemed slightly miffed by performance in Nvidia's data center business. Despite growing 56% year over year, the number came up slightly short of estimates.

Despite what looked like strong numbers, Nvidia's stock didn't react too well and fell following the release. Ultimately, there were both positive and negative aspects from the print. Interestingly, I found one aspect to be both the best and worst part of Nvidia's earnings report.

Artificial intelligence (AI) chip giant Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) recently reported strong second-quarter earnings for its fiscal year 2026. Not only did Nvidia beat Wall Street estimates, but the company's board of directors also approved the addition of $60 billion to its share repurchase program, which will help increase earnings per share by lowering the outstanding share count over time.

Nvidia hasn't been able to sell chips to China, but if this business opens again, it would likely result in a material boost to revenue.

However, data center revenue came in lower than expected, partly because of geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China.

Story Continues

Management on the company's earnings call noted that if geopolitical issues are solved, Nvidia could earn an additional $2 billion to $5 billion of revenue from H20 chip sales in the current quarter. But right now, that is not factored into the company's guidance. Furthermore, Huang said the opportunity in China in 2025 would have been $50 billion "if we were able to address it with competitive products." He continued, "And if it's $50 billion this year, you would expect it to grow, say, 50% per year, as the rest of the world's AI market is growing as well."

Upside potential

The worst part of the quarter might have been the news about Nvidia having to suspend H20 chip production and seeing the Chinese government tell local companies to avoid Nvidia's chips. However, there seems to be a real possibility that Nvidia will eventually be able to sell its products in China, and perhaps even more advanced chips than it had been selling.

In my opinion, this is also in a way the best part of the quarter because the stock and company are performing well without revenue from China, which is clearly material. While the government has reservations about selling U.S. chips in China, it probably would prefer a U.S. company to sell them over Chinese companies. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Alibaba is working on a chip to fill the void left by the H20 chip. While Chinese companies don't have the same chip capabilities as Nvidia right now, that could change one day.

So the opportunity to eventually reignite a business in a fast-growing market where the opportunity is tens of billions in additional annual revenue growth is the most exciting part of Nvidia's recent quarter and near-term future prospects. Nvidia currently trades around 38 times forward earnings, which is above its five year average of 34.4.

That's not cheap, especially for such a large company. However, given that revenue is expected to keep growing at a healthy clip and the potential upside from China, I do think investors can continue to buy the stock, although dollar-cost averaging is likely the best strategy right now with the stock trading at a stretched valuation.

Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?

Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Nvidia wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $678,148!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,052,193!*

Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 1,065%  a market-crushing outperformance compared to 186% for the S&P 500. Dont miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks 

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025

Bram Berkowitz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Alibaba Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Best and Worst Part of Nvidia's Recent Earnings Report was originally published by The Motley Fool
Cathie Wood, head of Ark Investment Management, is an active trader. She frequently buys her favorite stocks when they fall and sells them when they rise.

Thats what she just did, buying into two hot stocks that have been struggling for a while.

Woods funds have experienced a volatile ride this year, swinging from sharp losses to strong gains.

In January and February, the Ark funds rallied as investors bet on the Trump administration's potential deregulation that could benefit Woods tech bets. But the momentum faded in March and April, with the funds trailing the market as top holdings slid amid growing concerns over the macroeconomy and trade policies.

Now, the Arks funds are showing solid performance again. As of Sept. 5, the flagship Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) is up 30.8% year-to-date, far outpacing the S&P 500s 10.2% gain.

Wood's remarkable return of 153% in 2020 helped build her reputation and attract loyal investors. Her strategy can lead to sharp gains during bull markets but also painful losses, like in 2022, when ARKK dropped more than 60%.

Those swings have weighed on her long-term results. As of Sept. 4, the Ark Innovation ETF has delivered a five-year annualized return of negative 2.4%, while the S&P 500 has an annualized return of 15.4% over the same period.

Over the past 12 months through Sept. 4, the Ark Innovation ETF saw about $1.5 billion in net outflows, according to data from ETF research firm VettaFi.Image source: Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Cathie Woods investment strategy explained

Woods investment strategy is straightforward: Her Ark ETFs typically buy shares in emerging high-tech companies in fields such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, biomedical technology, and robotics.

She thinks these companies have the potential to reshape industries and bring outsized long-term returns, but their volatility leads to major fluctuations in Ark funds' values.

Related: Cathie Wood's net worth: The Ark Invest CEO's wealth & income

Over the 10 years ending in 2024, the Ark Innovation ETF wiped out $7 billion in investor wealth, according to an analysis by Morningstars analyst Amy Arnott. That made it the third-biggest wealth destroyer among mutual funds and ETFs in Arnotts ranking.

Still, Wood has been bullish on the market. In a letter to investors published in late April, she dismissed predictions of a recession dragging into 2026 and struck an optimistic tone for tech stocks.

"During the current turbulent transition in the U.S., we think consumers and businesses are likely to accelerate the shift to technologically enabled innovation platforms including artificial intelligence, robotics, energy storage, blockchain technology, and multiomics sequencing," she said.
Yi Huiman, the former regulator of China's equities market, is being investigated for disciplinary breaches, as the country's long-standing anti-graft campaign extends into all corners of the financial industry, from banking to the stock market.

Yi, the chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) from January 2019 to February 2024, is being investigated by the Communist Party's disciplinary unit for severe breaches of discipline, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, which did not elaborate on the details of the investigation.

In China, the official language for suspected disciplinary breaches is often referred to as "economic crimes" in the statements announced by the anti-graft body. Yi's probe was reported on Friday on Caixin.com, but the report was soon deleted from its website.

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.

A statistician by training, Yi would be the second watchdog regulator of China's US$12 trillion capital market - the world's second largest - to be investigated for graft in a decade and the third to be fired since 2016.

Wu Qing, nicknamed the "Butcher of Brokers", took over as chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) in 2025 from Yi Huiman. Photo: SCIO alt=Wu Qing, nicknamed the "Butcher of Brokers", took over as chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) in 2025 from Yi Huiman. Photo: SCIO>

His immediate predecessor Liu Shiyu was removed from the job in 2019, before investigations exposed a range of misconduct from accepting gifts and money to favouring stock sales from his hometown in Jiangsu province. In 2016, Xiao Gang was fired for bungling the regulator's response to a US$5 trillion market rout that happened a year earlier.

The crackdowns underscore how President Xi Jinping is trying to clean up China's financial system after elevating the industry into a strategically significant sector for a "financial superpower", amid the heightened risk of financial decoupling with the US amid deteriorating US-China relations. Almost 300 Chinese companies valued at US$1.1 trillion listed on US stock exchanges are poised to find alternative listing venues amid the decoupling threat.

Yi was sacked after the A-share index plunged to a five-year low in 2024, which triggered a crisis of confidence among the 200 million-odd individual investors battered by fears about a shaky economy and deteriorating corporate earnings. He was replaced by Wu Qing, a former chairman of the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the executive vice mayor of the city, in a reshuffle aimed at restoring investor confidence.
Deutsche Bank analysts have been watching Amazon Prime, it seems. Specifically, the breakout show of the summer, The Summer I Turned Pretty. In the AI sphere, analysts Adrian Cox and Stefan Abrudan wrote, it was the summer AI turned ugly, with several emerging themes that will set the course for the final quarter of the year. Paramount among them: The rising fear over whether AI has driven Big Tech stocks into the kind of frothy territory that precedes a sharp drop.

The AI news cycle of the summer captured themes including the challenge of starting a career, the importance of technology in the China/U.S. trade war, and mounting anxiety about the impact of the technology. But in terms of finance and investing, Deutsche Bank sees markets on edge and hoping for a soft landing amid bubble fears. In part, it blames tech CEOs for egging on the market with overpromises, leading to inflated hopes and dreams, many spurred on by tech leaders overpromises. It also sees a major impact from the venture capital space, boosting startups valuations, and from the lawyers who are very busy filing lawsuits for all kinds of AI players. Its ugly out there. But the market is actually more sober in many ways than the situation from the late 1990s, the German bank argues.

Still, Wall Street is not Main Street, and Deutsche Bank notes troubling math about the data centers sprouting up on the outskirts of your town. Specifically, the bank flags a back-of-the-envelope analysis from hedge fund Praetorian Capital that suggests hyperscalers massive data center investments could be setting up the market for negative returns, echoing past cycles of capital destruction.

AI hype and market volatility

AI has captured the markets imagination, with Cox and Abrudan noting, its clear there is a lot of hype. Web searches for AI are 10 times as high as they ever were for crypto, the bank said, citing Google Trends data, while it also finds that S&P 500 companies mentioned AI over 3,300 times in their earnings calls this past quarter.

Stock valuations overall have soared alongside the Magnificent Seven tech firms, which collectively comprise a third of the S&P 500s market cap. (The most magnificent: Nvidia, now the worlds most valuable company at a market cap exceeding $4 trillion.) Yet Deutsche Bank points out that todays top tech players have healthier balance sheets and more resilient business models than the high flyers of the dotcom era.

By most ratios, the bank said, valuations still look more sober than those for hot stocks at the height of the dot-com bubble, when the Nasdaq more than tripled in less than 18 months to March 2000, then lost 75% of its value by late 2002. By price-to-earnings ratio, Alphabet and Meta are in the mid-20x range, while Amazon and Microsoft trade in the mid-30x range. By comparison, Cisco surpassed 200x during the dotcom bubble, and even Microsoft reached 80x. Nvidia is only 50x, Deutsche Bank noted.
An unlikely alliance seems to be forming in the U.S. as two camps, generally lying on the opposite ends of the crypto policy, have found the Donald Trump administration's key legislation lacking in some aspects.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), often very critical of the crypto industry, and the DeFi Education Fund (DEF), a non-profit that is a strong proponent of crypto and DeFi, criticized the Senate's draft legislation for crypto market structure. However, their points of contention, as we will find out, are entirely different.

Related: What is Crypto? Cryptocurrency explained

What is crypto market structure legislation?

Officially known as the Responsible Financial Innovation Act," the crypto market legislation focuses on entrusting the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to oversee the crypto market.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Chair of the Senate Banking Committee, along with Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Bernie Moreno (R-OH), released the draft in July. It introduces a category of ancillary assets to distinguish certain crypto assets from securities.

The legislation builds on the CLARITY Act, which the House of Representatives already passed on July 17.

More News:

Elizabeth Warren questions 5 flaws

Senate Banking Democratic members, under Sen. Warren, released a factsheet on Aug. 19 and mentioned five flaws they said they found in the Senate Republicans' draft legislation.

Here are the five objections:

The concept of an ancillary asset would shrink the SEC's regulatory oversight. As companies would be able to self-certify their offerings as ancillary assets to escape the SEC's scrutiny, it would leave the American public's retirement funds and investments vulnerable to greater volatility without any protections.

If the banking institutions directly engage in crypto activities on behalf of their customers, it increases the risk of a "financial meltdown."

The bill fails to address illicit finance and other national security risks that could arise from malicious actors using crypto exchanges or mixers.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts and ranking member of Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, during a confirmation hearing in Washington, DC, US.Getty Images

"Crypto now comprises the majority of President Trumps wealth." The bill fails to address in 'presidential crypto corruption.'

The bill offers weak protection to crypto investors against investment fraud, corporate fraud, market manipulation, and insider trading.
An EV startup funded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos has landed a top engineer from Tesla as they look to get off the ground.

What's happening?

According to Electrek, EV startup Slate Auto has hired Napoleon Reyes, a former crucial cog in Tesla's manufacturing and production lines to help build up its Indiana pickup truck factory.

Reyes, a former U.S. Marine, holds degrees in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and previously worked for Subaru and Wabash before joining Tesla in 2020.

Reyes was quickly promoted to head the general assembly of Tesla's Model Y and eventually became the leader of new pilot processes at the Fremont factory. He also oversaw the production of the Model Y's reboot earlier this year.

Why is Reyes' departure important?

Slate had largely been flying under the radar until earlier this year, when it unveiled designs for an EV pickup truck with modular customization options and a starting price tag around $20,000. Hiring someone like Reyes, who has a ton of experience running the show on factories and production, shows that Slate is ready to move beyond just concepts and into real production.

"Poaching top talent is a smart business move to help accelerate quality manufacturing," one commenter said.

But the move isn't just about Slate; it's another key piece of Tesla's structure who is departing the company. The EV giants have been battling a "brain drain" in recent months, as top executives and tech experts have departed the company for a variety of new jobs. On top of that, close to a third of their employees have been laid off, further weakening their position at the top of the EV sector.

Losing an experience factory lead like Reyes won't staunch the bleeding and could lead to an exodus of even more talent.

What's being done about Tesla's brain drain?

As of now, CEO Elon Musk doesn't appear to be worried about the loss of top executives and talent. He's emphasized his own leadership as he's consolidated power, and it's become increasingly clear that the company will sink or swim with him and a streamlined power structure.

For Slate, Reyes could prove to be a valuable addition as the company works to bring its pickups to market.

Would you be more willing to buy an EV if it could travel over 600 miles per charge? Definitely Not really Depends on the price Depends on the brand 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.
We recently published 8 Stocks Jim Cramer Discussed As He Dismissed Value Stocks. Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed.

Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) has become one of the most favored stocks on Wall Street recently. Its shares have gained 25% since late July, in a move that most people have failed to foresee. The reason Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW)s shares have gained is the firms business model. It makes and sells glass products, and its customers include tech giant Apple, which uses Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW)s glass screens in its products. The shares jumped in July after Apple announced a $2.5 billion investment in the firm to expand its US supply chain. Cramer couldnt stop gushing about Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW):

Id rather buy a Corning which is up. Now I think Corning is a terrific situation. Theyve got all, theyve got the glass, talk about the ability to have a supply chain.

Jim Cramer Couldn't Stop Praising Corning Incorporated (GLW)

asharkyu/Shutterstock.com

Previously, the CNBC TV host discussed Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW)s business practices:

You know, I think they had to talk about Corning. Actually, I dont know if you guys heard, on Squawk, but, theyve been the favorite guys even when Steve Jobs ran it. Walter Isaacson knows more than anybody. . .what I think is amazing, I covered that family when I was at Goldman Sachs. Theyve been quietly making the best, including fiber. And what I think the president has to do, working with Tim Cook, is find others that can be like Corning. But its the history of being the best. We do not have the history of being the best for a lot of other products. That has to change. And I think everyone here is just saying, it wont matter. No, I think this is a very significant expansion. I dont take this lightly. I think that were gonna start a supply chain and this is how it starts. This is how the supply chain starts.

While we acknowledge the potential of GLW 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.
Governor Opens Application for Career Technical Education Capital Funding for Schools

BOSTON  The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that applications are now open for comprehensive high schools and career technical schools to apply for $60 million in Career Technical Education (CTE) program capital grants.

This multi-year funding will support over 2,000 new CTE seats through expansion of existing and new career tech programs, as well as for the purchase and installation of training equipment.

The capital grants, made possible through Fair Share funding, will enable new programs that meet the workforce needs of regional employers. Projects will be prioritized that offer more CTE programs at night and on weekends to serve more high school students and adult learners and in geographic areas that have long waitlists and limited regional capacity.

"We know there is a strong demand for Career Technical Education because it is proven to give students the skills they need to succeed in today's workforce. This capital investment project answers the call for more seats and additional program hours across the state," said Governor Maura Healey. "This multi-year expansion plan reflects our commitment to growing career pathways, closing workforce gaps, and improving career readiness for students across the state."

As part of the administration's "Reimagining High School" initiative, CTE programs equip students with the skills they need to succeed in today's job market through development of innovative, applied learning opportunities that align with current industry needs and provide students with high quality learning experiences that enable them to see and understand their future career paths, including continued education.

CTE programs are offered during the regular school day at approved comprehensive high schools and dedicated career technical schools. Career technical schools and comprehensive high schools also offer CTE Partnership Programs "After Dark" that take place after the school day to provide additional public-school students with access to career technical education.?Further, CTE schools provide adult learners, especially unemployed and underemployed individuals from underserved populations and underrepresented groups, with career training and technical skills to meet the needs of Massachusetts employers through the Career Technical Initiative?(CTI).

"With this investment, we're giving schools the resources they need to train the next generation of skilled workers and to support adult learners who are ready to acquire new skills or change careers," said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. "CTE programs are a proven pathway to good jobs and this expansion project will allow more students to thrive and reach their full potential."

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has been expanding access to career-connected education in a variety of ways through their Reimagining High School initiative. Over the past two and a half years, the administration has approved 49 new CTE programs, supporting 2,334 additional students. Also, Governor Healey's?BRIGHT Act?includes $100 million for Skills Capital grants that help high schools,?colleges and educational institutions upgrade technology and instructional lab spaces, expand career programs, and increase the capacity of workforce training programs. These efforts build on expansions the administration has made to?Early College programs,?Innovation Career Pathways,?work-based

learning?opportunities and?My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP).

Massachusetts comprehensive high schools and dedicated career tech schools that operate CTE programs interested in this grant program can apply online. The deadline for submissions is October 30, 2025, by 3:00 PM. An opportunity will be available later this fall for comprehensive high schools that do not yet have a CTE program to apply for planning grants.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his decision to step down, less than two months after his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost its majority in the countrys upper house election.

Mr Ishiba has been in power for less than a year, but faced calls to resign from the right-wing faction of his own party after a bruising defeat in Julys vote, amid discontent from the public over the rising cost of living and economic stagnation.

The conservative LDP and its junior partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats to retain control of the upper chamber but took 47, as the coalition saw its vote eroded by an increase in support for far-right nationalist parties.

Mr Ishiba called a press conference at 6pm (local time) on Sunday in Tokyo, where he said he intended to resign as LDP president and would stay on as prime minister until a new leader is elected.

He told the press conference that he had decided this is the right timing to step down, having agreed a deal to alleviate US tariffs on Japanese imports. He said he had asked the LDPs general secretary to begin organising a party leadership election immediately.

A former defence minister, Mr Ishiba came to power last October as the face of the LDPs moderate faction. He then called a snap general election, hoping to cash in on public backing during his honeymoon period. Instead, his party lost its majority, throwing the country into the kind of political uncertainty not seen for many years.

Mr Ishibas decision to resign came one day before the LDP was due to meet to decide whether to hold a special leadership election  effectively a no-confidence vote in his administration.

US president Donald Trump shakes hands with Ishiba during their first White House meeting on 7 February this year ( Reuters )

In recent days, polls of LDP parliamentarians and regional representatives had shifted significantly against Mr Ishiba. Of those contacted by the Yomiuri newspaper on Friday, 149 said they were in favour of a leadership vote, while just 48 said they were opposed.

In truth, Mr Ishiba has struggled to project confidence in his leadership from the moment he entered office. He replaced Fumio Kishida, who was in office for three years, at a time when a scandal over political slush funds had deeply eroded trust in the ruling party.

Mr Ishibas name will now be added to the relatively long list of Japanese prime ministers to have enjoyed brief tenures in office. While he became leader thanks to the support of grassroots members, he only ever had a very weak support base among LDP MPs, says professor Yu Uchiyama, a political scientist at the University of Tokyo. His power base was so weak that he was unable to do what he wished, he told The Independent.

Most of Mr Ishibas spell in power has been dominated by the threat of US tariffs on the Japanese economy. On 7 February, Mr Ishiba became one of the first world leaders to travel to the White House to meet Donald Trump after the Republican entered office for his second term, and the two met again in April as Mr Ishiba sought to avoid steep reciprocal tariffs on Japanese goods.

Shortly after Julys bruising upper house election, those efforts to spearhead trade talks personally seemed to have paid off, with Mr Trump announcing a massive agreement involving a reduction in tariffs in exchange for $550bn of Japanese investment in the US.

Mr Ishiba described the deal as a win-win development but said implementing its terms would be the biggest challenge, and vowed to stay in office to see it through.

Yet weeks of uncertainty for key industries have followed. Japanese officials only discovered days after the deal was agreed that it appeared to add 15 per cent to existing tariff rates, rather than replacing them. Washington later acknowledged a mistake had been made, but that it would take another two weeks for an order correcting the matter to take effect.

In his press conference on Sunday, Mr Ishiba referenced the economic challenges that the country has been facing, saying his administration had worked to help those who are suffering, to strengthen the struggling yen and to bring down the soaring cost of key daily staples like rice.

"The US-Japan alliance is making progress, he said. I had calls and meetings with US president Donald Trump many times. We will strengthen our relationship with the United States, that is, of course, something that we need to do. He said it was a pity that he had to step down now rather than continue his diplomatic efforts, but that he would pass the torch to the next leader.

He said it was a very difficult decision to step down, but he took responsibility for Julys election loss and admitted that he was concerned about growing internal divisions within the LDP. He warned that an erosion of trust in the countrys moderate conservative party risked seeing Japanese politics slide towards popularism.

There are now two frontrunners to replace Mr Ishiba. One is the more right-wing Sanae Takaichi, who came second in last years leadership election and would have become Japans first female prime minister had she won. She is likely to have the backing of the LDPs powerful hardline faction and might be able to bring back the voters who are now supporting more right-wing parties like Sanseito, Professor Uchiyama notes.

The other leading candidate is Shinjiro Koizumi, a more moderate, pro-reform figure who would be better placed to attract centrist voters.

Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, says the direction the LDP turns could have significant ramifications for foreign policy in the region, where Japan and South Korea are vital strategic partners for the United States.

Japans next prime minister could have unexpected interactions with Trumps burden-sharing demands and South Korean historical sensitivities, whether the leader is more nationalistic like Takaichi or next-generation minded like Koizumi, he said.

The endurance of trilateral cooperation among Tokyo, Washington, and Seoul will be closely watched after Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong-un so visibly displayed solidarity in Beijing.
Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A groundbreaking weight-loss pill made by the manufacturer of Mounjaro is expected to be available in the UK next year, the firms boss has said.

The development heralds a major change in the production and administration of effective weight-loss injections, which have taken parts of the world by storm in recent years.

Every week, around 1.5 million people in the UK using drugs such as Mounjaro and Ozempic must currently inject themselves to receive a dose of the waistline-trimming medication.

But a daily orally delivered tablet is expected to appeal to an even larger market, and could also pave the way to these drugs being more widely available in developing countries.

Eli Lillys new weight-loss pill Orforglipron could be available in the UK by 2026 ( PA )

The new pill, known as Orforglipron and under development by pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, has successfully completed its stage 3 trials, the company announced.

Taken once per day without food and water restrictions, it lowered weight by an average of 10.5 per cent (22.9 lbs) compared to 2.2 per cent (5.1 lbs) with a placebo, the firm said, adding that the results were comparable to those seen with Mounjaro injections.

Kenneth Custer, executive vice president at Eli Lilly, said: "With these positive data in hand, we are moving with urgency toward global regulatory submissions to potentially meet the needs of patients who are waiting.

If approved, we are ready to offer a convenient, once-daily pill that can be scaled globally  removing barriers and redefining how obesity is treated around the world."

For the UK, that could happen quickly. Patrik Jonsson, international president of Eli Lilly, said the UK will be one of the first countries to get it, according to The Times.

I would expect to see Orforglipron in the UK in 2026, subject to regulatory approval, he added.

Obesity expert Louis Aronne, the founder and chair emeritus of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, said: Orforglipron could help health care providers expand treatment options for patients who prefer oral therapies without compromising clinical results."

The pill is also being studied as a potential treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension in adults with obesity, Eli Lilly said in a statement.

The companys next moonshot could be a health and societal game-changer  a single shot that could cure obesity for good, Mr Jonsson told The Times.

He said: The dream for our researchers, what inspires them, is actually a once-and-done treatment on obesity. You get one shot and then youre taken care of for the rest of your life.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Almost 900 people were arrested at a major demonstration in Londons Parliament Square on Saturday as hundreds defied the controversial decision to ban Palestine Action.

The Metropolitan Police said the majority of the 890 arrests were made under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act for supporting the direct action group, which was designated as a proscribed terrorist organisation in July.

A total of 519 people were taken into custody, while 341 people were arrested and processed at a reception point in Westminster and then released on bail.

Hundreds of peaceful protesters were hauled away by officers to chants of Shame on you after they wrote signs declaring I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action in a display of mass defiance at 1pm.

open image in gallery A protesters is hauled away by police ( AP )

A further 33 people were arrested for other offences, including 17 for alleged assaults on police officers, after pockets of the demonstration descended into chaos.

The Met has condemned violence it says was directed at officers from a group which was masked and intent on creating as much disorder as possible.

But organisers, campaign group Defend Our Juries (DOJ), insisted the rally was the picture of peaceful protest and called on new home secretary Shabana Mahmood to drop the unenforceable ban.

A DOJ spokesperson said allegations of violence towards police were false claims smearing the protesters and noted it took officers 11 hours to arrest 857 out of an estimated 1,500 people who took part.

Rather than arrest thousands more ordinary citizens, from vicars and priests, war veterans and descendants of Holocaust survivors to retired teachers and healthcare workers, who are predominantly elderly and many disabled, the new home secretary must rethink what is becoming Labours poll tax moment, which is making the UK the subject of condemnation and ridicule around the world, they added.

Police were seen brandishing their batons during clashes with some demonstrators, and one protester was seen with blood streaming down his face as he sat on the floor handcuffed.

However, Parliament Square Garden remained largely peaceful as many sat holding placards as police hauled them away one by one.

The arrests were met with chants from protesters of: Met Police, you cant hide  youre supporting genocide.

open image in gallery Police scuffle with protesters at the demonstration in Parliament Square ( James Manning/PA Wire )

Protester Mike Higgins, 62, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, joined the protest after making headlines last month as one of 522 people arrested at a previous demonstration.

He said: What choice do I have? Nothing is being done about the genocide other than by us. And Im a terrorist? Thats the joke of it.

All 857 individuals arrested for Terrorism Act offences will now be investigated by the Mets Counter Terrorism Command, the force said.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Claire Smart added: The violence we encountered during the operation was coordinated and carried out by a group of people, many wearing masks to conceal their identity, intent on creating as much disorder as possible. Many of those individuals have now been arrested, and we have begun securing charges.

The contrast between this demonstration and the other protests we policed yesterday, including the Palestine Coalition march attended by around 20,000 people, was stark.

You can express your support for a cause without committing an offence under the Terrorism Act or descending into violence and disorder, and many thousands of people do that in London every week.

We have a duty to enforce the law without fear or favour. If you advertise that you are intending to commit a crime, we have no option but to respond accordingly.

open image in gallery Protesters on Parliament Square displayed signs which read I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action ( Getty )

Kerry Moscogiuri, of human rights campaign group Amnesty International UK, said it was shocking to see people hauled from the street for holding up signs.

When the government is arresting people under terrorism laws for sitting peacefully in protest, something is going very wrong here in the UK, she added.

However, defence secretary John Healey has said Ms Mahmood will be just as tough on Palestine Action as her Home Office predecessor, Yvette Cooper, who moved to the Foreign Office as part of Sir Keir Starmers wide-ranging cabinet reshuffle on Friday.

Asked whether there would be a shift in government policy on the group, Mr Healey said: I expect Shabana Mahmood to be just as tough as Yvette Cooper and I expect her to defend the decision the governments taken on Palestine Action, because of what some of its members are responsible for and were planning.

If we want to avoid a two-tier policing and justice system in this country, when people break the law, there have to be consequences, he told Sky Newss Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

open image in gallery Palestine Action was banned in July ( PA Wire )

Palestine Action was banned in July after the group claimed responsibility for a protest in which two Voyager planes were sprayed with red paint at RAF Brize Norton in June.

It means showing support for the direct action group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

The Home Office is set to appeal against the High Court ruling allowing Palestine Actions co-founder Huda Ammori to proceed with a legal challenge over the ban.
Saint-making in the Catholic Church  or canonisation as it is called  is traditionally a drawn-out, opaque process with the successful candidates who have emerged from it in recent times usually worthy but unsurprising long-dead clerics and nuns. That is why Carlo Acutis joining their heavenly ranks has caught the attention of so many.

London-born, raised in Italy, this tech-savvy, deeply devout teenager tragically died aged just 15 from leukaemia in 2006. Pope Franciss decision in 2024 to approve his canonisation saw him labelled the first millennial saint.

As with many of the late Popes bold, breaking-with-precedent decisions, this one appeared to be based, in part at least, on a realisation that the Church feels alien and irrelevant to many young people because of its outdated stance on sex before marriage, womens equality and same-sex relationships.

Holding up Acutis as a role model  which is part of their job description  is therefore showing a sceptical young audience that Catholicism isnt only for the old and the conservative. If in doubt of the symbolic power of Carlos Acutis, take a look at the stained-glass window featuring him that was installed in 2022 in St Aldhelms Catholic Church in Malmesbury.

Unlike the medieval bishop in vestments and carrying a crozier in the window next door, he is depicted dressed in standard 2006 teenager garb, with a digital watch and a phone strapped to his rucksack. In other words: very ordinary, very now, yet simultaneously the Church has decided through its canonisation process someone extraordinary by dint of his religious devotion and his heroic virtue in living his short life as a servant of God.

These are the key qualities for any saint in Catholicisms famously lengthy rulebook. Francis had planned to preside at the canonisation ceremony last month (the latest of 900 saints he had made during his reign, 813 of whom came from the 15th century), but it was postponed as the seriousness of the health problems that led to his death became apparent.

Acutis will be canonised today by Leo XIV in a ceremony at the Vatican. His link to the new pope was hailed by a popular American Catholic priest podcaster, David Michael Moses, who upped the ante by telling his 330,000 YouTube followers that Leo has a special connection with the teenager.

The bond between the two rests, Moses enthuses, on the fact young Carlo did his secondary education at the Leo XIII Institute in Milan. What are the chances, he says in his folksy way, that the school hes attending when he dies was named after Pope Leo XIII, the predecessor of our new Pope Leo XIV, the pope that Leo XIV says inspired him to choose the name? How cool is that?

And there is more. If that wasnt enough, listen to this quote from Carlo Acutis. I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the lord, for the pope, and for the Church.

open image in gallery Holding up Acutis as a role model is therefore showing a sceptical young audience that Catholicism isnt only for the old and the conservative ( AP )

It might not pass muster as a watertight argument in a court of law, but in the Vatican, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, which has been in charge of saint-making for centuries, assesses evidence in a very different way.

Acutis, the boy now also referred to as Gods Influencer, was born in 1991 in west London and baptised in Our Lady of Dolours parish in Chelsea. His Italian mother Antonia and half-Italian, half-English father Andrea moved to Milan six months later and raised their only child there. Early on, his banker parents say, he showed a particular empathy and social conscience, saving up his pocket money to hand over to good causes that helped the poor, or standing up for those bullied at his school.

But it was the always present religious dimension in him that was so unusual in an age where church attendance, especially among the young in Italy, is in steep decline. When on family holidays at Centola in southern Italy, little Carlo would wander over as a child and join the group of old women who gathered each day to say the rosary on the beach. And it was Carlo who insisted on the family going to church each Sunday. Before that, his parents had been pretty much lapsed from the religion of their own upbringing.

open image in gallery Acutiss body on display in Assisi, Italy, earlier this year ( AP )

As a teen, he would cook food and deliver it to those who were homeless and on the streets of Milan. He became a catechist aged 12 in his local parish of Santa Maria Segreta, preparing younger children for their first communion. Next, the skills he mastered early with digital and computer technology saw him producing the parish newsletter and compiling and updating a public website that collected all reported miracles around the world attributed to the Virgin Mary and the Eucharist.

It is all the more remarkable that he did all this while limiting himself to one hour a day on screens, his mother later stressed. When diagnosed with incurable leukaemia in 2006, he told her, I die happy because I didnt spend any minutes of my life on things God doesnt love.

For some parents, a child self-limiting to an hour of screen time per day would count as a miracle in itself, but the Vatican has a higher bar. To be declared a saint, there has to be evidence presented that praying to the candidate had precipitated two separate miraculous events.

In 2020, the Vatican department in charge of canonisation published evidence that prayers directed to God via Carlo Acutis had cured a Brazilian youngster, Mattheus Vianna, from a rare disease. Pope Francis accepted these findings, reached after interviewing around 500 people, including medical experts who, it was said, could come up with no other plausible explanation.

open image in gallery Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives for his first weekly general audience in St Peters Square ( AP )

Then, in 2024, another report accepted that prayers made to Acutis had spared the life of a young woman in Florence who had had a bleed on her brain that doctors had said would kill her. There will, of course, be sceptics who question the science that leads to these conclusions, including many Catholics, who struggle to make sense of the randomness of these divine interventions when so many other tragedies occur each and every day.

Others, too, point to the cost of the Vatican process of discernment, which has to be met by those putting forward the candidate. Pope Francis did move  in line with his wider embrace of what he referred to as a poor Church, for the poor  to cut these charges, but they remain considerable. It may explain why usually only religious orders can afford to immortalise their brethren or sisters. Or the occasional wealthy family.

Antonia Salzano, Carlos mother, would add another miracle to the list. She was in her forties when her son died, and assumed she would never have another child. One night, he appeared to her in a dream and told her she would have twins. And, at 44, she did.

open image in gallery The stained glass window on display at St Aldhems RC Church ( St Aldhems RC Church )

Quite how the Vatican could verify that as true is hard to imagine, but getting too wrapped up in the process risks missing the point. The Church gets many things wrong about human beings, but it also gets a lot right, including that we do respond well to role models being held up in front of us to emulate. It was doing it long before the advent of social media.

Moreover, there is an argument that connects the cult that has grown so quickly in recent years around Carlo Acutis with those others of his generation who, a recent survey by the Bible Society reported, are returning to the pews in surprising numbers. Perhaps the Church isnt quite so old-fashioned and otherworldly as we like to think.

Peter Stanford is a former editor of the Catholic Herald. His book Gaudi: Gods Architect will be published next spring by Hodder
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Shabana Mahmood will host the so-called Five Eyes security alliance for talks on how to stop people smuggling in her first major engagement as Home Secretary.

Counterparts from the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand will meet this week in London as Sir Keir Starmer seeks to use his reshuffle to tighten the Governments grip on immigration.

It comes after an estimated 1,000 people arrived by small boat in Britain over a single day, with French authorities saying 24 people were rescued while trying to cross the English Channel.

Ms Mahmood said the numbers, which take the yearly total to more than 30,000 in record time, were utterly unacceptable and that she expected migrant returns under a deal agreed last month with France to begin imminently.

She said the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing pact would agree new measures to protect our border after it emerged ministers are also looking at moving asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks.

She will be joined at the talks by US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Canadian public safety minister Gary Anandasangaree, Australian home affairs minister Tony Burke and New Zealand minister Judith Collins.

The group will also discuss new measures to tackle child sexual abuse online and as well as the spread of deadly synthetic opioids, the Home Office said.

Ms Mahmood said: Rebuilding our reputation on the world stage is how we tackle serious organised crime and secure our borders.

We have already reset our relationship with the EU, struck a people smuggling deal with the G7 and operationalised a first-of its-kind returns agreement with France.

We will agree new measures to protect our borders with our Five Eyes partners, hitting people smugglers hard.

The Five Eyes might be drawn from different corners of the globe, but we are united by our alliance. As the security threats we all face become more complex and span continents, we are stronger and safer together.

Ms Mahmood took over as Home Secretary from Yvette Cooper, who became Foreign Secretary, in a major Cabinet reshuffle on Friday following the resignation of Angela Rayner over her tax affairs.

Sir Keir will be hoping to draw a line under the fallout from his former deputys departure as well as a difficult summer dominated by criticism of the small boats crisis.

The Prime Minister has told his new ministers to go up a gear in delivering on Labours agenda, part of which now involves a toughened immigration policy as he faces pressure in the polls from Nigel Farages Reform UK.

In her first full day on the job, Ms Mahmood met the head of Scotland Yard on Saturday to receive a briefing on the policing operation in response to protests in London.

Supporting Palestine and supporting a proscribed terrorist group are not the same thing, she said.

An honour to visit Sir Mark (Rowley) and the Metropolitan Police to see them at work policing protests yesterday.

Almost 900 people were arrested at a central London rally protesting against the banning of Palestine Action as a terror group, the force said earlier.
Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) is one of the top lithium stocks to buy now. On August 21, the companys subsidiary, Lithium Nevada, awarded CB&I a large contract for procurement, fabrication, and construction.

Lithium Americas Corp (LAC) Taps CB&I for Thacker Pass Project Development

Under the terms of the agreement, CB&I is to install 36 flat-bottom atmospheric tanks at the Thacker Pass project. The atmospheric storage tanks are designed to store various process solutions, chemicals, and products used in multiple stages of lithium extraction from clay deposits.

CB&Is expertise in large-scale storage infrastructure for complex industrial processes that require precise specifications and reliability makes them a great fit for Thacker Pass, said Richard Gerspacher, Lithium Americas Executive Vice President and Capital Projects. CB&Is proven track record, global expertise, and experience with industrial storage solutions make them an ideal partner for this critical infrastructure component to support North Americas largest lithium mining project.

Lithium America is intensifying its development of the project to meet the growing demand for lithium required to power batteries.

Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) is an exploration and mining company developing the Thacker Pass project, which is the worlds largest lithium mine. The project is positioned to supply battery-quality lithium carbonate for the electric vehicle and energy storage markets.

While we acknowledge the potential of LAC 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: 10 Cheap Blue Chip Stocks to Invest in Now and 10 Best Robinhood Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Prince Harry is seeking to repair his relationship with the royals  and the UK government  in a bid to win greater security for his family on visits to Britain, it is understood.

The prince begins a four-day solo trip to the UK this week  it will be his longest stay since returning for the funeral of his grandmother, Elizabeth II, in 2022.

According to reports quoting friends of Harry, he is keen to make more frequent visits to Britain from his home in California  and also bring his wife and children with him.

They told The Sunday Times he wants to bring his family back to the UK and be able to show his children where he grew up.

Hes not given up hope on bringing his family back to the UK, they said.

He wants to be able to show his children where he grew up. He wants them to know their family here. He really would like to come back to the UK much more.

In May, Harry said he misses the UK but that since losing his legal case with the Home Office over his level of security, he was not planning on returning with his family.

I cant see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point, he told the BBC.

And the things theyre going to miss, well, everything  I miss the UK.

Harry and Meghan with their newborn baby son at Windsor Castle in May 2019 ( POOL/AFP via Getty )

Despite losing the security case, the Times suggests the prince may now undertake a different approach: Those close to the prince say the government should expect private lobbying from the prince on the matter to continue.

As well as security concerns, the Sussexes relationship with various key members of the royal family is an obstacle to rebuilding bridges with Britain.

The King, who is at Balmoral and still receiving regular cancer treatment, misses his son, according to an interview with his former personal butler, Grant Harrold, in the New York Post.

Nonetheless, Prince Harry told the BBC in May that the King wont speak to me because of this security stuff.

He added: Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course, they will never forgive lots of things. But I would love a reconciliation with my family.

Prince Harry has not met with his father, the King, since February 2024, when he returned for a 30-minute meeting following the monarchs cancer diagnosis.

Another potential obstacle the prince faces may be his own brother. According to a report in The Daily Beast, quoting a friend of Prince William, the Prince of Wales, does not believe the King should meet with his youngest son. He thinks a Harry meeting is a terrible, terrible idea, they reportedly said.

A meeting between Prince Harry and the King has not yet been officially scheduled for this trip, but the prince will make a number of charity appearances on a trip said to be jam-packed with hardly any downtime.
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

The UK will suspend visas from countries that do not play ball and agree to take back migrants, the new home secretary has said as she set out her hardline approach to tackling illegal immigration.

On her third day in the job, Shabana Mahmood said she would go further and faster than her predecessor Yvette Cooper and do whatever it takes to stop small boat crossings, saying she was not the sort of person that hangs around.

She also hit out at the utterly unacceptable number of migrants arriving in the UK on dinghies, after the number of Channel crossings this year passed 30,000 in record time.

Ms Mahmood said she had been discussing the suspension of visas with the UKs Five Eyes allies, as she met Donald Trumps secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem, and counterparts from Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

open image in gallery Migrants on a small boat in the channel ( Getty )

She said: For countries that do not play ball, weve been talking about how we can take much more coordinated action between the Five Eyes countries.

For us, that means including possibly the cutting of visas in the future, just to say, you know, we do expect countries to play ball, play by the rules, and if one of your citizens has no right to be in our country, you do need to take them back.

It follows a pledge by Reform UK to deport 600,000 people over five years, including through the use of possible visa restrictions to secure returns agreements.

But, vowing to do whatever it takes to stop small boat crossings, she defended the move as a Labour policy.

She said: This is a Labour government with Labour policy and Labour proposals.

Weve been looking at this for some time. Its been discussed already across the government and Im very clear that there has to be a strong approach to maintaining our border, and that does mean saying to countries who do not take their citizens back that were not simply going to allow our laws to remain unenforced.

She also said ministers would look at proposals to change domestic legislation and guidance on how the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is implemented, saying the balance between human rights and secure borders isnt in the right place at the moment.

She also made clear she backed ID cards, although she sidestepped the question of whether they would become compulsory to help deal with immigration.

Her move is the most significant appointment made by Sir Keir Starmer in the reshuffle triggered by Angela Rayners resignation.

The government is battling to contain the small boats crisis, caused by the highest ever numbers recorded at this point in the year, as Nigel Farages Reform UK seeks to capitalise on the issue.

open image in gallery Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage was forced to row back on his promise to stop small boats within two weeks if he becomes PM at the weekend ( PA )

The UK has returns agreements with countries including Albania, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Iraq, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Georgia, Somalia, Serbia and Algeria.

Ministers also recently agreed a returns deal with France, although that could evaporate if the French government collapses, as expected.

Ms Mahmoods comments go further than Sir Keir, who during a G7 meeting in June said the UK could limit visas for countries which did not do enough to tackle the irregular migration crisis, such as taking back failed asylum seekers.

On Monday the Five Eyes countries signed an agreement to work more closely to tackle irregular migration and return people with no right to remain.

Ms Mahmood said other countries signed up to the ECHR wanted Britain to play a leading role in reforming the convention, which entered force in 1953.

She said: Other countries are struggling with the challenges of mass migration, maintaining our borders, and I think that this is a useful time for us to have a refreshed conversation, and Im confident we can make more progress.

Reform has pledged to leave the ECHR entirely, along with other international conventions it says prevents mass deportations, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has asked her shadow attorney general to examine the practicalities of leaving ahead of the Conservative Party conference next month. But Ms Mahmood reiterated that Labour would not look to leave the Convention, saying this would have other consequences that were not in the national interest.

Ms Mahmood is also planning a wider crackdown on immigration policy and is expected to set out plans this week to move asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks, after a summer of protests over migration.

She is working with the Ministry of Defence to identify sites to house people, with military planners scoping out potential sites, defence secretary John Healey confirmed on Sunday.

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: Its about time this Labour government now stopped talking tough and started acting tough. Any country that wont take back its own citizens who have committed a criminal offence in the UK or who have no right to be here should see visa issuance suspended.

But all we get from Labour are tough words. I urged them to immediately use the powers which the last government created some months ago, but nothing has happened.

We should also cut overseas aid to countries not taking back their own nationals. This Labour government is too weak to take the steps necessary to protect our borders, and I see no sign of that changing any time soon.
Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Sir Keir Starmer has been warned Labours deputy leadership contest is a make or break moment for the government, with the party facing the fight of its life amid the rise of Reform.

With Nigel Farage comfortably leading in the polls, Dame Emily Thornberry and Andy Burnham said the PM must listen more to his backbenchers to stop Reform UK from winning the next general election.

Dame Emily said she was considering running for the deputy leadership after Angela Rayner was forced to resign over her failure to pay 40,000 in stamp duty on the purchase of a flat in Hove.

open image in gallery Dame Emily Thornberry said she is considering standing for the deputy leadership ( PA Archive )

And she said Labour faces the fight of our lives at the next election against Mr Farage. The last thing we want is to go from a position where we thought we would be in for two terms, to hand our country over to Farage, she told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

She said Sir Keir has restored Britains status on the world stage and praised domestic reforms including the strengthening of workers rights. But nobody seems to be hearing about that, she warned. They hear about the mistakes, and the question is, why are we making these mistakes? she added.

Asked why, she said: I think it's not listening to people of goodwill who want the party to succeed. I think we need to do more of that, because I think that the answers are out there, but I think that we need to continue to listen and learn from the public.

Meanwhile Mr Burnham, one of Labours most powerful figures outside of Westminster, said that Labour MPs must be respected more going forward. That is the debate we should have during the deputy leadership contest, he said. I would say more broadly that it also needs to be a bit of a reset for the government, he added.

Mr Burnham said he was concerned about the balance of Sir Keirs cabinet following the weekends emergency reshuffle, and that we need to use the contest to discuss some of those things.

open image in gallery Andy Burnham said the contest needs to be a bit of a reset for the government ( AFP via Getty Images )

He said: It is right to have a discussion about the internal management of the Labour Party. And in a time where the scale and the nature of the challenge we face is such as it is, you need everybody pulling together, all parts of the party pulling together.

And that points to a party management style that is less factional and more pluralistic. Labour MPs need to listen to them more and respect them more.

The Greater Manchester Mayor said he would like to an MP from the north become deputy Labour leader. He suggested Louise Haigh or Lucy Powell  both former cabinet ministers who now sit on the back benches  as possible candidates.

open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer is believed to want Shabana Mahmood to stand ( PA Wire )

John Healey said David Lammys appointment as deputy prime minister does not mean he is Downing Streets preferred candidate in the deputy leadership contest.

Asked whether the former foreign secretary's new role suggested he was Sir Keir Starmer's favourite for deputy leader, the Defence Secretary told Sky News: "No it doesn't.

"They're two separate jobs, two very important jobs. The deputy leader of the Labour Party is an important job and an important vote for Labour Party members."

It came amid reports Sir Keir is set to encourage his new home secretary Shabana Mahmood to stand in the contest in a bid to see off any potential left-wing challengers. But left-wing MPs are likely to rally around a candidate in the race, which is being seen as a referendum on the PMs leadership.

Left-wing MP Richard Burgon has said the contest must not be a stitch-up, demanding that members must not be sidelined.
Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

The contest to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader is expected to become a referendum for Labour members on Sir Keir Starmers government, senior party figures have told The Independent.

With anger about the attempted welfare cuts and Middle East policy in particular, as well as the added threat of Jeremy Corbyns Your Party emerging, Sir Keir appears set to be faced with a serious internal challenge as a result of Ms Rayners enforced departure.

One senior figure to hint at the difficulty for the party leadership of the contest ahead was Andy Burnham, who said Sir Keirs government needs a reset, and urged the PM to use Labours deputy leadership contest as a discussion on the future of the party.

The Greater Manchester mayor said the prime minister must listen to and respect Labour MPs more and called on his Downing Street operation to be less factional and more pluralistic.

open image in gallery Starmer and Rayner led Labour into the 2024 general election ( Getty )

With Labour 10 points behind Nigel Farages Reform UK in the latest polls, others privately have been harsher.

One Labour MP said: Members are not happy. We appear to be doing all the wrong things. We are not strong enough over Israels genocide, we appear to be trying to balance the books on the poorest. This will be a referendum for Labour members.

A Blairite former minister from the right of the party warned: There is a real danger for Keir here. People are not likely to fall into line to support his preferred candidate; they may well vote for a candidate from the left of the party.

A reshuffled minister added: He will deserve what he gets.

The contest to replace Angela Rayner was triggered after she was forced to step down following a critical report by ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus into her failure to pay 40,000 of stamp duty on her flat in Brighton.

Labours ruling national executive committee (NEC) meets on Monday to set out the rules and timeline of the contest, including how many nominations from MPs potential candidates will need to make the ballot.

open image in gallery Andy Burnham said Labour needs a reset ( PA Wire )

Sir Keir has already made David Lammy deputy prime minister in a bid to prevent his move from foreign secretary to justice secretary appearing to be a demotion. He is reportedly pushing for new home secretary Shabana Mahmood to run for deputy leader.

Dame Emily Thornberry on Sunday became the first high-profile candidate to say she is considering a run. The senior MP and chair of parliaments foreign affairs committee has grown her influence since Sir Keir snubbed her for a cabinet job after the general election and would likely emerge as a favourite.

She offered a damning assessment of Sir Keirs government, telling the BBC Ones Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that nobody seems to be hearing about the governments achievements.

They hear about the mistakes, and the question is, why are we making these mistakes? she added.

Asked why, she replied: I think its not listening to people of goodwill who want the party to succeed. I think we need to do more of that, because I think that the answers are out there, but I think that we need to continue to listen and learn from the public.

Meanwhile, Mr Burnham, one of Labours most powerful figures outside of Westminster, said that Labour MPs must be respected more going forward. That is the debate we should have during the deputy leadership contest, he said. I would say more broadly that it also needs to be a bit of a reset for the government, he added.

open image in gallery Emily Thornberry said she is considering a bid for the deputy leadership ( PA Wire )

Mr Burnham said he was concerned about the balance of Sir Keirs cabinet following the weekends emergency reshuffle, and that we need to use the contest to discuss some of those things.

He said: It is right to have a discussion about the internal management of the Labour Party. And in a time where the scale and the nature of the challenge we face is such as it is, you need everybody pulling together, all parts of the party pulling together.

And that points to a party management style that is less factional and more pluralistic. Labour MPs need to listen to them more and respect them more. Mr Burnham said he would like to see former Commons leader Lucy Powell or ex-transport secretary Louise Haigh elected deputy leader.

Other potential candidates to emerge over the weekend included Dawn Butler, who stood in 2020s deputy leadership contest and Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, who also ran in the last race.

Sir Keir is reportedly set to encourage his new home secretary, Ms Mahmood, to stand in the contest in a bid to see off any potential left-wing challengers. But left-wing and soft-left MPs are likely to rally around a candidate in the race in a bid to pile pressure on the PM and ensure their wing of the party maintains influence.

John Healey said David Lammys appointment as deputy prime minister does not mean he is Downing Streets preferred candidate in the deputy leadership contest.

Asked whether the former foreign secretarys new role suggested he was Sir Keirs favourite for deputy leader, the defence secretary told Sky News: No, it doesnt.

Theyre two separate jobs, two very important jobs. The deputy leader of the Labour Party is an important job and an important vote for Labour Party members.
Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Shabana Mahmood has hit out at the utterly unacceptable number of migrants arriving in the UK in small boats after the number of Channel crossings this year passed 30,000 in record time.

The newly appointed home secretary has been hit immediately with the scale of the crisis she has inherited just 48 hours after taking over from Yvette Cooper.

The worst ever figures recorded in a single year to this point have underlined why Sir Keir Starmer felt he needed a clearout of ministers from the Home Office and a new team put in place, with Labour trailing Reform UK by 10 points in the polls.

The news that the 30,000 mark has been hit earlier in a single year under the Labour governments watch will only add fuel to Nigel Farages push for power as he completed a exuberant party conference in Birmingham over the weekend.

open image in gallery Shabana Mahmood will host her Five Eyes counterparts ( PA )

In her first intervention as home secretary, Ms Mahmood vowed to take firm action on immigration after a difficult summer dominated by criticism of the small boats crisis, and will host the so-called Five Eyes security alliance for talks on tackling people smuggling in her first major engagement in her new role.

But the size of the task became clear over the weekend as it emerged that some 1,097 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 boats on Saturday, bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100, Home Office figures show.

That is up 37 per cent on this point last year (22,028) and 37 per cent higher than at this stage in 2023 (21,918), according to PA news agency analysis.

It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.

Ms Mahmood said vile people smugglers are wreaking havoc on our borders and vowed a returns deal with France will bring the numbers under control.

This week she will host her counterparts from some of Britains strongest allies  the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to discuss new proposals to smash the smuggling gangs.

The group will also discuss measures to punish those perpetuating child sexual abuse online and how to stop the spread of deadly synthetic opioids, officials said.

It comes amid Ms Mahmoods wider crackdown on immigration policy, with the new home secretary also expected to set out plans this week to move asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks after a summer of protests over migration.

She is working with the Ministry of Defence to identify sites to house people, with military planners scoping out potential sites, defence secretary John Healey confirmed on Sunday.

Ms Mahmood, who was justice secretary before Sir Keirs reshuffle, said: Rebuilding our reputation on the world stage is how we tackle serious organised crime and secure our borders.

open image in gallery Small boats crossing the Channel have hit the 30,000 mark in the quickest time this year ( Getty )

We have already reset our relationship with the EU, struck a people-smuggling deal with the G7 and operationalised a first-of-its-kind returns agreement with France.

Today, we will agree new measures to protect our borders with our Five Eyes partners, hitting people smugglers hard.

The Five Eyes might be drawn from different corners of the globe, but we are united by our alliance. As the security threats we all face become more complex and span continents, we are stronger and safer together.

Ms Cooper became foreign secretary in an emergency cabinet reshuffle on Friday following the resignation of Angela Rayner over her tax affairs.

Sir Keir will be hoping to draw a line under the fallout from his former deputys departure as well as a difficult summer dominated by criticism of the small boats crisis.

In her first full day in the job, Ms Mahmood met the head of Scotland Yard on Saturday to receive a briefing on the policing operation in response to Gaza protests in London.

Supporting Palestine and supporting a proscribed terrorist group are not the same thing, she said.

An honour to visit Sir Mark [Rowley] and the Metropolitan Police to see them at work policing protests.

Almost 900 people were arrested at the central London rally protesting against the banning of Palestine Action as a terror group, the force said earlier.
Angela Rayners resignation has sparked a battle for the soul of the Labour Party.

The contest to replace her as deputy leader is shaping up to be a battle between the left of the party and Sir Keir Starmers Downing Street operation.

The race is being seen as a referendum on Starmers leadership.

open image in gallery The contest to succeed Angela Rayner is seen as a referendum on Keir Starmers leadership ( Getty )

Left-wingers, and many on the soft left, want an open contest to replace Rayner, with MPs from across the political spectrum allowed to put forward and debate their ideas.

Downing Street, according to reports, is keen to impose a Starmer loyalist such as new home secretary Shabana Mahmood to the role, with fears that No 10 could seek to stitch up the contest to see off the left.

Fears of a fix were heightened when general secretary Hollie Ridley wrote to members and staff that the contest would be conducted in a manner that befits the party of government.

The rules for Labours deputy leadership contest will be decided in the coming days by the partys ruling national executive committee (NEC).

The NEC will set a timeline and a threshold of MP nominations, expected to be around 80, that candidates will need to secure a place on the ballot. Successful nominees then have to be endorsed by at least 5 per cent of local Labour branches or three institutional affiliates, including at least two trade unions.

From there, candidates may have time to face hustings depending on the schedule before members vote for their preferred candidate.

With the rules of the contest to be announced, The Independent looks at who the potential runners and riders are for the role.

Emily Thornberry

Emily Thornberry became the first MP to say publicly she is considering standing in the contest.

The foreign affairs committee chair has been one of the partys most high-profile backbench voices since the general election, after she was overlooked for a role in Starmers cabinet.

open image in gallery Emily Thornberry said she is considering running ( PA Wire )

She has been a vocal critic of the PMs operation, and on Sunday warned Labour is facing the fight of our lives against Nigel Farages Reform UK.

She has won plaudits among Labour members for her brash and sometimes confrontational style and would be a strong contender if she put her hat in the ring.

Anneliese Dodds

The former international development secretary quit on a point of principle after Starmer slashed the funding of her department, bolstering her already-strong credentials with the soft left.

open image in gallery Anneliese Dodds quit over Keir Starmers aid cuts ( PA Wire )

Dodds was also Starmers shadow chancellor in opposition before being replaced by Reeves in what was then seen as a pivot to the right.

She has been tipped as a potential contender in the deputy leadership contest, but has not yet said whether she will run.

Shabana Mahmood

Shabana Mahmood or another contender from within the cabinet is likely as No 10 seeks to fend off a left-wing challenger candidate.

open image in gallery Shabana Mahmood could stand to fend off a left-wing challenger ( PA )

Mahmood is firmly on the right of the Labour Party and has been drafted into the Home Office to bolster the governments efforts to clamp down on small boat crossings.

The election of Mahmood or another Starmer loyalist would avoid the PM having to face a confrontational deputy leader, minimising the potential for tension at the top of the party.

Dawn Butler

Dawn Butler has been strongly linked with a potential run for London mayor, with Sadiq Khan expected to step down at the end of his current term in 2028.

open image in gallery Dawn Butler has said members must have their say ( PA )

But the left-winger has also been named as a potential candidate for the deputy leadership.

The MP for Brent East served as a minister in the last Labour government under Gordon Brown and also in Jeremy Corbyns shadow cabinet.

She wrote on X on Sunday that Labour must not shy away from a fair process when selecting our next deputy leader.

We are a member-led organisation and members must and should have a meaningful say, she added, raising expectations she will stand. She also stood for the deputy leadership in 2020.

Rosena Allin-Khan

Rosena Allin-Khan ran for the deputy leadership against Rayner last time a contest was held, and sources close to the MP told Politics Home she is considering another tilt.

open image in gallery Rosena Allin-Khan stood for the deputy leadership in 2020 ( Getty )

The charismatic A&E doctor also enjoys strong support on the soft left of the party, while allies claimed she could bring together all of Labours factions as she is not a part of any of them.

Richard Burgon

Firmly on the left of the party, Richard Burgon has been vocal in urging Starmer to ensure a fair deputy leadership election not a stitch-up.

open image in gallery Richard Burgon is firmly on the Labour left ( PA )

In a sign he is considering a run, after unsuccessfully standing in 2020, Burgon has called for suspended MPs, such as Rachael Maskell, to be able to nominate MPs. He has also called for a long timeline to allow a proper hustings at Labours conference and give local party branches time to decide who to support.

Other names

Other names who have been linked with potential bids for the deputy leadership include left-winger Clive Lewis, who has campaigned fervently against inequality and for the public ownership of infrastructure.

open image in gallery Stella Creasy has been named as a potential contender ( Getty )

Stella Creasy, the MP for Walthamstow and chair of the Labour Movement for Europe, has also been named as a potential contender.

And Meg Hillier, chair of the influential Treasury select committee, has also been suggested as a potential runner.
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Sir Keir Starmer has continued his major reshuffle following Angela Rayners resignation as housing secretary and deputy prime minister.

The prime minister is seeking to relaunch his government as it lags behind Reform UK in the polls and struggles to deliver on key promises.

Sir Keir moved Yvette Cooper from the Home Office to the Foreign Office on Friday in a major shake-up of his top team.

But now he is reshuffling other key ministerial posts, including sweeping changes in the Home Office.

Junior ministers and ministers of state have specific areas of responsibility in government departments. This differs from a cabinet minister who is in charge of a whole department and takes part in cabinet meetings.

Sir Keir Starmer has continued his major reshuffle over the weekend ( PA Wire )

Here, The Independent looks at who is in and who is out.

 Anna Turley is now the minister of state in the Cabinet Office. The MP for Redcar Anna Turley, who has been a government whip since the last election, replaced solicitor general Ellie Reeves - Rachel Reevess sister - as the Labour Party chair.

 Ellie Reeves has become solicitor general, replacing Lucy Rigby, who is moving to the Treasury to become economic secretary.

 Alex Norris MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley is now minister of state in the Home Department.

 Sir Chris Bryant has been stripped of his joint role with the science and culture departments. Now the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore is a minister of state at the Department for Business and Trade.

 Luke Pollard the MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport is now minister of state in the Ministry of Defence.

 Georgia Gould, MP for Queen's Park and Maida Vale, has been moved from a junior role at the Cabinet Office to being minister of state in the Department for Education.

 Lucy Rigby, who has been MP for Northampton North since 2024, is now also economic secretary to the Treasury.

 Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley North, has joined the Cabinet Office as a minister, while also remaining security minister in the Home Office.

 Baroness Jacqui Smith has taken up the role of skills minister in the Department for Work and Pensions. The current member of the House of Lords will stay as both the skills and women and equalities minister in the Department for Education.

 Lord Patrick Vallance has become a minister in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. He will remain minister in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

 Michael Shanks, MP for Rutherglen, is now a minister jointly in the Department for Business and Trade and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

 Alison McGovern, MP for Birkenhead, has been appointed minister of state at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

 Grimsby businessman Jason Stockwood has been appointed to the government as a minister of state in the Department for Business and Trade and the Treasury.

 Maria Eagle MP for Liverpool Garston and Catherine McKinnell MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North have left the government.

 Former investment minister Poppy Gustaffson and former local government minister Jim McMahon have also left the government.

 Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge, was sacked by Sir Keir from his role as farming minister.

 Former Scotland secretary Ian Murray has become a minister jointly in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

 Mike Tapp and Louise Jones, both from the 2024 intake of Labour MPs, have become ministers in the Home Office and Ministry of Defence respectively.

 Baroness Levitt, who was the principal legal adviser to Sir Keir while he served as director of public prosecutions, becomes a justice minister.

 Chris Ward, who has served as the prime minister's principal private secretary, has been made a Cabinet Office minister, and Seema Malhotra has become parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Foreign Office, while remaining minister for equalities.

 Miatta Fahnbulleh and Samantha Dixon have entered the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as ministers. Dr Zubir Ahmed, another MP from the 2024 intake, has become a health minister.

 Abena Oppong-Asare has left government as a Cabinet Office minister, as have Catherine West as a Foreign Office minister, Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede as a justice minister and Lord Khan of Burnley as faith and communities minister.
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

The government has announced a new education drive to ramp up defence training to a "wartime pace".

It is aiming to grow the UKs skilled workforce through five new "technical excellence colleges" nationwide, along with targeted short courses and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) schemes for school students.

A 182 million funding package will underpin the initiative, forming a central part of a new defence industrial strategy due to be unveiled on Monday.

It will include:

Regional STEM initiatives for thousands of school-age students over the next four years to pursue careers in defence.

Targeted short courses for people already working in specific defence industries.

Higher education investment to increase places on defence-related courses.

A new apprenticeship and graduate clearing system.

Five new defence technical excellence colleges, with applications to go live by the end of this year and with successful colleges to be launched in 2026.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the strategy would offer opportunities for young people and help veterans into employment.

open image in gallery Defence Secretary John Healey visits RAF Akrotiri during a visit to Cyprus in 2024 ( Getty Images )

It would also equip the UK workforce with the expertise needed for the demands of a rapidly-evolving defence sector to innovate at a wartime pace.

The strategy will frame defence as the engine room for national renewal and seek to equip workers with skills needed for the future, such as submarine engineers and cyber warfare specialists.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the drive was the biggest defence skills plan in decades and would help to boost both national security and jobs creation.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said it would break down barriers to opportunity for people in every corner of our country.

The initiative comes just two months after a Nato general secretary warned that Britain and its people are not safe, and that the country is not prepared for war.

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen told Parliament that Britain is lacking in ammunition, training, people, logistics, and medical capacity, and that being underprepared for war is an understatement.

open image in gallery Former Nato chief Lord Robertson of Port Ellen with Defence Secretary John Healey ( PA Archive )

The British people are faced with a world in turmoil, with great power competitions spilling over now into conflict, with constant grey zone attacks on our mainland, and with Russia  often with the co-operation of Iran, China and North Korea  challenging the existing world order, he said.

We simply in this country are not safe.

Meanwhile, French hospitals have been told to prepare a potential armed conflict in Europe by next year.

In a letter sent to regional health agencies, revealed by Le Canard Enchaine , the Ministry of Health asked hospitals to prepare for a major (military) engagement by March 2026.

In the current international context, it is necessary to anticipate the modalities of health support in situations of high-intensity conflict, the Ministry of Health reportedly wrote in the document.

The newspaper warned that between 10,000 and 50,000 men could be expected in hospitals over a period of 10 to 180 days.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

The family and friends of a woman jailed in Morocco over a T-shirt saying Allah is lesbian have expressed fears over the cancer survivors health in prison.

Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, 50, a Moroccan feminist activist and psychologist, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after she was convicted on blasphemy charges.

open image in gallery Ibtissame first posted the photo on her social media channels in 2022, her family said ( Ibtissame Lachgar )

She was arrested on 10 August at her home in the capital Rabat after a picture circulated online showing her wearing the T-shirt, her sister Siham Lachgar told The Independent. She explained the shirt was inspired by the quote: I saw God. She is black, communist, and lesbian, attributed to the French feminist Anne-Marie Fauret.

Siham said her sister was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in her twenties. She has ongoing health issues, with a prosthesis replacing the bone in her upper left arm. Siham fears her sister may not have access to healthcare in prison, and that she needs urgent treatment for her prosthesis or risks having her arm amputated.

Describing the sentencing on Wednesday as a shock and an injustice, she said: Not taking her health into consideration is simply inhumane.

Im very worried because she has no medical follow-up in Morocco  all of her doctors are in France  and she doesnt seem to have seen a doctor in prison.

Ibtissame posted the photo on her social media in 2022 in response to the conviction and death sentence of two LGBT+ activists in Iran. She had never worn the T-shirt in Morocco, where same-sex relations are illegal, her sister said.

The photo was shared by a stranger on the social media platform X in July, accompanied by a message calling for her arrest, her family says. The post was reportedly shared by hundreds of other users, many tagging the official X account of the Moroccan police.

Ibtissame was held in pre-trial detention before appearing in court in Rabat this week, wearing a headscarf and appearing exhausted. According to her lawyers, she has been kept in isolation in prison and is forbidden from speaking to other inmates.

open image in gallery Friends and family are calling for Lachgars release ( Nederlandse Leeuw/Wikimedia )

Loubna Rais, an activist in Rabat who has known Ibtissame since they were teenagers, has only seen her three times since her arrest, during her court appearances.

We can see each time her health is deteriorating," she told The Independent. Her mental health has suffered, and her physical condition is getting worse.

Her sentencing on Wednesday was also Loubnas birthday. When I saw her in court, she said happy birthday, because she didnt forget, she said, her voice breaking. She is a very generous and loyal person.

Ibtissame told the court she had no intention of offending Islam, but she was found guilty of violating part of Moroccos penal code that outlaws offending the monarchy or Islam.

Maryam Namazie, a close friend, said she believes the photo was taken in London, where the activist has frequently taken part in LGBT+ and human rights campaigns.

open image in gallery Maryam Namazie (left) and Ibtissame have taken part in campaigns on LGBT+ and human rights in London ( Maryam Namazie )

She is known in Morocco for her provocative activism, having called for the decriminalisation of sex outside of marriage, which also remains illegal, and organised a demonstration outside Moroccos parliament where couples kissed to support two teenagers facing indecency charges over a photo of themselves kissing on Facebook.

Shes a well-regarded activist and feminist who has fought for peoples rights for so long, Maryam said. She does so much at such a great risk to herself. She has a great deal of empathy and is kind, caring and thoughtful.

The fact that someone can be arrested for a T-shirt is outrageous.

A member of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, which aims to break the taboo that comes with leaving Islam, Maryam said supporters will continue to demand her release while she plans to appeal her conviction.

The Moroccan General Directorate of National Security has been contacted for comment.
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A 78-year-old man found himself lost in Californias Sierra Nevada mountains, suffering from hypothermia and exhaustion, when he was found  and rescued  by a group of Boy Scouts.

Boy Scout Troop 26  which is mostly made up of scouts around 12 years old  was venturing into the Emigrant Wilderness with their Scoutmaster Michel James Hey and a group of four adult leaders when the incident occurred.

The scouts set off on August 2 for their trip.

Around the same time, Douglas Montgomery had also set off for the wilderness. Montgomery is an Eagle Scout himself, and was camping when he set down his backpack containing his food and supplies. He took a walk to explore the nearby area, but when he returned he could not find his gear, according to SFGATE.

I checked and checked and checked and looked and looked, he told the Santa Barbara Independent. It was very, very disconcerting not to be able to find it. But I had to make a decision at the last minute just to stop looking and get where I could save my own life, and thats what I did.

open image in gallery Boy Scouts from Troop 26 in California rescued a 78-year-old hiker who had gotten lost during a trip to the Sierra Nevada mountains ( AP Photo/Ted S. Warren )

He was lost and without supplies. To weather the night, he covered himself in leaves and other foliage, and tried to get some sleep.

That proved difficult.

I complained about the cold out loud many times, yelling out of the darkness," he said.

Since he had no water, he was forced to drink what he could find from puddles to keep somewhat hydrated.

On August 6, Troop 26 spotted Montgomery in a meadow. Hey told SFGATE that he saw Montgomery and said the man appeared to be struggling.

We started realizing very quickly that he wasnt all right, Hey told the outlet. He was looking really bedraggled. Hes got cuts all over his hands. Hes very unsteady on his feet, and hes being polite, but hes pretty out of it.

The troop gave Montgomery electrolytes and food and helped him get warm. Once they learned that he had been out in the wilderness for days without supplies and medications he'd been prescribed, the leaders of Troop 26 decided to call for help.

open image in gallery A lost hiker was rescued from the Sierra Nevada mountains when a Boy Scout troop found him during one of their outings ( Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribu )

The Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office notified the California Highway Patrol about the situation after Troop 26 called authorities for assistance. The sheriff's office ultimately decided to send a helicopter to the area to take Montgomery for treatment.

While they waited for the helicopter, Troop 26 made a list of all the information first responders would need from Montgomery, including his emergency contacts and his medical history.

The incident served as a sobering lesson that anyone  even an Eagle Scout and experienced outdoorsman like Montgomery  can get lost in the wilderness.

They saw how useful that stuff really was when you get into trouble, all the preparation and having some navigation tools with you and knowing which way is north, and how its important to have a plan, Hey told SFGATE.

Montgomery was flown to a pack station at Kennedy Meadow and declined further medical treatment. His niece picked him up and drove him out of the mountains.

While the situation was harrowing, Montgomery said he enjoyed the helicopter ride. He said the next day, after having adequate rest, he drove home himself.
The wealthy get wary when they see rapid change and the pace from the White House in 2025 has many wealthy investors looking to play defense.

Financial planners and tax advisors are seeing their wealthiest clients making these moves under the Trump Administration. While they dont make sense for everyone, they offer food for thought.

For You: I Asked ChatGPT How To Turn $10 Into $1 Million: Heres What It Said

Discover Next: 4 Housing Markets That Have Plummeted in Value Over the Past 5 Years

Hedging With Golden Visas

Jay Zigmont, Ph.D. and certified financial planner (CFP) at Childfree Trust, has seen one trend among his wealthiest clients more than any other.

Since the election, we have been working on citizenship and exit plans for many clients, he said. Portugal remains one of the most popular destinations, but the process is slow at best. Others are working on their citizenship by heritage, especially in EU countries. We have yet to see any clients move internationally, but they are ensuring they have options.

Read Next: Never Do These 3 Things With Your Money, Says Personal Finance Pro Humphrey Yang

Tax-Friendly Passive Real Estate Investments

Wealthy investors like passive real estate investments for their cash flow, appreciation, tax benefits  and the fact that they dont have to become landlords.

Chad Cummings, attorney and certified public accountant (CPA), sees many of his clients investing in real estate through syndications and funds. In particular, theyre pursuing the renewed Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) funds and taking advantage of 100% bonus depreciation in syndications.

One family rolled $120 million in gains from the sale of industrial parks into an QOZ fund in Texas, deferring recognition until 2026 and excluding appreciation after 10 years, he added.

Hedging With Gold

Golden visas offer one form of protection from geopolitical risk and actual gold offers another.

Throughout history, when currency devaluation fears or geopolitical instability have rattled investors, theyve fled to gold. And 2025 is no exception, with the yellow metal up 39.5% over the last year according to GoldPrice.org. As of Sept. 2, 2025, it reached a new record, as investors hedge against disruption from the Trump Administration.

Selling Individual Stocks

Cummings noted that many of his wealthiest clients are selling off individual stocks to take the capital gains losses now, before they potentially go up under future administrations.

Wealthy investors and especially insider executives, are liquidating hundreds of thousands of shares to preempt capital gains rate increases. If rates increase to 28%, as floated in policy proposals, these liquidations would cost millions in higher tax bills, he said.
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

For Alison Joseph, watching her 9-year-old son Noah splashing around in the swimming pool this summer for the first time was bittersweet.

Overjoyed that Noah had learned to swim, the mom was simultaneously reminded that her other son, 10-year-old Hunter, couldnt join in.

Hunter sees his younger brother and how well he's doing, Alison told The Independent. And I think there is some sadness that he wants to be able to play outside longer, and do all the things that his brother is now finding so much easier.

Noah and Hunter both have Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most severe form of the genetic disorder. The disease causes muscle degeneration and weakness due to a mutation in the gene that produces dystrophin, a protein that protects muscle fibers from breaking down.

The disease, which mostly affects boys, gets worse over time. It makes it difficult to walk, run, jump, and play, with children often delayed in reaching milestones like crawling, walking and talking. The boys will likely use wheelchairs when they are teenagers, and life expectancy ranges between 30 and 40 years old.

open image in gallery Hunter, 10, (left) and brother Noah, 9, (right) were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2017. Noah received pioneering gene therapy in March this year, which has significantly helped his mobility, his parents said. But Hunters insurance claim for the same treatment was denied. ( Alison Joseph )

In March, Noah received pioneering gene therapy to improve his mobility and quality of life through Alisons health insurance plan. But when Hunters application was submitted in late May, authorization for exactly the same treatment was denied.

The reason on our denial letters is that it's not medically necessary, the mom-of-three said from her home in Winnetka, just outside Chicago. It was very blindsiding. They didn't ever deny my other son, it was approved the first go. So I was very taken aback.

Alison, a physician, and her husband William, who works in finance, are now grappling with how to move forward following the decision from health insurance giant, Blue Cross Blue Shield. They say they have been put in an impossible and heartbreaking situation.

The Independent contacted Blue Cross Blue Shield for comment, and asked why the treatment was only covered for Noah when both boys have the same disease. The Independent also asked the company whether it would reconsider the denial in Hunters case and to respond to accusations that the decision was unfair.

To protect our members privacy, we do not publicly discuss individual cases, a Blue Cross Blue Shield spokesperson said. We do want our members to know that medical experts, including doctors, are involved in reviews to ensure the treatments and services our members receive are evidence-based and not duplicative. Decisions are guided by nationwide best practices for care, helping to identify what has proven successful for members in the past.

With every passing day, Hunters condition gets worse.

His muscle is wasting away every day, Alison, 44, said. He's going to be in a wheelchair in the next few years and it just doesn't seem right that they are not going to allow him to get this treatment. They're wasting his time. And its just not fair.

The brothers were diagnosed with DMD in 2017 after tests showed Hunter had elevated liver enzymes, which is indicative of the condition. Three months later, when further tests showed the levels had not returned to normal, a specialist delivered the devastating diagnosis.

DMD is a genetic disorder and so Noah and 12-year-old brother Carter were tested following Hunters diagnosis. Carter did not have the disease, but Noahs results came back positive. It was a triple blow for Alison, who not only had to process the fact that two of her children had the life-limiting illness but that she was a carrier of the disease.

The parents and their eldest son Carter have had to go through the pain of witnessing Hunter and Noah gradually decline over the years, as DMD has no cure.

But in 2023, there was a glimmer of hope when the gene therapy, Elevidys, manufactured by Sarepta Therapeutics, received accelerated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

open image in gallery Alison and husband William, pictured with their boys Hunter, Noah and Carter. Both of the younger boys were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2017, which has no cure ( Alison Joseph )

The new treatment, which comes with a $3.2 million price tag, helps improve muscle function and motor skills. So far, over 900 patients have had the treatment, the company says, but given how novel the medicine is, critics say there is limited evidence that the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks.

But doctors are cautiously optimistic.

All these newer gene transfer therapies are opening doors for these boys to possibly live longer and lead a good quality of life, said Dr Aravindhan Veerapandiyan of Arkansas Childrens Hospital. Its changing the trajectory of the disease, changing the trajectory of their lives, improving the quality of life for the boys and their families.

Elevidys is not without controversy. It was approved by the FDA in 2023 but limited to children between 4 and 5 years old, who are able to walk. In 2024, the treatment was expanded to include patients 4 years and older.

But Public Citizen, a nonprofit which acts an ethics watchdog for clinical trials, said the FDA approval was ill-advised because it was not supported by favorable FDA scientific reviews. Nor did clinical trials demonstrate that children with the disease maintained or regained gross motor abilities, the group added.

There was heightened concern in July when the FDA told Sarepta to suspend distribution of the drug while the agency investigated the death of an 8-year-old boy. The FDA subsequently concluded the death was unrelated to the gene therapy product itself but the agency has still recommended the company pause distribution of the drug in patients who cannot walk. However, this doesnt apply to Noah or Hunter, who can both still walk and play with their older brother, Carter.

For Alison and William, Elevidys was worth trying. We had very serious conversations with our doctors, but we also know the natural progression of the disease, Alison said. So we were willing to take that risk.

Noah has had very obvious and noticeable improvements since his treatment in March at Arkansas Childrens Hospital in Little Rock, his parents said. Elevidys was administered as a one-time infusion.

End of day fatigue and leg pain was something that he complained of frequently, and he has not complained of it once since getting gene therapy, Alison said. He learned how to swim this summer. His overall endurance is so much better.

Hunter, meanwhile, continues to suffer.

So many people now will say, Oh my gosh, Noah's doing so well We can't believe he's swimming, he's this, he's that, Alison said.

And, I'm like, Oh my gosh, please don't let Hunter hear because I know that he's thinking that he's not able to do those things. And it's just heartbreaking.

Before Noahs treatment was given the green light by the insurance company, both boys underwent their routine, annual cardiac MRIs to take a closer look at their hearts.

open image in gallery Noah has had very obvious and noticeable improvements since his treatment in March at Arkansas Childrens Hospital in Little Rock, his parents said. Noah (left) with his brothers, Hunter (right) and Carter (center) ( Alison Joseph )

A cardiologist determined that the risk with the treatment was greater for Hunter than it was for Noah, whose MRI showed normal cardiac function for a child. Therefore, the family decided that Noah should have the treatment first.

We collectively made a decision that the safest thing to do is give it to his brother, Alison explained.

The insurance company gave the green light for Noahs treatment on November 1, 2024, and he received it a few months later in March 2025.

After Noahs treatment went well, doctors, including cardiologists, then gave their approval in April for Hunter to have the same treatment. BCBS denied coverage for the treatment in June.

We were so excited that they gave us the green light. It was like, Oh my gosh, let's go. Let's do it, Alison recalled. We told Hunter, Its your turn, never expecting the insurance to say no.

The mom asked: I mean, how could they say no to him when they already said yes to his brother and he successfully had it?

A few weeks ago, after digging through health insurance paperwork, Alison and William claim that after Noah received approval from BCBS in November 2024 for Elevidys, the insurance firm quietly updated company policy on January 1, 2025 to exclude the childrens specific DND mutation from coverage for the gene therapy.

I don't think it's coincidence, Alison said. I think that they knew that we had another child and we were going to be seeking this out [again.]

The insurance company did not address the allegation when The Independent contacted them for comment.

The parents are running out of options to get their son the life-improving treatment unless BCBS reconsiders the claim.

They have appealed the decision with the insurance giant.

The couple has also contacted representatives in Arkansas, where Hunter would receive the gene therapy treatment, and in their home state of Illinois.

Arkansas state representatives Andrew Collins and Tippi McCullough both offered the family assistance, while Arkansas U.S. Senator Tom Cotton supported the family in reaching out to the federal Office of Personnel Management, Alison said. The parents have also consulted with a lawyer to weigh their options.

I am starting to feel helpless, said Alison. I feel like we have tried to make the best decisions for them all these years, and now the choice has been taken away from us.

Time is not on Hunters side and the gene therapy is his best chance of having the most comfortable life possible, his parents said.

This is the age when the boys really do start to decline pretty quickly, said Alison. We have seen a significant decline in him in the last few months, which is just so scary.

The therapy can stop the diseases progression. We are just watching him decline before our eyes.
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A potentially life-threatening parasitic disease once believed to be endemic to Latin America has been detected in humans in multiple U.S. states, research has found.

Chagas disease is caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite that lives in a dozen species of bloodsucking insects called Triatomine bugs, more commonly known as kissing bugs. Up to half of kissing bugs carry the disease, which the World Health Organization estimates annually kills 10,000 people worldwide.

The disease can lie dormant for years which means cases can go under reported. Chagas often only makes itself known when victims suffer serious cardiac issues, including heart attacks or strokes. It can cause acute reactions, including swollen limbs, eyes and anaphylaxis, though its longer-term effects are much more dangerous.

open image in gallery Parasite-carrying kissing bugs have been found in 32 U.S states, CDC research suggests ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

Insects infected with T. cruzi parasites have been found in 32 U.S. states to date, primarily across the southern half of the country, according to a literature review published this month in the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Emerging Infectious Diseases journal.

The disease has been reported in humans in eight states - Texas, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas - according to the research.

Dogs exposed to T. cruzi parasites have also been found in 23 states, as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, research suggests. Wildlife infections  including opossums, raccoons, armadillos and coyotes  had been documented in at least 17 states.

However, in a majority of U.S. states, the disease is not a reportable illness, meaning physicians are not required to report and investigate human cases, as they do with influenza, Lyme or malaria.

This makes the true scale of the problem is hard to gauge as there is no consistent reporting of infections across the country.

A study in 2016 estimated there were as many as 300,000 people infected in the U.S. A report in the Los Angeles Times this week estimated that as many as 100,000 people in California alone could have contracted the disease.

The majority of human cases are acquired in other countries, a study by Californias Department of Public Health stressed.

open image in gallery Around 75 million people are at risk of infection worldwide ( Getty Images )

And officially, the CDC and WHO list the U.S. as non-endemic for the disease, with locally acquired Chagas cases relatively rare.

But authors of the recent CDC article highlighted widespread underreporting and low public and clinical awareness.

Now researchers are calling for health officials to classify the disease as endemic, which means it is consistently present.

Entomologist Gabriel Hamer told the Times the reported U.S. cases are just the tip of the iceberg.

Theres no standardized reporting system, he said. Theres no active surveillance.

Up to 75 million people globally could be at risk of infection from the so-called silent disease, which typically presents no to mild symptoms, according to the World Health Organization.

This is a disease that has been neglected and has been impacting Latin Americans for many decades, Norman Beatty, an epidemiologist and Chagas disease expert, told The Times. But its also here in the United States.
The man appearing on the local TV news segment looks innocuous enough: clean-shaven, with short blond hair, he wears a smart blue polo shirt and Apple earbuds, and is framed by a shelf full of books. Then he proceeds to talk about the new community hes creating in the Ozark mountains of Missouri: We want to create spaces for white Americans to celebrate their unique heritage and preserve their culture, he says. And that can be communities like weve formed here, or it can be campgrounds or just community centres.

Eric Orwoll, president of Return to the Land, is talking to KY3 TV to explain why he intends to purchase more acreage in Arkansas in order to expand his whites-only settlements beyond the one hed already established on more than 150 acres in northeast Arkansas.

In the heart of the Ozarks, Orwolls exclusive community is apparently growing, and marks a resurgence of racial segregation in the United States.

Whats even more troubling is that movements or communities like this have become emboldened under President Donald Trumps administration, whose rhetoric and policies have created fertile ground for them to flourish.

Return to the Land was founded by Orwoll, a classically trained French horn player, and Peter Csere, a former jazz pianist, both of whom have chequered pasts. Orwoll, who The New York Times reported once live-streamed his own sex videos, found himself drawn to far-right politics after engaging with commenters on his YouTube channel espousing the great replacement theory, a conspiracy that falsely claims non-white populations will replace white people through birthrates and mass migration.

This red-pilling moment, as Orwoll describes it, led him to believe that white people in America were being persecuted and that the only solution was to form communities like Return to the Land. Csere, meanwhile, who was arrested for the attempted murder of a miner in Ecuador (he claims it was self-defence and that the case is still unresolved), was inspired by Orania, a whites-only town founded in 1991 in South Africa to preserve Afrikaner culture and which has grown significantly since the end of apartheid. Csere and Orwoll, it seems, were kindred spirits.

Orwoll has openly acknowledged that the group bars applicants who dont present as white. It evaluates potential residents through face-to-face interviews, criminal background checks, and detailed ancestry questionnaires. In some cases, applicants must even submit family photographs.

Videos posted to the groups social channels depict a pastoral scene with animals and children playing while residents raise timber-frame houses, churches and other structures, but its still not entirely clear how many properties have been built.

Membership does not necessarily mean you have to move on to the property. While Csere has said Return to the Land has 300 members across the country, Orwoll told Wired magazine only a few dozen were already living on the 160-acre site in Arkansas full-time, despite his claim that hundreds have signed up, paying a one-off $25 (19) fee.

The pair designed Return to the Land as a bastion of traditional values and European ancestry. Its legal structure, which they believe exempts them from anti-discrimination laws, is a bold attempt to challenge Americas Fair Housing Act and set a precedent for racially exclusive communities.

open image in gallery Eric Orwolls exclusive community is apparently growing ( KY3 )

Csere tells me that he thinks the time is ripe for what theyre building because racial tensions in modern society are only increasing, that its a topic thats been ignored for a long time, and that the Overton window has shifted far enough so that people in the mainstream now want to talk about these ideas.

I ask whether he agrees that Trumps election has made Return to the Land more permissible. Its possible, he says. Were not huge Trump fans. We dont see him as the guy rooting for us. Hes not some kind of saviour for us.

Still, even if Orwoll and Csere downplay their allegiance to Trump, his words have undeniably fed into their project. From railing about the erasure of white history in American schools and museums (the US president has called for patriotic education) to amplifying conspiracy theories about white South African farmers being targeted and giving them refuge in the US, while pushing travel bans and promoting heavy-handed ICE tactics to keep others out, Trump is clear about what and who he believes needs protecting.

In his executive order Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, he stated: Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our nations history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.

In January, he signed executive orders dismantling federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programmes, stripping DEI language from policies, and rescinding longstanding anti-discrimination mandates for government contractors.

open image in gallery Donald Trump pictured with Tucker Carlson on the 2024 campaign trail ( Getty )

Most recently, his administration has demanded revisions to Smithsonian museum exhibits that addressed slavery, racism and colonisation, accusing them of being woke. He has described some of the largest cities in the country  cities like Baltimore and Washington, DC, which are run by Democrats and have majority Black populations and Black mayors  as dangerous and filthy.

It is this kind of rhetoric which serves as a catalyst for the resurgence of far-right ideologies and normalisation of racism, and gives validation to the Return to the Land project.

I point out how ridiculous it sounds to start an organisation because of the notion that white people are oppressed in America. White people make up 60 per cent of the US population, compared to Hispanic and Latino people who make up 19 per cent and Black people who make up 12 per cent.

Its not so much about whats happening right now, Csere says. Its where we see it leading in the future. Were projected to become a minority.

US census population projections show the country will become minority white in 2045: 49.7 per cent of the population compared to 24.6 per cent for Hispanics, 13.1 per cent for Black people, 7.9 per cent for Asians, and 3.8 per cent for multiracial populations.

In the Trump era, the great replacement theory, once only really taken seriously by nutty conspiracists on the far-right fringe, is being increasingly platformed by the mainstream. A report by The New York Times documented over 400 occasions where right-wing host Tucker Carlson promoted the notion that political leaders are deliberately altering the countrys demographics through immigration policies.

open image in gallery Peter Csere says he is inspired by a Orania, a whites-only town founded in 1991 in South Africa ( Sky News )

In a campaign advertisement, Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, claimed Democrats were seeking to replace the electorate by encouraging large-scale migration. And Ron Johnson, the Republican senator for Wisconsin, argued the Biden administration was pushing for open borders, questioning whether it was designed to reshape Americas demographic makeup in order to secure long-term political dominance. These conspiracy theorists are being described as the dank right, and is growing despite the rhetoric not being rooted in reality.

Csere says that its pretty much undeniable that mass immigration has resulted in crime skyrocketing. I tell him that the opposite is true  both in America and in Europe (in the UK, recent rows over housing migrants in places like the Bell Hotel in Epping have become flashpoints, with opponents tying temporary accommodation to a feared crime wave). These episodes show how migration anxieties are quickly grafted onto stories of lawlessness, even when the data doesnt back them up.

Last year, for instance, using data from 55 countries over three decades, a comprehensive study by economists Olivier Marie and Paolo Pinotti showed no correlation between higher immigration rates and increased crime levels.

Statistics can be manipulated, Csere says, adding that he isnt qualified to comment on specific research he hasnt looked at. Even if that were the case, there are reasons other than crime, such as a clash of incompatible cultures and values. Csere then recounts a debunked story about Haitian migrants living in rural Ohio getting arrested for eating a neighbours cat. The story isnt true. But in a world where repetition, not evidence, decides what people believe and social media amplifies those falsehoods, they start to feel real, which leads people to feel that something must be done.

open image in gallery A racist sign on display in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1961 ( Getty )

The story of Return To The Land is not new. From the late-19th century to the Forties, America was dotted with sundown towns where Black people were forbidden to appear after dark. These communities were not confined to the Jim Crow South but were widespread across the country.

Between the Twenties and Fifties, a sinister alliance of private industry and federal policy, backed by real-estate boards and developer practices, entrenched segregation through racially restrictive covenants. Barring non-whites from buying or leasing properties, these covenants were a legal mechanism for maintaining white supremacy. In the 1970s, Trump and his father, Fred, faced a lawsuit alleging that they had denied rental opportunities to Black applicants in mostly white neighbourhoods in New York City. Without admitting guilt, the pair were required to revise their rental practices.

There were communities like Levittown on Long Island, where in the Forties and Fifties, Levitt & Sons developments excluded Black buyers, or Anna, Illinois, which remained effectively all-white for decades from the early 20th century. Return to the Land is a modern echo of historical injustices that should be all-too familiar to most Americans.

The legal framework that Return to the Land is navigating is complex. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits housing discrimination based on race, but Return to the Land argues that its structure as a private membership association exempts them from this law. They point to a line in the Fair Housing Act that allows an exception for private associations to give preference to their own members when offering accommodation. Housing rights experts might argue that a community restricted to white residents is still illegal, but its creators believe they could win a potential challenge in court, citing a favourable political climate.

open image in gallery Simon Birkett runs The Woodlander Initiative, which aims to safeguard the freedoms of the British people ( Via HOPE not hate )

Last month, Return to the Land posted an interview that Peter Csere and another prominent member did with a British man who is attempting a similar project in England. Wiltshire-based tattoo artist Simon Birkett runs The Woodlander Initiative, ostensibly a land-purchasing scheme, with family, nature and community at its heart, but which anti-racism advocacy group Hope Not Hate says is a project to create whites-only enclaves in every county.

They have already bought land near the village of Llanafan Fawr, where TWI will reportedly hold its first family camp from 13 to 14 September. On its website, The Woodlander Initiative describes itself as a British organisation working to improve the future and safeguard the freedoms of the British people. It says it was formed in order to give us, the people, a way to take back control of our land, our freedom and our future.

This language is also echoed in the Operation Raise the Colours campaign, which throughout August urged supporters to display the St Georges Cross and the Union Jack in public spaces throughout the UK, to take back control and supposedly reclaim a disappearing national identity.

In an interview with Csere, Birkett says: Ive got to start with how very similar the two organisations are. We launched at roughly the same time as Return to the Land with no idea you guys are forming.  [I] instantly thought, wow its exactly the same as ours.

open image in gallery Protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Epping ( AP )

Birkett says his organisation has so far bought four different locations spread throughout the UK, 20 acres in total [and] we decide who can come on to that land, and we decide who cant. It is for members only... were in control. For years everythings been taken away from us, but we can take back land and control for our own people.

According to Hope Not Hate senior researcher David Lawrence, the far right in Britain has long dreamed of establishing whites-only communities, and similar efforts have been pursued by Combat 18, the British National Party, and the now-proscribed terrorist organisation National Action. When he was younger, Birkett was a member of the British National Party but he denies The Woodland Initiative is a white supremacist organisation and insists that membership criteria does not take account of a persons colour or ethnicity.

The normalisation of views previously considered extreme but now being repackaged as being about traditional values and community, has laid the groundwork for these initiatives to exist. Return to the Land is a stark reminder of the ghosts of Americas segregated past, but such a vision of exclusion would have seemed unthinkable in the UK a few years ago. The shifting tide of nationalistic rhetoric suggests it may no longer be beyond the realm of possibility.
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Vice President JD Vance hasnt ruled out the possibility of a run for the White House in 2028, noting that if he does his job well now, he would consider it down the line.

During an appearance on My View with Lara Trump , the daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, Vance said he doesnt like thinking about a potential presidential bid, and would rather focus on his current role.

"If we do a good job in 2025 and 2026, then we can talk about the politics in 2027," Vance said during a segment on Saturday. "I really think the American people are so fed up with folks who are already running for the next job, seven months into the current one."

Vance, who previously represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate, noted that if he were to run, he would work hard to earn support from both the Republican Party and the American people.

open image in gallery Vice President JD Vance hasnt ruled out the possibility of a presidential run in 2028, but says he wants to focus on his current role for now. ( Fox News )

open image in gallery Vance sat down with President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to speak about his potential run. ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

"There are a lot of great people," Vance said. "If I do end up running, it's not going to be given to meeither on the Republican side or on the national side. I'm just going to keep on working hard. [This] may be the most important job I've ever had, outside of being a father to those three beautiful kids. So I'm going to try to do my best job, and I think if I do that, the politics will figure itself out."

Vance also took the interview as an opportunity to criticize Democratic politicians who may enter the race in 2028, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom or former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

When asked about the potential 2028 Democratic candidates, Vance laughed and said he doesnt think much of the Democratic party.

I look at these guys and think that some of them are trying to actually mimic President Trump. You cant mimic his style, thats just who he is. I think a lot of them obviously have very bad records, Vance said.

While he wouldnt definitively say whether hed run in 2028, Vance encouraged his MAGA base to go out and vote in the 2026 midterm elections.

A lot of Republicans are happy with whats going on. We got to remember, if we want to stay happy, we got to get out there to vote in the midterms in 2026, Vance said.

While Vance claimed that the current administration is accomplishing all of its campaign promises, polls show Trumps approval rating has reached an all-time low.

The percentage of voters who say they support the job Trump has done since returning to the White House dropped again in a Quinnipiac University poll conducted late last month. The survey found 37 percent of American registered voters approve of the presidents job performance to date, while a much larger share, 55 percent, disapprove.

open image in gallery Vance recently made comments saying he is prepared to take on the role of president if something were to happen to President Trump. ( Fox News )

The Vice President also made headlines recently after saying he would be prepared to become president if God forbid, a terrible tragedy happens to President Trump.

During the comments in an interview with USA Today, Vance insisted the president would see out the rest of his term, but noted he has had a lot of on-the-job training.

Hes got incredible energy, and while most of the people who work around the President of the United States are younger than he is, I think we find that he actually is the last person who goes to sleep, hes the last person making phone calls at night, and hes the first person who wakes up and the first person making phone calls in the morning, Vance said.

Yes, terrible tragedies happen, but I feel very confident the President of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term and do great things for the American people, he continued.

And if, God forbid, there's a terrible tragedy, I can't think of better on-the-job training than what I've gotten over the last 200 days, he added.
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

The Los Angeles Police Department has stopped providing protection to former Vice President Kamala Harris amid backlash from a police organization.

After President Donald Trump ended Secret Service protection for the former vice president earlier this year, LA Mayor Karen Bass extended Harris protection via the LAPD, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which says its mission is to "vigilantly protect, promote, and improve the working conditions, legal rights, compensation, and benefits of Los Angeles police officers," complained that officers who were assigned to crime suppression tasks were pulled away to guard Harris.

"Pulling police officers from protecting everyday Angelenos to protect a failed presidential candidate who also happens to be a multi- millionaire with multiple homes and who can easily afford to pay for her own security is nuts," the board said in a statement.

The board continued lashing out and pulled California Governor Gavin Newsom into its criticism.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris has lost her Los Angeles Police Department security detail after the city faced backlash from a police advocacy organization ( AP )

"The mayor should tell Governor Newsom that if he wants to curry favor with Ms. Harris and her donor base then he should open up his own wallet because LA taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this ridiculousness," it said.

It's standard protocol for former vice president to receive protection from the Secret Service for six months after they leave office.

President Joe Biden extended Harris's protection period to 18 months, which would have kept a detail on her until July 2026. But Trump canceled that extension in August.

The Vice President is grateful to the United States Secret Service for their professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment to safety, Kirsten Allen, one of Harris's senior advisors, told CNN at the time.

When Harris had security through the Secret Service and later the LAPD, she had 24-7 surveillance at her home and the constant presence of officers at her Los Angeles home.

Newsom, through a spokesperson, condemned Trump's actions at the time.

The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses, the spokesperson, Bob Salladay, told CNN.

Harris has a book tour planned to promote her memoir. It's unclear who is going to be providing her security during those visits, but it is likely that she or her publisher will need to hire private security.

According to a report from the LA Times, the California Highway Patrol has also offered to provide security for Harris.

The former vice president isn't the only official to have their protection revoked by Trump.

Both former national security adviser John Bolton and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had their protections withdrawn, even as both were reportedly under threat from Iran.

More recently, Trump ended the Secret Service protection for former President Biden's children, Hunter and Ashley, after Biden extended their Secret Service protections.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

One year after the government banned cellphones from schools to help students focus and reduce distractions in class, were beginning to see how it has been implemented and how successful its been.

As part of that process, our new research asked young people about the ban. Unsurprisingly, they had a lot to say.

Schools around the world, including in Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, China and parts of the United States, have implemented similar bans. The guiding principle everywhere has been to help students do better in school.

When New Zealands ban came into effect in April 2024, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said it was time to cut the distractions so kids could learn and achieve.

But studies have shown these bans often dont work as planned. For example, recent research from the UK involving over 1,200 students found no significant difference in academic grades or wellbeing between schools with strict phone bans and those with more relaxed policies.

With so many questions at the time of the ban about how it would be enforced, we wanted to hear what was going on in schools and what young people really thought. We spoke to 77 young people aged 12 to 18 from 25 schools around the country. Some liked the bans, some didnt and some werent sure.

open image in gallery New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ( AP )

Mixed feelings

Many students had mixed feelings about the bans. Some admitted the bans helped reduce distractions and gave them a break from using their phones. As one explained: otherwise, well be on our phone all day, all afternoon, all night, and it wont be healthy for our minds.

But other students said the ban had created new problems.

First, some students felt stressed and anxious when they couldnt contact their parents or caregivers during the day. Second, they said the rules werent always clear or fair. Some teachers were strict, others werent. And sometimes, teachers used their phones in class, but students couldnt.

That perceived double standard  where teachers can use phones but students cant  left many of our respondents feeling frustrated and unfairly treated. In some cases, it even made them more secretive about their phone use. One student said: Even though were not allowed to use our phones, everyone is sneaky and uses it anyway.

About the authors Cara Swit is an Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences at University of Canterbury. Aaron Hapuku is a Lecturer in School of Health Sciences at University of Canterbury. Helena Cook is a Lecturer in the School of Social and Cultural Studies at University of Canterbury. Jennifer Smith is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the University of Canterbury. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

A lack of consultation

A lot of students said they werent asked what they thought before the bans were introduced. They felt as if adults made the rules without asking them or listening to them. One of our interviewees said: It feels like they just ban everything, thinking it will fix the problem.

Many didnt understand the purpose of the ban, especially since they still have to use laptops and other technology in class.

Recent research found more than 80 per cent of students in Aotearoa New Zealand say technology in class is distracting  not just phones.

Already, some students have found clever ways around the phone ban.

At one Auckland school, students started using walkie-talkies instead of phones to stay connected with their peers.

Examples like this show bans dont always change behaviour the way theyre intended to. It can simply make students feel as though adults underestimate how tech-savvy they really are.

open image in gallery Debate continues over whether mobile phones should be banned in schools in England ( PA Wire )

Young people as active problem solvers

The young people in our research offered some alternatives to the ban.

Many suggested allowing phones at break and lunch times. That way, they could stay connected without interrupting class. They also said adults needed to model healthy digital habits, not just set the rules.

Based on student responses, it does appear that learning and teaching how to use phones in healthy ways would be more helpful than banning them altogether.

Research from the Digital Wellness Lab supports this balanced approach, emphasising skill building over restriction. But for this to work, adults need support too. Teachers and parents need training and resources to help guide young people  and should also be surveyed on how they feel about the ban.

Banning phones doesnt fix the bigger issue of helping young people to use technology safely and responsibly. If schools really want to support students, they need to move beyond one-size-fits-all rules.

Our research shows young people arent just passive users of technology. Theyre active problem solvers. They want to be part of the conversation  and part of the solution.

This would involve replacing top-down bans with meaningful conversations involving young people and adults to build fair and practical digital guidelines, where everyone benefits.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Pope Leo XIV has declared Carlo Acutis, a London-born computer prodigy who died in 2006, the Catholic Churchs first millennial saint.

The 15-year-old, dubbed "Gods influencer" for his innovative use of technology to spread the faith, was canonised during an open-air Mass in St Peters Square on Sunday.

The ceremony, Pope Leos first saint-making Mass, drew tens of thousands of attendees, including many millennials and young families.

Alongside Carlo, Leo also canonised Pier Giorgio Frassati, another popular Italian figure who died young.

The Vatican noted the presence of 36 cardinals, 270 bishops, and hundreds of priests, signifying the broad appeal of both new saints to the church hierarchy and ordinary faithful.

The canonisations were originally scheduled for earlier this year but were postponed following the death of Pope Francis in April.

open image in gallery Pope Leo with an image of Carlo Acutis ( AP )

Francis had been a fervent advocate for Carlos sainthood, convinced the Church needed such a figure to attract young Catholics and address the promises and perils of the digital age.

A hour before the Mass, St Peters Square was already full with pilgrims, many of them young millennial Italians who had found in Carlo a relatable role model.

I learned from different people what his professors, his teachers said about his joy and the light he carried around him, said Leopoldo Antimi, a 27-year-old Roman who got to the square early to secure a spot.

So for me personally as an Italian, even on social networks that are used so much, it is important to have him as an influencer.

Carlo was born on 3 May 1991 to a wealthy but not particularly observant Catholic family.

They moved back to Milan soon after he was born and he enjoyed a typical, happy childhood, albeit marked by increasingly intense religious devotion.

open image in gallery A photo of Carlo is displayed at St Peters Square ( AP )

Carlo was particularly interested in computer science and devoured college-level books on programming even as a youngster.

He earned the nickname Gods influencer thanks to his main tech legacy: a multilingual website documenting so-called Eucharistic miracles recognised by the church, a project he completed at a time when the development of such sites was the domain of professionals.

The teen was known to spend hours in prayer before the Eucharist each day. The Catholic hierarchy has been trying to promote the practice of Eucharistic adoration as, according to polls, most Catholics dont believe Christ is physically present in the Eucharistic hosts.

In October 2006, at age 15, Carlo fell ill with what was quickly diagnosed as acute leukaemia. Within days, he was dead. He was entombed in Assisi, which is known for its association with another popular saint, St Francis.

In the years since his death, young Catholics have flocked in their millions to Assisi, where they can see the young Carlo through a glass-sided tomb, dressed in jeans, Nike sneakers and a sweatshirt.

open image in gallery Worshippers pay their respects at the tomb of Carlo Acutis ( AP )

Carlo has been on the fast track for sainthood, as the hierarchy has seen that he has proven enormously popular with young Catholics, who see in him as a relatable, modern-day role model.

Its like I can maybe not be as great as Carlo maybe, but I can be looking after him and be like, What would Carlo do?" said Leo Kowalsky, an 8th grader at a Chicago school attached to the Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish.

Leo said he was particularly excited that his own namesake  Pope Leo  would be canonising the patron of his school.

Its kind of all mashed up into one thing, so it is a joy to be a part of, Leo added.

Frassati, the other saint being canonised on Sunday, lived from 1901-1925, when he died at age 24 of polio.

He was born into a prominent Turin family but is known for his devotion to serving the poor and carrying out acts of charity while spreading his faith to his friends.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Ukrainians in forensic suits unloading thousands of bodies of their fallen countrymen from refrigerated vehicles makes for a depressing spectacle.

But in the three-and-a-half-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine, the repatriation of the dead might be one of the rare, all-too-brief moments of cooperation between the two warring countries.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has a caseload of 154,200 people missing from both sides of the front line as of August, whose fate or whereabouts remain unknown. It is expected that it will take decades for families to receive answers about their loved ones.

According to the ICRC, there have been over 50 incidents of mass repatriation throughout the conflict to date. On average, the group receives 1,000 bodies a month, with workers given the grim task of trying to identify them so their families can finally be given peace.

open image in gallery In June, Ukraine received 6,000 fallen soldiers from Russia ( AP )

A deal brokered in Istanbul between the two warring sides during the summer  one of the few positive outcomes of the US-organised peace talks to date  saw Moscow return significantly more, some 6,000. This repatriation, which took place in June, was so large that they had to receive the bodies by train.

Niamh Smith, a forensic specialist working in Ukraine for the ICRC, said the exchanges of fallen soldiers are usually silent, respectful affairs.

Nobody is standing around chit-chatting, says Ms Smith, who is usually in the truck during the transfer. Its almost like a ballet in that everybody is so well tuned and well versed in their role.

It goes very smoothly and that could not happen without the full cooperation of both sides, she says. Its a very human experience. Nobody can deal with that and not come away feeling... affected.

In Odessa, where Ms Smith is based, the ICRC helped to assist in developing a field mortuary after they ran out of storage for bodies. Train carriages have been adapted and refrigerated to accommodate the large number of bodies theyre receiving.

open image in gallery The ICRC has accompanied more than 50 repatriations since the conflict began ( The ICRC )

Each body received by a mortuary is assigned a unique 17-digit reference number encoding the date of arrival and the institution that took them.

The bodies are then examined by teams made up of forensic specialists and police investigators, who take notes and photographs, looking out for any marks, scars or tattoos, Ms Smith explained.

Clothing is removed, logged and photographed as part of the process before sampling is done for DNA testing, and the bodies are stored awaiting comparison and identification.

Every single instant of identification has its own timeline, with some taking months. The database of family samples plays a vital role in the process as it offers a point of comparison.

Under the Geneva Conventions, both sides are obliged to search for and recover the remains of the fallen on the battlefield and mark places where they might have been kept or buried. However, when it comes to returning human remains, this comes down to requests that both sides must agree to.

open image in gallery Forensic specialist Niamh Smith has worked in Ukraine since February last year ( Sacha Biazzo )

One of the key takeaways for Ms Smith is how respectful everybody is and how it is a completely joint effort. You have got parties from Russia, parties from Ukraine, all working simultaneously to make this transfer happen.

Having taken part in 11 repatriations, she says these exchanges make her feel hopeful despite the tragic circumstances.

You see the humanity that everybody is taking care of these bodies, and theyre handled very respectfully, she said. That is my biggest takeaway, the human aspect of everybody working together to achieve getting these people home to their families. Thats the end goal.

Ms Smiths 31 years as a forensics specialist has seen her work for the Metropolitan Police and Interpol, as well as in South Sudan, the Middle East, and even working on mass graves in Libya.

After moving to Ukraine in February 2024, this is the first time she has worked in an active conflict zone where the violence is ongoing. Her first ever repatriation, which took place last summer, has stayed with her.

As the convoy of military vehicles, ICRC trucks and refrigerated lorries travelled through four separate Ukrainian villages on the way back from a body exchange, she saw people kneeling on the side of the roads with Ukrainian flags on show.

open image in gallery The ICRC said its work to identify the dead could take decades ( The ICRC )

They are openly weeping and throwing flowers under the trucks as they go past to pay respects to the dead who are coming home, she says.

They dont know who these individuals are, they dont individually know whos in the trucks, but they just know that theyre the sons or the brothers or the husbands of somebody, and theyre coming back having lost their lives.

As well as accompanying the repatriations, Ms Smith helps support Ukraines medical and legal system to recover and identify combatants killed in the conflict as the number of missing people who may have been killed in action continues to rise.

The numbers that theyve been dealing with are huge, but of course theyre overwhelmed, and so we try and support that, she says. Nowhere is equipped for three and a half years of consistent bodies in high numbers.

open image in gallery Painstaking efforts are made to identify the fallen to give their loved ones peace ( AP )

Pat Griffiths, ICRC spokesperson in Ukraine, adds: As of August 2025, the ICRC has a caseload of 154,200 people from both sides of the front line whose fate or whereabouts are unknown. Behind each of those cases is a family seeking answers.

Many have been waiting for months, if not years, for news. Some families may eventually receive confirmation that their loved one is being held as a prisoner of war. Others may eventually receive the worst news possible: confirmation that their loved one has been killed.

But that wait can take years, and some may never receive an answer at all. And thats why the work of forensic teams is so important. Working to identify the human remains that have been recovered or repatriated is painstaking. Its hard work, its slow, and its expensive.

The fact that the remains of so many of those who have been killed still need to be recovered or repatriated before the work to identify them can begin only extends the time horizon.

Our experience in conflicts around the world tells us that the work to identify all those who are unaccounted for could be measured in decades, not just years.

Every unidentified person is a missing person. Somebody somewhere is waiting and hoping to get news about that person, and that's why our role within the support of the identification is so important.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Russia launched its largest aerial attack since the beginning of the war, killing four people across the country and striking a key government building in Kyiv for the first time.

Smoke could be seen rising from the building, which is the home of the countrys cabinet and ministers, with the area cordoned off as fire engines and ambulances attended.

The attack on the Ukrainian capital killed four people and wounded 20 others, according to city officials.

Those killed were a mother and her three-month-old child, whose bodies were dug out of the rubble, Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyivs city administration, said.

Vladimir Putins forces had launched 810 drones and decoys, with Ukraines air force stating that it had shot down 747 drones and four missiles.

open image in gallery A woman reacts outside a damaged building in Kyiv ( AP )

The strike on an official government building marks an escalation in Russias air campaign, which has so far spared such buildings in the city centre.

Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Putin to negotiate a peace agreement, and has urged US president Donald Trump to impose punishing sanctions on Russia to push it to end the war.

The New York Post reported Mr Trump confirmed on Sunday that he is ready to push ahead with fresh restrictions on the country.

He was asked by reporters whether he was ready to move to the second stage of sanctions against Russia, and he replied yes - but did not specify what this would mean in practice.

Yuriy Ihnat, an air force spokesperson, confirmed to AP that Sundays attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Overall, Mr Zelensky said four people were killed and 44 wounded and called for sanctions on Russia and for strengthening Ukraines air defences.

Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war, he said.

The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed.

open image in gallery An explosion of a missile lights up the sky during a Russian strike in Kyiv ( Reuters )

He said he had spoken on the phone with French president Emmanuel Macron about the attack.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Macron accused Russia of striking indiscriminately and said Moscow is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer also condemned the attack, saying: These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity. He is not serious about peace.

Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty.

Direct drone hits struck a nine-storey residential building in Kyivs Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-storey residential building in Darnytskyi district.

open image in gallery Emergency workers extinguish a fire in a Kyiv apartment building ( Reuters )

I just have no more words left to express what I feel towards Russia, said Olha, a 77-year-old Kyiv resident whose apartment was damaged. She did not give her last name.

Although Im an ethnic Russian myself, from outside Moscow, Ive never thought my people would be capable of this.

Ukraines prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted a video of herself inside the damaged government building, where she said a fire covering 800 square metres was put out.

For the first time since the start of full-scale invasion, Russians struck our government headquarters in the centre of Kyiv, she said.

It looks like Russia is not seeking peace and is not ready for negotiations. We call our partners to help close our sky. Lets strengthen sanctions against Russia. Lets create the security guarantees system that will help stop the enemy, she said.

open image in gallery Rescue personnel working to extinguish a fire at the Ukrainian government building in Kyiv ( Ukrainian prime ministers official Telegram channel )

The Russian defence ministry said on Sunday that it used high-precision weapons and drones to strike drone assembly and storage sites, military air bases in central, southern and eastern Ukraine, an industrial facility and a logistics facility on the outskirts of Kyiv.

The ministry said that all designated objects were hit and said that no strikes were carried out on other objects within the borders of Kyiv, in what could be a reference to the damaged government building.

Sundays attack is the second mass Russian drone and missile attack to target Kyiv within two weeks, as hopes for peace talks wane.

It comes after European leaders pressed Putin to work to end the war after 26 of Ukraines allies pledged to deploy troops as a reassurance force for the war-torn country once the fighting ends.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer has condemned the latest aerial attack ( AP )

Moscow has repeatedly objected to any Western troop deployments to Ukraine and pushed back against a Putin-Zelensky summit, saying lower-level talks must take place first.

Russias defence ministry said its air defences intercepted a total of 100 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Azov Sea between 8pm on Saturday and 6.30am on Sunday.

Most were downed over the Belgorod, Voronezh and Krasnodar regions near the border with Ukraine, according to the statement.

In the Krasnodar region, falling drone debris sparked a brief fire at an oil refinery, local authorities said.

The Russian defence ministry also said on Sunday that its troops had seized the village of Khoroshe in the Dnipropetrovsk region. There was no immediate confirmation from Ukraine.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

The Israeli military has destroyed a second major high-rise tower in Gaza City in as many days, after Benjamin Netanyahu's forces warned people to flee south ahead of a planned offensive to capture the area.

Residents of Sousi Tower, a 15-storey building and well-known landmark, said they were given just 20 minutes to pack what they could and evacuate before warplanes reduced the tower to rubble.

The Israeli military said Hamas used the building to gather intelligence and that explosive devices had been planted nearby, a claim denied by Hamas. Locals said the building was used to shelter the displaced.

Defence minister Israel Katz shared a video on X of what appeared to be the multi-storey building collapsing after the strike, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air. He added: We continue.

Sousi Tower resident Aida Abu Kas described the chaotic evacuation of the building, telling the Associated Press: Suddenly, we were sitting at home and people started shouting. Some said it was a lie and other said it was real. We went out and didnt know what to do.

Hamas said Israels claims that the tower was being used by militants were false and part of a systematic forced displacement plan. These towers are strictly monitored, entry is permitted exclusively for civilians, it said a statement.

Gaza City ( AFP via Getty Images )

Israeli forces have been carrying out an offensive on the suburbs of Gaza City for weeks after Mr Netanyahu ordered his military to capture it. The city and its surrounding region is currently experiencing a famine, the UN says, after Israel severely restricted aid flows.

About 87 people were killed and more than 400 suffered injuries in Israeli attacks on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported, citing health authorities in the Hamas-run Strip. Another 21 people, mostly in Gaza City, have been killed since dawn on Sunday, it added.

The intensified assault threatens to displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering there from nearly two years of fighting. Before the war, around a million people, nearly half of Gaza's population, lived in the city.

Palestinians in Gaza City said it made little difference whether they stayed or fled. "Some say we should evacuate, others say we should stay," said Abdel Nasser Mushtaha, 48, a resident of the city's Zeitun neighbourhood.

He told AFP news agency: But everywhere in Gaza there are bombings and deaths. For the past year-and-a-half, the worst bombings that caused massacres of civilians have been in Al-Mawasi, this so-called humanitarian zone.

The Israeli military earlier warned residents should leave the city for a designated coastal area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, assuring those fleeing that they would be able to receive food, medical care and shelter there.

The designated area was a "humanitarian zone", spokesperson Avichay Adraee said. The military also issued so-called "evacuation warnings" to civilians in certain areas of the city, warning it was about to carry out attacks.

The Israeli military bombed another high-rise tower on Friday that it said was also being used by Hamas. On Thursday, the military said it had control over almost half of Gaza City. It says it controls about 75 per cent of all of Gaza.

More than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive in Gaza in almost two years, according to local health authorities. The offensive began in retaliation against a Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities on 7 October 2023 that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The militants took 251 hostages following the attack.

There are growing calls within Israel, led by families of hostages and their supporters, to end the war in a diplomatic deal that would secure the release of the remaining 48 captives. Israeli officials believe 20 of the hostages are still alive.

Mr Netanyahu is pushing for an all-or-nothing deal that would see all of the hostages released at once and Hamas surrendering. US president Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington was in "very deep" negotiations with the Palestinian militants.

Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar on Sunday told reporters in Jerusalem that the offensive in Gaza could end immediately if Hamas released the remaining hostages being held in Gaza and laid down its weapons. "We will be more than happy to reach this objective with political means," he said.

Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who was in Jerusalem, called on Israel to "change course" and stop its military campaign. "We are extremely concerned about the humanitarian (situation)," he said, while also calling for the hostages to be freed.

Mr Rasmussen said there had been no breakthrough in talks with his Israeli counterpart for Israel to allow injured Gazans to receive medical care in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Gina London: The sweet sound of determination  lessons from Mezzo Music Academy

Harmonic leadership: start small, trust your gut, and make people feel welcome

The gift of music is best given young. Photo: Getty

Gina London Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

When I talked with Sonya Murphy-Lyons, founder and director of Mezzo Music Academy in Terenure, Dublin 6, I felt like I could hear a soundtrack of her journey. And it was lively, relentless and unapologetically upbeat.
Health

One of Irelands largest sauna operators is planning to invest 2m in a landmark facility at Dublins Bolands Mills as it plots expansion into the lucrative US market.

The Hot Box Sauna is planning to open a flagship sauna destination in Bolands Mills featuring multiple handcrafted saunas, plunge pools, and relaxation zones. The development will create 15 jobs, with the company already operating 16 saunas across the six locations in Dublin, Meath, Sligo, Louth and Kilkenny, employing 60 staff.
'People no longer wanted to be associated with the traditional, local way of speaking': Are Irish accents as we know them dying out?
The scale of our ambition is equal to the Lemass days  IMI chief Shane OSullivan on educating the future of corporate Ireland

New owners bring new ideas and boss of the Irish Management Institute believes its recent acquisition by the Business Post Group will help it stay at the top of Irish corporate learning tree

'We did a survey recently with C-suite [top-level executives] and 40pc said organisations needed very significant change for them to survive,' says O'Sullivan. Photo by Steve Humphreys

Fearghal O'Connor Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

Fluttering over the lush 12-acre Sandyford grounds and brutalist campus buildings of the Irish Management Institute (IMI) in south Dublin is a green flag, almost the colour of the masthead of its new owner, the Kilcullen Business Post Group.
Oscar winner recalls incident with music producer for RTE radio series For the Record

The retired film producer, responsible for acclaimed films such as Chariots of Fire, Midnight Express and The Mission, is the first guest in a new RTE radio programme, For the Record, in which people talk about their music collections at home.

Speaking with the Sunday Independent, host Pat OMahony said: Puttnam was trying to get the rights to use a Phil Spector song in a movie, so he arranged to meet him for lunch in a restaurant  but the discussion became an argument, and Phil pulled a gun on Puttnam.

The funny thing was Spectors bodyguard just leaned across, took the gun from his hand and said: Phil, I told you not to do that, as if scolding a child.

David just laughed about it afterwards and said: I dont even know if it was loaded. And after all that, he never got to use the track he wanted.

It wasnt the first time Spector pulled a gun on a celebrity. He produced a gun in another argument with Cher over a record  though she later said she did not believe he would use it against her.

In 2009, Spector, who has since died, was jailed for a minimum of 19 years for murdering actress Lana Clarkson. The 40-year-old died of a gunshot wound while she was in Spectors mansion in 2003. He had worked with some of the biggest names in music including John Lennon, Ike and Tina Turner and The Righteous Brothers.

Osca-winning film director David Puttnam

OMahony explained how Puttnam  who has lived in west Cork for many years  told how his love for classical music came about.

Puttnam was in a record shop in Times Square in New York in the late 1960s and had been buying LPs. He got talking to the guy behind the counter who asked him if he liked classical music. David told him no  so the guy said to him: Here are four classical albums. Take them, dont pay for them  and next time youre in town, drop in and tell me what you liked.

So next time hes in town he goes back, pays for the albums he liked  and the guy in the shop gives him another four, and again says: Pay me next time. Thats how his love of classical began. Youve got to love that Sixties attitude.

Of the guests that OMahony has had on the show, he says chef Neven Maguire is the one who surprised him most.

When I found out Neven Maguire was into 1990s dance music, that was a surprise  as was the fact that Aidan Gillen has a proper working jukebox at home.

He said Puttnams record collection is very eclectic, and he has a huge vinyl collection  though he has given away or sold a huge amount of his record collection and replaced them with CDs.

But he has hung on to a lot of old classical music that he thinks will never be re-released on CD. He has a lot of movie soundtracks, some from his own films and others too. We were looking at playing something from the 1990s, and I spotted the Ace of Spades album by Motorhead, and I said: Crikey, I didnt expect that. And he said: Oh, thats my sons, hes a composer. Then I spotted another rock album, and said: You have Bush there  and David says: My son was in Bush.

'For The Record' host Pat O'Mahony

Former Sunday Game host Michael Lyster (71) also features in the new season of the programme, though most of his collection is still in his attic.

Michael used to be the music correspondent for his local paper, The Tuam Herald, back in the 1970s. When Marianne Faithfull died, someone sent me an article from the paper that Michael had written about a gig she did in Tuam. I was fascinated by this, so I called him and we had a chat. So from that I knew he had a record collection, and when I got the go-ahead for the new series, he was on my list, OMahony said.

Michael likes rock. Hes a Led Zeppelin and David Bowie fan

Lyster has retired from broadcasting, but began his career in RTE with 2FM in 1980. Like every other presenter in the station, he was given albums and singles by record companies in the hope of airplay.

OMahony said: What he has done over the years is buy CDs of the stuff he wants to listen to. Now theres a lot of records up in his attic that he says he has never listened to, as he got them as promo copies  and Im intrigued to see the collection.

The programme is recorded in the guests homes, and while the host researches each guests collection in advance, he doesnt know what theyre going to play on the day. This isnt like Desert Island Discs where somebody comes into a studio with their choices and the presenter is reading from a list of questions, he said. Ive done a recce of their collection in advance, either by video or over phone  so I know their overall vibe, but I dont know what theyre going to pull out on the day.

Michael likes rock. Hes a Led Zeppelin and David Bowie fan but he still buys new music, both Irish and international.

There was an obscure band called Fools Gold that he played a track from, because one of the guys from that band went on to write Like A Virgin for Madonna, True Colors for Cyndi Lauper and Eternal Flame for The Bangles  and never had to play live again, as he lived off the royalties the hits made for him.

The new season of For the Record is on RTE Gold at 6pm every Sunday
David Trimble said it was a wonderful day I was sure he meant Bloody Sunday: Mary McAleese on her changing feelings for unionist leader

Book extract: In 1972 the future president had unsettling impressions of the then law lecturers reaction to the Derry massacre

David Trimble at the 1998 UUP Conference. Photo: Getty

Stephen Walker Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

A Sunday in January 1972 marked one of the blackest days of the Troubles. On the penultimate day of the month, thousands of civil rights demonstrators took to the streets of Derry.
Meet the 82-year-old still wading into River Shannon to cut reeds for thatching

A few people are keeping Irelands roofing tradition alive as they row out on the estuary to harvest sturdy Shannon reed

Pat Peril at work by the River Shannon collecting reeds used for thatching. Photo: Don Moloney

Jimmy Woulfe Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

An 82-year-old man continues to row out on to the Shannon for a river harvest which ensures the traditional Irish cottage holds on to its authentic origins.
Morning Ireland presenter Mary Wilson becomes latest big name to leave RTE

Morale extremely low at Radio 1 after slew of exits, say sourcesWilson announcement follows departures of Claire Byrne and Joe DuffyDecision to be made on the next Liveline presenter in the next two weeks

Mary Wilson has decided to leave RTE

Niamh Horan Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

Broadcasting stalwart Mary Wilson is retiring this month, in what will be another blow to RTE.
Kerry County Council to kick off nomination race for independent Presidential hopefuls

It had been expected that each candidate would be given 15 minutes to present  but this may be reduced given that 17 candidates are now seeking Kerry County Council backing

Gareth Sheridan

Ralph Riegel Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 13:09

Kerry County Council will hold the first of a nationwide series of Presidential candidate consultation meetings as the local authority route for securing a nomination narrows amid manoeuvring by the major political parties.
McDonalds is criticizing the restaurant industry for allowing tipped wages, which let managers pay servers less than the minimum wage as long as customer tips make up the difference.

McDonalds Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an interview on CNBC Tuesday that he supports President Donald Trumps efforts to eliminate federal taxes on tips. But since McDonalds workers don't earn tips, the policy doesnt help them.

Kempczinski also noted that in many states, sit-down restaurants are allowed to pay servers as little as $2.13 per hour, a federal minimum set in 1991, with tips making up the rest of their pay.

So right now, theres an uneven playing field. If you are a restaurant that allows tips or has tips as part of your equation, youre essentially getting the customer to pay for your labor and youre getting an extra benefit from no taxes on tips, Kempczinski said.

Seven states  including California, Nevada and Minnesota  require restaurants to pay their servers a minimum wage before tips are added. Kempczinski said that policy helps lower poverty levels and employee turnover.

We just need to do that, I think, across all 50 states. And weve said repeatedly, were open to conversations on raising the federal minimum wage, Kempczinski said.

Kempczinski was promoting McDonald's new Extra Value Meals, which offer discounted prices for an entree, side and drink. Kempczinski said the company is trying to appeal to lower- and middle-income customers who have cut back on their visits as fast food prices have risen.

As the average price of a combo meal has crept above $10 across the U.S., McDonald's and other fast food chains are competing more directly with sit-down chains. Chili's, for example, currently offers an entree, drink and appetizer for $10.99.

But Kempczinski implied that sit-down restaurants can offer deals like that in part because many pay their servers a sub-minimum wage.

McDonalds feels so strongly about the issue that it is no longer a member of the National Restaurant Association, an industry trade group that represents more than 500,000 restaurants and bars. The association confirmed Friday that McDonalds has stepped away from the group due to a policy difference.

The Association remains committed to representing the full spectrum of the restaurant industry and continues to advocate for policies that support sustainable growth and workforce development, the association said.

McDonald's shares fell less than 1% Friday.
Sure enough, the bomb went off: Gloria Hunniford on early days in Belfast and family loss

In a new RTE show, veteran Irish presenter looks back on her life as a cub reporter in 1970s Northern Ireland and the crushing grief of losing her daughter Caron Keating to cancer

Gloria Hunniford at home with her late daughter Caron Keating, circa 1991. Photo: TV Times via Getty

Lynne Kelleher Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

The doyenne of daytime TV, Gloria Hunniford, has said she is glad she moved back to Ireland with her husband, Stephen Way, before he died last year from cardiovascular disease.
Colum McCann: As I talked to Pope Leo, I recognised a quality that can counter the cynicism of our fractured world

Before the pontiff speaks out about Gaza, Ukraine or Sudan, expect him to listen first

Over three months after his election, Pope Leo has a sense of where he is in the world now. Photo: Reuters

Colum McCann Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

Im not a particularly devout Catholic, but last week I had the honour of visiting Pope Leo in the Vatican alongside Diane Foley, the mother of murdered journalist Jim Foley. Our visit was short, no more than 15 minutes. The conversation centred on mercy and compassion, as clearly seen in Dianes forgiveness of her sons killer, documented in her book American Mother, which I co-wrote.
Six years after arriving in Ireland, I realise this place doesnt always get it right  but when it does, its hard to beat

Whether its politics or transport, some things dont make sense about this island  yet, I have fallen in love with the country

Peter Vandermeersch at Trinity College in Dublin. Photo: David Conachy

Peter Vandermeersch Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

Whats it like over there in Ireland? Its a question I have faced repeatedly these last six years. Every time Ive gone back to Belgium or the Netherlands to see family and friends, someone would inevitably ask: Whats it like there?
Conor Skehan: Mercosur deal is part of a reordering of the world order and Ireland needs to get on board

Our post-colonial voice can steer Brussels toward persuasion rather than moralising

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen with former Uruguay president Luis Lacalle Pou, and Brazil president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the Mercosur Summit in Montevideo last year. Photo: Reuters

Conor Skehan Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

In a week when the leaders of Russia, India and China met to demonstrate their growing solidarity, the EU stepped up the ratification process for its long-discussed Mercosur trade agreement. These two developments  the reordering of global blocs and Europes attempt to secure new trade routes  are connected.
There are only six more Sundays to go before the presidential election, and still not a single voter knows for certain who will be on the ballot on October 24.

That is quite the pickle, considering all the feverish speculation that went into this contest over the summer.

Sinn Fein has yet to make a decision on whether to run a candidate at all. Whoever eventually gets the nod will scarcely be out of the blocks before the race is over.

The startling lack of clarity is reflected in todays latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll, which finds the three main party-backed candidates virtually neck-and-neck. Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys enjoys a negligible one-point lead over her two principal rivals, the joint left candidate Catherine Connolly and Jim Gavin, the most likely victor in the upcoming battle on Tuesday evening to be Fianna Fails nominee.

Previous campaigns have shown these positions can change quickly. The most significant figure in todays poll remains the huge number of dont knows. Four in 10 voters have yet to see anything that catches their eye. There is, to borrow a sporting cliche, everything to play for.

If Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald enters the race, our poll suggests it would become an even tighter four-horse race, with Connolly suffering most damage  but it would still leave nearly a third of people in the undecided camp.

These unenthusiastic voters hold the key to Aras an Uachtarain and a wise candidate would be offering them something to latch on to.

Thats the real puzzle in this race. Among those either officially running or likely to enter the race, it is hard to pin down what they stand for, or why voters should be excited to back them as president.

Turnout will tell its own story on the day

The most vocal among the hopefuls are those with little chance of winning, such as mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor. He always has plenty to say, even if most of it is objectionable and half-baked. His 2pc tally in our poll is arguably more than he deserves, but is a statistical irrelevance anyway, since he has no chance of securing a nomination.

Those with a real chance of making it to the Aras have, by contrast, been as tight-lipped as Trappist monks, not least Gavin.

Fianna Fail appeared reluctant to run a candidate at all. Mairead McGuinnesss shock exit left the race wide open. The Taoiseach hurried to plug the gap, no doubt seeing Humphreys as easier to beat. The operation to pick any reasonably inoffensive man in a suit who isnt Bertie Ahern was launched. Gavin seems to have been favoured because he does not frighten the horses.

A man who has dedicated years to serving with the Defence Forces, as well as leading the Dublin team to All-Ireland victory six times, deserves respect. Voters in turn deserve the respect of being let in on what he stands for or against.

It is insulting to choose a head of state this way. While the office of president is largely ceremonial, that does not diminish its symbolic value.

Turnout will tell its own story on the day. The number voting in presidential elections has been falling steadily. October may see even more people voting with their feet by staying at home. As a result, we may end up with a president who will do, rather than one attracting genuine loyalty  an outcome that should have been entirely avoidable.
Hugo Hamilton: Fixation on Nazi past has led Germany to the wrong side of history on Gaza

Repression of criticism of Israel is taking hold on the countrys streets and in its universities and cultural institutions, but young people are fighting back

Kitty O'Brien is led away by Berlin police. Photo: Irish Bloc Berlin/Caoimhe McAlister

Hugo Hamilton Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

When you see the social media clip of a teenage girl being arrested in Berlin, you know there is something seriously wrong with Germany. The girl is sitting passively on the street at a pro-Palestine protest, with an orange suit, long hair, a small white handbag around her neck. Police in riot gear lift her by the arms and legs and carry her away, shouting out of the way at bystanders, as if they have caught the worlds most dangerous terrorist.
Singer and humanitarian Bob Geldof is considering running for the Aras. Photo: Getty

Hearing Bob Geldof may be considering a run for president, I ask myself, Does Bob Geldof even like Ireland?

I have never heard him express any pride in his place of birth, surely a basic criterion for a potential candidate.

Niamh Fitzpatrick, Lucan, Co Dublin

Working Mondays may be out if the Boomtown Rat finds himself in the Aras

Apparently, some people are encouraging Bob Geldof to run for the presidency. If the Boomtown Rats frontman does find himself ensconced in the Park, I presume he wont want to work on Mondays.

Noel Kelly, Doonbeg, Co Clare

Bertie Ahern would have made a great president given his peace-building acumen

I hope Bertie Ahern will only be peeved for less than five minutes following Micheal Martins decision to look the other way (Ahern drops his bid for presidency with sharp words for Taoiseach and Mahon Tribunal, Irish Independent, September 5).

Aherns legacy is peace in Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement is not something history will not forget, even if many now have taken that prize for granted. I, for one, will always be grateful.

The former taoiseach is perhaps the best relationship builder of our time and undoubtedly he would have brought that supreme quality to the Office of President of Ireland.

Alas, it is not his time  as it was not for Albert Reynolds. No sulking. Enough of that.

Aidan Roddy, Cabinteely, Dublin 18

As Northern Irish history shows, too many flags point to a divided society

Reflecting on Lorraine Courtneys article (Treating Tricolour as a suspect object sends wrong message, Irish Independent, September 5), I have long regarded a profusion of flags as a symptom of an insecure society.

In the North, banners multiplied in both communities  not from confidence, but from anxiety, as a need to assert identity rather than celebrate it.

Courtney rightly warns that treating the Tricolour as a suspect object risks handing it to those who would weaponise it. Yet the deeper issue is the one she touches on: flags rise when frustrations go unheard. Pull them down and the grievances remain, only more embittered.

As philosopher Thomas Carlyle reminded us: Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together.

True confidence, whether in a nation or a community, lies in quiet certainties that need no banner.

Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh

Labours Alan Kelly casts doubt on the democratic process with Connolly comments

It was surprising to hear Alan Kelly so brazenly state on RTE News when asked about his stance on the Labour Partys support for presidential candidate Catherine Connolly, that while he acknowledged the party made a democratic decision to back Ms Connolly, he would still refuse to do so.

This raises interesting questions about his take on what respect for the democratic process means.

What is even more surprising is that the current Labour leadership seems content to tolerate Kellys failure to honour the democratic decision of the party, particularly as his behaviour could jeopardise the election of a candidate of the left  thus ensuring success for an establishment candidate.

Is it any wonder the party remains in the electoral doldrums?

Jim OSullivan, Rathedmond, Co Sligo

The leaders of Russia and China have an abundant supply of organs if needed

As Chinese president Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin walked to view the military parade held in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the ending of World War II, a hot mic picked up a conversation between the two leaders.

With North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in close attendance, Putins translator  speaking in Chinese  was heard to say: Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you can become and [you can] even achieve immortality.

To which President Xi responded: Some predict that in this century, humans may live to 150 years old.

Of course human organs in both countries are in more than plentiful supply, especially on the Russian front with war-torn Ukraine.

Also, the amount of people who mysteriously fall out of high-rise buildings in recent times, would guarantee more than enough healthy organs for transplantation, to allow these autocrats to live much longer than the rest of us mere mortals.

Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo

Xi Jinpings peace or war rhetoric does nothing to quell fears of Ukraine and Taiwan

Chinese president Xi Jinping, in meeting with Russias Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Tiananmen Square, says humanity faces peace or war.

Really? Perhaps we should ask the people of Taiwan, the people of Ukraine, or the people of North Korea what the choice should be?

Peter Declan OHalloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan

If minister really wants to fight price gouging, he should legislate to stop it

Sports Minister Patrick ODonovan tells us what we know for years. Hotel prices rise when the opportunity arises and demand exceeds availability.

But threatening the tourist industry in advance of the Budget is merely playing to a tired gallery. Why not do something, rather than talk about it? Bring in legislation that cuts to the bone. Take on price gougers.

John Cuffe, Co Meath

When Irelands youngest pupils grow up they will learn of Wests inaction on Gaza

Local newspapers this week are emblazoned with pictures of little children attending their first day at school.

Spare a thought then for the thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza this autumn  many of them now orphans  who have no schools or homes to go to as they try and stay alive in Israels murderous campaign on their homeland.

When this years junior infants grow up they will learn that the Western world stood idly by and let this genocide happen.

Tom McElligott, Listowel, Co Kerry
Shane Ross: Bertie Ahern brought peace to these islands, but now Micheal Martin has exiled him to no mans land

Taoiseach dealt with his former party leader ruthlessly, using every lever at this disposal to close all routes to the presidency

Micheal Martin meets then-taoiseach Bertie Ahern at Dublin Castle in 2006: the pair have a long history. Photo: Julien Behal/PA

Shane Ross Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

Bertie Ahern and Micheal Martin go back a long way. Right back to 1989.Both were proteges of a certain Charles J Haughey. Todays Taoiseach owes his break in politics to Charlie.
Speed vans in Cork have collected 2.9m in fines over the past two and a half years.

Garda figures released to Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ni Mhurchu showed that a total of 2,893,200 was collected in Cork city and county between January 1, 2023 and June 8 this year.

The city led the way, with Togher being the Cork garda district where the most fines were collected (702,800), followed by Mayfield (513,200). In third and fourth place respectively were the towns of Bandon (466,160) and Mallow (382,800).

Cork was the third highest county for Garda speed van fines during the period, behind Dublin (6,227,840) and Tipperary (3,322,880).

A European Commission report from 2020 estimated that 10 to 15pc of all crashes and 30pc of all fatal crashes are the direct result of speeding or inappropriate speed, Ms Ni Mhurchu said.

174 people died on Irish roads in 2024, which means that 52 of those people died as a direct result of speeding. There are 52 families across the country mourning loved ones because we have failed to tackle speeding in any meaningful way.

The EU Transport Committee MEP called for a get-tough approach to those caught doing excessive speeds on rural roads and a greater concentration of speed vans at accident black spots.

The total of speed van fines collected throughout Ireland during the period was 32.4m.

Figures show that gardai paid out over 44.4m to private speed camera operators between the start of 2023 and August this year, meaning the system is losing over 9,000 a day.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
The company behind Irish DJ group Belters Only has faced down claims its hit song Make Me Feel Good breached the copyright of a decade-old club anthem.

Late last year, Belters Only Productions found itself dragged into a long-running copyright dispute between US-based musicians Lynn Lockamy and Timmy Regisford over the song At the Club. Belters Only, comprised of DJ friends Conor Bissett and Robbie Griffiths, sampled the 2011 club track in the hit song Make Me Feel Good, which topped the Irish singles chart in 2022.
Norway has made one of its biggest North Sea oil discoveries in a decade, heightening scrutiny on Ed Milibands decision to end Britains fossil fuel exploration in the area.

Oil field operator Aker BP uncovered a field that could yield the equivalent of 134 million barrels of oil in an area thought to have already been fully explored.

The find was made in the Yggdrasil field, an area of the Norwegian North Sea close and geologically similar to that of the UK sector.

Karl Johnny Hersvik, the chief executive of Aker BP, said it was amongst the largest commercial discoveries in Norway in a decade and added he expected further finds as new exploration methods push the boundaries.

He said: We look forward to unlocking even more of the potential in this prolific area.

The discovery underlines the growing contrast between Norway and the UK in their approaches to oil and gas.

Norway is enjoying continued success in finding and exploiting new oil and gas in the supposedly mature North Sea, while Britain is effectively turning its back on the billions of barrels potentially remaining in its own sector.

Figures released separately this week by the Norwegian Offshore Directorate showed that the countrys monthly oil production has jumped to the highest level in over a decade, following the ramp-up of new fields in the northerly Barents Sea.

Meanwhile, around 180 of the UKs 280 current oil and gas fields are expected to shut down over the next five years, with output predicted to fall 70pc.

Windfall levies imposed by the previous Conservative government and increased by Labour mean UK oil and gas profits are now taxed at 78pc. Mr Miliband, the Energy Secretary, last year banned the issuing of new licences to expand fossil fuel production.

Ashley Kelty, of Panmure Liberum investment bank, said: Norways success is down to a supportive government and a fiscal regime that properly incentivises exploration and development activity.

In the UK, incessant tax changes have made the UK less stable for investment and the open hostility of governments to longer-term activity has further deterred investment.

Aker BPs discovery lies just across the border between the UK and Norwegian sectors and only about 100 miles east of Shetland. It suggests a similar find may lie in British waters.

Mike Tholen, of trade body Offshore Energies UK, said: Norway is actively exploring and continues to hold annual licensing rounds for new exploration activity.

Norway is for the most part drilling in similar geological structures to the UK, where oil and gas production in the UK has undoubtedly been severely impacted by policy decisions.
Our columnist tries four new fragrances and tests the new luxe Louis Vuitton make-up range

How I wish there was a Shazam for fragrances! Imagine being able to flick your phone and instantly uncover that intoxicating scent lingering in the air without having to awkwardly interrogate strangers  which I am prone to doing.

But it was a great nice breaker  thats not a typo by the way  when I was a singlista, sidling up to buachailli, saying: Excuse me sir, your scent is delish. Can you dish out the details?

Of course, the flipside is that some scents are like a nasal explosion  and must be avoided at all costs. Luckily, Im all about sniffing out the good, the bad and the fugly. I drown myself in luxurious perfumes in department stores and airports  for research purposes, of course. Here are some absolute bangers that will have you smelling divine.

Republic of Oud Rose Elixir, 160 sale price, republicofoud.com

Ooh for Oud

Can we take a moment for one of the most exciting store openings in Ireland of late: Republic of Oud in Cork. Its like something out of a fancy French film. Having worked in the Middle East for years, its founder, the fabulous Alan Coakley, brought the tradition of oud-based fragrances to Ireland.

Oud is the most precious and revered of all Arabian fragrances, and when he brought small bottles of precious oud oils home as gifts, the incredible reaction inspired Alan to open the boutique-style store in the Winthrop Arcade. Having popped in for a play, Id highly encourage everyone to visit  its quite the experience. My current favourite is Republic of Oud Rose Elixir (160 sale price, republicofoud.com).

Alchemie, 390, bottegaveneta.com

Bot of Luxury

Italian luxury house, Bottega Veneta, is best-known for its high-class fashion, but did you know that it has a brand new fragrance range as well? I discovered it in the Bottega Veneta boutique just inside the door of Brown Thomas on Dublins Grafton Street. Alchemie (390, bottegaveneta.com) is my favourite of the five fragrances inspired by the city of Venice.

This one combines pink pepper, mandarin, nutmeg and leather with precious myrrh from Somalia. The stunning glass bottle, with its base of Verde Saint Denis marble, is inspired by traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques. Check out the refillable gold container with the distinctive design for carrying this precious perfume as well. In for a penny

Cloon Keen Roisin Dubh, 130, cloonkeen.com

Keenly Scented

A great Irish brand, Cloon Keen was founded by Margaret Mangan and Julian Checkley. It specialises in handcrafted perfumes and candles inspired by Irish folklore, nature and history. It uses high-quality, natural ingredients and small-batch production process in its Galway atelier.

If you dont know where to start with the brand, may I suggest Cloon Keen Roisin Dubh (130, cloonkeen.com) a real crowd pleaser as it contains Damascena rose, patchouli, smoky incense, black pepper and tobacco absolute for a very modern feel.

Glossier You Fleur, 96, glossier.com and Space NK in Dublin

Fleur Flair

Glossier has expanded its Impressions of You fragrance line with the addition of Glossier You Fleur (96, glossier.com and Space NK in Dublin) which, as the name suggests, is a floral fragrance. Perfumer Dora Baghriche says that it isnt just a perfume  its a reflection of your inner beauty. Im all about that, and I think the fragrance is bloomin lovely.

Trick

Rough Magic

Theres nothing worse than having a lovely shower or bath, doing all your body care  and then finding that your towels are rough and not so absorbent. Recharge them by putting them in the washing machine with a cup of baking soda and, after the water fills for about a minute, add two cups of vinegar via the detergent drawer. But dont use any detergent or fabric softener. When the wash cycle ends, your towels should come out fluffy and soft again.

La Beaute Louis Vuitton Rouge Satin, 140, louisvuitton.com

Treat

Luxe-tastic

Theres been a lot of chatter online about Louis Vuittons spendy new makeup collection, created by legendary make-up artist Pat McGrath The collection includes lipsticks, eyeshadows and lip balms. With 27 shades in the La Beaute Louis Vuitton Rouge Satin (140, louisvuitton.com) lipstick range and 28 in the matte range, there is something to suit everyone.

Treatment

Spa restoration

Anantara The Marker has introduced iconic skincare range Elemis and its restorative treatments to its spa offering. For the 60-minute The Elemis Express (135-155, anantara.com) you get a back massage specifically tailored to relieve tension and target deep-seated muscle knots, followed by a skin-lifting and hydrating facial using Elemis signature Pro-Collagen line. I spent a gorgeous morning there with my Mum recently, with afternoon tea in the hotel. Bliss.
Actor Ray Winstone during a live sculpture by Frances Segelman at The Garrison Chapel at Chelsea Barracks (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

Ray Winstone has said it was a no-brainer to participate in a live sculpting event in support of a veterans charity.

Royal sculptor Frances Segelman created a bust of the English actor, 68, best known for The Departed, King Of Thieves and Sexy Beast, at an event held in London on Sunday for Blesma, a military charity that supports limbless veterans.

Winstone described the event as an honour, adding that his participation was not about supporting a war but about supporting our kids.

Speaking about the charity and what it meant to the actor, Winstone told the PA news agency: Everything really, I went out to Camp Bastion back in the day when the troops were out there.

I had friends who were serving there and I got cleared by the MoD (Ministry of Defence) to go, but they cant insure you. They cant cover you with insurance, but you still go anyway.

I came back on a flight with the injured people that lost limbs, had shrapnel damage, gunshot wounds and I went to the hospitals in Birmingham and visited and then on to the rehabilitation centres.

Actor Ray Winstone during the event at The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea Barracks in London (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

Winstone described a project that encouraged people from the rehabilitation centres into theatre by putting on a play that was written and performed by those who were injured as a way to help them gain their confidence back again.

He said: Its difficult enough to walk into a strange room on your own, youve got to stick your chest out and front it, but when youve lost your legs or arm or part of your face its very difficult to do, but we found that through the arts, through theatre, that these people grew.

Actor Ray Winstone during the live sculpting (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

When this came up, I thought it was the real proper thing to do, to amalgamate the two together, because its about art.

Were doing something with ex-soldiers, ex-soldiers that have been injured and bringing them in and bringing them back to society through the arts. And its amazing how that kind of works.

So this was a no-brainer for me.

A lot of the kids that join the forces, whether theyre from London, Coventry, Durham, wherever in the country, join because they havent got a job. They want to learn. They want a career.

Then all of a sudden, the f****** war comes. These kids are in the middle of a warzone. Its not about supporting a war but supporting our kids.

Held at The Garrison Chapel, Chelsea Barracks, the live sculpting event comes after Segelman created a bust of Dame Judi Dench to celebrate the actresss 90th birthday.

Ray Winstone with sculptor Frances Segelman (Maja Smiejkowska/PA)

Sculptor Segelman, who has created busts of members of the royal family as well as figures from across industries including theatre, music, sport, politics and business, is able to create a sculpture in just two hours.

Winstone said: Its quite an honour, especially with Frances doing it.

Im a bit out of my league here. But its amazing, the speed she actually works in.

Speaking about the live sculpting method, Segelman said she is able to work faster with more people in the audience watching her.

She told PA: I have to concentrate, and the more noise, the more focused I get. And also, it gives me a buzz.

Its for a wonderful cause. I think its just an amazing cause.

Im so glad to be doing something for them.
LATEST | Starmer to move asylum seekers into barracks after Home Office shake-up

Dozens of asylum hotels are expected to close after they became the focal point of demonstrations over the summer

Sir Keir Starmer has carried out a wide-ranging reshuffle (PA)

Nina Lloyd Press Association Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 11:45

Shabana Mahmood is expected to unveil plans to move asylum seekers from hotels into military barracks as the UK government seeks to harden its immigration policy amid rising numbers of crossings in the Channel.
LATEST | Connecting cable had given way before Lisbon funicular crash, report says

The Gloria funicular, which is 140 years old, was packed with passengers when it came off the rails

Tributes have been paid to the British couple who died in the Lisbon funicular crash (Armando Franca/AP/PA)

John Besley Press Association Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 09:39

The Lisbon funicular crash which killed 16 people was likely caused by an issue with a cable connecting the streetcars two cabins, Portuguese authorities said.
Russia hits Ukraine with biggest air attack of war, sets government building ablaze

Ukraine's government building attacked first time in war Russia launches drones, missiles on Ukraine Zelenskiy appeals for stronger air defences

Russia hits Kyiv in largest aerial attack on Ukraine since war began

Lidia Kelly and Olena Harmash Reuters Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 16:11

Russia launched its largest air attack of the war on Ukraine overnight, setting the main government building on fire in central Kyiv and killing at least four people, including an infant, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.
Israeli forces target more high-rise buildings in Gaza city, warning residents to flee to humanitarian zone

Israeli forces are razing the city it holds and telling citizens to go south

The al-Soussi tower collapses after an Israeli strike yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Alexander Cornell Sun 7 Sep 2025 at 06:30

The Israeli military yesterday warned Palestinians in Gaza city to leave for the south of the region before bombing a high-rise tower as its forces advance deeper into the small countrys largest urban area.
( Image credit : Shoplifting incident involving a woman of Indian origin in the United States | Credit: X | drnimoyadav )

Shoplifting incident sparks online debate over diaspora conduct and stereotyping

( Image credit : Shoplifting incident sparks online debate | Credit: X | drnimoyadav )

Gujaratis are giving India a bad name internationally.



Look at this Gujarati woman who stole 3 jeans, 7 tops, and 5 pairs of underwear from a shop in US.



She was later caught with all the items, and her phone wallpaper had an image of Modi.pic.twitter.com/InTIuIzdxt  Dr Nimo Yadav 2.0 (@DrNimoYadav) September 7, 2025

Incident sparks public outrage and discussions

( Image credit : Incident sparks public outrage | Credit: X | drnimoyadav )

A thug and an actor both.. very interesting.  Positron (@BetaPositive) September 7, 2025

A quick look back at previous shoplifting cases involving Indian women

Another shocking incident of shoplifting has surfaced once again on social media after the 'Anaya Avalani' case. The recent shoplifting incident involving a woman of Indian origin in the United States has stirred discussions online. According to claims made by an X (formerly called Twitter) user, the woman identified in the viral video is reportedly from Gujarat and was allegedly caught stealing several items of clothing, including 3 jeans, 7 tops, and 5 pairs of underwear, from a shop in the United States.As per the post, the store officials apprehended her on the spot, and the stolen items were recovered. The case has since gained attention on social media, where users debated the broader implications of such incidents involving members of the Indian diaspora.In the post, the user mentioned, "Gujaratis are giving India a bad name internationally. Look at this Gujarati woman who stole 3 jeans, 7 tops, and 5 pairs of underwear from a shop in the US. She was later caught with all the items, and her phone wallpaper had an image of Modi."As soon as the post surfaced on social media, it quickly went viral and grabbed the attention of netizens. Furious Indian citizens said, "Till now we were known as scammers, now our name is coming up in theft also."While another mocked her, saying, "Her acting sucks""But her biggest crime was that acting."When she was stealing the merchandise she wasn't hyperventilating but when she got caught was about to taken to police station she started hyperventilating .Nice desi drama actin, one commented.Acting to dekho. A thug and an actor both.. very interesting., one said.A routine shopping visit to a Target store in the U.S. turned into a nightmare for Indian tourist Avlani, who was allegedly caught stealing merchandise worth nearly $1,000 (around Rs 1.1 lakh). She was arrested on the spot, and the incident has since triggered intense discussion across social media platforms.
Young boy : I want to come to your house in Guwahati sir.



CM Assam, Hemant Biswa Sharma : Give me your number. (Saves the boys number and gives it a ring to confirm. It's the number of the boys mother.)



Boy : With Pride in his voice : I am with the CM of Assam, Hemanta sir. pic.twitter.com/3wPQIsv3XC  Dr Poornima  (@PoornimaNimo) September 7, 2025

How did the internet react to the video?

After 3 years, he will board a train and come to Bengaluru / Chennai / Hyderabad in search of jobs which are ruled by the 3 people you mentioned.



Tell me if Biswas Sarma can be seen anywhere during that time.   Janardhan ||  (@TITTUCOOL) September 7, 2025

So tell me, is this really happening because it has to or just because a camera is around?   Venkatesh Alla (@venkat_fin9) September 7, 2025

This is what true Janata ka CM looks like approachable, humble and connected to the people. Himanta Biswa Sarma didnt just listen, he opened his own home for the boy and his mother. Thats leadership with a human touch. Can the same be said for Stalin, Revanth Reddy or  Panku Jasrotia (@Pankujasrotia11) September 7, 2025

The affection Assamese have for mamaji is just like the affection Hindus have for Shri Modi



May mamaji get the strength to kick all illegals out of assam and all of NE Bharat. May he be blessed with a long and illustrious political career  Ravi Baldev Singh (@Ravi__Baldev) September 7, 2025

Some CM dont even bother to call back those people...who were calling his resident for seeking appointment for meeting....What a great CM of Assam...at least he is meeting comman man..God bless him  Dharmapal  (@davedharmpal) September 7, 2025

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.

A video of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma interacting with a young boy has gained wide attention on social media. Shared on X, the clip shows the Chief Minister inviting the boy to his residence after he expressed a wish to visit his home in Guwahati, even exchanging contact details with him in the brief interaction. The gesture has since gone viral for its warmth.Assam CM's warm exchange with boy goes viralIn the video, a boy dressed in his school uniform tells CM Sarma that he wishes to visit his house in Guwahati. Without a moments hesitation, the Chief Minister pulls out his phone and asks for the boys contact number. The boy shares his mothers number, explaining that he has something important to ask. Sarma gently suggests that the boy bring his question when he visits his residence.Then, the boy hands the phone to his mother and proudly introduces the CM, saying, I am with Himanta, sir. The CM asks the boys mother where she is and assures her, I will give you a call soon.The entire exchange takes place in Assamese, with the Chief Ministers convoy  including his chopper  waiting nearby. Before leaving, Sarma gently pats the boy on the cheek and says a simple go as a goodbye.The video was shared on X by a user named @PoornimaNimo with the caption, "Now tell me whether you have seen CM TN MK Stalin, Revanth Reddy or CM KA Siddharamiah even behaving this sweetly and closely with the youth of their state, let alone inviting them to their personal abode."This warm and spontaneous interaction has resonated widely as a moment of genuine connection between a leader and a young citizen.The good thing about the internet is that it always has different opinions, and the bad thing is that it always has different opinions. What seemed like a sweet exchange quickly turned into a debate in the comments section. While some users felt the moment was performative, others highlighted the bond Sarma shares with locals.One user argued that a few years from now, when the boy is searching for a job in Bengaluru, Chennai, or Hyderabad, the Chief Minister would be nowhere to be seen.Another asked, "So tell me, is this really happening because it has to or just because a camera is around?"Meanwhile, one section of the internet was also impressed by the warmth of the exchange, as one user wrote, "This is what a true Janata ka CM looks like: approachable, humble and connected to the people. Himanta Biswa Sarma didnt just listen; he opened his own home for the boy and his mother. Thats leadership with a human touch. Can the same be said for Stalin, Revanth Reddy or Siddaramaiah? Sadly, most CMs remain locked behind walls of VIP culture.""The affection Assamese have for mamaji is just like the affection Hindus have for Shri Modi.May mamaji get the strength to kick all illegals out of assam and all of NE Bharat. "May he be blessed with a long and illustrious political career," mentioned one user.One individual emphasised, "Some CM don't even bother to call back those people...who were calling his resident for seeking an appointment for a meeting...What a great CM of Assam...at least he is meeting the common man.God bless him."Whether viewed as a genuine moment of kindness or a well-timed political gesture, the video has undeniably sparked a larger conversation about what people expect from their leaders today.
( Image credit : Bon Appetit, Your Majesty Episode 6 online. Credit: tvN )

Bon Appetit, Your Majesty: Release date and time for Episode 6

Where to Watch Bon Appetit, Your Majesty Episode 6 Online?

Bon Appetit, Your Majesty episode 6: Spoilers

He says, *You are my royal chef, which means you are not a lady, thats what Im saying.*

Bro, then he looks at her completely lovestruck.#BonAppetitYourMajesty#BonAppetitYourMajestyEp5pic.twitter.com/eb5OGxGc1E  Mil (@MilYeop) September 6, 2025

Bon Appetit, Your Majesty: Cast and Characters

FAQs

Fans awaiting the K-dramacan stream Episode 6 online on September 7, 2025, at approximately 5:40 PM IST / 9:10 PM KST, as per the official schedule.Chef Yeon Ji Young, a master of her craft, is abruptly thrust into the royal palace, tasked with preparing meals for the formidable King Yi Heon. Amid palace intrigues and survival challenges, her fiery determination collides with the kings fierce temper, igniting a clash of wills that could change both their fates forever.Episode 6 airs on Sunday, September 7, 2025, in South Korea and will go live around 9:10 PM KST on the TVING channel. Viewers in other time zones can expect the release at approximately 1:10 PM BST in the UK and 5:40 PM IST in India on the same day. The episode will also be available for international audiences via streaming on Netflix, which provides English subtitles to make the series accessible worldwide.Episode 6 is available to stream on Netflix, the main legal platforms offering high-quality video and English subtitles. For viewers in the U.S., Canada, India, Indonesia, and the UK, Netflix continues to be the top choices for watching the series.Yi Heon and Ji Young's bond continues to grow, though Ji Young's constant talk about returning to her own time troubles Yi Heon, who is only just beginning to realize his true feelings for her. Away from the palace, the tyrant king and his chef enjoy rare moments of freedom as Ji Young explores Joseon, unaware of the storm about to unfold.The Ming envoy Woogon throws everything into chaos when he proposes a high-stakes culinary competition between Joseon and Ming, placing Ji Young directly in the crossfire. Though she urges Yi Heon to decline, the king refuses, showering her with both gifts and threats to ensure victory. With her future hanging in the balance and Ming Suk Su declaring open rivalry, Ji Young rallies her kitchen staff, preparing for the battle of her life.But danger lurks beneath the surface. Mok Ju plots Joseon's downfall out of spite for Ji Young, while the Ming cooks appear to have secret motives hidden behind their challenge. As the competition looms, all eyes are on Ji Young - especially Yi Heon, whose unwavering faith in her leaves no room for doubt.Will Ji Young's determination be enough to secure victory, or will hidden schemes change Joseon's fate forever? .The series is directed by Jang Tae-yoo and features a talented cast including Im Yoon-ah, Lee Chae-min, Kang Han-na, and Choi Gwi-hwa.Episode 6 will be released on September 7, 2025, and will air at 9:10 PM KST around 5:40 PM IST.Episode 6 will be available for streaming on Netflix, the platform offering English subtitles.Yes,is fully subtitled in English on Netflix, including Episode 6.Episode 6 will see a rookie lawyer with strong ideals faces the legal world under a cold, demanding mentor.Yes,is available on Netflix. The drama officially streams on this site.